Bernanke second term in doubt

Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke lives in the shadow of predecessor Alan Greenspan; and now, with the economy faltering largely under his leadership, the wizard of bailouts now looks like his second term is in doubt.

Although Obama has announced his intention to renominate Bernanke for a second term, key Democrats are off the bandwagon and the Fed Chair needs 60 votes to survive. The support of GOP lawmakers is in doubt because of Bernanke’s poor job performance handling the US economy.

Dems want Bernanke out, but for their own reasons; Obama would then be free to nominate someone of his own choosing. While no one’s issuing insurance quote on Bernanke’s job security, and the President is currently supportive, that could change if it becomes clear that Bernanke doesn’t have the votes to survive.

Of course, the administration is sounding all gloom-and-doom of Bernanke isn’t reappointed, but really… after the way he’s handled the economy in his first term, how bad does a Fed Reserve Chair have to screw up before making a change would be seen in a positive light?

Sure, I don’t trust Obama to appoint anyone who’s better… but I also doubt it could get worse much more quickly under anyone else, since the economy’s still spiraling downward under Bernanke anyway.

Dodd calls for health-care time out

Democratic incumbent Chris Dodd, facing strong GOP opposition in his own home state and who decided not to run for re-election as a result, is going down swinging at anyone he can connect with… fellow Dems included. Following last week’s GOP success in Massachusetts, the nothing-to-lose senator from Connecticut suggested his party should take at least a one-month time out from trying to reform health care, to allow everyone to regroup following his party’s loss of its filibuster-proof majority.

Dodd’s need for an effective fat burner diet pill aside, he provided a rare common-sense comment on the issue he was demagoguing to swift passage only a few days ago. Dodd apparently blames the Obama-Reid-Pelosi hardball push on health care reform on his own perilous drop in the polls and “voluntary” decision not to run for re-election.

Interesting. Very interesting.

Coleman won’t run

Former US Senator Norm Coleman, seen by many as the candidate in either party most likely to broker a stadium deal for the Minnesota Vikings, has decided to sit out of the race to replace presidential hopeful Tim Pawlenty, who decided to forego a possible third term as Minnesota governor.

Coleman lost a tough, close battle with Al Franken for the US Senate seat from Minnesota, in an election marked by allegations of ACORN-inspired election fraud – even though the court system refused to consider such evidence.

While many saw Coleman as the biggest name the GOP could field to replace Pawlenty, the truth is that Coleman is a notorious RINO and was not considered a welcome entrant by the conservative wing of the party. By sitting out the race, there remains a chance a real conservative could prevail from the primary fight.

Still, one has to wonder why Coleman chose to sit out an election he thought he could win; does Franken have pictures of Coleman taking womens vitamins or something? Doubtful.

RINO factor could make Massachusetts moot

The RINO factor could make today’s Senate special election moot, even if Republican Scott Brown wins the seat. Why? Because even with only 40 seats in the Senate currently, at least eight of them are still in the hands of RINOs.

These fake Republicans who consistently vote with the Democrats have tenuously held together so far in opposing ObamaCare, but once the Dems lose their filibuster-proof majority, any one of them could be a legit threat to jump ship and vote with the Dems, even if they remain in the GOP.

They include, in no particular order, Susan Collins, Olympia Snow, John McCain, George Voinovich, Lisa Murkowski, Richard Lugar, Robert Bennett and Thad Cocharan.

It doesn’t require an online degrees to see that even if Brown is elected – and he a potential RINO himself – it may not be as big a deal as some conservatives are hoping it is.

Brown could force stealth passage

If Scott Brown, Republican, wins in Massachusetts today, the Obama Administration could face an unsavory scenario; lacking a 60-vote majority could force them to ask the House to approve the Senate bill as-is with no changes, sending the legislation directly to Obama’s desk, then tweak the details during the budgeting process.

If they choose this method of passage, that could not only result in more mud thrown over Obama-Reid-Pelosi’s promises of “transparent” government, it could result in outright stealth tactics on all the details. Such secrecy has no place in American government.

Brown’s election should be more welcomed than a cure for hemorrhoids, among people who wish to see such governmental arrogance taken down a peg or two.

Pelolsi promises health care reform no matter what

Regardless of today’s special election in Massachusetts that could take away the Democrats’ filibuster-proof majority in the Senate, the nation will see some kind of health care reform, according to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

The power-drunk Dem diva said, “Let’s remove all doubt, we will have healthcare one way or another. Certainly the dynamic would change depending on what happens in Massachusetts. Just the question about how we would proceed. But it doesn’t mean we won’t have a health care bill.”

Never mind that most Americans would rather hear William Shatner discuss acne home remedies than hear another presentation on ObamaCare; we’re gonna get it shoved down our throats no matter what, apparently. After all, 59 votes is still a vast majority.

Brown up on Coakley

Today, Massachusetts will hold an election to fill the vacant Senate seat once filled by the late Teddy Kennedy, and it appears that a Republican may have a chance to not only win the seat in liberal Massachusetts, but could go on to take away the Dems’ filibuster-proof majority in the Senate. That could help stop the ObamaCare plan that looks to imperil the nation’s budget, as well as its quality of care.

According to RealClearPolitics, Brown currently leads Democrat Coakley by nine points. In liberal Massachusetts. Wow. Of course, it helps that Brown is talking issues while Coakley is mumbling something about handing out Nordic Track promotion codes or some such nonsense.

Levity aside, a nine-point lead could be enough to put Brown beyond the margin of error; all eyes will be on Massachusetts over the next 24 hours or so.

REVIEW: Western Governor’s University

You know, more and more people are pursuing their degrees online these days, and I’ve noticed something that makes the online degree programs at Western Governor’s University unique: they are more affordable than most. Whether you’re going for your bachelors or your masters degree online makes no difference because it’s still affordable.

I was looking at their tuition rates and they do something quite unique: they charge students on a per-semester basis, not on credit hours. And at under $3,000 per six month term, that’s almost as affordable as when I went to college back in the second half of the 1980s.

In fact, I may have paid more, since I paid on a credit-hour basis. Getting a good degree is hard enough; getting one affordably these days is even more difficult. Western Governor’s University is a great solution on both scores, it seems.

The Senate Seven, plus one

With two top Dems already announcing their retirement from the U.S. Senate despite their party holding a filibuster-proof 60-40 majority, things are looking sweet for a conservative revolution next November, so long as the GOP remembers its Reagan conservative roots. While over-confident Dems are already selecting office furniture for their re-election, there are at least seven vulnerable Dem seats that could change hands in a year – but only if the GOP remains humble, cagey and conservative.

Here’s the Top Seven Vulnerable Dem seats:

1. Connecticut – Christopher Dodd – OUT!

Facing strong challenges in a solidly blue state from Republican hopefuls Rob Simmons and former WWE CEO Linda McMahon, Dodd stepped down today, clearing a path for popular Connecticut state attorney general Sidney Blumenthal to step in and try to hold the seat for his party; no polls as yet indicate how Blumenthal would fare against McMahon or Simmons.

2. South Dakota – Brian Dorgan – OUT!

Dorgan, one of the somewhat moderate libs in the party, was getting destroyed by 19 points by SD Governor John Hoeven, and stepped down from pursuing a second term last week. No word on who might step forward to face off with Hoeven, but whispers center around former Senate minority leader Tom Daschle, though some are hoping for a fresher face that state voters haven’t rejected as recently as Daschle. Time will tell.

3. Colorado – Michael Bennet – Trailing by 10 points

Bennet has only 37 percent support and is facing off with popular former GOP Lt. Gov. Jane Norton, who has 46 percent support and growing. So far, Bennet sounds like he’ll be fighting to keep his seat.

4. Ohio – Lee Fisher – Trailing by 7 points.

This seat is actually held currently by retiring Republican Senator George Voinovich, but this is a state where Democrat Sherrod Brown won easily in 2008, riding the Obama coattails. So with Republican Rob Portman holding a lead larger than the poll’s margin of error, that spells trouble for Dems hoping to pick up a seat.

5. New York – Kirsten Gillibrand – Leading by only 0.2 percent… In NEW YORK!

Gillibrand’s case is a special one; appointed by controversial New York Governor David Paterson, Gillibrand is a by-the-book liberal who goes off-book on gun control. Facing a stiff challenge from popular former GOP Governor George Pataki, who has a history of winning in New York, if Pataki wins, it could be a watermark of where things will trend throughout the rest of the nation next November.

6. Pennsylvania – Arlen Specter – Trailing by 4 points

Specter, a former RINO who finally got honest and switch to the Dems, is facing a serious threat from GOP challenger Pat Toomey. Many voters still feel burned by Specter’s party-switch, and this is the first time he will be facing voters since the balance-shifting about-face in the Senate.

7. Arkansas – Blanche Lincoln – Support at 40 percent or lower

While the GOP is busy picking from among four candidates to oust her, all four potential challengers are polling well ahead of Ms. Lincoln. She may be paying the deepest price for her handling of health care, as well as other issues.

8. Nevada – Harry Reid – Polling in the mid-40s

The GOP is choosing from two strong contenders, but so far both poll well ahead of the sitting Senate Majority Leader, who has come under fire for his handling of health care and the Senate, as well as some local scandals that his people have tried to sweep under the rug.

While the GOP has several seats at stake as well, if conservatives can rally the party and take, say, five out of eight of these vulnerable seats at minimum, it could be enough to swing the Senate back to a balance of power that would force Dems to at least deal with a GOP minority, rather than shut them out entirely.

It might take two strong election cycles at minimum for Republicans to ever hope to win back the Senate, but they could gain a lot of ground next November; instead of a 60-40 Dem majority, there’s a chance the gap could narrow to as close as 53-47 next fall; that would put control of the Senate back up for grabs in 2012.

Unless, of course, the GOP finds a way to blow it. Nominating a bunch of Democrat-Lite candidates in the mold of John McCain would be a sign of a blown opportunity to come.

2010 midterms looking good for GOP

It’s going to be a tough fight, putting together a reform agenda, an economic plan that offers real hope, and taking advantage of Obama Disillusionment Syndrome, but the political textbooks say that mid-term elections are always hardest on first-term presidents and so far the cards seem to be stacking in the GOP’s favor.

At least 11 Democrat congressmen have announced their intent not to run, with more on the way, and there have already been a couple defections from the Dems to the GOP in the House. There are at least two vulnerable Dem seats in Congress that seem destined to change the party in control as both Harry Reid and Chris Dodd appear doomed to defeat; others could fall as well, if this ripple turns into a tidal wave if midterm discontent.

Of course, the biggest risk for the GOP is whether they will choose to sponsor Democrat-Lite candidates, or real conservatives that will offer voters a real choice in November. If the GOP returns to its Reagan roots, we could be looking at something akin to the 1994 GOP Revolt once again.

As world freezes, Gore has head in global warming sand

Algore is nothing if not delusional. The former vice-prez is still trying to sell his global warming Kool-Aid, not only in spite of the academic fraud scandal at the University of East Anglia, but in spite of record cold temps being set even as I right this.

Iowa is reporting temperatures that are, on average, 30 degrees below normal. The East Coast is facing an almost unparalleled deep freeze, and Florida is concerned about the current orange crop harvest being spoiled by that same freeze.

Peru’s mountain people could be wiped out, according to some reports, but record low temps; Beijing, China is reporting temperatures colder than any recorded in the last 40 years.

And yet Algore still clings to his fraudulent photos of polar bears on ice cap shards and whines about the need for carbon credits? Still believe in global warming is as reliable as good kitchen faucets? What’s it gonna take, man?