Politico Chick

UH RAH: Military Heroes Update #4: Pirates vs. US: The End...Or is it?

2009-04-13T00:09:00.000-07:00

5 day standoff

4 pirates vs. US Navy & FBI

1 Hostage: Captain Richard Phillips

No extradition treaty between the U.S. & Somalia

As luck would have it, after 5 days of negotiations which finally broke down, no comment from The Big O, and time running out to end this before the pirates made it to shore with their hostage, it was over!

Things got even more difficult for the pirates when one of the four surrendered early yesterday to seek medical attention for a wound. He began negotiating with the US for the captain's release and the pirates allowed their dinghy to be towed by the Navy--so no danger of them making it to shore anytime soon--alleviating that pressure to act quickly.

But what led to the final demise of the 3 pirates, was "imminent danger."

This AP piece at FOX News notes that one of the pirates "pointed an AK-47 at the back of Phillips, who was tied up and in 'imminent danger' of being killed when the commander of the nearby USS Bainbridge made the split-second decision to order his men to shoot. Navy snipers took aim at the pirates' heads and shoulders."

"The operation, personally approved by President Barack Obama, quashed fears the saga could drag on for months and marked a victory for the U.S., which for days seemed powerless to resolve the crisis despite massing helicopter-equipped warships at the scene."

Phillips said upon being rescued, "I'm just the byline. The real heroes are the Navy, the Seals, those who have brought me home."

The CEO of the Maersk Line, John Reinhart, praised Phillips: "Richard exemplifies some of the best traditions and behaviors and skills of an American merchant mariner. He's a leader of men. He's a brave and courageous man. He persevered through difficult times and he's shown real heroism. When I look at it, I think Richard has exhibited the true spirit of an American, and I'm proud today to be an American, as every day."

Now What To Do With The Pirate?

Well aside from making him "walk the plank" and suffer the old-time pirate fate at sea, we of course will humanely treat him and lock him up and hopefully throw away the key sending a message to all pirates that if they keep this up, they too might get safe passage to the US and a stay in one of our cushy jails, perhaps a roommate named Bubba, TV, a college education, and maybe even some Internet access! Scary thought, isn't it pirates! Yes, I'm being sarcastic!

According to Attorney General Eric "Steadman" Holder, we haven't seen a case of piracy against a U.S. ship in a "very long time." Crimes against a U.S. ship or a U.S. citizen can be prosecuted in the U.S., even if they occur in international waters.

Options include (some of these absurd, yes):

-Walking the Plank
-Taking a trip to Davy Jones' Locker
-Drop Him Off in an Anti-Somalia Country for Fun!
-Prosecuting him here in the U.S.: Life in Prison. Unless he gets' the 1990's OJ Simpson Jury...

The Department of Justice will be "reviewing the evidence and other issues to determine whether to seek prosecution in the United States." And if we have enough evidence (isn't that a no brainer at this point?) he would likely be tried in NY.

This case will be treated as a criminal case, because officials have found no direct ties between these pirates and terror groups and we're not at war with Somalia. Apparently these particular four pirates aren't in any shape or fashion in league with all the terror groups running around and training in Somalia. Just a total coincidence. I'm sure there's no exact direct link--after all, if there was, someone would be taking responsibility for it--but these pirates are all in bed with the terror groups in one way or another indirectly. Which will probably make the future a bit sticky in this region when it comes to future piracy episodes.

But What If It Makes The Pirates Want to Get Us?!

Terrorists, Pirates, and criminals' feelings aside, does anyone really buy into that paranoid/appeasement mentality, where rather than raise the ire of those that hate us/want to kill us/want to steal from us, we just bow to their demands, walk on egg shells around them, and hope that if we're just nice enough, they'll really really like us!? Me neither.

The commander of the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command noted that "This could escalate violence in this part of the world, no question about it."

The Somali government (they have a real government?) issued a statement: "The Somali government wanted the drama to end in a peaceful way, but any one who is involved in this latest case had the choice to use violence or other means. We see it will be a good lesson for the pirates or any one else involved in this dirty business." Hmmm...is it just me, or do any of you suspect that depending on which way the money is blowing around down in Somalia, the government pretty much turns a blind eye until now when it's politically expedient to appear as if they don't?

Some self-styled pirate expert noted "This is a big wake-up to the pirates. It raises the stakes. Now they may be more violent, like the pirates of old."

And someone, calling himself a pirate, tried to sound really scary when he said "The French and the Americans will regret starting this killing. We do not kill, but take only ransom. We shall do something to anyone we see as French or American from now." Bring it!

The Big O & TOTUS Finally Speak!

After days of no comment, finally after it's all said and done, The Big O simply said "I am very pleased that Capt. Phillips has been rescued and is safely on board the USS Boxer. His safety has been our principal concern, and I know this is a welcome relief to his family and his crew. We remain resolved to halt the rise of piracy in this region. To achieve that goal, we must continue to work with our partners to prevent future attacks, be prepared to interdict acts of piracy and ensure that those who commit acts of piracy are held accountable for their crimes."

Apparently due to so much criticism of the way it appeared our government--the bureaucrats--were handling this situation (not our brave Military who we knew were on top of things!), the White House actually released a time line to show that The Big O was receiving frequent updates and had given given the go-ahead to take emergency actions.

We all knew that--any president would be staying on top if it, monitoring the situation behind the scenes. It's the way that The Big O and his staff handled it publicly that was such a PR disaster in my opinion. From an irritated no comment and "we're talking about housing right now" to "let's hold pirate hearings!", it just smacked of inexperience and fear of appearing the aggressor--a problem that's going to dog this administration in every trial and tribulation that will come its way in the future. To The Big O: It's ok to appear strong and on top of things--that's how we like our presidents to appear--presidential!

Politico Chick

Let The Tea Parties Begin! #21 Jim Cramer vs. Obama/McFibbs/Stewart

2009-04-12T19:21:00.000-07:00

Stimulus Porkulus: What the Hell Have
We Got Ourselves Intous?
PT 21: CRAMER VS. MCFIBB-US, OBAMA-US, STEWARTUS

If you've ever seen CNBC's Mad Money hosted by Jim Cramer, it's a wild ride indeed! His spastic enthusiastic style of demystifying the stock market has brought him many fans--and some critics over the years. He's been an Obama supporter and voted for The Big O!

But something changed this year, get it--changed--and Cramer jumped off the "hope and change" bandwagon. At the beginning of March, Cramer let The Big O know just what he thought of the stimulus and the economy--and all the changes that The Big O/Congress want to cram down our throats!

Some Quick Facts & Cramer Quotes:

Since Jan. 20, the Dow Jones Industrial Average has lost over 1000 points

400 of those points occurred after Tax Cheat Geithner made a terrible speech back in February.

(Not to mention the Dow dropped nearly 500 points the day after The Big O was elected...)

On March 2nd, Cramer stated "Until the Obama administration starts listening, until they start paying attention to what you’re watching – to the stock market, until they realize that their agenda is destroying the life savings of millions of Americans – then all I can give you is caution."

“I’m not asking for the Feds to give us a plunge protection team, to stop declines – as we always thought to be the case under Greenspan. I’m not saying, ‘Mr. President, stare at the Bloomberg quote machine and come to your senses. I just want some sign that Obama realizes the market is totally falling apart and his agenda has a big hand in that happening.”

“I thought the prices, the screen, the action, the sense of a vortex down that cannot be stopped, of equities becoming worthless, of savings becoming tattered, of a stock market without bottom. But this time in slow motion, I felt the total lack of control that we all feel right now – the ‘it’s out of my hands,’ the ‘where’s the authority,’ the, ‘Hey, it’s amateur hour at our darkest moment.’ It’s the feeling of capitalism vanishing, businesses capsizing under their own weight – thanks to an administration that doesn’t seem to know or maybe doesn’t care.”

“Hey – I get it. Young president, big landslide, vigorous agenda, Congress that smells Republican blood – might find changing the world simply irresistible. We all want to change the world. I know I’d like to change the world, but when you talk about wealth destruction, don’t you know that you can count me out?”

McFibbs vs. Cramer:

In response to Cramer's rant, The Big O sent out Robert McFibbs to make this little sophomoric dig:

"If you turn on a certain program, it's geared to a very small audience, no offense to my good friends or friend at CNBC, but the president has to look out for the broader economy and the broader population."

Cramer vs. McFibbs/The Big O:

Cramer published a piece after criticism from The Big O/Robert McFibbs in The Street in which he said "When I come to work each day, whether as a commentator for The Street.com or a host of Mad Money With Jim Cramer, I have only one thought in mind: helping people with their money."

On Rush Limbaugh's praise and quote "They're going to shut Cramer up pretty soon, too, but he'll go down with a fight," Cramer noted "Limbaugh's dead right. I am a fight-not-flight guy, so I was on my hackles when I heard White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs' answer to a question about my pointed criticism of the president on multiple venues, including the Today Show."

He talks about how stocks are the "principal forms of wealth in this country," how he was a "relentless critic of the Bush administration's 'stewardship' of the economy, calling repeatedly for changes to avert the disaster that I saw coming," and notes how his rant during the Bush administration "still stands as something that I am sure everyone in the Bush administrations' Treasury and Fed listened to. My calls to sell 20% of your stocks in September at Dow 11,000 and then all of your stock if you need the money for the next five years at Dow 10,000 in October, might have eluded Gibbs, too."

As for The Big O, he notes that "Obama has undeniably made things worse by creating an atmosphere of fear and panic rather than an atmosphere of calm and hope. He's done it by pushing a huge amount of change at a very perilous moment, by seeking to demonize the entire banking system and by raising taxes for those making more than $250,000 at the exact time when we need them to spend and build new businesses, and by revoking deductions for funds to charity that help eliminate the excess supply of homes."

As for the stimulus plan: "it's really just a hodgepodge of old Democratic pork and will not create nearly as many manufacturing or service jobs as we hoped. China's stimulus plan is the model; ours is the parody."

He will keep up the good fight: "So I will fight the fight against that agenda. I will stand up for what I believe and for what I have always believed: Every person has a right to be rich in this country and I want to help them get there. And when they get there, if times are good, we can have them give back or pay higher taxes. Until they get there, I don't want them shackled or scared or paralyzed. That's what I see now.

If that makes me an enemy of the White House, then call me a general of an army that Obama may not even know exists -- tens of millions of people who live in fear of having no money saved when they need it and who get poorer by the day."

John Stewart vs. Cramer:

Apparently comedian John Stewart is the new "Al Sharpton" for "whiteys." Don't mess with Stewart's Obama! Or you might have to go on his show and look the fool. And we pity the fool who goes on Stewart's cheeseball of a show! (Actually I find Stewart pretty funny--love the sarcasm, but this recent rant/feud with CNBC/Santelli/Cramer is more than a bit over the top since it was pretty clear that Stewart's glazed over eyes revealed he was about to go all crazy pie on us!)

Paul Bond wrote about Cramer on the Daily Show in The Hollywood Reporter and said "After watching Jon Stewart turn Jim Cramer into the poster boy for all that is wrong with the U.S. economy, I predicted the demise of Cramer's Mad Money show on CNBC."

He described Cramer's appearance and responses to Stewart's barbs and jabs as "so creepily docile that ABC's John Stossel likened it to Stockholm syndrome. How could the famed stockpicker's credibility withstand such a high-profile attack from the nation's go-to populist comedian?"

Bond notes that apparently like a mother lion to its cubs, "Stewart is protective of Obama, and he needed a boogeyman now that George W. Bush no longer is in the White House."

Strangely too, Bond notes that a scientific Pew poll found that Stewart is actually considered "one of the most admired journalists in America, equal to Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw, Brian Williams and Anderson Cooper and ahead of Jim Lehrer, Bob Woodruff, Peter Jennings, Barbara Walters and Wolf Blitzer." Did I miss something here? Stewart is not a journalist no more than Al Sharpton is respectable. Please! Apparently his audience is a few beers short a six pack...

Even the head of NBC Universal, Jeff Zucker, shook his head and said "Everybody wants to find a scapegoat. That's human nature. But to suggest that the business media or CNBC was responsible for what is going on now is absurd. Just because someone who mocks authority says something doesn't make it so." Furthermore, anyone who actually looks to John Stewart for some kind of guidance need not vote as far as I'm concerned--can we reinstitute literacy/intelligence tests at the voting booths?

Tucker Carlson wrote an interesting piece at The Daily Beast in which he noted ironically that "Jon Stewart’s recent attack on CNBC’s Jim Cramer was so brilliantly performed, so smoothly produced and cruelly compelling, almost nobody noticed that it didn’t make sense."

At Stewart's ranting at Cramer, the cussing (F-Bombs), and the statements of anger, Carlson wonders "Was Stewart being funny? Apparently he was serious and in a rage!" Carlson calls Stewart a mere "courtier to the establishment."

He further points out that on the flip side, just six days before the 2008 presidential election that when Stewart went to interview The Big O, he "failed to ask a single substantive question, much less venture into policy" and instead "sucked up hard." Further, "Obama didn’t say a single interesting thing, and Stewart wasn’t funny."

Carlson gives us this juicy gossipy tidbit about Stewart and the main stream media: "If you didn’t actually see the show, you wouldn’t know any of this, since there is a virtual ban on critical stories about Jon Stewart in the press. Nobody in memory has received a longer free ride."

Carlson cautions all of us Stewart fans and even Stewart himself: "As Stewart becomes more self-righteous, he inevitably becomes less funny. Sanctimony is the death of humor, and also of innovation. Where a show like South Park challenges its audience’s every conceivable assumption, The Daily Show has become safer than Jay Leno, pandering night after night to the converted. Can you remember the last time Stewart said anything his viewers might disagree with?"

McFibbs vs. Cramer - AGAIN:

Of course the press had nothing better to do and couldn't resist getting more fodder for their integrity filled stories by asking McFibbs about Cramer's appearance on the Daily Show. McFibbs gleefully noted "The president and I talked earlier in the day yesterday about watching it. I forgot to e-mail him to remind him it was on, so I don't know if he's seen it. I enjoyed it thoroughly."

Politico Chick

Let The Tea Parties Begin! #20

2009-04-12T16:35:00.000-07:00

Stimulus Porkulus: What the Hell Have
We Got Ourselves Intous?
PT 20: WHAT CAUSED THE HOUSING BAILOUT CRISIS?
CONGR-US/BARNEY FRANKUS!

Housing Bailout Crisis Timeline In A Nutshell:

The timeline is all here in a report at FOX News on You Tube, in which Republicans and Democrats speak about Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and what needs to be done starting as early as 2001. And Democrats clearly dropped the ball big time. And it's further highlighted--rather honestly by Saturday Night Live of all places in this funny parody link in a past Blog Entry here at Politico Chick. Thanks to Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, and Barney Frank among the rest of the Democrats, they helped bring down the world.

April 2001: Bush Administration in the 2002 budget request, cites FM&FM's potential problems which could cause strong reprercussions in financial markets.

2003: Bush Administration upgrades warning of the systematic risk that could be spread beyond the housing market.

Fall '03: Bush Administration pushes Congress hard to create a new federal agency to regulate and supervise FM&FM via Treasury Secretary John Snow who testified before Congress.

But, Treasury Snow got pushed back from Barney Frank who is shown in TV saying that FM&FM are not in a crisis.

Frank also says (and this jackass should be run out of Congress for this blatant disregard of common sense warnings that had been laid like a gift at his feet) "The more people in my judgement exaggerate a threat of safety and soundness the more people that conjure up the possibility of serious financial losses to the treasury which I do not see. I think we see entities that are fundamentally sound financially and withstand some of the disaster scenarios. And even if they were a problem the Federal government doesn't bail them out. But the more pressure there is then the less I think we see in terms of affordable housing."

Booya! That's it, no judgment clearly and it was all about getting that affordable housing out to their poorer voting constituents! All about cheap houses for cheap votes.

So, the legislation was blocked.

2005: Alan Greenspan testified that enabling these institutions to increase in size is a substantial risk and that if we fail to strengthen it will increase the possibility of insolvency and a crisis.

April 2005: Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer says FM&FM are doing a great job and we now have in America the best-housed people in the world!

May 2006: John McCain pushed for legistation on FM&FM as he was concerned about the regulatory structure of FM&FM--it would need reforming without delay.

However, in a Senate committee the measure was voted on--and it went down party lines. All Republicans for taking care of the problem, NO Democrat votes to solve it, so the bill never made it to the floor as they feared the wouldn't have the votes to pass it.

And Fast Forward to 2008 and crash, boom, bang.

Politico Chick

Let The Tea Parties Begin! #19

2009-04-12T16:03:00.000-07:00

Stimulus Porkulus: What the Hell Have
We Got Ourselves Intous?
PT 19: THE GILBERT, AZ PROTESTUS

High Schoolers Use Their Brain Power to Dissect The Big O's Stimulus:

Back on the campaign trail in Feb. '09 (BTW, Doesn't The Big O know he's won? Isn't it time to govern, not campaign?) in pushing for his Stimulus Porkulus, The Big O came to Gilbert, AZ to Dobson High School.

In this piece in the East Valley Tribune by Hayley Ringle, she noted that "Some of the students attentively watched the speech, giving questioning looks and comments, shaking their heads and laughing at some of Obama's words. Other students listened, occasionally glancing up to watch, while texting on their cell phones, reading a book or finishing school work."

Senior Syna Daudfar was the most vocal of the students and he was quoted as saying "Overall I think it's a good idea, but he's not addressing the issues of the economic crisis. The spending bill he just passed is just progressing the Democratic agenda rather than addressing the economic issues in the country." Daudfar felt that Obama's plan is backward and deals with the "less important stuff" first. "Bailing out businesses" and "providing better regulatory systems for giving out money to businesses" should have been first, he said."

Another Senior Albach, questioned how "Obama can want to rely on 'people's responsibility' when that is 'what got us in this economic crisis in the first place. This puts us more into debt. It's a horrible situation we're in.' "

In a rather common sensical youthful turnaround, Senior Brandon Miller had been a supporter of Obama! Why? His speeches--great speeches! But after doing what most Americans clearly didn't when they checked their intelligence at the door of the voting booths around the country, Miller debated the issues with fellow classmates and actually got off his duff and looked more into Obama's policies which swayed him toward the Republican side. He said "Even though I don't support him, I think it's cool he's here. I just don't believe all the things he's telling us. His goal is just too big and broad."

Another senior, Katelyn Meyer, said his plan sounds good "but it's easier said than done."

A Hilarious Protest Outside The School:

While The Big O was campaigning inside Dobson High School, there was quite a protest going on outside!

About 500 to 600 protesters showed up to greet The Big O--who was safely taken a different route to avoid these "crazies" so he probably never even saw their clever signs!

Some of the signs read: "Don't tread on me," "Spend all you want, I'll pick up the tab," "I'll keep my freedom! You keep the change!" "Free fertility drugs now." "Fund Bikini Wax Now." And "B.O. smells and so does Socialism."

"I'm out here to exercise my First Amendment rights while I still have them. Everything that man stands for is the antithesis of what this country was founded on. He's a Marxist, fascist." --Tim Guiney, sales manager

"Obama's stimulus package has only mobilized the opposition." --Lee Bauer, a social and fiscal conservative

It's a "trillion-dollar boondoggle." --J.D. Hayworth, Former AZ Republican Congressman and current KFYI AZ talk radio host

--Conservative columnist and pundit Michelle Malkin, thanks to La Mano at Sticker Patch, had some images of the signs at the protest on her Blog/website, which I've sprinkled throughout this Blog entry.

Politico Chick

Let The Tea Parties Begin! #18

2009-04-12T15:26:00.000-07:00

Stimulus Porkulus: What the Hell Have
We Got Ourselves Intous?
PT 18: TEA FOR US

Let's party like it's 1773!

Tea parties are the latest "in" thing! Much more fun than a peacenik rally and you don't have to sing cumbaya or sign up to vote in accordance with ACORN while you're at it.

Can you believe it's been 236 years since the Boston Tea Party? Amazing that Americans still have that patriotic zeal against what they perceive to be "governmental tyranny!" While the Boston Tea Party as outlined in a recent Boston Tea Party 101 Blog Posting here at Politico Chick, was about "No Taxation Without Representation," the current tea parties are flying high on the mantra of no taxation, no bailouts, no socialism! Personal Responsibility is key!

While we may be represented in Congress, are they really representing the desires and concerns of most people in America? Or are they beholden to the far left and a tyranny of the minority? Either way, people are voicing their displeasure with the turn our government has taken itself in the short span of just about 2 months with The Big O at the helm of the starship freebird.

As I stated here at this Blog in my first posting about Why I'm Blogging back on Nov. 12, 2008, "If we head dangerously in the direction toward socialism and radical leftism as some fear could happen, then I dare say, it's time for another lively Boston Tea Party. Politically Incorrect Indian costumes optional...Anyone with me?!"

Clearly, you all are with me! CNBC reporter Rick Santelli began a national movement by televising an idea that sparked a zeal for protest across the country back in February when on TV he blasted the bailouts and asked people if they really wanted to pay for their neighbor's mortgage and extra bathroom!

Some Highlights Of Feb/March Tea Parties:

St. Louis, MO:

"I'm speaking my mind today, phone calls to my congressman and the White House are not helping, said Toni Meyer, of Wentzville who admits she has the numbers programed into her cell phone. Meyer participated in a symbolic Boston Tea Party, at the base of the Arch grounds.

"Pleased with the turnout in 35-degree bluster, leaders said they had stolen a page from liberal tradition by taking to the streets with homemade signs."

"We'll do this every chance we get until Congress repeals the pork — or we retire them from public life." --Bill Hennessy, lead organizer.

"We are mad as hell and we need to stay mad as hell. Don't let up." --Jackie Smith, former tight end for the old St. Louis football Cardinals

Harrisburg, PA:

"Tea bags hung from the brims of people's hats and ears."

"You are called to a new revolution today. This is about right and wrong." --Gary Sutton, conservative talk radio host

"A government that is big enough to give you freedom is big enough to take it away." --state Sen. Mike Folmer (R-48th District)

"End the socialist experiment!" --Sign

Tempe, AZ:

"Pelosi got her mouse,

Reid got his train

and I got the bill.

Thanks a trillion!" --Sign

Cincinnati, OH:

Signs: "Honk if I'm paying your mortgage" or "Stop spending my allowance."

"I bet there's 5,000 people here and they're mad, just as I'm mad. They have a right to be mad at the unbridled spending that's happening in Washington." --Rep. Jean Schmidt

Orlando, FL:

"This is maybe the greatest single gathering of God-fearing patriots in the history of Orlando, Florida." --Bud Hedinger, local conservative radio host

Signs: "Repeal the pork or our bacon is cooked" and "Obama lied, liberty died."

"We're really scared about what's happening in our country." --Debby Whisenand

Debby's Sign: "The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money" on one side and "You can't blame Bush anymore" on the other.

Politico Chick

Let The Tea Parties Begin! #17

2009-04-12T12:00:00.000-07:00

Stimulus Porkulus: What the Hell Have
We Got Ourselves Intous?
PT 17 - HOUSING BAIL OUT-US

Can't afford a home? Criminal record? No credit? NO PROBLEM!

Here's your brand spankin' new mansion and a pool. And we'll throw in a couple of hats and toys for the kids!

Gee, let's think on this a minute shall we? Unless you're a total moron, you probably have an idea of how much money you have to your name and how much money you make if you're employed, and based on your track record--how much money you're likely to continue to make in the future barring a crisis. So, if you're having a hard time paying rent or affording a house, how in the world could you possibly think you could afford an expensive new home? Just boggles the mind. Further, what person in their right mind would get a loan that wasn't fixed? I'm not a financial genius but I pretty much know not to shoot myself in the foot while I'm at it!

The housing crisis is just absolute lunacy with 3 groups at fault--I'll call it comparative negligence:

1. Homeowners who knew better (Ignorance of what you're signing is no excuse!)

2. Bankers who told everyone it would all be ok, you can refinance, and la la la

3. Congress who pushed this idiotic plan onto banks to start easing their restrictions on lending.

Do you want to pay for your neighbor's house, pool, and boob job?

Bailing out banks. Bailing out the Auto industry. Now homeowners. And their home equity loans too!

It's not sitting well with America. "Honk if I'm paying your mortgage" is a popular slogan! Others say that by helping these deadbeats out, that it will slow spiraling home prices and help avoid more economic heartache. Is it a necessary evil?

The Big O's rescue plan involves 75 billion in incentives for banks to reduce loan rates and work with them on terms to make it more affordable. And also refinancing for those who aren't quite deadbeats yet.

Deadbeat may seem like a harsh term. However, let's remember that in the first place, no one made any of these people buy these homes. They did this themselves. No one made them sign on the dotted line to agree to these outrageous terms. They did this. There is no right in this country to own a home. There are rental houses and apartments people can live in--affordable housing maybe just not in such a cushy neighborhood. There's no right to live in a cushy neighborhood in this country. So I think it comes down to personal responsibility! You either have it or you don't and the rest of us shouldn't have to bail you out every time you screw up!

We all have someone like this in our lives--a friend, a family member, maybe even a child for those of you with children. They can't seem to get it together. And there's always an enabler in the mix--one who always bails them out. One who no matter how many people tell this enabler that they are not helping this person in the long run, they won't listen to reason. Because if they just do one more thing to help them, well then it will all be ok. It won't. It never has been, never will be. People will never learn to buck up and change if they never get the chance to fail. It's a sad lesson we're about to learn big time with the US Gov't.

It's good to help people to a point--especially those that are helpless. But, it's a slippery slope to help people who can help themselves and should have known better! Then again, it's no secret, that the Democrat party does benefit from making people depending on government services--they get used to it. They get cushy. They like it. They don't want to give it up--it's like trying to take candy from a baby. So they keep voting for the ones who keep giving them that fix. A vicious cycle!

Keep people in their homes and prevent falling home prices?
But does it promote irresponsible borrowing?

As CNBC reporter Rick Santelli said, "The government is promoting bad behavior, America!"

Santelli futher noted while reporting at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, "This is America! How many of you people want to pay for your neighbor's mortgage that has an extra bathroom and can't pay their bills?. We're thinking about having a Chicago tea party in July. All you capitalists that want to show up to Lake Michigan, I'm gonna start organizing."

And thus began a great movement of Tea Parties across the nation organized by conservative bloggers, pundits, talk radio, and anyone who wishes to voice their opposition to all the taxes, bailouts, and socialist policies that Congress is on the path to cramming down our throats.

McFibbs vs. Santelli

After CNBC reporter Rick Santelli started talking tea parties, The Big O sent out Robert McFibbs back in late February to respond "I'm not entirely sure where Mr. Santelli lives or in what house he lives. But the America people are struggling every day to meet their mortgage."

McFibbs further added that Santelli's arguments were "wrong" and then invited him to the White House for a cup of "decaf" coffee. Plus a private viewing of 25 classic American films!

Of course the press room ate that up but Santelli actually felt personally threatened by McFibbs. Please, McFibbs of all people?

In the category of not having anything else better to do, later on McFibbs said of his pot shots at Rush Limbaugh, Jim Cramer, and Rick Santelli that it was "FUN!"

Class act, that McFibbs!

Politico Chick

Pirates vs. US

2009-04-12T01:24:00.000-07:00

"We are not afraid of the Americans. We will defend ourselves if attacked."

--Blackbeard Reincarnated Somali-Style

Pirates: 1
US: 0

Pathetic really. The old-time punishment for pirates was a good hanging or perhaps a rowdy firing squad--you know before we worried so much about their feelings...

Today's punishment? 2 million dollars, a boat full of booty, and a policy that provides for more where that comes from! We'll keep sailing our ships through your territory, just don't harm us and you can have everything you want! Woohoo!

Some Somali Pirate Standoff Factoids:

Approximately 67 attacks since January on various ships/countries.

There are over 250 hostages currently being held by Somali pirates.

For just 2008, around $40 million was paid to pirates by shipping companies. It's like their own personal bailout...

4 pirates hijacked the American ship Maersk Alabama.

The Maersk Alabama is a 17,000 ton ship with a crew of 20 - who were let go in exchange for the captain.

US Navy ships present at the scene: USS Bainbridge, USS Halyburton, and USS Boxer.

Oh, and the FBI is there too to help negotiate. (Rolls eyes...)

The Captain, Richard Phillips, is being held on a lifeboat by the 4 pirates for ransom: $2 million dollars or he dies.

Who Are These People?

There is some debate out there about just what we should call these guys. Pirates. Criminals. Terrorists. Business People...

Mark Mazzetti writes a piece for the NY Times in which a Somalia expert Ken Menkhaus is quoted about these pirates: "This is strictly for the money. They are not taking the cargo, and they are not interested in killing people. It’s a business model that has proven very effective for them.” But yet they've threatened to kill the captain and fired on the US Navy...

So What Are We Doing About It?

Ironically one of the US Navy ships at the site of the standoff is the USS Bainbridge--named after William Bainbridge, an American naval officer who fought pirates off the Barbary Coast in the early 19th century. Bainbridge would think we're all a bunch of wusses!

While AG Eric "Steadman" Holder says we're "considering options," John Kerry wants to hold "pirate hearings," and The Big O isn't giving ANY statements, we're looking like absolute jackasses to the world--well maybe not to the appeasors. 4 dingbat terrorists in a glorified dinghy holding off the US Navy is alternatively laughable and terribly depressing.

So, about those pirate hearings John Kerry wants to hold, are peg legs and eye patches optional?

Kery is chairman for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. I guess turning against your country and your fellow soldiers in Vietnam and throwing other people's medals around are a resume enhancement...

Kerry was quoted "These acts of piracy off of Somalia’s coastline may seem surreal, but they’re all too real and a thorough policy debate is long overdue." Really? How about a sniper or maybe a bomb or two? Oh that's right...snipers and bombs will break their bones but WORDS will NEVER hurt them...Lame.

Somalia is about the size of Texas.And you know, in Texas we have a little saying: Don't Mess With Texas. Apparently in Somalia it's "Give Us All Your Booty Or We'll Make Your Country Look The Fool!"

Apparently this is the first attach by pirates on Americans in 200 years! Let's hope it's the last and maybe it won't be if Kerry's Shiver Me Timbers Pirate Hearings come through!

The Gaffe Master O'Biden had this genius comment in lieu of The Big O and TOTUS' silence: "This is being worked on around the clock since this happened, and — but I'm not in a position, right now, to comment on it."

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton screeched: "These people are nothing more than criminals and we are bringing to bear a number of our assets, including naval and FBI, in order to resolve the hostage situation and bring the pirates to justice." And she's boldly asked the world to "come together to end the scourge of piracy.”

In this FOX News piece, a retired FBI hostage negotiator, Steve Romano, "said he doesn't recall the FBI ever negotiating with pirates before, but he said this situation is similar to other standoffs. Although pirates release the vast majority of their hostages unharmed, the difficulty will be negotiating with people who clearly have no way out...There's always a potential for tragedy here, and when people feel their options are limited, they sometimes react in more unpredictable and violent ways."

And What About The Big O's Take?

REPORTER: Can we get a quick reaction to the pirates, the Somali pirates?

OBAMA: Guys, we're talking about housing right now.

POLITICO CHICK: Are you for real?! Are we being punked? Maybe you should ask TOTUS what he thinks!

What Should We Be Doing?

A U.S. Somalia expert, Ken Menkhaus, says the best outcome is to just allow them to ransom the captain and be done with it: "It would mean no loss of life and no risk to the lives of the other hostages. And at the end of the day an insurance company would be out $2 million -- probably just $1 million after negotiations."

Here's my common sense solution:

1. Arm the ships. Simple. Effective. If the pirates know the ships will be armed, they will be less likely to try and overtake them. Duh.

2. Quit sailing around Somalia if at all possible. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

3. Bomb the crap out of the pirate dens and villas and ships around the coast of Somalia.

Why these 3? If they don't believe we mean business, they'll never stop. 66 hijackings since January 2009 alone, no signs of stopping since the standoff began--there don't appear to be any lessons learned here do there? Further, since when do we negotiate with terrorists? Oh that's right, they're just pirates--criminals at best. Bussiness men!

Why Aren't We Hearing Much Out of The Big O?

In this Reuters piece by Steve Holland he puts it this way "Ragtag teams of modern-day Blackbeards are posing an annoying distraction for Barack Obama, forcing him to add Somalia to an already long list of foreign policy challenges."

"America's recent experience with Somalia has not been good, making caution a key element of U.S. policy in dealing with the country." So we're trying to be delicate. As for The Big O--for a guy who just naively said the world would be better without nukes and made apologies for America all over Europe and the Middle East, appearing too aggressive right now would be rather hypocritical wouldn't it. So Captain Phillips and his family will suffer longer than he should, for political expediency.

What happened to America who had a zero tolerance policy. Who wasn't afraid to put lunatics in their place and let them know that if they step out of line, it will be the last time they step out of line?

Holland writes that The Big O was just on "a morale-boosting visit to U.S. troops in Iraq." Yeah, I'm sure this little incident is really continuing to boost the morale of our troops--especially those on the Navy ships with their hands proverbially tied at the moment.

As for Somalia, how can we not forget Mogadishu and "Blackhawk Down," one of the worst moments of Clinton's presidency outside of not taking out Osama Bin Laden...All tied to Somalia, which by the way is a terrorist haven--Al Qaeda training camps and ties. They may say there is no evidence of any links between the pirates and Islamic militants in Somalia, but you have to wonder if the link between Somalia and the terrorists which we try to appease is related to the long-dragged out standoff this is turning out to be?

Politico Chick

Reason #19 Obama is NOT Qualified to Be President

2009-04-11T22:12:00.000-07:00

#19: Head of State Bumbling, Gift Bumbling, All Around Presidential Protocol Bumbling!

In case you missed it--and you might have with all the distractions going on and economic crisis management ongoing back in early March--but the Prime Minister of the UK, Gordon Brown, made a little visit to see us! And what a blunder of a visit it was! And not on the UK's part shockingly...it was blunder city on the part of a newly minted, inexperienced president and his staff who I'm sure felt they had better things to deal with...and a now fired Intern for chucking some really bizarrely lame gifts at our UK visitors!

It's traditional for heads of state to present gifts. It's a no brainer. Or at least it should have been...Typically these gifts are symbolic and well thought out. Now, we've all been there in the gift department, where some of us always plan gifts out well based upon the receipient's needs and likes. Teapot for a teapot collector. Rare book for a rare book collector. You get the idea. It's not that hard to do a little research, make a few calls, consult a historian.

Apaprently the British did so. Their gift to America and The Big O? A pen holder. But not just a generic ordinary pen holder. It was an ornamental pen holder made from the timbers of the Victorian anti-slave ship HMS Gannet. Another historical factoid: The oak from the Gannet's sister ship the HMS Resolute was carved to make a desk which sits in the Oval Office and has since 1880. Not to mention a framed commission for the HMS Resolute and a first edition of the seven-volume biography of Churchill by Sir Martin Gilbert. Uh oh...there's the blunder - Churchill didn't like Socialism. Obama claims he's not a Socialist but he sure acts like one sometimes...

The historical significance of this gift is immense. And the UK PM and his wife even brought gifts for The Big O's children--outfits from Topshop and six children's books by British authors.

Main Blunders:

Gordon Brown wasn't 't granted a press conference with flags

The Brits then had to beg for one, so it was very hastily arranged.

And if that wasn't bad enough! Our gift to the UK PM? 25 Classic American Movie DVDS--that won't play in the UK! Egads! And he's not much of a film buff...And for the UK PM's boys--matching helicopter models of the copter that carts The Big O around.

If you think our press was burying these blunders, the UK press wasn't so nice about it! And can we blame them? It was utterly embarrassing on all levels.

Apparently R-E-S-P-E-C-T = D-V-D-S-!

Ian Drury at the Daily Mail in the UK writes "As he headed back home from Washington, Gordon Brown must have rummaged through his party bag with disappointment. Because all he got was a set of DVDs. Barack Obama, the leader of the world's richest country, gave the Prime Minister a box set of 25 classic American films - a gift about as exciting as a pair of socks."

UK Blogger Iain Martin at the Telegraph snarkily said "President Obama has been rudeness personified towards Britain this week. His handling of the visit of the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, to Washington was appalling. First Brown wasn't granted a press conference with flags, then one was hastily arranged in the Oval office after the Brits had to beg. Obama looked like he would rather have been anywhere else than welcoming the British leader to his office and topped it all with his choice of present for the PM. A box of 25 DVDS including ET, the Wizard of Oz and Star Wars? Oh, give me strength. We do have television and DVD stores on this side of the Atlantic. Even Gordon Brown will have seen those films too often already."

And Martin ironically notes that the Queen invited the Obamas to tea while they were at the G-20 and ponders "Note how the coolness of Team Obama disappears when a bit of regal glamour is introduced into the equation. He might not like the Brits, but he can recognise a global superstar when he encounters one. He wants to be associated with her. He's shameless."

Bottom Line: The Big O has a protocol department for goodness sakes. So who dropped the ball so badly and why? If it wasn't deliberate, it was clearly not very thoughtfully indeed. But that's just how they roll apparently...

Here's how it could have happened...

WH Intern: Gordon Brown has arrived Mr. President, and he's brought some nifty gifts for you and the girls today!

TOTUS: Gifts? We. Give. Gifts?

WH Intern: We told Biden to pick up a couple of gifts on his way back home on the train, spotted him a couple of Ben Franklins and he said he was all over it! But we haven't seen him since...

TOTUS: Here's my wallet, go check out the White House gift shop and make me proud! And try to keep it under $50.00...

And if you're curious, as I was, this is the list of movies that were in the DVD set--that Brown won't be watching:

* Citizen Kane
* The Godfather
* Casablanca
* Raging Bull
* Singin' in the Rain
* Gone with the Wind
* Lawrence of Arabia
* Schindler’s List
* Vertigo
* The Wizard of Oz
* City Lights
* The Searchers
* Star Wars: Episode IV
* Psycho
* 2001: A Space Odyssey
* Sunset Boulevard
* The Graduate
* The General
* On the Waterfront
* It's a Wonderful Life
* Chinatown
* Some Like It Hot
* The Grapes of Wrath
* ET: The Extra-Terrestrial
* To Kill a Mockingbird

Politico Chick

The Like Totally Excellent Adventures of Red Eye's Greg & Bill

2009-04-11T22:05:00.000-07:00

Greg's Peeves & Fun Facts:

He learned to enjoy spanking as a child!

He exhibits man-baby behavior!

He has a spiffy vacuum cleaner

He's not very good with numbers...

Something about high school, chicks, and armpits...:-P

Recent Things We've Learned About Bill:

In Milan, he's considered to be a straw...

An hour of Lifetime TV is ROUGH TV for Bill!

He doesn't have any money so the economy isn't affecting him

He's a biologist in his spare time

His parents ignored him when he was a child

He really likes a certain lavender scent!

Red Eye Revelations!

Idaho is a state!

Environmentalists are a bunch of dopes...

Politico Chick

Reason #18 Obama is NOT Qualified to Be President

2009-04-11T20:24:00.000-07:00

#18: Don't Mess With Our Vets!

If this doesn't show a lack of respect for our military, I'm not sure what else could convince anyone. I was more than just a tad irritated last month when I saw the headlines proclaiming that The Big O was thinking about making Vets pay for their health care. It's just dishonorable. Can we dishonorably discharge The Big O from his CIC duties? Guess not...That darn Constitution pretty much hampers us there...;)

The plan was to require private insurance carriers to reimburse the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in such cases where they've suffered injuries and disabilities due to military service.

Veterans groups met at the White House with The Big O, and didn't come away too happy. Shocker...

In this piece in The Buffalo News by David Goldstein, he writes "The Obama administration is considering making veterans use private insurance to pay for treatment of combat and service-related injuries. The plan would be an about-face on what veterans believe is a long-standing pledge to pay for health care costs that result from their military service."

Paul Rieckhoff, exec. director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America said that “Veterans of all generations agree that this proposal is bad for the country and bad for veterans. If the president and the OMB [Office of Management and Budget] want to cut costs, they can start at AIG, not the VA.”

What do Veterans Currently Get From the Gov't?

In a nutshell, the gov't covers all military related health care expenses. Those not related to military service, are not covered unless a Vet has no private insurance or is permanently disabled. "Other technicalities" may apply, after all this is the gov't at work with health care--and people want nationalized health care...

What Would Happen If The Big O's Plan Were To Succeed:

The American Legion believes that "the proposed requirement for these companies to reimburse the VA would not only be unfair, says the Legion, but would have an adverse impact on service-connected disabled veterans and their families. The Legion argues that, depending on the severity of the medical conditions involved, maximum insurance coverage limits could be reached through treatment of the veteran's condition alone. That would leave the rest of the family without health care benefits. The Legion also points out that many health insurance companies require deductibles to be paid before any benefits are covered. Additionally, the Legion is concerned that private insurance premiums would be elevated to cover service-connected disabled veterans and their families, especially if the veterans are self-employed or employed in small businesses unable to negotiate more favorable across-the-board insurance policy pricing. The American Legion also believes that some employers, especially small businesses, would be reluctant to hire veterans with service-connected disabilities due to the negative impact their employment might have on obtaining and financing company health care benefits."

The American Legion's solution-have Medicare reimburse.

Reaction From Congress:

Democratic Senator Patty Murray, WA said: “Dead on arrival. . . when our troops are injured while serving our country, we should take care of those injuries completely." She's on the Veteran's Affairs Committee. A Democrat with common sense, I like it!

Democratic Senator Daniel Akaka, HI assured us that the "VA's sacred duty is to care for veterans injured in honorable service to our nation, and the department should not turn to wounded warriors' private insurance to pay for combat injuries. Under my chairmanship, the Veterans' Affairs Committee will not advance any such legislation."

Reaction From Vets & Vet Groups:

In a letter by Vet groups sent to the White House, they wrote “There is simply no logical explanation for billing a veteran's personal insurance for care that the VA has a responsibility to provide. While we understand the fiscal difficulties this country faces right now, placing the burden of those fiscal problems on the men and women who have already sacrificed a great deal for this country is unconscionable."

Legislative Director at Disabled American Veterans Joe Violante said, “It’s a betrayal. My insurance company didn’t send me to Vietnam, my government did. The same holds true for men and women now fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. It’s the government’s responsibility.”

David K. Rehbein from The American Legion said after meeting with The Big O, "It became apparent during our discussion today that the President intends to move forward with this unreasonable plan. He says he is looking to generate $540-million by this method, but refused to hear arguments about the moral and government-avowed obligations that would be compromised by it."

A member of The American Legion noted "that the argument about the government's moral obligation to treat wounded soldiers, sailors and Marines fell on deaf ears during the meeting."

"The president deflected any discussion when it got into any moral issue here. Any attempt to direct the conversation (to the moral discussion) was immediately deflected."

First Response From The White House:

It's not finalized yet. We're just considering it. No decicions have been made yet by TOTUS...

Robert McFibbs said--apparently with a straight face--"This president takes very seriously the needs of our wounded warriors that have given so much to protect our freedom on the battlefields throughout the world."

The Big O just didn't get it--he's increasing their VA budget, so how could they complain about his little plan? He wants for private insurance to pay their fair share. But he didn't seem willing or was unable to grasp the ramifications of what this would do to Vets as noted above in the paragraph from The American Legion.

Final Response From The White House:

Robert McFibbs, tail between legs, noted "In considering the third-party billing issue, the administration was seeking to maximize the resources available for veterans. However, the president listened to concerns raised by the [veteran service organizations] that this might, under certain circumstances, affect veterans' and their families' ability to access health care. Therefore, the president has instructed that its consideration be dropped."

After major verbal rebellion and the threat of political capital getting obliterated--Vets are a large political constituency after all--the idea was scrapped! For now...remember they have intricate ways of doing backdoor schemes and ruses on Capitol Hill...

--

Common sense would dictate to try for the Medicare option of reimbursement that VA groups are recommending.

So even though they're not considering it anymore, the fact that The Big O did, just shows they're not above reprehensible behavior when it comes to our Vets. And that's a low down dirty shame...

Lesson Learned: Don't Mess With Our Vets!

Politico Chick

Let The Tea Parties Begin! #16: Limbaugh vs. Carville

2009-04-11T12:37:00.000-07:00

Stimulus Porkulus: What the Hell Have
We Got Ourselves Intous?
PT 16: RUSH VS. CARVILLE

For as much as Limbaugh had been lambasted for wanting The Big O's economic/socialist leaning policies to fail, it turns out that Carville wanted Bush to fail--the day of 9/11 in fact--and it was buried by the media (shocker!) until now. So when the news broke about that little juicy tidbit, then it was Limbaugh vs. Carville at the watercoolers across America...

Bill Sammon at FOX News writes about how on the morning of 9/11, Carville was speaking with reporters about Bush 43 and said "I certainly hope he doesn't succeed."

Further: "Minutes later, as news of the terrorist attacks reached the hotel conference room where the Democrats were having breakfast with the reporters, Carville announced: 'Disregard everything we just said! This changes everything!'"

Sammon ponders, "The omission was understandable at first, as reporters were consumed with chronicling the new war on terror. But months and even years later, the mainstream media chose to never resurrect those controversial sentiments, voiced by the Democratic Party's top strategists, that Bush should fail."

Sammon goes on to compare this media coverup with regard to Carville and the recent "feeding frenzy" on Limbaugh.

Recent commentary by Carville on CNN: "The most influential Republican in the United States today, Mr. Rush Limbaugh, said he did not want President Obama to succeed. He is the daddy of this Republican Congress."

Limbaugh responds to Carville: "The difference between Carville and his ilk and me is that I care about what happens to my country. I am not saying what I say for political advantage. I oppose actions, such as Obama's socialist agenda, that hurt my country. I deal in principles, not polls. Carville and people like him live and breathe political exploitation. This is all a game to them. It's not a game to me. I am concerned about the well-being and survival of our nation. When has Carville ever advocated anything that would benefit the country at the expense of his party?"

Carville Gleefully Spouts off to Politico: "The television cameras just can't stay away from him. Our strategy depends on him keeping talking, and I think we're going to succeed." They've succeeded so much so that no one is talking about it anymore...

2006 Poll Among Democrats: 51% wanted him to fail.

And of course, not to be shot down by Limbaugh, Carville came out swinging like the Ragin' Cajun we know him to be with these parting words: "Thank God that I had the good sense to realize that the United States was at war and that changed everything. Once I found out that the country was at war, I said: Whatever I said, disregard it; it's inoperative."

"Unlike Mr. Limbaugh," he added, who "kept insisting that he wanted the president to fail at a time of war." Really Carville, we're at war?! Better fire up the presses and notify J-NO since they're not using the word "WAR" nor "TERROR" anymore...In fact the only war I've noticed lately is The Big O's PC War On Words...

Politico Chick

Let The Tea Parties Begin! #15: Limbaugh vs. Obama #5

2009-04-11T10:55:00.000-07:00

Stimulus Porkulus: What the Hell Have
We Got Ourselves Intous?
PT 15: RUSH VS. OBAMA #5

The Limbaugh Distraction Unravels Even More!

When Limbaugh hit the news big time last month, it was a water cooler moment--everyone was talking about it! And now, not so much...The stimulus passed so maybe they didn't need the "distraction" anymore. And maybe they realized it just fired up the conservative base and they can't have that! So they backed off. At any rate, there were quite a few articles and pundits who threw in their 2 cents of CHANGE on the matter:

Peter Roff at the FOX Forum noted of Limbaugh "He, like few others who occupy positions of intellectual leadership on the right, can move large numbers of people to action. Hence the efforts of the Obama White House to exploit the divisions among its opponents, seizing the opportunity to divide and conquer and to distract from their agenda to tax, spend, borrow and regulate the American people into submission"

In response to Jonathan Martin at the Politico who revealed that "an unidentified 'senior White House aide' has been given the responsibility of 'helping to guide the Limbaugh strategy,' " Roff declares that something is Rotten in Washington DC: "A political operative, based inside the White House, employed by the president of the United States and receiving a salary from the American taxpayer, goes to work every day to help direct a strategy against a broadcaster whose opinions are supposed to be covered by every protection the First Amendment can provide."

"Rush Limbaugh has the right to speak his mind. Millions of people tune in to his program to hear him do it every day. And we should all acknowledge that he should be able to do what he does free from fear, fear the White House may manipulate the vast resources at its disposal to make his life, in a word, difficult."

Aside from the jackass twins Carville and Begala and a bevy of other White House dogs, liberal "think tank" groups and ads run amok, the Washington Post actually ran a piece by David Plouffe referring to Limbaugh as the Republican Party's "Minority Leader."

I'm not sure what he was smoking or if he actually had a straight face when he wrote this goofball gem: "When Limbaugh reiterated the sentiment this weekend, hundreds of Republican conservatives cheered him on. But instead of rebuking the radio personality or charting their own course, Republican leaders in Washington are paralyzed with fear of crossing their leader. Less than 24 hours after committing the unforgivable sin of criticizing Limbaugh, RNC Chairman Michael Steele felt compelled to publicly apologize. He was not the first and will certainly not be the last." Yeah we're so scared that this is now a non-issue now that the stimulus is passed. Lame.

Does Robert McFibbs know the art of war? Or is he just a whiney bore? Discuss...

Writing for The Hill, Sam Youngman notes that besides reading Sun Tzu’s The Art of War, Gibbs finds the Limbaugh Disctraction: "Fun!" It's funner than all this fun stuff that really matters to our fun country. Fun that!

McFibbs wants you to know that, no matter how much FUN he's having, it's just a total coincidence and has nothing to do with all the stuff Carville has been ADMITTING to. No siree, it's “not part of a larger strategy.” Wink Wink.

Karl Rove believed the White House totally misfired on Limbaugh and broke it all down in this Wall Street Journal piece:

"Team Obama -- aided by Clintonistas Paul Begala, James Carville and Stanley Greenberg -- decided to attack Rush Limbaugh after poring over opinion research. White House senior adviser David Axelrod explicitly authorized the assault. Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel assigned a White House official to coordinate the push. And Press Secretary Robert Gibbs gleefully punched the launch button at his podium, suckering the White House press corps into dropping what they were doing to get Mr. Limbaugh."

"Such talk also shortens the president's honeymoon by making him look like a street-fighting Chicago pol instead of an inspirational, unifying figure. The upward spike in ratings for Rush and other conservative radio commentators shows how the White House's attempt at a smackdown instead energized the opposition."

He believes it was a diversionary tactic: The War on Rush. And why not, there doesn't seem to be a War on Terror anymore...

"In the face of our enormous economic challenges, top White House aides decided to pee on Mr. Limbaugh's leg. This is a political luxury the country cannot afford, and which Mr. Obama would be wise to forbid. Or did he not mean it when he ran promising to 'turn the page' on the 'old' politics?"

Once again, seriously, when he said change, he was referring to our "pocket change..."

Politico Chick

Bailout Humor Going Around the Net...

2009-04-11T10:53:00.000-07:00

Reason #17 Obama is NOT Qualified to Be President

2009-04-11T10:27:00.000-07:00

#17: He Can't Keep His Campaign Promises Straight!

Here's an interesting piece, "Obama's Top Five Broken Promises," by Phil Kerpen who is director of policy at Americans for Prosperity.

The 5 Broken Promises Are:

Promise #5: Sunlight Before Signing

Obama wanted to review bills because they are too often rushed through Congress. Yet he failed to do that...

Promise #4: Lobbyist Revolving Door

Obama pledged to have no lobbyists and he appointed them.

Promise #3: No Tax Hikes on the Poor

Obama pledged to not tax any family making less than $250,000. Yet the tax on smoking will affect those making under 250,000. "Obama signed this bill knowing that the majority of smokers in the United States are working poor, and one in four lives below the federal poverty line." He also includes in his budget an energy tax that will affect everyone who fills up at the pump or buys anything grown/shipped/manufactured, or pays an electric bill.

Promise #2: Pork Barrel Earmark Reform

He said we couldn't accept this process any longer--which fails "to address the real needs of our country." But the stimulus porkulus contained tons of earmarks.

Promise #1: Big Government

The Big O said: “Not because I believe in bigger government — I don’t.”

And then he proposed "a budget that is breathtaking in scope, a blueprint for the biggest permanent expansion of government in history right on the heels of a sweeping trillion dollar stimulus plan. The budget lays the foundation for a government takeover of the health care and energy sectors and dramatically increasing spending across the board, other than defense weapons programs. Spending as a percentage of the economy under this budget will reach the historic level of 27.7 percent this year. The deficit as a percent of the economy, at 12.3 percent, is set to be the biggest in the entire history of the country outside of the four peak years of World War II. Anyone who offers such a budget can only fairly be described as a believer in bigger government."

Politico Chick

Reason #16 Obama is NOT Qualified to Be President

2009-04-10T23:57:00.000-07:00

Pirates?! In 2009? Do they still wear eye patches and hooks for hands? Swagger around the decks of their scary ships with a parrot on their shoulder shouting Shiver Me Timbers while sending people off the plank to Davy Jones' Locker?!

These Somali "pirates" look more like the East Coast West Coast Rap Scene gone even more terribly awry than it already is...

We've all heard about the pirates over the last year and all the booty they've been taking. Villas all along the coast of Somalia built by the spoils of their plunder! Argh Mateys! But did they bury any and perhaps leave a treasure map behind on one of their black market blackberrys?! Just sayin'...

So it was with dismay when we all got the news the other day about them actually taking on an American ship! I thought to myself, "Boy do these guys have no clue what they're getting into! Our military will wipe the sea floor with their A$es!"

And here we are...DAYS later...and The Big O won't even make a statement about it!

And I realized something about these "geniuses"--they KNOW EXACTLY WHO they are dealing with! An inexperienced president who doesn't know $#!& about foreign policy and probably just wishes this would all go away so he can spend more time picnicking with HilBil...Awe.

There's no doubt in my mind, our military could wipe them out, bomb their villas, and dessimate their ships. Our Navy Seals could whip up out of the ocean and bomb them back to the stone ages. So that's clearly not the problem here...

The problem is an appeasor with the inability to be a leader--and this--mark my words, is just the beginning...

Politico Chick

Let The Tea Parties Begin! #14

2009-04-10T23:37:00.000-07:00

Stimulus Porkulus: What the Hell Have
We Got Ourselves Intous?
PT 14: WOOHOO! ANOTHER $13 BUCKUS!

Go Tax Cuts!

In case you didn't notice the change on your pay check starting this spring--and if you didn't, I could totally see why...--you're getting a little moolah back!

About $13 buckeroos!

The Big O campaigned for a $500 per worker credit. It was scaled back to $400 by Congress.

This Breitbart piece notes "Officials estimated it would mean about $13 a week more in people's paychecks this year when withholding tables are adjusted in late spring. Next year, the measure could yield workers about $8 a week. Critics say that's unlikely to do much to boost consumption."

Gee, what a shock. But look at the positive side. What can you do with about $52 more bucks a month:

Dinner at Outback for 2 (sorry, doesn't include tips...Guess we need a TIP BAILOUT!)

ONE Box of candy at the movie theater! HA!

Half a pair of Steven Madden Luxe at DSW

A subscription to Martha Stewart Living For You and a friend!

51 Hamburgers on the dollar menu at McDonald's (sorry that doesn't include tax...Guess we need a TAX BAILOUT!)

And when it goes down to 8 bucks--hopefully someone other than TOTUS will be in charge!

Politico Chick

Let The Tea Parties Begin! #13

2009-04-10T22:47:00.000-07:00

Stimulus Porkulus: What the Hell Have
We Got Ourselves Intous?
PT 13: STIMULUS PASSUS

At first, I think Republicans for political expediency were not too quick to criticize the new president--he's pretty popular in case anyone missed it. A real celebrity in fact! And he gives great speeches too! And spreads the message of hope and change! So how could Republicans compete with that? They just needed for a little bit of change to come our way--but not the right kind of change--for the public to start getting a little antsy. That's one thing you have to be careful with--we love our celebrities but we also love to hate them and when they fall, they fall hard. So Republicans set their sights on Democratic leadership instead apparently...Can't hurt The Big O's feelings and definitely not the TOTUS's!

Did Republicans actually start to show signs of growing some cajones when it comes to dealing with The Big O's administration and the 4 Mighty Lame Musketeers: Dodd, Pelosi, Reid, and Frank!? Well, at least most of them didn't vote for it...

Leading up to the passage of the stimulus porkulus being passed, they were shut out of most meetings on the bill. Oh what do we need those guys for anyhow, right?!

In this Politico piece by Jonathan Martin and Patrick O'Connor, they write "Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) started the week swinging, declaring Sunday that he would oppose Obama’s stimulus package as written. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has kept up a daily din of opposition to specifics of the package, mocking the inclusion of a mob museum and a water park. Senate Republicans also are rallying against the Democratic version of a children’s health care bill being debated this week. And most Senate Republicans opposed the confirmation of Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner Monday."

And the "nitpicking" as it were, apparently took its toll--the Democrats conceded to remove the contraceptives portion of the stimulus. Gee thanks, that made it all 100% better!

But as for working together, it was apparently no honeymoon between the Dems and the Repubs and was only made worse by "Cold Shower" Pelosi. And you can bet she was keeping tabs for her "disfavor list." Wink Wink!

Republican Senator Kit Bond noted that committees “were run without Republican participation, the Appropriations bill had things in my subcommittee part that we never saw or had anything to say about. We have been shut out.”

Republican Senator Tom Coburn from Oklahoma said it best "This is about spending money we don't have for things we don't need."

And Harry Reid demonstrates why he's such a useless "leader:"

"I am confident that we are going to get Republicans to vote (for) our bill. If we don't, it's not our fault." Whaaa!

Rep. Mike Pence stated that “The American people have a right to know what’s in this bill. Every member of Congress -- Republicans and Democrats -- voted to post this bill on the internet for 48 hours, 48 hours ago. We’ll see if the Democrats keep their word.”

The Democrats broke a promise. Shocker I know...We were supposed to see the bill 48 hours before it was voted on and it never happened...

Rep. Eric Cantor, who twitters, noted that “Those in favor of speed over commonsense may just be afraid of letting the People know what they are ramming through.”

BUT, IT PASSED...

Words That Will Come Back To Haunt:

"We just passed this bill to help our struggling economy." --Senate Majority "Leader" Harry Reid.

"Millions and millions and millions of people will be helped, as they have lost their jobs and can't put food on the table of their families." --House Majority "Leader" Steny Hoyer

Some Factoids About Its Passage:

The House approved the measure by a vote of 246-183, with no Republican "yes" votes and one member voting present.

The bill passed the Senate with a vote of 60-38.

House Rep. Leader John Boehner showed his dissent by dumping a copy of the bill on the floor--all 1,071 pages that nobody got to read.

Quite a bit of the spending in the bill won't be delivered this year or the next. So much for needing it for the CURRENT "crisis."

2/3 spending, 1/3 tax cuts

Senator John McCain noted "This measure is not bipartisan. It contains much that is not stimulative. And is nothing short -- nothing short -- of generational theft."

4 DAYS TO SIGN THE STIMULUS...

It was a crisis. We must act now! There's no time to READ it! But the past is past, we promise to read them in the future. Yes we can read them in the future!

But don't worry, even though we didn't read it, there's a website where there will be rigorous oversight related to the stimulus. Let's hope it's not the same kind of rigorous oversight that went into producing this lame duck plan!

Just ask Biden for the "numbers" a.k.a. Recovery.gov.

The Big O believes that "The size and scale of this plan demand unprecedented efforts to root out waste, inefficiency and unnecessary spending. Recovery.gov will be the online portal for these efforts, publishing information about how the funding secured by the legislation will be spent in a timely, targeted and transparent manner."

Of course, there was no time to root out the waste and inefficieny that went into the the bill...

And get this. The stimulus spending is going to be monitored by an 'oversight board" chaired by a newly created post: Chief Performance Officer. Even better! The first choice of Obama had to withdraw. Gee, wonder why? TAX PROBLEMS. It just gets better. And better. And better.

Peggy Noonan's thoughts on this?

"President Obama could have made big history here. Instead he just got a win. It's a missed opportunity."

"But do you know anyone, Democrat or Republican, dancing in the street over this? You don't. Because most everyone knows it isn't a good bill, and knows that its failure to receive a single Republican vote, not one, suggests the old battle lines are hardening. Back to the Crips versus the Bloods. Not very inspiring."

"When you create a bill like that, it doesn't mean you're a pro, it doesn't mean you're a tough, no-nonsense pol. It means you're a slob."

"That's how the Democratic establishment in the House looks, not like people who are responding to a crisis, or even like people who are ignoring a crisis, but people who are using a crisis."

Amen to that sister!

Politico Chick

Let The Tea Parties Begin! #12

2009-04-10T22:27:00.000-07:00

Stimulus Porkulus: What the Hell Have

We Got Ourselves Intous?
PT 12: OP-EDus

Quotes By Noted Columnists on the
Economy, The Big O, and the
Stimulus Porkulus:

Charles Krauthammer, 2-06-09, Washington Post:

On Hope & Change: "And so much for the promise to banish the money changers and influence peddlers from the temple. An ostentatious executive order banning lobbyists was immediately followed by the nomination of at least a dozen current or former lobbyists to high position. Followed by a Treasury secretary who allegedly couldn't understand the payroll tax provisions in his 1040. Followed by Tom Daschle, who had to fall on his sword according to the new Washington rule that no Cabinet can have more than one tax delinquent."

On The Stimulus: "The product, which inevitably carries Obama's name, was not just bad, not just flawed, but a legislative abomination."

On The Messiah: "After Obama's miraculous 2008 presidential campaign, it was clear that at some point the magical mystery tour would have to end. The nation would rub its eyes and begin to emerge from its reverie. The hallucinatory Obama would give way to the mere mortal. The great ethical transformations promised would be seen as a fairy tale that all presidents tell -- and that this president told better than anyone...I thought the awakening would take six months. It took two and a half weeks."

Bradley Schiller, 2-13-09, Wall Street Journal:

"President Barack Obama has turned fearmongering into an art form. He has repeatedly raised the specter of another Great Depression. First, he did so to win votes in the November election. He has done so again recently to sway congressional votes for his stimulus package."

"It is bad history because our current economic woes don't come close to those of the 1930s. At worst, a comparison to the 1981-82 recession might be appropriate."

"Fearmongering can trigger a political stampede to embrace a "recovery" package that delivers a lot less than it promises. A more cool-headed assessment of the economy's woes might produce better policies."

Karl Rove, 2-18-09, Wall Street Journal:

As to all the vetting mistakes, campaign promises being rebuked, stating they have a plan but no exact means to carry it out, Rove adds in this insightful piece:

"Team Obama has been living off its campaign reputation for planning and execution. That reputation is now frayed, and all the bumbling and unforced errors will have an impact. Such things don't go unnoticed on Capitol Hill or in foreign capitals.

The president, a bright and skilled politician, has plenty of time to recover. The danger is that what we have seen is not an aberration, but the early indications of his governing style. Barack Obama won the job he craved, now he must demonstrate that he and his team are up to its requirements. The signs are worrisome. The world is a dangerous place. The days of winging it need to end."

Politico Chick

Let The Tea Parties Begin! #11: Limbaugh VS. Obama #4

2009-04-10T00:35:00.000-07:00

Stimulus Porkulus: What the Hell Have
We Got Ourselves Intous?
PT 11: RUSH VS. OBAMA #4

The Limbaugh Distraction Unravels...

Jonathan Martin at Politico gives us the scoop!

Who's behind the whole Rush Limbaugh is the leader of the Republican party myth? None other than those two bumbling jackasses James Carville and Paul "The Forehead" Begala!

It's an apparent political gold mine and these two leprechauns were all over it! Martin describes it as such: "Top Democrats believe they have struck political gold by depicting Rush Limbaugh as the new face of the Republican Party, a full-scale effort first hatched by some of the most familiar names in politics and now being guided in part from inside the White House."

Apparently from what Martin writes in his scoop, Carville and another strategist, Stanley Greenberg, were running polls last fall and discovered that Limbaugh wasn't so popular with America's youth. And after 30 shots of Cuervo they apparently swallowed the worm which led to an epiphany at the local 7-11 while on a snack run for Twizzlers, bean dip and Frito's! "Democrats realized they could roll out a new GOP bogeyman for the post-Bush era by turning to an old one in Limbaugh, a polarizing figure since he rose to prominence in the 1990s."

Martin calls it "Operation Rushbo." I call it Operation Jackass Twins.

Carville gleefully noted that Limbaugh's "positives for voters under 40 was 11 percent." And Begala calls Limbaugh's desire that The Big O's policies fail "the tripwire."

So Carville and Begala set out to rail against Limbaugh to anyone who would listen--like CNN viewers. And they giggled like little schoolgirls about their plan with Rahmbo, Axelrad, and McFibbs who all set out to echo the Jackass Twins with various sound bytes and conspiratorial quotes.

Begala even pledged to send Limbaugh some vitamins! “I want to send Rush a bottle of vitamins. We need him to stay healthy and loud and proud.”

Along with NERD HERD ads from Liberal groups with nothing better to do, the left-wing Media Matters began a website to track Rush Limbaugh and this group's president Eric Burns actually said with a straight face, “For a long time Americans haven’t really been aware that he’s so influential." Sure they didn't realize he was a popular voice in the Republican party...

Carville further admitted to the ruse when he noted “The television cameras just can’t stay away from him. Our strategy depends on him keeping talking, and I think we’re going to succeed.”

Really? I found it awfully strange that they so gleefully chatted about their little Limbaugh Snow Job so publicly! Don't ever put these guys in the Witness Protection Program--they wouldn't know when to keep a lid on it! Did they succeed or was it all just a distraction as most people said? Notice now that the stimulus porkulus has passed, no one's really talking about Limbaugh anymore. Coincidence? I think not...

Politico Chick

Let The Tea Parties Begin! #10: Limbaugh VS. Obama #3

2009-04-09T23:45:00.000-07:00

Stimulus Porkulus: What the Hell Have
We Got Ourselves Intous?
PT 10: RUSH VS. OBAMA #3

The Limbaugh Distraction: Is Limbaugh Really In Charge of the Democratic Party?!

He is, if you believe the Democrats! And wouldn't they like to distract you into believing that. Why you might just sit around the water cooler chatting about Limbaugh instead of noticing that The Big O and Tim Geithner are behind you picking your pocket CHANGE!

It's no surprise that the Republican party seems to be without a leader these days. Lots of voices, but not anyone speaking with a LOUD enough voice. And too many cowering in the closets in the Capitol building instead of growing a pair and getting some work done to get it together!

So with all the talk of who's in charge, it's easy to see why the media and Democratic strategerists have jumped all over Limbaugh like Barney Frank at a two-for one sale!

In this FOX News piece, Rush declares he's not the leader of the Republican party when he laughed off this zany notion: "I would be embarrassed to say that I'm in charge of the Republican Party in the sad-sack state that's it's in. I might get out the hari-kari knife because I would have presided over a failure that is embarrassing to the Republicans and conservatives."

Begging to differ, DNC Chairman Tim Kaine excited postured "It seems like Rush Limbaugh is the kind of he-who-must-be-obeyed these days in the Republican Party." Kaine was of course referring to the over-blown "spat" between Limbaugh and Michael Steele reiterated in this Blog entry here at Politico Chick.

Ward writes that the "White House on Wednesday fessed up to lowering the quality of public discourse and acknowledged that its sniping at radio show host Rush Limbaugh has been 'counterproductive,' even as Democratic political committees continued to use the issue in a political line of attack approved by the Obama administration itself."

McFibbs noted: "It may be counterproductive. I'll give you that." But sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never hurt me!

Other "hits" at describing Limbaugh as our leader:

Robert McFibbs: "I was a little surprised at the speed in which Mr. Steele, the head of the RNC, apologized to the head of the Republican Party."

Rahm-Bo Emanuel: [Limbaugh is] "the voice and the intellectual force and energy behind the Republican Party."

And not coincidentally, political TV ads were created by NERD HERD "Americans United for Change" which happens to be a liberal group that tootled: "Just say no to the politics of Rush Limbaugh."

Limbaugh's bottom line assessment: "Their standard operating procedure: They need a demon to distract and divert from what their agenda is. They need a demon about whom they can lie so as to persuade average Americans that they're the good guys, the benevolent good guys, and the mean SOBs are their enemies trying to stop this great young little president from doing miraculous and wonderful things."

Politico Chick

Let The Tea Parties Begin! #9: Limbaugh VS. Obama #2

2009-04-09T22:47:00.000-07:00

Stimulus Porkulus: What the Hell Have

We Got Ourselves Intous?
PT 9: RUSH VS. OBAMA #2

Back at the end of February, the CPAC conference was held and Rush Limbaugh was the headliner for the event. He spoke at length and rallied the crowd to fight the Democrats and find a leader among other crowd pleasing commentary as highlighted in this FOX News piece.

Highlights included:

"We can take this country back. All we need is to nominate the right candidate."

Limbaugh called The Big O "one of the most gifted politicians, one of the most gifted men I have ever witnessed. He has extraordinary talent. It just breaks my heart that he has not used that extraordinary talent and gift to motivate and inspire the American people to be the best that they can be. He's doing just the opposite. It's not new. It's not change. And it's not hope."

You can view Limbaugh giving his speech by clicking here. He reiterated his view that he wants The Big O to fail which has been taken out of context by most in the drive by media. What he wants to fail is Socialism--any policies that lead us to Socialism should fail. And Rush is Right in that respect.

So, since they apparently had nothing better to do like deal with the economy, the War on Terror, or keep Biden in check, The Big O sent out Robert McFibbs to taunt Limbaugh.

Sam Youngman notes at The Hill, that McFibbs stated "Do they want to see the president's economic agenda fail? You know, I bet there are a number of guests on television throughout the day and maybe into tomorrow who could let America know whether they agree with what Rush Limbaugh said this weekend."

And then McFibbs added this GEM proving once again that the Democrats have severe short term memory issues when it comes to their own behavior: "I can only imagine what might have been said a few years ago if somebody might have said that on the other side relating to what was going on in this country or our endeavors overseas."

UH...HELLO MCFIBBS! Every day, day in and day out, the press and the Democrats railed against Bush, the War on Terror, touting it as a failure, our troops were killers and abusers, and that Bush was like Hitler--and in polls Democrats routinely said they wanted Bush to fail! I'd like to know what kind of Kook-Aid McFibbs is drinking back in the press room...

When McFibbs was asked why he would even give Limbaugh the time of day by addressing his commentary, McFibbs chortled out the usual he hit us first defense and blah blah blah.

Even sillier is the notion that many in the Democrat party have that Limbaugh is the face of the Republican Party which McFibbs tried to claim. To which Antonia Ferrier, a spokeswoman for House Minority Leader John Boehner called McFibbs on his distractionary tactics:

"What we are seeing is a desperate attempt by Democrats to distract attention away from a multi-trillion dollar spending spree taking place in Washington. Creating a boogeyman to change the subject does nothing to alter the fact that there are 9,000 earmarks in the omnibus spending bill, that the economic stimulus bill contained no Republican input or that their budget would increase taxes on all Americans."

Politico Chick

American History 101: The Boston Tea Party

2009-04-09T16:04:00.001-07:00

"Friends! Brethren! Countrymen!--That worst of plagues, the detested tea, shipped for this port by the East India Company, is now arrived in the harbor; the hour of destruction, or manly opposition to the machinations of tyranny, stares you in the face. Every friend to his country, to himself and to posterity, is now called upon to meet at Faneuil Hall, at nine o'clock THIS DAY (at which time the bells will ring), to make united and successful resistance to this last, worst, and most destructive measure of administration."

--Pamphlet that begins the path to the tea party, dated 11-29-1773

WHAT IS THE BOSTON TEA PARTY?

It was not about drinking tea and eating crumpets for those of you just joining us out there! Let's go back to "school" for a moment just in case you were playing hooky that day in American History class...I'm not going to bore you with a novel here, just the highlights and main points and we'll reflect on the big picture.

What led to the Boston Tea Party? The Tea Act. The Tea Act had to do with duties on tea, exportation being allowed directly to the colonies cutting out middlemen and retained a 3 pence duty on the tea--an irksome thing to the colonists. It also undercut the tea smugglers! Whigs/Sons of Liberty and anyone else spirited enough by these acts, began to gather and inform and protest. The Tea Act though, actually reduced some taxes. So what was the big deal then you may be wondering?!

Without getting too bogged down into the Tea Act, the main point of the protests which led to the Tea Party wasn't really the tax itself, it was these points:

1. The colonists objected to the tax because it was "Taxation Without Representation." It's not so much the tax, but the issue of representation!

2. They questioned the extent of England's Parliamentary authority over the colonists.

3. If they were to be taxed, it should be by their own colonial assemblies here in the colonies!

So what happened in Boston Harbor? In a nutshell, the tea was being taxed. The colonists wanted the tea returned. Yet, rather than return the tea to England, it was ordered it be unloaded and it would have been on December 17 had the colonists not boarded the ships on the 16th to dump it all, a defiant act against the King of England. They called the colonists rebels, we call them heroes.

Did this event start the American Revolution? Not completely, it was a event that highlighted the colonists desire to seek Independence and was very motivational!

1773 BOSTON TEA PARTY FACTOIDS:

It was December 16, 1773 and the colonists were disgruntled to say the least!

About 60 colonists boarded 3 British ships in Boston Harbor.

These ships were owned by the East India Tea Company and contained of all things: tea!

One of our founding fathers, Sam Adams (think Sam Adams Beer!), probably helped planned this little shindig - part of The Sons of Liberty. He definitely defended it afterward!

They dressed up as Mohawk Indians and boarded the ship--and the event was carried out peacefully.

342 tea chests were broken open and dumped into the harbor that night. It took about 3 hours to do so.

SO WHAT ABOUT THE 2009 TEA PARTIES?!

Obviously we're not being faced with a Tea Act. We are being taxed by our repesentatives so there's not any "taxation without representation" going on on a large scale.

BUT, here's the main sticking point. The Boston Tea Party has often been used as a symbol for protest over the years. On April 15, 2009 there will be tea parties held all across the country to protest what Congress is doing with The Big O's stimulus porkulus and his budget, the bailouts, and every other SOCIALIST idea they can cram down our throats! We can now add amnesty for millions of illegal aliens to the list and what is sure to be soaring taxes and inflation to come.

The Boston Tea Party isn't so much being repeated fact for fact, but it symbolizes the American people's zeal for protesting what they view isn't right and just and it's a celebration our patriotic duty to protect America, it's ideals, and what it stands for: freedom from governmental tyranny. All of which was at the root of the American Revolution.

Congress may say they represent us--after all, we elected them. The Big O may say he's our president--after all we elected him. But keep in mind, it wasn't a landslide by any means, and about half of the country is not sitting too happy not to mention all of those who now regret checking their intelligence at the door before entering the voting booth in a severe lightbulb moment that will surely eat them up for years to come! Thankfully the right to assemble and the right to protest haven't been wiped out, but we're heading for slippery times if we keep this tomfoolery up in Washington. It's only been a little over 2 months now and look at all the slices of crazy pie we've been served!

Just because they were elected, doesn't mean everyone wants to be taxed to death. It doesn't mean we want to pay for our neighbor's poor judgement in life. And it doesn't mean that we want to turn what has been a beautiful Free America into a Socialist Commune!

2010--mark my words, that's going to be a big year for Republicans and Independents! And whether the Democratic party can see it coming depends on how far they have their heads wedged up their nether regions...

HISTORICAL INFORMATION TO EXCITE YOU:

Here is an interesting account by George Hewes, a Boston Shoemaker who was there that fateful night.

Other sites of interest:

boston-tea-party.org - a history of the Tea Party--a historical organization to preserve and share the history of the tea party.

Wiki entry on Boston Tea Party (hopefully pretty accurate...)

Politico Chick

Don't Cross The Pelosinator!

2009-04-09T12:14:00.000-07:00

Don't get on her bad side! Or you might make it on her "Disfavor List."

Let's all take a moment and tell the truth. We all have a list. It may not be on a spiffy congressional memo pad like Pelosi's. It may just be in our heads. And it might not reflect any kind of organizational focus--we just know who we like and who we don't. And some we dislike more than others. Like Nancy Pelosi.

In a Politico piece by Glenn Thrush, who is now probably on Pelosi's list, he notes she "has also moved to strip power from longtime adversaries — and she has a propensity for remembering slights and grievances for years."

She even slights people in her own party and her allies confirm the list is real. A long time associate is quoted anonymously (but is probably now on the list--Pelosi is that good!) stating “She’s not a vengeful person, per se, and she thinks that people who do bad things eventually get their due without her intervention."

Pelosi's List:

Rep. Heath Shuler (Dem)
He's been picking fights with ME. And he's conservative! How icky is that!

Rush Limbaugh (Private Citizen)
I'm the Speaker of the House! How dare he breathe my hot air! He's Enemy Numero Uno! He gives me nightmares and night sweats. I will not speak his name for fear I might get a thrill up my leg!

Rep. Paul E. Kanjorksi (Dem)
He had the NERVE to vote on on the first stimulus vote! I'll be keeping my eye on him...

Rep. Eric Cantor (Rep)
He's a Republican! And he's aggressive! And he's always nitpicking me. But I'm perfect and he WILL go down!

Rep. Jim Cooper (Dem)
He's courting favors from Obama. I sense mutiny! He will be watched, mark my words...

Rep. Peter DeFazio (Dem)
This little grandstanding vote flopper has to GO!

House Appropriations Committee Staff They're ALL going down! Those pork lovers made me look bad!

CIA Director Leon Panetta
His work with Schwarzenegger is making me paranoid!

UPDATE:

Rep. Mark Rogers (Rep) is NOW on Pelosi's List. If he isn't, he soon will be! He recently went off on Pelosi calling her "crazy," "mean as a snake," and "Tom DeLay in a skirt." Hey now, let's not insult Tom Delay or other skirt wearing congressmen! Hee Hee.

Politico Chick

The Like Totally Excellent Adventures of Red Eye's Greg & Bill

2009-04-08T23:57:00.000-07:00

Night Owls Rejoice! How can you not take sarcastic pleasure in the ravings of FOX News's Red Eye host Greg Gutfeld and lovable sidekick Bill Schulz?! We highlight funny (they probably made them up) moments and the weird and wacky here...

Greg's Peeves & Fun Facts:

He looks like a walking mushroom when using an umbrella

He's like bad with math. Totally...

He likes to toss back a wine cooler or two to relax

Sometimes he acts like a 75 year old Geezer when it comes to the techy stuff!

He can't form sentences well

His forehead has a butt crack. Ewe!

Taking Ambien makes him write crazy e-mails to himself at Red Eye!

Recent Things We've Learned About Bill:

In Norway, he's considered a mop!

Taxes make him smoke

He lives in a pathetic little apartment

He's a clinically depressed woman!

All he's got to his name is $50 and a backpack

He's disgusting!

Red Eye Advice: (Follow at your own risk!)

If you can't pay for cigs, don't frickin' smoke!

Boozers are losers!

Obama Time!

2009-04-08T23:32:00.000-07:00

No need to set your clocks back in the future, we're all on The Big O's time clock now! And that means the house isn't rockin' until he comes a knockin'!

In this piece for FOX News by Stephen Clark, Clark notes that The Big O has "reversed an unwritten but much-noticed Bush policy: Be on time, all the time."

He's racking up the tardy slips faster than Barney Frank can say ka-ching every time a new tax is proposed! "Obama has been routinely late to events and news conferences, including the ones at which he reversed Bush's orders. This has led to an already familiar refrain from the Obama camp: 'He's running late.' "

A little Presidential Trivia:

Bill Clinton was always late. Too busy with the interns...

George Bush 43 "despised being late and was punctual to a fault. He set the tone early in his presidency -- he arrived at the Capitol five minutes early for his inauguration."

Presidential historian Doug Wead noted, "Bad organization that can be corrected, or it's arrogance. It sounds to me like this is arrogance."

Ooooh, the arrogance word lobbied at The Big O! That'll get you a scolding by Robert McFibbs!

But not to be unfair or unbalanced, Democratic consultant Mark Lindsay disagreed citing Clinton's example in taking time with the little people (like interns!), "I would say that taking time to accommodate your schedule to regular citizens is not an act of arrogance. It's an act of humility." Because being over 30 minutes late at times is soooo accommodating!

But political history prof Allan Lichtman has this explanation for Clinton's tardiness "President Clinton was always late because he wasn't very disciplined in general. This was a man who marched to the beat of his own drummer, who liked to talk, liked intellectual discussions, had his finger in every pie." Hope it wasn't cherry pie...

And how do you like this little bit of gossip--not to be outdone by The Big O, White House press sec McFibbs "has been routinely late for daily news briefings, sometimes by more than an hour." It takes time to get everyone's stories straight you know!

Politico Chick

The Gaffe Master's At It Again #3

2009-04-08T23:17:00.000-07:00

The Gaffe Master vs. O'TOTUS

Again proving that's just how he rolls, O'Biden appeared on the CBS Early Show in February to charm us all into buying into the stimulus porkulus. When asked about the Big O's website to track government stimulus spending, he spat out this gem to an aid: "You know, I'm embarrassed. Do you know the Web site number? I should have it in front of me and I don't. I'm actually embarrassed."

Because on his computer, websites are arranged by number! Hey, maybe he was referring to the IP address numbers, thereby proving he's more of an I-net genius than we previously thought. Hmmmm...

But not to be outdone, O'TOTUS decided to jump into the fray (that's TOTUS for Teleprompter of the US), and direct The Big O to declare that America invented the Automobile: "I believe the nation that invented the automobile cannot walk away from it."

Reality: German engineer Karl Benz (of Mercedes Benz) actually invented it! But what do those Germans know anyhow?!

Politico Chick

Let The Tea Parties Begin! #8: Limbaugh VS. Obama #1

2009-04-08T22:16:00.001-07:00

Stimulus Porkulus: What the Hell Have
We Got Ourselves Intous?
PT 8: RUSH VS. OBAMA #1

It's pretty difficult for a private citizen in the US to sue the government. But it's pretty easy for the government to walk all over a private citizen. Granted, Rush Limbaugh isn't your average citizen minding his own business. He's a widely regarded conservative opinion force. But it's pretty scary when Limbaugh is being treated worse by the administration and the media than the terrorists that want to kill us! When's the last time you saw a piece in the mainstream media damning Ramsey AL Kaboom? When's the last time a governor has given a terrorist an F-U, as NY governor David Paterson clearly did to Rush Limbaugh recently by declaring he would have raised taxes sooner to drive him out of the state?

Obama and Rush, can they not just get along? Or at least speak their opinions without someone having to get catty about the whole thing like Press Sec. Robert Gibbs a.k.a. McFibbs? Let it go off your backs Obama dudes. Get some real work done instead. But no, this totally proves one thing--they're scared of Rush Limbaugh. If they weren't, they wouldn't give him the time of day.

The NY Post reported that in a meeting with Republican leaders in the early days of taking over, The Big O stated, "You can't just listen to Rush Limbaugh and get things done."

"In an exchange with Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.) about the proposal, the president shot back: 'I won,' according to aides briefed on the meeting." And The Big O gave a song and dance about trumping them on that. And then he high-fived his teleprompter!

In an Op-Ed in the Wall Street Journal, directed at The Big O's stimulus plan titled "My Bipartisan Stimulus," Limbaugh opined "I don't believe his is a 'stimulus plan' at all -- I don't think it stimulates anything but the Democratic Party. This 'porkulus' bill is designed to repair the Democratic Party's power losses from the 1990s forward, and to cement the party's majority power for decades."

He broke down the differences between Keynesian economists and Supply-side economists: "Keynesian economists believe government spending on "shovel-ready" infrastructure projects -- schools, roads, bridges -- is the best way to stimulate our staggering economy. Supply-side economists make an equally persuasive case that tax cuts are the surest and quickest way to create permanent jobs and cause an economy to rebound. That happened under JFK, Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush. We know that when tax rates are cut in a recession, it brings an economy back."

Because recent polling showed that Americans are in favor of both types of fixer upppers, Limbaugh stated that his proposal is a "genuine compromise:"

"Fifty-three percent of American voters voted for Barack Obama; 46% voted for John McCain, and 1% voted for wackos. Give that 1% to President Obama. Let's say the vote was 54% to 46%. As a way to bring the country together and at the same time determine the most effective way to deal with recessions, under the Obama-Limbaugh Stimulus Plan of 2009: 54% of the $900 billion -- $486 billion -- will be spent on infrastructure and pork as defined by Mr. Obama and the Democrats; 46% -- $414 billion -- will be directed toward tax cuts, as determined by me.

Then we compare. We see which stimulus actually works. This is bipartisanship!"

Any takers on The Big O's side? His telemprompter probably laughed maniacally...But time will tell whether Rush's idea might just have been a winner!

Politico Chick

Let The Tea Parties Begin! #7

2009-04-08T21:50:00.001-07:00

Stimulus Porkulus: What the Hell HaveWe Got Ourselves Intous?
PT 7: Democrat Retreatus vs. McCainus vs. The Pelosinatorus

Fine wines, a little duck duck goose, and funny Bushisms charade night capped off a rousing Democrat Retreat back in February leading up to the passing of the stimulus and The Big O's speech to Congress and the nation. And there were no icky Republicans allowed!

The Big O decides to make an appearance to push for his excellent stimulus plan, "So then you get the argument, 'well, this is not a stimulus bill, this is a spending bill.' What do you think a stimulus is? That's the whole point." Obama and his teleprompter had a laugh. The Democrats giggled. It was a win-win. Obama got to do a little more campaigning and mesmerize everyone with change! He talked of petty politics and "phony arguments." He asked them to just all get along and pull together!

Not so fast, said Newt Gingrich. "He reduced himself from being president of all the American people to being the partisan leader of the left. The first month of your presidency is not a very good time to give a campaign speech."

Senator Lindsey Graham accused the Big O of "being AWOL on the legislation." He claimed that The Big O was trying to scare the public with his Op-ed and media interviews.

And it wouldn't be a party with out John McCain, who fired back: “The whole point, Mr. President, is to enact tax cuts and spending measures that truly stimulate the economy. There are billions and tens of billions of dollars in this bill which will have no effect within three, four, five or more years, or ever. Or ever.”

Obama's teleprompter rallied, “Here’s the point I’m making. This package is not going to be absolutely perfect, and you can nit and you can pick. That’s the game we all play here. What I’m saying is we can’t afford to play that game. We’ve got to pull together.”

McCain, never one to be one-upped, got in a last dig: “$50 million in funding for the National Endowment for the Arts — all of us are for the arts. Tell me how that creates any significant number of jobs? After-school snack program is probably a good idea. Do we really want to spend $726 million on it?”

Don't tick off Pelosi or you might get on her "bad list." And don't talk to her about working together either. That's like soooo yesterday!

Pelosi revealed what we already knew to be a rather delusional statement not reflecting her reality: “I didn’t come here to be partisan, I didn’t come here to be bipartisan. I came here, as did my colleagues, to be nonpartisan, to work for the American people, to do what is in their interest.”

And The Big O smugly spat out this gem to Republicans: "I won. I will trump you on that."

And so goes the Capitol Hill Soap, As The World Changes...I can see how they were able to work together on this. Totally...

Politico Chick

Let The Tea Parties Begin! #6

2009-04-08T21:20:00.000-07:00

Stimulus Porkulus: What the Hell Have
We Got Ourselves Intous?
PT 6: Health Care For Allus

Oh why not! Let's ruin our health care system--so says Betsy McCaughey in this Bloomberg piece.

Remember that lovable goofball Tom Daschle? Totally lame in Congress. Totally couldn't get reelected. And couldn't slip into the Big O's cabinet due to tax issues. But he's written a book on health care! That must count for something. Totally...

McCaughey writes about the not so subtle heath provisions that just happened to be slipped into the stimulus with all the other freakalicious pork. In effect:

1. EVERYONE'S medical treatments will be tracked electronically by a federal system. "Having electronic medical records at your fingertips, easily transferred to a hospital, is beneficial. It will help avoid duplicate tests and errors."

2. MORE BUREAUCRACY! The more the merrier, that's what they say in La La Land. A National Coordinator of Health Information Technology "will monitor treatments to make sure your doctor is doing what the federal government deems appropriate and cost effective."

Got a heart problem? No need for costly surgery! Why that's crazy! We'll just try a bottle of aspirin, a band-aid and a piece of gum and have MacGyver come in and get you all fixed up in a jiffy!

Need a hip transplant to be able to walk around? No worries--we'll just loan you Barney Frank's congressional page and he can carry you around to wherever you need to go.

New glasses? Yes we can! Here's two shards of glass wired together. Works like a charm and it's decorative too! Modern art is hawt...

Apparently if you actually read Daschle's book--and from the looks of sales, you probably didn't--the provisions in the stimulus look eerily similar. Clearly, some intern totally plagairized Daschle when trying to cram in some paragraphs on health care!

"According to Daschle, doctors have to give up autonomy and learn to operate less like solo practitioners." And if hospitals and doctors aren't "meaningful users" of this new brilliant system, they will face penalties. McCaughey ponders, "What penalties will deter your doctor from going beyond the electronically delivered protocols when your condition is atypical or you need an experimental treatment?"

McCaughey further points out the obvious--these health care provisions clearly hidden in the stimulus were totally intentional and sums it up with this factoid that ought to get everyone's thinking cap buzzing:

"The health-care industry is the largest employer in the U.S. It produces almost 17 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product. Yet the bill treats health care the way European governments do: as a cost problem instead of a growth industry. Imagine limiting growth and innovation in the electronics or auto industry during this downturn. This stimulus is dangerous to your health and the economy."

Politico Chick

Let The Tea Parties Begin! #5

2009-04-08T21:06:00.000-07:00

Stimulus Porkulus: What the Hell Have
We Got Ourselves Intous?
PT 5: Better Not Buy Americanus

Buy American gets canned! I mean, we were fixing to head to London for the G-20! We can't make it seem as if we actually like our own country so much that we'd actually buy from ourselves! What a crazy notion! Totally canned it.

The House inserted a "Buy American" clause into the stimulus which required that American Iron and Steel be used in construction projects outlined under the stimulus plan. The EU, which stands for European Union BTW, warned us with letters! Scary letters in which we were told to basically get off our "high horse." Or something like that...

The Big O, in his quest to receive the highest World-Wide approval ratings ever stated, “I agree that we can’t send a protectionist message. I want to see what kind of language we can work on this issue. I think it would be a mistake, though, at a time when worldwide trade is declining, for us to start sending a message that somehow we’re just looking after ourselves and not concerned with world trade.”

Of course, now that the G-20 is over, we can see how the world's big leaders are so willing to help us out...Classic!

Politico Chick

Dennis Millerisms #5

2009-03-31T21:13:00.000-07:00

More Recent Dennis Millerisms On The News & Politics:

On Gitmo:

I like the fact that the first people we had to calm down were the Gitmo guys. You know I could care less about Ramsey AL Kaboom down there.

Nobody wants them. Do you want 'em in your neighborhood? These guys are going to get passed around like a tie stick at a Dead concert.

On Biden:

I like the fact that he [Obama] knows Biden is an idiot!

Biden steps in it more frequently than a blind scatologist at Pamplona.

On Government Run Health Care:

Health care in the hands of the government. To me that sounds like the DMV with wounds. People get craggy about waiting 15 minutes for their license photo. How pissed are people gonna be when they put the egg timer on your tourniquet?

Politico Chick

Let The Tea Parties Begin! #4

2009-03-31T19:48:00.000-07:00

Stimulus Porkulus: What the Hell Have
We Got Ourselves Intous?
PT 4: ILLEGALSRUS

The Stimulus had a loophole where people without social security numbers (gee, who would that be?), could apply for government tax credits of up to $1000!

This article at Breitbart reported that "Republicans have already blasted the package for including what they argue is wasteful spending and omitting tax cuts for wealthier people and businesses they say are needed to jump-start the anemic economy."

And not a single Republican voted for such idiocy when it passed in the House.

William M. Welch writes at USA Today that "Tens of thousands of jobs created by the economic stimulus law could end up filled by illegal immigrants, particularly in big states such as California where undocumented workers are heavily represented in construction, experts on both sides of the issue say."

Why is this you may be wondering? It comes down to such a simple thing really: E-Verify.

Congress failed to require that employers use E-Verify. It's a Department of Homeland Security program that employers can use to check and see whether employees are US citizens--existing employees and those applying for jobs. I don't know about you, but this program sounds like it makes too much common sense! And we can't have that--especially in the Dept. of Homeland Security with J-NO leading the way! Next thing you know they'll be calling the illegals "Visa-Challenged Immigrants!"

Steven Camarota, director of research for the Center for Immigration Studies, simply said "'They could have deterred this, but they chose not to.' He said a federal requirement that employers use E-Verify would have reduced, if not eliminated, the hiring of immigrants in this country illegally."

The version passed in the Senate and sent to The Big O did not have a provision for requiring E-Verify--in fact the administration has delayed until May 21st, an executive order signed by Bush requiring federal contractors use this system. There are others blocking the use of this system with lawsuits having been filed--since the system isn't perfect. Is anything perfect in government?

Gee, I wonder why so much opposition? Less illegals means less cheap workers in manual labor and less votes from Hispanic groups whom the Democrats rely on to get elected so they can continue to drop the ball on illegal immigration.

Politico Chick

Let The Tea Parties Begin! #3

2009-03-31T19:27:00.000-07:00

Stimulus Porkulus: What the Hell Have
We Got Ourselves Intous?
PT 3: ACORNUS

They wanted to "thank" ACORN with a "payoff" as well in the stimulus. How many Mickey Mouses do you think voted for The Big O thanks to ACORN? By the way, in case you hadn't heard, ACORN is being investigated for voter registration fraud. So the Democrats want to help "stimulate" ACORN by providing 1.4 BILLION dollars for "neighborhood stabilization activities." You know this will go to groups like ACORN. Subtle phraseology for such a subtle group!

Sen. David Vitter, R-La., told FOX News "that the money could be seen as "payoff" for ACORN's political activities in the last election. ACORN generally supports Democratic candidates and actively backed President Obama last year."

Politico Chick

The Like Totally Excellent Adventures of Red Eye's Greg & Bill

2009-03-31T16:26:00.000-07:00

Greg's Peeves & Fun Facts:

He misses his party days and Sunday afternoons...

He has tiny feet

He would like tetherball banned!

He wants Madonna to adopt him so he can live in a palace and have a pony!

He watches figure skating in his birthday suit

Recent Things We've Learned About Bill:

He thinks Biden's daughter is hot!

He likes getting kicked below the belt...

He's like six years old!

Red Eye Advice: (Follow at your own risk!)

You shouldn't drink and fight!

You don't have to be a beauty queen to get some nookie...

Politico Chick

The War On Terror OR "Conversations With Our Friends" #1

2009-03-31T15:47:00.001-07:00

Did anyone else catch the significance of the loss of our base in Kyrgyzstan back in Feb. '09? You may have been too mesmerized by all of The Big O's speeches on the STIMULUS to notice this bit of news.

Kyrgwhat?! It's a tiny country (according to The Big O's reasoning), located north of Afghanistan and Pakistan. And what are we doing there you may be wondering? We have a base there: Manas air base--the "lone" base we have located in Central Asia. And what is significant about this base? It's key to our being able to supply our troops in Afghanistan. You know that other place we've been fighting in the WAR on TERROR in which we're ramping up troops and a "surge."

Kyrgyzstan's parliament drafted legislation to demand our exodus--which passed 78-1. Apparently there's at least one reasonable person in Kyrgyzstan! FYI, a few factoids: we pay $17.4 million annually to lease the base which has around 15,000 personnel. This lease is part of a larger agreement worth 150 million to the Kyrgyzstans.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates pointed out that the base was not irreplaceable, and noted "I think that the Russians are trying to have it both ways. On one hand, you're making positive noises about working with us in Afghanistan, and on the other hand, you're working against us in terms of that airfield, which is clearly important to us."

So what happened?! How does a tiny country like this thumb their noses at us? Enter Russia!

In this FOX News piece, Kurmanbek Bakiyev, president of Kyrgyzstan, was quoted as saying: "More than once we have discussed with our American partners the subject of the economic compensation to Kyrgyzstan for the presence [of the U.S. base], but unfortunately, we did not find an understanding from the United States."

TRANSLATION: We found a bigger DONOR. Russia had just loaned these fair weather "allies" 2 billion dollars. Russia denies the money loaned had anything to do with it. Like we'd buy that. Most likely the Russians spend too much time drinking to realize we've got a clue or two over here as to what they're up to! It's a much overused political playbook maneuver. Not very original Russia! Try us again...

And then of course not coincidentally, "Less than 24 hours later, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said he and his ex-Soviet allies want to cooperate with Washington in Afghanistan in return for no expansion among NATO membership and a U.S. reversal on a missile defense shield for Europe that Russia opposes."

And this AP piece notes, "Russia has appeared open to aiding the U.S. and NATO in Afghanistan by facilitating attempts to find northern alternatives to Pakistani supply lines increasingly threatened by militant attacks. But Moscow also wants to protect what it says as its strategic backyard by blocking the possibility of NATO membership for Ukraine and Georgia. Russia has also vehemently opposed U.S. plans to put a missile defense system in the Czech Republic and Poland."

Russia totally resents our presence there. In other words we need to pander to Russia to get some kind of deal to continue the supply line. Russia knew our lease was coming up this summer, knows were planning to ramp up our forces in Afghanistan, so they decide to play political chicken with us. Now, I'd be more inclined to tell Russia and it's little baby doormat Kyrgyzstan to go suck it, but of course we have to be more diplomatic and who knows where this will lead...given that our supply lines on land through Pakistan are not easy going--very easy to attack. So they're trying to hit us where it hurts.

Politico Chick

Let The Tea Parties Begin! #2

2009-03-31T15:12:00.000-07:00

Stimulus Porkulus: What the Hell Have

We Got Ourselves Intous?
PT 2: The Sexulus!

It didn't make it in there! Gee, I wonder why...? How can we forget Pelosi's Sex Stimulus Injection she really wanted in that bill!

But would it create jobs or stimulate the economy?! More like stimulate sex without worry! Nothing wrong with that. Doesn't she see though, how ironic that is?! I mean the more those who depend on government services (who typically vote democrat strangely...) use contraceptives, the less children they will produce. And the less children they have (who often grow up to vote like their parents), the less Democrats are produced. Leading to less Democrats voting. Hmmm... are we seeing a pattern here?!

The SEXULUS was kinda like a Democrat shooting themselves in the foot-surely they're not that stupid! Shhhhh! Maybe we shouldn't let them in on this little irony...The ultra-Religious of course object. But as always, that's just a red herring. Did they take it out of the bill to try and get more Republicans on board or did someone point out this little irony to Pelosi? I'm all for contraceptives--people shouldn't be having children they cannot support--that's selfish to the child and I don't want to support their lifestyle choices! So government, drive through the streets tossing contraceptives right and left. The effects of this will trickle down to less Democratic voters and less dependency on an already over burdened government. It's a win win. Kidding, people!

In this AP piece, House Rep. Leader John Boehner pointed out "How you can spend hundreds of millions of dollars on contraceptives how does that stimulate the economy?"

Obama's request to House Democrats to remove the SEXULUS portion, clearly showed the administration's desire to signal a spirit of bipartisanship--or did it?

Look for the SEXULUS to pop up in other ways--they love to backdoor things as often as their logic is circular on Capitol Hill!

Politico Chick

Howard Dean Wrecks Himself Before He Checks Himself #1

2009-03-28T01:44:00.000-07:00

"Not only are we going to New Hampshire. We're going to South Carolina and Arizona and North Dakota and New Mexico, and we're going to California and Texas and New York. And we're going to South Dakota and Oregon and Washington and Michigan. And then we're going to Washington, D.C. to take back the White House. YAHHHHHHHHHH!." --The Deaniac

Howard Dean and Keith Olbermann are like buds. Totally. So Dean goes on Olbermann's show and has a few things to say about calling ANY president names. Like Fascist. Or Unqualified. Or Boring. Or an Appeasor! Or POTUS!

Newsbusters has a funny piece by Brad Wilmouth on this latest Dean/Olbermann gaffe on Olbermann's Countdown Show. (Is it a countdown to when his head explodes? Hmmm--I still suspect he was replaced by a rabid robot many moons ago...)

Anybody with even half a brain sitting around watching these two had to be shaking their heads at the audacity of lameness both displayed when discussing such a topic of calling a president names. Dean: "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me! Yaaaaaaaaaaa!"

In a nutshell, a caller felt that the government was heading toward fascism and a Republican (Eric Cantor) didn't disagree so these two loveable goofballs were all over it!

Dean Postured: "The right thing to have said, which is what I would have said if somebody had called President Bush really dreadful names like that, I would have said, ‘Look, we disagree with President Bush strongly ... but he is the President, and we're going to be respectful of him.’"

Olbermann Philosophized: "Or if you have a case to call somebody a ‘fascist,’ lay it out. Define your terms and say where you, I mean, you may be crazy and you may be wrong, but at least put some meat on the bones. Just don't throw the word out, right?"

Dean Pondered: "Well, look, I mean, even in the darkest days of the Bush-Cheney administration, I don't think there was any reason to call George Bush a fascist."

Politico Chick Says: Seriously!? How did these two keep a straight face! Did they snicker during commercial break and high five each other only to go back to somber namby pamby face once the cameras started rolling? As Wilmouth notes, it was a case of a "gem of both double standard and apparent amnesia." Or as I like to call it, The Mysterious Case of The Twin Screamers' Blinders.

And this is why I call it the politics of hypocrisy! Olbermann is famous for his rant calling Bush a fascist! "If you believe in the seamless mutuality of government and big business, come out and say it! There is a dictionary definition, one word that describes that toxic blend. You're a fascist! Get them to print you a T-shirt with fascist on it! What else is this but fascism?" But now, calling someone a fascist is not OK. Hmmm...

And Dean! Does he not remember the last 8 years of BDS (Bush Derangement Syndrome)!? The Deaniac is responsible for some of these lovingly tender quotes during the Bush years:

"This country was the moral leader of the world until George Bush became president.”

"I hate Republicans and everything they stand for."

"John Ashcroft is not a patriot, John Ashcroft is a descendant of Joseph McCarthy."

"Republicans are brain-dead."

"Hypocrisy is a value that I think has been embraced by the Republican Party. We get lectured by people all day long about moral values by people who have their own moral shortcomings."

“You think people can work all day and then pick up their kids at child care or wherever and get home and still manage to sandwich in an eight-hour vote? Well Republicans, I guess can do that. Because a lot of them have never made an honest living in their lives.”

Classy!

Politico Chick

The Like Totally Excellent Adventures of Red Eye's Greg & Bill

2009-03-28T00:22:00.000-07:00

Night Owls Rejoice! How can you not take sarcastic pleasure in the ravings of FOX News's Red Eye host Greg Gutfeld and lovable sidekick Bill Schulz?! We highlight funny (they probably made them up) moments and the weird and wacky here... (Photo from the Activity Pit--Fan Site of Red Eye! It's the bomb!)

Best Quotes:

"God I'm losing my mind!" --Greg

Terrorists are "Christian-ly Challenged" --Pinch, the NY Times Correspondent

Greg's Peeves & Fun Facts:

Greg thinks Keith Olbermann is sexy when he's mad!

His bath water is murky

He'd like to learn how to make a tastier Italian meal in just thirty minutes!

He gets easily bored by show topics

Recent Things We've Learned About Bill:

He's been trying to get into Gitmo every chance he can!

He needs to learn to keep it clean...

If Bill had a chest that could talk it would be called "chesty"

He makes a lot of messes and they aren't adorable...

He'd be lonely if it wasn't for his solvent habit!

Recent Things We've Learned About Andy Levy:

He lives alone with two cats

He's a goofball mixture of Michael Knight (Rider), Danny Zuko, Astro Boy and some gang bangers all rolled into one! Or something like that...

Politico Chick

2009-03-27T21:55:00.000-07:00

"Any 20 year-old who isn't a liberal doesn't have a heart,
and any 40 year-old who isn't a conservative doesn't
have a brain." --Winston Churchill

It was with interest that I read where the bust of Winston Churchill loaned to the US after the 9/11 attacks, was given back to the British when The Big O took office. Redecorating and all. Had to get the feng shui right. Totally.

This bust of Winston Churchill--considered to be one of the most superb Prime Ministers in Great Britain--was a prominent feature in George Bush 43's Oval Office. So perhaps it was out with the old and in with the new when Obama's team set to change the office decorum.

"When British officials offered to let Mr Obama to hang onto the bust for a further four years, the White House said: 'Thanks, but no thanks.' "

Apparently The Big O prefers to have a bust of Lincoln, amusing considering this Blog entry of mine "Obama vs. Lincoln: He's No Abe Lincoln...?"

Apparently under Churchill's regime, the British allegedly tortured Obama's grandfather during a rebellion in Kenya. So perhaps the snub was a bit more intentional than previously thought.

But further, considering the fact that Obama claims he's not a Socialist (he just happens to act like one), I had a thought to Google. So I Googled "Churchill" and "Socialist" thinking I might be on to something? Here's a few quotes from Churchill about Socialism:

"Socialists think profits are a vice; I consider losses the real vice."

"Government of the duds, by the duds, and for the duds."

"'All men are created equal' says the American Declaration of Independence. 'All men shall be kept equal' say the Socialists."

"The vice of capitalism is that it stands for the unequal sharing of blessings; whereas the virtue of socialism is that it stands for the equal sharing of misery."

Need I say more?

Politico Chick

Oh No They Didn't...Another Celebutard Speaks #4

2009-03-27T20:48:00.000-07:00

Oh is this too funny or what!

CNS News reported this little tidbit under the header: "Cher: Republican Rule Almost Killed Me."

Um. Cher...Are you sure it wasn't all the Botox and plastic surgery that might have interfered with your ability to float your boat? Too much partying in your youth perhaps? ;)

Get ready for this. Cher said that living under Republican rule almost “killed" her: "Republicans almost killed me." She does not understand why anyone would want to be a Republican. When asked how they almost killed her, she really didn't have a specific response. Uh huh.

“You know what? I have so – I try to be charitable and there are some really good Republicans, but I just don’t understand how anyone would want to be a Republican. I just can’t figure it. I don’t understand. If you’re poor, if you’re any kind of minority – gay, black, Latino, anything. If you’re not a rich – I don’t know. If you’re not a rich born-again-Christian, I don’t get it.”

With all her farewell touring, movie making, talk show chatting, and other Celebutard partying ways, I would have never realized she had been on her deathbed! Why thanks to The Big O, we have a miracle! Cher has survived to vomit forth in genius-speak once more!

Politico Chick

Ever Been A Tax Cheat? You're hired!

2009-03-27T20:06:00.000-07:00

Three lobbyists walked into a bar...
and got hired by The Big O!

Ethics in Washington D.C. Is that like an oxymoron?! The lack thereof seems a bit pervasive in an industry that rather thrives on under the table maneuvers and "kickbacks." All for the common good or perhaps the pocket book too. A lack of ethics doesn't discriminate for it lurks in both sides of the aisle. So it was when The Big O ran on the mantras of "hope" and "change," that some where hoping for just that. Seriously, I think "change" was literally referring to pocket change-he hoped to get our pocket change.

In this piece by the International Herald Tribune, Peter Baker writes "During almost two years on the campaign trail, Barack Obama vowed to slay the demons of Washington, bar lobbyists from his administration and usher in what he would later call in his Inaugural Address a "new era of responsibility." What he did not talk much about were the asterisks."

The asterisks were the lobbyists he's hiring, all the former Washington insider Clinton administration folks, and the revolving door of tax cheats who've suddenly discovered they cheated on their taxes!

Executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, Melanie Sloan, noted perhaps wryly, "This is a big problem for Obama, especially because it was such a major, major promise. He harped on it, time after time, and he created a sense of expectation around the country. This is exactly why people are skeptical of politicians, because change we can believe in is not the same thing as business as usual."

And therein lies the reality. When you're an idealist or at least think you have the ability to mesmerize people into doing your bidding, when you actually try to get them to do your bidding, it's a whole different ball game! This is especially the case in politics where there are certain ways of doing things and no one wants to change the name of the game.

How in the heck Timothy Geithner was approved as Secretary of the Treasury is beyond me. The heightened crisis led to this although of course everything's rosier now strangely just a couple of months later. Isn't it a bit hypocritical to have a tax cheat as our Treasury Secretary giving out tax advice and going after other tax cheats!? Was there no one else qualified in the country to handle this job? Apparently a third of the senate agreed when voting against his confirmation.

And it might not be sooooo terrible if it weren't for the fact that still months later we've got major isues ongoing and no real set solutions in place. We've got ideas, things we'll do, but no plans in effect just yet to accomplish everything! So, maybe using a crisis to get a guy confirmed wasn't such brilliant strategery after all...

So, maybe just one bad appointment isn't that bad after all. But there were more! And there were more who were tax cheats! Is this a pattern? Is this some kind of requirement to go into politics and work for The Big O? Maybe it's like some kind of reverse psychology maneuver where we get the folks in there who know how to cheat the system to help overhaul and reform the system. Police sometimes use burglars as consultants to catch the crooks. Maybe this is some kind of brilliant strategery after all!

There were also tax issues involving nominees Ron Kirk, Tom Daschle, and Nancy Killefer. Next! Frankly, has anyone looked into Barney Frank--he may still owe back taxes from that prostitution ring being run of out his apartment years ago...Hmmmm....

Politico Chick

Let The Tea Parties Begin! #1

2009-03-27T14:51:00.000-07:00

"A failure to act, and act now, will turn crisis into a catastrophe." --The Big O

Stimulus Porkulus: What the Hell Have We Got Ourselves Intous?

Over the couple of weeks leading to Tax Day (April 15), I'm going to be dissecting the economy and the stimulus, budget and the various other issues that have unfolded between banks to AIG to tea parties all over the country! I had bookmarked a lot of articles since the end of January and it's interesting to read them with perspective and "read between the lines."

The economy is tanking (or is it?) and we've got to do something NOW! And we're going to make it all look so depressive and negative so the stock market will keep falling! And there's NO TIME to read the stimulus bill. Yeah yeah, we know The Big O campaigned against pork but there's just no time to worry about it--we'll make sure the pork isn't in the next stimulus! Cross Our Hearts! But, we've got to act NOW or the clock will turn back to the throes of the Great Depression, we'll all pass go and we won't get to collect our spiffy $200! And they milked it and milked it and by golly they got that porkulus passed! Funny, now that it's signed, The Big O is suddenly more positive--it's not all SO BAD after all! Coincidence? I think not...

So what's the stimulus? Well, it's the government's plan to stimulate the economy and provide jobs. Sounds like a plan right? Or not! With high unemployment, state budget crises, banking failures, stocks down greatly, wouldn't common sense dictate less spending and less taxation? That is just common sense to me. However, as we know, DC often has some sort of anti-common sense force field in effect. And what about all this pork we kept hearing about? In true liberal fashion, the NERD HERD put in a few extra shifts shoveling a load of you know what our way.

Pork is what they call the addition to bills of idiotic, niche, and or just plan silly local area/regional/state projects/earmarks: pork barrel projects or pork for short. No they weren't referring to Barney Frank or the The Big O hosting a BBQ. It's a way for our congressmen to pander to their constituents a.k.a. voters and big $$ donors. They bring home the bacon to fund a museum for toothpick holders or some money to fund an intensive and necessary study to see whether or not a penny found on the ground is really a penny earned...Great matters of importance. For reals...

And they're all guilty of it--both Republicans and Democrats! And they should all be grounded for it. Wouldn't it be fun if we could ground Congress! No more fancy Wed. night cocktail parties at the White House. No more Democratic retreats to shi shi destinations where they play duck duck goose, kick the can, and let's short sheet Pelosi's bed for laughs! You know, actually sit at their desk and do some real work. Many of these dufuses in DC are just "figure heads" anyhow--it's their staff that do most of their work for them and they just produce sound bytes and vote, make speeches, and sometimes even make empty promises. Or ask their "handler" what the "numbers" are for a website address like Biden... And some of them do a great job reading off teleprompters all day too. But I digress...

Here's just a small portion of some of the Pork found in the recently signed Stimulus--a top 20 list of Senators and their solo earmarks provided by Taxpayers for Common Sense:

1) Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va. -- $122,804,900

2) Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala. -- $114,484,250

3) Sen. Kit Bond, R-Mo. -- $85,691,491

4) Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif. -- $76,899,425

5) Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss. -- $75,908,475

6) Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska -- $74,000,750

7) Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa -- $66,860,000

8) Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla. -- $53,133,500

9) Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. -- $51,186,000

10) Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii -- $46,380,205

11) Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. -- $39,228,250

12) Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D. -- $36,547,100

13) Sen. Pat Leahy, D-Vt. -- $36,161,125

14) Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill. -- $35,577,250

15) Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa. -- $27,169,750

16) Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev. -- $26,628,613

17) Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa. -- $25,320,000

18) Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis. -- $23,832,000

19) Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. -- $21,952,250

20) Former Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M. -- $19,588,625

According to FOX News, "Defenders of the current system say earmarks aren't the problem, since they represent only 1 percent of total spending. But critics say earmarks are a foothold of future long-term, systemic waste, and a symbol of lawmakers' inability to spend taxpayer money with the same care as taxpayers do."

The stimulus in the House of Representatives passed 244-188. No Republican votes. They stood in opposition. It's was about time...It passed in the Senate 61-37.

Obama made his first mistake--in trusting the Democrats on Congress. He gives them the bill, expects them to put it together, crosses it off his to-do list, and goes around doing more campaigning and giving great speeches with his teleprompter. Meanwhile back at the pork farm on Capitol Hill, The Democrats ("We won!") are feeling the power trip big time and it's like a immature child has gone wild in a candy store! The problem is their parents aren't around to put a stop to it and teach them about moderation and patience. And they're paying for it with one mother of a piggy bank full of our pocket change! What's left of it anyhow after the stock market has nose dived... (Never fear, 2010 elections will spank them that's for sure...)

Politico Chick

Obama's Excellent Bowling Adventures Gaffe

2009-03-25T01:37:00.000-07:00

There's a bowling alley at the White House. How cool is that! And being one cool cat, The Big O has taken to doing a little bowling in between pestering Pelosi and Reid to &^%$ or get off the pot over this stimulus/economy/budget deal so he can cross it off his giant To-Do list!

So on his recent Economy Tour, The Big O decided to visit Jay Leno and wax nostalgic over his lack of skill at bowling. Apparently he's no Walter Ray Williams! He's more like "the Special Olympics or something." His words...(It is to be noted that his teleprompter was not with him at the time!)

So his handlers (and hopefully he) noticed right away there had been another gaffe moment in the battle between The Big O and O'Biden to see who can be the biggest Gaffe Master of them all!

When you're the president, it's pretty easy to pick up the phone and call the head of the Special Olympics to grovel. Apology accepted of course!

Jumping all over this was Sarah Palin, whose son has Downs Syndrome. "I was shocked to learn of the comment made by President Obama about Special Olympics. This was a degrading remark about our world’s most precious and unique people, coming from the most powerful position in the world."

Of course he was just poking fun at himself, but in this overly PC world, you can't have any kind of "fun"--even at your own expense! No siree...

Politico Chick

El Rushbo vs. El Steelebo: Future of Republican Party

2009-03-25T00:59:00.000-07:00

Talk about making much ado about nothing! Or was it something...?

When RNC Chairman Michael Steele went on the D.L. Hughley show (D.L. Hughley has a show?!), he said about Rush Limbaugh “Rush Limbaugh is an entertainer. Rush Limbaugh — his whole thing is entertainment. He has this incendiary — yes, it's ugly.”

Steele called and apologized to Rush apparently. Steele said he wasn't trying to slam Rush, “I went back at that tape and I realized words that I said weren’t what I was thinking. It was one of those things where I thinking I was saying one thing, and it came out differently. What I was trying to say was a lot of people … want to make Rush the scapegoat, the bogeyman, and he’s not."

Rush responded, "Yes, said Michael Steele, the chairman of the Republican National Committee, I'm incendiary, and yes, it's ugly. Michael Steele, you are head of the RNC. You are not head of the Republican Party. Tens of millions of conservatives and Republicans have nothing to do with the RNC and right now they want nothing to do with it, and when you call them asking them for money, they hang up on you. I hope that changes. I hope the RNC will get its act together."

"Michael Steele has been around long enough to know that the liberal media will use him by twisting what I say or what others say. He took the bait, he bit down hard on the bait, he launched an attack on me even though the premise of what was said to him was false. He took the bait and he went for it."

No matter this trivial back and forth, of course the liberal media went to town over this and OD'd on it for days! Some pundits think it was wise for Steele to apologize. Some think he shouldn't have as what he said appealed to the moderates in the Republican party.

SNL even parodied this issue with a skit featuring "Michael Steele" on Weekend Update--every time he spoke out of line, he was zapped by a device that "Rush" had put on the back of his head. Hey you have to be able to laugh at things, so I was pretty amused. Imagine if we could really monitor people like that, give them jabs, give them pointers even--like I don't know through teleprompters even?! Just a goofy thought...

What do I think? I think Michael Steele has a big job ahead of him--but like everyone who runs and heads up something, you can't please all of the people all of the time. Tough job. But he's not the party's head leader. I think Rush is a big voice in the conservative rank of the party and he can be a pretty funny guy. If you listen to his show you'd see that a lot of the time he's just being sarcastic, ironic, and sardonic but people take him so literally--whether they really believe it literally or they just want to twist sound bytes to suit their anti-Republican mantras. But he's not the leader of our party either. So who is? More on that in a future Blog...

For what it's worth, Mary Kate Cary wrote at US News, Rush Limbaugh, Michael Steele and the Other Bickering Boys Must Grow Up, that while the men are bickering amongst themselves, the women are keeping their traps shut. In discussing what women in the Republican party want, she focuses on what the party should be doing and notes "Now is the time to get back to promoting opportunity for all Americans; limited but effective government that works; mainstream, working-middle-class values; access to healthcare and clean energy. It is time for the GOP to get back to being the Big Tent Party." And finally, "Most of all, it is now time for us to tune out the squabbling boys and listen to the women. Now that would really be 'off the hook.' " Go Sarah Palin in 2012? Time will tell...

Politico Chick

A Lesson on Presidential Protocol The Obama Way

2009-03-24T23:42:00.000-07:00

When it comes to the presidency, protocol is everything. They even have a coach on staff to teach new presidents how to act, sit, stand, and even kneel the part.

About a month ago, The Big O made the news when he approached Marine One to depart and instead of saluting the Marine who was waiting with a salute, he reached out his hand to shake this young Marine's hand. This forced the Marine to break his own training and protocol and shake The Big O's hand. Big gaffe or touching moment, you be the judge...

Cristina Corbin notes in this FOX News piece, "Like his predecessors, Obama must master the presidential protocol that has long ruled the White House. From military salutes to the presidential march to the customs by which foreign visitors are welcomed, every commander-in-chief must respect the traditions that have come to define the office."

Bush 43's former chief of protocol Nancy Brinker says "Protocol is diplomacy. It's about ceremony and custom and making sure the president and his office are represented properly as he travels the world."

Some Presidential Factoids:

In 1928 the State Department created the Office of the Chief of Protocol

The White House's military office briefs the President on military protocol

Former President Bill Clinton was often criticized over his salute which wasn't very crisp!

It was President Ronald Reagan who began the tradition of saluting members of the military

A president can be free to make some changes, but American historian Barry H. Landau, who served in the White House protocol office for nine presidencies, "cautioned that there is some protocol that a president should never breach."

Politico Chick

The Gaffe Master's At It Again #2

2009-03-24T23:19:00.000-07:00

Back in early February, after the Porkulus was pushed through the House, O'Biden got up to chit chat and blundered yet again. But hey, that's just how he rolls...

He was quoted in this Washington Time's piece stating emphatically "If we do everything right ... there's still a 30 percent chance we're going to get it wrong."

Apparently he was using some kind of fuzzy math because a couple of days later, The Big O kinda threw him under the bus when asked about O'Biden's quote. The Big O scoffed, "You know, I don't remember exactly what Joe was referring to, not surprisingly."

Translation: "That guy's a big dufus! Don't listen to a word he says. We keep trying to ship him off to parts unknown but before we can catch him, he just won't quit popping up with these gaffes!"

So in The Big O's typical fashion of not really answering a question and not really being forthright, he says further "I think what Joe may have been suggesting, although I wouldn't ascribe any numerical percentage to any of this, is that given the magnitude of the challenges that we have, any single thing that we do is going to be part of the solution, not all of the solution."

Blogger Toby Harnden gives it to you straight, "Of course, Biden wasn't saying anything of the sort - Obama knew that and all the rest of us did too. Clearly, Obama and his aides were unhappy about Biden's loose lips."

Even adviser David Axelrod was confused: "I don't know exactly about what that math was."

Neither do we. But one thing is clear, O'Biden is sure to keep us amused (or not) during the next four years!

Politico Chick

UH RAH Military Heroes Update #3

2009-03-24T22:59:00.001-07:00

With war comes terror, death, destruction, rebirth, change, and freedom. For these two cuties above, they have a chance at a pampered well-loved life thanks to troops Staff Sgt. Daniel Barker and Adam Krouse. They were deployed in Afghanistan when they found these puppies malnourished and abandoned wandering the streets as detailed in this FOX News piece.

Rescued and given the run of a military base, they were named Jack and Emma. Thanks to the dog rescue group Dogpile.com, they were able to be brought over to the US and given to Barker--an appropriate name for such an honorable owner!

Politico Chick

The Politics of Hypocrisy: Obama's Oval Office Retreat

2009-03-24T22:42:00.000-07:00

We have to "lead by example." "We can't drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times," Obama said.

Apparently though, when it comes to his own lifestyle choices, he likes to turn up the heat and then take the heat for it. Heat. I'm sensing a theme here!

At the beginning of his presidency, reporters wrote in a tizzy about a new age in the White House--one that was more casual where Obama and his staffers could go about their business sans coat and tie--something that former president Bush was stricter about. Talk about business casual!

Turns, out it had more to do with the heat! The Big O apparently began turning up the dial on the thermostat in the Oval Office. It's so hot that David Axelrod claims "You could grow orchids in there."

In this FOX News article, Christopher Horner--global warming critic--is quoted "It's stunning hypocrisy. Obama spins the dial up, takes off his coat and seeks to mandate that we turn the dial down," he said.

Apparently even Jimmy Sweater Carter donned a cardigan in the 1970s when there was a gas shortage! Some say the president should lead by example. Or maybe the old adage, do as I say, not as I do should apply here?

Politico Chick

Oh No They Didn't...Another Celebutard Speaks #3

2009-03-24T20:24:00.000-07:00

With a catchy headline like "Springsteen calls Wal-Mart CD deal a mistake" red flags went off. Another Celebutard moment I was certain! In reading this gem I deduced that several things I have assumed about celebrities and even politicians are true:

1. They have handlers/staff who do a lot of their busy work for them
2. Their "people" handle and make a lot of deals and negotiations that they just sign off on

BUT, that doesn't negate that each of these individuals has a personal responsibility to keep it real!

Apparently The Boss (Bruce Springsteen) made a deal to let Wal-Mart exclusively sell his greatest hits CD. I mean for a liberal, that's like sleeping with the enemy isn't it? And he admits to the NY Times, that it was a mistake! He totally didn't know about it. It was that other Bruce Springsteen that did it! Some fans were critical.

"Springsteen told the Times that his team didn't vet the issue as closely as he should have, and that he "dropped the ball on it. 'It was a mistake. Our batting average is usually very good, but we missed that one. Fans will call you on that stuff, as it should be.' "

What about the fans who don't mind that he sells it at Wal-Mart?

Politico Chick

RNC Makes Historic Choice: Michael Steele

2009-03-24T20:11:00.000-07:00

He's that other African American to be the first elected for his job--head of the RNC, Michael Steele. In case anyone didn't catch that in the news...

Steele, a former Maryland Lt. Gov., said in his victory speech, "We're going to say to friend and foe alike, we want you to be a part of us. And to those of you who will obstruct, get ready to get knocked over."

Coming out with a punch, I liked it!

This CNN article noted that "During the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota, last summer, Steele made a splash by coining the phrase Drill, baby, drill which quickly morphed into a rallying cry for the GOP base at campaign rallies around the country."

Some critics have suggested Steele may be too moderate to lead the party, however the party is comprised of all Republicans--liberal, moderate, and conservative Republicans. But Steele insists he's conservative, "I'm proud to say I'm a conservative, have been, always will be. So this notion that I'm a moderate is slightly overblown and, quite frankly, a lie."

He also tackled misconceptions about Republicans, "We have been misdefined as a party that doesn't care, a party that's insensitive, a party that is unconcerned about minorities, a party that is unconcerned about the lives and the expectations and dreams of average Americans. Nothing could be further from the truth."

I would hope that Michael Steele could be an inspiration to blacks in this country who lean left and are no doubt bound to be disappointed when Obama's dance of hope and change turns out to be a two left-footed dance!

Politico Chick

Look Out! You've Just Been Google Bombed!

2009-03-24T19:46:00.001-07:00

You may be wondering, "Just what the heck is a Google Bomb?!" Apparently it's dork speak for when a person goes to enter a set of words like "miserable failure" into the Google search box, then the resulting web hits will point to George Bush's biography at the White House Website. Because you know when we sit down to Google, we often feel the need to Google the words "miserable failure." That's totally normal. Sure it is. And if we did Google those words, then wouldn't that be a funny ha ha to see Bush pop up, instead of someone you expected to pop up like Pelosi, Frank, Reid, or Dodd?! Strange how that works...

But goofy codes and algorithms aside, apparently this went on--as an iside type joke I'm sure passed along in e-mails and Blogs and chat rooms to go Google those terms--for like four years before anything was done by the staff at Google according to an article at FOX News.

So when The Big O took over, he was similarly set up with such a Google Bomb for "miserable failure" and also apparently for "cheerful achievement!" And how long did it take for the geniuses at Google to fix this oddity? Just a few days...but it was because they finally had the spiffy algorithm in place to defeat these kinds of Google Bombs! Totally.

I can think of a few great Google Bombs for laughs:

Google: "Crazy Witch"
Leads To: Pelosi

Google: "Ignoramus"
Leads To: Barny Frank

Google: "Most Boring Senator Ever!"
Leads To: Harry Reid

Google: "Tax Cheat"
Leads To: Geither, Daschle, Rangel (and on and on and on...)

Google: "Liar Liar Pants On Fire"
Leads To: The Big O

Google: "Grow A Pair!"
Leads To: Republican Party

Politico Chick

Dennis Millerisms #4

2009-03-22T12:08:00.000-07:00

More Recent Dennis Millerisms On The News & Politics:

On Crazy Monkeys:

If you've got a monkey in a wife beater sitting in a barcalounger and you're handing him your channel flicker, you're out of your mind!

On Pelosi:

When there's money involved she's up like a seal at Seaworld!

She's the worst politics has to offer.

On the "Enemy Combatants" Debacle & Gitmo:

You say tomato, I say infantado...

Let's just call it what it is--they're lunatics!

What is the war in Iraq now a fracas with some "noisy neighbors?!"

I don't worry about whether Ramsey Al Kaboom is getting up every day and his bidet is properly attended to.

On the Economy & The Stimulous:

We want to suckle from our mothers not from the capital dome.

At this point in history I'm just glad they didn't earmark some money for Al Qaeda!

Politico Chick

The Like Totally Excellent Adventures of Red Eye's Greg & Bill

2009-03-22T10:16:00.000-07:00

Night Owls Rejoice! How can you not take sarcastic pleasure in the ravings of FOX News's Red Eye host Greg Gutfeld and lovable sidekick Bill Schulz?! We highlight funny (they probably made them up) moments and the weird and wacky here...

Best Quote:

"Dissent is not unpatriotic or at least that's what I've heard the last 8 years." --Ann Coulter

Red Eye Is:

The View without the cramping!

Greg's Peeves & Fun Facts:

Greg's houseboys wear inflatable boxing gloves!

Greg is bored by his own voice

He wears shorty robes

He's a Bush Butt-Kisser

He's lost many jobs because of his height.

Recent Things We've Learned About Bill:

He feels good when he agrees with puppets

His fan club could count the population for the census!

He's a narcissist and Greg's dealer!

He scours the garbage can every night for dinner. Awe.

Red Eye Advice: (Follow at your own risk!)

Name dropping Scott Baio can be a sign of narcissism...

Politico Chick

Oh No They Didn't...Another Celebutard Speaks #2

2009-03-22T00:23:00.000-07:00

This is an oldie but a goodie I couldn't pass up getting in here at the Blog! Yes, I'm behind the times, but I'm weeding through the old articles bookmarked since January on my battle to expose the nuts and loose screws rolling around Washington and Hollywood. And I'm having such fun doing it too.

So without further ado, I give you this gem on Celebutard Sharon Stone! During the inauguration festivities, her mouth wasn't quite where her brain should have been! At an inaugural gala for PA folks, she started waxing nostalgic about all the great things PA has: oil, lakes, gas, milk, forests, moms, blah, blah, blah--the list just went on and on. I think she forgot dirt, Grass, whoopie pies, Amish quilts, animals, fences, cars, and even racists (I didn't say it, Jack Murtha says it's so!)...

But worse, she made a major faux pas related to American History and the Liberty Bell, "She was left red-faced after taking to the stage and claiming the state's most historical monument, the Liberty Bell, was 'brought back to America.' Stone said, 'We're gonna ring that liberty bell that we brought with us here to America. We're gonna make the American Dream into an American reality.' The bell was in fact shipped to its home in Philadelphia in the 1750s, when Pennsylvania was still a British colony - and members of the governor's entourage informed an embarrassed Stone about her mistake after she stepped down from the podium." Oops...

The mesmerizing factor of The Big O might just be a mitigating factor. Either that or maybe it's as we've suspected. Just because they're famous doesn't mean they have a clue!

Politico Chick

Bush Legacy #5: Rove's Reasons Bush Was Right

2009-03-21T23:35:00.000-07:00

Karl Rove wrote a column in the Wall Street Journal about Bush's legacy upon leaving office and noted "Yet, as Mr. Bush left Washington, in a last angry frenzy his critics again distorted his record, maligned his character and repeated untruths about his years in the Oval Office. Nothing they wrote or said changes the essential facts."

Here are the facts as Rove presents them:

1. Bush was right about Iraq - The world is safer without Saddam Hussein.

2. Bush was right to change strategy and embrace the surge.

Remember, The Big O didn't believe it would work and still hasn't admitted fully that it has.

Rove notes, "They were wrong. Iraq is now on the mend, the war is on the path to victory, al Qaeda has been dealt a humiliating defeat, and a democracy in the heart of the Arab world is emerging."

3. Bush was correct in establishing the Bush Doctrine: Those who harbor, support, and train terrorists are as responsible as the terrorists themselves.

Hello, in our own US laws, we hold accessories to crimes--both before, during, and after the fact as liable as the criminals who commit the acts. This is a no-brainer!

4. Bush was right to take the war abroad instead of waiting for more acts of terrorism to come our way.

Yes this was pre-emptive, but when the terrorists's mantra is to annihilate us (How many times have we heard Bin Laden state "Death to America"), what are we waiting for? I mean, did we really need to wait for John Kerry to ride Barney Frank through the streets of DC shouting "The terrorists are coming! The Terrorists are coming!" to get a clue we have a major War on Terror on our hands? If 3000+ deaths on 9/11 haven't clued any of you in yet, why then you probably have difficulty finding your own rear without a search party too...

5. Bush was right to strengthen the military and our intelligence capabilities and create new tools to adjust to the changing methods of fighting an enemy who doesn't have a home base--a home country--a typical army.

I'm all for freezing their assets, catching their plots before they hatch, and killing and capturing those who wish to take us out. In our own US laws, we have the right to defend ourselves. War is a whole different and heightened ballgame!

One interesting point that Rove brings up is that these things began to get more and more unpopular as the memories of 9/11 faded. We all began to go about the business of our lives. The War on Terror was being fought abroad and it wasn't in your face on a daily basis--except for all the deaths and mistakes they chose to point out! Where were all the good stories? The media and Democrats made a practice of tearing down Bush in the eyes of Americans and the world. Those of us who were truly patriotic and reasonable didn't buy it. We remained loyal and steadfast. Ultimately, those who were struck personally by the tragedy of 9/11 still live with those painful memories today--and the Gitmo debacle is not helping one bit. The lessons of 9/11 should never be forgotten as we seek to remain a safe and hopefully free nation.

6. Bush was right to be a unilateralist in combating AIDS in Africa.

Rove notes that Bush's "President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief initiative brought lifesaving antiretroviral drugs to millions of Africans."

7. Bush was right to cut taxes for every American who pays taxes plus he cut taxes on capital, investment, and savings.

This led to 52 months of growth. He was right to match tax cuts with spending restraint--which he notes "This is a source of dispute, especially among conservatives, but the record is there to see."

8. He was right to modernize Medicare with prescription drug benefits through competition.

The program is costing 40% less than predicted due to competition among drug companies!

9. Bush was right to pass No Child Left Behind.

More accountability and testing--and the result is that math scores have risen.

10. He was right to stand for a culture of life.

Remember this old Malcolm X Quote, "“If you don't stand for something you will fall for anything.” If we don't stand up for our values, believes, and morals, the liberals sure as heck won't!

11. He was right to appoint conservative judges who strictly interpret the constitution.

Rove closes with "And Mr. Bush, a man of core decency and integrity, was right not to reply in kind when Democratic leaders called him a liar and a loser. The price of trying to change the tone in Washington was to be often pummeled by lesser men. Few presidents had as many challenges arise during their eight years, had as many tough calls to make in such a partisan-charged environment, or had to act in the face of such hostile media and elite opinion."

And he's right, Bush was above the petty partisanship and petty commentary so standard for the current presidency's own Press Secretary Robert "Fibbs" who enjoys taking pot shots at Republicans, Democrats, and private citizens who speak out against the policies of his boss.

Politico Chick

Reason #15 Obama is NOT Qualified to Be President

2009-03-21T23:06:00.000-07:00

#15: Wake Up America, We're Not Socialists!

In case anyone missed the memo while they were off getting buzzed at the peace rally, we're a capitalist nation. Free markets rule. Free=FREEDOM. Duh!

Dick Morris writes in his column of Jan. 20, 2009 entitled "The Obama presidency: Here comes socialism," that "Just as the stars were aligned for Wilson, Roosevelt, Johnson and Reagan, they are aligned for Obama. Simply put, we enter his administration as free-enterprise, market-dominated, laissez-faire America. We will shortly become like Germany, France, the United Kingdom, or Sweden — a socialist democracy in which the government dominates the economy, determines private-sector priorities and offers a vastly expanded range of services to many more people at much higher taxes."

To Half of America, you have no one to thank but yourselves in getting us into this mess that just keeps on getting dreamier and dreamier doesn't it! Well, maybe dreamy to folks like Chaves and Castro!

In his rather insightful column--considering since Jan. 20, The Big O has pretty darn near headed down all of the following paths--Morris lists the following things we'll have to look forward to (and this list just keeps growing daily!):

Obama will:

-Change our country fundamentally under the lexicon of "lifting the depression"

-accomplish his agenda of "reform" under the rubric of "recovery"

-Obama will emulate the example of FDR, whose reforms included Social Security, Securities and Exchange Commission, Wagner Act (including unionization), Federal Minimum Wage, etc.

-Transform our political system with his tax and welfare policies

-Raise spending and increase the deficit so republicans cannot cut taxes

-Once the economy is restored he will raise taxes

-Nationalize the banking system--preferred stockholders gets dividends first!

-Limit executive compensation

-Add to that nationalized health care, amnesty for illegals, and weakening border controls

Morris writes knowingly, "He will begin by passing every program for which liberals have lusted for decades, from alternative-energy sources to school renovations, infrastructure repairs and technology enhancements. These are all good programs, but they normally would be stretched out for years. But freed of any constraint on the deficit — indeed, empowered by a mandate to raise it as high as possible — Obama will do them all rather quickly."

The Big O has been like a kid in a candy store--except the candy is the American taxpayer's pocket change!

Morris predicts the results of these socialistic reforms when he notes, "In the process, he will create a permanent electoral majority that does not pay taxes, but counts on ever-expanding welfare checks from the government. But none of these changes will cure the depression. It will end when the private sector works through the high debt levels that triggered the collapse in the first place. And, then, the large stimulus package deficits will likely lead to rapid inflation, probably necessitating a second recession to cure it."

America is not a socialist nation. The majority of Americans are moderate to conservative. So I'd like to know how the heck we managed to elect such a naive socialist? Again, must have been that anti-liberal cloaking device he was wearing, people became mesmerized by this guy and actually thought he was a moderate. And they have no one to thank but themselves for this mess we're in! The 2010 mid-term elections cannot come quickly enough!

Politico Chick

Reason #14 Obama is NOT Qualified to Be President

2009-03-20T20:09:00.000-07:00

#14: The Gitmo Debacle Part 2:
Countown to Closedown Jan. 2010

Since my last Blog entry on Gitmo was sooo long, I'm going to try to keep this one short and sweet but we'll see. Ha!

One thing about this whole Gitmo debacle, is that if you just sit back and focus and look at the big picture, you'll find yourself going "And why do we need to close down Gitmo again?" I haven't heard one good reason for the closing of Gitmo other than for political reasons of expediency. It's a "bad symbol" or it's "a campaign promise that Obama made that he's fulfilling" are just not good enough reasons to put the victims and their families of 9/11 and USS Cole tragedies through this mess and endanger lives of our civilians and of our military on the battlefields. While I don't have a problem with reviewing cases that are in need of review and releasing those who are not guilty, I do have a problem with suspending trials of people who are admitting their guilt! This is proving to be a political issue and that is dispicable in my view.

The previous Blog entry from yesterday covered some Gitmo articles from late January to early February, so we'll pick up at The Big O meeting with families of 9/11 victims and USS Cole victim families.

This meeting took place on February 6, 2009. Not all of the family members invited attended. Some refused. In this Wall Street Journal piece by Jess Bravin, he notes that 40 were in attendance. The Big O took questions from 16 family members in the 40 minute meeting. Family members were told and reassured that The Big O was commited to seeking justice for the families and the victims in these attacks. One member was quoted in saying "He said several times that he wants to pursue 'swift and certain justice,' and that Guantanamo made it harder." According to The Big O, apparently harder due to "legal uncertainties" surrounding the Bush military commissions which could "cloud convictions and tie them up in Federal court for years."

So The Big O in checking out his "Gotta Close Down Gitmo" in a year checklist, has put a big fat check next to a review from top to bottom of all detainees there at Gitmo to determine if they should be released, put into court martial, or sent to federal courts.

The families of some victims quite honestly are concerned there might be more leniency shown to the detainees now that The Big O is running the show. But Obama gave out hugs and assured them with this quote that he was on top of things: "Nobody's getting off, nobody's going free." For reals!

About a week later, Catherine Herridge at FOX News reports that USS Cole families have pressed Obama to open a commission to investigate the attack on the USS Cole. But herein lies the rub: to do so, would require an investigation into the Clinton White House--a tricky issue, "unpopular with the Navy and would require investigating the Clinton administration's actions against Al Qaeda. That could be politically tricky -- one democratic administration investigating the possible intelligence failures of another democratic administration." In other words, a commision is probably unlikely!

We don't even need a commission to uncover this big fat clue: Clinton was A-WOL on the job as far as terrorism and our US military goes! The Clinton years are referred to as the "lean years" by military who lived through them and who survived (unlike those poor soldiers caught in the Blackhawk Down debacle) to get fired up under Bush. And of course, we all know just how effective the "Unabanger" was in protecting America from Osama Bin Ladin whom he had the chance to take out but was too busy getting Lewinskis to use his real brain to get the job done. But I digress...

But never fear, The Big O is here! "A senior administration official told FOX News that President Obama has not ruled out the idea of a 9/11-style commission on the Cole attack, and it is now under review." I'd love to see this done and would support it, it would be interesting to see what was discovered in the way of the USS Cole bombing and how the Clinton administration failed to properly handle the disaster.

So, since mid-February, how have things been going? Check out these policy "winners" and administration dilemmas--once again proving that it's much easier said than done. Idealism in the real world is like hindsight, it comes back to bite you big time:

Let's Rename The Terrorists "TEDDY BEARS" While We're At It...

Wow! It just keeps getting better doesn't it. In the spirit of peace and softness and political manipulative wordsmithery, on March 14 in this Reuters piece by Randall Mikkelsen, we were let in on a spiffy new policy by The Big O's administration: they're going to stop calling the terrorists at Gitmo "enemy combatants," a phrase so rightly used by the Bush administration.

Attorney General Stedman Graham...er...Eric Holder (yes he looks kinda like Stedman!) was quoted "As we work toward developing a new policy to govern detainees, it is essential that we operate in a manner that strengthens our national security, is consistent with our values, and is governed by law." In other words, we want the world to love us and we want the terrorists to give us big kisses and run on their tiptoes with us through the tulips for a better world. (GAG!)

But this doesn't go far enough for kooks at a Human Rights group who claimed "The government may have eliminated the term enemy combatant but it is still claiming the authority to detain people far beyond the traditional norms of humanitarian law." Whaaa!

And LA Times Blogger Andrew Malcolm quips if they get released and go back to the battlefield, then can we call them "renewed enemy combatants?" That's funny. And ironic!

For now, until someone comes up with a better plan, the legal means for holding these TEDDY BEARS at Gitmo will be based on laws passed by Congress (and they're such geniuses at passing good laws!) which by extension includes International Law and those wonderfully lauded Geneva Conventions for which terrorists don't give a flying fudge about while they're beheading civilians, journalists like Daniel Pearl, and our US military soldiers who are trying to make our world safer. While the TEDDY BEARS thumb their nose at our Geneva conventions, we try to set the standard for the world by adhering to them. I concede that point of view--we do have to lead by example as the world does look to the US (regardless of how much they've scorned us for decades) for this kind of leadership and example. However I also concede that sometimes situations require methods that aren't always kosure. And legally, there are issues as to whether these TEDDY BEARS really even fall under the Geneva conventions. It's a legal wrangle that's for sure!

Here's the New Rules, But We May Make Up More As We Go Along...

In reviewing the cases of the now 240 detainees (notice 5 have apparently left the building!) we will only be detaining and therefore trying those who fit these qualities:

1. They provided substantial support to Al Qaeda, the Taliban, and similar lunatic groups
OR 2. They were a part of these groups

Human Rights groups were totally bummed because the definition of "substantial" wasn't more clearly defined. I mean what if the TEDDY BEARS were just letting those guilty TEDDY BEARS bum a cigarette off of them and had no IDEA that there were any bombs hidden in their camel's saddle bags! I mean to do anything to them for that would be just wrong, right?!

Whatever they do, Stedman...I mean Holder, has stated that changes will be made and Bush policies will be undone! Mark his words, he's got a big FAT to do list and he's all over this! For reals!

Oh What the Heck! Let's Try Them In Civilian Courts!

Civilian Trials or Military tribunals. Hmmm...Gee What to do?! How about a coin toss or maybe the old Eenie Meenie Minie Mo standby!?

You know--the civilian courts with moronic jurors like those who set O.J. Simpson free! So he could search for the real killers... Please tell me we're talking bench trials here! So to avoid having to give up any sensitive national security information, they've got the idea to try some cases that are pre-9/11 in civilian courts! Some of these guys are being tried for newer and older charges. So the older charges could be brought up in the Civilian courts they think and that would avoid any new charges being dropped due to "torture" issues where present...Hmm..so what--try them for those old charges and then try them in a military court for the newer post-9/11 charges?! Sounds like a lot of busy work and more paperwork. Why not try them in military courts in one big shebang with all the charges--and let them be convicted of all or some of them. Or is that too simple?

I am so glad I didn't go into JAG after law school like I considered doing, I'd be pulling my hair out right now over this Gitmo debacle. I tell you they are going to spend more time hashing out the "rules" and various "scenarios" and checking these against every liberal fringe organization that has a human rights beef to make sure it's all "PC"--and less time getting anything done in the near future. It's mind boggling! And further, I'd hate to be stuck listening to these people sit around trying to decide where and what to eat for lunch on any given day!

Well Now What Do We Do With Them?!

We're closing Gitmo. So, where do the terrorists go? It's been said they can't go back to their countries where they might face abuse or even death.

In this Reuters piece by James Vicini about what we'll be doing with the detainees aka TEDDY BEARS, AG Holder stated that detainees could be released into the US and tried in civilian courts. Some will be released to other countries. And some get a rosy get out of jail free card to go along with their sunny dispositions!

The EU has questioned why they should take detainees if the US is not willing to take them. (Uh...we did take them, they've been on "US Soil" at the naval base at Gitmo for goodness sakes! Am I missing something!?) Apparently we're having a hard time trying to find other countries to take these guys! Shocker. And they thought it would be so easy on spiffy executive orders paper didn't they...

The Big O Recently stated "We would never put people into a situation that elevated the risks for surrounding communities," in reference to placing detainees within the US. But some state representatives and some in the US Senate are calling for laws to ban the release of these terrorists into the US.

Rep. Randy Forbes of VA is quoted in this Daily Press piece, "If other states want those prisoners, they can make that argument," said Forbes. "We don't think they should be anywhere in the United States. We don't think they should be in Virginia." He's filed a bill to block the arrival of any TEDDY BEARS in VA. Nine other states have filed legislation similar to the Virginia bill. Further, it's a question of appropriate facilies--you know like military detention facilities like we ALREADY have at GITMO! We can hold them at Gitmo or we can hold them somewhere else, but the bottom line is we're still holding them pending trial or release! This is such third grade political pandering, it's pathetic. Really!

Rep. Inhofe in the US Senate has introduced legislation to prevent relocation to the US. "Every member of the U.S. Senate needs to let their constituents know where they stand on this critical national security issue," Inhofe said. "Americans deserve to know the truth about what could be coming to their communities in the not too distant future. What troubles me the most is that the Obama administration seems more focused on closing down Gitmo and protecting the rights of detainees than conducting the War on Terror, than protecting our country and its people from terrorists like those currently held at Gitmo." Um.. Inhofe did you not get the memo? It's not the "War on Terror" anymore according to J-NO, it's something freakisly lame like "man-caused disasters..."

Did They Do It Or Were They Just Bamboozled By Those Other Guys That Did It?!

Andrew O. Selsky of the AP writes an article entitled "Ex-Bush admin official: Many at Gitmo are innocent" in which a former Bush administration official, Lawrence B. Wilkerson, claims "Many detainees locked up at Guantanamo were innocent men swept up by U.S. forces unable to distinguish enemies from noncombatants." That these innocent people have been held in order to gain information and intelligence data from them and that only a dozen or so are really terrorists. A Pentagon spokesperson admits that dealing with enemies in a combat situation is a complex process but declined to comment further. Wilkerson spoke out on the web after former VP Dick Cheney's recent comments that Obama is making the US less safe. He's speaking out since things are not as classified as they used to be. Um, really, I wasn't aware that the cases and details within of the detainees at Gitmo were public information? Hmmm...Of course, it should be duly noted that Wilkerson was a former aide to Colin Powell who has spent much time supporting current president Obama, and I'm sure there is nothing at all cloudy about his viewpiont. No siree...

So, how about it Big O, let's get to the bottom of it--try them, release them, and be done with it! Get AG Holder off his soapbox and away from grandstanding at press conferences and get him down there at Gitmo straightening out this mess like yesterday! It's time that justice be served one way or the other. Hey, how about this. Let's release the TEDDY BEARS to Crawford Texas and let them go hunting with Bush and Cheney!

Politico Chick

Reason #13 Obama is NOT Qualified to Be President

2009-03-19T19:49:00.000-07:00

#13: The Gitmo Debacle: It'll get much worse
before it doesn't get better...

Really? Close down Gitmo! What is this guy thinking?! Clearly, the move by The Big O to close down Gitmo--a political move based upon campaign speeches and thumbing his nose at Bush--is going to backfire on America big time! Think it won't? Just you wait and see...

I've been bookmarking various articles about the closing of Gitmo and halting of trials over the last several months and I'd like to touch on the articles from January and early February in this Blog entry--more recent news will follow in a future Blog. A reading of all the articles cited in this Blog is a CLEAR reason #13 that The Big O is not qualified to be President--and certainly not commander in chief by any means. And I'm not going to type names of terrorists referred to in this piece, they don't deserve the infamy nor the respect...

First of all, let's look at Gitmo also known as Guantanamo Bay--located in the SOCIALIST "paradise" of Cuba or as JFK used to say back in the rowdy Cuban Missile Crisis days "Cubar!"

Gitmo is the oldest US Naval base around overseas. It has provided numerous amounts of humanitarian assistance to Haitian and Cuban migrants over the years. It's a great naval base brimming with amenities, a hospital, a dental clinic--it is a massive complex that also contains the detention facilities where detainees are being held. As you can see from the photo above, it's a really scary place. In Liberal's "minds" anyhow... So NOT scary that Rush Limbaugh has long referred to it as "Club Gitmo" and features a line of products at his website touting that logo as a "retreat from the stress of jihad."

On January 21, 2009, as one of Obama's first orders--even before tackling the downturning economy--was to close Gitmo and overseas CIA prisons! Why you might be wondering? Again, political expediency 101 at its best. His orders provide that:

1. An immediate review of the 245 detainees to decide whether to release, prosecute, or transfer them.
2. End CIA secret custody arrangements
3. End coercive interrogation methods

However in an interesting turn, they leave it open for Obama to re-order numbers 2 and 3! You know an out, in case he's wrong...

Intelligence officials have concerns that these new restrictions might be unwise. The closing of Guantanamo must be done because it has become “a damaging symbol to the world” Dennis C. Blair, director of national intelligence, was quoted in saying when The Big O signed this order.

So we're closing down Gitmo because it's a bad symbol. Okaaay....We want people to like us! So we're going to do anything--even if it means cutting off our own nose to spite ourselves! Way to go Big O! What does that mean for the detainees we have there?

And of course they stress that closing down Gitmo and sending off the terrorists there will take time. Lots of time. In other words, they're giving themselves an out in case suddenly one day, it becomes politically expedient in their minds to keep the terrorists at Gitmo!

Speaking of interrogation techniques--who are we using these interrogation techniques on? It's not sweet grandma down the street! It's terrorists! Animals who want to annihilate us! Does anyone really give a crap if Ramsey Al Kaboom gets a little water tossed down his throat if it means he gives up terrorist plots to destroy thousands of lives? I'm not going to lose sleep over it.

Bottom line: Bush made us safer. We've had no more attacks on American soil since 9/11 and with existing and even harsher interrogation techniques we have saved countless lives, we've helped dismantle Al Qaeda operations and catch many involved in terrorism plots. We've have taken out many leaders in the terrorist movement. And now, we plan on possibly sending back some of these guys to basically give them one last hurah. It's absolutely disgusting. And of course, they won't hold any grudges for being imprisoned by us. No siree...

Closing Gitmo down and putting detainees somewhere else makes no sense. We have a facility set up already far away from the US ready to go and deal with these guys. I'd much rather have them contained on an island far away from the US. Wouldn't you feel much safer if they were? And maybe we should just start referring to them as who they actually are instead of the generic "detainee"--they're freakin' terrorists for goodness sakes! Wake up people, your government wants to let terrorists go! Blair actually said that Gitmo is a "rallying cry for terrorist recruitment and harmful to our national security." Where did he hear this? The Al Jazeera Times News perhaps?! Or maybe he pulled this little factoid out of his rear, because if you ask most people in the military (who would be in the know), this is a great place for these detainees. Want them in your backyard? Well keep on reading as it only gets better...

Obama has called for orders to halt prosecutions ongoing which include some suspected members of the plot of 9/11. This is not sitting well with the families of victims lost in the 9/11 attacks. Ben Fox, AP writer, put together a piece entitled "Plans to close Gitmo anger 9/11 victims' families." Relatives of 3 9/11 victims were down in Gitmo for pretrial hearings in the case of five men charged in the 9/11 plot. Ben notes that these relatives "sat stunned while two alleged terrorists declared they were proud of their role in the plot." These relatives oppose such a move to close down Gitmo. One of the terrorists stated "We did what we did; we're proud of Sept. 11." These lunatics are admitting what they did and that they're proud and we have "geniuses" here in the USA like Attorney General Eric Holder and Gabor Rona of a Human Rights group wanting these hearings suspended due to lack of "sufficient legal protections"--sufficient legal protections FOR THE TERRORISTS! Is anyone else having a "lightbulb moment" yet?

As to the time that has gone by since some of these terrorists have been detained, I too have felt some frustration at the process. Just get it over and be done with it. Let them suffer and be punished for what they have done. It's easy to feel that way. But if you understand some things, it will make it clearer how hard it is to prosecute in some cases--that is, prosecute swiftly. Heck, even our own justice system in the US doesn't always move that swiftly. It's not like a typical crime scene in the US where there is evidence, it's gathered, witnesses are interviewed and then your typical court proceedings begin. In the cases of these terrorists, many times they were picked up on the battlefield, where evidence is sketchy and harder to collect in the heat of the moment, witnesses are spread out fighting in Iraq or Afghanistan, and it's not as clean or easy to put together and requires more time and investigation. It's a whole different scenario sometimes beyond the basic comprehension of most Americans who lack perspective into military operations and War. I think people forget that kind of perspective, especially when we live in a world where we watch CSI and Law and Order where everything is all wrapped up beautifully in the span of one hour. Patience people. Patience. And do any of you really believe that most of these terrorists just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Don't tell me you're that naive...

"Mr. Obama’s actions reaffirmed American values and are a ray of light after eight long, dark years,” said Anthony D. Romero, executive director of the ACLU. That's ACLU-- AMERICAN Civil Liberties Union. Fighting for foreign terrorists who are not citizens of this country. How lovely indeed.

Judge Army Col. Patrick Parrish suspended the hearings--pending reviews directed out of The Big O's executive order. Of course, since they're loony toons, the five 9/11 terrorists want their trials to continue. They want to be killed so they can be martyrs! So a 120-day suspension was issued.

In a FOX News article, relatives of victims of the 9/11 attacks, who were at the base to observe those pretrial hearings told reporters they opposed any cessation to the trials and stated "The safest place to have these trials is Guantanamo Bay. If they were to move to the homeland it would endanger all of us."

Another quote: "To me it's beyond comprehension that they would take the side of the terrorists," said Peter Gadiel, whose son, James, was killed at the World Trade Center on 9/11. "Many of these people have been released and been right back killing, right back at their terrorist work again."

"There is no need to suspend [the military tribunals]. There is no reason why [Obama] can't conduct a concurrent review at the same time that the military commission process is moving forward to render justice for the terrorists that have murdered thousands of people," said former Cmdr. Kirk Lippold, who lost 17 sailors during a suicide bombing attack on the USS Cole in 2000. A suspect in the case is being held at Guantanamo. "It demeans their deaths because we seem to be more concerned with the rights of detainees than we are with the justice that is being denied to my sailors that were killed."

How sad is it, that we live in such a crazy liberal world where the rights of terrorists are held above the rights of those they murdered. And these terrorists are admitting they did it. So it's not like they're alleged terrorists who "got bamboozled by that other guy that really did it!"

And Rep. Jack "My Constituents are Racist" Murtha actually had the gall to say he'd take the terrorists in his own district--ironically which is located just miles from the site of the United Flight 93 plane crash on 9/11. He stated "Sure, I'd take them. They're no more dangerous in my district than in Guantanamo." He called Gitmo a "sore in the United States' moral standards." Really Murtha? This coming from a guy who calls his own constituents "racist" which isn't exactly a moral standard of living. And these would be the people trying the terrorists?! How insane is this logic? Your elected officials at work people!

One huge concern among critics and 9/11 victim families is that Americans would be put at risk if these terrorists are brought to this country be it in jails, trials, or other scenarios in which civilians would be involved. Not only that but high ranking officials note that the political act of moving cases to civilian courts "could make it difficult to proceed with cases without compromising vital intelligence sources and methods."

But of course human rights groups and the European Union (what a joke that is BTW!) lauded the halt in trials. Of course they do! You don't think they're not politically motivated in lauding that do you? Anything to damage what Bush did for political expediency at the expense of the the victims of 9/11 and their families. This should be an outrage among Americans. But it doesn't appear to be since the media is not really covering this too much, so all of the lemmings out there aren't really getting a clue.

Here's a few more clues for you:

Let's hear a little more about these poor little terrorists that the Human Rights Groups and The Big O worry so much at night about that they lose sleep! According to this FOX News article by Catherine Herridge who traveled to Gitmo, her visit details one of the camps at Gitmo for terrorists who do not comply. Naval Commander Hayhurst notes, "There's assaults by bodily fluids, feces, urine, semen, water, physical assaults, head butts, stomps, kicks — anything of that nature, that occurs routinely."

Herridge writes "A common form of assault comes at meal time. Hayhurst showed us how detainees try to grab the guards' arms through the cell food slot in an effort to break them. These assaults, according to military officials, occur eight times a week on average."

Another camp with terrorists who comply and behave is like a prison "retreat from the stress of Jihad" in which "the detainees receive special privileges, including up to 18 hours a day outside in a communal setting, where they can play volleyball or soccer. There is even art class, which is extremely popular." They have great medical care and dental care! And there's TV too! Oh the horror of how torturous that is! I can't stand it, someone call the ACLU stat!

And this little tidbit I found highly amusing due to the irrational chauvenist culture of these zealots, "There’s cultural differences, and there’s many things that can agitate the population. We’ve had some that even a TV ad of a fully clothed female who was washing her arms, I believe it was the Palmolive commercial, just agitated them." Hayhurst noted. "We had one population that destroyed a TV over that type of advertisement." Destroying TVs?! Really? Gee, I thought Islam and it's culture was a religion of peace! Hmmm...

In this AP piece by Pamela Hess, she discusses how a former Gitmo detainee is now back in Yemen and also happens to have reemerged as a leader of Al Qaeda. He's now top dog in an Al Qaeda offshoot group. Boy, he's really done well for himself after being imprisoned. Just totally turned his life around, eh! Gee really? I thought if we let go of detainees aka terrorists, that we'd all be friends?! Yemen also happens to be the site of the USS Cole bombing.

Speaking of! By Feb. 5th, as noted in this FOX News piece entitled "Charges Dropped Against USS Cole Bombing Suspect," Hon. Susan J. Crawford dismissed the charges without prejudice--meaning new charges can be brought later. But will they? That's the million dollar question. Retired U.S. Navy Cmdr. Kirk Lippold who commanded of the USS Cole when it was bombed in Yemen stated that he was invited to the White House for a special meeting with The Big O and he "will go with an open mind and wait to see and hear what President Obama has to offer."

On Friday, Feb. 6, The Big O met with families of USS Cole victims and the 9/11 victims. Some of these families worry this is just "window dressing." Some of the families felt like The Big O should have met with them first before signing his executive order to suspend trials at Gitmo. In fact some of these families had to hear it on the news first!

According to this FOX News article, some of the family members didn't accept the invitation to meet with The Big O. One wrote in a letter "President Obama, now I fear these sailors who died in the service of the United States will be abandoned again. It will be one more tragedy in a long list of tragedies in the Cole attack. ... Our fear is if the terrorists are tried here in our federal courts, they will go free."

I feel horrible for Diane McDaniels who is quoted in this article. Her son was killed in the USS Cole bombing. She refused to meet with The Big O due to disillusionment over the dropped charges. She stated "My son was blown up along with 16 others. I buried body parts for three years. I'm still suffering and now he's withdrawing the charges? There's nothing he can say to make me feel better. He may be the president but he's wrong."

Ranking Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, Texas Rep. Lamar Smith expressed concerns about the charges being dropped against the USS Cole terrorist. He stated "Justice for the families and the victims has already been delayed too long. We must be careful not to send a message to our enemies abroad that we are letting up in our prosecution of the war on terror. The Obama administration's decision to close Guantanamo Bay was premature at best and dangerous at worst."

In case anyone has forgot the actual victims in all of this, 17 U.S. sailors died in the USS Cole bombing on October 12, 2000. By Al Qaeda suicide bombers who steered a boat filled with explosives right into the USS Cole. And over 3000 died in 9/11 in the 2 attacks on the World Trade Center in NYC, the Pentagon in DC, and in a lone PA field.

And to further add to the possible mess of letting some of these terrorists go if we're not going to try them, Yemen decided to host a "Let's Get Out of Jail Free Party!" and released 170 Al Qaeda suspects shortly after the charges were dropped against the USS Cole terrorist at Gitmo. And BTW, there happen to be around 100 detainees aka terrorists at Gitmo who are Yemens in case you've forgotten. Coincidence?! I think not!

And get this. These men let go in Yemen actually signed pledges not to engage in terrorism! Local tribal leaders are expected to guarantee these "pledges." Really?! Wow, I'm so impressed with their rehabilitation. Gee maybe we should do this with our Gitmo detainees! Just have them sign pledges because we can always take terrorists who want to annihilate us at their word. How about it Obama?! What say you?

Politico Chick

Bush Legacy #4 All Quiet On the Western Front

2009-03-19T18:17:00.000-07:00

Clinton schedules departure press conferences and speeches upon leaving office. Bush leaves quietly. Obama will no doubt leave with at least 20 magnificent Greek columns lining the way for he and his buddy TOTUS the Teleprompter of the United States. (Gotta love Rush Limbaugh!)

In honor of our historic new presidency we were graced by the true class of a Houstonite Thug homeless man who defaced George Bush "41's" presidential monument. Cause you know, the homeless always carry around paint with them in their shopping carts. Totally might need it...

Local Houston ABC News noted: "A man who appeared to be homeless was using paint to vandalize the monument. The man was described as having long blond hair, possibly in a ponytail, and wearing a plaid shirt. He may still have some yellow paint on him. "

Of course this homeless guy is not to be confused with peaceniks who often sport long hair--possibly in pony tails--and wear plaid and are quite yellow...but I digress!

Imagine in the future if we treated Obama and his monuments with the same class that has been accorded Bush or even his Father, Bush 41. Why, then Al Sharpton might still have a job by golly!

In the spirit of CHANGEovers, Bush headed back to Texas to well wishers and who covered this event? One network. Guess who? FOX News naturally. And of course the LA Times managed to cover it indirecty through one of their Blogs in this entry by Scott Collins in which he notes that "as the rest of Washington remained gripped by Obama fever, "FOX News was covering Bush's return to Midland, Texas. Bush noted, "Sometimes what I did wasn't popular. But that's OK. I always did what I thought was right." Depending on what network you were watching at the time it was either Deal or No Deal or Chris Matthew's Hardball Tingly Feelings Capades!

And one of the funniest post-Bush quotes has to come from Pelosi and then via several degrees of separation via Rush Limbaugh's Limbaugh Letter:

Quoted in the Mercury News, Pelosi noted that watching George W. Bush leave the presidency and take off on his helicopter "was like having a 10-ton anvil lifted from my shoulders." Limbaugh quipped "Maybe now your face will snap back."

Then it was written so poignantly that "She was just a few feet away from Barack Obama when he took the oath of office, and Pelosi said she thought about his mother, and how she raised him and shaped this extraordinary young man."

Of course, you just know she was really thinking, "Man am I going to use this guy to my advantage. Hello Barack Obama, Goodbye America's Pocket Change!"

Politico Chick

The Gaffe Master's At It Again! #1

2009-03-19T17:17:00.000-07:00

As you all recall at the Inauguration ceremonies, Chief Justice John Roberts flubbed the oath Obama took, so they had to re-do it the next day--just to make sure and be still the beating hearts of the White House counsel! Because you know if they didn't, some nutty doofus out there would probably try to sue to show he wasn't really president. Got to cover those bases!

So Stand Up Chuck Biden, the Gaffe Master thinks he's being Mr. Funny Bones when he's doing some fun VP duties by swearing in staff members and has to take the moment to get in a dig at Justice Roberts. This FOX News article states "Biden was to swear in senior executive staff at a White House ceremony after having already given the oath to newly confirmed Cabinet secretaries. When Obama reminded him that he had only done the one group and hadn't done the second yet, Biden quipped, 'My memory is not as good as Chief Justice Roberts'." Even funnier, it seemed like The Big O wanted to reach a cane out and drag Biden off his proverbial stage!

So he has to call John Roberts to apologize. How third grade is this?!

And if it couldn't get anymore sophomoric and ironic, Biden later goes to swear in Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State and bumbles the oath! To hearty laughs from the audience. Har. Har.

FOX News of course reports "Mockery of and apologies to the Supreme Court chief justice aside, Vice President Biden on Monday learned how difficult it is to deliver an oath of office."

With all the gaffes that come out of that guy, maybe they should get Biden a TELEPROMPTER too! Hmmm...

Politico Chick

Change We Can Believe In #1

2009-03-19T17:06:00.001-07:00

I just have to get this in here at the Blog--I'm working through a back log of articles and am at Inauguration day! Inauguration day was so historic on many levels. The first black president! The Queen of England...er Michelle...in her matronly gold suit by his side. Aretha Franklin's 20 foot Bow of R-E-S-P-E-C-T. The Chief Justice's Oath Blunder! But this gem of a prayer by Reverend Lowery was just classic:

Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their neighbors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask You to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get back, when brown can stick around; when yellow will be mellow; when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white would embrace what is right. Let all those who do justice and love mercy, say amen. Say amen.

Politico Chick

Global Warming or Just Al Gore Hogging the Thermostat #2

2009-03-19T16:36:00.000-07:00

3 global warming dingbats walked
into an arctic bar and found...
AL GORE hogging the thermostat!

In Fairbanks Alaska you can view the spiffy Al Gore Ice Sculture -- and not a bit melted by global warming - thanks to Craig Compeau. Is Al Gore shivering yet? Just saying'!

In this Jan. '09 article at Daily News Miner, you can view more photos of the sculpture. The writer states "Compeau used Monday’s unveiling to publicly invite the Nobel-winner to visit Interior Alaska — specifically, Tetlin Junction, where reports indicated temperatures earlier this month bottomed out at close to 80 degrees below zero — and explain, first-hand, global warming theories. He even offered specifics — if Gore travels by electric car and speaks exactly one year after then temperature there hit bottom — on Jan. 8, 2010 — Compeau and others will cover his room and board." Sorry Compeau, Al Gore is too busy tootling around in his spiffy jet spewing carbon and then buying hypocritical "carbon credits" to cover his tracks to give a rats rear about little old Tetlin Junction!

Just this week, news hit about 3 British scientists (global warming researchers) who are trapped at the North Pole while trying to measure the thickness of sea ice--and prove it's melting. And they are freezing to death! It's so damn warm they're freezing! Don't worry though, in this FOX News article, there is still hope! “We’re hungry, the cold is relentless, our sleeping bags are full of ice,” expedition leader Pen Hadow said in e-mailed statement. “Waiting is almost the worst part of an expedition as we’re in the lap of the weather gods.”

What does that say about our society--every capability in the world as they're stuck on the North Pole but still have internet to e-mail--but no way to stay warm! They are suffering from frostbite. And they're trying to prove global warming! Maybe they should ask the weather gods upon their rescue if they could send a little more tropical weather the North Pole's way to avoid these kinds of debacles in the future! How sad is the irony in all of this...

Politico Chick

Adventures With Thelma & Louise #1

2009-03-19T15:30:00.000-07:00

Thelma & Louise! What a pair...

I'm referring to my mother (Louise) and her best friend (Thelma) who I've nicknamed Thelma & Louise due to their zany adventures and wit. They're conservative artists. Is that like an oxymoron or what! And they're total news junkies! Both are in their 60s (but they totally look like they're in their early 50s and no I'm not trying to win brownie points or anything...), and both feel like they've fallen down a rabbit hole on the East Lawn of the White House during the annual Easter Egg Hunt as everything seems to be getting a bit nutty out there in the world!

To them, it's pretty simple. Socialism=bad. Obama=One Big A-- Mistake America. Capitalism=Backbone of America. Get Rid of: Pelosi, Reid, Frank, & Dodd. Less bickering in Washington, More Cajones and getting the job done! Lesson over.

I get together with them for lunch a couple times a month and we have some pretty fun times and always chat about politics! This week we met for Mexican food, Margaritas, Antiquing, and Spirited Political Chit Chat. I showed up with a list of the day's big headlines and they were both already fired up and ready to go! These were just some of the topics we touched on that I had written down in my spiffy notepad:

Geither Needs to Go! (Does he need to go pay his Taxes!?)

Acorn to play role in 2010 Census. (Can we finally find out where Mickey Mouse lives?)

Pelosi says work-site raids are UnAmerican. (Cause you know, every illegal is a potential VOTER in an AMERICAN election thanks to Acorn! That and Mickey Mouse!)

A volunteerism bill in the house might be taxpayer funding of left-wing organizations. (Frank is better at backdooring that we thought, isn't he!)

Russia confirms a contract with Iran to deliver missiles signed 2 years ago. (Gee, what a shock!)

Obama is America's Teleprompter President! (Even Limbaugh wants to debate his teleprompter!)

Charging Wounded Vets for Healthcare! (No class "commander in chief" Obama!)

We went through the list and about that time Thelma is demanding to know where her margarita is! Ha! Plus, she'd like to jump all over those nutty PINKS out there protesting. But that's a whole 'nother Blog...

Other thoughts by Thelma & Louise:

They're not exactly happy with the new AZ governor Jan Brewer--a Republican--who is now trying to drum up support to raise taxes! BUT, we are so glad to be rid of J-NO as governor of AZ too as we discuss J-No's views on the War on Terror now being called "man-caused disasters." Huh? I guess the sad state of AZ can attest to that! As Louise noted, "If you put a saddle on that Napolitano woman, you couldn't tell her from a jackass!"

Thelma admitted to cornering a Home Depot worker recently and providing this poor passive Obama supporter in on the real facts of what's happening in the economy--a real lightbulb moment to his chagrin! Too funny!

Politicans are Crooked! (especially Pelosi, Reid, Gates, & Dodd who they view as being responsible for the housing/economic crisis)

Obama's treatment of the Brits and his DVD gift was totally embarrasing!

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates is a closeted Democrat (their opinion).

They may look like it, but the Obamas have no class and the DVD gift proves it.

Lastly, we did a little word association for fun--these two don't mince words--but they they're older and wiser so I guess they're entitled! :

Obama: *&^%$ & "How do you like him now!?"

Michelle Obama: No comment--they don't feel it would be appropriate...

Geither: Crook & Looks Like a Wreck All The Time

Frank: OH MY! & Banking Queen

Pelosi: Harridan in a fright wig! & Brought Down the World (economy)

Reid: Dullest man on earth!

Gibbs: So boring!

Politico Chick

Can We Get A Few More Poll Numbers In Here Before I Make A Decision?

2009-03-19T15:09:00.001-07:00

The Big O camp likes their poll numbers! So recent polls have probably got them in a tizzy... Just as The Big O was taking office back in January '09, poll numbers were released--before he'd even done anything yet! A USA Today/Gallup Poll released showed 7/10 felt they'd be better off at the end of Obama's first term in four years.

An article at AOL News reported "John Cooter, 62, a pipe fitter from Port Angeles, Wash., who was among those surveyed, even credits good feeling from Obama's election with making strangers on the street friendlier. 'They kind of slow down and wave' as opposed to making a rude gesture, says Cooter, who voted for President Bush twice and surprised even himself by supporting Obama in November." Not to be confused with "Cooter the auto tailpipe fitter" from the Dukes of Hazzard...

Still on that election high of hope and change and jelly beans and meadows of flowers and big fluffy teddy bears, America was rejoicing--well at least half of it. The rest of us were just waiting to say "How do you like him now!?"

Running in the Miami Herald is an article by Steven Thomma about new Pew Polls surrounding The Big O and the outlook isn't as good! Why how can this be?! Might people be changing their opinion of The Big O?

One suggestion is that people are starting to see just how LIBERAL the man is! He apparently had an anti-liberal cloaking device during the campaign so that when people became mesermized by him he appeared to be a moderate. Or something like that...

His approval rating has actually dropped below 60 percent to 59 percent, it was 64% back in February! You just know Pelosi is doing a little dance since her approval ratings are sitting at about 18%. At what low point to your approval ratings have to be at before you get run out of office? Or in her case, jump on her broomstick and fly off to Never Never land?!

Do you think there has been a run on proverbial "lightbulbs" at the "Aint Got No Brains" aisle at the Home Dept?

Politico Chick

Obama vs. Lincoln: He's No Abe Lincoln...?

2009-03-19T14:56:00.000-07:00

How many times have you heard Obama compared to Abraham Lincoln, one of our great Republican presidents!? Numerous times, too many to even begin to count and most of the time these comparisons have come from Obama's camp or The Big O himself!

I came across an interesting piece, being a history buff (and college history Minor), from Leonard Pitts titled "Lincoln might not have welcomed Obama's election."

He notes, "The statue of Abraham Lincoln, which sits facing the Capitol in a temple two miles away, will not give two thumbs up. Neither will it weep, commune with the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr. or dance a Macarena of joy."

Why is this? Pitts writes, "Actually, Lincoln likely would have been appalled. How could he not? He was a 19th century white man who famously said in 1858 that "there is a physical difference between the white and black races, which ... will forever forbid the two races living together upon terms of social and political equality.''

Times they have changed in modern society. But back in the 1800s it was a different time. And I think Pitts' point is that we tend to take these historical figures and their greatness and their achievements and then apply our forward thinking of today to them--a very shallow comprehension of history. Which can be erroneous. It's not to say that if Lincoln lived today, he might change his views or become more enlightened about race in America, but we can't say anything for sure, we just have historical records to rely on.

In discussing some presidential myths--even some surrounding Lincoln, he ends on this note, "So, remarkable as it is that America has elected a black man its 44th president, Lincoln might find it more remarkable simply that the country has elected a 44th president at all. That was not always a certainty. He would be glad to know that, 144 years after his death, America continues to surprise itself."

Politico Chick

Toss Me A Few Christian Louboutins While You're At It!

2009-03-16T18:02:00.000-07:00

Tossing shoes?! Really? Is that all you ingrates got over there!? Well then bring it on Ramsey Al Kabooms! Toss a few Louboutins or some Manalo Blanics my way. Maybe some Jimmy Choos or Steve Maddens. Preferably in a size 7 1/2 por favor. It's a win-win. You can exercise your odd cultural mores and I can add to my shoe collection! And I won't take it as a sign of disrespect, no siree! But I digress...

OK, moving on. So we all remember the lovely shoe toss at Bush over in Iraq by that Florsheim Freakazoid guy. Bush was over in Iraq at the Prime Minister's office at a press conference marking the signing of the security agreement. I'm sure the military and security forces had bigger things on their radar--flying bombs, missiles, bullets even. But shoes?! How bizarro is that! The shoe thrower was a journalist and well that's not saying much, now is it?

So apparently it's fashionable to protest with shoes as a sign of disrespect in the Middle East! I mean who wants a free and democratic Iraq, why that's crazy! Where's a good nutty dictator when you need 'em?! Apparently the kids at a local school--which our troops helped rebuild no doubt--decided to build a shoe monument to this creep! Real class act those orphans! Apparently they were a few crayons short a 12 pack as there doesn't appear to be a Picasso Al Monetjadin amongst the group, more like a turd burglar with a side of parsley, the shoe frankly stunk as art. I'm just sayin'! But I'm digressing again!

So, recently this shoe tosser (Is this an Olympic event BTW?), was served up a great big piece 'o American style democratic justice! 3 years in the slammer for assault. I mean he really couldn't plead not guilty--they had him on tape. Maybe he could have tried the old Iraqi defense trick of pesky camel spiders in his shoes, but that's been used waaaay too much over in Iraq to really work. He should feel lucky that Saddam's rape and torture rooms are now closed down. In Saddam's reign, he would have been executed on spot. Now he gets to sit in jail for 3 years and whine to his liberal media and maybe even write a book--perhaps Oprah's next book of the month! Hey maybe get a network deal with say...I don't know...CNN! Or maybe he'll go on The View and toss a few shoes Joy Behar's way, she could certain use a makeover--and a great place to start is with the shoes!

As he was sentenced, he yelled out defiantly "Long Live Iraq!" Hmm...maybe he does miss the old days of the rape rooms and torture chambers... His attorney fought to have the charges dropped as Florsheim was just exercising his right to freedom of expression, but what this culture over there needs to understand is that Assault is not freedom of expression, it's violence and cannot be tolerated--no matter the target. As good as it feels for decent human beings, democracy and freedom in the Middle East really throws a wrench in all the violence and irrational zeal that has become the norm in that region. Speak boldly and carry a big wrench, I like it!

Politico Chick

America Will Serve...By Throwing Shoes at Bush!?

2009-03-16T17:23:00.000-07:00

Wow, I can't think of a more tasteless way for America to serve, than by throwing shoes at our former president 43, George W. Bush. And for our current president The Big O to promote that (on his sponsored website--hey top dog is responsible for his employees and his delegated work you know!) is reminiscent of the genius moment of the former outgoing Clinton administration as they removed "W" keys from computer keyboards on their way out the door. But what of the Bush administration? A nearly flawless transition without any digs or vandalism.

It would be one thing for a local bar or restaurant, club, radio station perhaps to sponsor a "let's throw a shoe at Bush" party. Whatever, lame. Not worth my time. But when a president's official community service website sponsors it by providing the details/event how to/time/place/etc., it's just downright tacky! There is such a thing as presidential protocol (in preserving presidential ways and means), but that seems to have gone by the wayside these days! But, really, what should we expect from this administration full of Clinton hacks having one last hurrah and a leader who enjoys giving speeches about change but not so much providing real answers and real change!

Colin Powell--"republican"--and Obama supporter, touted the new USAService.org. as noted in this ABC News Blog in which one search of a particular zipcode brought up this gem:

"Come celebrate with us. Say goodbye to old Georgie ... Throw a shoe at a poster of Bush and win a free drink."

When asked about it, an Obama spokesman for the website stated "That obviously does not sound like any description of public service that we have in mind. But again, we are not in the business of regulating this. We're just in the business of giving people opportunities." Funny, after a few minutes of this, they removed the event. The event organizer was inspired by the man who tossed a shoe at Bush. Because you know, when I look at things going on in the world, that's clearly the thing to be inspired by. Totally! Gotta love those priorities!

So they don't vet the website or cursorily check it out, because they're not regulators! They're too busy serving America to be bothered with this silly stuff. Of course they are... Which leads me to wonder if this website will go down the route of Craigslist, Myspace, and the like with such a motley crew of crapola that the great message of service will soon be lost. Or, someone else is going to have to be hired at tax payer expense to monitor the site to weed out the loony-tooners. More of your brilliant idealistic government ideas at work--or shall I say, not working out so fabulously as they conceive them in the real world!

Don't believe this really happened, here's the proof-click on the image for the larger view:

Politico Chick

America Will Serve...One Way Or Another...

2009-03-12T00:29:00.000-07:00

"We are one people. We are one nation; and together, we will begin the next great chapter in America's story." --Obama

Community service--helping others--is something many Americans do in their busy lives, some more organized about it than others. And then there's the other 75-80% (just a guess...) of America who serve themselves--lots of chips and snacks while channel surfing the tube. Woohoo! And then there are those for whom community service=punishment, you know for stuff like those DUI thingies that kept dogging Paris Hilton and quite a few other Celebutards!

Obama has touted community service--in his campaign--and now in a website you can register and participate in to help out in your community. It's: USAService.org, a rather idealistic dream. Not a bad idea but I don't expect it to be the great genius it is intended to be. I speak from personal experience in running several organizations. And one was a community service organization! My experience was that about 1 or 3 people were doing all the work, while the rest were sitting back and reaping the rewards. Expect 25 to show up for a project, get about 5. Sad. This Service Organization soon became a Slacker Organization to me. So while I hope the website encourages community service, I won't be holding my breath either... Even if you don't choose to serve, you'll be serving one way or the other thanks to the new porkulous bill just signed. Remember--the back door approach is government's best friend:)

Totally CRAZY thought. Here's a perfect community service idea--and you can do it from your own home--couch and potato chips optional! Grab a mirror. Look at yourself. Reflect. How can you improve your life and better yourself? What can you work on to be a better American? Great, glad you just had a lightbult moment! Now get off your duff and do something about it so everyone else in your circle and the government will quit feeling like they need to interfere in your life on a daily basis! Just a thought...

Politico Chick

The Like Totally Excellent Adventures of Red Eye's Greg & Bill

2009-03-12T00:02:00.000-07:00

Night Owls Rejoice! How can you not take sarcastic pleasure in the ravings of FOX News's Red Eye host Greg Gutfeld and lovable sidekick Bill Schulz?! We highlight funny (probably made up) moments and the weird and wacky here...

Funniest Quote:

On the STIMULOUS package--it's "Porkier than Rosie O'Donnell riding Barny Frank while eating a ham sandwich!"

Greg's Peeves & Fun Facts:

Purple chairs are a crime! They anger him...

Greg has a houseboy named Candy.

Favorite snack=nature's nachos.

Recent Things We've Learned About Bill:

He's smelly and his parents pay for everything!

He thinks the best diet is poverty...

He likes to recycle old newspapers he finds on the street for tp!

Red Eye Advice (Follow at your own risk...)

The best diet=eat less!

Politico Chick