Sunday, June 10, 2012

Obamonopoly, the most exciting board game you'll never get to play




READ THE REST...

First-hand account: what it's like to be in an accident while driving a (not so) "Smart Car"

Interesting report from the UK, wherein a survivor of a Smart Car wreck describes the experience.

Magpas patron Lady Linda Vane Percy experienced the emergency medical team in action when her car overturned in Huntingdon...

The 63-year-old was cut out of her vehicle by the fire service as a Magpas team monitored her condition... [she] suffered four fractured ribs and cuts and bruising and is now recovering at home.

...Lady Linda said she did not think the accident was ever going to stop as her Smart car flipped over and the windows began to smash.

She said: “My mouth was full of broken glass and my hand was bleeding profusely.”

She was removed from the vehicle on a spinal board before being taken to hospital... “After a week I still feel stiff and quite breathless and not able to do as much as I would like to do.”

Anyone with an ounce of common sense would stay as far away from a "Smart Car" as possible. Its tiny size, light weight, and tendency to roll like a ping-pong ball make it a less than optimal choice if you care to survive an accident in one piece.

This kind of vehicle -- the progeny of CAFE regulations -- is typical of the idiocy spawned by an unelected, authoritarian, centralized bureaucracy that has become unmoored from the Constitution. The federal government has absolutely no business telling companies what kinds of cars to make.

How many people have needlessly died because of CAFE standards that have undermined the structural integrity of vehicles in pursuit of nonsensical "fuel efficiency standards"? Estimates range from 41,600 to 124,800 CAFE-standard deaths and between 352,000 and 624,000 serious injuries.

This madness must be stopped.


Related: Genocide in Green.

The 'EPA seems to view business in the same light as the Drug Enforcement Administration views drug smugglers'

If you require more evidence that the far left Environmental Protection Agency is completely out of control -- in this case targeting a perfectly legitimate industry like cattle ranching -- please consider Beef Magazine's "EPA Continues to Grow More Orwellian":

Recent comments from Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials talking about “crucifying” business owners as a way of sending a message, as well as the news that EPA has been performing flyovers over feedlots, doesn’t come as any surprise to anyone who’s dealt with the agency in recent years. After all, EPA views business in the same light that the U.S. Department of Justice’s Drug Enforcement Administration sees drug smugglers. As a result, EPA seems to believe its use of the same types of tactics is more than justified.

...But it’s sad that the fact that we have nothing to hide and are obeying the laws of the land doesn’t mean that the next time we see a plane or unmanned drone fly overhead, that it could be our own government spying on us. I remember years ago reading George Orwell’s “1984” and Ayn Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged” and thinking how scary it would be to live in such societies. I was convinced back then that it could never happen here. Today, however, we all should reread those books just to gain a better understanding of the world in which we now live.

And what precisely is the author complaining about? That would be the EPA's alleged use of drones to secretly spy on ranches: EPA Aerial Surveillance Under Fire:

Brownfield Ag News recently reported that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had come under scrutiny for conducting aerial surveillance over Midwestern concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs)... The problem with this ... is that the EPA has delegated to the states the right to permit CAFOs and enforce the Clean Water Act... It gave Indiana, Illinois, Nebraska, etc., the right and obligation to do these inspections...

...At a seminar a couple years ago, I saw photos taken by EPA inspectors during these flights. The pictures did paint a clear picture of feedlot run-off into creeks and streams. Still, I was left with a disturbing feeling that these overflights are wrong. It is one thing for an inspector to show up on a farm, meet the operator, and receive a farm tour. It is an entirely different type of inspection that occurs by air, without the farmer's knowledge or opportunity to explain matters. Aerial surveillance is also overinclusive in that it includes a clear view of a farmer's home, backyard, swimming pool, etc.

But more than anything, aerial surveillance violates privacy. The US Constitution does not contain an express "Right of Privacy," but the Supreme Court has numerous times interpreted The Fourth Amendment as protecting one's home from unreasonable government surveillance... My guess is that most people have no idea that the EPA condones aerial flyovers. If, upon learning this you are troubled, you are not alone.

The EPA -- now in the hands of far left eco-Marxists -- needs to be completely de-funded and rebuilt from scratch as an organization accountable to those who pay its bills, not a tiny fringe group of anti-American, extremists.


Larwyn's Linx: Bloggers under fire -- Arizona conservative targeted by left-wing State Bar

Send us tips! Bloggers: install a Larwyn's Linx widget. Get real-time news, 24/7, at BadBlue.

Nation

Bloggers under fire: AZ conservative targeted by left-wing State Bar: Malkin
Obama’s week goes from bad to worse: Times
Residents in Wisconsin town fear for safety after recall election: AmPower

What Bill Clinton Knows: Sultan Knish
Obama Profiles Muslim Men: WZ
What do historians really think of Obama?: Fox

Economy

Labor Department Forces Journalists To Use Government Computers: FPP
The Wintour of Our Discontent: AT
What We Need Is More People on Food Stamps: WWTFT

Biden Spends $1 Million Annually for Golf Outings, Weekends: WZ
The incredible shrinking president: GlobPost
The Democrats' War on Small Business: AT

Scandal Central

Mossad: 'Stuxnet is our baby; Obama disclosed it for his reelection campaign': Matzav

Climate & Energy

Is the United States actually getting warmer?: Power Line

Media

AP Panic Is Evident Over Obama's 'Private Sector Is Just Fine' Comment, Non-Walkback: Blumer
Maybe Obama Is Tired And He Wants To Go Home?: Riehl
So You Think Mud Slinging is a Modern Thing?: iOTW

Does Mo Dowd think Celibacy = Pedophilia?: Anchoress
Liberal Media Slams Obama As “Dazed And Confused”: GWP
An inconvenient tweet? Al Gore quickly deletes his retweet of Dana Loesch: Twitchy

Interviewing Robert Stacy McCain About Brett Kimberlin: Hawkins
Day Two of Netroots: Is the Tea Party Racist, Van Jones?: Dana
Lib Genius Paul Krugman Gives Netroots Speech – To Empty Room: GWP

World

WH scrambles on leaks after press conference: Hot Air
Daniel Klaidman on the Mind of a Drone Strike Operator: Beast
Judge Delays Hearing for Fort Hood Terrorist Nidal Hasan After He Appeared in Court Sporting Full Islamic Beard: WZ

Is Germany About to Have a Tea Party?: GoV
Libya: Hundreds of Islamists Flying Al-Qaeda Flag Stage Military Parade To Demand Sharia Law: WZ
Indonesian City May Strict Sharia Law, Establish Saudi-Style Islamic Morality Police Force: WZ

Sci-Tech

Motorola’s Next Super Phone Leaked: Meet Verizon’s Droid RAZR HD: TechCrunch
Revolution in Art & Design using 3D Printing: Wired
McLaren's supercar boosts horsepower for 2013: USA Today

Cornucopia

If Obama Was a Clothes Manufacturer: iOTW
'Sexual depravity' of penguins that Antarctic scientist dared not reveal: Guardian
Bradley scores decision win over Pacquiao: AP

Image: USA Today
Today's Larwyn's Linx sponsored by: Please Support Jesse Kelly for Congress

QOTD: "...somehow in 2008, a tenuous peace was brokered amongst the various factions of the left, and Obama went on to win both the nomination and the White House, so it’s possible for a repeat in 2012. But with the New President Smell having long since evaporated, and the expectations continuing to diminish amongst Obama’s core supporters, that seems much more difficult this time around, particularly when we’re seeing headlines such as this, from CBS’s DC outlet: “Liberals Threaten Not To Vote In November Over Disappointment With Obama.”" --Ed Driscoll

Saturday, June 09, 2012

We are now watching the Democrat Party implode, right before our eyes

What would you call a General who abandoned his troops on the battlefield? I would call him "General Obama". The worst president in American history (Jimmy Carter just breathed a sigh of relief) -- who has set the country up for both fiscal and national security disasters -- is literally tearing the Democrat Party apart.

More interested in protecting his own job, he stayed away from Wisconsin during the entire recall fight (which was lost by the Left, badly).

And the Clinton wing of the Democrat Party continues to lob grenades at Obama, undermining his bleak message of scapegoating and diversion with shiny objects ("Look over there -- it's a woman who can't get free contraceptives!"). Consider the following instances of subtle rebellion:

Former Clinton Adviser Lanny Davis Goes Off On Obama Aides: “You Have Vicious People Who Are Working For The President” - "It may be meltdown unless they come to their senses. Why would they want to create enemies, or depict people as enemies: who are their friends?"

Clinton's Tax-Cut Position Undercuts Obama Stance - "Former Democratic President Bill Clinton suggested Tuesday that Congress temporarily extend all the Bush-era tax cuts, undercutting President Barack Obama's position that the rates on upper-income Americans should rise at year's end."

Ed Rendell: Obama ‘hurt by being a legislator only’ before presidency - "Former Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell... made his latest swipe at the president Thursday morning in an interview on CBS’s “This Morning.” ... Asked by host Charlie Rose whether he thought Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton would have handled the presidency differently from Obama, Rendell responded that he thought Clinton “would’ve come in with a lot more executive experience... I think the president was hurt by being a legislator only.” Rendell said."

Bill Clinton On Romney's Bain Ties: 'This Is Good Work' - "During an appearance on CNN on Thursday night, Bill Clinton weighed in on presumptive Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's former private equity firm, Bain Capital, which has come under scrutiny in the campaign... "I don't think we ought to get into a position where we say this is bad work," Clinton said. "This is good work." ... Clinton characterized Romney's career as "sterling.""

Booker's big mouth ruins relationship with Obama, Cabinet hopes - "Thinking highly of [Newark Mayor Cory] Booker, Obama’s campaign asked him to appear on “Meet the Press” on May 20 to act as a mouthpiece, but he proceeded to eviscerate one of the president’s key campaign themes... Booker told a national TV audience the president’s attacks on Mitt Romney’s record at private-equity firm Bain Capital were “nauseating” and made him “very uncomfortable.” ... “He’s dead to us,” one ranking administration official said of the prevailing feelings at the White House and Obama headquarters in Chicago."

Deval Patrick, Democratic Governor, Creates Obama Campaign Headache By Defending Bain - "Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick ended up defending Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney on Thursday during TV appearances in which the Democratic politician was supposed to be serving as a surrogate for President Barack Obama. Patrick... applauded Boston-based Bain Capital, implicitly criticizing the Obama campaign's attacks on Romney's record at the private equity firm."

In short, the Democrat knives are out for Obama. But why is all of this happening now?

Because the Clinton Wing of the Democrat Party is astute enough to know what's coming. I believe we are watching the first signs of a political tsunami. In state after state, Barack Obama has marshaled only 60% of the vote... as an incumbent president in the Democrat freaking primaries.

That's not to say any of this will be easy. It will be a pitched political battle, with every dirty trick, every left-wing media "October Surprise" hit-job, and every illegal voting gambit known to man. It will take all of us, working as hard as we can, to educate our family members, our friends, our neighbors and our colleagues and to ensure that the margin of victory surpasses what I like to call "The Holder Margin".

But I feel, deep in my gut, that a Tsunami is about to wash across the American landscape like nothing any of us have ever seen before.

And after the Marxist Left splinters the Democrat Party into tiny little shards, it will be time for we Constitutional Conservatives to take on our next challenge.

Because our work won't be done.

Our next task will be to replace the cowardly, Rockefeller-style leadership of the Republican Party with patriots who are more interested in saving the country than their own pathetic hides. Our next task is to continue to put the United States back on the road of Constitutionalism, the greatest system of government ever devised by man.


Bumper Sticker o' the Day

Idea first spotted at IMAO:



For those of you who know drones or other miscreants who "don't think Obama's so bad", please refer them to the constantly updated, comprehensive and endlessly enjoyable article entitled "President Obama's Complete List of Historic Firsts."

And tell them there's $100 in it for them if they find one material inaccuracy.


All the President's Leaks [Updated]

Update on 6/9/2012: To avoid a special prosecutor, the Department of Justice has assigned two U.S. attorneys to investigate the leaks.


It is increasingly likely that President Obama is responsible for the most catastrophic leaks of national security secrets since Bill Clinton sold classified missile technologies to the Chinese in exchange for campaign cash. Please consider the following stories, all of which are from the last few months alone:

Obama leaked national security secrets to speed production of a movie about the Bin Laden hit

"These documents, which took nine months and a federal lawsuit to disgorge from the Obama administration, show that politically-connected film makers were giving extraordinary and secret access to bin Laden raid information, including the identity of a Seal Team Six leader ... It is both ironic and hypocritical that the Obama administration stonewalled [the] pursuit of the bin Laden death photos, citing national security concerns, yet seemed willing to share intimate details regarding the raid to help Hollywood filmmakers release a movie ‘perfectly timed to give a home-stretch boost’ to the Obama campaign."

Even CNN concerned that Obama leaked details of Stuxnet cyber attack

"The level of detail spilling out through media reports about crucial national security operations is raising the question of whether President Barack Obama’s administration can keep a secret – or in some cases even wants to... In just the past week, two tell-all articles about Obama’s leadership as commander-in-chief have been published, dripping with insider details about his sleeves-rolled-up involvement in choosing terrorist targets for drone strikes and revelations about his amped-up cyber war on Iran... 'This is unbelievable … absolutely stunning,' a former senior intelligence official said about the level of detail contained in the cyberattack story... The article 'talks about President Obama giving direction for a cyberweapons attack during a time of peace against a United Nations member state.'"

Obama officials disclosed identity of jailed Pakistani doctor who helped locate Bin Laden

"Dr. Shakil Afridi ran a vaccination program for the CIA to collect DNA and verify bin Laden's presence at the compound in the town of Abbottabad where U.S. commandos killed the Al Qaeda chief in a May 2011 raid... The operation outraged Pakistani officials, who portrayed it as an act of treachery by a supposed ally. [Rep. Peter] King, R-N.Y., said administration officials talked about the doctor and his DNA sampling... The doctor was sentenced to 33 years in prison on Wednesday for conspiring against the state -- a verdict officials said is likely to further strain the country's relationship with Washington... The first reference to Dr. Afridi appears to be in a July 2011 story in the Guardian newspaper."

Former Marine Strike Planner Slams Obama's Azerbaijan Leak

"Four senior American diplomats -- most likely in the State Department -- as well as senior intelligence officers appear to have leaked a key military relationship between Azerbaijan and Israel... This leak destroyed any capability of a surprise attack by Israel using these bases. And it came from Obama administration officials...

You have to ask for the motivation behind the leak. I mean, if the Israelis can do this operation, it's to our benefit! From a diplomatic standpoint, if you wanted to tell the Iranians that the Israelis did this, it's without our permission. And then try to butter up the Iranians after the strike, so they don't close the Strait of Hormuz, that's one thing.

But giving away all of the secrets of an ally? When you're doing that, you have to ask whether we still have Israel as an ally. We are not acting like an ally. In fact, if you ask me, based on the amount of time I expect the Israelis put in this relationship with Azerbaijan, I would start viewing this administration as an existential threat to Israel.
"

Hillary Clinton brags about hacking Al Qaeda websites to counter propaganda

"In a rare public admission of the covert cyber war against extremists, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says cyber experts based at the State Department hacked Yemeni tribal websites, replacing Al Qaeda propaganda that bragged about killing Americans...

...Highlighting the government’s use of “smart power” to fight extremists, Clinton said that military and civilian specialists around the world are focused on pre-empting, discrediting, and outmaneuvering extremist propaganda. Calling them “a digital outreach team,” Clinton said the specialists are fluent in Urdu, Arabic, and Somali. The group is “already patrolling the web and using social media and other tools to expose al Qaeda’s contradictions and abuses, including its continuing brutal attacks on Muslim civilians."

Great work, Hill. Thanks for exposing all of the classified work.

And where is the cacophony of idiots at Vanity Fair and The New York Times-Democrat, which devoted hundreds upon hundreds of column-inches to Valerie Plame?

Oh, that's right. Old media is bleeding out as we speak.

Do Republicans still control the House of Representatives?

Where are the f***ing subpoenas? Lives hang in the balance! Our warriors and intelligence operators are at risk! A Pakistani doctor who helped track down Bin Laden will spend 33 years in prison -- if he survives at all! Top Secret information is being leaked to dimwits in Hollywood in order to speed production of a movie that will lionize Barack Obama... just before the election!

I urge you to call Buck McKeon, Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee at (202) 225-4151. Demand an explanation. Where are the freaking subpoenas for all of these leaks? These are high crimes. Treasonous crimes. And people need to go to prison.

Larwyn's Linx: A Rundown of Conservative Blogger Harrassment

Send us tips! Bloggers: install a Larwyn's Linx widget. Get real-time news, 24/7, at BadBlue.

Black Friday

A Rundown of Conservative Blogger Harrassment: Hawkins
National Day of Blogger Silence: LibertyChick
Conservative Bloggers Go Dark: NakedDC

Freedom to Post: Ace
I Stand With Ali: Protein Wisdom
Who Is the Domestic Terrorist Targeting Conservative Bloggers?: Publius

Nation

Great Orator Obamuhhhhh’s Latest Disaster: Bruce
Obamacare II Coming to the USA: Sentinel
Obama Administration: Cory Booker “Dead To Us”: STACLU

Economy

You know who’s really ‘doing fine’ under Obama?’ Big Government: Peth
Obama is wrong. The private sector isn’t ‘doing fine’: Peth
Food stamp spending up 100 percent since Obama took office: DC

Scandal Central

Holder May Prosecute ‘Fast & Furious’ Leaks: S&L
Napolitano: Big Brother's All-Seeing Eye: Tmes
Eric Holder unaware that court visitors must show ID: Politico

Climate & Energy

Chevy Volts: 10 1/2 Hours Charging Time to Go 38 Miles: MB
Green Jobs: Now With Handy Self-Parodying Feature: IMAO
Corn Ethanol and a Non-Warming Earth: Prager

Media

The Eye-Popping Wisconsin Story You Didn’t Read: CDN
Three-minute Refresher Course: Fascism: ConCom
When hashtags collide: Twitchy

CBS, ‘Partisan?’ I Just Can’t See It, Myself: Driscoll
Paul Krugman’s poor recollection of the Reagan Boom: Peth
#DOH: Liberals set up alert hashtag, conservatives take it over: Twitchy

World

Stuxnet…The White House Reveals Their Depravity: GWP
ABC Highlights Dems Charging Obama Admin Leaked National Security Secrets: NB
Obama: Leakers will "suffer consequences": CBS

Muslim Scholar explains why stealth political Jihad is the best course for Muslims: Scoop
UN observers see burned corpses, scattered body parts at site of Syria massacre: Fox
CIA Declines Lawmakers' Request For Information On Leaks: Bloomberg

Sci-Tech

It’s Time to Change the Discussion on Measuring Facebook Effectiveness: ComScore
Clouds, a Documentary Shot With Kinect, Explores Beauty of Code: Wired
Online Seniors: Tech-Savvier Than You Think: Techcrunch

Cornucopia

Barry and Kumar: MOTUS
RNC Hits Back at 'Doing Fine' Gaffe: Breitbart
Monopoly Money vs. Bernanke Money, is there a Difference?: Mish

Image: Jonathan Alter: SCOTUS decision on Obamacare could cause 'utter chaos' (MSNBS)
Today's Larwyn's Linx sponsored by: Ted Cruz for U.S. Senate

QOTD: "Any president will, in a presidential election year, be political. But there is a startling sense with Mr. Obama that that’s all he is now, that he and his people are all politics, all the time, undeviatingly, on every issue. He isn’t even trying to lead, he’s just trying to win.

Most ominously, there are the national-security leaks that are becoming a national scandal—the “avalanche of leaks,” according to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, that are somehow and for some reason coming out of the administration. A terrorist “kill list,” reports of U.S. spies infiltrating Al Qaeda in Yemen, stories about Osama bin Laden’s DNA and how America got it, and U.S. involvement in the Stuxnet computer virus, used against Iranian nuclear facilities. These leaks, say the California Democrat, put “American lives in jeopardy,” put “our nation’s security in jeopardy.”

This isn’t the usual—this is something different. A special counsel may be appointed.

And where is the president in all this? On his way to Anna Wintour’s house. He’s busy. He’s running for president.

But why? He could be president now if he wanted to be." --Peggy Noonan, via Ed Driscoll

Friday, June 08, 2012

What do you call a president who presided over a 100 percent spike in food-stamp spending in only three-and-a-half years in office?

No, you can't. Because that would be racist. Or so the Left tells us.

The vast majority of federal spending in the Senate farm bill, which is estimated to cost over $100 billion annually, is going toward food stamps, representing a 100 percent increase since President Barack Obama took office, according to Alabama Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions.

“The legislation will spend $82 billion on food stamps next year, $82 billion and an estimated $770 billion over the next ten years. So, to put these figures in perspective, and they’re so large it’s difficult to comprehend, we will spend next year $40 billion on the federal highway program,” said Sessions, the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee...



...Federal funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) program has doubled since 2008 which accounts for 80 percent of the farm bill’s cost, according to an analysis of Congressional Budget Office and White House Office of Management and Budget data conducted by the Senate Budget Committee’s Republican staff...



“When the food stamp program was first expanded nationwide, about 1 in 50 Americans received food stamp benefits. Today, nearly 1 in 7 receive food stamp benefits,” Sessions said in a floor speech.

Food stamps enslave people to entitlement programs.

Food stamps are proven to lead to single-parent families and violent crime.

Food stamps are fraud-prone -- to the point where no one knows just how food stamp fraud there really is.

Food stamps are abused by Democrats to build a culture of dependency.

But November is coming.


People don't seem to like my new headlight treatments

Everyone's pointing and laughing at me, but I think these new headlights look good.



Don't hate the Vega. Hate the game.


New Twitter meme: What exactly does Eric Holder have to do for House Leadership to find him in Contempt of Congress?

At least I'm trying to start a Twitter meme. A question in all seriousness for House Speaker John Boehner: "What exactly does Eric Holder have to do to be found in contempt of Congress? (Hashtag: #WhatDoesEricHolderHaveToDoToBeFoundInContemptofCongress).



People rallied around Governor Scott Walker because he fought the Left. He spoke eloquently about American principles and values. He defended individual liberty against an out-of-control government.

In other words, he did everything John Boehner refuses to do.

Mark Levin had a great idea the other night. The next Speaker of the House should be Scott Walker. Elect a few more conservatives to the House and that literally could happen.


Michelle Malkin: Who will protect the freedom to blog?

Michelle Malkin explains why many blogs are not going to post any articles today: "Going dark to urge congressional action: Who will protect the freedom to blog?

Larwyn's Linx: Obama's Third-Party History

Send us tips! Bloggers: install a Larwyn's Linx widget. Get real-time news, 24/7, at BadBlue.

Nation

Obama's Third-Party History: Kurtz
Obama caught lying again: joined Socialist 'New Party': Breitbart
Team Obama Wasted $25MM in May: HySci

No, Dems were not outspent 7 to 1 in Wisconsin: Hot Air
Obama’s latest fundraiser “memejacked” by S.F. Tea Party: Zombie
Another Prominent Democrat Rides The Obama Rejection Wave: GWP

Economy

Under Obama, Fed’s Holdings of U.S. Debt Have Jumped 452%: CNS
Federal gov't sitting on $70 billion in unspent cash: Times
Obama’s entire reelection problem in one chart: Peth

Will Bernanke bail out Obama?: Peth
AFSCME boss gives race-baiting speech at Occupy rally: Marathon
Wasserman Schultz Called On To Release Travel Records: Shark

Scandal Central

Holder's Laughable Claims: CNS
Fast and Furious: Holder Stonewalls, Blames Bush: Twitchy
Getting ‘Furious’ with Holder: GOPs Unload, Get Few Answers: PJM

Former ACORN Director Gets $445 Mil From U.S. Treasury: JW
Holder admits Axelrod, White House helped Justice Dept craft Fast and Furious public relations strategy: DC
Holder Stumbles Under Questioning About David Alexrod: RS

Best Vids From Judiciary Hearing: Issa, Gohmert, Gowdy, and Chaffetz Grill Holder on Fast and Furious: Nice Deb
Republicans clash with Attorney General Holder on Fast and Furious: Sun-Times
Issa to Holder: Stop Stonewalling: Main Justice

Climate & Energy

Rep. Issa exposes the Obama administration's 'green jobs' scam: Forbes
Obama is Creating GREEN JOBS!!!!!!!: iOTW

Media

The Left's 'Smoldering Wreckage' Leads to Smothering Agenda: AmPower
Obama frets after ‘terrifying’ recall vote: Hill
Standing for Free Speech and with Conservative Bloggers Under Attack : Marchant

CNN Gets Scooped on Its Own Story --- UPDATE: ACLJ Joins the Fight!: RSM
AP Uses a Year’s Supply of ‘Liberal’ and ‘Progressive’ References in One Report on Netroots Meeting: BizzyBlog
Emails Reveal Affair Between Obama Nominee and Wall Street Journal Reporter?: Stewart

Barack Obama’s Ties to the Marxist Led New Party and “Progressive Chicago”: Loudon
Democrats, Media In Denial Over Obama's Socialist Beliefs: IBD
Obama Campaign Can't Do Fourth Grade Math: PunditPress

World

German Paper: “Ist Obama ein Kommunist?”: Nice Deb
Obama Administration To Meet With Anti-Israel Preacher At White House: WZ
UFO seen over Israel apparently Russian ICBM test: JPost

Sci-Tech

Why does one language succeed and another one fail?: Berkeley
Dating site eHarmony confirms password breach: ComputerWorld
The ramifications of the LinkedIn password leak: Net-Security

Cornucopia

Absolutely Amazing: Rare Color Photos Before and After D-Day: Bruce
Another Kardashian?: Looking Spoon
Tax and the City: Vote for Breads and Circuses!: Cube

Image: Zombie: Obama’s first post-Wisconsin fundraiser “memejacked” by S.F. Tea Party
Today's Larwyn's Linx sponsored by:

QOTD: "Unions and Democrats contested ten state Senate races over the past year, one Supreme Court position, and the Governor and Lt. Governor offices. They ended up farther back than when they started. Scott Walker improved his 2010 performance by 125,000 votes, and Barrett lost by a bigger percentage than in 2010. Rebecca Kleefisch trounced her opponent, who hadn’t even been on record as voting until 2008.

This led to an inevitable amount of whining afterward about Democrats being outspent 7-1, but that only looks at the spending from the campaigns, and only in the gubernatorial election. Unions dropped millions into Wisconsin in an effort to punish politicians who had the temerity to impose some fiscal discipline on the government class. They calculated that voters would find bureaucrats more sympathetic than the taxpayers getting fleeced by the WEAC Trust and the PEUs. They bet wrong." --Ed Morrissey

Thursday, June 07, 2012

Pethokoukis: "Obama’s entire reelection problem in one chart"

The peerless James Pethokoukis:

This chart from the good folks over at Strategas research shows why Team Obama should be worried if it already isn’t. President Obama is below the reelection Mendoza line...



Weak growth equal weak incomes equals a one-termer.

From your lips to God's ear, James.


Update: The Two charts Obama and the Democrats never wanted you to see.

Helpful Chart: Democrat Gang Signs [Biff Spackle]

Biff Spackle sends us the following helpful chart for identifying Democrats by their gang signs:



You're welcome.


Two speeches on D-Day

On 6 June 1984, on the cliffs of Normandy, President Ronald Reagan honored the sacrifice of the hundreds of thousands of Allied soldiers, sailors and airmen who participated in D-Day. Many veterans of that day attended the speech, while thousands of other heroes never left France, having paid the ultimate price to defend liberty. During his career in politics, Reagan gave many great speeches, but none perhaps as moving as that which he delivered on the 40th anniversary of D-Day.

...The men of Normandy had faith that what they were doing was right, faith that they fought for all humanity, faith that a just God would grant them mercy on this beachhead or on the next. It was the deep knowledge -- and pray God we have not lost it -- that there is a profound, moral difference between the use of force for liberation and the use of force for conquest. You were here to liberate, not to conquer, and so you and those others did not doubt your cause. And you were right not to doubt.

You all knew that some things are worth dying for. One's country is worth dying for, and democracy is worth dying for, because it's the most deeply honorable form of government ever devised by man. All of you loved liberty. All of you were willing to fight tyranny, and you knew the people of your countries were behind you.

On 6 June 2012, President Barack Obama did not bother to commemorate D-Day. He did, however, fly to Hollywood to attend six separate fundraisers, including one that featured Cher in the front row of the audience.

President Obama had one of the biggest star-studded fundraising nights of his re-election campaign last night, less than a month after he attended a celebrity fundraiser hosted by George Clooney in May... Obama attended two LGBT (Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual-Transgender) events - one in San Francisco and one in Los Angeles - that featured Hollywood stars Ellen DeGeneres, Julia Roberts, Reese Witherspoon and Glee actors Jane Lynch and Darrin Criss.

According to The Los Angeles Times, Obama has now held 150 fundraisers, more than the five previous presidents combined.

Obviously the president had more important things to do than commemorate the invasion of D-Day and those who fought, bled and died to defeat the scourge of Nazism. Those heroes didn't even merit a mention by the president.


Hat tip: Mark Levin.

Larwyn's Linx: Send In The Drones: Obama Spies On America

Send us tips! Bloggers: install a Larwyn's Linx widget. Get real-time news, 24/7, at BadBlue.

Nation

Send In The Drones: Obama Spies On America: IBD
Obama: vote me out if you want economic growth: HayRide
The Recall Heard Around the World: Coulter

Big Labor drops a do-over deuce: Hot Air
WI Recall a Tea Party Victory: Breitbart
Democrats Threaten Walker Assassination: Power Line

Of course not: Obama not scheduled to commemorate D-Day: Dossier
Heh: Is Bill Clinton a Double-Agent For the GOP?: Ace
Mark Levin: The Tea Party is more powerful than ever!: Scoop

Economy

Big Blue Hammered in California: Mead
Obama’s Socialist Allies Defeated in Wisconsin: Kincaid
Public Housing Director Paid $644,241: Cato

Debt Per American Set to Triple in a Generation : WS
Lefties react to their failed recall: Treacher
Keep Punching Back, Romney: Sarah

Scandal Central

Ethics committee says case against Waters to move forward: Hill
Chambliss demands DOJ inquiry into 'SWAT-ting' incidents against bloggers: Times
Solar Company Hired Biden Staffer to Help Secure $1.6 Billion Federal Loan: Foundry

House Judiciary Committee Hearing, Today: Holder on the Hotseat, Again: Nice Deb
Fannie Med: WSJ
Good Thing Obama Doesn’t Handle Federal Finances Like He Does Personal Finances – Oh, Wait: LoneCon

Climate & Energy

Exposed: Obama Lying About 3 Million Green Jobs: HillBuzz
Coal Communities devastated by EPA and new Utility MACT rule: FW

Media

NYT: Walker Win Means Romney Will Lose WI : S&L
Obama Campaign Spin: A Strong Message Was Sent To Governor Walker: iOTW
Angry, delusional liberals accuse Twitchy of fabricating Walker death threats: Twitchy

David Limbaugh's Devastating Book: NB
Hey, Remember When Dems Said the Wisconsin Recall Election was the Most Important Election Ever?: LoneCon
Alert Eric Holder: First Lady Requires Photo ID for Her Book Signings: NB

Democrats Lament Too Much Money in Politics as Obama Heads to California for Five More Fundraisers: JWF
Did Brett Kimberlin Stalk BlogCon?: RSM
Bloomberg Busted in Huge Lie About Soda Ban: IMAO

New York Sun: Palin Is the Only Republican Who Has Pointedly Reached Out to Labor: C4P
President of Estonia rips NYT's Resident Half-wit Paul Krugman: Exam
Turnout, Turnout, Turnout: The "Superiority" of the Democrat's GOTV is No More.: Ace

World

Democrats Purge Pro-Israel Congressman: Beacon
Will Estonia Lead the Way?: Ace
Socialized Medicine Success Story o' the Day: Register UK

Sci-Tech

NYT: Office for iPad is still on: Engadget
Google warns Gmail users about state-sponsored email hacking: CNet
Google patents location-based mobile alerts that know where you're going to: Engadget

Cornucopia

Sixty Eight Years Ago Today: Erickson
A modest proposal: liberals should start their own country: Glob
Hark! A Sleeping Giant Wakes: MOTUS

Image: "Michelle Doesn’t Go All the Way Down – Barack Obama" iOwnTheWorld
Today's Larwyn's Linx sponsored by: Ted Cruz for U.S. Senate

QOTD: "The things that [Obama]’s done even with a election pending, in six months or so are frightening, he’s still doubling down on his Keynesian spending on his debt, refusing to rein in the debt, refusing to give us a plan on entitlements, refusing to lead the Senate to give us a budget after 1,100 or so days, I fear that he would do more administrative end-runs around Congress, more abuses of authority with his executive power and he would create even more debt — and we only have a 2-3 year window according to experts if you listen to what Paul Ryan says." --David Limbaugh

"There are going to be lots of court cases in California and elsewhere as judges sort out the legalities of pension obligations, but Via Meadia‘s advice to public sector workers remains unchanged. If your pension looks too good to be true, it probably is. You should not believe either the union officials or the politicians who tell you not to worry. These pension plans are not safe, and those affected should begin, now, to make changes in spending and saving patterns to guard against sudden and unpleasant shocks that are all too likely to be heading your way... Change is coming, and faster than you think. America is reinventing itself to retool for the 21st century, and many of the assumptions and institutions of 20th century politics are fading away." --Walter Russell Mead

Wednesday, June 06, 2012

Pass this along to a teenager: this is 'one sick labor market'

Some brutal facts from David Rosenberg as relayed by Tyler Durden.

• The share of long-term unemployment is at its highest level since the Great Depression (42%).

• Fully 54% of college degree graduates under the age of 25 are either unemployed or underemployed.

• 45 million Americans are on food stamps — one in seven residents.

• 47% of Americans are on some form of government assistance.

• The employment-to-population ratio for 25-54 year olds is now 75.7%, lower than it was when the recession supposedly ended in June 2009.

• The number of people not in the labour force has swelled eight million since the recession ended; absent that effect, the unemployment rate would be 12% right now (about the same as President Obama's election chances would be).

• The number of people confident enough to leave their jobs fell 11% in May for the second month in a row to 891k, the lowest since November 2010.

• The ranks of the unemployed who have been looking fruitlessly for work for at least 27 weeks jumped 310,000 in May, the sharpest increase since May 2011.

• The unemployment rate for males aged 16-19 is 27% and for males between 20 and 24 it is 13%. Draw your own conclusions from a social (in)stability standpoint.

• One in seven Americans are either unemployed or underemployed...

...A mere 16% of the 2009-2011 graduating class has found full-time work, while 22% are working part-time. Even those hired from 2006-08, just 23% are working full-time.

According to a poll cited in the NYT, just 14% of high-school grads today believe they will have a more successful financial future than their parents Line of the day, as depressing as it is, comes from an 18-year old: "Thank God I had a buddy at Burger King who could help me out".

According to Rasmussen, Obama's approval rating has dipped to only 24 percent.

In spite all of this, America's young people -- who have been hammered by Obama's destructive economic policies -- still overwhelmingly support the SCOAMF. So you and I have a lot of education to do between now and the election.

America's youth are literally having their future earning power plundered by the reckless, record deficit spending of Obama and his sycophants.


Why are businesses not investing in new jobs? Ohio Governor John Kasich explains why the Obamaconomy is devastating to business

Wisconsin's Scott Walker is not the only Republican Governor doing a bang-up job in the so-called "Rust Belt". Ohio's John Kasich has also revitalized the Buckeye State in spite of the ongoing Obama depression. When asked recently why businesses aren't investing in new jobs, Kasich's answer was both accurate and poignant.

There's so much uncertainty.

This national debt is growing and they can't seem to get anything done whatsoever in Washington, which tells business people to look out for a big fat tax increase.

They're talking about raising the taxes on capital gains and then you have Obamacare. And if you're a small businessperson, you have no clue how you're going to deal with the unfunded costs of Obamacare. Then you have Dodd-Frank financial reform legislation and no one knows what the rules are you going to be.

Let's just take you and I. If you and I are going to invest in a business, but we don't know what the rules are going to be, we're likely to just wait. And that's what's happening right now.

It's extremely frustrating to me. At the end of the day, and this is a totally unrealistic thing, but wouldn't it be great if the Congress and the President got together and sat down and said, "We've got a crisis here." I mean, Rome is on fire. And it's singeing places like Ohio. I'm very concerned about it. We've been making great progress... but the headwinds, they're kicking up again.

We [in Ohio] finally got out of an $8 billion hole, and we build up a rainy day fund, and we have people in the legislature saying, 'let's just go spend it.' I mean, are you kidding me? ...It's very disappointing to see [the president unable to act]... as someone who was there when we got something done there, I just look at this and just shake my head. [It's] just dysfunctional.

Ohio erased an $8 billion budget deficit, the largest in history. It cut taxes -- including killing the death tax (get it?) -- by $800 million. It brought sunlight and transparency to the budgeting process. And in response, S&P and Moody's both upgraded Ohio's credit rating while while downgrading the United States under Obamanomics.

Methinks we need more straight-shooters like Kasich and Walker in Washington.


Obama: Lord High Executioner

Dan from New York (who now has a well-deserved gig at PJMedia's Tatler) sends this one along:

Finally, Obama finds a job that suits him: playing god.

Barack Obama: Drone warrior

Dead terrorists can’t talk.

By CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER

A very strange story, a 6,000-word front-page New York Times piece on how, every Tuesday, Barack Obama shuffles “baseball cards” with the pictures and bios of suspected terrorists from around the world and chooses who shall die by drone strike. He even reserves for himself the decision of whether to proceed when the probability of killing family members or bystanders is significant.

The article could have been titled “Barack Obama: Drone Warrior.” Great detail on how Obama personally runs the assassination campaign. On-the-record quotes from the highest officials. This was no leak. This was a White House press release.



...The Osama-slayer card having been vastly overplayed, what to do? A new card: Obama, drone warrior, steely and solitary, delivering death with cool dispatch to the rest of the al-Qaida depth chart.

So the peacemaker, Nobel laureate, nuclear disarmer, apologizer to the world for America having lost its moral way when it harshly interrogated the very people Obama now kills, has become – just in time for the 2012 campaign – Zeus the Avenger, smiting by lightning strike.

A rather strange ethics. You go around the world preening about how America has turned a new moral page by electing a president profoundly offended by George W...

...You festoon your prisoners with rights – but you take no prisoners. The morality is perverse. Which is why the results are so mixed. We do kill terror operatives, an important part of the war on terror, but we gratuitously forfeit potentially life-saving intelligence.

But that will cost us later. For now, we are to bask in the moral seriousness and cool purpose of our drone warrior president.

And if you're a conservative talk-radio host or a conservative blogger, I wouldn't worry (much) about reports that the administration will now deploy flying drones over the United States.