Thursday, December 18, 2008

Innocent 'til proven guilty: get your FREE BLAGO blog widget!


BUMPED & UPDATED: The man is innocent. Innocent as the driven snow, I say! You can show your support by adding a FREE BLAGO blog widget to your blog and other electronic correspondence.


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Blago's still the right man for the job!

Hat tip: Larwyn. FREE BLAGO widget appears at: Gateway Pundit, Marathon Pundit, Northeast Republican, Bob McCarty, ConservativeXpress, McNorman and FPA. If you use the FREE BLAGO blog widget, send me the link and I'll include you in the list of high-powered, mega-cool Blago supporters.

Mugshots o' the Year, Person o' the Year


Sophie sent us a link to The Smoking Gun's Mugshots o' the Year:


And, as everyone in America knows by now, Time Magazine named its "Person of the Year".

I don't see the connection?

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D-CA) demands censorship of conservatives


Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D-Gesundheit) wants to resurrect and strengthen The Fairness Doctrine. And besides covering talk radio, she would like to censor cable, satellite programming and broadcast television. Because there's nothing more important for Congress to work on, apparently. No high priority economic mess, for instance.

“I’ll work on bringing it back. I still believe in it,” Eshoo told the Daily Post in Palo Alto.

The Fairness Doctrine required TV and radio stations to balance opposing points of view. It meant that those who disagreed with the political slant of a commentator were entitled to free air time to give contrasting points of view, usually in the same time slot as the original broadcast...

Eshoo said she would recommend the doctrine be applied not only to radio and TV broadcasts, but also to cable and satellite services.

“It should and will affect everyone,” she said [calling] the present system “unfair,” and said "there should be equal time for the spoken word."

Broadcasting & Cable points to other ominous signs.

The [Fairness] doctrine, which only applied to broadcasting, was scrapped by the FCC as unconstitutional in 1987... The doctrine's demise is credited -- or blamed, depending on who is citing it -- for the rise in conservative talk radio. Hosts including Rush Limbaugh and Mark Levin have expressed concerns that the new Democratic regime in Congress will try to reinstate the doctrine as a way to silence their critics.

Contributing to that concern were recent comments by Democratic Senator Charles Schumer of New York to Fox News last month.

The office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, yet another California Democrat, has raised the specter of its return. More recently, Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) said in an interview on talk station KKOB-AM Albuquerque that he hoped there would be a push for the doctrine, saying that “all stations should have to represent a balanced perspective…instead of always hammering away at one side of the political [spectrum].”

Sounds like a solid idea to me.

That First Amendment thingie is such a nuisance. And if we can just silence our critics and utterly control media content, we'll achieve a Democrat Utopia, dontcha know?

As of this moment there are 61 radio stations in New York City. Stations broadcast everything from Air America to Reggae Hip Hop and everything in between.

The reason liberal ideas don't resonate with the general public is that they are forced to compete on the merits of the ideas alone.

And liberals don't like competition.

They would prefer that big government decide what you can listen to, how much fuel your car can consume, what workers' organizations you must join, how much carbon dioxide you can expel, what your retirement stipend must be, which benefits you should consume for your health-care needs... and so on, ad infinitum. They want government to control every aspect of your life.

Furthermore, competition exposes their ideas as intellectually bankrupt, morally reprehensible and ultimately at odds with the vision the Framers held for this country.

You may recognize the fairless doctrine from previous corrupt and failed socialist governments.

I say to Anna Eshoo: read your Constitution, if a liberal hack like you owns a Constitution, that is.

We will resist the Fairless Doctrine and fight your vision of a totalitarian regime that regulates and approves content. In fact, why not put (D-Venezuela) after your name, you pathetic goon?

Note to readers: was that too harsh? I'm in a bad mood tonight.

Bad News Day for the Global Warming Grifters


The guys behind the UN's massive global warming bunko scam must be livid today. A plethora of articles confirm to even the most obtuse observer that the planet is cooling, not warming.

When even Time Magazine says so, things must be getting rough for the IPCC's unique band of climate grifters.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on Tuesday released its weather analysis for the year and found that 2008 has been the coolest year since the turn of the century...

Brian Sussman, writing at The American Thinker, offers candid evidence of the trend.

Ironically, as Obama yammered [about warming], Louisiana hurriedly prepared for a powerful cold front which would arrive the following night. The wintry storm ultimately dumped 6 inches of snow in Livingston Parish and dusted New Orleans with its earliest snowfall since records were accurately established in 1850. And the deep-south cold snap was not an isolated event.

And scientists are not happy with the Associated Press and its recent report on global warming.

Scientists skeptical of the assertion that climate change is the result of man's activites are criticizing a recent Associated Press report on global warming, calling it "irrational hysteria," "horrifically bad" and "incredibly biased." ([Editor: and that would be out of character for the AP how?)

...They say the report, which was published on Monday, contained sweeping scientific errors and was a one-sided portrayal of a complicated issue... "If the issues weren't so serious and the ramifications so profound, I would have to laugh at it," said David Deming, a geology professor at the University of Oklahoma who has been critical of media reporting on the climate change issue...

"The mean global temperature, at least as measured by satellite, is now the same as it was in the year 1980. In the last couple of years sea level has stopped rising. Hurricane and cyclone activity in the northern hemisphere is at a 24-year low and sea ice globally is also the same as it was in 1980."

And scientists have even worse news for the scammers: volcanoes, not asteroids, probably killed off the dinosaurs.

[Scientists can] now say more about the life-extinguishing work of a massive series of sulfur dioxide-spewing volcanic eruptions that occurred in what is now India at the time of the dinosaur-destroying K-T mass extinction (the shorthand given to the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction)...

...[these] colossal volcanic eruptions, occurred between 63 million and 67 million years ago. The huge volcanic explosions created the Deccan Traps lava beds in India, whose original extent may have covered as much as 580,000 square miles (1.5 million square kilometers), or more than twice the area of Texas.

And considering that a single supervolcanic explosion can release more greenhouse gases than all of the cars in the U.S. for an entire year, perhaps Al Gore should levy a Volcano Tax. Or create a carbon trading scheme involving Mount Saint Helens, his mouth and his rear end.

Was that too harsh? I'll try and tone down the vitriol, but only if Gore tones down the "science is settled" claptrap. Science, by definition, is never settled. But then, if Gore is a scientist, I'm Bette Midler.

Overnight News from around the Blagosphere


This is not the Blago I thought I knew.

MSNBC: Obama team promotes transparency - Friday, December 05, 2008 - Obama transition co-chair John Podesta issued a memo today to all transition staff, outlining new procedures on transparency. Team Obama has dubbed the new policy "Seat at The Table." In a nutshell, the Obama team will post any documents from official meetings with outside organizations on its Web site. The site also will feature dates of the meetings and the names of organizations involved in the meetings...

Blago and Emanuel had 21 conversations regarding the vacant Senate seat: A little boidie told Sun-Times columnist Michael Sneed that President-elect Barack Obama's chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, had 21 separate conversations with Blago, all taped by the feds and dealing with his boss' vacant Senate seat. If Sneed's count is accurate, isn't it curious that Fitzgerald chose to redact all 21 of the Blago-Emanuel conversations?

In '02 Blago demanded $25K from Jesse Jackson, Jr.: The Washington Post reports that Jackson (D-IL) told the feds that Blago (D-Daley Machine) asked for a $25K contribution during his 2002 run for governor. Jackson didn't come through with the money and, after his wife was turned down for an appointment to the state lottery directorship, Blago is reported to have told him: "Well, I guess you wish you'd given me that $25,000 now."

Merv, quite rightly in my view, asks, "If [Obama] was running Blagojevich's campaign in 2002 what did he know about the $25,000 shakedown of Jesse Jackson, Jr.? "

ABC TV in Chicago reports that, in Blago's yute, he supposedly ran a gambling operation in conjunction with the mob.

The ABC7 I-Team has learned that an attorney who went undercover for the FBI in the late 1980's says he told federal authorities years ago about wrongdoing by Blagojevich... [Robert] Cooley was a criminal defense lawyer in Chicago in the late 1980's who became one of the most potent witnesses against Chicago corruption, testifying for federal prosecutors in cases that resulted in dozens of convictions.

Cooley says that before Rod Blagojevich got into politics he was a bookmaker on the North Side who regularly paid the Chicago mob to operate... Cooley said he reported to federal authorities nearly two decades ago that Rod Blagojevich had been operating an illegal sports gambling business... Cooley's undercover work and testimony put away 24 crooked politicians, judges, lawyers and cops... "I predicted five years ago when he ran the first time that he was a hands on person who would be selling every position in the state of Illinois and that it exactly what happened," said Cooley.


President-elect Obama's response to a question regarding Emanuel: "John, John.... let, let me, let me just cut you off, 'cause I don't want you to waste your question. Uh, as I indicated yesterday, we've done a full review of this, the, the, the facts are gonna be released next week, it would be inappropriate for me to comment, uh, because, the, for example, the the story you just talked about in your own paper, uh, I haven't confirmed it was accurate, and I don't want to get into the details at this point, so do you have another question?"

What happened to "My Seat at the Table"? A "bold, new move"? Transparency?

I guess that all "changed" in the last week.

Hat tips: Rick Moran, Ace o' Spades and Larwyn.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Militant Quakers declare war on Extremist Quakers


The invaluable Middle East Media Research Institute details a range of news stories that clearly demonstrate increased sectarian strife between Saudi Arabia's Sunni and Shi'a communities.


Thousands of tents housing Muslim pilgrims are crowded together in Mina
near Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2008. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

Recent headlines include:

• Sunni Clerics: The Shi'ites Are Supporting the Enemies of Islam
• Shi'ite Clerics: The Salafists Are Responsible for Bloodshed All Over the World
• Sunni Cleric: It is Forbidden to Sell Real Estate to the Shi'ites
• Reports of Abuse of Iranian Pilgrims
• Sheikh Al-Barak: Conciliation Between Sunnis and Shi'ites Is Forbidden

On June 15, 2008, Saudi Sheikh 'Abd Al-Rahman Al-Barak... issued a fatwa... rejecting the idea of conciliation between the Sunnis and the Shi'ites. He wrote: "The Sunna and the Shi'a represent two contradictory and incompatible philosophies, and comprise two sectors [of the population] which are different and not capable of marching in step… Calling for conciliation between Sunna and Shi'a is like calling for a rapprochement between Christianity and Islam - while everyone knows that heresy and Islam are irreconcilable opposites.

This isn't going to end well.

Linked by: Soccer Dad. Thanks!

You say the Democrats were wrong about minimum wage laws? I'll alert the media.


The Democrats have assembled a pretty good track record over the last 150 years or so. Favoring slavery during the Civil War; creating the massively abused Social Security and Medicare entitlement programs; opposing civil rights legislation; spending billions on Section 8 housing under "Great Society"; undermining Reagan's Peace Through Strength doctrine; "helping" the American auto industry with incredibly onerous regulations; opposing missile defense; opposing every form of energy independence; utilizing lawfare to fight terrorism; claiming welfare reform would lead to mass starvation... well, you get the picture.

To add insult to injury, the MIT Press just published a book by David Neumark and William Wascher, which is the first recent and comprehensive overview of the evidence on the economic effects of minimum wages (hat tip: Ed Morrissey). Their conclusion lays waste to the liberal contention that minimum wages help the poor or underemployed.

Arguing that the usual focus on employment effects is too limiting, they present a broader, empirically based inquiry that will better inform policymakers about the costs and benefits of the minimum wage.

Based on their comprehensive reading of the evidence, Neumark and Wascher argue that minimum wages do not achieve the main goals set forth by their supporters. They reduce employment opportunities for less-skilled workers and tend to reduce their earnings; they are not an effective means of reducing poverty; and they appear to have adverse longer-term effects on wages and earnings, in part by reducing the acquisition of human capital. The authors argue that policymakers should instead look for other tools to raise the wages of low-skill workers and to provide poor families with an acceptable standard of living.

Just to recap, the Democratic Party's incessant cries for increasing minimum wages:
  • reduce employment opportunities
  • reduce earnings
  • do not reduce poverty
  • and have adverse long-term effects on wages and earnings
One of these days the Democrats have got to get a policy position right. I mean, they're due!

Papa B's Holiday Yard Display


Papa B sent this one in.

My neighbors are complaining that my yard display is 'over the top'!


I don't know what they're whining about: I really toned down the lights this year.

Fairfield Greenwich Partners loses $7.5 billion: "Whoa, we really f***ed up, dude."


As of November 1, 2008, Fairfield Greenwich Partners (FGP) held approximately $14.1 billion in assets under management, of which roughly $7.5 billion was invested in vehicles associated with Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities. Following the news that Madoff was arrested and charged with the violation of federal securities laws, FGP began assessing the extent of the damage in consultation with its attorneys, law enforcement officials and regulators.

"Holy f***ing s***, was it that much? Whoa, we really f***ed up, dude. I guess I should've listened to Grampa Tucker when he said 'diversify, diversify, diversify,'" said Jeffery "Chip" Tucker, founding partner of FGP.

"But look at it this way: it was less than $10 billion. And that's a lot less than, say, the auto bailout. So our due diligence was, quite rightfully in our minds, pretty minimal. And for those who argue that even a cursory review would have detected the options trading was bogus, I say pish posh, old man."

"That would imply we'd have taken time from yachting, golfing, schmoozing, dining, drinking and other of our feverish business development activities to 'look under the hood' of these alternative investments."

"Care for a single malt?"

Fake but accurate

Fake Headlines that could be Real


Blago throws shoes at U.S. Attorney during contentious press conference

Obama approves missile shield for UAW headquarters

Senate Democrats claim they "lost" Madoff's donations in Congressional Ponzi scheme

Emulating her predecessor, Caroline Kennedy plans pardons for terrorists to raise funds

Grim milestone: Joran Van Der Sloot arrested for 100th time in Holloway investigation

Real Headlines that should be Fake


Obama Shifts: Now Says His Staff Had "No Inappropriate Contact" with Blago, Replacing Former Claim of "No Contact"

Ruh Roh: Emmanuel Approached Blagojevich: I understand. You found paradise in America. You had a good trade, made a good living, the media protected you and there were courts of public opinion and you didn't need a friend like me. But, now you come to me and you say "Don Blagojevich, do me a favor." But you don't ask with respect. You don't offer friendship. You don't even think to call me to be Secretary of Health and Human Services. Instead, you come into my home on the day my phone is tapped and you ask me to do Chicago politics so you can keep your hands clean.

Book: Minimum wage lowers earnings, produces unemployment

'I am changing parties as a mattter of conscience'

This isn't the change you've been looking for?

I come not to praise the news, but to bury it

Senate Democrats May Return Thousands In Madoff Contributions

Monday, December 15, 2008

First FA-22 Fighters Delivered


Papa B sent this one along.

These are Great In-flight Photos of the F/A-22 as the first aircraft delivery was being made to Langley AFB in Va. Langley is to be first Operational AFB for the F/A-22. It is a very beautiful AFB, located in a picturesque location, as you can see in these photos, near Norfolk and Hampton, Va.

The Aircraft flying along with the F/A-22 in the last of these photos is the F-15, which will be replaced by the F/A-22. In actual in-flight (simulated) combat operations against the F-15, two F/A-22s were able to operate without detection while it went head-to-head against eight (8) F-15s. The F/A-22s scored missile hits (kills) against all the F-15 Aircraft and the F/A-22s were never detected by rither the F-15s or ground-based radar.

Maj. Gen. Rick Lewis said: 'The Raptor operated against all adversaries with virtual impunity; ground-based systems couldn't engage and no adversary aircraft survived'!





If their on-board locator is switched off rven our own satellites can lose track of them. They're the first military aircraft rver built that is equipped with a 'black-out button'... ehat that means is this... The best-conditioned fighter pilots are capable of maintaining consciousness up to in the vicinity of 15+ G. The Raptor is capable of making 22+ G turns. If someday an adversary builds a missile that is capable of catching up to one of these airplanes and a Raptor pilot sees that a strike is imminent, he hits the 'b.o.b.' and the airplane makes a virtual U-turn, leaving the missile to pass right on by. They know that in the process he'll temporarily lose consciousness, so the Raptor then automatically comes back to straight and level flight until he wakes up.

A Snopes search came up dry so it's gotta be right!

Ancient Rome and the Bailout Mentality


Tad DeHaven, writing at Cato @ Liberty:

[The Coburn] report’s cover has a picture of Santa Claus with dollars in his hand. It immediately reminded me of one of Chris Edwards‘ favorite books: Congress as Santa Claus, which was written by constitutional scholar Charles Warren in 1932. Toward the end, Warren cites a paragraph from a book comparing ancient Rome with the U.S. that’s worth reflecting upon:

Little by little, the State let itself be persuaded to do for each of its cities what it had done for Rome…. With a view to easing the misery of the urban proletariat, it took public works in hand in every direction, regardless of their utility. It distributed victuals free or at half price…. But all these schemes cost money...

The intensification of the evil was met by an increase in the dose of the very remedy which aggravated it — useless expenditure in the cities, ruinous taxes on agriculture. Matters went from worse to worse, until the system reached the limit of its elasticity, and the whole social fabric collapsed in a colossal catastrophe.  This is precisely the mistake which modern civilization must learn to avoid.

I suppose it's a little late.

Coburn releases the Pork Hall of Shame


Sen. Tom Coburn (R-NE) just released his 2008 Worst Waste of the Year "awards" (PDF), a dubious set of trophies honoring the most egregious abuses of taxpayer funds.


Federal agencies dedicated scarce dollars to the search for outer space aliens ($9.4 million), a retractable shade canopy ($2.4 million), training classes for casino workers ($784,000), voice mail for the homeless ($15,000), and a non‐functioning gas station shaped like an airplane ($9,000).

This was the case despite the fact that by the end of the fiscal year the federal government spent nearly $3 trillion, but racked up a $455 billion budget deficit – the largest in the nation’s history.1 If the surpluses from Social Security and Medicare are not included, the true federal deficit was $639 billion.2 The current national debt stands at more than $10.6 trillion, which must be repaid with interest.

Mississippi River Flood Memorial Plaza – Illinois ($200,000)
Residents of Alton will not easily forget the great flood their town experienced in 1993 after the federal government builds the town a flood memorial plaza. The only problem is that the plaza will be built in the middle of a flood plain. A $200,000 grant by the Department of Transportation will help the plaza feature a “sandbagger statue‐fountain, flagpole, drinking fountain, interpretive panels, limestone benches and trashcans.”105 While the town hopes that visitors will learn to appreciate the struggle that comes from floods, “The site is a stone's throw from the Mississippi when the river is within its banks, and often under water when the river floods.”

National Drug Intelligence Center – Pennsylvania ($39 million)
In 1992, Congress created, the National Drug Intelligence Center in Johnstown to collect information on drug activity around the nation. Since then, though, it has been labeled a “boondoggle” and, according to U.S. News and World Report, “been rocked by scandal, and been subjected to persistent criticisms that it should have never been created at all.”76 Attempts have been made in recent years by the Department of Justice to shut down the center because of concerns related to duplication, overlap and wasteful spending. None of this stopped Congress from awarding NDIC $39 million in 2008.77 One former NDIC director said, “I recognized that a lot of reports were [awful], poorly written, poorly researched, and, in some cases, wrong.” [Ed: John Murtha's Pig]

2010 Decennial Census Bailout – ($210 million)
Since 2004, the Census Bureau has embarked on an effort to bring the 2010 Census into the 21st Century, but wound up in the 18th Century. One of the significant challenges facing the Census is the collection of information from 300 million Americans entirely by paper and pencil. To do so, the Bureau awarded a $600 million contract to the Harris Corporation to develop handheld computers that would help census takers collect data electronically. The devices were problematic from the start, and although they rely on basic technology found in nearly all cell phones, the agency was never able to get them working properly. When asked in 2006 whether it would be appropriate to have a backup plan in case the handheld computers did not work, then‐director Louis Kincannon responded, “They will work. They have worked. You might as well ask me what happens if the Postal Service refuses to deliver the census form.”93 Despite enormous cost overruns, the devices will only contain half of the functionality originally intended. As a reward, Congress gave the Census Bureau a $210 million bonus in the form of an “emergency” bailout.94 $800 million later, the 2010 Census will still be collected, not electronically but by paper and pencil, just like the first census over 200 years ago.

Transportation Enhancement Grants ($800 Million)
In 2008, more than $800 million in taxpayer funds were spent on “transportation enhancement” (TE) projects, such as bike paths, pedestrian facilities, museums, scenic routes, historic preservation, and greenery for roadside beautification.196 To pay for these frivolous projects, taxpayer dollars are siphoned from federal highway transportation dollars needed for critical infrastructure initiatives, such as road and bridge repairs.

First Tee Golf Program – South Carolina ($3 million)
Kids around the nation will be invited to learn and appreciate the game of golf through a $3 million grant from the Pentagon to First Tee.79 First Tee is a non‐profit organization that was founded to bring underprivileged youth off the streets and onto the golf course. When one member of Congress responsible for arranging the grant was asked what childhood golf had to do with the military, he responded that golf “helps you make generals and colonels.”

Kanjorski Center Parking Garage ‐ Pennsylvania ($5.6 million)
That the Kanjorski Center, a 32,000 square foot office building in Pennsylvania, has stood completely empty since 2005 did not prevent Congress from trying to funnel $5.6 million in transportation money to add a large parking garage to it.

Cleveland Botanical Garden Green Corps – Ohio ($517,000)
Fifty‐five teenagers are learning to plant vegetables and do landscaping through the Cleveland Botanical Garden’s “Green Corps,” a work‐study program that teaches teens to make salsa.

Free‐Bike Library – Colorado ($66,000)
A $66,000 federal grant to promote clean air has been used in Fort Collins, Colorado, for a “bike library” that allows local residents to check out bicycles for free. According to the Coloradoan, “demand for bikes has been so great, however, that the library is often empty,” leading to “shoving matches between riders over the free‐to‐borrow bikes.”

Training Classes for Casino Workers – Kansas ($784,000)
Good casino workers are hard to find in the Kansas City area, according to the Departments of Labor and Education. Both federal departments teamed up this year and gave $784,000 in grants to the Kansas City Kansas Community College for a new training program geared to assist workers that may seek employment in a nearby planned casino.

Voicemail for the Homeless -- Ohio ($15K)
While the homeless in Summit County struggle to find food, shelter and clothing, this Ohio community made sure they were not lacking in one essential service: voice mail. A $1 million Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) will carve out $15,000 for the free voice mail service. Interestingly, the community spent only $10,000 of the same CDBG grant on transitional housing for “homeless single parents.”

St. Louis Zoo Bridge to Parking Lot – Missouri ($5 million)
The St. Louis Zoo will get a new pedestrian bridge linking its south gate to a parking lot across the street, compliments of a $5 million grant from the Department of Transportation.

Field Trips for School Teachers – Illinois ($918,600)
Field trips aren’t just for students anymore. Teachers from Illinois were given a grant of nearly $1 million by the Department of Education Teaching U.S. History program for vacations in the name of “continuing education.”

Inflatable Alligator and Under‐the‐Sea Waterslide – Texas ($367,000)
A preliminary report by the Texas Education Agency, released this past April, found that $367,000 in federal funds were misspent by the Cleburne school district. Audit officials became suspicious when, “The district did not provide lesson plans or other documentation to show how rental of an inflatable alligator and an under‐the‐sea water slide supported reading instruction.”

Tennis Courts and Artificial Baseball Field Turf – New York ($1 million)
In 2000, the Frank M. Charles Memorial Park received a federal grant of $1 million to upgrade its deteriorating facilities, but according to Dorothy McCloskey, president of the park’s oversight committee, “the money was wasted.” The problem, she insisted, was the park management’s “notorious inability” to perform routine maintenance, leaving the tennis courts and baseball fields in a state of disrepair. Taxpayers chipped in an additional $1 million grant this year to repair the tennis courts and to provide artificial turf for a baseball field.28 There is hope that this time will be different, “I’m not willing to see another million dollars wasted,” McCloskey said.

Portraits of Cabinet Officers ($167,290)
Even in the age of high‐resolution digital photography, numerous government officials prefer to have their likeness captured for posterity on the painter’s canvas. Nearly $170,000 was spent on just six portraits for the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Commerce, the NASA Administrator, the Commandant of the Coast Guard and even the director of the National Cancer Institute.

FCC‐Sponsored NASCAR Events to Promote Digital Television Transition ($350,000)
Fans of NASCAR will not be left wondering how to watch their favorite races on television come February 2009 if chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Kevin Martin, has his way. Martin spent $350,000 of taxpayer money to advertise the nationwide transition to digital television...

Senate Restaurants Post Huge Loss ($2 million)
Who says there is no such thing as a free lunch? Certainly not the taxpayers who helped to subsidize lunches and snacks for Senators and their staffs in 2008. According to Senator Dianne Feinstein, chair of the committee that oversees cafeterias, Senate restaurants will post losses as large as $2 million in 2008, following a loss of $1.34 million in 2007.

“The check’s in the mail” – IRS Mailings for Rebate Checks ($42 million)
When Congress passed legislation this year giving every taxpayer a stimulus check, the Department of the Treasury felt recipients needed a little advanced warning. It spent nearly $42 million on a mailing to inform taxpayers not that their checks had arrived, but merely that they would be there soon.

Remounting “World’s Largest Mounted Fish” – New York ($135,000)
Following an absence of nearly a decade, a 32‐foot whale shark made a long‐awaited comeback at the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum ‐ mounted on a wall, that is... David B. Schwendeman, taxidermist, thought otherwise and rescued the shark with the help of a $135,000 federal grant from the Save America’s Treasures program, noting that “taxidermy [is] the ultimate in terms of conservation and wise use of our natural resources.”

Lobster Institute – Maine ($188,000)
Lobster lovers everywhere were happy to have gotten their claws on federal funding in 2008. Taxpayers, with the help of the Maine congressional delegation, shelled out nearly $200,000 to help the Lobster Institute conduct research on Maine lobsters.

Redecorating Train Station – New Jersey ($1.9 million)
Rutherford Train Station in New Jersey was remodeled this summer with the help of a $1.9 million grant from the federal government. Funds for the project were earmarked out of the Federal Highway Trust Fund, ordinarily set aside for important road and bridge projects, and paid for by federal gas taxes... NJ Transit Executive Director, Richard Sarles, noted that the repairs were crucial because usage of the station had increased to 940 customers a day – a number he called “significant.” Besides, he added, “We [also] had federal funds available to do it.”56

Search for Alaskan Ice Worms – New Jersey ($326,733)
The National Science Foundation awarded a grant of more than $325,000 to Daniel Shain, professor at Rutgers University, to trek to Alaska in search of the elusive ice worm. Unfortunately, he and several students spent two weeks this August hunting through snow and ice for ice worms, only to come back empty‐handed.

Small Business Loans to Liquor Stores ($82 million)
The economic downturn may have strained the credit markets, making it tough for businesses trying to get a loan, but the federal government has made sure low‐interest rate loans are flowing for liquor stores. In 2008, the Small Business Administration guaranteed loans for 331 liquor stores, putting taxpayers at risk for more than $82 million in the event the loans default. This was great news for Spanky’s Liquor World, Pistol Pete’s Beef N’ Beer, and Wagon Wine Shoppe, each of which received government loans.

Bike Path Along Baton Rouge Levees – Louisiana ($1 million)
Even as Louisiana continues to rebuild its levees following the devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Congress has made sure one priority project stays on track: a bike path along the Mississippi River levee.

Feasibility Study for Medical School that Will Not Be Built – Mississippi ($478,492)
While there are no plans to ever build an osteopathic medical school at Jackson State University (JSU), Congress funneled nearly half of a million dollars to study the possibility, anyway.

Microchips in Cactuses – Arizona ($???)
Thieves looking to nab a saguaro cactus in Arizona may have another thing coming if Jim McGinnis has anything to do with it. He’s the top “cactus cop” in town and plans on using National Park Service funds to implant microchips in selected saguaro cactuses to help him track them down if stolen from federal property.

The Unwanted Sidewalk – Kentucky ($1 million)
Residents of Lexington are upset about a plan to put sidewalks in front of their houses using a $1 million federal grant, arguing that they are not needed. Some on the city council say the sidewalks are essential for safety. Julian Beard, representing the area in question, insists, “I don't see foot traffic or anybody trying to create foot traffic there for any purpose.”

Statewide Barn Census – Vermont ($150,000)
Barn enthusiasts of all ages participated in a statewide barn census this year, volunteering to “roam across the Vermont countryside counting barns and collecting information and stories about them.”

Specialty Potatoes for High‐End Restaurants – Idaho ($298,068)
“Demand has gone way up for specialty potatoes, especially in restaurants,” so says Robert Tominaga, President of Southwind Farms, when discussing the 2008 crop.100 That is good news for him, since his farm grows a large variety of specialty potatoes, such as Russian banana fingerlings, red thumbs and ruby crescents, that it sells to high‐end restaurants. Despite its success, USDA officials decided that the potato farm was in need of taxpayer assistance...

This maddening list is just a small sample of the egregious and endemic abuses that Congress has foisted upon the American taxpayer. Coburn therefore recommends using USASpending.gov to hold government officials accountable.

If would-be politicians are looking for a template for successful campaigns, they could do a lot worse than to emulate Coburn's program to cut the ridiculous fat from the Federal Budget.

Larwyn's Link Kerplosion: MSM unplugged Blago investigation


Chicago Tribune stopped working with prosecutors, forced arrest of Blago too early: Had it not been for the Tribune's Dec. 5 story, the meeting Blagojevich's brother was arranging [to sell the Senate seat] might have proceeded. Mr. Blagojevich is quoted as citing the story, in the affidavit, then calling off the meeting. At a minimum, the FBI's recorders would have been rolling when he reported back... Jurors love video.

Welcome to ACORN General Hospital: Ever wonder what Michelle Obama did for The University of Chicago Medical Center to warrant a raise from $120K to $300K a year? Forget the fact that her husband was elected to the U.S. Senate; she implemented Real Men Cook celebrations and the oh-so-popular Principal-for-a-Day program.

: After 130 years of fundraising, Salvation Army told to shut up: no more rattling their collection cups as it might offend other religions. You know, like the Militant Quakers who tend to start shooting people when their religion is offended (or when someone calls them violent extremists).

The Tribune's Latest Blago Collection: Will 'Feditis' spread to Obama and Daley?; Obama Press Secretary Robert Gibbs talks to Rick Pearson on WGN-AM Sunday, December 14, 2008 (MP3); Uncomfortable spotlight shone on Patti Blagojevich; The Full timeline of Blago case.

"Pure, Distilled Evil in a Business Plan": I just watched an 8GB Apple iPod Touch sell on swoopo for $187.65. The final price means a total of 1,251 bids were placed for this item, costing bidders a grand total of $938.25. So that $229 item ultimately sold for $1,125.90.

Bonus Quote o' the Day:

"I have never spoken to the governor on this subject... I am confident that no representatives of mine would have any part of any deals related to this seat... I've asked my team to gather the facts of any contacts with the governor's office about this vacant seat, so that we can share them with you over the next few days." -- Barack Obama, 11 December 2008

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Start the Countdown: Polar Icecaps gone in just 5 years!


Speaking at a museum in Germany, Nobel Prize-winner Al Gore made yet another sales pitch for Global Warming™. You know, that's the problem where humans are spewing too much toxic Carbon Dioxide into the atmosphere. And that's the same problem that can only be solved by purchasing roughly $250 billion in "carbon offsets", preferrably from companies he's involved with.

Gore stated that because of man's outrageous use of Carbon Dioxide -- you may remember the molecule from a little-known process called "photosynthesis" -- the entire Polar Ice Cap will have melted in five years. Seriously, he said that.

Gore's statement, in part, was: "The entire polar icecap [will be] gone... ...in five years, the period in which it is now expected to disappear."

You may remember that Gore's movie, An Inconvenient Truth, depicted rising ocean levels due to ice melt. And Gore predicted our shores will flood and coastal cities would sink beneath the water, thereby causing millions of homeless to relocate to Red States. In fact, the movie posits that melting ice could release enough water to cause a 20-foot rise in sea level "in the near future."

Pity that Gore's scientific knowledge is just a couple of notches below that of Britney Spears. Because even Brit-Brit knows that the loss of sea ice by itself can't contribute to a rise in sea levels, just as an ice cube that melts in a glass of water doesn't raise the level.

And, by the way, weren't we warned all this was going to happen by 2008? I guess maybe it took a rain-check and now it's 2013. Put in simple terms for the liberals progressives reading along (moving their lips, I'm sure), global warming appears to be nothing less than a UN-backed bunko scam that aims to regulate and control the U.S. economy.

But just in case, I've created a Polar Ice-Cap Countdown Clock:


If the North Pole really does melt, I'm hoping Santa and his elves take over one of Gore's three mansions. Maybe the one in Nashville that consumes 20 times the average American household's electricity. At least the little toy-makers will be producing something useful.

Related:
The UN's Global Warming Bunko Scam
Al Gore's Inconvenient Fiction: a $250 Billion Scam
Global Warming Frenzy Ignores China and Iran
Crushing Al Gore's Global Warming Profiteers
Al Gore's Carbon Offset Going-Out-of-Business Sale!

Linked by: American Thinker and Brutally Honest. Thanks!

"Employee Free Choice Act": Bringing UAW-style success to small business!


Union bosses directed hundreds of millions in donations to Democratic candidates in 2008. And now it's payback time.

Current labor law dictates that if a significant proportion of a company's employees sign "authorization" cards seeking union representation, then a labor organization can petition the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to hold an election. In the current formulation, the election is conducted via a secret ballot and overseen by neutral federal regulators.

Under the Democrat-supported Employee Free Choice Act's (EFCA) rules the union would seek certification without a secret ballot once a majority of targeted employees have signed cards. They may also seek a government-mandated labor contract on wages, benefits and working conditions. Union bosses -- not members -- favor EFCA because the "cards are often signed under coercive or intimidating circumstances and do not represent informed intent."

Organizations representing small businesses -- like the National Restaurant Association -- vehemently oppose the EFCA, and for good reason.

Because of NLRB safeguards, employees can cast their vote confidentially, without peer pressure or coercion from unions or employers... If Congress passes the Employee Free Choice Act, employees effectively lose their right to private-ballot elections. The bill would establish a so-called “card-check” union organizing system, in which a majority of employees simply sign a card in favor of union representation.

Recent polls show strong majorities of the public want to keep the current protections in place. Numerous editorial pages across the country also have expressed support for keeping the private ballot.

Status: The House passed the Employee Free Choice Act, H.R. 800, in 2007 by a 56-vote margin – 241 to 185. The vote was largely along party lines; only 13 House Republicans voted for the bill and only 2 House Democrats voted against it. Supporters haven’t been able to get S. 1041 through the Senate yet. On their last try, they achieved only 51 of the 60 Senate votes they needed. 2009 could be a different story, which is why we need to educate lawmakers now.

The EFCA would be an utter and complete disaster. If you're a small business owner -- one of the many who create 75% of American jobs -- you need to be aware of this legislation and fight it every step of the way.

Because you're the target.

Click on any of the images to visit the analogous UnionFacts web page.

The new bumper stickers are here! The new bumper stickers are here!






Linked by: Mitchell Langbert. Thanks!

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Solution for the Inauguration Port-o-Potty Shortage: Obama Inauguration Pants™!


Larwyn tells me that the inauguration will be a disaster if all the people who plan to come do. Calculations today of the area where the events are taking place indicate their will be one toilet for ever 6,500+ people.

As an unrepentant Capitalist, I'll be selling these Obama Inauguration Pants™ (also sold as It all Depends) for the bargain price of only $29.99 per box.



If you need any coupons, let me know.

Update: Even police officers plan on using 'em.



Idea: May Bee at Just One Minute.

The Blago Complaint in Plain English... and a likely explanation for Rahm Emanuel's bizarre behavior


Today CBS News reported that "[Rahm] Emanuel discussed the vacancy with Blagojevich himself..." and "FBI transcripts captured Emanuel discussing a list of acceptable candidates." Obama "has used careful language when discussing" the vacancy. CBS concluded that "It's pretty clear there was some contact... and a risk of becoming a political wound."

The following is my (slightly modified) version of the key portions of the complaint. I've substituted real names for opaque references like "Senate Candidate 1", where possible, that were determined using open-source references. From my careful reading of the document, I've come to a likely possible reason that Obama adviser Rahm Emanuel has gone to ground. I believe that he and Blago discussed, in very specific terms, the merits of employing Blago in 501(c)(4) -- non-profit Leftist front groups like Americans Coming Together -- in exchange for Blago naming a candidate on Obama's desired list of Senate candidates.

There may, in fact, be nothing technically illegal about that sort of negotiation, but it stinks to high heaven. Furthermore, it refutes Obama's claims that he would engage in a new, transparent type of politics. There's been nothing transparent about Obama and his associates in this affair. In fact, Swamp Politics put it bluntly:

The Saturday before the Nov. 4 election... Emanuel made a call to the cell phone of [Blago Chief of Staff] Harris. The conversation took place around the same time press reports surfaced about Emanuel being approached about taking the high-level White House post should Obama win. Emanuel delivered a list of candidates who would be “acceptable” to Obama, the source said. On the list were Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett, Illinois Veterans Affairs director Tammy Duckworth, state Comptroller Dan Hynes and U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Chicago, the source said. All are Democrats... Sometime after the election, Emanuel called Harris back to add the name of Democratic Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan to the approved list, the source said.

AJ Strata calls it a flat-out lie by Obama. Remember that the President-Elect said:

I had no contact with the governor’s office. I did not speak to the governor about these issues. That I know for certain.

Emanuel represented Obama and definitely had personal contact with Blago. The FBI apparently has them on tape. What follows is the complaint, as best as I've been able to construct it, in a more readable form.

An English Translation of the Complaint

The FBI Summary


Blago has been intercepted conspiring to trade the Senate seat for particular positions that the President-elect has the power to appoint (e.g. the Secretary of Health and Human Services). Blago has also been intercepted conspiring to sell the Senate seat in exchange for his wife’s placement on paid corporate boards or Blago’s placement at a private foundation in a significant position with a substantial salary. Blago has also been intercepted conspiring to sell the Senate seat in exchange for millions of dollars in funding for a non-profit organization that he would start and that would employ him at a substantial salary after he left the governorship.

Blago believes he can get a federal position for the seat


On November 3, 2008, Blago talked with Deputy Governor Greenlee and told him that if he is not going to get anything of value for the open Senate seat, then Blago will take the Senate seat himself: “if . . . they’re not going to offer anything of any value, then I might just take it.”

Later on November 3, 2008, Blago spoke with Advisor A. By this time, media reports indicated that Valerie Jarrett, an advisor to the President-elect, was interested in the Senate seat if it became vacant, and was likely to be supported by the President-elect. During the call, Blago stated, “unless I get something real good for [Valerie Jarrett], s***, I’ll just send myself, you know what I’m saying... I’m going to keep this Senate option for me a real possibility, you know, and therefore I can drive a hard bargain. You hear what I’m saying? And if I don’t get what I want and I’m not satisfied with it, then I’ll just take the Senate seat myself... [it's] a f***ing valuable thing, you just don’t give it away for nothing.”

On election day, November 4, 2008, Blago spoke with Deputy Governor Greenlee. With respect to the Senate seat, Dep. Gov. Greenlee suggested putting together a list of things that Blago would accept in exchange for the Senate seat. Blago responded that the list “can’t be in writing.” Thereafter, Blago discussed whether he could obtain an ambassadorship in exchange for the Senate seat.

On November 4, 2008, Blago spoke with Harris regarding the potential vacant Senate seat. Blago stated that the “trick... is how do you conduct indirectly... a negotiation” for the Senate seat. Thereafter, Blago
analogized his situation to that of a sports agent shopping a potential free agent to various teams, stating “how much are you offering, [Obama]? What are you offering, [Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan]? ...Can always go to... [U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky].”

Later Blago stated that he will make a decision on the Senate seat “in good faith . . . but it is not coming for free. . . .It’s got to be good stuff for the people of Illinois and good for me.” Blago states “[Obama], you want it? Fine. But, its got to be good or I could always take [the Senate seat].”

On November 5, 2008, Blago spoke with Deputy Governor Greenlee regarding positions that Blago might be able to obtain in exchange for the soon-to-be vacated Senate seat. Among the potential positions discussed were Secretary of Health and Human Services and various ambassadorships. Greenlee noted that the cabinet position of Secretary of the Energy is “the one that makes the most money.” Greenlee stated that it is hard not to give the Secretary of Energy position to a Texan, but with Blago’s coal background it might be a possibility.

Blago wonders about whether he can trade a position with a private group for the position


On November 5, 2008, Blago spoke with Harris regarding what Blago could obtain for the Senate seat. After discussing various federal governmental positions that Blago would trade the Senate seat for, Blago asked about “the private sector” and whether Obama could “put something together there. . . .Something big.” Thereafter, Harris suggested that Obama could make Blago the head of a private foundation. Blago told Harris that he should do “homework” on private foundations “right away.” Blago asked whether he could get a high-ranking position at the Red Cross. Harris stated that “it’s got to be a group that is dependent on Obama" and that a President probably could not influence the Red Cross. Blago told Harris to “look into all of those.”

On November 5, 2008, Blago talked with Harris and Bob Greenlee. They discussed potential private foundations with which Blago might be able to get a position in exchange for filling the Senate seat and, in particular, those foundations that are “heavily dependent on federal aid” and which, therefore, the White House would have the most “influence” on. Blago wanted to know how much the positions being discussed pay.

On November 5, 2008, Blago talked with Advisor A about the Senate seat. During the phone call, Blago stated that Obama can remove somebody from a foundation and give the spot to Blago. In regards to the Senate seat, Blago stated “I’ve got this thing and it’s f***ing golden, and, uh, uh, I’m just not giving it up for f***in’ nothing. I’m not gonna do it. And, and I can always use it. I can parachute me there.”

Blago tries to put pressure on Obama through the MSM


On November 6, 2008, Blago talked with Spokesman. Blago told Spokesman to leak to a particular columnist [Michael Sneed] for the Chicago Sun-Times, that Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan is in the running for the vacant Senate seat. According to Blago, by doing this, he wanted “to send a message to Obama's people,” but did not want it known that the message was from Blago. Thereafter, Blago and Spokesman discussed specific language that should be used in the Sun Times column and arguments as to why Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan made sense for the vacant Senate seat. A review of this particular Sun Times column on November 7, 2008, indicates references to the specific language and arguments regarding Madigan as a potential candidate for the Senate seat, as discussed by Blago and Spokesman.

On November 7, 2008, Blago talked with Advisor A about the Senate seat. Blago stated that he is willing to “trade” the Senate seat to Valerie Jarrett in exchange for the position of Secretary of Health and Human Services in the President-elect’s cabinet.

Later on November 7, 2008, Blago discussed the open Senate seat in a three-way call with Harris and Advisor B, a Washington D.C.-based consultant. Blago indicated in the call that if he was appointed as Secretary
of Health and Human Services by Obama, then Blago would appoint Valerie Jarrett to the open Senate seat. Harris stated “we wanted our ask to be reasonable and rather than. . .make it look like some sort of selfish grab for a quid pro quo.” Blago stated that he needs to consider his family and that he is “financially” hurting. Harris said that they are considering what will help the “financial security” of the Blagojevich family and what will keep Blago “politically viable.” Blago stated, “I want to make money.” During the call, Blago, Harris, and Advisor B discussed the prospect of working a three-way deal for the open Senate seat.

Harris noted that Blago is interested in taking a high-paying position with an organization called “Change to Win,” which is connected to Service Employees International Union (“SEIU”). Harris suggested that
an SEIU Official make Blago the head of Change to Win and, in exchange, Obama could help Change to Win with its legislative agenda on a national level. Change to Win is an organization affiliated with seven unions, including SEIU, and appears to be focused on having the affiliated unions work together on matters of common interest. SEIU Official is affiliated with SEIU.

Advisor B asked why SEIU Official cannot just give the job to Blago. Harris responded that it would be just a big “give away” for SEIU Official and Change to Win since there are already individuals on the Change to Win payroll doing the functions of the position that would be created for Blago. Harris said that Change to Win will want to trade the job for Blago for something from Obama. Harris suggested a “three-way deal,” and explained that a three-way deal like the one discussed would give Obama a “buffer so there is no obvious quid pro quo for [Valerie Jarrett].” Blago stated that for him to give up the governorship for the Change to Win position, the Change to Win position must pay a lot more than he is getting paid right now.

Advisor B said that he liked the idea of the three-way deal. Blago stated that he is interested in making $250,000 to $300,000 and being on some organization boards. Advisor B said they should leverage Obama's desire to have Valerie Jarrett appointed to the Senate seat in order to get a head position with Change to Win and a salary. Advisor B agreed that the three-way deal would be a better plan than Blago appointing Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan to the Senate seat and getting more done as Governor.

Blago's wife: a money-making proxy for the trade?


On November 8, 2008, Blago talked with Harris about the Senate seat. During the conversation, Blago and Harris discussed whether it would be possible to obtain a financial benefit for Blago’s wife in relation to the Senate seat. Specifically, Blago referred to his wife’s Series 7 [broker's] license and asked “is there a play here, with these guys, with her” to work for a firm in Washington or New York at a significantly better salary than she is making now. Also, Blago wanted to know whether SEIU could do something to get his wife a position at Change to Win until Blago could take a position at Change to Win.

On November 10, 2008, Blago, his wife, Harris, Governor's General Counsel William Quinlan Jr., and various Washington-D.C. based advisors, including Advisor B, discussed the open Senate seat during a conference call. (The Washington D.C.-based advisors to Blago are believed to have participated on this call from DC). Various individuals participated at different times during the call. The call lasted for approximately two hours, and what follows are simply summaries of various portions of the two-hour call.

* Blago expressed his interest in figuring out a way to make money and build some financial security, while at the same time potentially participating in the political arena again. Blago mentioned the Senate seat,
the dynamics of a new Presidential administration with the strong contacts that Blago has in it, and asked what if anything he can do to make that work for him and his wife and his responsibilities as Governor of Illinois. Blago suggested during the call that he could name himself to the open Senate seat to avoid impeachment by the State of Illinois legislature. Blago agreed it was unlikely that Obama would name him Secretary of Health and Human Services or give him an ambassadorship because of all of the negative publicity surrounding Blago.
.
* Blago asked what he can get from [Obama] for the Senate seat. Blago stated that the Governor's General Counsel believes the President-elect can get Blago’s wife on paid corporate boards in exchange for naming the President-elect’s pick to the Senate. Governor's Counsel William Quinlan Jr. asked, “can [the President-elect] help in the private sector. . . where it wouldn’t be tied to him? . . .I mean, so it wouldn’t necessarily look like one for the other.” Blago’s wife suggested during the call that she is qualified to sit on corporate boards and has a background in real estate and appraisals. Blago asked whether there is something that could be done with his wife’s “series 7" license in terms of working out a deal for the Senate seat. Blago stated that he is “struggling” financially and does “not want to be Governor for the next two years.”

* Blago said that the consultants (Advisor B and another consultant are believed to be on the call at that time) are telling him that he has to “suck it up” for two years and do nothing and give this “motherf***er [Obama] his Senator. "F*** him. For nothing? F*** him.” Blago states that he will put [Deputy Governor Louanner Peters] in the Senate “before I just give f***ing [Valerie Jarrett] a f***ing Senate seat and I don’t get anything.” Blago stated that he needs to find a way to take the “financial stress” off of his family and that his wife is as qualified or more qualified than another specifically named individual to sit on corporate boards. According to Blago “the immediate challenge [is] how do we take some of the financial pressure off of our family.” Later in the phone call, Blago stated that absent getting something back, Blago will not pick Valerie Jarrett. Harris
re-stated Blago’s thoughts that they should ask the President-elect for something for Blago’s financial security as well as maintain his political viability. Harris said they could work out a three-way deal with SEIU and Obama where SEIU could help the President-elect with Blago’s appointment of Valerie Jarrett to the vacant Senate seat, Blago would obtain a position as the National Director of the Change to Win campaign, and SEIU would get something favorable from the President-elect in the future.

* One of Blago’s advisors said he likes the idea, it sounds like a good idea, but advised Blago to be leery of promises for something two years from now. Blago’s wife said they would take the job now. Thereafter, Blago and others on the phone call discussed various ways Blago can “monetize” the relationships he is making as Governor to make money after Blago is no longer Governor.

Later on November 10, 2008, Blago and Advisor A discussed the open Senate seat. Among other things, Blago raised the issue of whether the President-elect could help get Blago’s wife on “paid corporate boards right now.” Advisor A responded that he “think[s] they could” and that a “President-elect . . . can do almost anything he sets his mind to.” Blago states that he will appoint “[Valerie Jarrett] . . . but if they feel like they can do this and not f***ing give me anything . . . then I’ll f***ing go [Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr.].” (Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. is publicly reported to be interested in the open Senate seat). Blago stated that if his wife could get on some corporate boards and “picks up another 150 grand a year or whatever” it would help Blago get through the next several years as Governor.

Later on November 10, 2008, Blago and Advisor A again discussed the open Senate seat. Blago and Advisor A discussed leaking to the same particular Chicago Sun-Times columnist that Blago is seriously considering Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. for the open Senate seat, in order to send a message to the President-elect that there are options for the Senate seat beyond Valerie Jarrett. At the end of the conversation Advisor A agreed to call the Sun Times columnist to leak the story (believed, based on other intercepted conversations, to be untrue), that Blago had a “long, productive discussion” with Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. regarding the open Senate seat.

The non-profit front group approach


On November 11, 2008, Blago talked with Harris about the Senate seat. Blago suggested starting a 501(c)(4) organization (a non-profit organization that may engage in political activity and lobbying) and getting “his
(believed to be the President-elect’s) friend Warren Buffett or some of those guys to help us on something like that.” Harris asked, “what, for you?” Blago replied, “yeah.” Later in the conversation, Blago stated that if he appoints Deputy Governor Louanner Peters to the Senate seat and, thereafter, it appears that Blago might get impeached, he could “count on [Deputy Governor Louanner Peters], if things got hot, to give [the Senate seat] up and let me parachute over there.” Harris said, “you can count on Peters to do that.” Later in the conversation, Blago said he knows that Obama wants Valerie Jarrett for the Senate seat but “they’re not willing to give me anything except appreciation. F*** them.”

Later on November 11, 2008, Blago talked with Advisor A. Advisor A indicated that he will stay “on top” of getting the Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. information leaked to the particular Sun Times columnist. Blago again raised the idea of the 501(c)(4) organization and asked whether “they” (believed be Obama and his associates) can get Warren Buffett and others to put $10, $12, or $15 million into the organization. Advisor A responded that “they” should be able to find a way to fund the organization. Later in the conversation, Blago returned to the issue of the 501(c)(4) organization and noted that he is looking for “$10, $15, $20 million in an organization like that.” Blago said that when he is “no longer Governor” he could go over to the organization. Blago said that “(Rep. Luis Gutierrez, based on other intercepted conversations, is believed to be a wealthy person from Illinois) “could raise me money like that for a Senate seat.” Blago asked, “if I get [Rep. Luis Gutierrez] to do something like that, is it worth giving him the Senate seat?” Advisor A responded that it would be hard to put Gutierrez in the Senate seat. Blago said that it would be better than putting Valerie Jarrett in the Senate and not getting anything back. Later in the conversation, Blago and Advisor A again discussed the possibility of a 501(c)(4) organization, and Blago again noted that “[Rep. Luis Gutierrez]” could “do it.” Blago and Advisor A discussed who might be close to Gutierrez to talk with him about the issue, because Blago did not “want to be the one to ask something like that.” Advisor A agreed to find out who is close to Rep. Luis Gutierrez.

On November 12, 2008, Blago talked with Harris. Blago noted that CNN is reporting that Valerie Jarrett does not want the open Senate seat. Harris said he thought that is just a tactic. Blago raised the issue of the 501(c)(4) organization and that contributors and others can put “10 to 15 million in it so I can advocate health care and other issues I care about and help them, while I stay as Governor, she’s (believed to be Valerie Jarrett) a Senator.” Blago noted that Obama can ask Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, and others for money for the organization. Blago states he will ask “[Gutierrez]” to help fund it as well. Harris said that funding the 501(c)(4) would be a lot easier for the President-elect than appointing Blago to a position. Blago said, “They could say ‘hey, we get [Valerie Jarrett]. Let’s help this guy have a 501(c)(4) issue advocacy organization. Let’s fund it to the level that he’s asked for and then we’ll get [Valerie Jarrett].’” Blago said that he will control the 501(c)(4) organization through a board of directors while he is Governor, and then a position in the 501(c)(4) would be waiting for him when he was no longer Governor.

On November 12, 2008, Blago talked with Advisor B. Blago discussed with Advisor B his idea for a 501(c)(4) organization. Advisor B stated that he likes the idea, but liked the Change to Win option better because, according to Advisor B, from the President-elect’s perspective, there would be fewer “fingerprints” on Obama’s involvement with Change to Win because Change to Win already has an existing stream of revenue and, therefore, “you won’t have stories in four years that they bought you off.” Blago said that he likes the 501(c)(4) idea because he knows it will be there in two years when he is no longer Governor, whereas Change to Win might not be.

DC advisers believe that 'Change to Win' idea would be favored by Obama


On November 12, 2008, Blago talked with one of his Washington D.C.-based advisors. Blago explained the 501(c)(4) organization idea to the advisor, and that “Obama gets these Warren Buffett types to [fund it].” The advisor asked Blago if the 501(c)(4) is a real effort or just a vehicle to help Blago. Blago stated that it is a real effort but also a place for Blago to go when he is no longer Governor. The advisor said he likes the Change to Win idea better, and notes that it is more likely to happen because it is one step removed from Obama.

SEIU official acts as a deal broker between the Obama administration and Blago


On November 12, 2008, Blago spoke with SEIU Official, who was in Washington, D.C. Prior intercepted phone conversations indicate that approximately a week before this call, Blago met with SEIU Official to discuss the vacant Senate seat, and Blago understood that SEIU Official was an emissary to discuss Valerie Jarrett’s interest in the Senate seat. During the conversation with SEIU Official on November 12, 2008, Blago informed SEIU Official that he had heard that Obama wanted persons other than Valerie Jarrett to be considered for the Senate seat. SEIU Official stated that he would find out if Valerie Jarrett wanted the official to keep pushing her for Senator with Blago. Blago said that “one thing I’d be interested in” is a 501(c)(4) organization. Blago explained the 501(c)(4) idea to SEIU Official and said that the 501(c)(4) could help “our new Senator [Valerie Jarrett].” SEIU Official agreed to “put that flag up and see where it goes.”

On November 12, 2008, Blago talked with Advisor B. Blago told Advisor B that he told SEIU Official, “I said go back to Jarrett, and, and say hey, look, if you still want to be a Senator don’t rule this out and then broach the idea of this 501(c)(4) with her.”

Later on November 12, 2008, Blago talked with John Harris. Blago stated that his decision about the open Senate seat will be based on three criteria in the following order of importance: “our legal situation, our personal situation, my political situation. This decision, like every other one, needs to be based upon on that. Legal. Personal. Political.” Harris said, “legal is the hardest one to satisfy.” Blago said that his legal problems could be solved by naming himself to the Senate seat.

Blago signals intent to discuss 501(c)(4) with Emanuel


On November 13, 2008, Blago talked with Harris. Blago said he wanted to be able to call Rahm Emanuel and tell him that “this has nothing to do with anything else we’re working on but the Governor wants to put together a 501(c)(4)” and “can you guys help him. . . raise 10, 15 million.” Blago said he wanted “Rahm Emanuel to get the word today,” and that when “he asks me for the Fifth CD [Congressional District, which is open by dint of Emanuel vacating the seat] thing I want it to be in his head.”

Also on November 13, 2008, Blago talked with Advisor A. Blago said he wants the idea of the 501(c)(4) in Rahm Emanuel's head, but not in connection with the Senate appointment or the congressional seat. Advisor
A asked whether the conversation about the 501(c)(4) with Emanuel is connected with anything else. Blago replied that “it’s unsaid. It’s unsaid.”

Later on November 13, 2008, Blago spoke with Advisor A. Blago asked Advisor A to call Blago fundraiser/adviser John Wyma and have Wyma pitch the idea of the 501(c)(4) to “Emanuel.” Advisor A said that, “while it’s not said this is a play to put in play other things.” Blago responded, “correct.” Advisor A asked if this is “because we think there’s still some life in [Valerie Jarrett] potentially?” Blago said, “not so much her, but possibly her. But others.”

Throughout the past month, Blago has continued to engage in numerous conversations relating to filling the open Senate seat. In these conversations, he has repeatedly discussed the attributes of potential candidates, including, among other things, the candidates’ ability to benefit the State of Illinois, and the personal and political [agenda of Blago].

The Gap

At this juncture Byron York observes that "the complaint contains a three-week gap — a period in which prosecutors don’t discuss any conversations among the participants. Of that period, the complaint says, 'Throughout the past month, ROD BLAGOJEVICH has continued to engage in numerous conversations relating to filling the open Senate seat,' but gives no details."

Given the intent to discuss the 501(c)(4) idea with Emanuel -- and Emanuel's sudden disappearance after the FBI complaint -- I suspect that Blago and Emanuel discussed setting up or utilizing a 501(c)(4) for the financial remuneration of Blago.

Blago: Jackson associate made a 'pay to play' approach


On December 4, 2008, Blago spoke to Advisor B and informed Advisor B that he was giving Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. greater consideration for the Senate seat because, among other reasons, if Blago ran for re-election
Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. would “raise[] money” for Blago, although Blago said he might “get some (money) up front, maybe” from Jackson to insure that he kept his promise about raising money for Blago (In a recorded conversation on October 31, 2008, Blago described an earlier approach by an associate of Jackson as follows: “We were approached ‘pay to play.’ That, you know, he’d raise me 500 grand. An emissary came. Then the other guy would raise a million, if I made him Jackson a Senator.”

Blago said Jackson had a history of 'not keeping his word


Later on December 4, 2008, Blago spoke to Fundraiser A. Blago stated he was “elevating” Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. on the list of candidates for the open Senate seat. Blago stated he might be able to cut a deal with Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. that provided Blago with something “tangible up front.” Blago noted he was going to meet with Jackson in the next few days. Blago told "Friends of Blago" Chairman Steve Witek to reach out to Individual D, an individual who Blago is attempting to obtain campaign contributions from and who, based on intercepted phone calls, Blago believes to be close to Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr.. Blago told "Friends of Blago" Chairman Steve Witek to tell Individual D that Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. was very much a realistic candidate for the open Senate seat, but that Blago was getting “a lot of pressure” not to appoint Jackson. Blago told Witek to tell Individual D that Blago had a problem with Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. just promising to help Blago because Blago had a prior bad experience with Jackson not keeping his word.

Blago told "Friends of Blago" Chairman Steve Witek to tell Individual D that if Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. is going to be chosen to fill the Senate seat “some of this stuff's gotta start happening now . . .right now. . . and we gotta see it. You understand?” Blago told Witek that “you gotta be careful how you express that and assume everybody’s listening, the whole world is listening. You hear me?” Blago told Witek to tell Individual D if there is “tangible political support (campaign contributions) like you’ve said, start showing us now.” Witek stated he would call Individual D on the phone to communicate Blago’s message. Blago responded that “I would do it in person. I would not do it on the phone.” Blago told Witek to communicate the “urgency” of the situation to Individual D.

Unwinding the Jackson deal


On December 5, 2008, Blago spoke to Witek. On the morning of December 5, 2008, the Chicago Tribune ran a front page news story stating that Blago had recently been surreptitiously recorded in relation to an ongoing criminal investigation. During the conversation on December 5, 2008, Blago and Witek discussed certain information contained in the newspaper story. Blago instructed Witek to “undo your [Individual D] thing.” Witek confirmed that it would be undone.

Blago tries to save the money in the campaign fund


Also on December 5, 2008, after publication of the Tribune article described above, Blago and three others discussed whether to move money out of the Friends of Blagojevich campaign fund to avoid having the money frozen and also considered the possibility of prepaying the money to Blago’s criminal defense attorney with an understanding that the attorney would donate the money back at a later time if it was not needed. They also discussed opening a new fund raising account named Citizens for Blagojevich with new contributions received.

Even after discovery he's been taped, Blago still believes he could run for President in 2016


In addition, in the course of the conversations over the last month, Blago spent significant time weighing the option of appointing himself to the open Senate seat, and has expressed a variety of reasons for doing so, including frustration at being “stuck” as governor, a belief that he will be able to obtain greater resources if he is indicted as a sitting Senator as opposed to a sitting governor, and a desire to remake his image in consideration of a possible run for President in 2016, avoid impeachment by the Illinois legislature, make corporate contacts that would be of value to him after leaving public office, facilitate his wife’s employment as a lobbyist, and assist in generating speaking fees should he decide to leave public office.

Key takeaway: Emanuel, the Obama campaign and horse-trading

Just to recap, Byron York observes that "the complaint contains a three-week gap — a period in which prosecutors don’t discuss any conversations among the participants. Of that period, the complaint says, 'Throughout the past month, ROD BLAGOJEVICH has continued to engage in numerous conversations relating to filling the open Senate seat,' but gives no details."

Given the intent to discuss the 501(c)(4) idea with Emanuel -- and Emanuel's sudden disappearance after the FBI complaint -- I suspect that Blago and Emanuel discussed setting up or utilizing a 501(c)(4) for the financial remuneration of Blago.

I'll put 2-to-1 odds that Emanuel and Blago discussed the merits of employing Blago in various Union front groups -- whether the Soros-funded Americans Coming Together or a brand new 501(c)(4)... as a trade for a brand, spanking new Senate seat.

Hope. Change. And the same ol' same ol' from a bunch of corrupt Chicago pols.

Update: Protestors call for Jesse Jackson, Jr. to resign!