In No Particular Order
We heard about Senator Barack Obama’s latest important alternative to drilling: Getting everyone to make sure that their tires are properly inflated. This inspired us to come up with our own political “spin.”
1. Since he beat Hillary, he has felt that he was having a “Goodyear.”
2. He was going to deliver a “stem” winder but got lost.
3. He should “tread” lightly on the issue.
4. Obama is obviously not well-rounded.
5. Democrat policies always lead to inflationary pressures.
6. The Democrats have demonstrated how they are out of alignment and balance.
7. Attacks by Republicans have gotten Obama overly “torqued.”
8. Barack Obama will propose use of tire inflation for “carbon sequestration.”
9. Barack Hussein Obama, Sr. was none too good with “rubber” things, either.
10. Obama gets no rolls so he goes “pop.” (Inspired by my seven-year-old son.)
If you are not too “tired” of these bad jokes, feel free to add more in the comments section.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
At least Dan Quayle Knew His Committee Assignments
Obama makes a slight error in naming a committee on which he serves.
As Powerline notes,
I am guessing that the press would be a lot less forgiving if John McCain had made such an error.
Now, in terms of knowing my commitments, you don't have to just look at my words, you can look at my deeds. Just this past week, we passed out of the U.S. Senate Banking Committee, which is my committee, a bill to call for divestment from Iran, as a way of ratcheting up the pressure to ensure that they don't obtain a nuclear weapon.
As Powerline notes,
But Obama is not a member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee. Obama just made that up so he could count the committee's action as one of "my deeds."
I am guessing that the press would be a lot less forgiving if John McCain had made such an error.
Liquid Entertainment Planned for Democratic Convention
"Netroots Rising," or Dishonorable Discharge?
Denver firefighters have learned of a house full of urine being stored to throw at police.
I know, you wonder why or how these protesters want to throw a whole house instead of just the urine they have stored in it. (Yes, Leslie, I wrote that just for you!)
Reader, please don't despair. We have heard for a long time how the Democrats are emphasizing the concept of recycling for the 2008 Denver Convention. Aren't you proud of the entrepreneurial spirit that has gripped their most fervent supporters to carry the concept one step further? Just don't accuse the Democrats of being "yellow" or anything like that!
Hat tip to Ace, who also notes that the Democrats' Nutroot supporters are "Full of piss and vinegar, but mostly piss."
Denver firefighters have learned of a house full of urine being stored to throw at police.
I know, you wonder why or how these protesters want to throw a whole house instead of just the urine they have stored in it. (Yes, Leslie, I wrote that just for you!)
Reader, please don't despair. We have heard for a long time how the Democrats are emphasizing the concept of recycling for the 2008 Denver Convention. Aren't you proud of the entrepreneurial spirit that has gripped their most fervent supporters to carry the concept one step further? Just don't accuse the Democrats of being "yellow" or anything like that!
Hat tip to Ace, who also notes that the Democrats' Nutroot supporters are "Full of piss and vinegar, but mostly piss."
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Love on the Inside
The new Sugarland album came out today. (Get the deluxe fan edition for extra songs.) Here is the first track that has been released.
WARNING: If you have children who listen to this, you will hear a LOT of high-pitched "All I want to do-oo-oo-oo-oo, oo-whoo-oo-oo-oo-oo, oo-whoo-oo-oo-oo-oo . . ." Let's just say that I know this from personal experience already.
You can find more album information and clips at the Sugarland web site.
Monday, July 21, 2008
There’s a Hole in the Budget, Dear Marky, Dear Marky
Where Have All the Taxes Gone?
The Right Wing Liberal has a fantastic analysis of what happened with the revenue that came to the Commonwealth of Virginia after the sales tax hike of 2004. Then Governor Mark Warner, with the help of General Assembly Democrats and enough left-leaning Republicans, achieved enough of a majority to raise the Virginia sales from 4.5% to 5%. Of course, at the time, we were all told how the money was needed for road construction, for schools, etc.
Of course, this failed to happen, and the jurisdiction that pays the most, Fairfax County, got penalized the most. Instead, most of the money was used for the expansion of various social programs. If the money were used more efficiently, services would have been delivered more efficiently to those who needed them, we would have had money for roads, and we still would not have needed the sales tax increase!
Once again, this serves as a warning to people in other States. I know that Maryland and New Jersey raised their sales taxes recently. Don’t you wonder where all that money is really going also?
The Right Wing Liberal has a fantastic analysis of what happened with the revenue that came to the Commonwealth of Virginia after the sales tax hike of 2004. Then Governor Mark Warner, with the help of General Assembly Democrats and enough left-leaning Republicans, achieved enough of a majority to raise the Virginia sales from 4.5% to 5%. Of course, at the time, we were all told how the money was needed for road construction, for schools, etc.
Of course, this failed to happen, and the jurisdiction that pays the most, Fairfax County, got penalized the most. Instead, most of the money was used for the expansion of various social programs. If the money were used more efficiently, services would have been delivered more efficiently to those who needed them, we would have had money for roads, and we still would not have needed the sales tax increase!
Once again, this serves as a warning to people in other States. I know that Maryland and New Jersey raised their sales taxes recently. Don’t you wonder where all that money is really going also?
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Warner Translator
Marky Mark on Energy
I will admit to not being as good as Right-Wing Liberal concerning translations of Democratic Senate candidate Mark Warner’s rhetoric. However, the past debate has given all of us plenty of fodder for satire, so here is my humble contribution. By the way, if you have not read SWAC Girl’s account of the debate, you should. It is definitely the best account.
The Washington Post carried an account of the debate. Here is what Mark Warner’s debate comments were summarized:
TRANSLATION:
This gas price issue is killing us Democrats and may sink my campaign. I’d better come up with something halfway decent to make voters forget that I vetoed off-shore drilling when I was Governor.
Right after the debate, here is what Warner said to the Post:
TRANSLATION:
My friends in the Sierra Club will tell me when environmental standards are good enough, which is basically, never. And on energy, I am just full of hot air.
Again, for those of you in other States, this is a template of what your Democratic Congressional and Senatorial candidates will try to do. Without any drilling, they just might “self-combust.”
I will admit to not being as good as Right-Wing Liberal concerning translations of Democratic Senate candidate Mark Warner’s rhetoric. However, the past debate has given all of us plenty of fodder for satire, so here is my humble contribution. By the way, if you have not read SWAC Girl’s account of the debate, you should. It is definitely the best account.
The Washington Post carried an account of the debate. Here is what Mark Warner’s debate comments were summarized:
Warner, whose energy plan calls for getting tougher with OPEC and increasing regulation on investors who speculate in the oil market, did not rule out more drilling. He has said that he is skeptical of drilling for oil offshore, but during the debate he said he would support a bill to lift the moratorium on drilling and allow states to decide.
TRANSLATION:
This gas price issue is killing us Democrats and may sink my campaign. I’d better come up with something halfway decent to make voters forget that I vetoed off-shore drilling when I was Governor.
Right after the debate, here is what Warner said to the Post:
Later, when pressed by reporters, Warner said he would support drilling off Virginia once "environmental standards" were met, but he did not elaborate.
"Where I strongly differ from Jim Gilmore's position is that somehow that is the silver bullet that is going to solve all the nation's energy problems," Warner said.
TRANSLATION:
My friends in the Sierra Club will tell me when environmental standards are good enough, which is basically, never. And on energy, I am just full of hot air.
Again, for those of you in other States, this is a template of what your Democratic Congressional and Senatorial candidates will try to do. Without any drilling, they just might “self-combust.”
Friday, July 18, 2008
A Second Republican Governor Named Sarah?
Hah! I beat Chris to the punch! This time it's Sarah Steelman, Missouri State Treasurer, who is running for Governor there. She seems to be in a pretty tight primary race, and the Republican Party establishment is pretty ticked at her for being a fiscal conservative and for upsetting some pretty powerful political families.
Kimberley Strassel has a great article about her in today's Wall Streeet Journal. She has even fought ethanol subsidies!
There was also Ms. Steelman's attempted cleanup of an ethanol program. The treasurer announced her office would no longer provide below-market interest rates for ethanol plants that counted state officials or their relatives among investors.
Among companies barred was Show Me Ethanol, whose shareholders included Mr. Blunt's son Andy – one of the state's top lobbyists – as well as Republican state Rep. John Quinn and his wife, not to mention the wife of Republican U.S. Rep. Sam Graves. Instead of thanking Ms. Steelman for ridding it of this conflict, in May the Missouri state senate voted to overturn her policy. It did so with a head-count vote, so as to avoid a written record.
I'll drink to cutting those ethanol subsidies!
Steelman's website is here.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Another Global Warming Proponent Turns Skeptic
Notice It’s Almost Never the Other Way Around
Hat tip: Gabriel Malor at Ace of Spades
Get this – a former official at the Australian Greenhouse office, one who wanted quick action before all the science was really debated fully, is now skeptical about the relationship between carbon emissions and climate change. I find it interesting that this scientist has noticed the lack of public debate on the matter. Ya think Al Gore and company like it that way?
The last point is particularly relevant to the “debate:”
Tells you something about the “experience” of the press corps, right? Even more astounding is what follows:
I can tell you from personal experience, having worked with environmental modelers, that I do not trust them as far as I can throw them. There’s always something badly wrong with the assumptions that go into models, and what gets presented to the public is the most extreme result, even if it is not very plausible.
Maybe one can say the same for America’s Democratic Party?
Hat tip: Gabriel Malor at Ace of Spades
Get this – a former official at the Australian Greenhouse office, one who wanted quick action before all the science was really debated fully, is now skeptical about the relationship between carbon emissions and climate change. I find it interesting that this scientist has noticed the lack of public debate on the matter. Ya think Al Gore and company like it that way?
The last point is particularly relevant to the “debate:”
The new ice cores show that in the past six global warmings over the past half a million years, the temperature rises occurred on average 800 years before the accompanying rise in atmospheric carbon. Which says something important about which was cause and which was effect.
None of these points are controversial. The alarmist scientists agree with them, though they would dispute their relevance.
The last point was known and past dispute by 2003, yet Al Gore made his movie in 2005 and presented the ice cores as the sole reason for believing that carbon emissions cause global warming. In any other political context our cynical and experienced press corps would surely have called this dishonest and widely questioned the politician's assertion.
Tells you something about the “experience” of the press corps, right? Even more astounding is what follows:
The world has spent $50 billion on global warming since 1990, and we have not found any actual evidence that carbon emissions cause global warming. Evidence consists of observations made by someone at some time that supports the idea that carbon emissions cause global warming. Computer models and theoretical calculations are not evidence, they are just theory.
I can tell you from personal experience, having worked with environmental modelers, that I do not trust them as far as I can throw them. There’s always something badly wrong with the assumptions that go into models, and what gets presented to the public is the most extreme result, even if it is not very plausible.
What is going to happen over the next decade as global temperatures continue not to rise? The Labor Government is about to deliberately wreck the economy in order to reduce carbon emissions. If the reasons later turn out to be bogus, the electorate is not going to re-elect a Labor government for a long time. When it comes to light that the carbon scare was known to be bogus in 2008, the ALP is going to be regarded as criminally negligent or ideologically stupid for not having seen through it. And if the Liberals support the general thrust of their actions, they will be seen likewise.
Maybe one can say the same for America’s Democratic Party?
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
State Department Church Calendars!
Well, Not Quite . . .
Check out Snapped Shot for the info, plus some cool Photoshopping ideas to create the next hit State Department calendar. Hey, they don’t call the place “Foggy Bottom” for nothing!
You think the diversity crap is bad now, just wait to see if Obama becomes President. Then all semblance of adult supervision will completely disappear. But our sources will have fun telling us about it! “White Folks and Diversity,” anyone?
Check out Snapped Shot for the info, plus some cool Photoshopping ideas to create the next hit State Department calendar. Hey, they don’t call the place “Foggy Bottom” for nothing!
You think the diversity crap is bad now, just wait to see if Obama becomes President. Then all semblance of adult supervision will completely disappear. But our sources will have fun telling us about it! “White Folks and Diversity,” anyone?
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Warner and Connolly Support Compulsory Union Membership
Secret Ballots for Me, but not for Thee
Hat tip: Anonymous Is a Woman
I do not normally link to my fellow bloggers on the left side of the political spectrum, but in this case I wanted to thank Karen of Anonymous is a Woman for posting this information. At a recent AFL-CIO Fourth of July picnic, Democratic Senate candidate Mark Warner endorsed the (“exquisitely mistitled, in the words of George Will) “Employee Free Choice Act,” which is a union-backed ploy to intimidate workers into approving labor unions in the workplace (cosponsored by Senator Jim Webb among others). AIAW also indicated that 11th CD Democratic candidate Gerry Connolly supports this legislation.
The proposed legislation, which has already failed in the current Congress, has a provision called “card check” While its left-wing supporters give the usual heart-felt speeches about how it gives workers a “choice” about whether or not to join a union without those eeeeeeevil bosses interfering with their decisions, it in fact allows unions to organize a workplace without a secret ballot. Employees must publicly declare support or opposition to unionization, and thus be subjected to notorious labor union harassment and intimidation techniques.
Karen helpfully posted a link to an AFL-CIO web page that claimed that 60% of workers would join a union if they just had the chance. Well, heck, I say, give them a secret ballot and let’s have a vote! Isn’t it ironic that politicians who are elected via secret ballot want to take that right away from American workers?
We all know the real reason for this – labor unions in the private sector have declined in membership for years. The unions need coerced dues money for political purposes (er, to contribute to worthy non-profits) to push their left-wing agenda. The old generation of union organizers and union members has been dying off, thus leading to labor’s desperation. In addition, free market ideas concerning portability of benefits, personal retirement accounts, and school choice (not to mention legacy costs imposed on stockholders and taxpayers by the union agreements of old) have helped demonstrate to a more mobile society that the bureaucratic power of union leaders is outmoded and even counterproductive.
In many ways, I do feel sorry having to write this. My grandfather, a 1930s era card-carrying communist, was a union organizer. I know enough history to realize that unions did play a role in getting workers safer working conditions in many occupations. Many unionized workers do believe in doing good work for their employers and customers. However, the same 1930s mentality contains an overly adversarial relationship that only hurts employers and workers. Unfortunately, the strong-arm tactics that have persisted throughout the years have only made the “On the Waterfront” image of the unions persist.
I realize that Karen and I will disagree on the intent and outcome of the card check legislation, but I thought that this issue deserved (some admittedly backhanded) publicity. So Karen, I do respect your opinion.
By the way, I also hope that Mark Warner, Gerry Connolly, and other Democrats advertise loudly their support for this legislation. The bloggers who support these candidates should do all they can to spread the word as well, and post more videos just like Karen did. Maybe the candidates will post them on their web sites. With any luck, 11th CD Republican nominee Keith Fimian and the Republican Senate nominee, former Governor Gilmore, will help voters understand the agenda of the Democrats as well.
For those of you in other States, please remember that your Democratic candidates most likely support the same legislation. It is your duty to find out.
Hat tip: Anonymous Is a Woman
I do not normally link to my fellow bloggers on the left side of the political spectrum, but in this case I wanted to thank Karen of Anonymous is a Woman for posting this information. At a recent AFL-CIO Fourth of July picnic, Democratic Senate candidate Mark Warner endorsed the (“exquisitely mistitled, in the words of George Will) “Employee Free Choice Act,” which is a union-backed ploy to intimidate workers into approving labor unions in the workplace (cosponsored by Senator Jim Webb among others). AIAW also indicated that 11th CD Democratic candidate Gerry Connolly supports this legislation.
The proposed legislation, which has already failed in the current Congress, has a provision called “card check” While its left-wing supporters give the usual heart-felt speeches about how it gives workers a “choice” about whether or not to join a union without those eeeeeeevil bosses interfering with their decisions, it in fact allows unions to organize a workplace without a secret ballot. Employees must publicly declare support or opposition to unionization, and thus be subjected to notorious labor union harassment and intimidation techniques.
Karen helpfully posted a link to an AFL-CIO web page that claimed that 60% of workers would join a union if they just had the chance. Well, heck, I say, give them a secret ballot and let’s have a vote! Isn’t it ironic that politicians who are elected via secret ballot want to take that right away from American workers?
We all know the real reason for this – labor unions in the private sector have declined in membership for years. The unions need coerced dues money for political purposes (er, to contribute to worthy non-profits) to push their left-wing agenda. The old generation of union organizers and union members has been dying off, thus leading to labor’s desperation. In addition, free market ideas concerning portability of benefits, personal retirement accounts, and school choice (not to mention legacy costs imposed on stockholders and taxpayers by the union agreements of old) have helped demonstrate to a more mobile society that the bureaucratic power of union leaders is outmoded and even counterproductive.
In many ways, I do feel sorry having to write this. My grandfather, a 1930s era card-carrying communist, was a union organizer. I know enough history to realize that unions did play a role in getting workers safer working conditions in many occupations. Many unionized workers do believe in doing good work for their employers and customers. However, the same 1930s mentality contains an overly adversarial relationship that only hurts employers and workers. Unfortunately, the strong-arm tactics that have persisted throughout the years have only made the “On the Waterfront” image of the unions persist.
I realize that Karen and I will disagree on the intent and outcome of the card check legislation, but I thought that this issue deserved (some admittedly backhanded) publicity. So Karen, I do respect your opinion.
By the way, I also hope that Mark Warner, Gerry Connolly, and other Democrats advertise loudly their support for this legislation. The bloggers who support these candidates should do all they can to spread the word as well, and post more videos just like Karen did. Maybe the candidates will post them on their web sites. With any luck, 11th CD Republican nominee Keith Fimian and the Republican Senate nominee, former Governor Gilmore, will help voters understand the agenda of the Democrats as well.
For those of you in other States, please remember that your Democratic candidates most likely support the same legislation. It is your duty to find out.
Monday, July 14, 2008
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