Thursday, February 20, 2014

Your awesome, progressive-crushing juxtaposition o' the day: Ana Marie Cox beclownment edition

The inane and dimwitted Ana Marie Cox is at it again.

Yesterday's Guardian found her whining yet again about America's investors, entrepreneurs and job producers who have been tarred as the evil "one percent."

Specifically, Cox claims that our class system prevents those of modest means from progressing to the ranks of the super-rich.

Because the wealth of the super-rich is just so damn far away, without any rungs in the ladder between, no assistance for that leap of faith that allows those who struggle to hope their struggles can cease.

But, I digress. Consider today's headline from Bloomberg:


As I have pointed out countless times, the Forbes 400 (America's wealthiest individuals) list is populated with dozens upon dozens of self-made billionaires.

It's income mobility that makes America great, you progressive dimwit, not income equality.

It's too bad Cox is genetically impervious to facts, history, logic, and reason.


Hat tip: Jim Geraghty

Mark Steyn explains why the House Republican leadership is a sad travesty of a pathetic joke

This, my friends, is called speaking truth to power.
In Australia, each citizen's share of the [national] debt is $12,000; in New Zealand, it's $15,000 per person; in Canada, $18,000; in the United Kingdom, $28,000. And in the United States it's $54,000 per person — twice as much as Britain, thrice as much as Canada, closing in on five times as much as Australia. And that's before you toss in all the other junk which leaves a total debt burden in the US of close to three-quarters of a million dollars per family. America is on course to be the first nation of negative millionaires.

So, while Canada's got a balanced budget and New Zealand's paying down its national debt and Australia's government debt is about 11 per cent of GDP (versus 100 per cent of GDP in the United States), Americans are supposed to be encouraged because, in a spirit of comity, the bipartisan kleptocracy in Washington has nodded through a plan to make things worse. Former Congressman turned Club for Growth honcho Chris Chocola:

Which brings us to the Ryan–Murray budget, a partial repeal of the sequester. The agreement was a function of the fact that many Republicans in the House simply never wanted to cut spending or limit the size of government.

I served with and respect Paul Ryan. I know the Ryan–Murray budget is not his ideal budget. But that doesn't make the deal any less of a joke. An analysis by the Senate Budget Committee Republicans noted that 56 percent of the offsets for the reversal of the sequester come in FY 2022 and FY 2023 — a decade from now.

Speaker Boehner called that "deficit reduction." I call that a fraud and everyone with any common sense would agree with me. What kind of message does it send to voters when Republican leadership is claiming that you can offset increases in spending today with cuts in spending a decade from now?

It sends the message that the GOP is a joke. Canada, Australia and New Zealand are doing it now, not legislating fairyland cuts that kick in eight years after the legislators' terms of office end. Granted, all those countries have conservative governments, which the US is in no danger of getting any time soon. But here's why the Republican Party really isn't good enough: it's not just that the GOP is less fiscally conservative - by which I mean fiscally responsible - than other conservative parties, it's less fiscally conservative than many left-wing governments. The Liberal Party of Canada spent the "fat" years of the Nineties paying off the national debt, prompting my old comrade Kate O'Beirne to joke, "If only we could get American conservatives to be as fiscally responsible as Canadian liberals" - a jest one could also extend to the Australian Labor Party, which, while certainly profligate in Aussie terms, was a paragon of rectitude compared to Boehner and the gang.

Kate's is a cute joke. Except, of course, that the joke's on us. As Chris Chocola concludes:

So the Republican leadership says the Club for Growth has been "misleading their followers" and has "lost credibility"? That's a bit ironic, coming from a big-spending, debt-increasing, farm-subsidy enabling, entitlement-expanding party leadership that has abandoned its principles . . . all in the name of retaining their own power. And to what end?

When a Congressman talks about reducing spending in 2024, 2027, 2030, laugh in his face, and tell him that, when Representatives are elected for 20-year terms, then we'll listen to his plans for 2034. The bipartisan consensus to ramp up those debt per capita figures is not just an abstraction, but a massive gamble on the future - the future of the dollar as the global currency, the future of your children, and the future of America as a First World nation.

You can read more regarding that last point in Mark's international bestseller After America, personally autographed copies of which are available in hardback, paperback and audio editions exclusively at the SteynOnline bookstore, and whose proceeds will go to fund Steyn's end of the upcoming Mann vs. Steyn trial.


Hat tip: Nice Deb

OBAMACARE: A Comedy of Terrors

Guest post by Richard Larsen

With the stroke of a pen and an utterance from the president, Obamacare’s employer mandate has been postponed yet again, this time until 2016 for some businesses. Headlines across the nation from the mainstream media have praised the delay, declaring it advantageous and good for the nation. If it’s “good for the nation,” why don’t we just delay it indefinitely?

The problem with 2,400 pages of legislation is not what politicians promise the legislation will do, but what it does in reality, including the creation of nearly 40,000 pages of regulations affecting our health care. And the reality with the Affordable Care Act (ACA), as we’re witnessing nearly daily in financial media, is devastating for the economy, the middle class, and our healthcare system itself.

The ACA (Obamacare) was sold to us on the basis that there were 40 million Americans without health insurance and that the Act would rectify the apparent inequity. That actually is the first broken promise of Obamacare. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) admits that after 10 years of implementation, Obamacare “will still leave 31 million uninsured.” And we’ll have spent $1.93 trillion failing to achieve the primary objective of the Act! And that new dollar figure from the CBO is still likely an underestimate since they’ve revised the figure upward three times already.

The new requirements imposed on employer sponsored insurance (ESI) plans will make the costs increase significantly for employers. Many employers will discontinue their plans altogether, forcing employees to the state exchanges to buy their insurance for themselves.

Last June, McKinsey & Company released results of a study that found, “Overall, 30 percent of employers will definitely or probably stop offering ESI in the years after 2014. Among employers with a high awareness of reform, this proportion increases to more than 50 percent, and upward of 60 percent will pursue some alternative to traditional ESI.” This contrasts sharply with CBO’s original estimates of 7% of employees losing their current ESI, and the president’s promise that none would.

Larwyn's Linx: Democrats stuck in stage 3 of ObamaCare grief?

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

Nation

Democrats stuck in stage 3 of ObamaCare grief?: Ed Morrissey
New Obama Promise: If You Like Your Life, You Can Keep It: Ann Coulter
Planned Parenthood Takes The Lead In Obamacare’s Enrollment Army: WZ

GOP Playing a Prevent Defense: Jon Gabriel
The outdated business model of Diversity Inc.: Victor Davis Hanson
Obama FCC's Newsroom "Study" Is Drawing Plenty of Public Opposition: Blaze

Christians: Empty the Churches and Fill the Streets: Christian Mercenary
CT Media: Police Should Jail Thousands for Failing to Register Guns: GSL
Today's Lesson in Irony: Woodsterman

Sarah Palin Endorses Katrina Pierson in Texas: Breitbart
Ohio: True Conservative J.D. Winteregg vs. Speaker John Boehner: Jared Day
Detroit mom opens fire on three intruders as they try to rob her home: NYDN

Economy

Union Intimidation Continues at Volkswagen’s Chattanooga Plant: Leon H. Wolf
German Union Boss Threatens American Workers After They Reject UAW: LUR
Does The Trail Of Dead Bankers Lead Somewhere?: Michael Snyder

Scandal Central

Kathleen Willey: Hillary Clinton is the war on women: Fox
The Partisan IRS Needs To Be Reformed Or Abolished: RS
The Benghazi Map: Former Spook

Climate & Energy

Mark Levin torches John Kerry for recent Climate Change remarks: Scoop
Mann and the Oxburgh Panel: Climate Audit
Dirty Business at the EPA: CFP

Media

Historians Begin to Gild Obama’s Reputation: PJM
Bill O'Reilly Does Not Look Out for Me (Anymore): Roger L. Simon
And Now, The Edwin-Edwards-For-Congress Media Hit: HayRide

I Take Exception To Mr. Sowell’s Targeting of Ted Cruz: Primordial Slack
When Will Democrats Attack Leukemia Patient Julie Boonstra for Ripping ObamaCare?: AmPower
Kathleen Willey alleges ‘terror campaigns’ against women by Hillary Clinton: Twitchy

Media Blacks Out New Snowden Interview The Government Doesn’t Want You to See: Federalist
Are you serious? Are you serious?: Cold Fury
Government monitors to be placed in newsrooms? This is FUBAR!: Allen West

World

The Al-Shabaab Connection: Gates of Vienna
Obama Draws Another Meaningless Red Line, Warns Ukraine Not To “Step Over The Line”: WZ
Graphic Riot Videos, Pics: Protesters Destroy Armored Vehicle With Molotov Cocktails: Mac Slavo

Report quotes wiretapped exchange between Obama-backed Morsi, 9/11 Al Qaida leader: Pamela Geller
Navy Official: China Training for ‘Short Sharp War’ with Japan: USNI
Farm Bill included amendment ensuring halal food for poor Muslims: Creeping

Sci-Tech (courtesy BadBlue Tech News)

The Unfortunately Innate Nature of Intelligence: Fred on Everything
Comcast-TWC Customers: Be Afraid, Very Afraid: TNW
Augmented reality app points way to Japan's elusive free Wi-Fi: Tim Hornyak, IDG

Cornucopia

Wednesday Doubleheader: Hopechange
Jimmy Fallon's Barbershop Quartet Performs R. Kelly's 'Ignition' : Breitbart
An Absolute Must-Watch Video: Call of the Patriot

Image: Katrina Pierson, via Sarah Palin
Today's Larwyn's Linx sponsored by: Katrina Pierson for Congress

QOTD: "Ukraine joins the long list of countries that have regressed into deeper shadow under President Obama and his two Secretaries of State, Hillary Clinton and John Kerry.

The list of just those countries we know about because they have have made huge headlines include Iran and its lost Green Revolution, Egypt and the years of chaos begun when the president and his team had four policies vis-a-vis Egypt in as many days, Libya where “leading from behind” was coined, Syria where the red line faded into black, Lebanon and Jordan where the Syrians sought refuge, Iraq where the peace has been forfeited and civil war begun again, Afghanistan where our scamper is underway and the Taliban is waiting, and this week Venezuela and Ukraine where American fecklessness has emboldened the worst of the locals to imprison and kill.

Somewhere Hillary is writing her memoir and using a calculator to add up the number of miles she flew as Secretary of State. She will obsess on that number as it is the only thing her defenders can recall as an “achievement” of her time." --Hugh Hewitt

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

EXCELLENT NEWS: EPA gets another new power -- now able to unilaterally redraw state borders!

Guest post by Investor's Business Daily

Property Grab: The administration's latest unconstitutional move comes as one of its increasingly lawless and dictatorial agencies takes upon itself the power to redraw the boundaries of a state and redistribute the land of American citizens.

Just when you thought the imperial presidency of Barack Obama couldn't get any worse, consider the citizens of Riverton, Wyo. They woke up one morning to be told by the Environmental Protection Agency they no longer lived in the sovereign state of Wyoming, but in the Wind River Indian Reservation.

The EPA's redrawing of the state's boundaries came at year's end in response to a request from the Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone tribes for "state status" under the Clean Air Act to get more grant money and sovereignty in monitoring air quality.

Instead of giving the tribes the authority to conduct air quality monitoring, the EPA, which continues to act as an unelected fourth branch of government, unilaterally and unconstitutionally voided a 1905 agreement between Congress and Wyoming revising the reservation's boundaries. This, in effect, transferred 1 million acres of Wyoming to the tribes, including Riverton.

The EPA, an agency charged with protecting the environment, decided, as President Obama has, it could rewrite the law. The EPA ruled that a 1905 federal law opening part of the Wind River reservation to settlement by non-Indians didn't end the land's reservation status.

15 Reasons Your Food Bill is Set to Soar

Guest post by Michael Snyder

Did you know that the U.S. state that produces the most vegetables is going through the worst drought it has ever experienced and that the size of the total U.S. cattle herd is now the smallest that it has been since 1951? Just the other day, a CBS News article boldly declared that "food prices soar as incomes stand still", but the truth is that this is only just the beginning. If the drought that has been devastating farmers and ranchers out west continues, we are going to see prices for meat, fruits and vegetables soar into the stratosphere. Already, the federal government has declared portions of 11 states to be "disaster areas", and California farmers are going to leave half a million acres sitting idle this year because of the extremely dry conditions. Sadly, experts are telling us that things are probably going to get worse before they get better (if they ever do). As you will read about below, one expert recently told National Geographic that throughout history it has been quite common for that region of North America to experience severe droughts that last for decades. In fact, one drought actually lasted for about 200 years. So there is the possibility that the drought that has begun in the state of California may not end during your entire lifetime.

This drought has gotten so bad that it is starting to get national attention. Barack Obama visited the Fresno region on Friday, and he declared that "this is going to be a very challenging situation this year, and frankly, the trend lines are such where it's going to be a challenging situation for some time to come."

According to NBC News, businesses across the region are shutting down, large numbers of workers are leaving to search for other work, and things are already so bad that it "calls to mind the Dust Bowl of the 1930s"...

In the state's Central Valley — where nearly 40 percent of all jobs are tied to agriculture production and related processing — the pain has already trickled down. Businesses across a wide swath of the region have shuttered, casting countless workers adrift in a downturn that calls to mind the Dust Bowl of the 1930s.

If you will recall, there have been warnings that Dust Bowl conditions were going to return to the western half of the country for quite some time.

Now the mainstream media is finally starting to catch up.

And of course these extremely dry conditions are going to severely affect food prices. The following are 15 reasons why your food bill is going to start soaring...

NOT CREEPY AT ALL: Obama FCC Placing Government Monitors in Newsrooms to Police Media

Guest post by Matthew Clark

The Obama Administration’s Federal Communication Commission (FCC) is poised to place government monitors in newsrooms across the country in an absurdly draconian attempt to intimidate and control the media.

Before you dismiss this assertion as utterly preposterous (we all know how that turned out when the Tea Party complained that it was being targeted by the IRS), this bombshell of an accusation comes from an actual FCC Commissioner.

FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai reveals a brand new Obama Administration program that he fears could be used in “pressuring media organizations into covering certain stories.”

As Commissioner Pai explains in the Wall Street Journal:

Last May the FCC proposed an initiative to thrust the federal government into newsrooms across the country. With its “Multi-Market Study of Critical Information Needs,” or CIN, the agency plans to send researchers to grill reporters, editors and station owners about how they decide which stories to run. A field test in Columbia, S.C., is scheduled to begin this spring.

The purpose of the CIN, according to the FCC, is to ferret out information from television and radio broadcasters about “the process by which stories are selected” and how often stations cover “critical information needs,” along with “perceived station bias” and “perceived responsiveness to underserved populations.”

In fact, the FCC is now expanding the bounds of regulatory powers to include newspapers, which it has absolutely no authority over, in its new government monitoring program.

The FCC has apparently already selected eight categories of “critical information” “that it believes local newscasters should cover.”

That’s right, the Obama Administration has developed a formula of what it believes the free press should cover, and it is going to send government monitors into newsrooms across America to stand over the shoulders of the press as they make editorial decisions.

This poses a monumental danger to constitutionally protected free speech and freedom of the press.

NRSC Caught Red-handed Fundraising for a Candidate Who Has Donated Thousands to... Democrats

Once again, the Republican Establishment™ -- which we are told doesn't exist -- has been caught meddling in the primary process and, more specifically, undermining conservatives.

The deputy finance director for the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) helped raise money for a candidate in a contested Alabama GOP congressional primary in what some Republicans are calling a major breach of protocol.

In November and December, Alabama 6th congressional district candidate Will Brooke paid NRSC staffer Brittney Ingalls Godoy thousands of dollars to fundraise for him...

"I've been staff or a consultant for every Republican Hill committee and never in all my years have I seen special dispensation made for a titled aide to engage in primaries," said a GOP operative watching the race...

Brooke is one of seven candidates vying to replace Bachus, who is the only elected official that the late Andrew Breitbart ever called for to resign.

Basically, the NRSC's deputy finance director helped raise money for a GOP primary candidate - and got paid by his campaign - in Alabama.

Worse still, the candidate she's assisted has donated more than $10,000 to Democratic lawmakers.

Any wonder the NRSC has been outraised by its Democrat counterpart, the DSCC?

I would highly recommend continuing to defund the bumbling, feckless hacks in the NRSC.

The easiest way to help do so is to contribute your time or money to the Senate Conservatives Fund. And I'm not a candidate, but I approve this message.


Hat tip: BadBlue News

Larwyn's Linx: Washington’s Pack of Pretenders

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

Nation

Washington’s Pack of Pretenders: Tom Blumer
Obama(S)care: Con Artists and Criminals in Charge: Michelle Malkin
Of Course He Should Be Impeached: David Catron

The Original Right-Wing Extremist: MilitiaNews
Sow the Wind: Bob Owens
An Open Letter to the Men and Women of the New York State Police: SSI

What does Missouri demonstrate on universal background checks? Nada: CPRC
New York Reacts to Remington’s Move: WeaponsMan
RADICAL JUDGES: Reid Set to Reap More ‘Nuclear’ Spoils: Roll Call

Economy

On 5th Anniversary, White House Declares Stimulus a Success: TruthRevolt
Elections Have Consequences: WyBlog
Where State Income Taxes are the Lowest in One Convenient Map: IJR

Flashback: WH Made Up Term “Lives Touched” To Inflate Stimulus Jobs: MenRec
Have an E Series Savings Bond? If So, It No Longer Pays Interest: Mish
Don't Cry for the Shareholders of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac: ZH

Scandal Central

How Hillary Clinton sicced the FBI on the White House travel office: DC
Why a national license plate database should worry every American: MassPrivateI
Public Schools Are Preparing America’s Children For Life In A Police State: Michael Snyder

Climate & Energy

Liberal Billionaire Pledges $100 Million to Bully U.S. on Global Warming: MRC
No, Mr. President, drought and climate change aren't linked: Exam
A (Not Quite) Complete List Of Things Supposedly Caused By Global Warming: WRH

Media

Obama’s Plan to Censor the News Media: Dick Morris
Rob Maness Is Right About Mitch McConnell: HayRide
Michigan’s Involvement in an Article V Convention of States – A Rebuttal to Norman Hughes: Jen Kuznicki

Brittney Cooper of Salon Magazine Ever So Close To Illegally Inciting Violence: iOTW
Politico: Clinton ducking NSA, surveillance issues: Ed Morrissey
We’re all Bozos on this Bus: MOTUS

Do 71% of Obama voters regret voting for Obama?: Hot Air
Concealing Evil: Walter Williams
PepsiCo Underwrites Gabrielle Giffords’ Civilian Disarmament Gabfest: Robert Farago

World

It's Happening Again. Communism Fails.: Ace
Exclusive: Islamist Terror Enclave Discovered in Texas: Ryan Mauro
Britain’s Fate Is Sealed Following Muslim Baby Boom: Cherson and Molschky

The Obama Doctrine: Negotiate with terrorists, trade 5 Gitmo prisoners for 1 American POW: WyBlog
Kim Jong-Un Gives The Nazis A Run For Their Money: NoisyRm
New Jersey emergency response program accommodates sharia for Muslim volunteers: Creeping

Bolton on Ukraine: Obama weak, feckless; U.S. influence slipping away and we will pay the price: Scoop
Up to Speed: What’s Going on in Ukraine?: Nina Strochlic, Daily Beast
Ukraine crisis: 25 dead after renewed Kiev assault on protesters: BBC

Sci-Tech (courtesy BadBlue Tech News)

Meet The Woman Behind One Of Facebook’s Most Lucrative New Businesses: BuzzFeed
Apple needs Time-Warner Cable more than does Comcast: I, Cringely
Target told to carry out security review just months before breach: Sophos

Cornucopia

Obamaholics Anonymous: The Twelve Steps: American Digest
Tongue kiss of MIA symbol by Air Force Staff Sgt. Cherish Byers: One Marine's View
Barack Obama Refects on Presidents Day: Diogenes

Image: Ukraine crisis: 25 dead after renewed Kiev assault on protesters
Sponsored by: Had Enough of Mitch McConnell? Let's Fire Him: Support Matt Bevin for U.S. Senate

QOTD: "The failure of the stimulus was a failure of the neo-Keynesian belief that economies can be jolted into action by a wave of government spending. In fact, people are smart enough to realize that every dollar poured into the economy via government spending must eventually be taken out of the productive economy in the form of taxes. The way to jolt an economy to life and to sustain long-term growth is to create more incentives for people to work, save and invest. Let's hope Washington's next stimulus plan is aimed at reducing the tax and regulatory burden on American job creators." --WSJ

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Democrat Utopia of Illinois Sucking the Life Out of Small Business

Guest post by Scott Reeder

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Susan Clause is no quitter.

For 16 years, she and her husband, Stephen Briggs, have owned and operated a teacher supply store, Ergadoo, in Springfield.

They love their business, and it’s making money, but they are shutting it down this week.

Why? They say the state of Illinois has made it too difficult to operate.

It’s a painful decision for the couple who founded the store 16 years ago.

After all, they aren’t quitters by nature. They fought to keep the doors open when Clause was fighting leukemia and Briggs was battling prostate cancer – at the same time.

And there have been tough days when they have found themselves unloading truckloads of merchandise by themselves or wading through reams of paperwork.

But now they are facing an obstacle they just don’t want to deal with: the Illinois Department of Revenue.

Here how Clause explained it:

“Five years ago, we received a sales tax audit from the state, and they said we were doing things just fine. And then we were audited again this year. And we were told we were doing things wrong. We can’t operate if we don’t know what the rules are.”

For 10 days last month, a state auditor camped out at their store – sitting at one of those tiny little children’s tables – reviewing three months of receipts.

And that’s where the problem began.

DEMOCRAT LOGIC COMIX: Janeane Garofalo Edition

Hmmm.


Yes, they really are that dumb.

GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION SUCCESS STORY #882: Student Loan Debt Hits $1.1 Trillion, Delinquencies at Record High

Guest post by Tyler Durden

While the bulk of the quantity data contained in the Fed's quarterly Household Debt and Credit Report is known in advance courtesy of the Fed's monthly tracking of household revolving and non-revolving debt, the quality components always provide a welcome insight into the state of the US household. It is there that we find that the most disturbing trend in recent years: the encumbering of students with record amounts of loans continues. In fact, as of December 31, the total amount of non-dischargeable (for now) student loans hit a new all time high of $1.08 trillion an increase of $53 billion in the quarter. By comparison, total credit card debt as of the same period was "only" $683 billion. At this rate, total student loans will be double the size of all credit card debt within 2-3 years.

What's worse, while the 90+ day student debt delinquency rate did post a tiny decline from 11.8% to 11.5% in Q4, on a total notional basis due to the increase in outstanding balances, as of this moment the amount of heavily delinquent student loans has just hit a fresh record high of $124.3 billion, up from $121.5 billion in the prior quarter.

The UAW's 4 Huge Blunders in Trying to Unionize VW

Guest post by LaborUnionReport.com

Editor’s note: Having written about the United Auto Workers’ attempt to unionize the South since 2010, unlike much of the media’s reports thus far, the following is an analysis (with input from Volkswagen employees themselves) of how—when everything was stacked to the UAW’s favor—the union blew its chances of winning the hearts and minds of the employees in an election at an employer that favored unionization.

Having spent an estimated $5 million (or nearly $8,000 per vote) and two years’ worth of time, the United Auto Workers loss last Friday night at Volkswagen’s plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee has left UAW bosses (and its left-leaning allies in the media and academia) blaming everyone—from the Koch brothers to Grover Norquist’s Americans for Tax Reform and Tennessee Republicans—for the union’s defeat…blaming everyone but themselves.

What few, including the UAW, realize is that the union’s defeat in Chattanooga is more of a David vs. Goliath story and how Goliath (the UAW) handed David (the employees) the stones.

The fact is, the Detroit-based United Auto Workers targeted Volkswagen workers from the outside in, used a Trojan Horse to cajole Volkswagen management into entering what may be an unlawful agreement allowing the UAW to penetrate the Chattanooga plant, and got caught dealing behind workers’ backs–not once, but twice.

If UAW bosses really want to discover the reason for the union’s loss, they need look no further than their own mirror and the Volkswagen employees themselves.

Larwyn's Linx: The United States of Decline: America Unravels

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

Nation

The United States of Decline: America Unravels: Deroy Murdock
Really? Stop Lying Rethuglicans: Karl Denninger
Dead Souls in the Republican Leadership: John T. Bennett

All In The Communist Family: NoisyRm
.00001 Billion Rising: Another Failed Mass Movement: Zombie
Local, Local, Local: Western Rifles

Rigidity and Arrogance Prevent Obama From Solving Problems: Mona Charen
The Biggest Donors In American Politics Give To Democrats: LoneCon
Jerrold Nadler: Stupid vs. Evil: Regular Right Guy

Rand Paul Bails on Bringing Change to Washington: Leon Wolf
Stockman Closing Gap on Cornyn in Latest TX Senate Poll: TPNN
Ken Paxton for Texas Attorney General: Erick Erickson

Economy

5 years later: How’s that Wreckovery working out for ya?: Michelle Malkin
Chase Imposes New Capital Controls on Cash Deposits: DC Clothesline
China Fooled the World (But It Cannot Last): Mish

Scandal Central

Spy Chief: We Should’ve Told You We Track Your Calls: Eli Lake
The United States of Regulation: Daley Gator
The FCC Plan To Police The Newsrooms: IBD

Climate & Energy

The Climate Change hoax, continued: Protein Wisdom
Killing Coal is a ‘Losing Proposition For The Country and For Democrats’ : Nice Deb
Al Gore’s global-warming rhetoric is put on ice: Andrea Peyser

Media

How furiously is Politico spinning this DCCC Obamacare memo?: Moe Lane
Donna Brazile: Dumber Than Ever: Caleb Howe
RUSH: Wouldn’t It Be Great If Michelle Obama Decided To Run Against Hillary?: Daily Rushbo

Dave Ramsey lays it out that ObamaCare is communism: CFP
Krauthammer: FDR had Hoover Dam, Ike the interstates, Obama stimulus gave us ruins of Solyndra plant: Scoop
Democrats’ “Rewriting” Their Congressional Oath of Office: Sentinel

The Failure of Obama’s Aristocracy of Merit: Michael Barone
NBC's Gregory and Bill Nye Team Up to Denounce Global Warming Skepticism: Kyle Drennen
My two cents on the Ellen Page thing: Here's My Thing

World

“Electing A New People in America and Britain”: Peter Brimelow
Another Galling Betrayal: Thomas Sowell
What's going on in Venezuela in a nutshell: Fausta

Sci-Tech (courtesy BadBlue Tech News)

Iranian hack of US Navy network was more extensive and invasive than previously reported: Verge
Snowden documents reveal that the NSA spied on WikiLeaks website visitors: Engadget
Will This Guy Be The First Person To Go From PlayStation To F1?: Jalopnik

Cornucopia

The Ears Again: Earl of Taint
Easy, Bill (NSFW): It Ain't Holy Water
Porsche Confirms They Have Asked Dealers To Stop Selling 991 GT3s: Flat Sixes

Image: Protesters And Police Clash in Bangkok Leaving At Least 3 Dead And 58 People Injured
Sponsored by: HAD ENOUGH? Help Fire Mitch McConnell -- Support Matt Bevin for U.S. Senate

QOTD: "Well I think a tweet like that (Dan Pfeiffer tweet) would appear out of touch given that the overwhelming sentiment in the country is that this is, and in fact is the weakest recovery since the 2nd World War. The highest chronic unemployment…it’s basically a jobless recovery with millions of Americans leaving – not even looking to get a job because they are so discouraged and the recovery is so weak.

You know it isn’t as if the only alternative was this monstrous stimulus versus nothing. You could have had tax cuts and deregulation. Instead it was a gift to all kinds of democratic constituencies. And as a result, all this money is spent.

FDR at least left behind a Hoover dam. Ike left behind the interstate highway system. This thing as predicted hasn’t left a trace in the sand except the ruins of the Solyndra plant." --Charles Krauthammer

Monday, February 17, 2014

VERY, VERY BUSY: Between vacations, Obama seeks unreleased episodes of Game of Thrones and True Detective

Some days the satire writes itself.

We already knew that Pennsylvania Avenue's most famous resident is a "Homeland" fanatic, but that's not the only small screen favorite that sets his pulse racing.

The president asked HBO Chief Executive Officer Richard Plepler at last week's state dinner for French President Francois Hollande if he could score him advance copies of "True Detective" and "Game of Thrones," according to the New York Times. President Obama reportedly was hoping to catch up on the two shows over the Presidents Day Weekend.

"True Detective" has aired five of its eight episodes, but "Game of Thrones" does not premiere until April 2, so nabbing that screener would be a true feat of executive power. As the Times article goes on to note, President Obama is content agnostic. He is equally enamored of streaming video as he is of premium cable shows.

On Thursday, the president tweeted that "House of Cards" was about to start its second season and beseeched the online community, "no spoilers please."

It would seem that Obama's TV addiction takes precedence over 100 million unemployed Americans, a record 20 percent of all Americans on food stamps, millions losing their health insurance, and a lawless IRS.


Hat tip: BB

The Spirit of the Laws, Illustrated [Baron de Montesquieu]

Charles de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu (1689­1755), was a nobleman, a judge in a French court, and one of the most influential political thinkers. Based on his research he developed a number of political theories presented in The Spirit of the Laws (1748). The father of the United States Constitution, James Madison, once said, "the oracle who is always consulted and cited on this subject [separation of powers] is the celebrated Montesquieu.".



Related: Obama's despotic actions were predicted by Montesquieu

REASON #4,305 THE REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP NEEDS TO GO: GOP elites said to be happy with IRS targeting

Wondering why Johnny Boehner refuses to name a Select Investigative Committee to get to the bottom of the unconscionable weaponization of the IRS by the Obama administration? Well, wonder no more.

The ruling class in Washington, which includes the GOP Establishment, has tacitly endorsed the unlawful targeting of conservatives by the IRS according to one veteran Democrat operative.

Pat Caddell said yesterday on Fox News that the reason Republican leadership has not pushed for a higher-level investigation of the IRS for targeting the Tea Party is because they want the IRS to go after the Tea Party. When you have 71% who want an investigation, 64% who believe it is a sign of corruption, including nearly a majority of Democrats, the reason is the establishment Republicans want the IRS to go after the Tea Party...

...They want them to go after the Tea Party because the Tea Parties are an outside threat to their power hold. I'm telling you, the lobbying-consultant class of the Republican Party and Republican leadership, who have been attacking the Tea Party and alienating them, they want the IRS to do this. That's why there hasn't been any establishment Republican pushback on the IRS. It's almost safe to say the Republican establishment might be willing to lose a couple of elections if it meant getting rid of the Tea Party; because it's clear, folks, they don't want to win any elections the Tea Party can claim any credit for...

...That is a serious charge. That is a very, very serious charge, that the Republican establishment is aligned with Obama and is okay with Obama using the IRS to investigate the Tea Party.

I hope to interview Johnny Boehner's two conservative primary opponents soon and will shortly thereafter make an endorsement to quickly galvanize national support behind a single challenger.

Find the date of your primary here and join with me in a massive march to the polls to unseat the cowardly, feckless, progressive GOP elites. Let them try to get a job in the private sector like the rest of us.


Larwyn's Linx: Common Core Is Rewriting American History Like a Tin Pot Dictatorship

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

Nation

Common Core Is Rewriting History Like a Tin Pot Dictatorship: Sara Noble
Healthcare.gov shut down on National Youth Enrollment Day: BPR
Democrat Likens Obamacare to ‘National Security Attack’: Ed Driscoll

DHS Obeys ACLU’s Order To Stop Arresting Illegal Aliens: WZ
Deportation Statistics: Separating Fact from Fiction: RWN
Archbishop Warns of 'Likely Civil Disobedience': CNS

A Brief History of Obama’s Biggest Constitutional Flops: Damon Root
After decrying inequality, Obama golfs at billionaire's personal course: AT
US Army Builds Fake American Town to Practice War on... ?: Publius

Proposed IRS Rule Change Fractures the Left: NRO
Michelle Obama Shuts Down Aspen Airport on Busy Weekend: MagNote
I drive a Cadillac. Doesn't everybody?: American Digest

Economy

UAW May Have Spent Nearly $8,000 Per Vote At VW: LUR
Yellen: Fed Will Keep Swimming on the Bernanke Stream: PJM
Two-Week Price Inflation in Argentina hits 30%: Mish

Scandal Central

Dem Donor Added to HHS ‘Most Wanted Fugitives’ List: Lachlan Markay
Chris Wallace Challenges Dem Rep on ObamaCare Edits: Breitbart
The Tolerant Left (Caution: language warning): RWN

Climate & Energy

As Obama Whined About Drought In California, The Real Story Comes Out: RWN
Climate Consensus Con Game: AT
Marsha Blackburn Takes on 'Science Guy' on Climate Change: NewsMax

Media

Media largely ignores violent Venezuela crackdown on opposition: Laurel Conrad
National Public Radio (@NPRNews) Misrepresents Facts to Fan Racial Tension: Erick Erickson
EU, BBC go ballistic after Swiss immigration vote: Commentator

World

Venezuela: ‘The Government Is Taking Us into the Slaughterhouse’: R.S. McCain
Cuba training armed government groups attacking and killing protestors in Venezuela: Babalu
Passengers prepare to exit hijacked flight in Geneva; hijacker (possibly pilot) in custody: Twitchy

Sci-Tech (courtesy BadBlue Tech News)

Facebook Yields to Progressive Insanity, Offers 50+ Choices for Gender Identity: TPNN
Merkel and Hollande to Talk About Avoiding US Servers: CIO
Apple Among Tech Companies Interested in Acquiring Health Tracker Maker Basis: MacRumors

Cornucopia

Droney: Western Rifle Shooters
Warning: Avalanche Danger Remains High: MOTUS
‘Not a Dry Eye Watching This Video’: The Heartwarming Story of ‘A Boy and His Dog’ : Blaze

Image: MOTUS
Sponsored by: Vote in the Right Wing News 2016 Presidential Candidate Survey

QOTD: "[This is just another] one of those columns by Krugman, the red-meat kind that assumes everyone to his right wants to return to the pre-New Deal, pre-Fed, pre-income tax status quo. This is the kind of column meant to close minds, rather than open them. Some on right fit do fit Krugman’s characterization — just as some on the left might want to radically equalize incomes — but hardly all or even most...

The reform conservative movement seeks to strengthen the middle class, reform the safety net, and increase the rewards for low-income work. At the same, it rejects crony capitalist policies that enable vast wealth through government favor rather than innovation. Lots of interesting economic policy ideas are being generated and discussed: wage subsidies, expanded child tax credit, copyright and patent reform, a college completion agenda — just to name a few. Seems like they would make for far more interesting analysis by a Nobel laureate than something meant to confirm the existing biases of readers." ---James Pethokoukis

Sunday, February 16, 2014

Study: Obama is 5th best president in U.S. history

Papa B writes:

A Texas A&M University Study rates Obama as the “5th Best President in our history” From a total of 44 US Presidents: Obama is rated as the 5th best President ever The news release said,"...after only 5 years in office, Americans have rated President Obama the 5th best President ever." The details according to Texas A&M University:

1) Washington, Lincoln and Reagan tied for first,
2) 22 presidents tied for second,
3) 17 other presidents tied for third,
4) Jimmy Carter came in fourth, and
5) Obama came in fifth!


Johnny Boehner has two conservative primary challengers in #OH8 - Meet Eric Gurr and J.D. Winteregg

I'm trying to line up interviews with both of Boehner's primary challengers to get additional background and perspective.


You can find out more about Eric Gurr here and J.D. Winteregg here.