Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Nightmare on K Street

If this chart doesn't terrify you, you're either incredibly stupid or you are a Marxist kook hoping for the collapse of our society.

...In roughly 20 years, the typical American’s share of the national debt will more than triple unless Washington gets the nation’s fiscal house in order. Right now, the national debt averages $31,871 for each American—nearly two-thirds of the median household income of $50,255. The Heritage Budget Chart Book illustrates that without any real spending cuts or reforms, debt will surge to $103,827 per American by 2032 and keep rising.

“For younger generations, the story gets worse,” says Alison Acosta Fraser, director of Heritage’s Thomas A. Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies. “By 2044, each American’s share of the national debt will redouble to $206,771. And it keeps going up after that.”

The situation is already dire. In only a few short years, if we continue on the Obama glide-path, this country is headed into the abyss.

And that seems to be what the Democrats want. Which is why they must be eradicated at the ballot box in 2012, at every level of government.


An Open Letter to Janet Napolitano [Papa B]

Papa B:

Dear Janet,

Would it be too much to ask that you hire someone smarter than a lemur to run TSA at the airports?

Because if the objective is to provide air safety, you are instead helping to destroy the airline industry, you are creating massive amounts of stress, and you are wasting billions of our tax dollars. But if the objective is to destroy the airline business, create stress and angst for travelers, and provide employment to thousands of marginally competent people, you are doing a superb job!

I am 75 years old, I have a defibrillator implant, and some of my more vital statistics include: (a) an American Express card holder since 1960; (b) a Delta Medallion member for over 20 years; and (c) have owned my home (my primary residence) for 15 years.

These facts are easily available from any of the credit reporting agencies. Let me also assert that it is extremely unlikely that any would-be terrorist would possess these attributes or metrics.

Nevertheless, since I cannot go through a scanner, I am routinely subjected to a 25-minute fondling at LaGuardia airport. Behind me and "stacked up" during this time are severely handicapped individuals in wheelchairs, elderly people with canes or walkers and, of course, the ever-dangerous group of small children.

At the very least, could you not locate a few smart people to do some basic studies of travelers that would separate, say, non-terrorists from possible terrorists by dint of measurable and meaningful characteristics? And please note: there's not a hint of racial profiling in what I suggest.

Nothing would do more to encourage air travel; nothing would do more to reduce stress; and nothing would save more money at TSA.

I feel certain that for all of these reasons, you will ignore this and other logical suggestions because of your bizarre ideological bent, the fact that you are a political hack, that you are a radical leftist, and that you are a Democrat.

But I repeat myself.

Sincerely, Papa B.


Related: Good news: Photos capture TSA repelling toddler terrorist threat with intrusive grope-downs of 6-year olds.

Larwyn's Linx: La Raza Funding Skyrockets After Obama Hires Its VP

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Nation

La Raza Funding Skyrockets After Obama Hires Its VP: JW
Whispers of Gunwalker's Dark Ulterior Motive: NiceDeb
Mega-Scandal: Was 'Gunwalker' a PR Op for Gun Control?:Owens

Public Financing of Reconquistadors Explodes: RWN
DANGER: Romney and Pawlenty Embrace Shariah Law: RedCty
Holder: our most effective anti-terror weapon is...: Malkin

Twenty-Nine Reasons to Be Angry And/Or Scared: EconNoise
AZ Sheriff: Why More Troops at Korean Border Than U.S. Border?: CNS
Bachmann Playing With House Money: Roll Call

Economy

Obama's latest $1B 'Stimulus' to 'Troubled' Homeowners: ZH
Obama's Food Police Cracks Down on Market to Kids: HE
NLRB tried to save us from dumb, unskilled southerners: Hot Air

Democrats Flailing Around For A Jobs Policy Heading Into 2012: RWN
Why is Columbia Prof still employed after incest plea?: RSM
City pension pays more than average worker earns: SFgate

Climate & Energy

Water wars: Little-known rules proposed for California's Central Coast: SCS
Sea Level Research Institute facing scrutiny after revelation it's been fudging sea level data: BlogProf
Rick Perry: Let there be light: CBullitt

Media

Apparently, The GOP Is “Rigging The 2012 Election”: RWN
Van Jones Unleashes Lawyers On Fox For Criticising Him: Dollard
Mark Levin Gives Fareed Zakaria a Much-Needed Lesson on the U.S. Constitution: NB

INCOGNEGRO: Undercover as a Black Conservative at Right Online During Netroots Nation: JJP
Right Online Picture Dump: RWN
WaPo Ombudsman Insists Conservative Palin E-mail Complaints Were 'Complete Balderdash': NB

Will the Democratic Party Destroy Us All?: Simon
Gunwalker: From Obama’s Inauguration to Issa’s Report: Owens
NAACP: Making NJ public workers pay more for health care is racist: WyBlog

Shocking Sex Slave Trafficking Operation in Houston, Texas -- Operated by Illegal Aliens: JW
Jon Stewart Tells Chris Wallace Fox News Is Biased -- But Rest of Media Aren't: NB
Political Street Art: The Weiner Edition: Urban Infidel

World

Panetta’s War on Reagan’s Defense Policies – A Time for Choosing: Kincaid
Panetta Report 4: Leon Panetta’s Communist Friend and the Chinese Spy: Loudon
Obama’s Buddy Bill Ayers Denied Entry To Canada Again: Glob

Report: Obama to announce drawdown plans for Afghanistan on Wednesday: HotAir
Sharia rejects the foundational principle of American law: Creeping
Greek Default Would Spell ‘Havoc’ for European Banks a Year After Bailout: Bloomberg

SciTech

Sick Of Being Trashed Nonstop, Groupon Tries To Respond On Its Blog: Insider
Blackberry fallout: Does RIM really have a plan?: Connected Planet
Dropbox Left User Accounts Unlocked for 4 Hours Sunday: Wired

Cornucopia

Jackass star Ryan Dunn dies in car accident: Jalopnik
Ryan Dunn and 'The Grim Reaper's Company Car': AmSpec
Bernanke Impeachment: Denninger

Image: iOwnTheWorld
Today's Larwyn's Linx sponsored by: Michele Bachmann for President


Monday, June 20, 2011

Obama Campaign to Unveil Adorable, Fuzzy Mascot to Distract Voters From President's Unblemished Record of Economic, Foreign Policy Failures

Washington (DRNS) - Citing concerns over its disastrous poll numbers, the Obama 2012 Reelection Campaign today unveiled Failosaurus, its new mascot designed to appeal to liberals and children.

"Our hope is that we can really pump up turnout with 'Failie'," said Obama Senior Campaign Adviser David Axelrod, "that's what our focus groups told us: everyone has failures in their past, and this president is no different."

"Look at that insurance company's duck. It's a f***ing duck! It increased sales like a gazillion percent for them. And how about those cavemen? You're telling me a cute, fuzzy mascot won't swing voters to Democrats, no matter how f***ed up the economy is?"

The Democrat National Committee and George Soros helped fund the mascot design effort, along with laundered taxpayer dollars through the SEIU. The Senate majority leader also played a key role in the focus groups that approved the new mascot.

"Harry Reid, who is a true creative genius, really helped us craft the approach," said Axelrod, "We could tell when 'Failie' danced into the room that we had a winner. Harry was clapping and laughing and squealing like a little girl as the mascot launched into a series of Party anthems including F*** the Constitution, the Soviet National Anthem (Гимн Советского Союза) and Democrats über alles."

"Look, anyone with an ounce of sense knows that we've f***ed America up beyond recognition. We had a Stimulus program that destroyed our balance sheet... we passed a 'health care reform' bill that stole half-a-trillion from Medicare and bankrupted Medicaid... and we passed a 'financial reform' bill that didn't address Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. Plus, as an added bonus, we started a 'war of choice' in Libya. Best of all, we did everything against the direct will of the people! So we thought: hey, it's time for a mascot!"

Axelrod explained that, given the infantile thought processes of the left, Democrat pollsters were predicting that turnout among progressives would increase roughly 3.9% with a marketing campaign heavy on 'Failie' and light on the facts.


Your color-coded employment map o' the day

I wonder what we can glean from this?

On Friday, the BLS [Bureau of Labor Statistics] released its monthly state employment and unemployment summary. The ... chart below summarizes the results. Bottom line: lots of red, a little green and quite a bit unchanged.


Two observations:

• The only green states have GOP governors.

• The only bright red states have Democrat governors.

But I'm sure that's all coincidental, what with the Democrats' exceptional track record of success.


David Axelrod: Jon Huntsman was a staunch supporter of Obamacare

Isn't it interesting how legacy media and its Democrat sycophants (or is it the other way around?) like to position Jon Huntsman as a legitimate Republican candidate? Hint: he ain't.

Is Jon M. Huntsman Jr., the former governor of Utah, conservative enough to win the Republican presidential nomination? David Axelrod, a senior political adviser to President Obama, recalled on Sunday that Mr. Huntsman praised Mr. Obama’s efforts in 2009. “He was encouraging on health care. He was encouraging on the whole range of issues,” Mr. Axelrod said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “He was a little quizzical about what was going on in his own party. And you got the strong sense that he was going to wait until 2016 for the storm to blow over.”

Huntsman has about as much chance of winning the GOP nomination as Ron Paul. Which is to say: none.


Get Your Food Stamps Here! [J.P.]

J.P. writes:

I received my last unemployment check a few months ago. That's why I was a little surprised to see mail from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry on Friday. I've attached a copy of the mailing. As you can see, it says too bad your unemployment benefits have ended, but have you thought about applying for food stamps? Hey, why not, everybody's doing it. Why they even have a snappy name for the program for it - SNAP! And I bet it's a snap to qualify too.

Since the additional weeks of unemployment came from the feds (in PA, it was called Tier 1, 2 & 3 and eligibility was determined through a separate federal government department within the PA Dept. of L & I), how much do you want to bet the directive to "suggest" food stamps comes from the feds as well?

I'm tempted to apply just to see if I'm eligible even though I don't want or need them, the whole thing makes me sick. I'll have to think on it, somehow I don't picture myself the next J. O'Keefe!

Don't worry, J.P. It's free money!

Larwyn's Linx: Campaign to reelect Obama underway

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Nation

Campaign to reelect Obama underway: Pundette
Republicans Considering Transitory Debt Ceiling Hike: ZH
RLC straw poll's bizarre result: Payola involved?: Hot Air

Employers of illegals worried laws scaring away illegal workers: RWN
With DNC in Mind, City Bans Carrying Urine, Feces, Glitter: Driscoll
Google denies special deal for Barack Obama: Politico

WSJ: ATF Chief Likely To Be Ousted Over Gunwalker: Ace
Axelrod to drones: it's still cool to support Obama, I promise!: WZ
Bachmann Bashes Romney for Not Signing Pro-Life Pledge: LN

Economy

The American Recovery Act As Welfare Part II: VR
A Shovel-Unready President: RCP
The Euro-Zone’s Last Chance: Stock Sage

Shocker: Obama had no authority to waive GM's taxes: BlogProf
Companies leaving California in record numbers: Carpe Diem
Rick Perry vs. Jean-Jacques Rousseau: Instapundit

Climate & Energy

The EPA assault on Texas: Greenroom
Climate conference faces brush with reality: Hot Air
Republicans Flicker On Light Bulb Ban Repeal: AT

Media

The New York Times' Hit Piece on Clarence Thomas: Preparing for Obamacare's Failure: Instapundit
NBC omits ‘Under God’ from Pledge of Allegiance: Malkin
Fareed Zakaria: Let’s use Facebook and Twitter to create a 21st century Constitution: DC

Look what else is hanging out in the Weiners’ closet: GayPatriot
Failed Outgoing NY Times Editor Bill Keller Says 'Journalists Would Recoil In Horror' If Palin Ran For President: WZ
Leftist ‘Guru” Deepak Chopra Mocks Sarah Palin in Angry Rant: GWP

World

President Obama Rejected DOJ and DOD Advice, and Sided with Harold Koh, on War Powers Resolution: Lawfare
Mufti of Lebanon Calls Palestinian Refugees "Trash": Ricochet
Islamist Group And ACLU Team Up To Fight 'Anti-Sharia Bills': WZ

The Economics of Settlement: Gilder
Our Friends the Chinese: Ricochet
The Muslim Brotherhood and Weiner: AT

Iranian Commander: ‘We Have Infiltrated America and the UK’: Kahlili
Understanding Online Radicalization: The Jihadi Forums: PJM
Overlapping Layers of Incompetency: SDA

SciTech

Hit the deck: LulzSec and Anonymous start trading blows: VentureBeat
Better 21 years late than never: Engadget
‘How Kindle Is Changing the Way a Reader Reads Books’: Driscoll

Cornucopia

Happy Father's Day: Pundette
How to wake up your girlfriend: C&S
How to get exit row seats (chart): Airfare Watchdog

Tweet Me! No, Really!: MOTUS
The Conspiracy of Kennedy Conspiracists: Ace
Don't get your yarbles caught in this machine: NatLamp

Image: Six Meat Buffet
Today's Larwyn's Linx sponsored by: Michele Bachmann for President


Sunday, June 19, 2011

EU set to implode thanks to failed socialist welfare-state policies and shortage of hopenchange, but mostly failed socialist welfare-state policies

The European Union's can-kicking road appears at an end. And the road terminates at a cliff that would strike fear into Wile E. Coyote's heart. Robert Sinn lists the challenges facing Greece and, by logical extension, the entire financial system. Hint: it ain't gonna end well.

Challenges facing Greece:

• Debt/GDP ratio of over 150%, forecast to be 170% by 2013.
• An uncompetitive economy with only two primary economic drivers: Tourism and shipping.
• Greek government revenue declined sharply in May 2011 while government spending rose sharply, leading to a large step backward and a further widening of the deficit.

• A government which is in turmoil and a population that feels betrayed by politicians and the Greek elite.
• Widespread public outrage against proposed EU/IMF austerity measures and state asset sales; 76% of Greek citizens believe government measures cannot fix the economy, 74% of Greek citizens want a renegotiation of the 2010 bailout terms.
• A culture of pervasive tax evasion which won’t change overnight
• A bloated & inefficient public sector which has run up a significant percentage of the debt that currently plagues Greece
• The last and probably most controversial bullet point – A failure of the private sector in Greece to move the country forward and to become competitive with other EU economies. Greece suffers from entrenched cultural handicaps such as the widespread practice of nepotism in corporations and small businesses. Say what you will about the United States, the great strength of American business is a culture of meritocracy which has rewarded the best and the brightest who have achieved and innovated. Young talented Greeks who do not benefit from having a wealthy pedigree aspire to work in the public sector, not the private sector. This is the polar opposite of the United States where highly skilled/talented individuals strive to remain in the private sector and to start their own businesses...

...EU leaders have one last chance to at least attempt to save the euro-zone by cutting Greece’s debt in half and spreading the losses around throughout all parties involved (ECB, EU, private creditors i.e. banks etc.) and creating a federal fiscal authority similar to the US Treasury. Of course, there is much more to be done but this would be a good start...

Of course, there is little chance that will happen. The reason for the months of can-kicking is simple: recognizing a Greek debt default would touch off a banking contagion and -- ultimately -- recognition that Europe's remaining socialist welfare states are all headed into the crapper.

Mohammed El-Erian, the head of the world's largest bond fund, said early today that something's got to change because throwing more money at the problem simply isn't working.

“After a year, every indicator has unfortunately worsened, despite the incredible quantity of financial assistance,” he was quoted saying...

"All of this has terrible human consequences and it's associated with a transfer of liabilities from private creditors to European taxpayers. Why? Very little is being done to deal with the excess of public debt, and the conditions for higher growth are not being put in place," he said. "Further on, if this approach is kept up, more money will be wasted to save private creditors and the risk of a disorderly restructuring of the debt will be greater."

Greece is bankrupt.

Loaning it more money is insanity, plain and simple.

And this is America's future, should sane leaders -- Constitutional conservatives -- not grab the reins of power. And fast.


How to triple the ratings of '60 Minutes'

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I'm Morley Safer. They told us they needed $787 billion to fix the economy -- $2,500 for every family in America. But unemployment continues to skyrocket and many wonder: what happened to the hundreds of billions of dollars? When we investigated, we found that no one really knows. And the corruption, graft and criminality we discovered were surprising -- even for us.

I'm Steve Kroft. Barack Obama authored an amazing autobiography called Dreams from my Father. But one man has unearthed overwhelming evidence that Obama didn't actually write his own book. And the name of the real author might surprise you, he says: Bill Ayers. The domestic terrorist and one-time neighbor to the President.

And I'm Mike Wallace. The promises were grandiose. Transparency. No lobbyists in the White House. Leaving Iraq. Ending NSA wiretaps. No more 'wars of choice'. Post-partisanship. But the realities have shaken even the President's most committed supporters. Now Democrats are asking: is the President a serial liar?

That and Andy Rooney, tonight. On 60 Minutes.

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Linked by: Six Meat Buffet. Thanks!

Say, I'm new to Saudi Arabia. Can you point me to the nearest church?

Why is it that when legacy media discusses the Middle East, tolerance applies to only one side?





Perhaps someone could ask the dolts in legacy media.


Daily Beast shocked that Jerry Brown is leading California to fiscal disaster; blames state's collapse on ...(wait for it)... Republicans

The Daily Beast (I read it so you don't have to) appears to be the magazine equivalent of Michael Moore. It is so unhinged and so laced with nutwhackery that it reads more like a National Lampoon spoof of liberal dementia than an ostensibly serious periodical.

Case in point: some kook named Joe Mathews, if that is his real name, offers the following salient observations about the failed blue state of California. Now, recall, California is dominated at every level of government by Democrats, public sector unions and the illegal alien lobby. But I repeat myself.

Jerry Brown's argument for his return to the California governorship was that as a 73-year-old politician, too old to worry about his political future, he would throw caution to wind, force partisans of left and right to negotiate, and tame this state’s famously out-of-control budget.

But his first six months in office have looked nothing like this. Brown’s experience has been no match for the difficult task that confronts Democrats in Washington and around the country: how to, at a time of austerity, protect programs and secure more taxes in the face of opposition from anti-tax Republicans. Brown has made concession after concession—cutting billions, agreeing to negotiate new legal limits on spending and pensions—without securing any agreement for additional revenues, even temporary taxes that would be subject to a vote of the people. In the process, he has alienated his own party.

Brown’s story so far shows that low-key negotiation and concession does not get you much from Republicans in this era... Brown [is required] to get votes from Republicans, even though Democrats control the governorship, both houses of the legislature, and every other statewide office...

[Some] voices... suggest Brown is gutless. Republicans, ungrateful despite Brown’s concessions, say they couldn’t reach a deal with Brown because the governor did not have the courage to embrace new limits on spending and pensions that the GOP wants in the agreement—but that powerful public employee unions oppose...

Here's a little cheat sheet for Mathews:

Brown is owned by the public sector unions and the racial separatist front groups like La Raza.

But it is the public sector unions -- not the Republicans -- who are bankrupting the state; and clearly Brown is too timid and too partisan to confront them.

It is sanctuary cities and open borders policies -- not the Republicans -- that are swelling school and prison populations while driving up health care and welfare costs.

It is a bizarre green agenda (that even denies water to farmers) -- not the Republicans -- that is destroying one of the most fertile, bountiful areas on Earth.

Sure, numb-skull, California could raise taxes on the productive sector of society; and that will simply drive more taxpaying citizens and businesses out of the state -- just as it did in another blue state success story called "New York".

But unless California can honestly confront the fiscal time-bomb represented by public sector union benefits, illegal aliens and the eco-Marxists, the state is flat-out doomed.

Oh, and Mathews: why doesn't Texas have this same problem, schmuck?


Exclusive Photos: President Obama Traverses the Country During His Third Annual Summer-of-Recovery™ Tour

He truly feels your pain.










Just be sure not to show this chart to the drones.


Larwyn's Linx: ATF Fast & Furious: Worse than a nightmare

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Project Gunrunner

ATF Fast & Furious: Worse than a nightmare: Tatler
Administration's Gunrunner Comments Strain Credulity: PJM
Head of ATF is likely to go: WSJ

Gunrunner's Real Agenda: NoisyRoom
Issa Believes DOJ Engaging in Gunrunning Coverup: Bruce
Gunwalker Scandal Special Edition: CorrComm

Nation

Another Chapter In The Declarant Presidency: Hewitt
Michele Bachmann Sets A Very High Bar at Right Online: RS
Liberal Flashmob and Publicity Stunt At RightOnline: RWN

DeMint creates litmus test for 2012 field: Hill
MO Dem Governor Nixon Vetoes Voter ID Bill: GWP
Gov. Rick Perry’s amazing speech to RLC 2011: Scoop

Economy

The American Recovery Act As Welfare: VirtRep
Obama's higher minimum wage will hurt young blacks: WinKnight
The beauty of capitalism: anyone can become rich: EIB

Thanks, Barack: IMF Cuts US Forecast, Warns of Crisis: GWP
Dept. of Education cracks down on for-profit colleges: PJM
The Pace of an Economic Recovery: Commentary

Climate & Energy

All Aboard the Global Warming Money Train!: Ace
Warmist Chip Ward: West Was Lost Due To Globull Warming: RWN
2011 Chevrolet Volt Vs 2011 Nissan Leaf: 7,000 Miles Later: Green Car Reports

Media

What Writing A Book Taught Me About Obama And Those Who Followed Him: ZH
Lefty Feminists Expose Themselves by Putting Out for Weiner: Ziganto
Obama is Dukakis: The Data Supports My Instincts? : ConTeach

Post debate presidential scoreboard: Surber
Blaming "politically correct" textbooks for the widespread ignorance about history: Althouse
Adam Smith, pins, ATMs, and Obama: Marathon

Panetta Report 3: Leon Panetta and the Santa Cruz Socialists: Loudon
Standing Up Against Islamonazism: Zilla
Obamanomics: Teenage Flash Mob Robberies on the Rise: Fox

World

Redistributing Freedom to Tyranny: Knish
UNRWA Unleashes More Slanders of Israel: Commentary
Islamic cultural terrorism: Condell

Mexicans tunneling into US: WZ
Dictator of the Month: King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia : AllGov
Security Fail… Illegal Immigrant With Stolen ID Discovered Working As Flight Attendant: GWP

Leon Panetta, U.S. Defense Secretary Nominee, Linked to Communist, Anti-Semitic Group: AmPower
USPS Stops Accepting Mail To Canada: ZH
Moody's threat to downgrade Italian debt raises eurozone contagion fears: Telegraph

SciTech

Pulling Electricity from the Air to Charge Devices: RefBrok
A suddenly growing liver disease: Instapundit
Brand-To-Fan Connector, Crowdtap, Hits $1 Million Revenue With 115,000 Members: TechCrunch

Cornucopia

Overseen in the Library: AmDigest
MUSIC VIDEO: “It’s Gettin’ Real in the Whole Foods Parking Lot”: NatLamp
Five Unforgettable Moments from the Obama-Boehner Golf Game: NatJournal

No, Don't Tell Me!: C&S
'Golf Summit' Saturday: Malkin
Reagan's Joke: Denny

Today's Larwyn's Linx sponsored by: Give A Father’s Day Gift That Remembers Their Sacrifice

QOTD: "Never has so much power been invested in a man about whom so little was known, over whose nefarious past associations was made or even questioned, and who presented so few real-world accomplishments as to not even have a resume worth note. But he possessed two key skills that come in handy during times of economic and social upheaval: 1) His ability to speak forcefully while offering little but platitudes to whip up an audience eager to be led; and 2) a ruthless pragmatism that would compel him to say and do whatever it took to present an image that would best gain him the levers of power.

But that’s okay because Obama knew what was best, even if the average Joe (except a certain plumber) did not, you see. A new golden age of top-down management of our daily lives radiating out of the central state in Washington, D.C. for which we would eventually be grateful. All the people had to do was submit and get in line with the program. Many did willingly. Blindly. Fooled by a personality cult whose statist tendencies remained hidden by a fawning state media/propaganda complex." --Brad Schaeffer

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Correlation between a person's mind and his desk

Jasmine sent this one in:

Saw these photos on the Internet about the correlation between a person's mind and his desk...

(William F. Buckley)

(Nat Hentoff)

(Albert Einstein)

(Community Organizer)

Linked by: Instapundit, thanks! (what does the InstaDesk say about Dr. Reynolds?)

The Coming Crime Wave

Caution: this is not a snarky post. Zero-percent snark. I want to connect a few dots for you. Additional caution: you may want to sit down.

* * * * * * * * *

 1  USA Today headline: Record number in government anti-poverty programs

Government anti-poverty programs... now serve a record one in six Americans and are continuing to expand... More than 50 million Americans are on Medicaid, the federal-state program aimed principally at the poor...

...More than 40 million people get food stamps, an increase of nearly 50% during the economic downturn, according to government data through May. The program has grown steadily for three years...

...Close to 10 million receive unemployment insurance, nearly four times the number from 2007. Benefits have been extended by Congress eight times beyond the basic 26-week program, enabling the long-term unemployed to get up to 99 weeks of benefits. Caseloads peaked at nearly 12 million in January — "the highest numbers on record," says Christine Riordan of the National Employment Law Project, which advocates for low-wage workers.

More than 4.4 million people are on welfare, an 18% increase during the recession...

In February 2009 Robert Rector, quoted in the London Sunday Times, predicted that the Obama Democrats' expansion of welfare, food stamps and unemployment would be disastrous.

One of the few undisputed triumphs of American government of the past 20 years – the sweeping welfare reform programme that sent millions of dole claimants back to work – has been plunged into jeopardy by billions of dollars in state handouts included in the president’s controversial economic stimulus package...

...Robert Rector, a prominent welfare researcher who was one of the architects of Clinton's 1996 reform bill, warned last week that Obama’s stimulus plan was a “welfare spendathon” that would amount to the largest one-year increase in government handouts in American history... Despite dire warnings that reduced benefits for single mothers and deadlines on entitlement would create a social calamity – one liberal senator warned at the time that children would be “sleeping on grates” – the 1996 reforms cut welfare rolls from more than 5m families in 1995 to below 2m a decade later without a discernible increase in hardship.

In other words, the Obama 'Stimulus' program was intended to massively expand the welfare state. But wait! There's more!

* * * * * * * * *

 2  Increasing welfare and food stamps leads to more kids born to unwed mothers

The statistical link between the availability of welfare and out-of-wedlock births is conclusive. There have been dozens of studies that link the availability of welfare benefits to out-of-wedlock births.

One study found that a 50 percent increase in the value of AFDC and foodstamp payments led to a 43 percent increase in the number of out-of-wedlock births.

A 1996 paper describes the correlation in ominous terms.

...Out-of-wedlock births are strongly related to welfare dependency. A 1 percent increase in the welfare dependent population in a state increases the number of births to single mothers by about 0.5 percent...

...Welfare dependency reduces employment. A 1 percent increase in the dependent population increases the number who are not employed by about 0.1 percent... An increase in welfare benefits reduces employment by increasing the number of welfare dependents. An increase in AFDC benefits by 1 percent of average income increases the number who are not employed by about 0.5.

In other words, if you ratchet up welfare benefits, you get reduced employment and more single-parent families.

Now, why am I telling you this?

* * * * * * * * *

 3  Single-parent families correlate to higher crime rates

In 1995, Dr. Patrick Fagan wrote a seminal summary of the situation: "Over the past thirty years, the rise in violent crime parallels the rise in families abandoned by fathers... High-crime neighborhoods are characterized by high concentrations of families abandoned by fathers... The rate of violent teenage crime corresponds with the number of families abandoned by fathers...

"Neighborhoods with a high degree of religious practice are not high-crime neighborhoods... Even in high-crime inner-city neighborhoods, well over 90 percent of children from safe, stable homes do not become delinquents. By contrast only 10 percent of children from unsafe, unstable homes in these neighborhoods avoid crime... Criminals capable of sustaining marriage gradually move away from a life of crime after they get married."

Of 23 peer-reviewed U.S. studies since 2000, 20 found that family structure directly affects crime and/or delinquency.

"[R]esearch strongly suggests both that young adults and teens raised in single-parent homes are more likely to commit crimes, and that communities with high rates of family fragmentation (especially unwed childbearing) suffer higher crime rates as a result."

For example, a 23-year study found that nearly 90% of the change in violent crime rates can be attributed to the change in percentages of out-of-wedlock births (divorce rates, on the other hand, had no relationship with crime).

In The Atlantic Monthly, Barbara Dafoe Whitehead noted that the "relationship [between single-parent families and crime] is so strong that controlling for family configuration erases the relationship between race and crime and between low income and crime. This conclusion shows up time and again in the literature. The nation's mayors, as well as police officers, social workers, probation officers, and court officials, consistently point to family break up as the most important source of rising rates of crime."

Let me repeat the most important statement -- "controlling for family configuration erases the relationship between race and crime and between low income and crime."

Single-parent families generally lead to increased levels of crime; and there are no significant differences between blacks, whites, or any other race when it comes to this simple fact.

* * * * * * * * *

 4  Recap:

• Fact: There are a record number of Americans dependent upon government anti-poverty programs thanks to the Obama Democrats
• Fact: Expanded access to welfare and food stamps greatly increases the number of children born to unwed mothers
• Fact: Single-parent families correlate to higher crime rates
Conclusion: with the unprecedented increase in welfare, food stamps and unemployment, we will also see an unparalleled increase in violent crime within the next dozen or so years.

Obama and his Democrats sycophants in Congress will have created hundreds of thousands of single-parent families. These kids, born out-of-wedlock, will find themselves trapped in lives of criminality at far higher rates than kids from two-parent families.

Fast forward a dozen years, give or take a couple, and we will see a true Obama Crime Wave. I predict that we will see an unprecedented increase in crime. In fact, you could call it historic.

The most important question is not whether it will happen. The question is how bad it will get.


Just two weeks before QE2 ends, Russia becomes third major country to announce it will dump U.S. Treasury holdings

Tyler Durden asks, "Are we and Bill Gross (and certainly not Morgan Stanley) the only ones to see a problem with this"?

Just in time for the end of QE2, when the US needs every possible foreign buyer of US debt to step up to the plate, we get confirmation that yet another major foreign central bank has decided to not only not add to its US debt holdings, but to actively sell US Treasurys... The WSJ reports that "Russia will likely continue lowering its U.S. debt holdings as Washington struggles to contain a budget deficit and bolster a tepid economic recovery..."

Well, with Russia out, at least we have China and Japan continuing to buy US debt.... Oh wait, China is contemplating dumping two thirds of its debt you say? And the biggest buyer of Japanese bonds is now in the process of selling Japanese bonds in the open market for the first time (so not really in the market of US bonds)...

Well, surely US households will step up to the plate. After all they all have so much "cash on the sidelines" courtesy of the RecoveryTM ©® that they can't wait to dump it all into paper yielding less than 3% a year, and has negative real rates of return. Wait, what's that: according to the Fed, in Q1 US "households" sold $1.1 trillion annualized in Treasurys to the Fed?

So, let's get this straight: China, Japan, and now very much openly Russia, the three countries with the largest financial reserves in the world, are threatening, if not already dumping US bonds, just in time for US households to sell their holdings of US paper to Brian Sack. And this is happening 2 weeks before QE2 ends... Um... Are we and Bill Gross (and certainly not Morgan Stanley) the only ones to see a problem with this?

Those rumbling sounds you heard in the background are Ben Bernanke's printing presses preparing to initiate Quantitative Easings III, IV, V, ad infinitum...

Got Weimar?


Larwyn's Linx: NYT - Obama overruled lawyers on Libya war powers

Have a great link you'd like me to review? Drop me an email. Bloggers: you can install a Larwyn's Linx blog widget!

Nation

NYT: Obama overruled lawyers on Libya war powers: Hot Air
The Hope and Change We've Been Waiting For!: Power Line
Operation 'Fast and Furious' the last straw against Holder: AT

Obama's the Target of Mexico Gunrunning Probe: Hedgecock
Why Weiner was Dumped: Surber
“Why Aren’t You Speaking English?”: KRTH

Economy

Waivergate: How's this for a weekend news dump?: Malkin
Why Does Obama Want to Destroy 265,000 Jobs?: Foundry
IMF cuts U.S. growth forecast, warns of crisis: Yahoo!

AARP: Money First, Seniors Second: AT
Abolish the NLRB and the NLRA: Cato
White House Chief of Staff on Economy: Blurts out the Truth: Malkin

Execs Give Daley Hell Over Obama's Hatred of Business: Lid
Blunders and Bundlers: Obama donors want serious rewards: PJM
IL: So broke, they're selling ads on license plates: RWN

Climate & Energy

Scientists Agree, Salon Is Making Fake Claims To Spread Climate Change Hoax : Lid
A blunder of staggering proportions by the IPCC: WUWT
Shocker: Obama Admin Objects to Alaska Oil and Gas Development Bill: BlogProf

Media

ABC on Terror Suspect, Everything But a Muslim: 'Marine', 'Marine Reservist', 'Ethiopian', 'Lone Wolf': NB
Weiner’s woes: No skillz to pay the billz: Malkin
In lieu of prison, bring back the lash: WaPo

Is Obama playing political football with gay Americans?: GayPatriot
Mediaite’s Tommy Christopher Given Fake IDs --- a Weinergate Post-Mortem: Patterico
Palin Decision Expected Next Week -- Or Not: AmSpec

Palin for the defense: A judge can look at a kingmaker: Riehl
Cain: I left the RNC plantation a long time ago: Shark Tank
FBI launches manhunt forweight-loss physician accused of Medicaid, insurance fraud: Trib

World

The DOJ’s politically correct terrorist press releases: Creeping
Christian Groups Physically Attacked in Dearborn, Michigan: Atlas
Saudi Women Drivers: They Shall Overcome: Patterico

End of the Middle East Christian?: Katz
Obama’s Full-Court Press on Israel: PJM
Madrassa tries to convert 8-year-old Christian to Islam; uncle who defended attacked for 'blasphemy': JihadWatch

Sheila Jackson Lee Diverts Islamic Terror Hearings Into Attack on Christians: MB
United Nations Endorses Gay And Transgender Rights, Islamic States Protest: RWN
Bond Market Rejects Greek Solution Already: Mish

SciTech

Can the iPad Unlock Autism’s Mysteries?: PJM
Time-Traveling Male Sea Monkeys Make Bad Mates: Wired
Top-rated reviews of the week (photos): CNet

Cornucopia

Mr. Pinko presents: The Ultimate SARAH PALIN is a MORON video: iOTW
Pimp Suit Alert: James O’Keefe Will Be Crashing Netroots Nation Conference: TSG
In Reality, a Lightsaber Battle Would Never Last More than a Second: IMAO

Image: Zombie
Today's Larwyn's Linx sponsored by: Take the Cut, Cap, Balance Pledge!

Friday, June 17, 2011

The most important link you will click on this year

No kidding. I'll be blunt: I don't trust the feckless House leadership. They're already talking about a $2 trillion budget cut deal with Democrats in exchange for lifting the debt ceiling.

Translation: those "cuts" will occur over ten (10) years... and the GOP will "meet in the middle" with $1 trillion in cuts. And those will be mostly bogus, like the pathetic budget deal John Boehner agreed to a few months ago. When fully reviewed, we found that it actually added to the deficit!

The only leverage Republicans have is the debt ceiling. And that debt ceiling must. Not. Be. Lifted without serious reforms like those Jim DeMint (R-SC) has proposed.

Despite our nation’s staggering $14.4 trillion debt, the Obama Administration and the Democratic leadership in the Congress want to raise our nation’s debt limit without any spending cuts or reforms.


We believe that this is a fiscally irresponsible position that would place America on the Road to Ruin. At the same time, we believe that the current debate over raising the debt limit provides a historic opportunity to focus public attention, and then public policy, on a path to a balanced budget and paying down our debt.

We believe the Republican Study Committee’s “Cut, Cap, Balance” plan for substantial spending cuts in FY 2012, a statutory spending cap, and the passage of a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution is the minimum necessary precondition to raising the debt limit. The ultimate goal is to get us back to a point where increases in the debt limit are no longer necessary.

If you agree, take the Cut, Cap, Balance Pledge!

Please join me: sign the pledge.

Failure to raise the debt ceiling will not mean financial catastrophe, despite the bizarre claims of our tax-troubled Treasury Secretary and our utterly feckless Fed Chairman. It will simply mean that President Obama and his budget-less Democrats will have to reorder spending. Furlough the bloated bureaucracy. And other steps that should have been taken decades ago.


Photos: Insane Plane-Spotting Tourists on the Island of St. Maarten

Need a haircut?

Located on the Dutch side of the island St. Maarten in the Caribbean, Maho Beach is famous as a favorite location for plane spotters...

Duck! Thrill-seeking people are heading to a beach on the Caribbean island of St. Maarten, where Boeing 747s fly so low that they darken the skies. A perfect and unique way to start your day in St. Maarten, without coffee...

...Because of Maho Beach's close proximity to Princess Juliana International Airport, airplanes must fly at a minimal altitude in order to touch down on the short runways.

The beach contains a popular resort and several beach bars...

[A] low approach of a Boeing 747 on the tiny island of St. Maarten thrilling adventurous tourists on Maho Beach...

A sign posted on a nearby fence reveals the dangers of plane-spotting.

I hope there aren't strong wind gusts when the tourists are out playing.


Hat tip: TReed.