Thursday, September 10, 2009

Return Of The Cheese-Eating Surrender Monkeys


Dan from New York:

From those wonderful folks who brought you Ayatollah Khomeini...

'Strike on Iran nukes no longer viable'

Top French general says military intervention too risky.

So true, Monsieur Le General. When you fly a Mirage with a bottle of cheap red wine in one hand and a white flag in the other, the odds are stacked against you.

 

Smarter than a fifth grader?



"Our collective failure to meet this challenge - year after year, decade after decade - has led us to the breaking point."

But if we're at the 'breaking point, why doesn't ObamaCare start until 2013?


"There are now 30 million American citizens who cannot get coverage."

For two years, you've said we had 46 million uninsured Americans... what happened to the other 16 million?


"And every day, 14,000 Americans lose their coverage."

Does that mean 15 million Americans will lose their health care before your government plan starts in 2013?


"We spend one and a half times more per person on health care than any other country, but we aren't any healthier for it."

Then why do people travel from every country in the world to get health care here in the U.S.?


"Put simply, our health care problem is our deficit problem. Nothing else even comes close."

Didn't the CBO and other economists say that the budget deficit will grow by between $250 billion and $2 trillion just in the next ten years?


"Reducing the waste and inefficiency in Medicare and Medicaid will pay for most of this plan."

If we can pay for "most" of health care reform by controlling waste and inefficiency, then why does a $900 billion health care plan include $820 billion in tax increases?


"...no federal dollars will be used to fund abortion."

They why did House Democrats defeat an amendment in committee what would have stopped federal funding of abortions?


"I will not sign a plan that adds one dime to our deficits - either now or in the future."

So we're going to add '30 million' uninsured people to government health care, not cut benefits for anyone, not deny care to anyone, and it won't add a dime to our deficits?

"Reducing the waste and inefficiency in Medicare and Medicaid will pay for most of this plan...the plan I'm proposing will cost around $900 billion over the next 10 years..."

If there is so much "waste and inefficiency" in Medicare and Medicaid - two government-run health care plans - then won't further government involvement lead to even more "waste and inefficiency"?


"And I will continue to seek common ground in the weeks ahead. If you come to me with a serious set of proposals, I will be there to listen."

Then why won't you meet with House Republicans, who asked to meet four months ago?

 


Based upon: Common sense questions. Hat tip: Gateway Pundit.

370Z -- topless


AutoBlog has an initial road test of the Nissan 370Z Roadster.

Supposedly, this version -- unlike the 350 -- was designed from the ground up to support a topless version.

The chassis feels like it's cut from diamond, the motor pulls and pulls and the view over the hood is splendid. As a result, the rear-drive 370Z has a bit of dual-modeness to it. Meaning that the car (and its occupants) are perfectly happy to just limp along at posted limits, taking in the birds and the clouds. But should you decide to hammer on the throttle, the 370Z Roadster instantly hammers back. Remember, 332 hp is about what the last generation M3's inline-six put out. The Roadster can sprint. Plus, unlike a Miata, it's not out of tricks by the time you reach 80 mph. The 370Z Roadster is one of the easiest, most drama-free topless cars we've ever driven over 100 mph.

With a sticker of $37K -- and the state of the economy -- it's entirely possible you could buy the new model for less than you could buy the old version last year.

The TEOTWAWKI Call


Somewhere, in a luxurious chalet near Geneva, Switzerland, billionaire George Soros hits the speed-dial function on his mobile phone and slowly lifts it to his ear.


Is it done?

Yes. I think I won over support for it. The media called my speech brilliant, accurate, excellent!

The media? That bunch of slobbering sycophants is a dying breed. What do the polls say?

Well done, Barry. Now: how much will it add to the deficit?


I promised that it wouldn't add a dime, of course, but the staff economists say it will add two trillion in deficits over the next ten years.


So the total comes to -- ?


Hold on. Have another call.


Be quick, I'm in the middle of a hand.


Hello?


Hi, Mr. Soetero, did you know you can get extended coverage on your Lexus for only $900?

This isn't Mr. Soetero, you've got the wrong number.


But this is the number we have on file. Is this Barry Soetero?


Dammit, stop calling me!


Sorry about that. The total should come to -- carry the one -- $22 trillion in the next ten years.


Excellent. You've done good work here, Barry, very good work.


Thanks -- gotta go. We'll talk on Sunday.


Right-o.


Yves.


Yes, George.


That $100 million I spent on MoveOn.org and the American trade unions was the best investment I ever made.


I've made a cool $3 billion betting against the dollar just this year.


Outside of a Bond movie, I didn't think anyone could actually destroy the United States. But I think may have done it! Now... are you going to play cards or screw around with a couple of billion dollars?

 


Linked by: American Digest. Thanks!

Forget Joe Wilson: Barack Obama called Sarah Palin, Sean Hannity and Mark Levin Liars Last Night


The AP reports that Joe Wilson violated Congressional decorum last night:

South Carolina Republican Rep. Joe Wilson shouted "You lie!" after Obama had talked about illegal immigrants... it wasn't the only interruption during Obama's speech to a joint session of Congress in the House of Representatives. Earlier, Republicans laughed when Obama acknowledged that there are still significant details to be worked out before a health overhaul can be passed.

But Obama specifically called politicians like Sarah Palin, talk show hosts like Sean Hannity and radio pundits like Mark Levin liars:

Some of people's concerns have grown out of bogus claims spread by those whose only agenda is to kill reform at any cost. The best example is the claim, made not just by radio and cable talk show hosts, but by prominent politicians that we plan to set up panels of bureaucrats with the power to kill off senior citizens.

Now, such a charge would be laughable if it weren't so cynical and irresponsible. It is a lie plain and simple.

The New York Times calls Joe Wilson's outburst "a rare breach of protocol." One need only play the videotape of President Bush's 2005 State of the Union address to prove that statement untrue (hint: when Democrats shout at and boo the President during a speech, it's appropriate dissent).

More importantly, have the American people ever experienced a President who is this divisive, this bitterly partisan before? Spun so many painfully obviously lies in a major speech before?

This President is 'historic', alright. Just not for the reasons he'd hoped.



Update: Mark Levin sets the President straight. (MP3)

Larwyn's Linx: We Don't Get Fooled Again

Have a great link you'd like me to review? Drop me an email or reply via Twitter.

Nation

85% of Americans: Tackett
Pres. Obama's Historic Speech to Somebody: Greenroom
Freedom Rally Outdraws President 4-to-1: TSOGG

The House Bill Does Cover Illegals: LegalIns
I am Joe Wilson: Riehl
Pompous, Long and Chock-full of Bromides: Secular Right

Crisis of Confidence: Doc Zero
Reagan v. Obama in the Classroom: MoneyRunner
MI: local media ignores 10,000-strong Tea Party: BlogProf

Inquiry opened into New Black Panther case: Times
Adrienne predicts the future: Adrienne
Rep. Jefferson's Freezer: the Tip of the Iceberg: FGF

Drunkblogging the Big ObamaCare Speech: PJM (Vodkapundit)
Yet another socialist czar: John Holdren: STACLU
President Attacks Another Private Citizen: GWP

Economy

Get ready for Detroit-style labor relations in our hospitals: WSJ
ObamaCare Revenue Options: S&L
Krugman, Keynes, and Ketchup: City Journal (Gelinas)

A $2 Billion Chrysler Double-Cross? If So, It's Virtually Invisible: NewsBusters

Media

Thomas Friedman is a liberal fascist: Goldberg
Sowell the Magnificent: The Other McCain
Friedman's Benevolent Dictatorship: Power Line

One Nation Under Fox: Glenn Beck Foments Revolution: CS Indy
A Health Care Fact Check from the AP?: Joust
CNBC’s Cramer: Spiraling National Debt to Cause Bear Market: NewsBusters

Why so surprised, Camille: PJM (Simon)

Climate & Energy

It's Official: Environmental Idiocy Now A Protected Religion In The UK: Ace
Blackouts on the way: EPA moves to block W.Va.'s largest mining permit: Charleston Gazette

World

The End of the World: PJM (Ledeen)
Human Rights Watch exec has a Nazi-memorabilia hobby: Pollak
The Prospect of Iranian missiles in South America: WSJ
How's that Arafat "murder" investigation going?: Elder of Ziyon

Something's rotten at the State Department: AT (Joyce)

SciTech

Obama science czar: Redistributionism as the cure for American exceptionalism : Morrissey
Archaeologists find 120 coins from the Bar Kokhba Revolt era: JPost

Cornucopia

Music Video: We Don't Get Fooled Again: AlinskyRules

Wednesday, September 09, 2009

Obama's Health Care Speech: A Furious Fusillade of Lies

Live-blogging President Obama's 'Hail Mary' pass to try and save socialized medicine: the lies are coming so fast and so furious, I'm having a hard time keeping up. The most outrageous fabrications:

On the 'public option' (socialized medicine): "Despite all this, the insurance companies and their allies don't like this idea. They argue that these private companies can't fairly compete with the government. And they'd be right if taxpayers were subsidizing this public insurance option. But they won't be. I have insisted that like any private insurance company, the public insurance option would have to be self-sufficient and rely on the premiums it collects. But by avoiding some of the overhead that gets eaten up at private companies by profits, excessive administrative costs and executive salaries, it could provide a good deal for consumers."

Lie: The federal government already bankrupted Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, the Post Office, the nationalized auto companies, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the FHA, the FDIC, Amtrak and the like. Trillions and trillions and trillions of dollars in the red. Debts that must be paid by our children and grandchildren, born into the world owing tens of thousands of dollars to a collectivist, Utopian vision that can never be realized.

On how to pay for socialized medicine: "Here's what you need to know. First, I will not sign a plan that adds one dime to our deficits – either now or in the future. Period. And to prove that I'm serious, there will be a provision in this plan that requires us to come forward with more spending cuts if the savings we promised don't materialize."

Lie: Every serious analysis, including those performed by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, describes adding two trillion more dollars to the deficit to pay for this debacle. We don't have the money. How in the hell can anyone believe that we'll add "47 million uninsureds" to the pool while not adding costs? It's nonsensical.

On not slashing Medicare: "In fact, I want to speak directly to America's seniors for a moment, because Medicare is another issue that's been subjected to demagoguery and distortion during the course of this debate... More than four decades ago, this nation stood up for the principle that after a lifetime of hard work, our seniors should not be left to struggle with a pile of medical bills in their later years. That is how Medicare was born. And it remains a sacred trust that must be passed down from one generation to the next. That is why not a dollar of the Medicare trust fund will be used to pay for this plan."

Lie: News articles describe one-half trillion dollars in Medicare cuts: "The health care bill making its way through the House would save an estimated $500 billion in Medicare over the next 10 years."

On Covering Illegal Immigrants: "There are also those who claim that our reform effort will insure illegal immigrants. This, too, is false – the reforms I'm proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally."

Lie: Reuters reports otherwise: "While the bill states that illegal immigrants are not eligible for the new taxpayer-funded affordability credits, there is nothing in the bill to enforce this provision. Congress defeated efforts to require the use of the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program. More than 70 other programs of this kind use SAVE.


Obama's masterful speechifying is overshadowed by his radical ideology; the resulting fabrications would be humorous were the stakes not so high.



Update: Dan Riehl was live-blogging using only pithy one-liners.