Sick of Olbermann?

You're not the only one. We all know the guy constantly lies about his dismal ratings (which if you listen to him and then look them up, it's easy to see, as this article points out, that the "man" is not only lacking in talent and journalistic integrity, but also, quite clearly, has an ever-shrinking audience and class to boot.

Unfortunately, his time may not be so short as it clearly should be as MSNBC President, Phil Griffin also lives in aworld where the sky seems to be anything but blue.

O'Keefe Speaks Out About Journalistic Malpractice

James O'Keefe, the man along with his assistant and future fellow stellar investigative journalist, Hannah Giles; has spoken out against the bias and malpractice of the mainstream media after his release from jail for allegedly attempting to "interfere" with the office phones of Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) on $10,000 bail.

He catches ACORN with their illegal and immoral pants down and he's lambasted by the left for exposing their corruption, then he is accused of "tapping" or "interfering" with the phones (along with three other men) he calls the MSM out on their bias of it all and he's the one who's the bad guy?

Amazing. The MSM better be careful of what they wish for.

BWA-HA-HA-HA!!

This is just too good for words. Ia there any doubt whatsoever about how much of a total fool this creep is? I mean really, I've seen more reality on Bugs Bunny!

Obama Administration Radicalizing U.S. High Schoolers?

Well, duh! We always knew that, now here's the proof. From Newsbuster's Noel Sheppard comes this doosey. Check out the suggested reading material. Does the name Saul Alinsky ring a bell? And this is all up front. Why is this being allowed to happen? Why doesn't a mainstream reporter nut up and ask the president why he's such a radical socialist and demand an honest answer?

Obama Defends Policies Against Republicans

In a room full of adversaries, that were "respectful" but "disaproving," President Obama faced off with Republican lawmakers in a public question-and-answer session in Baltimore .

I'll give the president props for meeting with what he, the Democrats and the liberal media deem as the "party of no" (that term has always bugged me because one, what do the Dems expect, for the Republicans to just go along with everything they want? To just roll over and simply appease them for appeasment sake so they can pass laws and instill policies that they feel are wrong for the country? And two, this term is undeserving and simply not true, they have, but have been strong-armed by Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid. And regardless of what Obama said in the State of the Union on Wednesday about the Republicans using "fear" persuade or intimidate voters. May I remind everyone of the fear tactics of one Al Gore?

KSM Not to be Tried in New York?

Apparently, not even Mayor Bloomberg is kean on the idea. Neither is Diane Feinstein. Which makes me think I have to agree with Allahpundit from HotAir, that maybe it should be there, if at all.



UPDATE: Nope. New York is out.

State of the Union Address

President Obama gave his first State of the Union address last night and as usual he sounded confident and promised things that he probably won't deliver on. Here is the full transcript of the speech, highlighted with what little I liked (or like to decimate) or was taken in about. Once again Obama lip-serviced about bi-partisanship, he took his shots at the Republicans and the Supreme Court justices. Not a smart move for someone on a four-year plan as opposed to the lifetime tenure his targets on the bench have.

In the aftermath of the Scott Brown victory in Massachusetts, it seemed like Obama was going the route of Bill Clinton and moving to the center on policy. Like Clinton, Obama has been forced into this position; not because of a Republican take-over of Congress, but because he may have seen the anger of the American people and may just finally get it. I doubt it, though. He's just done this too many times for me to believe it.

Madame Speaker, Vice President Biden, Members of Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow Americans:
Our Constitution declares that from time to time, the President shall give to Congress information about the state of our union. For two hundred and twenty years, our leaders have fulfilled this duty. They have done so during periods of prosperity and tranquility. And they have done so in the midst of war and depression; at moments of great strife and great struggle.
President says bank bailout unified country because "we all hated it." It's tempting to look back on these moments and assume that our progress was inevitable – that America was always destined to succeed. But when the Union was turned back at Bull Run and the Allies first landed at Omaha Beach, victory was very much in doubt. When the market crashed on Black Tuesday and civil rights marchers were beaten on Bloody Sunday, the future was anything but certain. These were times that tested the courage of our convictions, and the strength of our union. And despite all our divisions and disagreements; our hesitations and our fears; America prevailed because we chose to move forward as one nation, and one people.
Again, we are tested. And again, we must answer history's call.
One year ago, I took office amid two wars, an economy rocked by severe recession, a financial system on the verge of collapse, and a government deeply in debt. Experts from across the political spectrum warned that if we did not act, we might face a second depression. So we acted – immediately and aggressively. And one year later, the worst of the storm has passed.
But the devastation remains. One in ten Americans still cannot find work. (probably because he made it worse by having an unemployment rate that was at under 8% jump to 10 %. That's what you get when you only create government jobs for your cronies)

Many businesses have shuttered. Home values have declined. (Barney Frank & Chris Dodd-he's talking to you) Small towns and rural communities have been hit especially hard. For those who had already known poverty, life has become that much harder.
This recession has also compounded the burdens that America's families have been dealing with for decades – the burden of working harder and longer for less; of being unable to save enough to retire or help kids with college.
So I know the anxieties that are out there right now. They're not new. These struggles are the reason I ran for President (You mean other than your ego?)These struggles are what I've witnessed for years in places like Elkhart, Indiana and Galesburg, Illinois. I hear about them in the letters that I read each night. The toughest to read are those written by children – asking why they have to move from their home, or when their mom or dad will be able to go back to work.
For these Americans and so many others, change has not come fast enough. Some are frustrated; some are angry. They don't understand why it seems like bad behavior on Wall Street is rewarded but hard work on Main Street isn't; or why Washington has been unable or unwilling to solve any of our problems. They are tired of the partisanship and the shouting and the pettiness. They know we can't afford it. Not now.
So we face big and difficult challenges. And what the American people hope – what they deserve – is for all of us, Democrats and Republicans, to work through our differences; to overcome the numbing weight of our politics. For while the people who sent us here have different backgrounds, different stories and different beliefs, the anxieties they face are the same. The aspirations they hold are shared. A job that pays the bills. A chance to get ahead. Most of all, the ability to give their children a better life.
You know what else they share? They share a stubborn resilience in the face of adversity. After one of the most difficult years in our history, they remain busy building cars (for the government) and teaching kids; starting businesses and going back to school. They're coaching little league and helping their neighbors. As one woman wrote me, "We are strained but hopeful, struggling but encouraged."
It is because of this spirit – this great decency and great strength – that I have never been more hopeful about America's future than I am tonight. Despite our hardships, our union is strong. We do not give up. We do not quit. We do not allow fear or division to break our spirit. In this new decade, it's time the American people get a government that matches their decency; that embodies their strength. (So why are you still here?)
And tonight, I'd like to talk about how together, we can deliver on that promise.
It begins with our economy.
Our most urgent task upon taking office was to shore up the same banks that helped cause this crisis. It was not easy to do. And if there's one thing that has unified Democrats and Republicans, it's that we all hated the bank bailout. I hated it. You hated it. It was about as popular as a root canal.

But when I ran for President, I promised I wouldn't just do what was popular – I would do what was necessary. And if we had allowed the meltdown of the financial system, unemployment might be double what it is today. More businesses would certainly have closed. More homes would have surely been lost.
So I supported the last administration's efforts to create the financial rescue program. And when we took the program over, we made it more transparent and accountable. As a result, the markets are now stabilized (And that's because of a "stimulus" package that 1/3 still hasn't been spent? How does that happen?) and we have recovered most of the money we spent on the banks.
To recover the rest, I have proposed a fee on the biggest banks. I know Wall Street isn't keen on this idea, but if these firms can afford to hand out big bonuses again, they can afford a modest fee to pay back the taxpayers who rescued them in their time of need.
As we stabilized the financial system, we also took steps to get our economy growing again, save as many jobs as possible, and help Americans who had become unemployed.
That's why we extended or increased unemployment benefits for more than 18 million Americans; made health insurance 65% cheaper for families who get their coverage through COBRA; and passed 25 different tax cuts.
Let me repeat: we cut taxes. We cut taxes for 95% of working families. (You Lie!) We cut taxes for small businesses. We cut taxes for first-time home-buyers. We cut taxes for parents trying to care for their children. We cut taxes for 8 million Americans paying for college. As a result, millions of Americans had more to spend on gas, and food, and other necessities, all of which helped businesses keep more workers. And we haven't raised income taxes by a single dime on a single person. Not a single dime. (Except on smokers-so again, you lie!)
Because of the steps we took, there are about two million Americans working right now who would otherwise be unemployed. 200,000 work in construction and clean energy. 300,000 are teachers and other education workers. Tens of thousands are cops, firefighters, correctional officers, and first responders (you mean essential workers that the country couldn't possibly do without?) And we are on track to add another one and a half million jobs to this total by the end of the year. (More Czars?)

The plan that has made all of this possible, from the tax cuts to the jobs, is the Recovery Act. That's right – the Recovery Act, also known as the Stimulus Bill. Economists on the left and the right say that this bill has helped saved jobs and avert disaster. But you don't have to take their word for it. (Well, we're certainly not going to take yours)
Talk to the small business in Phoenix that will triple its workforce because of the Recovery Act. (Of course because of your wonderful immigration laws, there won't be anyone around to fill those jobs due to the mass kidnappings in that city)
Talk to the window manufacturer in Philadelphia who said he used to be skeptical about the Recovery Act, until he had to add two more work shifts just because of the business it created.
Talk to the single teacher raising two kids who was told by her principal in the last week of school that because of the Recovery Act, she wouldn't be laid off after all. (More money into education than into the military-which has done nothing-except maybe in Chicago)
There are stories like this all across America. And after two years of recession, the economy is growing again. Retirement funds have started to gain back some of their value. Businesses are beginning to invest again, and slowly some are starting to hire again.
But I realize that for every success story, there are other stories, of men and women who wake up with the anguish of not knowing where their next paycheck will come from; who send out resumes week after week and hear nothing in response. That is why jobs must be our number one focus in 2010, and that is why I am calling for a new jobs bill tonight.
Now, the true engine of job creation in this country will always be America's businesses. But government can create the conditions necessary for businesses to expand and hire more workers.
We should start where most new jobs do – in small businesses, companies that begin when an entrepreneur takes a chance on a dream, or a worker decides its time she became her own boss. (Why didn't you do that in the first place?)
Through sheer grit and determination, these companies have weathered the recession and are ready to grow. But when you talk to small business owners in places like Allentown, Pennsylvania or Elyria, Ohio, you find out that even though banks on Wall Street are lending again, they are mostly lending to bigger companies. But financing remains difficult for small business owners across the country.
So tonight, I'm proposing that we take $30 billion of the money Wall Street banks have repaid and use it to help community banks give small businesses the credit they need to stay afloat. I am also proposing a new small business tax credit – one that will go to over one million small businesses who hire new workers or raise wages. While we're at it, let's also eliminate all capital gains taxes on small business investment; and provide a tax incentive for all businesses, large and small, to invest in new plants and equipment.
Next, we can put Americans to work today building the infrastructure of tomorrow. From the first railroads to the interstate highway system, our nation has always been built to compete. There's no reason Europe or China should have the fastest trains, or the new factories that manufacture clean energy products.
Tomorrow, I'll visit Tampa, Florida, where workers will soon break ground on a new high-speed railroad funded by the Recovery Act. (And like the one in Seattle, will be a unmitigated failure)There are projects like that all across this country that will create jobs and help our nation move goods, services, and information. We should put more Americans to work building clean energy facilities, and give rebates to Americans who make their homes more energy efficient, which supports clean energy jobs. And to encourage these and other businesses to stay within our borders, it's time to finally slash the tax breaks for companies that ship our jobs overseas and give those tax breaks to companies that create jobs in the United States of America.

The House has passed a jobs bill that includes some of these steps. As the first order of business this year, I urge the Senate to do the same. People are out of work. They are hurting. They need our help. And I want a jobs bill on my desk without delay.
But the truth is, these steps still won't make up for the seven million jobs we've lost over the last two years. (while the Democrtas held total power in Congress) The only way to move to full employment is to lay a new foundation for long-term economic growth, and finally address the problems that America's families have confronted for years.
We cannot afford another so-called economic "expansion" like the one from last decade – what some call the "lost decade" (It's still Bush's fault)– where jobs grew more slowly than during any prior expansion (except of course, between 2002-2006) where the income of the average American household declined while the cost of health care and tuition reached record highs; where prosperity was built on a housing bubble and financial speculation.
From the day I took office, I have been told that addressing our larger challenges is too ambitious – that such efforts would be too contentious, that our political system is too gridlocked, and that we should just put things on hold for awhile.
For those who make these claims, I have one simple question:
How long should we wait? (about as long as it takes for you to make a decision) How long should America put its future on hold?
You see, Washington has been telling us to wait for decades, even as the problems have grown worse. Meanwhile, China's not waiting to revamp its economy. Germany's not waiting. India's not waiting. These nations aren't standing still. These nations aren't playing for second place. They're putting more emphasis on math and science. They're rebuilding their infrastructure. They are making serious investments in clean energy (China & India??) because they want those jobs.
Well I do not accept second-place for the United States of America. As hard as it may be, as uncomfortable and contentious as the debates may be, it's time to get serious about fixing the problems that are hampering our growth.
One place to start is serious financial reform. Look, I am not interested in punishing banks (So you've said) I'm interested in protecting our economy. A strong, healthy financial market makes it possible for businesses to access credit and create new jobs. It channels the savings of families into investments that raise incomes. But that can only happen if we guard against the same recklessness that nearly brought down our entire economy (Barney & Chris?)
We need to make sure consumers and middle-class families have the information they need to make financial decisions. We can't allow financial institutions, including those that take your deposits, to take risks that threaten the whole economy (and if they don't will they be racist?)
The House has already passed financial reform with many of these changes. And the lobbyists are already trying to kill it. Well, we cannot let them win this fight. And if the bill that ends up on my desk does not meet the test of real reform, I will send it back.
Next, we need to encourage American innovation. Last year, we made the largest investment in basic research funding in history – an investment that could lead to the world's cheapest solar cells or treatment that kills cancer cells but leaves healthy ones untouched. And no area is more ripe for such innovation than energy. You can see the results of last year's investment in clean energy – in the North Carolina company that will create 1200 jobs nationwide helping to make advanced batteries; or in the California business that will put 1,000 people to work making solar panels (What about the energy expelled from making those panels?)
But to create more of these clean energy jobs, we need more production, more efficiency, more incentives. That means building a new generation of safe, clean nuclear power plants in this country. It means making tough decisions about opening new offshore areas for oil and gas development. It means continued investment in advanced bio-fuels and clean coal technologies. And yes, it means passing a comprehensive energy and climate bill with incentives that will finally make clean energy the profitable kind of energy in America.
I am grateful to the House for passing such a bill last year. This year, I am eager to help advance the bipartisan effort in the Senate. I know there have been questions about whether we can afford such changes in a tough economy; and I know that there are those who disagree with the overwhelming scientific evidence on climate change (You mean the science that isn't a complete farce that says it isn't man-made?) But even if you doubt the evidence, providing incentives for energy efficiency and clean energy are the right thing to do for our future – because the nation that leads the clean energy economy will be the nation that leads the global economy. And America must be that nation. (That is true)

Third, we need to export more of our goods. Because the more products we make and sell to other countries, the more jobs we support right here in America. So tonight, we set a new goal: We will double our exports over the next five years, an increase that will support two million jobs in America. To help meet this goal, we're launching a National Export Initiative that will help farmers and small businesses increase their exports, and reform export controls consistent with national security.
We have to seek new markets aggressively, just as our competitors are. If America sits on the sidelines while other nations sign trade deals, we will lose the chance to create jobs on our shores. But realizing those benefits also means enforcing those agreements so our trading partners play by the rules. And that's why we will continue to shape a Doha trade agreement that opens global markets, and why we will strengthen our trade relations in Asia and with key partners like South Korea, Panama, and Colombia.
Fourth, we need to invest in the skills and education of our people.
This year, we have broken through the stalemate between left and right by launching a national competition to improve our schools. The idea here is simple: instead of rewarding failure, we only reward success. Instead of funding the status quo, we only invest in reform – reform that raises student achievement, inspires students to excel in math and science, and turns around failing schools that steal the future of too many young Americans, from rural communities to inner-cities. In the 21st century, one of the best anti-poverty programs is a world-class education. In this country, the success of our children cannot depend more on where they live than their potential.

When we renew the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, we will work with Congress to expand these reforms to all fifty states. Still, in this economy, a high school diploma no longer guarantees a good job. I urge the Senate to follow the House and pass a bill that will revitalize our community colleges, which are a career pathway to the children of so many working families. To make college more affordable, this bill will finally end the unwarranted taxpayer-subsidies that go to banks for student loans. Instead, let's take that money and give families a $10,000 tax credit for four years of college and increase Pell Grants. And let's tell another one million students that when they graduate, they will be required to pay only ten percent of their income on student loans, and all of their debt will be forgiven after twenty years – and forgiven after ten years if they choose a career in public service. Because in the United States of America, no one should go broke because they chose to go to college. And it's time for colleges and universities to get serious about cutting their own costs – because they too have a responsibility to help solve this problem.
Now, the price of college tuition is just one of the burdens facing the middle-class. That's why last year I asked Vice-President Biden to chair a task force on Middle-Class Families. That's why we're nearly doubling the child care tax credit, and making it easier to save for retirement by giving every worker access to a retirement account and expanding the tax credit for those who start a nest egg. That's why we're working to lift the value of a family's single largest investment – their home. The steps we took last year to shore up the housing market have allowed millions of Americans to take out new loans and save an average of $1,500 on mortgage payments. This year, we will step up re-financing so that homeowners can move into more affordable mortgages. And it is precisely to relieve the burden on middle-class families that we still need health insurance reform.
Now let's be clear – I did not choose to tackle this issue to get some legislative victory under my belt. And by now it should be fairly obvious that I didn't take on health care because it was good politics.
I took on health care because of the stories I've heard from Americans with pre-existing conditions whose lives depend on getting coverage; patients who've been denied coverage; and families – even those with insurance – who are just one illness away from financial ruin.
After nearly a century of trying, we are closer than ever to bringing more security to the lives of so many Americans. The approach we've taken would protect every American from the worst practices of the insurance industry. It would give small businesses and uninsured Americans a chance to choose an affordable health care plan in a competitive market. It would require every insurance plan to cover preventive care. And by the way, I want to acknowledge our First Lady, Michelle Obama, who this year is creating a national movement to tackle the epidemic of childhood obesity and make our kids healthier (as long as it doesn't take away freedom of choice or control from the parents)
Our approach would preserve the right of Americans who have insurance to keep their doctor and their plan. (You've said that before, too and it's a lie) It would reduce costs and premiums for millions of families and businesses. And according to the Congressional Budget Office – the independent organization that both parties have cited as the official scorekeeper for Congress – our approach would bring down the deficit by as much as $1 trillion over the next two decades. (I'll believe it when I see it)
Still, this is a complex issue, and the longer it was debated, the more skeptical people became. I take my share of the blame for not explaining it more clearly to the American people. And I know that with all the lobbying and horse-trading, this process left most Americans wondering what's in it for them. But I also know this problem is not going away. By the time I'm finished speaking tonight, more Americans will have lost their health insurance. Millions will lose it this year. Our deficit will grow. Premiums will go up. Patients will be denied the care they need. Small business owners will continue to drop coverage altogether. (Or be forced to because it will be cheaper for them to allow the govcernment to cover people. Can you say bankrupt treasury?) I will not walk away from these Americans, and neither should the people in this chamber.

As temperatures cool, I want everyone to take another look at the plan we've proposed. There's a reason why many doctors, nurses, and health care experts who know our system best consider this approach a vast improvement over the status quo. But if anyone from either party has a better approach that will bring down premiums, bring down the deficit, cover the uninsured, strengthen Medicare for seniors, and stop insurance company abuses, let me know. Here's what I ask of Congress, though: Do not walk away from reform. Not now. Not when we are so close. Let us find a way to come together and finish the job for the American people.
Now, even as health care reform would reduce our deficit (Lie!) it's not enough to dig us out of a massive fiscal hole in which we find ourselves. It's a challenge that makes all others that much harder to solve, and one that's been subject to a lot of political posturing.
So let me start the discussion of government spending by setting the record straight. At the beginning of the last decade, America had a budget surplus of over $200 billion. By the time I took office, we had a one year deficit of over $1 trillion and projected deficits of $8 trillion over the next decade. Most of this was the result of not paying for two wars, two tax cuts, and an expensive prescription drug program (which saved countless lives) On top of that, the effects of the recession put a $3 trillion hole in our budget. That was before I walked in the door (Again, it's Bush's fault-even though the Democrat congress approved it all)
Now if we had taken office in ordinary times, I would have liked nothing more than to start bringing down the deficit. But we took office amid a crisis, and our efforts to prevent a second Depression have added another $1 trillion to our national debt. (Wow, did he just tell the truth?)
I am absolutely convinced that was the right thing to do. But families across the country are tightening their belts and making tough decisions. The federal government should do the same. So tonight, I'm proposing specific steps to pay for the $1 trillion that it took to rescue the economy last year.
Starting in 2011, we are prepared to freeze government spending for three years. Spending related to our national security, Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security will not be affected. But all other discretionary government programs will. Like any cash-strapped family, we will work within a budget to invest in what we need and sacrifice what we don't. And if I have to enforce this discipline by veto, I will. (Again, we'll see)
We will continue to go through the budget line by line to eliminate programs that we can't afford and don't work. (and it'll all be on the internet for all to see and on C-SPAN-oh wait, he tried that one already) We've already identified $20 billion in savings for next year. To help working families, we will extend our middle-class tax cuts. But at a time of record deficits, we will not continue tax cuts for oil companies, investment fund managers, and those making over $250,000 a year. We just can't afford it. (or is it $200,000 a year, no wait, $150,000 a year, no wait $100,000 a year, no wait...)
Now, even after paying for what we spent on my watch, we will still face the massive deficit we had when I took office. More importantly, the cost of Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security will continue to skyrocket. That's why I've called for a bipartisan, Fiscal Commission, modeled on a proposal by Republican Judd Gregg and Democrat Kent Conrad. This can't be one of those Washington gimmicks that lets us pretend we solved a problem. The Commission will have to provide a specific set of solutions by a certain deadline. Yesterday, the Senate blocked a bill that would have created this commission. So I will issue an executive order that will allow us to go forward, because I refuse to pass this problem on to another generation of Americans. And when the vote comes tomorrow, the Senate should restore the pay-as-you-go law that was a big reason why we had record surpluses in the 1990s. (other than the Reagan tax cuts)I know that some in my own party will argue that we cannot address the deficit or freeze government spending when so many are still hurting. I agree, which is why this freeze will not take effect until next year, when the economy is stronger. But understand – if we do not take meaningful steps to rein in our debt, it could damage our markets, increase the cost of borrowing, and jeopardize our recovery – all of which could have an even worse effect on our job growth and family incomes.

From some on the right, I expect we'll hear a different argument – that if we just make fewer investments in our people, extend tax cuts for wealthier Americans, eliminate more regulations, and maintain the status quo on health care, our deficits will go away. The problem is, that's what we did for eight years. That's what helped lead us into this crisis. It's what helped lead to these deficits. And we cannot do it again. (then get rid of the idiots in Congress that allowed it to happen)
Rather than fight the same tired battles that have dominated Washington for decades, it's time to try something new. Let's invest in our people without leaving them a mountain of debt. Let's meet our responsibility to the citizens who sent us here. Let's try common sense (I'm afraid that's a foreign term for Democrats)
To do that, we have to recognize that we face more than a deficit of dollars right now. We face a deficit of trust – deep and corrosive doubts about how Washington works that have been growing for years. To close that credibility gap we must take action on both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue to end the outsized influence of lobbyists; to do our work openly; and to give our people the government they deserve (they got it when they voted you in)
That's what I came to Washington to do. (Mmm hmm) That's why – for the first time in history – my Administration posts our White House visitors online. And that's why we've excluded lobbyists from policy-making jobs or seats on federal boards and commissions (or FOX News from media junkets)
But we can't stop there. It's time to require lobbyists to disclose each contact they make on behalf of a client with my Administration or Congress. And it's time to put strict limits on the contributions that lobbyists give to candidates for federal office. Last week, the Supreme Court reversed a century of law to open the floodgates for special interests – including foreign corporations – to spend without limit in our elections. Well I don't think American elections should be bankrolled by America's most powerful interests, or worse, by foreign entities. They should be decided by the American people, and that's why I'm urging Democrats and Republicans to pass a bill that helps to right this wrong. (Now he'as a Supreme Court Justice)
I'm also calling on Congress to continue down the path of earmark reform. You have trimmed some of this spending and embraced some meaningful change. But restoring the public trust demands more. For example, some members of Congress post some earmark requests online. Tonight, I'm calling on Congress to publish all earmark requests on a single website before there's a vote so that the American people can see how their money is being spent. (Like I said, we've heard that one before)

Of course, none of these reforms will even happen if we don't also reform how we work with one another.
Now, I am not naive. I never thought the mere fact of my election would usher in peace, harmony, and some post-partisan era. (You sure as hell did!!) I knew that both parties have fed divisions that are deeply entrenched. And on some issues, there are simply philosophical differences that will always cause us to part ways. These disagreements, about the role of government in our lives, about our national priorities and our national security, have been taking place for over two hundred years. They are the very essence of our democracy.
But what frustrates the American people is a Washington where every day is Election Day. We cannot wage a perpetual campaign where the only goal is to see who can get the most embarrassing headlines about their opponent – a belief that if you lose, I win. Neither party should delay or obstruct every single bill just because they can. The confirmation of well-qualified public servants (unlike yourself) should not be held hostage to the pet projects or grudges of a few individual Senators. (Paging Harry Reid) Washington may think that saying anything about the other side, no matter how false, is just part of the game. But it is precisely such politics that has stopped either party from helping the American people. Worse yet, it is sowing further division among our citizens and further distrust in our government.
So no, I will not give up on changing the tone of our politics. I know it's an election year. And after last week, it is clear that campaign fever has come even earlier than usual. But we still need to govern. To Democrats, I would remind you that we still have the largest majority in decades, and the people expect us to solve some problems, not run for the hills. And if the Republican leadership is going to insist that sixty votes in the Senate are required to do any business at all in this town, then the responsibility to govern is now yours as well. Just saying no to everything may be good short-term politics, but it's not leadership (Again, there's that 'Party of No' crap) We were sent here to serve our citizens, not our ambitions. So let's show the American people that we can do it together. This week, I'll be addressing a meeting of the House Republicans. And I would like to begin monthly meetings with both the Democratic and Republican leadership. I know you can't wait.
Throughout our history, no issue has united this country more than our security. Sadly, some of the unity we felt after 9/11 has dissipated. We can argue all we want about who's to blame for this, but I am not interested in re-litigating the past. I know that all of us love this country. All of us are committed to its defense. So let's put aside the schoolyard taunts about who is tough. Let's reject the false choice between protecting our people and upholding our values. Let's leave behind the fear and division (he better mean both parties)and do what it takes to defend our nation and forge a more hopeful future – for America and the world. (Does that mean getting rid of missle defense systems?)
That is the work we began last year. Since the day I took office, we have renewed our focus on the terrorists who threaten our nation. We have made substantial investments in our homeland security and disrupted plots that threatened to take American lives. We are filling unacceptable gaps revealed by the failed Christmas attack, with better airline security, and swifter action on our intelligence. We have prohibited torture and strengthened partnerships from the Pacific to South Asia to the Arabian Peninsula. And in the last year, hundreds of Al Qaeda's fighters and affiliates, including many senior leaders, have been captured or killed – far more than in 2008. (Of course that has nothing to do with the fact that they were on the run and slowed down their attacks-remember the surge that didn't work Mr. President?)

In Afghanistan, we are increasing our troops and training Afghan Security Forces so they can begin to take the lead in July of 2011, and our troops can begin to come home (Yep, way to give the enemy a date to wait to regroup) We will reward good governance, reduce corruption, and support the rights of all Afghans – men and women alike. We are joined by allies and partners who have increased their own commitment, and who will come together tomorrow in London to reaffirm our common purpose. There will be difficult days ahead. But I am confident we will succeed. As we take the fight to al Qaeda, we are responsibly leaving Iraq to its people. As a candidate, I promised that I would end this war, and that is what I am doing as President. We will have all of our combat troops out of Iraq by the end of this August (Brilliant!) We will support the Iraqi government as they hold elections, and continue to partner with the Iraqi people to promote regional peace and prosperity. But make no mistake: this war is ending, and all of our troops are coming home.

Tonight, all of our men and women in uniform -- in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the world – must know that they have our respect, our gratitude, and our full support. And just as they must have the resources they need in war, we all have a responsibility to support them when they come home. That is why we made the largest increase in investments for veterans in decades. That is why we are building a 21st century VA. And that is why Michelle has joined with Jill Biden to forge a national commitment to support military families.
Even as we prosecute two wars, we are also confronting perhaps the greatest danger to the American people – the threat of nuclear weapons. I have embraced the vision of John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan through a strategy that reverses the spread of these weapons, and seeks a world without them. To reduce our stockpiles and launchers (probably not too wise-in the short term) while ensuring our deterrent, the United States and Russia are completing negotiations on the farthest-reaching arms control treaty in nearly two decades. And at April's Nuclear Security Summit, we will bring forty-four nations together behind a clear goal: securing all vulnerable nuclear materials around the world in four years, so that they never fall into the hands of terrorists.
These diplomatic efforts have also strengthened our hand in dealing with those nations that insist on violating international agreements in pursuit of these weapons. That is why North Korea now faces increased isolation, and stronger sanctions – sanctions that are being vigorously enforced. That is why the international community is more united, and the Islamic Republic of Iran is more isolated. And as Iran's leaders continue to ignore their obligations, there should be no doubt: they, too, will face growing consequences.
That is the leadership that we are providing – engagement that advances the common security and prosperity of all people. We are working through the G-20 to sustain a lasting global recovery. We are working with Muslim communities around the world to promote science, education and innovation. (Great. Give them the knowhow on how to eradicate America) We have gone from a bystander to a leader in the fight against climate change. (What a croc! Climategate means nothing, huh?) We are helping developing countries to feed themselves (how are you doing that when Al Gore won't let them use energy to cook their food?) and continuing the fight against HIV/AIDS. And we are launching a new initiative that will give us the capacity to respond faster and more effectively to bio-terrorism or an infectious disease – a plan that will counter threats at home, and strengthen public health abroad.
As we have for over sixty years, America takes these actions because our destiny is connected to those beyond our shores. (Isn't that called imperialism by the left? Huh, James Cameron?) But we also do it because it is right. That is why, as we meet here tonight, over 10,000 Americans are working with many nations to help the people of Haiti recover and rebuild. That is why we stand with the girl who yearns to go to school in Afghanistan; we support the human rights of the women marching through the streets of Iran (since when?) and we advocate for the young man denied a job by corruption in Guinea. For America must always stand on the side of freedom and human dignity (except in Venezuela and Cuba)

Abroad, America's greatest source of strength has always been our ideals. The same is true at home. We find unity in our incredible diversity, drawing on the promise enshrined in our Constitution: the notion that we are all created equal, that no matter who you are or what you look like, if you abide by the law you should be protected by it; that if you adhere to our common values you should be treated no different than anyone else.
We must continually renew this promise. My Administration has a Civil Rights Division that is once again prosecuting civil rights violations (except the Black Panthers, right Mr. Holder?) and employment discrimination. We finally strengthened our laws to protect against crimes driven by hate. This year, I will work with Congress and our military to finally repeal the law that denies gay Americans the right to serve the country they love because of who they are. We are going to crack down on violations of equal pay laws – so that women get equal pay for an equal day's work. And we should continue the work of fixing our broken immigration system – to secure our borders, enforce our laws, and ensure that everyone who plays by the rules can contribute to our economy and enrich our nations. (Except Mexicans)
In the end, it is our ideals, our values, that built America – values that allowed us to forge a nation made up of immigrants from every corner of the globe; values that drive our citizens still. Every day, Americans meet their responsibilities to their families and their employers. Time and again, they lend a hand to their neighbors and give back to their country. They take pride in their labor, and are generous in spirit. These aren't Republican values or Democratic values they're living by; business values or labor values. They are American values.

Unfortunately, too many of our citizens have lost faith that our biggest institutions – our corporations, our media, and yes, our government – still reflect these same values. Each of these institutions are full of honorable men and women doing important work that helps our country prosper. But each time a CEO rewards himself for failure, or a banker puts the rest of us at risk for his own selfish gain, people's doubts grow. Each time lobbyists game the system or politicians tear each other down instead of lifting this country up, we lose faith. The more that TV pundits reduce serious debates into silly arguments, and big issues into sound bites, our citizens turn away.
No wonder there's so much cynicism out there.
No wonder there's so much disappointment.
I campaigned on the promise of change – change we can believe in, the slogan went. And right now, I know there are many Americans who aren't sure if they still believe we can change – or at least, that I can deliver it.
But remember this – I never suggested that change would be easy, or that I can do it alone. Democracy in a nation of three hundred million people can be noisy and messy and complicated. And when you try to do big things and make big changes, it stirs passions and controversy. That's just how it is.
Those of us in public office can respond to this reality by playing it safe and avoid telling hard truths. We can do what's necessary to keep our poll numbers high, and get through the next election instead of doing what's best for the next generation.
But I also know this: if people had made that decision fifty years ago or one hundred years ago or two hundred years ago, we wouldn't be here tonight. The only reason we are is because generations of Americans were unafraid to do what was hard; to do what was needed even when success was uncertain; to do what it took to keep the dream of this nation alive for their children and grandchildren.
Our administration has had some political setbacks this year, and some of them were deserved. But I wake up every day knowing that they are nothing compared to the setbacks that families all across this country have faced this year. And what keeps me going – what keeps me fighting – is that despite all these setbacks, that spirit of determination and optimism – that fundamental decency that has always been at the core of the American people – lives on.
It lives on in the struggling small business owner who wrote to me of his company, "None of us," he said, "…are willing to consider, even slightly, that we might fail."
It lives on in the woman who said that even though she and her neighbors have felt the pain of recession, "We are strong. We are resilient. We are American."
It lives on in the 8-year old boy in Louisiana, who just sent me his allowance and asked if I would give it to the people of Haiti. And it lives on in all the Americans who've dropped everything to go some place they've never been and pull people they've never known from rubble, prompting chants of "U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A!" when another life was saved.
The spirit that has sustained this nation for more than two centuries lives on in you, its people.
We have finished a difficult year. We have come through a difficult decade. But a new year has come. A new decade stretches before us. We don't quit. I don't quit. Let's seize this moment – to start anew, to carry the dream forward, and to strengthen our union once more.
Thank you. God Bless You. And God Bless the United States of America.

His ideas about creating jobs is promising at best, but he's had ample time to deliver on that, or at least tell us of a grand plan. Too little mention of the War on Terror, too much whining about Republican "interference" (I guess he expects in all his arrogance to have carte blanche) and he's still just campaigning. He sounded good, he tried his best, but in the end; not good enough Mr. President.

Apparently, I'm in the majority in that opinion. Here is the "internet buzz" on the popularity and/or acceptance of the president's speech. Not to good.

Rassmusen also indicates the public isn't buying Obama's stories either.




The Republican rebuttal by Virginia Governor, Bob McDonnell:

Entrapment Alleged at Toronto Terror Trial

Oh, so he was tricked into being a terrorist...I see.

Canadian Professor Blasts Climate Panel

They're coming out of the woodwork now. I guess it's safe to speak your mind now that the frauds have been exposed and there's a lot of light on them.

Governmental Flow Chart

Aint't it the truth.

FOX News Most Trusted

Predictable. Deal with it lefties.

Cafferty Blasts Pelosi Again

Awesome. There may be hope for this guy yet.

AP Insinuates Right Wing Conspiracy on O'Keefe Arrest

It's bad enough that the man who exposed the corruption of ACORN is the one who gets arrested on some bogus charge of "phone tampering," but now the always "fair and balanced" Associated Press is speculating the "right wing" was involved in James O'Keefe's sting operation and knew more than they're letting on.

It's funny isn't it that after only 17 hours the networks are all over this story, yet buried the actual ACORN corruption story that O'Keefe exposed? Let's hear it for objectivity.

Again...unbelievable.

What Will His Cronies in the MSM Say About This One?

Chris Tingle is back. Not a week after trying to straighten out the always insane Howard Dean, the magnanimous one seemed to forget President Obama was black. Wow! Talk about ignorant. This guy, along with Keith Olberloon (and seemingly every "douchebagger" employed at A Mess NBC) loves to throw around the racist label, yet if anyone not far-left liberal, Democrat or a minority constantly gets away with such language without any fear of repercussions from their MSM brethren. I know everyone is sick of hearing about my MSM complaints, but really, doesn't it bother anybody on the left even that these so-called journalists (and mostly ex-Democrat strategists and speech writers) at "The Mess" that just insult the black community by treating them as ignorant children and fodder for their political and bias agendas?

UPDATE: Matthews "clarified" his remarks, saying:

"I think he's done something wonderful," Matthews said. "I think he's taken us beyond black and white in our politics, wonderfully so, in just a year."

So obviously, he's excused.
And if you're white, it's simply "traumatic" to have a black president...

UPDATE: As a matter of fact, Joy Behar brought up Matthews post-State of the Union comment during her interview of her colleague, Whoopi Goldberg. After playing the clip of the MSNBC host, Behar asked Goldberg, “What do you think he was driving at there? Because he’s a lefty- you know, he’s liberal, and he likes Obama. And yet, he says something stupid like that- you know, I forgot he was black. He would never say I forgot he was white if he was looking at Bush.”

See? Excused. Nothing to see here.

Lee Iacocca's Words of Wisdom

Want to know what one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the history of America thinks about the current economy/Obama situation...?

Remember Lee Iacocca, the man who rescued Chrysler Corporation from its death throes? He's now 82 years old and has a new book, 'Where Have All The Leaders Gone?'.

He says: 'Am I the only guy in this country who's fed up with what's happening? Where the hell is our outrage with this so called president? We should be screaming bloody murder! We've got a gang of tax cheating clueless leftists trying to steer our ship of state right over a cliff, we've got corporate gangsters stealing us blind, and we can't even run a ridiculous cash-for-clunkers program without losing $26 billion of the taxpayers' money, much less build a hybrid car. But instead of getting mad, everyone sits around and nods their heads when the politicians say,'trust me the economy is getting better. 'Better? You've got to be kidding. This is America, not the damned, 'Titanic'. I'll give you a sound bite: 'Throw all the Democrats out along with Obama!' You might think I'm getting senile, that I've gone off my rocker, and maybe I have. But someone has to speak up. I hardly recognize this country anymore..The most famous business leaders are not the innovators but the guys in handcuffs. While we're fiddling in Afghanistan, Iran is completing their nuclear bombs and missiles and nobody seems to know what to do. And the liberal press is waving 'pom-poms' instead of asking hard questions. That's not the promise of the America my parents and yours traveled across the ocean for. I've had enough. How about you?

I'll go a step further. You can't call yourself a patriot if you're not outraged. This is a fight I'm ready and willing to have. The Biggest 'C' is Crisis! (Iacocca elaborates on nine C's of leadership, with crisis being the first.)Leaders are made, not born. Leadership is forged in times of crisis. It's easy to sit there with thumb up your butt and talk theory. Or send someone else's kids off to war when you've never seen a battlefield yourself. It's another thing to lead when your world comes tumbling down.On September 11, 2001, we needed a strong leader more than any other time in our history. We needed a steady hand to guide us out of the ashes. A hell of a mess, so here's where we stand.We're immersed in a bloody war now with no plan for winning and no plan for leaving... But our soldiers are dying daily. We're running the biggest deficit in the history of the world, and it's getting worse every day! We've lost the manufacturing edge to Asia, while our once-great companies are getting slaughtered by health care costs. Gas prices are going to skyrock again, and nobody in power has a lucid plan to open drilling to solve the problem. This country has the largest oil reserves in the WORLD, and we cannot drill for it because the politicians have been bought by the tree-hugging environmentalists.

Our schools are in a complete disaster because of the teachers union. Our borders are like sieves and they want to give all illegals amnesty and free healthcare. The middle class is being squeezed to death every day. These are times that cry out for leadership.But when you look around, you've got to ask: 'Where have all the leaders gone?' Where are the curious, creative communicators? Where are the people of character, courage, conviction, omnipotence, and common sense? I may be a sucker for alliteration, but I think you get the point..Name me a leader who has a better idea for homeland security than making us take off our shoes in airports and throw away our shampoo?We've spent billions of dollars building a huge new bureaucracy, and all we know how to do is react to things that have already happened.Everyone's hunkering down, fingers crossed, hoping the government will make it better for them. Now, that's just crazy.. Deal with life.

Name me an industry leader who is thinking creatively about how we can restore our competitive edge in manufacturing. Who would have believed that there could ever be a time when 'The Big Three' referred to Japanese car companies? How did this happen, and more importantly, look what Obama did about it!

Name me a government leader who can articulate a plan for paying down the debit, or solving the energy crisis, or managing the health care problem. The silence is deafening. But these are the crises that are eating away at our country and milking the middle class dry. I have news for the Chicago gangsters in Congress. We didn't elect you to turn this country into a losing European Socialist state. What is everybody so afraid of? That some bonehead on NBC or CNN news will call them a name? Give me a break. Why don't you guys show some spine for a change? Had Enough? Hey, I'm not trying to be the voice of gloom and doom here. I'm trying to light a fire. I'm speaking out because I have hope - I believe in America. In my lifetime, I've had the privilege of living through some of America's greatest moments. I've also experienced some of our worst crises: The 'Great Depression,' 'World War II,' the 'Korean War,' the 'Kennedy Assassination,' the 'Vietnam War,' the 1970's oil crisis, and the struggles of recent years since 9/11.

Make your own contribution by sending this to everyone you know and care about. It's our country, folks, and it's our future. Our future is at stake!!

America Remains Center Right

Not only have there been conservative to "moderate" leaders brought to power globally in the last few years, but the U.S. and Canada in particular have had conservative leaderships voted in time and time again. This column by the Wall Street Journal's Gerald F. Sieb (with chart included) shows that this due to the fact that these nation's populous have center-right ideologies (at last count the percentage of these conservative governments to liberal ones stands at 70%-30% in the U.S. and 65%-45% in Canada) and simply reject the ideas and policies of left-wing governments that are clearly being demonstrated by the plummeting popularity numbers of President Obama and the Democrats in Congress. This couldn't possibly be why historically, when right of center governments are in power in the two countries, they, often than not, experience economic stability if not a full-blown economic boom?

Obama's Copenhagen Syndrome

A great article by the Wall Street Journal's Bret Stephens about the president's ego, dictator appeasement and ultimate failures because of them.
It seems Obama is turning the Democrats into the party of "me."

Obama Freezes Spending

A little too late?
President Obama wants to freeze government spending on everything except essentials, i.e Pentagon spending, the war, and entitlement programs. Didn't the president chastise Bush for pretty much the same thing? Oh right, of course he did.

Economists don't think it'll make much of a difference in regards to the deficit, which Team Obama said would "cut the deficit by between $10 billion and $15 billion in fiscal 2011."
"The [economists] said the proposed freeze would not affect entitlement programs but argued it could help set a tone of fiscal discipline. " But also, "From a macro-economic perspective, I don't think there will be a huge affect in 2011," the official said.

In other words, this "freezing" has no teeth. It will encompass a 3% spending freeze over 10 years. How much do you want to bet any useless, fruitless social program will not be touched?

Here's a good breakdown and opinion piece from Moonbattery.

Stewart Now Mocks Obama

Besides the right-wing media and bloggers, he's the only one. Can anyone guess why no one is asking why he needed a teleprompter to talk to grade-school children? Is this guy getting more pathetic by the hour?

See How Easy it Is?

For the Dems to revise history that is. Forget that owning a pick-up now clearly means you're a racist, this Gibbs dude is just out and out...out of it. It didn't make any sense when Obama said it (and remember, he's supposed to be the brilliant Great Communicator) it makes even less sense when Gibbsy parrots it. It's bad enough the president thinks Americans are stupid because they don't get it, but to have your press secratary reiterate the insult is kinda why he's not very popular these days.

H/T to Amy Proctor.

Another Lefty Anti-Obama Rant

These are getting more and more frequent aren't they? I mean where's the love of Mayor McHopey-Changey?

Other than the typical revising of history that these liberal reporters like to do, in particular the blaming of the Republicans for their so-called "scorched earth campaign" that he likes to put it, that is the whole economic meltdown of the last year, instead of blaming those who are actually responsible like Chris Dodd, Chuck Schumer and Barney Frank, and actually saying that Obama is already on the right a la Bill Clinton; columnist, David Michael Green pretty much sums up what the rest of the sane and rational people in this world already knew and what the Democrats are just admitting, Obama isn't that good of a president, namely:

* He does not lead. Americans, especially in times of crisis, want their daddy-president to pick a point on the horizon and lead them to it. Often - especially in the short term - they don't even care that much which point it is. They will happily follow a president whose policies they oppose if he will but lead.

* And if he will demonstrate some conviction. I have never seen a president so utterly lacking in passion. This man literally doesn't even seem to care about himself, let alone this or that policy issue. He doesn't seem to have any strong opinions on anything, a sure prescription for presidential failure.

* He has therefore let Congress ‘lead' on nearly every issue, another surefire mistake. Instead of demanding that they pass real stimulus legislation - which would have really stimulated the economy, big-time, and right now - he let those dickheads on the Hill just load up a big pork party blivet of a bill with all the pet projects they could find, designed purely to benefit their personal standing with the voters at home, rather than to actually produce jobs for Americans. And on health care, his signature issue, he did the same thing. "You guys write it, and I'll sign the check." Could there possibly be a greater prescription for failure than allowing a bunch of the most venal people on the planet to cobble together a 2,000 page monstrosity that entirely serves their interests and those of the people whose campaign bribes put them in office?

* Well, yes, now that you mention it. If you really want to bring your government crashing to the ground, why not spend endless months negotiating with vicious thugs, who will never vote for your legislation anyhow, because they are so entirely devoted to your destruction that they're willing to call you a granny murderer? What a great and winning strategy!

* Another possible strategic move even stupider than deferring to Congress to write major legislation is to cozy up with the least popular people on the planet - including, in fact, the real-life granny killers. Got an economy that is so raw it's leaving thousands in literal peril of losing their lives? Why not draft some legislation to bail-out the people who created that mess and guarantee that they retain their multimillion dollar bonuses?!?! You know, the same folks who are always talking about how great capitalism is and how important it is to take risks! The same ones who are always telling us how awful the government is - the same government that saved them from extinction. Those folks. That's right, bail out with outrageous bonuses the very people who need it least and who caused billions of people around the planet to suffer, while leaving everyone else to fend for themselves! That'll raise your presidential job approval ratings every time! And while you're at it, bring in the much beloved health insurance and pharmaceutical corporate lobbyists, and negotiate a deal with them to craft your high profile health care legislation! What voter can't get behind that?

* Another brilliant presidential tactic is to be such a Mr. Happy Nice Face that you acknowledge no enemies for the country, or even yourself. Not the health care corporate vampires who suck the blood out of Americans from San Diego to Bangor, providing absolutely no value-added health service whatsoever, while denying treatment to deathly ill human beings at every opportunity, all to rake in billions more in profits. Not the reckless pirates on Wall Street who bet all our money on insane gambles that wrecked the global economy, took government bail-out money to survive, and yet are still drowning in bonuses as rewards. Not the Republican Party who spent three decades downsizing the middle class, plunging the country into wars based on lies, deregulating every protection in sight, fattening up corporate cronies, wrecking the environment, trashing the Constitution and polarizing the country politically. And not even a catastrophic climate disaster speeding toward the planet with relentless determination. No! We must all be happy and talk nice! No bad guys. Not even the bad guys can be bad guys.

* While you're at it, if you're trying to run the most failed presidency ever, a really good idea is to campaign in the grandest terms possible, and then deliver squat. You know, talk about bending the arc of history. Invoke Martin Luther King's dream and his struggles and even those of the slaves. Ring the big bells of generational calling. Remind voters every thirty seconds that the country badly needs "Change!". Then get elected and turn around and continue the policies of your hated predecessor in every meaningful policy area. Only with less conviction. People will love that.

* A related brilliant move is to mobilize a giant army of passionate volunteers dedicated to putting you in the White House, and then do nothing with them once you get there, other than taking them completely for granted and never calling upon them to do anything in support of your agenda. Be sure to deflate their enthusiasm in every way possible.

* Even more importantly, if you're trying to run your presidency into the ground you'll definitely want to avoid mobilizing the general public behind your agenda. To make sure that you don't repeat the great legislative victories of FDR or LBJ or (unfortunately) Reagan or (really unfortunately) Little Bush, never use their method of appealing directly to the people. Never express your legislative program as a moral imperative, a great calling to the nation. Never attempt to rally the public behind your cause. Never express any urgency. And never call upon them to demand that Congress pass your bills. Then, you can rest assured they won't!

* And let's take it up a whole ‘nuther level, while we're on the subject. A successful president is one who articulates a strong and compelling narrative for the nation. So, in your quest to avoid rising even to mediocrity, be sure to leave a great big gaping canyon where that whole narrative thing is supposed to go. No New Deal, no Great Society, no New Frontier or War on Terror for you. Nope! Just a thousand little projects with little non-solutions to big problems. Hey, why not inject yourself into Cambridge, Massachusetts community police politics while you're at it! Or the New York State Democratic Party gubernatorial primary! Or you could deliberate for weeks about which breed of dog to get for your kids! That's a great use of the president's political capital!

* As long as you're walking away from the grand narrative, why not let the opposition define you as well? Let them say anything imaginable about you, and never respond. You're a socialist! No, you're a fascist! No, you're both! At the same time, no less! You're a granny killer! You're not really even an American! You're taking over the US for the Muslims! You're a massive taxer and spender! You're running around the world, apologizing for America everywhere you go! No worries. Just remember the golden rule, and your presidency is sure to sink: Never engage, never respond, never preempt, never attack, never fight back.

* In general, you'll also want to take the most important power the president has - the bully pulpit - and totally piss it away. Appear everywhere at once, all the time, saying lots of nice words, about a thousand different issues. But never with passion, never with compelling simplicity, never with repetition, and never with urgency. Pretty soon you'll turn being everywhere into being nowhere. Everyone one will tune out your ubiquitous self. Give up the high moral ground which is the most important asset of the office you hold, and you'll make sure that no one ever listens to you anymore. You will persuade the public of nothing. Except that you are irrelevant.

* But you can do better still. Help your enemies, so that they can crush you more effectively! Start by not even realizing they are your enemies. Then, treat them with greater respect than your friends, even though they've run the country over a cliff. Defer to them at every opportunity. Consult with them even as they insult you to your face. Allow them to run Congress, even though they have small minorities in both houses. Never force them to vote against simple, popular legislation. Never call their bluffs. Never associate them with the destruction they've caused. Never label them the treasonous hypocritical liars that they are. Help them to resuscitate the comatose near-corpse of their political party, just before it's about to die, so it can rise up and savage you.

* Another great trick for crashing a presidency is to pick all the wrong priorities to ‘fight' for. Imagine, for example, if FDR had substituted for his ‘Day of Infamy' speech right after Pearl Harbor a ringing call for an American revolution in cobbler technology! Yes, that's right, in response to the devastating surprise attack by the armed forces of the Empire of Japan, what if the president urgently called upon us all to start making really amazing shoes?! Before it's too late, and we all get blisters on our feet! Similarly, Mr. Obama, your spending the last year on (jive) health care and jetting around the world dipping your toes into foreign policy problems while Americans are losing their jobs and their houses is a fine way to kill your presidency. Guaranteed to work every time.

* And, finally, perhaps the most important thing one can do - and the thing that helps explain many of the other items above - is to adopt really, really pathetic policies. If you're doing a stimulus bill, for example, make sure that it's too little money, not targeted at real stimulative levers in the economy, costs a lot, doesn't kick in for a year or two, gives away about a third of the money to ineffective pet projects for Republican while none of them vote for it anyhow, and leaves the unemployment rate stuck at a miserable ten percent. Or, if you're doing a bail-out of the banks for the purpose of producing the liquidity essential to restarting the economy, let them take bonuses as big as they want, and don't actually require that they loan out to anyone the money you've given them. Or, how about spending nearly all your political capital on ‘health care' legislation, which is really an insurance company boondoggle bill instead? That's really what the people want, eh? No wonder Obama's not out there writing the narrative, fighting the good fight or crushing his enemies. Even he can't get excited about his own priorities, so extraordinarily abysmal are they.

You did see this typical lefty turn-coat vitriol (for their own guy, no less) didn't you?

"Of course, I don't give a s**t about Barack Obama anymore, other than my desire that really ugly things happen to him as payment in kind for the grandest act of betrayal we've seen since Benedict Arnold did his thing. But what about the country?" (edit mine)

Again, where's the love?

If people like Green would have only awoken from this fairy tale of theirs sooner and realized this. Say November 3rd, 2008?

So Bush Was Right...Again

Why don't they just admit they don't know what the hell they're doing and Bush had it right? These are enemy combatants arrested in the theatre of battle. Or better yet, save the taxpayers exorbitant amounts of money and just shoot them already.

Canadian Hero Was a Spy

I was too young to really remember Ken Taylor's involvement in the saving of American diplomats from Iranian students (including current Iranian president and whack job, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad) when they rushed the U.S. embassy and took 63 Americans hostage (releasing 11
and holding the rest for 444 days until Ronald Reagan was inaugurated and they got wise) I was only 11, but I have obviously read and heard about it over the years. Ken Taylor is a not only an American hero, but a Canadian one as well.

It turns out he was an American spy, a position brokered in a deal with Jimmy Carter and then-Prime Minister, Joe Clark. The information was revealed in a new book, Our Man in Tehran," by Trent University historian, Robert Wright.

Thousands Protest Harper Shutting Down Parliament

Thousands of angry Canadians across the country joined rallies Saturday to Prime Minister, Stephen Harper's decision to suspend parliament.

As a conservative and, more importantly, a Canadian citizen, I'm not too happy about this myself. It was just when he did it to combat the "alliance" that former Liberal leader Stephane Dion made with the communist NDPs and separatist Bloc Quebecois, but this is a little bit different. Actually, this time it's a lot different. His critics (and many citizens) are questioning if Harper's reason is just so he can avoid questions on some of his policies. I may have to agree...slightly.

Mind you, the biggest crowds were in the liberal bastion of Toronto.

And having Jack Layton telling us about democracy and telling Harper that parliament is "not his house, it's the people's house," is first of all meaningless coming from him and second, it seems Layton can't even come up with his own line of chastising. Didn't Scott Brown say the same thing about the seat left behind by Ted Kennedy? (It's not Ted Kennedy's seat, it's the people's seat") And as for Michael Ignatieff, isn't he still too proud to be an American? ("It's my country, too")

But still, the prorouge this time around is a bit too un-democratic for my tastes.

Way Too Much...

Maybe this column by the of the ever-vigilant and brilliant mind of Mark Steyn should have been entitled "Too Much of Not Enough," because that's certainly what Barack Obama has delivered.
The Weekly Standard’s Stephen Hayes hit it right on the head when he said about Obama, “Everything is political and everything is about appearances.”
Right on.

More Global Warming Lies Exposed

This wasn't "wrongly reported," with all the information they had that was purposely suppressed, it was a lie.

Glacier Scientist Admits Fraud.

It's all falling apart for the alarmists.

Canadian Jailed for Supplying Arms

A Canadian "citizen" has been sentenced to 26 years in prison for his role in plotting to supply arms to the Tamil Tigers.

Again, doesn't Canada have a wonderful immigration policy?

Look Out From Above

According to a new report by the National Academy of Sciences, the U.S. government is not doing enough to adhere to a congressionally-ordered mandate to find smaller, less-seen asteroids that are a potential threat to the Earth.


Near-death asteroids and other facts.

Kucinich Threatens O'Reilly with Facism

I know the Dems are all drunk with power (although since Scott Brown won the special Mass. Senatorial election they're sobering up real quick, aren't they?) and they seem to think the constitution's checks and balances don't apply to them, but does Dennis Kucinich really think he can threaten a successful, free-market television and radio host with brown-shirt tactics? Apparently so, and he's a liberal Democrat remember, so free pass for him.

Obama Blames Bush Yet Again

For a guy who recently said, "The buck stops with me," he sure likes to avoid a lot of blame doesn't he? This time it's George W. Bush's fault that Scott Brown won the vacant Massachusetts senatorial seat. As Amy Proctor at Bottom Line Up Front said, "So let’s get this straight: the people of Massachusetts are so angry with Bush that they voted in a Republican who Obama claimed voted with the GOP over 95% of the time?"

Kooky, man, kooky.

The End of Air America

It was only a matter of time. A bad day for freedom of speech and choice, but a good day for level-headed, logical talk-radio.

"Since Rush Limbaugh established himself as a radio phenomenon in 1991, and spawned a new genre of political talk (including Air America), the country has elected two Democrats to the U.S. Presidency in three of the last five elections."

Ahem. And only one of them was a two-termer. That of course being Bill Clinton, and even he was propelled to the White House thanks to Ross Perot splitting the conservative vote between himself and George H.W. Bush. Obama will only be a one-termer, and Jimmy Carter? *chuckle*

"...the radio dominance of Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Michael Savage is as irrelevant as the failure of Air America. Radio spielers don't shape legislative policy."

So what is the relevency of their cosmic failure then Richard? And if you're correct, what's with the above credit to the network for getting the "last two Democrats to the U.S. Presidency in three of the last five elections" if radio "spielers" don't shape legislative policy?

Air America was just an amateur radio station with hosts and shows that were full of vitriol for conservatives and no knowledge of the pulse of the American people. Moreover, they were just baaaad radio shows filled with hatred for anything not frothing-from-the-mouth liberal, thus the abysmal ratings and lack of willing and substantial sponsors. People just didn't want to hear it.

Again, too bad for choice, but really, good riddance.

Stewart Mocks Olbermann

This is fantastic. I don't agree with the guy over 80% of the time, but at least he's honest, at least he thinks so, even when I may not. When he showed his colors after 9/11, he secretly had me then. Then recently, he mocked CNN for "fact-checking" a SNL sketch. That was good. Now this. Like I said, I hardly agree with him, but he gives classic liberalism some credibility.
Don't expect me to sing his praises too much, though.

Oh, You Gotta See This!

This is awesome! Not that it's anything new, but James Carroll really had me in stitches with this one. Is he trying to be funny? I mean really. This is just too rich.

Man, these libs and their excuses. I expected Olberloon and the whole race thing. I even expected the smears on Scott Brown and his family, you know, typical liberal stuff. But this one...whooo, coo-coo.

"Toronto 18" Member Recieves One Day in Jail

They were going to storm the Canadian parliament building in Ottawa and kill several prominent Canadian politicians, including Prime Minister, Stephen Harper. I'm speechless. It's open season on Canadian politicians. Don't you just love our immigration policy?

The leader has apparently had a change of heart. Convenient.
But wait. He's a changed man now. Aw, well, there's nothing to worry about then. It's not like this will ever happen again. Nobody's going to copy or finish the job. Nah, because these 18 (and their American co-conspiritors) are the only radical Islamists in Canada! There are no sleeper cells here. What are you talking about?

Will Gregory Take the Lead?

Don't get your hopes up, but NBC's David Gregory told the world on "Morning Joe" yesterday morning that the Tea Party movement nation-wide aren't really "racist, angry white men with guns" that "hate" the president but are merely concerned citizens that are worried about their health coverages and fed up mass government overspending.

Even Chris Tingle said that Howard Dean was crazy for suggesting that the Massachusetts voters actually voted in Scott Brown because they wanted an even more liberal health care bill:

He even says he's worried about big government?

"Basically...this health care bill is too big, it`s too much government. We don`t know what`s in there. And by the way, it`s being sold to the people state-by-state in a corrupt fashion."
"I look at the numbers and I`m worried. I`m worried about this government committing itself to so many entitlement programs and committing itself to such a level of taxation that support those entitlement programs."

This is Chris Matthews saying this, folks. But as for conservatives being hypocrites. Perhaps sometimes, but as for Matthews himself? I think a commenter said it best...
"He['s] parroting what conservatives have said all along............the very ideas and values he has been ridiculing and thumbing his nose at for years."

However, another reader had another good point, "He did the same thing in September 2001 when it was politically expedient to do so. He then reverted back to his leftist ways. He'll snap out of it in a couple of days."

As the story suggests, this is a long way from when Gregory likened the Tea Party protesters to domestic terrorist, Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh when speaking to Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK)

"All right. But let's talk about the tone of the debate. There have been death threats against members of Congress, there are Nazi references to members of Congress and to the president. Here are some of the images. The president being called a Nazi, his reform effort being called Nazi-like, referring to Nazi Germany, members of Congress being called the same. And then there was this image this week outside of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, a town hall event that the president had, this man with a gun strapped to his leg held that sign, "It is time to water the tree of liberty." It was a reference to that famous Thomas Jefferson quote, "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." That has become a motto for violence against the government. Timothy McVeigh, the Oklahoma City bomber, had that very quote on his shirt the day of the bombing of the Murrah building when 168 people were killed."

Quite the turn around, huh? But don't expect the rest of the liberal media to jump on board as enthusiastically just yet...if ever.

Obama's First Year-Triumphs and Failures

Well, it's been one year since America made the Great Mistake and propelled Barack Hussein Obama into the White House. As people around the nation (nay the world) realize what a colossal faux pas this was, let's take a look at his hits and misses. Surprisingly, there were a couple of hits:

-He raised the image of America abroad, as demonstrated by his selection and undeserving win of the Nobel Peace Prize.

-He drew praise by going to Dover Air Force Base to witness the return of some American soldiers killed in action.

-He signed legislation in February to expand publicly funded insurance for children, reducing the number of uninsured youths by half. In my opinion, this is one of the best things he ever could have done.

-He saw the Senate confirm his choice for the Supreme Court, Sonia Sotomayor, as the first Latino justice on the high court.
*Of course the Republicans had the first Latino justice thing sewn up with Bush's nomination of Miguel Estrada back in 2001, but the Dems in all their closet racism would not allow it.

-He signed into law a bill designed to protect debt-ridden consumers from surprise charges from credit card companies.

-And he set a new record for getting Congress to vote a president’s way, clinching 96.7 percent of the votes on which he had clearly staked a position — breaking the record set by President Lyndon Johnson in 1965, according to Congressional Quarterly.

But on the negative side...

-Within days of taking office, Obama broke his pledge not to raise any taxes on those making less than $250,000 a year by imposing a tax hike of 61 cents on a pack of cigarettes. Measures the president supports would hike taxes by $2.1 trillion over 10 years, according to Americans for Tax Reform.

-Just weeks after moving into the White House, Obama signed an executive order to shut down the detainee center at Guantanamo Bay and ordered it closed within a year. Nearly a year after he signed the order, the facility remains open.

-The administration decided to try Khalid Sheik Mohammed and other 9/11 terrorists in a civilian court in New York rather than in a military court, prompting critics to predict a “public show trial.”

-Obama traveled to Copenhagen, Denmark, in an effort to convince Olympics officials to stage the 2016 games in Chicago. They chose Rio de Janeiro instead. Chicago was eliminated after the first ballot.

-Obama also traveled to Copenhagen for the much-ballyhooed climate change conference, but the bid to forge a broad alliance against global warming fell short, and the Obama-favored cap-and-trade legislation appears to be dead in Congress.

-The president dithered for months before finally agreeing to send additional troops to Afghanistan, then drew criticism for setting a date for U.S. withdrawal. A recent Quinnipiac University poll found that less than half of respondents approve of Obama’s handling of the war overall.

-Obama said he would end the war in Iraq. During the year since he took office, 473 more soldiers have died there and elsewhere, and troops remain in Iraq.

-Obama’s efforts to seek a diplomatic solution to Iran’s nuclear program have produced no results, and the Islamic Republic appears more determined than ever to acquire nuclear weapons.

-Diplomacy also has failed to rein in North Korea’s nuclear weapons and missile programs.

-When mass demonstrations against the Iranian government broke out in June, Obama angered and disappointed opponents of the regime by sidestepping any condemnation of Iran’s use of force against protesters, and said the Islamic Republic had time to regain “legitimacy” in the eyes of the Iranian people.

-Despite a campaign pledge to allow C-SPAN to televise congressional meetings, Obama and the Democrats have rebuffed a request from C-SPAN to air healthcare discussions and the final version of the healthcare bill will now be hammered out behind closed doors.

-Obama also pledged to usher in a new era of bipartisanship, then went more than six months without meeting with Republican leaders on healthcare.

-Obama stirred outrage when he appeared to bow to Saudi King Abdullah at a G-20 meeting in London, a move the Washington Times called an “extraordinary protocol violation.” Despite the criticism, the president also bowed to Japanese Emperor Akihito during a November visit trip to Tokyo.

-Candidate Obama vowed that no lobbyists would work in his White House. President Obama waived that rule in June for Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn, who was a registered lobbyist for a defense contractor. Other lobbyists serving in the Obama administration include Ron Kirk, U.S. Trade Representative, and Cecilia Munoz, intergovernmental affairs director at the White House.

-Obama angered ally Israel by calling for an end to new Jewish settlements in the West Bank, then backed down when Israel’s prime minister refused to halt new construction.

-The Obama White House launched an all-out attack on Fox News in an attempt to stifle opposition to its liberal policies, only to see ratings for the cable network soar.

-Obama had to accept ultimate responsibility when the so-called underwear bomber incident exposed serious gaps in the system for detecting and preventing terrorist plots.

-Security at the White House itself was shown to be porous when two uninvited guests crashed an event honoring the prime minister of India.

-Obama nominated former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle to be Health and Human Services secretary. Daschle withdrew his name amid a growing controversy over his failure to accurately report and pay income taxes.

-The confirmation of Hilda Solis as Secretary of Labor was stalled when it came to light that her husband had paid about $6,400 to settle numerous tax liens against his business dating to 1993.

-At his Senate confirmation hearings, it was revealed that Treasury Secretary nominee Timothy Geithner had not paid $35,000 in self-employment taxes for several years. He also deducted the cost of his children's sleep-away camp as a dependent care expense, when only expenses for day care are eligible for the deduction.

-Annette Nazareth, who was nominated for Deputy Treasury Secretary to help Geithner, withdrew for undisclosed "personal reasons" following a month-long probe into her taxes and other matters.

-President-elect Obama designated New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson for appointment to the Commerce Secretary position. A month later, Richardson announced his decision to withdraw his nomination as a result of an investigation into improper business dealings in New Mexico.

-Obama appointed Van Jones to be the administration’s “green jobs” czar in March. But he became embroiled in controversy over his past political activities, including his 1990s association with a Marxist group and a public comment disparaging Congressional Republicans, and resigned in September.

-Nancy Killefer stepped down from consideration to become the government’s first chief performance officer when it was learned her past performance included failure to pay taxes for her household help.

-In July, Harvard University professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., was arrested at his home by Cambridge, Mass., police officer Sgt. James Crowley, who was responding to a report of a break-in, and charged with disorderly conduct. Obama created a furor by commenting that the Cambridge police acted “stupidly” in arresting the African-American teacher. That led to the Obama-moderated “Beer Summit” between Gates and Crowley, which Townhall.com called “the most demeaning moment of any president in recent memory.”

-When the administration announced that the U.S. Census would be directed by the White House under the auspices of Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, Republicans warned that will politicize apportionment of House seats, redistricting, and distribution of federal aid.

-Obama appointed as his Secretary of Commerce Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, who had voted in 1995 to abolish the Commerce Department. In the face of reports that the administration would move the Census, typically run by the Commerce Department, out of Gregg’s jurisdiction, he withdrew his name from consideration.

-When British Prime Minister Gordon Brown became the first head of government to visit the White House, Obama let word out that the bust of Churchill that Prime Minister Tony Blair had presented to the U.S. as a gift from the British people had been returned to the British Embassy.

-Obama also canceled a joint news conference with Brown and excluded British reporters from covering Obama’s press conference, an act the London Daily Telegraph called “rudeness personified towards Britain.”

-A month later he gave a gift to Queen Elizabeth: An iPod full of his own speeches.
Obama eased travel and remittance restrictions on Cuba. But Fidel Castro later said Obama "misinterpreted" what his brother Raul had said. Cuba would not be willing to negotiate about human rights, Castro insisted.

-Obama and his staff vacillated on whether to prosecute those who carried out “enhanced interrogations,” first saying that CIA operatives carrying out orders were in the clear, then later saying it would be up to Attorney General Eric Holder to decide whether some officials should be prosecuted.

-The stock market hit a seven-year low, with the Dow dipping below 7,000, after Obama likened the market to political “tracking polls,” suggesting they’re unimportant.

-In the first appearance ever by a sitting president on late-night television, Obama remarked to Jay Leno that his bowling ability is “like Special Olympics, or something.” He soon issued an apology for his insensitive remark.

-Obama betrayed allies Poland and the Czech Republic by canceling plans to build a missile defense shield in those nations to guard against an attack from Iran. Obama reportedly wanted Russia’s help in resolving the nuclear weapons issue in Iran, but Russian President Dmitri Medvedev said he would not "haggle" over Iran and the missile shield.

-In his inaugural address, Obama called on Americans to adopt a spirit of sacrifice. But the $49 million cost of his swearing-in ceremony was triple the cost of Bush’s first inaugural.

-Obama said in February that approval of his $787 billion stimulus package was urgent. Congress got its work done on a Friday, but Obama and his wife Michelle flew off on Air Force One to Chicago for the Valentine’s Day weekend and dined at a romantic restaurant before flying back to Washington on Monday to sign the bill.

-Obama promised workers at Caterpillar Inc. that his stimulus bill would save their jobs. Caterpillar CEO Jim Owens later said there would be more layoffs at the company.

-Obama pledged during his campaign to slash earmarks to no greater than 1994 levels, which would be 1,318, according to the Washington Times. Then he signed into law some 9,000 earmarks, totaling about $5 billion.

-Obama promised in February to crack down on executive pay for companies that take “exceptional” amounts of bailout money. But he did nothing to stop 73 executives from AIG, which has received $170 in bailout funds, from taking home bonuses of up to $6.4 million.

-Obama’s promise of a public option in the healthcare reform plan — a government-run insurance plan that would compete with private insurers — has died in the Senate. His plan to allow lower-cost drug imports into the U.S. was also defeated.

Yeah, the bad kind of outweighs the good just a tad, huh?
And don't worry, there will be much more disappointment.