Monday, November 11, 2013

Comic Book Checklist Perfectly Describes Democrat Luddites' Anti-Technology Hysteria

Remember when President Obama blamed ATM machines and the Internet for persistent, high unemployment?

Good times, good times.

Anyhow, xkcd perfectly captures the idiocy of the Luddites who can't understand that since the dawn of recorded history, scientific and industrial advances have raised the average standard of living, not lowered it.


Apparently you have to be an economic illiterate to join the Democrat Party.


BRILLIANT: John Kerry and Barack Obama Negotiate "the Deal of the Century"... for Iran's Nuclear Terrorists

I have my issues with Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) on many of his domestic policy positions, but he deserves our praise for standing strong on national security. In particular, his staff has produced this helpful chart, which summarizes the outstanding deal evangelized by the Neville Obama administration.

A deal that undermines sanctions and doesn't stop a future with Iranian nuclear weapons is the deal of the century for Iran.

...According to multiple news reports, the P5+1 offered the following sanctions relief to Iran during the latest round of negotiations: repatriation of $3 billion in Iranian assets trapped in accounts overseas, in addition to the suspension of current sanctions with respect to precious metals (like gold), Iran’s petrochemical and car industries, and aviation parts.

News flash, Democrats: when you surrender faster than France, you're doing it wrong.


Hat tips: Twitchy and BadBlue News.

Lying Scum (Which Is the Term They Prefer, I Hear) at ThinkProgress Think Their Readers Are Idiots (and They're Right!)

Whatever George Soros is paying the kooks at ThinkProgress is money well-spent in my book.

After all, the money he sends these buffoons turns out to help the cause of Constitutional conservatism as often as not.

Today, ThinkProgress has a story on a protest in Dallas, Texas, at which a pro-Second Amendment group called Open Carry Texas rallied against an anti-Second Amendment group called Moms Demand Action... At the top of the ThinkProgress story is this rather alarming picture, in which the group appears to be hunting in a parking lot...


...the picture above is deeply misleading. As one Twitter user showed me, the group was, in fact, posing for a picture. (UPDATE: This Facebook page suggests that it was Moms Demand Action that took both pictures!)...


...What a difference 90 degrees makes.

As for [their] claim that open carry is illegal in Texas? No, not quite. Texas has laws that prohibit the open carrying of handguns, yes. But it does not have laws that prohibit the open carrying of long guns. The group had long guns.

As it is everywhere else, it is illegal in Texas for those carrying guns to disturb the peace, to intimidate, to brandish, or to threaten other citizens. But peaceful carrying is allowed in Texas, and there is no exception for demonstrations.

Writer Charles C. W. Cooke gives the crackpots at TP the benefit of the doubt, but when it comes to the totalitarians on the left, never chalk up to ignorance what can be ascribed to malevolence.

Their ends are pure evil, of that there is no doubt.


Hat tip: BadBlue 24x7 Conservative News.

Larwyn's Linx: Public Revolts Against Obama and Washington Establishment's Amnesty Efforts

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

Nation

Public Revolts Against Obama, Establishment's Amnesty Efforts: Breitbart
Wasserman Schultz: Dems Will Campaign on Obamacare in 2014: Red Alert
Flashback: Chris Christie’s incredible selfishness: Christopher Bedford

Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word: Ed Driscoll
Calls For Impeachment Over Obamacare Deception Begin: John Hawkins
Obama Warns GOP: 'Price to Pay' for Defying 'American People': Keith Koffler

Liberal ‘Do-Good’ Policies Fall Short on Doing Good: RWN
Automatic suspension of 2nd Amendment Rights: Joe Huffman
The next target of the establishment insurgency: Justin Amash: Jazz Shaw

Tweet of the Day, #Obamacare Disaster In A Nutshell edition.: Moe Lane
The Drift Toward Despotism: Mark Steyn
Lawmakers Push to Impeach Disgraced A.G. Eric Holder: Alex Newman

Economy

Obamacare provisions allow deadbeats to stiff doctors, hospitals: Poor Richard
The Unaffordable Golden State: Only 1/3 Californians can afford a home: DHB
Obamashock! Hits Employees of Sodexo: Mish

Scandal Central

PSA: Obamacare drawing con-men like rotten meat draws flies.: Moe Lane
Not a joke, The New York Times reports that “kickbacks and bribes” are legal now in Obamacare: Nick Sorrentino
MA Selectman: Let's infringe on 2nd and 4th Amendment rights at the same time!: Bob Owens

Climate & Energy

Why Does the Global Warming Hoax Persist?: Power Line
Australia To The UN: No More “Socialism Masquerading As Environmentalism”: WZ

Media

Trey Gowdy Rips MSM For Media Malpractice On Benghazi: Nice Deb
Levin Blasts GOP Establishment: They 'Neither Win nor Fight': Tony Lee
GOP Seeking To Rebound On The Issue Of The Health Law: Kaiser Health News

Always the Last to Know: Ed Driscoll
Rick Perry Asks the Right Question About Christie’s Appeal to Conservatives: Rick Moran
GOP Honcho Threatens Democrats with Tattoos on Heads: Free Patriot

Sarah Palin Blasts Obama and Tells Iowa Conservatives: It’s Time “To Stiffen Our Backs”: GWP
Ambinder: GOP can’t win with a Moderate in 2016: Dan Riehl
Sample Letter to Business Owner with “NO GUN” Sign: MS Gun News

Woodward: White House Blames Me for Starting Media Criticism of Obama’s Lack of Leadership: Noel Sheppard
Dr. Ben Carson: ObamaCare is about controlling our lives: Stuart Varney
Ralph: There are Three Kinds of Gun Control Advocates: TTAG

World

Thank Heaven for the French?: Jonathan S. Tobin
Sharia Creep Alert: Hamas-CAIR Goes After DHL in Kentucky to Impose Prayer Times: Angle
U.S. imam: Muslims can take the property of Christians and Jews: CofDA

Why is Obama Allowing Iran to Build Nuclear Weapons?: Rachel Ehrenfeld
Top American Jewish Leaders Slam Kerry, Obama Admin. Over Iran, Peace Talks Comments: Dovid Efune
The Real Entrance to the Rabbit Hole: Freedom Outpost

Sci-Tech (courtesy BadBlue Tech News

This 23-year-old’s open-source project, a server running on Raspberry Pi, goes right at Google: Dylan Tweney
20 Amazing Facts That Prove You Need A Dog In Your Life: Distractify
ObamaCare’s Massachusetts Site: “It’s a nightmare. It’s a total frustration”: JWF

Cornucopia

17 Badass Photos of the U.S. Marine Corps: Marina Koren, NatlJrnl
Airmen fight to free people trapped in interstate pileup: AirForceTimes
Liberals: Haters, Homophobes & Hypocrites! In Their Own Words: Clash Daily

Image: Happy Birthday to the USMC
Today's Larwyn's Linx sponsored by: It's time - Convention of States

QOTD: "Note that not a single one of those dollars [of $22 billion spent by the federal government this year on the global warming hoax], ostensibly spent to combat “climate change,” had an iota of impact on the climate. Nearly $2.5 billion went to fund the alarmist campaign; no wonder alarmist scientists don’t want the gravy train to end. The symbiosis is obvious: the government pays alarmists billions to spread myths about the climate, and the point of the mythology is to persuade voters to confer more power on government. And the $165 billion that the U.S. government has spent since 1993 is only a fraction of total global spending to grease the “green” machine. Lots of money to allies of big government; that is what global warming alarmism is all about." --John Hinderaker

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Shapiro: No Way to Fix Obamacare

Guest post by TruthRevolt

Appearing on The Real Story with Gretchen Carlson on Fox News, TruthRevolt Editor-in-Chief blasted Democrat-sponsored legislation that would purport to retroactively grandfather in insurance plans people like under Obamacare. “The fact is,” Shapiro said, “somebody has to pay for the people who have pre-existing conditions in order for Obamacare to work. And those people have to be young and have to be healthy, and they also have to be folks who have to be kicked off their regular insurance in order to be forced into the more expensive Obamacare exchanges.”

Shapiro continued, “There is no way to amend this….It’s absurd. There’ s no possible way you can remove the central plank of what Obamacare constitutes, and that is redistribution of the payment schedule.”


Hat tip: BadBlue News

The Subprime Final Solution

Guest post by Jim Quinn

The MSM did their usual spin job on the consumer credit data released earlier this week. They reported a 5.4% increase in consumer debt outstanding to an ALL-TIME high of $3.051 trillion. In the Orwellian doublethink world we currently inhabit, the consumer taking on more debt is seen as a constructive sign. Consumer debt has grown by 5.8% over the first nine months of 2013, after growing by 6.1% in 2012 and 4.1% in 2011.

The storyline being sold by the corporate MSM propaganda machine, serving the establishment, is that consumers’ taking on debt is a sure sign of economic recovery. They must be confident about the future and rolling in dough from their new part-time jobs as Pizza Hut delivery men. Plus, they are now eligible for free healthcare, compliments of Obama, once they can log-on.

Of course, buried at the bottom of the Federal Reserve press release and never mentioned on CNBC or the other dying legacy media outlets is the facts and details behind the all-time high in consumer credit. They count on the high probability the average math challenged American has no clue regarding the distinction between revolving and non-revolving credit or who controls the distribution of such credit. It is fascinating examining the historical data on the Federal Reserve website and realizing how far we’ve fallen as a society in the last 45 years.

http://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/g19/HIST/cc_hist_sa_levels.html

Revolving credit is a fancy term for credit card debt. Imagine our society today without credit cards. That sounds outrageous to the debt addicted populace inhabiting our suburban wasteland and urban badlands. What is truly outrageous is the fact we have allowed ourselves to be duped into $846 billion of revolving credit card debt charging an average interest rate of 13% by Wall Street bankers who have used the American Dream of a better life as the bait to lure a dumbed down easily manipulated populace into believing that material possessions purchased with high interest debt represented advancement rather than servitude. Debt accumulation is seen as a badge of honor. Keeping up with the Joneses is all that matters. Our shallow culture has no notion about the concept of deferred gratification or saving to pay for your wants.

A shocking fact (to historically challenged government educated drones) revealed by the Federal Reserve data is that credit card debt did not exist prior to 1968. How could people live their lives without credit cards? It must have been a nightmare. You mean to tell me when people wanted new clothes, jewelry, a TV, or to eat out at a restaurant, they actually had to save up the cash to do so? What kind of barbaric system would make you live within your means? The Depression era adults had somehow survived for over two decades after WWII without buying cheap foreign crap they didn’t need with money they didn’t have using a piece of plastic with a Wall Street bank logo emblazoned on the front.

1968 marked a turning point for America. LBJ’s welfare/warfare state had begun the downward spiral of a once rational country. We chose guns and butter, with the bill being charged to the national credit card. It was fitting that Wall Street introduced the credit card in 1968.

Good News: China Embedding Spy Chips in Everyday Household Gadgets and Appliances

But I'm sure they're only trying to help.

According to a report on state-owned TV in Russia (via the BBC), ...[s]ome irons imported from China allegedly showed evidence of including wireless spy chips that could connect to unprotected Wi-Fi networks and spread viruses. And tech blog The Register notes that reportedly chips were also found in kettles.

The Russian news agency Rosbalt reported that a few dozen products were at retailers in St. Petersburg. The spy chips had infiltrated some company networks, using them to send spam.

It sounds like a spy thriller spoof, but this is hardly the first time Chinese products were reported infested with ways for someone to break into systems. There was the report last year that a researcher found a so-called back door in a military-grade computer chip, meaning that someone could, from anywhere, get ready access to the chip and, through it, connected systems.

...There have been cases where suspected hacking from China paralleled Chinese military interests, again raising suspicion that the government is either directly or indirectly involved with both military and industrial espionage.

But given the vast number of products made in China and the increasing percentage of items that included chips of some sort, the potential for problems could be disturbing. One step, as CBS MoneyWatch's Dave Johnson recently noted, is to turn encryption on for all your wireless networks. That locks out any device that doesn't know the password.

Of course, that wouldn't necessarily help block a new computer "super virus" that seems to infect computers even without a network connection, according to an Ars Technica report. The original discovery was by a highly-respected security researcher and no one is sure how it works, other than possibly using high-frequency sound emitted by the speaker of an infected computer and received by the microphone of the target. Could an infected household appliance include a tiny speaker that might broadcast such a sound? Certainly.

"The Internet of Things" refers to the imminent trend of attaching all sorts of devices, appliances and sensors to the Internet.

Think Internet security is a nightmare now? Just wait.


Hat tip: Consortium of Defense Analysts.

Giddy Media Celebrates "Historic" Iran Deal Even While Iranian Generals Promise to Nuke Israel and U.S.

The phrase "cognitive dissonance" was invented for situations like these.

ABC News Expresses 'Giddiness' over 'Historic' Iran Deal

ABC News Chief Foreign Correspondent Terry Moran appeared on This Week with George Stephanopoulos Sunday morning to break the news that diplomatic talks in Geneva between Secretary Kerry and Iranian officials had broken down. But Moran appeared more interested in telling everyone just how big of a fan he was of the deal than relating other relevant facts, like the fact that Senator Kerry appeared to be offering a deal so good for Iran that even France thought it was too soft...


...Moran would go on to note that the French wanted more restrictions on Iran’s ability to enrich uranium as well as more control over a new reactor that might produce plutonium . Moran also noted, almost as an aside, that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was also strongly opposed to the deal, though Netanyahu seemed resigned to the fact that the US would eventually strike a deal.


Terry Moran is a hard-core Leftist who seems to believe, just like Neville Chamberlain, that appeasement and weakness will lead to peace. Even Iran's military is openly scoffing at that notion.

Iran general: No doubt Israel and America will be attacked

Even before the nuclear negotiations between Iran and the 5+1 world powers ended in Geneva early Sunday with no deal, an Iranian general lashed out at America Saturday and warned both the U.S. and Israel that they will be attacked.

According to Fars News Agency, the regime’s outlet run by the Revolutionary Guards, Gen. Massoud Jazayeri, deputy chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces, said “America’s interests and all of Israel are within the range of the Islamic Republic and there is not the slightest doubt among Iran’s armed forces to confront the American government and the Zionists (Israel).” ...

...The general mocked President Obama’s position that the military option remains on the table over Iran’s nuclear development. “If America had the ability and the will for war, it would allow no doubt in attacking Syria. America will soon find out that Iran’s power cannot be ignored.”

Israel faces an existential threat in Iran, who has threatened it with destruction for decades.

Zero Hour: Israel must now choose between attack and enslavement

Israelis across the political spectrum are in a state of shock over a proposed deal to lift sanctions on Iran in exchange for promises to partially suspend its nuclear program and a pledge to not expand it.

Acting out of a position of self-imposed weakness, the world's democracies have effectively undermined the aim of several United Nations resolutions banning any uranium enrichment. The agreement that's currently being ironed out in Geneva will allow Iran to continue to enrich but at a lower grade.

This administration is openly hostile to Israel.

Say a prayer for Israel tonight.


Hat tip: BadBlue News.

The Top 150 Conservative Websites, November 2013

Here are the latest standings of conservative news and opinion sites, which are ordered using their Alexa traffic rankings. Yes, some of these are center-right, libertarian, or more middle-of-the-road sites, but they are included because they do publish center-right opinion pieces on a regular basis.
RankWebsiteTraffic Rank
1foxnews.com158
2telegraph.co.uk219
3wsj.com229
4drudgereport.com380
5theblaze.com549
6nypost.com910
7breitbart.com1070
8newsmax.com1190
9zerohedge.com1457
10washingtontimes.com1853
11dailycaller.com1860
12realclearpolitics.com3043
13nationalreview.com3062
14thehill.com3768
15townhall.com4116
16ijreview.com4498
17freerepublic.com4876
18twitchy.com5110
19investors.com5251
20weeklystandard.com5372
21hotair.com5578
22pjmedia.com5648
23newsbusters.org5813
24washingtonexaminer.com5856
25foxnewsinsider.com6715
26reason.com7246
27timesofisrael.com8488
28cnsnews.com8523
29rushlimbaugh.com9273
30wattsupwiththat.com10164
31americanthinker.com10596
32freebeacon.com10837
33heritage.org11483
34westernjournalism.com12512
35bizpacreview.com15091
36weaselzippers.us17151
37therightscoop.com17358
38lifenews.com17708
39redstate.com17817
40thegatewaypundit.com18115
41lucianne.com20757
42freedomoutpost.com20776
43spectator.co.uk23180
44canadafreepress.com23813
45reagancoalition.com24286
46spectator.org24671
47ace.mu.nu,jawa.mu.nu,rhymeswithright.mu.nu26517
48mises.org26549
49powerlineblog.com27195
50humanevents.com28702
51thenewamerican.com29109
52fas.org30642
53freedomworks.org31508
54rasmussenreports.com32025
55michellemalkin.com34617
56rightwingnews.com36277
57memeorandum.com38672
58market-ticker.org43121
59globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com44618
60atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com44722
61legalinsurrection.com45532
62politicker.com46050
63jihadwatch.org46130
64creators.com46255
65shoebat.com46877
66tpnn.com48153
67watchdog.org48996
68badblue.com50000
69rare.us51684
70commentarymagazine.com53297
71patriotupdate.com53402
72poorrichardsnews.com53886
73linkiest.com59290
74whitehousedossier.com60058
75libertynews.com60506
76realclearmarkets.com63557
77takimag.com63965
78hannity.com64601
79marklevinshow.com64827
80borderlandbeat.com65171
81algemeiner.com67884
82theothermccain.com67973
83atr.org68410
84anncoulter.com68604
85daybydaycartoon.com68919
86the-american-interest.com79698
87defensetech.org79856
88strategypage.com81590
89volokh.com82037
90firstthings.com83036
91mrc.org83282
92iowntheworld.com84975
93danielpipes.org87288
94judicialwatch.org88573
95althouse.blogspot.com89823
96climateaudit.org91805
97politicaloutcast.com94936
98redalertpolitics.com99307
99numbersusa.com100121
100datechguyblog.com100324
101watchdogwire.com103433
102lonelyconservative.com104476
103angrywhitedude.com105271
104blurbrain.com107434
105pjtv.com109049
106moonbattery.com110569
107hughhewitt.com114157
108aei.org119071
109liberallogic101.com120302
110directorblue.blogspot.com121550
111ricochet.com123709
112tenthamendmentcenter.com128096
113israelhayom.com130295
114american.com132779
115wizbangblog.com136590
116city-journal.org138360
117freeenterprise.com139241
118sayanythingblog.com139403
119aim.org139600
120maggiesfarm.anotherdotcom.com145018
121gatesofvienna.net149384
122gatestoneinstitute.org152926
123conservativeintel.com165383
124thecommentator.com166873
125patterico.com175223
126memri.org175235
127theminorityreportblog.com177642
128independentsentinel.com181548
129thepeoplescube.com182148
130steynonline.com186782
131maggiesnotebook.com187588
132cowboybyte.com195152
133conservatives4palin.com200940
134jammiewf.com204098
135thelookingspoon.com208273
136smalldeadanimals.com206459
137fireandreamitchell.com209168
138americandigest.org218582
139israpundit.com219170
140thisainthell.us220138
141conservativeangle.com221705
142victorygirlsblog.com222700
143floppingaces.net225645
144americanpowerblog.blogspot.com236567
145investigativeproject.org237125
146westernrifleshooters.wordpress.com244101
147cis.org245023
148eagnews.org247690
149sultanknish.blogspot.com249566
150winteryknight.wordpress.com255883
151cafehayek.com258773
152creepingsharia.wordpress.com270559
153shark-tank.net278385
154newcriterion.com279051
155israelmatzav.blogspot.com287746
156netrightdaily.com288490
157collegeinsurrection.com296961
158thepiratescove.us301257
159allamericanblogger.com312450
160ihatethemedia.com313886
161dennisprager.com320141
162lignet.com326047
163yidwithlid.blogspot.com327319
164nakeddc.com334887
165dougpowers.com337537
166justoneminute.typepad.com338883
167blackfive.net352370
168trevorloudon.com386757
169theobjectivestandard.com397214
170michellesmirror.com400605
171hopenchangecartoons.blogspot.com420741
172conservativedailynews.com424343
173capitalismmagazine.com430583
174dailypundit.com444991
175tammybruce.com448560
176moelane.com448624
177zombietime.com449819
178sundriesshack.com449908
179hillbuzz.org450128
180americanpatrol.com462056
181curmudgeonlyskeptical.blogspot.com462995
182viralread.com485166
183carolineglick.com501313
184noisyroom.net502852
185imao.us503792
186conservativehq.com504078
187newsrealblog.com504676
188babalublog.com512185
189scaredmonkeys.com518306
190politisite.com534595
191blazingcatfur.blogspot.com552726
192reaganiterepublicanresistance.blogspot.com562038
193gaypatriot.net577765
194riehlworldview.com587954
195proteinwisdom.com592097
196nicedeb.wordpress.com606891
197americanglob.com615048
198cei.org616547
199rightpundits.com619253
200mainjustice.com630981
Why does the "Top 150" list have 200 entries? The same reason the Big Ten has, like, 48 teams.

Related:

The Top 150 Conservative Websites, June 2013.

The Top 150 Conservative Websites, Feburary 2013.

The Top 150 Conservative Websites, October 2012.

The Top 150 Conservative Websites, July 2012.

Larwyn's Linx: A message of hope to Obama cultists

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

Nation

A message of hope to Obama cultists: Matt Walsh
Psst, Hillary operatives: William A. Jacobson
The Lonely Guy: Todd S. Purdum, Vanity Fair

Say, How’s That ACA Enrollment Working In North Carolina?: RWN
Reid: ‘Get over it. It’s the law. It’s the legacy of Barack Obama...’: CFP
How The Republican Donor Class Gave Us Terry McAuliffe: Ben Domenech

Obama admits government, compared to the private sector, sucks: Althouse
Glock Steps Up In Challenge To California's Handgun Roster: OG&M
Appellate Court: California Ammunition Controls Unconstitutional: NRA-ILA

Obama doesn’t believe he lied…: Protein Wisdom
If you Like Your God, you Can Keep Him: Betsy McCaughey
Working around the clock to fix Obamacare: POTUS golfs for 150th time: WZ

Economy

IRS Sent Hundreds of Checks to One Address in China: Sara Noble
You Didn't Build That, You S.O.B.: Patriot's Corner
How Health Care Rapes You: Karl Denninger

Scandal Central

Obama's Massive Fraud: Andrew C. McCarthy
Morality is for suckers …: Protein Wisdom
BOMBSHELL: Obama admitted in 2010 that millions would lose health insurance: Scoop

Climate & Energy

Who are the true denialists?: Anthony Watts
Supertyphoon Haiyan Leaves Over 1,200 Dead: The "Massive Destruction" In Photos And Videos: ZH
Typhoon Haiyan feared to have killed 10,000 Filipinos; Vietnam and China prepare for the worst: Daily Mail

Media

Calls Begin For Obama’s Impeachment, Removal Over Serial Fraud and Corruption: GWP
Email to Bret Baier Puts ObamaCare Disaster Into Perspective: JWF
Sen. Ted Cruz holds his own against ‘prosecuting attorney’ Jay Leno: Twitchy

Andrew Breitbart Was Right: Max Blumenthal Is Despicable: R.S. McCain
The New York Times endorsed a secretive trade agreement that the public can’t read: Andrea Peterson
Runner's World Promotes Handgun Ban alongside Shoe Reviews, Training Recipes: NRA-ILA

World

Breaking: France refuses to allow Obama to sell out to Iran on nuke talks: LI
Hagel calls for pay, benefits cuts to military: This Ain't Hell
Interesting: Obama Accused Of Crimes Against Humanity In International Criminal Court: RWN

Kristallnacht and the Drive for Gun Control: Gates of Vienna
Plight of Europe’s Jews revealed in new survey: Tom Wilson, The Commentator
We’re In The Most Dangerous Moment Since the Cuban Missile Crisis: ZH

Sci-Tech (courtesy BadBlue Tech News)

TTAG Exclusive: World’s First 3D Printed [Metal] Gun Fires 500 Rounds: TTAG
$1.2 million in Bitcoins hijacked in 'social engineering' attack: Steve Dent, Engadget
Social Media Gives Companies Positive ROI: Dennis McCafferty, Baseline

Cornucopia

WWII Doolittle Raiders making final toast: Dan Sewell, SFGate
Fairy Tales Can Come True, That’s the Bad News: MOTUS
The Moment Mike’s America Interrupts President Reagan: L.D. Jackson

Image: Kristallnacht and the Drive for Gun Control
Today's Larwyn's Linx sponsored by: Ring10NY.com

QOTD: "But remember: big tent! We must all stick together! Unless it’s Richard Lugar refusing to back Richard Mourdock after being beaten in the primary; or Charlie Crist switching parties; or Karl Rove attacking Christine O’Donnell on the night of her primary upset; or the attacks on Sharon Angle, Sarah Palin, Michele Bachmann, Steve King, and a host of other conservatives who continue to vex the “pragmatic,” “pro-business” (read: crony capitalist) GOP establishment, who has watched as outsiders — citizen legislators — have invaded their turf and upset status quo that “comity” and “collegiality” covered for." -- Jeff Goldstein

Saturday, November 09, 2013

MARK LEVIN: "Win first, fight later."

Guest post by Mark Levin

"Win first, fight later." This is the latest establishment bumper-sticker that passes as wise insight. Of course, they neither win nor fight when it comes to the left.

For example, for years the Republicans participated in funding Obamacare while scheduling vote after vote and pretending to repeal it. That was supposed to mollify you. It was pure deceit. Every bit as deceitful as Obama's serial lies about keeping your health insurance if you wanted to.

Having lied repeatedly about its own tactics, the GOP establishment became unhinged when Ted Cruz and Mike Lee exposed its fecklessness and dishonesty by insisting on waging a real procedural and substantive effort to slow or defund or do something about the most outrageous law in our lifetimes, Obamacare. Imagine that.

Rather than unite behind these two senators, the Senate leadership and its loyal fanatics sought to assassinate their character. When the GOP leadership is engaged in a monumental charade, "backbenchers" are to go along and keep their mouths shut. They're to know their place. Of course, the game was up when the same Republican leaders who scheduled one show vote after another for supposed repeal were now claiming they couldn't do squat. So, their ruse became their defense.

Now that Obamacare is marching through our health care system as Sherman marched through Georgia, reaching into one home and business after another, and Americans are up in arms, the mighty GOP leadership is at it again. You see, if only 17% of the federal government hadn't been closed for 16 crucial days during the initial implementation of Obamacare, the fault of Cruz and Lee, of course, not the Democrats and Obama, the American people would've been more focused on the launch of Obamacare, and these objections would have been raised or known earlier.

Huh? In other words, by Cruz trying to focus the nation's attention on Obamacare and linking it to the last crucial budget and spending deadlines in a 21 hour floor speech before its actual launch, Cruz distracted the nation from ... Obamacare? You have to hand it to the GOP establishment. They spin like the best of the Democrat left. More deceit.

Today these same GOP establishment geniuses are as confused as ever. "Let the health system implode, then the GOP will take back the Senate." This is what passes as statesmanship in Washington. Well, millions of Americans are suffering now so this is hardly advice but an acknowledgment of fact. There's nothing the GOP could do after October 1, which was the point!

For the GOP establishment, this is all about politics and power now. Sit back, comment on the anarchy, attack the conservatives and Tea Party as purists obstructing a brilliant GOP grand plan of do-nothingism that had been launched pre-Oct.1, while the nation goes through convulsions. This is the surest way to GOP resurrection. Maybe. But the nation is bleeding.

And if or when they take back the Senate, having nothing to do with any GOP principle but as the only option for the public's fury with the Democrats, then what? What exactly will Mitch McConnell and John McCain do about Obamacare, the basis for this new majority status? Will they use their complete control of the purse strings to confront Obama? Of course not. Obama would say "boo" and accuse them of extortion and threatening to shutdown the government. The leadership's cheerleaders would sing "do nothing" like chorus line girls. We just went through this. Besides, McConnell has already surrendered, making clear the awful so-called government shutdown will never happen again. In fact, he has even suggested granting Obama effective control over the debt ceiling, but only temporarily of course. (It is truly odd what animates this man. He's most certainly the weakest Senate Republican leader since Hugh Scott.).

No, what's needed now is the presidency. But not a conservative purist like Cruz with his links to the hated Tea Party. The GOP establishment insists he and they cannot win. (Of course, Cruz won a spectacular election a year ago, but never mind; McConnell and the boys are busy working him over in hopes of preventing his viability.)

Which brings me to Chris Christie! Like Mitt Romney and McCain before him, he's the new great establishment hope. He's the new "he can win" candidate. And it is said if he can win in New Jersey his national appeal is obvious. As New Jersey goes so goes the nation! (Did I mention that Abraham Lincoln lost New Jersey in 1864?)

Yet, Christie refused to sign any of the briefs challenging Obamacare and is among a handful of GOP governors moving quickly to implement it. As time will reveal, despite all the propaganda, he's another big government Republican bragging how he can get big government things done with a bipartisan majority! Wonderful! Rah- rah! Obamacare here forever!

The truth is the members of the Republican old guard are all but useless. They wake up and engage when their own re-election is threatened and their precious hold on power is challenged. They are dug in, petty, and self-serving. They have no strategy or principled vision. I'll have more on all this when I return to radio next week. Thanks for allowing me to vent.

 
Listen to the Mark Levin Show each weeknight.

In Virginia, the GOP pulled the plug on a die-hard gun rights advocate

Guest post by Gun Owners of America

Well, the results from Tuesday’s high-profile gubernatorial elections are in.

A moderate-to-liberal gun control advocate (Chris Christie) won in New Jersey, while a die-hard pro-gun advocate (Ken Cuccinelli) barely lost in Virginia.

Cuccinelli lost a squeaker (48.0 to 45.5 percent), even though he was outspent 4-1 by his anti-gun Democrat opponent, Terry McAuliffe, who was able to blast $15 million more dollars into the state for advertising.

Gun-grabbing advocate, Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York City, also pumped in more than a million dollars into the race.

So how did the national GOP counter? Well, according to The Washington Times, “The Republican National Committee spent six million dollars less this year than it did in 2009 [for Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell]. Cuccinelli was outspent three to one during most of the campaign and as much as ten to one in the closing days.”

During the last two weeks of the race, the Cuccinelli ad campaign went “dark,” as they were unable to answer the vicious lies and attack ads that were filling the northern Virginia airwaves.

Conservatives in Virginia are furious. Says The Washington Post: “The election loss [in Virginia] reignited anger among conservative Republicans who believe that the party’s moderate wing ... had not backed up their candidate with money or support.”

Indeed, gun owners wonder if the additional $6 million -- that was spent on Bob McDonnell four years ago -- would have helped get an additional three percent of the vote for Cuccinelli.

6 Questions For the Benghazi Survivors in Next Week's Hearings

Guest post by Helle Dale

Next week’s testimony before the House Intelligence Committee by three survivors of the Benghazi terrorist attack is spurring an intense new round of questions and media interest.

One year after the attack that killed four Americans, books by survivors of the attack are starting to come out. Their stories challenge the narrative presented by the White House and the CIA. The three witnesses lined up for next week are reportedly working on their own book about the events. Their testimony before the committee will be classified.

As reported by CNN, questions are becoming very pointed. This week, committee member Devin Nunes (R–CA) sent a letter to Speaker John Boehner (R–OH) asking for the appointment of a special independent investigator for Benghazi if the testimony heard by the committee differs significantly from the Obama Administration’s account. Last week, Representative Frank Wolf (R–VA) spoke at length on the House floor of the need to create a House select committee on Benghazi.

Among questions Nunes wants answered:

Larwyn's Linx: ObamaCare's Lies and Incompetence May Be Enough To Bring It Down

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

Nation

ObamaCare Lies and Incompetence May Be Enough To Bring It Down: CFIF
Obama Voter Pays Ultimate Price: Dies Because Insurance is Gone: Outcast
‘Toxic’ President’s Insincere Apology Flops: TruthRevolt

A Clueless Mitch McConnell Talks To Peggy Noonan: Dan Riehl
Obama Avoids Saying he Still Has Confidence in Sebelius: Keith Koffler
Dem Staffers Huddle With WH on Obamacare Fixes: Emma Dumain

Economy

Obama, Get This, Pivots to the Economy: Ace
Almost 1 MILLION drop out of labor force, unemployment rises to 7.3%: Scoop
Government Report: Real Unemployment Jumps To 13.8% In October: WZ

Bummer: Uninsured Not Checking Out Healthcare.fail: Cove
Next-Generation Flash Mobs: The Breakdown of Law & Order: Mac Slavo
Chicago’s finances among the worst after 2008 recession: study: Sun-Times

How Many Health Plans are ‘Substandard’? Nearly All of Them.: Phil Kerpen
Pensions: Do You Realize Just How Bad It Is?: Western Rifles
Socialism Brought Home: Martin Armstrong

Scandal Central

O’care’s Foreign Contractors : Jillian Kay Melchior
The criminalization of the innocent continues apace: Protein Wisdom
CIA Pays AT&T Millions To Voluntarily Provide Call Data: Slashdot

Climate & Energy

Europe Utility Costs Spike Due to Renewables Push #tcot: MRC

Media

Ex-MSNBC Host Dylan Ratigan Has His Insurance Canceled For Much More Expensive One: WZ
CBS 60 Minutes’ Lara Logan Apologizes for Erroneous Benghazi Survivor Report: Noah Rothman
Al Sharpton says MSNBC agreed he could remain a political agitator: BPR

A Question for Mitch McConnell: Will Any Reporter Ask It?: Erick Erickson
Ashton Kutcher slams entitlement society, Hollywood machine: Red Alert
35 OF OBAMA'S BIGGEST BALD-FACED LIES: TAB

Pew: Obama Falls to 41% Approval; 65% Disapprove of His Handling of Economy: Ace
Why Career Pols (of both parties) Fear the Tea Party: DTG
Impeaching Himself, Period: Ken Blackwell and Bob Morrison

World

Exclusive: Obama’s Secret Iran Détente: Eli Lake and Josh Rogin, Daily Beast
“WE ABANDON ISRAEL” – Lt. Col. Ralph Peters says nuke deal with Iran ‘IDIOTIC’: Scoop
Germany: The Greatest Double Robbery in the History of Art?: Soeren Kern, Gatestone

Netanyahu: 'This Is a Bad Deal--a Very, Very Bad Deal': WS
Egypt Turns to Russia After Kerry’s Failed Trip: “Americans Can’t Be Trusted”: GWP
Obama Is Lying About Iran Sanctions: Commentary

Mark Steyn Is Losing: Stanley Kurtz
Obama Turns on Israel : Daniel Pipes
Canada's Growing Islamic Radicalization a Warning Sign: FSM

Sci-Tech (courtesy BadBlue Tech News)

Stuxnet infected Russian nuclear plant: Darren Pauli, SC Magazine
iPad Air explodes, erupting with smoke and flames in retail shop: Zach Epstein, BGR
Gogo unveils in-flight text, talk service at 30,000 feet: Zack Whittaker, CNet

Cornucopia

Some people have An Army of Davids; We have An Army of Pinocchios: MOTUS
iPhone Case That Makes You Look Like Obama: iOTW
Bracken Sends: Western Rifles

Image: Some people have An Army of Davids; We have An Army of Pinocchios
Today's Larwyn's Linx sponsored by: American Hero, by Madison Rising

QOTD: "These critical days in November will be remembered for years to come. The free world stands before a fork in the road with a clear choice: Either stand strong and insist Iran dismantles its nuclear-weapons program, or surrender, cave in and allow Iran to retain its 18,500 centrifuges. Years from now, when an Islamic terrorist blows up a suitcase in New York, or when Iran launches a nuclear missile at Rome or Tel Aviv, it will have happened only because a bad deal was made during these defining moments.

Like in a boxing match, Iran’s regime is currently on the floor. The count is just seconds away from ten. Now is the time to step up the pressure and force Iran to dismantle its nuclear program. Not to let it up. It would be dangerous to lift the sanctions and accept a deal which allows Iran to retain its entire uranium-production line. It would be dangerous because Iran would, a year, two, or three from now, just turn everything back on and obtain a nuclear weapon before the world can do anything to stop it. It is not enough to shut off the centrifuges. They need to be completely dismantled. We call upon the West to avoid signing a bad deal.

Israel’s responsibility is to ensure the security of its citizens and that is exactly what we will do. We will never outsource our security." --Naftali Bennett

Friday, November 08, 2013

OMINOUS: Experts opine on a possible Obama-Iran nuclear deal

Member of Israel's Security Cabinet Naftali Bennett:

These critical days in November will be remembered for years to come.

The Free World stands before a fork in the road with a clear choice: Either stand strong and insist Iran dismantles its nuclear-weapons program, or surrender, cave in and allow Iran to retain its 18,500 centrifuges.

Years from now, when an Islamic terrorist blows up a suitcase in New York, or when Iran launches a nuclear missile at Rome or Tel Aviv, it will have happened only because a Bad Deal was made during these defining moments.

Like in a boxing match, Iran's regime is currently on the floor. The count is just seconds away from 10. Now is the time to step up the pressure and force Iran to dismantle its nuclear program. Not to let it up.

It would be dangerous to lift the sanctions and accept a deal which allows Iran to retain its entire uranium-production line.

It would be dangerous because Iran would, a year, two or three from now, just turn everything back on and obtain a nuclear weapon before the world can do anything to stop it.

It is not enough to shut off the centrifuges. They need to be completely dismantled.

We call upon the West to avoid signing a Bad Deal.

Israel's responsibility is to ensure the security of its citizens and that is exactly what we will do.

We will never outsource our security.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:

I met Secretary Kerry right before he leaves to Geneva. I reminded him that he said that no deal is better than a bad deal. That the deal that is being discussed in Geneva right now is a bad deal. It’s a very bad deal. Iran is not required to take apart even one centrifuge. But the international community is relieving sanctions on Iran for the first time after many years. Iran gets everything that it wanted at this stage and it pays nothing. And this is when Iran is under severe pressure. I urge Secretary Kerry not to rush to sign, to wait, to reconsider, to get a good deal. But this is a bad deal--a very, very bad deal. It’s the deal of a century for Iran; it’s a very dangerous and bad deal for peace and the international community.

Robert Zarate, writing at Foreign Policy:

The success of the sanctions regime on Iran, so far, is due largely to the leadership of the U.S. Congress, even over the Obama administration’s frequent objections. Lawmakers should continue to evaluate any proposed package of Iranian concessions soberly and without any illusion, standing ready to reject any deal that weakens the U.S. international sanctions regime without Iran completely freezing and ultimately reversing its growing nuclear threat.

Daniel Pipes:

Obama Turns on Israel: The president’s anti-Zionism is finally rearing its head.

...I wrote before the last presidential election that, should Obama win a second term, “Israel’s troubles will really begin.” At the president’s second inauguration, I predicted that he, “freed from reelection constraints, can finally express his early anti-Zionist views after a decade of political positioning. Watch for a markedly worse tone from the second Obama administration toward the third Netanyahu government.”

That moment is now upon us.

Congress should reject any deal with Iran that doesn't provably eviscerate its nuclear weapons program.

Failure to do so will come back to haunt us, that much is certain.


F-f-f-f-f-f-f-f-f-f-failllllll

Visiting Ace earlier tonight, I happened to click on this MetLife ad.


Here's what I got in return:


Is it really that hard to run an ad network?

Oh.

Sorry about that, Healthcare.gov. Nothing personal, y'know.


True Unemployment Nears 14 Percent: Thank you, President Subprime Shovel-Ready Clunker Obamacare Dodd-Frank DREAM Act McDowngrade!

No matter how many times they're presented with proof of their failures, progressives are immune to facts, logic, reason and history:

The “real” unemployment rate rose from 13.6% in September to 13.8% in October, according to figures released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

...Known as the U-6 unemployment rate, this “real” unemployment figure, seasonally adjusted, includes the unemployed “plus all persons marginally attached to the labor force, plus total employed part time for economic reasons..." The U-6 rate captures the fuller picture of people who are willing and able to work, but cannot find a job.

Since President Barack Obama has been president, the U-6 unemployment rate rose from 14.25% in January 2009 to a high of 17.1% in October, November and December 2009 and the same rate in February, March, and April 2010. The U-6 rate did not fall below 14% under Obama until March 2013, when it hit 13.8%, the same rate for October 2013.

Even more shocking, the Labor Force Participation Rate dropped yet again, this time to 62.8 percent.


This is the lowest it's been since 1978, when another feckless Democrat named President Jimmy Carter was running things.

Let me recycle this graphic from 2011... because, sadly, it's still relevant:


Arithmetic always trumps ideology. Sadly, Barack Obama has proven himself incapable of learning this simple, immutable fact.

He's a dyed-in-the-wool, radical progressive -- a true believer. Collectivism is his religion and if it means destroying America to impart his wisdom, then so be it.


Hat tips: Weasel Zippers and Badblue News