Archive → September, 2010
Florida leading the way against ObamaCare
Everyone is accustomed to insurance reviews, but if Florida attorney general Bill McCollum is successful, the much-feared ObamaCare socialization of the US health care industry will be overturned before it ever takes effect.
In an interview with NewsMax.com, McCollum outlined the issue this way:
“We are arguing that it’s unconstitutional for the federal government to tell you, if you are just sitting in front of your TV set, or doing nothing in the way of real economic activity, that you have to buy a health insurance policy or pay a penalty. That’s just not in the Constitution. The Founding Fathers didn’t enumerate any powers that appear to us to give them the right to say this.”
Attempting to hold the Federal government to its enumerated powers is pure Constitutionalism, and would be a huge step in the right direction. It will be interesting to see if the US court system, which is supposed to be guided by the US Constitution, still pays enough attention to that document to be guided to an appropriate decision in this case.
An easy way to make $216K
Want to know the easiest way to make over $216K in a few short months?
First, start up an environmental nonprofit group. Then criticize Sarah Palin’s environmental record loudly and often. Then wait for an environmental disaster and have someone call up the Obama White House. Boom. They give you a cool fifth of a million dollars. That’ll buy plenty of equestrian clothing for even the most discerning of tree-huggers.
Think I’m fibbing? Check out this Associated Press story which details how just such a group benefited to the tune of a $216,625 no-bid contract, largely because they were critical of Palin. It’s all there in AP black-and-white.
Of course, this is typical of the machinations of Chicago thug politics, dating from the era of the original Richard Daley to the current Richard Daley, all the way to the White House and President Barack Obama. Act as a hit-group on the right enemies, and you’ll have plenty of government largess rolling your way… at least for the next couple years.
Mitch McConnell steps up
In a political climate ripe for solutions, the GOP has too often been guilty of just hoping to be the more attractive belle of the ball and thus win seats on anti-incumbency sentiment without offering real solutions. That’s exactly how Barack Obama won the White House two years ago, so pay attention to how successful that strategy isn’t.
Now, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has finally stepped up and vowed to present a real alternative, vowing to fight for the preservation of the Bush-era tax relief measures for all Americans, not just those making under $250,000. In a recent Washington Post story, McConnell was quoted as saying this:
“Americans have had it. They’re tired of Democrat leaders in Washington pursuing the same government-driven programs that have done nothing but add to the debt and the burden of government. We can’t allow this administration to demand that small-business owners in this country pay for its own fiscal recklessness. And that’s why I’m introducing legislation today that ensures that no one in this country will pay higher income taxes next year than they are right now.”
It’s a measure that could mean the difference between closing shop or having a chance to stay afloat for many small-business owners. Bravo to McConnell for finding a pair of brass ones, as well as for finding a way to communicate conservative fiscal policy in a way that resonates with non-Wall Street business owners. That’s Reagan blue-collar conservatism, there, and while it may not sell textbooks, it works every time it’s tried.
White House trying to scare USA out of GOP support
When White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer isn’t railing against engineering jobs or otherwise wasting government bandwidth on his White House blog, he’s trying to scare Americans out of supporting the GOP. Naturally, that sort of thing’s his job; he’s an Obama Administration employee and he’s hardly going to be cheerleading the opposition.
But he’s also not being completely straightforward, either. Citing a single source, Georgia Republican Rep. Lynn Westmoreland, Pfeiffer is actively attempting to suggest that House Republicans, if they regain power in November, will force “another government shutdown.” This, he divines by a general statement Westmoreland has made about how the GOP should go “toe-to-toe” with the Obama Administration should they regain power.
Well, what does Pfeiffer expect, for the GOP to rubber stamp everything Obama sends their way? Heck, he can’t even get Democratic Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to do that, and she’s supposedly his ally!
Pfeiffer is under the impression that America went through some sort of national nightmare back during the Clinton Administration when the House, led back then by Newt Gingrich, dared to challenge Bill Clinton’s budget priorities enough to refuse to pass a budget until more cuts were made.
I was an adult and lived through that time and, let me tell you something: not many people noticed that government was shut down. Most of us kept on going with our lived just fine without the Fed hiking taxes at every opportunity.
I’m not saying this is the GOP’s plan should they win; I have no idea. But even if it is… maybe it’s a good idea. Maybe if President Obama’s own party had the courage to say no to him every time he wants to pass a new stimulus package, they all might be doing a darn sight better in their approval ratings.
Ever think of that?
Koran-burning Florida pastor is an idiot
WonderfulPessimist.com is a bastion of conservative political discourse, and we’re not changing out stripes any time soon; but I have to say that the Florida pastor who threatened to hold a public burning of the Islamic holy book, the Koran, is a complete idiot. Am I pro-Koran and anti-Bible? Not at all. But to create a big fuss like this is just plain dumb.
Sure, he has postponed his plans, but it has nevertheless sparked a bunch of Islamic counter-protests around the world that are resulting in some very real deaths. Does this fellow have the Constitutional right to burn the Koran, or any other book he wants? Sure. And I’m not going to say that he doesn’t have the RIGHT to do it.
But I will say, at the same time, that it’s a completely idiotic act. It’s also not very Messiah-like for a fellow who claims to be following the God of the Judeo-Christian Bible. Yeshua (Jesus) taught that we should love our neighbors as we love ourselves, and that’s true; but it’s a thin response and the Bible actually serves up a better parallel to this situation.
The Florida preacher’s desire to burn a Koran stems from left-over September 11 anger, especially in the wake of a new potential idiot move by government – establishing an Islamic mosque on the site of the terrorist attack. All of these events are filled with emotion, but what is the best response? (Short of advising them all to try a course of HCG shots Austin-style?)
Well, there is a parallel found in the book of Genesis. One of the patriarchs, Jacob (later to be renamed Israel) had twelve sons, and he also had at least one daughter. One day, as Jacob and his sons are away in the field, a prince from a neighboring village happens upon Abraham’s daughter, Dinah, and rapes her. It’s a terrible crime, no doubt about it.
So how do Abraham’s sons respond? Well, Hamor, the father of the rapist-prince, and Abraham sit down and negotiate a peace agreement. The deal is that Hamor and his son, Shechem, as well as their entire village, agree to merge their tribe with Abraham’s, and even offer to cast aside the worship of their gods and embrace the God of Jacob.
The brothers of Dinah deal dishonestly with Shechem and Hamor, and tell them it’s a deal, so long as they agree to be circumcised. This was, at the time, a painful procedure that would leave a person pretty much helpless for three or four days. But they agreed.
So, when the pain of circumcision was at its height and the city was defenseless, Simeon and Levi invade the city, killing every single man in it, while they are completely helpless.
Abraham’s reaction is not one of joy over the victory over his enemies, but anger at his unwise sons, who let their rage over their sister’s rape drive them to an act that was far beyond the scope of the original crime. To wipe out an entire village for one man’s crime was not the “eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth” proportionate response that the Torah outlined.
Famously, he lamented, “You have made me stink in the eyes of my neighbors.”
In the same way, this Florida pastor is making Christians and Americans stink in the eyes of their neighbors. Not all Muslims are terrorists; in fact, it’s a pretty small percentage who are. To burn, or even threaten to burn, the Islamic holy book may bring this Florida pastor some sort of momentary satisfaction, but it’s the sort of act that can spur – and has even begun to spur – all sorts of hatred.
I’m not saying the terrorists would have left us alone had this fellow not threatened to do this; but it is an act that will insult and offend a whole lot more than just the terrorists.
And that’s why it’s unwise. And that’s why this fellow’s a complete idiot.
Paglia detonates Lady Gaga
It had to be said, but considering her standing as a prominent feminist, who would have thought that the most scathing criticism of pop android Lady Gaga would come from Camille Paglia? Yet in an upcoming commentary, in which Paglia claims Gaga has all the sex appeal of a rack mount computer, the “fame monster” is finally taken down a peg or two.
Acknowledging that Gaga is nothing but a scam artist stealing her various looks and hijinks from far more genuine pop stars like Madonna, Pink, Gwen Stefani and others, Paglia’s claim is that the rise is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta to prominence is the equivalent of the “exhausted end of the sexual revolution.”
Maybe it’s about time, eh?
Discovery Channel gunman was Algore disciple
James Lee, the gunman who stormed the Discovery Channel headquarters, taking three hostages before he was shot and killed by police last Wednesday, apparently had a motive for his madness.
As it turns out, Lee had a chance before his death to talk for ten minutes to an NBC producer and share his concerns. It turns out he was upset over the “lack of global warming coverage” on television, citing a viewing of the Algore propaganda film, An Inconvenient Truth, as an “awakening moment” for him.
Of course, Michael Moore immediately started planning his next film to focus on how Lee was inspired by “eight years of Bush-Cheney.” And whined on his Twitter account, “How come no one ever takes hostages after seeing one of my propaganda pieces?” (Psst… hey Mikey… it’s because no one ever finds you home.) Whatever.
Anyway, random celebrity teasing aside, it seems Algore now has blood on his hands for his little propaganda piece. Try that on for size as an inconvenient truth, Al! The loss of James Lee falls on you, buck-o!
It’s enough madness to make a fellow want to acquire a plane ticket, fly to Florida and look into some nice Orlando car rental deals. A few hours looking at the ocean ought be be enough to calm one’s frayed nerves…
Hey… why’s the water black?
Fidel alive and well after all
Fidel Castro made his first major public appearance in about four years, proving he’s still alive at the age of 84. He addressed thousands of students at the University of Havana, marking his return to public life since illness forced him to surrender Cuba’s presidency to his brother.
While he won’t be enjoying any Branson vacations any time soon – or ever – the old revolutionary railed against the threat of nuclear holocaust as well as the dangers of … you guessed it … global warming.
Hey… on second thought… has anyone ever seen Algore in the same room as Fidel? Maybe… just maybe…
Bosnian teenager behind “puppy tossing” video
A Bosnian teenage girl has become infamous in a way she probably never expected after posting a video of her tossing a half-dozen puppies violently into a river, where they presumably drown. The video, posted earlier this week, set off a worldwide furor because of the girl’s cruelty; in the video she is seen to be laughing as she tosses the puppies into the river.
Now, Bosnian authorities have come forward and identified a teenage girl from the town of Bugojno, Bosnia, as the offender who apparently caused the death of six helpless puppies. According to Bosnian law, she could face a fine between anywhere from $18.50 to $6,410 USD equivalent, though it is unclear if that is for the whole event, or if it could be multiplied by the number of puppies killed.
A separate law against animal cruelty could add an even stiffer financial penalty, but it remains unclear whether Bosnian officials will be able to do more than fine the girl and/or her parents over the incident. Certainly one would hope some sort of educational component, counseling, and a stiffer penalty might be part of the solution. After all, no one that callous could understand the finer points of animal cruelty, loss of life or even a death benefit definition. It’s all a bit sad.
Hamas rejects compromise, peace with Israel
Count Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar among those who are opposed to any form of compromise or even peace with Israel. The Palestinian strongman, in a Jerusalem Post story, said this:
“Today marks the start of direct negotiations between someone who has no right to represent the Palestinian people and the brutal occupier, to provide a cover for Judaizing Jerusalem and stealing the land,” Zahar said.
While refrigerator filters may be rare in Israel, straight talk is even rarer, so let me ask the Obama Administration a straight question: Do you STILL think Israel’s the roadblock to peace, here?
Give me a break…
