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Obamanable Campaign Financing

Over at Atlas Shrugs they've been working very hard, going through Barack Obama's camaign donations with a fine-toothed comb. The media made a big deal about some legal donations made to John McCain because they were bundled in part by a foreigner. Why are they giving less scrutiny to donations to Obama's campaign?

Atlas Shrugs has found

"Obama’s campaign donation pages are rife with donations that end in CENT. Thousands of them. Odd numbers all. Cathy and I have gone through thousands and thousands of foreign donations that end in cents (as in dollars and cents) for Obama and there were NONE for McCain. More evidence of foreign contributors, since Americans living overseas would almost uniformly be able to contribute dollars.

The donations don’t show up on the FEC search either by individual or by the candidate. If you scroll through the pages of the donations alphabetically for Obama, the dollar amounts
are what you’d expect legitimate donations to look like. i.e., $250, $500, $1000, $2300…but when you look at the database of transactions it is nothing like that. You get $74.37, $42.95, $116.38, $29.70…like that (those are actual examples). Clearly this is what you would get if you converted a foreign currency into dollars, e.g., 50 Euros would be roughly $ 77.12."

There is plenty more to see, such as donations coming from places like Indonesia and Gaza. The American people should know about this but the Media remains silent on the issue.

One person showed up to see Al Franken

Al Franken had a campaign event scheduled and only one person showed up! Anyone who doesn't find that amusing is seriously lacking a sense of humor.

For Franken, it probably would have been better if nobody showed up, then he could have blamed it on a communication error. Obviously, at least one person knew of this event, therefore we can assume that others heard about it and didn't want to go.

Michelle Obama-Caught off guard by a 7 year old

Michelle Obama visited some 2nd graders. She asked the children if anyone had any questions, one boy said we should finish what we started in Iraq. Mrs. Obama was clearly taken aback. Watch the video.

Petition the FEC for Obama to cough up his birth certificate

Why won't Barack Obama produce a certified copy of his birth certificate? He's running for President of the United States of America. Shouldn't the people have the right to know if he is who he says he is? Are we to just hand him the keys to the Oval Office based on his word?

Mitchell Langbert created a petition to the FEC requesting that they verify Obama's citizenship and also clarify what US agency bears the responsibility of verifying the citizenship of candidates.

RELATED POSTS:

Did Obama fake his birth certificate?

Obama's Patriotism-It's not the pin it's his words

Patriotism: devoted love, support, and defense of one's country; national loyalty.

Nothing raises Barack Obama's hackles like questions about his patriotism. When he chose not to wear a flag pin he said "I decided I won't wear that pin on my chest. Instead I'm going to try to tell the American people what I believe will make this country great and hopefully that will be a testimony to my patriotism." Notice he said "what will make this country great", rather than "what makes this country great", but we'll let that slide.

According to Obama, patriotism has nothing to do with whether or not he wears a pin, but with the words he utters.

Earlier this week a seven year old girl asked why he wanted to be President. He replied "America is no longer what it could be, what it once was." He went on that his vision of America is "to be kinder, to be gentler." See Video. Apparently, he share's his wife's view that America is a "downright mean" country.

Did love of country inspire Obama to declare on foreign soil "I know my country has not perfected itself. At times, we've struggled to keep the promise of liberty and equality for all of our people."?

He couldn't resist including in his speech on patriotism how as he "got older, that gut instinct - that America is the greatest country on earth - would survive my growing awareness of our nation’s imperfections: it’s ongoing racial strife; the perversion of our political system laid bare during the Watergate hearings; the wrenching poverty of the Mississippi Delta and the hills of Appalachia."

Are Americans to trust in his patriotism when he can't even give a speech about patriotism without ifs, ands or buts? Do those words imbue devoted, love, support and defense of one's country?

It's like saying to your child "I love you, except for when you were two and threw tantrums, when you lied at the age of 6 and spilled juice on the couch last night. Really, can't you be more perfect?"

Lawyers gone wild!

Thursday, August 7, 2008

More lawsuits - that's just what we need in America. Apparently, attorney Curtis Wolfe believes that's true because he's launching the new website WhoCanISue.com. Mr. Wolfe said that his website will immediately put potential complainants in touch with live attorneys.

Even Miami trial attorney Richard Sharpstein thinks it's a bad idea. Sharpstein told Time Magazine "As if there aren't enough trial lawyers out there inventing law suits, now we're going to invite the public to do so....It encourages, if not creates lawsuits."

I say, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. When they go live next month let's all log on and tell them we want to bring a class action law suit against the Federal Government to lift the moratorium on drilling and to give the country back to the people.

The Sum of Good Governance

In his first Inaugural Adress on March 4, 1801 Thomas Jefferson said that a "wise and frugal government...shall restrain men from injuring one another, shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government."

How would Thomas Jefferson feel about some of Barack Obama's recent promises (bribes) offered to the electorate in 2008? What would he think of a man who openly declares that he will take oil companies' profits, and redistribute those profits to those who didn't earn them?

Had our government left us free to regulate our own pursuits of industry and improvement we would not be paying $4.00 per gallon for gas. We wouldn't be funding our enemies. We would be extracting our own resources from our land. We would have more nuclear power plants and cheaper electricity. Don't people get it.

Could Thomas Jefferson have contemplated what would become of the government he fought so hard to establish?

Protest of the protesters of the protest caught on video!

This is a video of the protesters on Capital Hill on Monday. These are the wackos Barack Obama answers to. The Obama supporters (MoveOn) said they are all for $10, $20 or $30 per gallon gasoline. About 45 seconds into the video a guy wearing an Obama shirt was asked how a single mom would be able to fill her gas tank with gas prices so high and he replied "A single mom probably doesn't need a minivan."

There it is, the mindset of the left "single moms don't need minivans".

GOP Revolt Day Four

Wednesday August 6, 2008

House Republicans were at it again today, calling on Nancy Pelosi to cut her book tour short and come back to Washington for an up or down vote on the American Energy Act. Newt Gingrich joined them and, according to the Politico, he said that relying on foreign oil is bad foreign policy, economic policy and environmental policy.

John Boehner's blog has been posting updates every day. Today's quote of the day came from Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX). “There is nobody doing more to help the OPEC nations than the Democrat leaders. We are helping grow these sharks who want to devour us.”

In the mean time, American Solutions reported that Moveon.org has sent an email to their donors telling them that progressives are losing this argument. If you haven't done so already, go to American Solutions and sign their petition to Drill Here, Drill Now and Pay Less.

Hillary Clinton - Still fighting?

Hillary is considering having her delegates heard at the Democratic National Convention. Didn't I read something about Obama considering letting Florida and Michigan place their delegates at the convention? Has anyone done the math lately? Will the superdelegates jump off of Obama's ship now that he's showing weakness in the polls? This could get interesting.....

New Obesity Study-Get ready for a new government program

Wednesday August 6, 2008

All American adults will be overweight or obese within forty years, according to a new government study. While that may sound alarming, what's more alarming is that this is a government study so the government is probably going to want to do something about it.

This study gives the Nannies a little more ammunition in the quest to exert yet more control over another aspect of American lives. Around the corner are we to expect fast-food taxes, more bans on fattening foods or doctors turning people in to the authorities for high cholesterol?

Just last month at the doctor's office we were told she had to calculate the kids' BMI (body-mass index), saying it's a new requirement. She just shook her head in annoyance as she went to find her Children's BMI Calculator.

Why don't we all make a pact to eat better, exercise and stay in shape! We'll all look hot like Paris Hilton while taking away the Nannies' ammo. They may even leave us alone to enjoy our occasional Hostess snack in peace.

Obama Fatigue

The Pew Research Center's most recent poll finds that Americans are just plain tired of hearing about Barack Obama. They needed a poll to figure this out? What's surprising are the 51% of independents and 34% of Democrats that are sick of him.

Americans can only take arrogant politicians talking out of both sides of their mouths in very small doses. Sure, 10% of respondents believe there isn't enough coverage of Obama, but those are just his fans in the media. The 41% who believe the coverage is just right are regular readers of the Huffington Post and Daily Kos.

Gee Whiz, by the looks of things, even his wife is tired of him. When is the last time we've seen Michelle giving a speech on behalf of Barack?

John McCain's New Celebrity Ad

This is the latest ad from the McCain campaign. He calls Obama a celebrity and points out that Obama's policies would hurt American families. I liked the other celebrity ad better, but this one's not bad.

Nancy Pelosi on Gas Prices

This is Nancy Pelosi in April 2008. She said that gas prices were $2.56 per gallon. That's how out of touch she is, she didn't even bother to look at the signs at the gas stations on her way to Larry King's studio.

Missed Opportunity

Tuesday August 5, 2008

A caller to a conservative radio show this morning told the host he is fairly conservative but will for Barack Obama. Based on what he said I would guess that the caller is in his early to mid twenties and he's having trouble making ends meet. He complained that he can't find a decent job and really seemed to believe that a President Obama would improve his situation.

The host of the program missed a great opportunity to tell this guy that he is not the exception, he is the norm. Most Americans don't just walk into a great job. To get ahead one must work hard, prove one's worth to his or her employer and build a reputation in his career field. That is the key to career success. Abraham Lincoln put it best when he said "whatever you are, be a good one."

Americans need to stop looking to the government to solve their problems because it just isn't going to happen. Government is the problem.

Spotlight on Russia

Is the Cold War really over, or are we just in a decades-long lull? The war on terrorism, the Presidential election and Brangelina's twins are in the limelight, while Vladimir Putin sneaks under the media radar.

Yesterday Reuters reported that Vladimir Putin expressed his wish to go back to Cuba. This should give Americans pause.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Monday said it was time for Russia to rebuild links with former Cold War ally Cuba, news agencies reported.

The Kremlin is angry at U.S. plans for a missile defence system in Eastern Europe, and last month a news report suggested Russia might use Cuba, a thorn in America's side for half a century, as a refueling stop for nuclear-capable bombers.

If that isn't enough to give you pause, Daniel Silva's op-ed Comrade Lenin: Alive and Well should. Mr. Silva travelled to Moscow last year researching his novel Moscow Rules. He observed the statues, memorabilia, street names and other monuments to the murderous thug Vladimir Lenin. It's downright creepy.

Silva imagines the outrage that would be expressed if there were such monuments to Adolf Hitler remaining in Germany. It would be ridiculous. So why aren't we in the West indignant over the Lenin love-fest going on in Russia?

During the Cold War, many of the opinion leaders in Western Europe—the academics, the essayists and novelists, the campaigners for peace and human rights—were too often willing to overlook the Soviet Union’s inexhaustible list of crimes against humanity because they were adherents of Marxist-Leninist bilge themselves. Lenin was to be forgiven his sins because, in their eyes, his cause was just. As for Stalin, yes, he was a monster, but he was also a hero, the man who single-handedly fought Nazi Germany to a stalemate until the American and British could join the fight. Many conveniently overlook the fact that, by agreeing to the infamous Non-Aggression Pact with Hitler in 1939, Stalin was the one who made the Second World War possible in the first place.

He goes on to spell out how Vladimir Putin is a product of the KGB and the Party, reminding of a 2005 speech in which Putin described the collapse of the Soviet Union as "the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the twentieth century."

Russia is amassing an oil fortune while talking about rekindling their relationship with Cuba. The American people are funding them because we aren't extracting our own resources. In the meantime Congress is on vacation.

GOP Revolt Day Three

Check out House Republican Leader John Boehner's blog to keep up to date on the happenings over at the US House of Representatives. The Democrats remain on vacation.

Fifteen GOP House members have spoken today, including Mike Pence, John Shadegg and Duncan Hunter. Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ) is asking you to let him know what hardhips Nancy Pelosi's inaction is causing you, your family and friends. You can send him an email at painatthepump@mail.house.gov.

The quote of the day came from Jean Schmidt (R-OH):

“Pelosi is on a book tour, God bless her, she wrote a book. I wish I could take the time to write a book. Well now is the time to vote, not the time to write a book.”

“We can’t pick and choose our alternative resources, we must use them all because they support and compliment each other.”

No wonder Pelosi couldn't stick around. She had to go promote her book to keep it from dropping out of the top 1000.

Update: The funniest news of the day comes from the Politico. Move-On protestors showed up to protest the protest in the house. Then some right wing protesters showed up to protest the protesters of the protest. Do any of these people have jobs?

Monday Musings

Monday August 4, 2008

How many rights is the Chinese government violating in its attempt to present a good image for the upcoming Olympics?

We can call off the Presidential election, Nancy Pelosi has appointed herself the new "decider".

Since Global Warming is such a sure thing, should I keep my upstate NY pool open until December?

If my children are lucky they can retire at the age of seventy-nine and a half.

Why did we need a housing bailout when 93.3% of us are paying our monthly mortgage payments on time?

It must be nice to have a five week, taxpayer-funded vacation. Too bad most suckers, I mean taxpayers, don't receive such a nice job benefit.

Barack Obama should choose John Edwards as his running mate. The recent scandal makes him look more human, and when Democrats are caught up in scandals the media either ignores or celebrates them.

What's with Democratic voters who vote big spending liberals into office, then complain about high taxes and move to a "red" state only to elect liberals who raise their taxes?

Here in upstate New York, people can still identify themselves as conservative without fear of job loss. Can you imagine being a conservative in Hollywood? Now that's a lonely conservative!

Governor Paterson-You can't have it both ways

Governor Paterson suffered a lapse from liberal philosophy last week when he called on the state to cut spending. All of you liberals who are disappointed in, worry not, he has reverted back to form.

In his recent op-ed in the Washington Post, the accidental Governor has called on the federal government "to help all states navigate an economic crisis". He insists that the federal government must pass a "second stimulus package that includes investments in our nation's infrastructure" and other short term stimulus investments like paying people's heating bills for them this winter.

His op-ed slamming the Bush Administration and the federal government for wasteful spending, while pleading with the federal government for more spending came one day after his press release congratulating the President and Congress for passing the Foreclosure Relief Act.

Which is it Governor? Are you for or against reckless government spending?

Check out this headline

Big Oil has more cash than it can use.

Is that code for "the government should feel free to take Big Oil's money away"? The article isn't suggesting that, but headlines like that only add fuel to the fire of the Democrats' pursuit of Big Oil's profits.

Sunday August 3, 2008

House Republicans to return to the floor Monday

According to the Politico, House Republicans believe that they had enough good press, despite the Speaker of the House turning off the cameras, to return to the House tomorrow for another day of speeches and protest about Congress' inaction on gas prices.

It is unknown whether or not Representative Jim Walsh (R-NY) will make an appearance. The last release on his website is dated July 30 where he took Nancy Pelosi to task for blocking meaningful debate and an up or down vote on drilling.

The Politico's report mentioned Pelosi's interview with George Stephanopolous this morning on ABC News This Week. She was as arrogant as ever, and pretty much indicated that she knows she's right, so why bother to go ahead with an up or down vote. In her mind, it doesn't matter the outcome because she's made up her mind and that's the way it is.

In addition to calling on Republicans to return to the House, perhaps they can also call on many of the Democrats who are willing to vote for drilling. Perhaps they can call on the Democrats to come back and vote on electing a new Speaker of the House. That may do something to improve their approval rating.

How many times must we reiterate that we are a government by the people for the people. The people want drilling and we expect our representatives to remove the barriers to drilling that they have created.

Environmentalists are at it again

For five decades a dam on the St. Lawrence River in Northern NY has controlled the water levels of Lake Ontario. The US and Canada, through the International Joint Commission (IJC), have worked together to determine the proper lake levels.

For property owners along the the lake everything has been going fine, knowing they could rest easy without constant worry of flooding. Things could change next year if the Citizens Campaign for the Environment and The Onondaga Audubon Society have their way.

These groups are lobbying the IJC to change the way they regulate the water levels. They want to increase the variation in lake levels with lower levels as well as higher levels. The higher lake levels will endanger property owners in the area who argue that their sea walls will be eroded and their properties will be in danger of major flooding.

According to the Syracuse Post Standard Gerry Smith of the Onondaga Audubon society actually said that most of the people effected are "baby boomers and up" and that they will only be around for one of the five expected floods per century that will occur if he and his cohorts have their way. In other words, Mr. Smith thinks it's perfectly acceptable for people living along Lake Ontario to have a major flood every twenty years or so.

Most people agree that the Great Lakes are one of our greatest assets and we must do whatever we can to protect them and keep them clean. Responsible land owners should not be punished for the mere fact that they own property on the waterfront. This is one more example of environmental groups putting their crusade above humanity.

Boycott Tyson Foods

Tyson Foods is not going to give their employees labor day as a paid holiday anymore. This is almost unbelievable, but here it is. They are replacing labor day with the Muslim holiday Eid al-Fitr, whatever that is.

Hat tip to Texas Fred's on this one. All I can say is "don't buy Tyson Chicken".

Another Obama Shift

For months Barack Obama has been telling us he is beyond the old style of politics, with Obama we can move on to new politics. He wants you to believe he is not a politician, when that's exactly what he is. Just look at his trip overseas. He was perfectly willing to give a speech during a free concert to make it look as though 200,000 Germans actually came to hear him speak, yet he cancelled a visit with wounded U.S. troops because he had to leave his entourage at the door.

He keeps "shifting" (the new term for flip-flopping) positions when it is politically expedient. Is that "new politics"? It sure seems like old politics to anyone who follows politics. His latest "shift" is on drilling on the Outer Continental Shelf. He held his finger to the wind, felt which way it was blowing and decided he would throw the voters a little bone.

His promise to give $1000 to every family didn't give him the bump in the polls he was hoping for. Apparently not all Americans are on board with the rob Peter to pay Paul mentality. Now he is willing to throw his so-called convictions to the wind, throw his base under the bus once again in order to pick up a few points in the polls.

Obama still believes we won't be able to "drill our way out of" the energy crisis, but now he's willing to consider allowing drilling off the Florida coast. The problem is, he's been so against this for so long, who can believe him?

Father of Haditha Marine Speaks

Hat tip to Old Soldier for this video. God Bess the U.S. Marines! John Murtha should be tried for treason.

Making the Case for Capitalism

Democrats and some Republicans lead us to believe that capitalism is bad, that it leaves some people behind while a few get rich, keeping everything to themselves. That sort of thinking is wrong and should be rejected.

In The Spoiled Children of Capitalism Jonah Goldberg makes the point that capitalism has spoiled us, and now many are rejecting capitalism because it has been so successful in improving conditions for humankind.

Capitalism is the greatest system ever created for alleviating general human misery, and yet it breeds ingratitude.

People ask, "Why is there poverty in the world?" It's a silly question. Poverty is the default human condition. It is the factory preset of this mortal coil. As individuals and as a species, we are born naked and penniless, bereft of skills or possessions. Likewise, in his civilizational infancy man was poor, in every sense. He lived in ignorance, filth, hunger and pain, and he died very young, either by violence or disease. The interesting question isn't "Why is there poverty?" It's "Why is there wealth?" Or: "Why is there prosperity here but not there?"

Try to imagine life without capitalism. There would be no economy. There would be no tax base. There would be no "windfall profits" for politicians to try to tax. You wouldn't be reading this right now without capitalism because who would have invented the computer without the incentive of profit? Profit is good, it isn't bad. Capitalism has been a blessing, and we need to remember that.

Links I Like List

I was tinkering with my site and lost my list of favorite sites. If you were on the list, or would like to be on the list, please post a comment with your web address and I'll get it back up there ASAP. I've added a few but I know I missed a lot of you. Thanks and sorry about that.

McCain Ad - "Obama the One"

McCain keeps outdoing himself. This is good stuff.

"This is the moment when the rising of the oceans began to slow! And our climate began to heal!"

I just don't get why they are calling this an attack ad. Showing video of "The One", shouldn't Obama be flattered?

GOP Revolt on the House Floor!

According to the Politico Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats adjourned the House and shut down the lights and microphones. But John Boehner and other Republicans are refusing to leave. It started out with just a handful but they are trying to round up other Republicans to return.

The Democrats turned off the lights and the microphones because they don't want this covered by the press. They don't want it covered by the press because they don't want you to know about it. This is good stuff and it's a crying shame that it's not being covered by the media. Doesn't anyone have a video camera? They're calling it a "new Boston Tea Party".

The Politico's last update was at 4:30, they are still there and apparently they aren't going anywhere soon. They've even brought in boy scouts! I wish I was there.

Update: C-Span issued a statement saying it isn't their fault they aren't covering the news on the House floor. The Speaker of the House (Nancy Pelosi) controls the cameras. So don't believe anyone who sayd that Nancy Pelosi isn't keeping the public from knowing what's going on in Washington.

Update: At 5:00 PM they ended their protest, singing "God Bless America".

That's a little bit disappointing. It's now up to President Bush to call them back.

Obama's latest idiotic economic plan.

This post should be titled "Obama's latest socialist plan." The Politico is reporting that Barack Obama has announced a new plan to give families a "stimulus" payment of $1000, paid for by oil company windfall profit taxes.

Anyone who tries to argue that this is not a socialist plan is just absurd. Exxon Mobil paid $32 Billion dollars in taxes in the last quarter alone. Is that not enough for the Prince of Hubris? He wants more of the money the oil companies legally earned, to give to people who did nothing to earn that money.

If you are planning to vote for Obama ask yourself this-if we allow him to take whatever he wants from "Big Oil" who is next? What reason do you have to believe he will stop there?

McCain Ad - Obama the Celebrity

Headlines - The Economy Grew and We're Winning the War

The US economy grew by 1.9% in the last quarter. That means we are not, as much as Democrats and the MSM may wish for it, in a recession. There is also news today that US deaths in Iraq are down to the lowest point since the invasion, and troop tours in Iraq will be cut to 12 months.

It sounds like great news to me so I thought I'd check the websites of ABC, CNN, MSNBC and CBS to see if they had these stories as their top headlines. The answer is no, no, sort of and no. MSNBC had the troop tour story. The rest chose their right to remain silent. But they did share the news of Exxon's big profit and Boston trading Manny Ramirez to the Dodgers.

The media and the Dems have done whatever they can do to ruin the economy and lose the war. When their efforts fail they won't even report the news. Go figure.

Update: In all fairness, ABC News did mention the story about the decline in US casualties in Iraq during their 6:30 broadcast, but not until after they reported on Exxon Mobil's record profit.

Later Fox News reported that for every dollar in profit Exxon Mobil has earned, they have paid three dollars in taxes, so for the last quarter Exxon Mobil paid a record $32 BILLION dollars in taxes! But Obama wants more.

The Race Card

Barack Obama was trying to say that John McCain is trying to scare voters from electing Obama and went on to say "You know, he doesn't look like all of those other presidents on the dollar bills."

John McCain's campaign cried foul and said that Obama is playing the race card and Obama's campaign replied "Barack Obama in no way believes that the McCain campaign is using race as an issue, but he does believe they're using the same old low-road politics to distract voters from the real issues in this campaign."

What did Barack Obama think when he said he doesn't look like the men on the money? Any rational person knows exactly what he meant. He said what he meant and he meant what he said. Then when McCain responds he accuses McCain of dirty politics. I guess Obama expects that even his opponents are supposed to fawn all over him in the manner of the main stream media.

Congress is Going on Vacation

In less than 24 hours Congress will be going on a long vacation. Don't you wish you could go on extended holiday without first getting your job done? Nancy Pelosi and Company are refusing to allow an up/down vote on drilling. They are worried because there are a number of Democrats willing to vote for drilling because their constituents want it.

This afternoon Representative Mike Pence said he has asked President Bush to call a special session of Congress, under Article II, Section 3 of the Constitution:

He may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in Case of Disagreement between them, with Respsect to the Time of Adjournment, he may adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper.

President Bush should call them out, call them back and force them to vote on drilling.

To take action visit the following web sites:
American Solutions
Freedoms Watch

Life in NY

Tonight I took the kids to Game Stop. My younger son received a game for his birthday that was defective so we went in to exchange it for a different game. One would think that wouldn't be a big deal. The problem is, I was returning a game purchased in Pennsylvania in a New York store.

The young lady who waited on us was very nice and pleasant but this was her first out of state return. Pennsylvania has a 6% sales tax while New York has an 8% tax. There was only about a 50 cent difference, but I can't blame the girl for doing her job and balancing the books. After she made six phone calls and about twenty minutes she finally figured it out. The Sponge Bob game is much better than the Power Rangers anyway, so I suppose it was worth the headache.

That little event got me thinking, how does Pennsylvania manage with a 6% sales tax? What about Delaware? That state has no sales tax and Florida has no state income tax. Where is all of the money in New York going? Today Governor Paterson ordered a 7% spending reduction from all state agencies. Already counties are complaining that it will mean less money from Albany, so they may have to raise our taxes. Why don't they just stop spending so much of our money?

I think I'll move to Bikini Bottom.

We don't need to drill! Just inflate your tires!

Drilling! We don't need no stinking drilling! Just inflate your tires!

Obama's charm is wearing thin.

Liberals are starting to notice, and write about, the arrogance of Barack Obama. We can probably expect to see him change his personality again some time very soon. This morning Dana Milbank of the Washington Post wrote a scathing editorial about the Prince of Hubris, Barack Obama.

It seems that Obama's presidential charade isn't lost on everyone. Milbank declares that "he traveled in a bubble more insulating than the actual president's. Traffic was shut down for him as he zoomed about town in a long, presidential-style motorcade, while the public and most of the press were kept in the dark about his activities, which included a fundraiser at the Mayflower where donors paid $10,000 or more to have photos taken with him."

While most of the press adores the Prince of Hubris, some are starting to tire of him and with about 100 days until election day more are sure to grow weary of Obama's act.

Lessons from Herbert Hoover

If Barack Obama is elected president there's a good chance we'll see Hooverville's cropping up across this great land of ours after his policies throw us into another Great Depression.

The American Presidents, Ninth Edition documents that "No other President came to the White House with more dazzling visions of achievements and left with more shattered illusions than did Herbert Hoover." One of his promises was "the perfection of justice, whether in economic or social fields" and he intended his administration to be a "progressive, reform regime." That all sounds familiar, doesn't it?

Herbert Hoover is said to have been for small government and laissez-faire economics. It's too bad he didn't stick to his guns. He was called a "do nothing President". He tried a housing bailout which was a failure. His refusal to repeal Prohibition probably didn't help. Not only would people have gone to work at breweries and distilleries, but they would have been happier, not having to go to to the local speakeasy for a pop. But Herbert Hoover's biggest mistake was signing the Hawley-Smoot Tariff in 1930 which only intensified the depression. Time and again we find that free trade is a good thing and the imposition of tariffs is bad. Obama doesn't get this.

Unfortunately, President Bush seems to be falling into the Democrats' trap when they compare him to Hoover, accusing him of doing nothing. (For example the economic stimulus and homeowner bailout.) We will never know what would have happened had President Hoover, and later Roosevelt "done nothing". Perhaps the depression may have ended in 1934.

A Tale of Two Congresswomen

On the left we have Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi. Madame Pelosi is in the news today for saying that she's trying to save the planet. According to the Politico:

With fewer than 20 legislative days before the new fiscal year begins Oct. 1, the entire appropriations process has largely ground to a halt because of the ham-handed fighting that followed Republican attempts to lift the moratorium on offshore oil and gas exploration. And after promising fairness and open debate, Pelosi has resorted to hard-nosed parliamentary devices that effectively bar any chance for Republicans to offer policy alternatives.

“I’m trying to save the planet; I’m trying to save the planet,” she says impatiently when questioned. “I will not have this debate trivialized by their excuse for their failed policy.”

I wish the interviewer had further prodded Madame Speaker and asked her where she found the Constitutional authority to "save the planet".

On the right we have Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, who recently went on an energy tour that included ANWR. Debunking the Democrats claims that there is plenty of oil available for drilling under current leases, Rep. Bachmann retorts:

The Democrats' focus on the National Petroleum Reserve is also striking. While it contains comparable known reserves to ANWR -- 10.6 billion barrels compared to an estimated 10.4 billion barrels in the wildlife refuge -- its fields are spread over 23 million acres. The portion of ANWR territory that should be opened to exploration covers a mere 2,000 acres. The National Petroleum Reserve's fields are a little over 250 miles from the current pipeline infrastructure, while ANWR is only 75 miles away. To top it off, currently there is no production in the National Petroleum Reserve because of ongoing litigation.

By focusing on a patch of Arctic tundra more spread out than ANWR, a greater distance from current pipelines, and subject to lawsuits not addressed by the legislation, the Democrats chose to respond to American cries for expedited drilling in such a way that would have made it harder to produce energy.

Rep. Bachmann has also opposed the wretched homeowner bailout and she is calling on President Bush to veto the bill which she refers to as a "blank check" to the treasury.

Who is right and who is wrong here? How the American people continue to be fooled by the likes of Nancy Pelosi is beyond comprehension. Something tells me it won't be that way for long. As the old saying goes "You can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time."

Oh yeah, if you'd like to tell Madame Pelosi what you think of her you can call her at 202-225-0100.

Governor Paterson's Speech

Governor Paterson just delivered his speech on the local television stations. I was a little nervous at first, it began as what could have turned into a typical liberal speech. I held my breath, hoping the Governor would not be calling for tax increases to beef up the state coffers.

Governor Paterson did not disappoint, in fact I yelled "Woo Hoo!" when he said he was calling for an emergency session of the state legislature and the legislators vacations were coming to an end. He went on to state that, like New Yorkers, the government will need to learn to get by with less and we need to cut up our credit cards!

One thing the Governor said that may give some of us pause is that the government needs to act. As history has shown, government action often makes fiscal problems worse.

It remains to be seen if the dysfunctional New York State Senate and Assembly will do anything to balance the budget. It doesn't fit with their "spending for votes" way of thinking. But the Governor is going to give it a go and he should get credit for that.

Washington, are you listening?

How to lose an election

Why don't Republicans get it? Democrats win elections by running as moderates or what they call "blue dog Democrats"-Democrats who espouse conservative ideas (at least until they're elected and fall in line behind the likes of Pelosi, Reid and Schumer). Sure, there are some exceptions, like John McCain who, oddly enough, has turned right since the primaries.

Much to my chagrin, my Republican candidate for the US House of Representatives, Dale Sweetland, has come out in favor of releasing oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Who does he think he is, Dan Maffei? Why not just come out and announce that we can turn the economy around if all Americans raid their 401k?

NY Governor David Paterson to speak about the economy.

It's been reported that Governor Paterson is expecting some tough fiscal times ahead here in NY and he plans to give a speech to address the issue. He reportedly plans to call for dramatic cuts in state spending.

It's starting to sound like the governor is a closet conservative, at least fiscally. The governor is going to be up against some pretty tough opposition to any cuts in spending and it shows guts that he's at least trying to do something to curb spending.

It would be nice if our local, state and federal governments had kept spending under control for the last century, but they have not. It's never too late to start, however, so good luck to Governor Paterson. Maybe President Bush can take a cue and veto the housing bill.

Ode to Rush Limbaugh

All of you Rush Limbaugh fans should read Rush: The Engine of Conservatism by Mark Levin. Here's to twenty more years!

Hubris or Arrogance - Call it what you will Obama's got plenty of it

Junior senator from Illinois Barack Obama has returned from strutting around the world as if he owns it. Now that he's back state side he has directed his staff to start planning his transition. That's awfully presumptuous for the man who is only the presumptive nominee of his party. Talk about audacious! Has he forgotten that one must first be nominated as his party's candidate and then win the general election before taking office?

Perhaps press reports like No. 44 Has Spoken deluded him into believing that he's already the president-elect. With each passing day Senator Obama's ego grows ever larger. He believes the only way to solve the problems of the globe is his ascension to the White House. He believes that his few years as an Illinois state senator and his very brief stint as a US senator (most of which he has spent campaigning) qualifies him to serve as leader of the free world. Anyone who dares to mention that media hype and hope do not entitle him to the presidency is attacked as mean spirited and playing dirty politics.

Rex Murphy said it best in Obama's Audacity of Hubris: "Yet, there he was on Thursday, acting in every way as if he were already president delivering, Urbi et Orbi, a proclamation. There was something almost glorious about the presumption: Call it the audacity of hubris. There was also and equally something very reckless about it. The only set who seem more enraptured than a good part of the U.S. media about the Obama campaign is the Obama campaign and the candidate himself."

The media has inserted itself into the story.

Listening to the main stream media one would believe John McCain and his campaign have said nothing in the past week other than complaints about the media's love-fest with Senator Barack Obama. All McCain did was merely state the obvious, but they're not going to let him get away with it.

Rather than report the story, the media has now become the story, intertwined with the Obama campaign. They've entered into a credibility damaging viscious circle that goes something like "We love Obama, now we are reporting on our love for Obama because his opponent pointed it out, so we must now attack the opponent".

ABC News has the headline Anatomy of an Attack: How McCain Hit Obama - McCain Camp Seethed, Then Began Landstuhl Attack by Touting Hannity Comments on their website. Including the title, the article mentions the McCain campaign "seething" three times. About McCain's ad regarding Obama scrapping his plans to visit our wounded troops the author writes "The McCain campaign dropped the bomb...... an extraordinarily harsh attack line: 'And now, he made time to go to the gym, but cancelled a visit with wounded troops'."

Of course, ABC made the Obama campaign's retort sound extremely reasonable: "The Obama campaign was quick to cry foul.....This politicization of our soldiers is exactly what Sen. Obama sought to avoid." They failed to point out that had Senator Obama visited Landstuhl without the press it simply would have been a sincere gesture from the man who wants to be president. It became political when he scrapped the visit because he couldn't bring his reporters along.

When did criticizing a political opponent become an "extrordinarily harsh attack"? Oh yeah, when the politician making the criticism is the opponent of your love child.

Did 200,000 Germans really show up to see Obama?

The US media has led us to believe that 200,000 young Germans showed up on a Thursday to listen to the junior senator from Illinois give a speech. If it were true maybe it would be amazing. We've been hoodwinked again.

Hat tip to No Quarter for picking up on this. Those 200,000 Germans really showed up for free concerts by wildly popular German reggae singer Patrice and the pop band Reamonn. If a free concert wasn't enough, they also gave away free bratwurst and beer. Gee whiz, I may have gone to that!

Isn't it the job of the media to report events as they actually occur? How about this headline "Obama gives a speech during the intermission of a free concert in Germany". If the New York Times would report the truth, rather than their version of it, perhaps their readership numbers wouldn't be in such a free fall.

Congress finally sticks around for a weekend and does this?!

While most Americans were enjoying a summer Saturday Congress went to work for a change. Unfortunately for the American people that's rarely good news. "Were they voting on allowing drilling in ANWR and off the Outer Continental Shelf?" you ask. Nope. "Did they meet to force Nancy Pelosi to step down as Speaker of the House?" As if we could be so fortunate.

Today, Saturday July 26, 2008 Congress met to pass a bill bailing out 400,000 of our fellow Americans who took out mortgages they couldn't afford. Yep, it's true and President Bush is going to sign this awful bill into law. He must not have gotten the memo about how out of control spending cost Republicans the House and the Senate not too long ago.

In short, nearly half a million Americans bought homes they could not afford. These people cannot afford to pay their mortgages. So what does this bill do? This bill will allow these delinquent borrows to refinance with new mortgages backed by....you guessed it...the American taxpayer. There's also some money thrown in for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. We can't let them go under, now can we?

Keep in mind, Congress does not make any money to add to the budget, all they do is spend it. The President does not generate income to add to the budget, he just signs the spending bills sent to him by Congress. This is not their money, this is our money. Our money is now being used to guarantee the mortgages of people who don't pay their bills.

Well, that's not really true either. It's more like our kids and grand kids money. We're already trillions of dollars in debt. Maybe we can send the Chosen One-the Messiah Obama go on another fundraising swing through Europe, so the Europeans can bail us out. They sort of owe us anyway, so why not?

If you would like some insight into how we got into this mess in the first place (no, it wasn't Bush's fault) check out Thomas Sowell's column in Investors Business Daily from earlier this week.

Obama-The Messiah, The Anointed One, The Savior

He ventured forth to bring light to the world...

New York Governor David Paterson signs drilling legislation!

I'm not usually one to praise democrats, unless they do the right thing. Governor Paterson has signed legislation allowing drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale formation in upstate New York. Good for him! It's been predicted that the price of natural gas could double this winter, so this is good news for New Yorkers.

Now if we can just keep the enviro-nazi's and the "not in my back yard" crowd out of this we'll be all set.

Harry Reid Says Taxes are Voluntary in America

Yes, you read that right. In this interview, with a straight face, Harry Reid says over and over again that paying taxes in the United States of America is voluntary! How could anyone make this stuff up? He had no choice but to concede that some tax evaders are fined or even imprisoned for not paying their taxes, but then reiterates that paying taxes in the USA is a voluntary process. There you have it folks, straight from Harry Reid's mouth. Save this video so when you decide to stop paying taxes you can tell the IRS Harry Reid said it's voluntary.

Mr Reid Goes to Washington and Throws a Temper Tantrum

Harry Reid threw a little temper tantrum today at a press conference with his co-conspirators Dick Durbin, Chuck Schumer and Patty Murray. After one of his usual tirades against Republicans, he then turned his anger on, of all things, the media!

This is how people act when they are wrong. He accused the media of not relaying news stories properly. So, when you are wrong, and there is nothing the media can do to change the fact that you are wrong, what do you do? You yell at the reporter "I would suggest you turn up your hearing aid. It was clear for those of us who understand English".

Apparently, Harry Reid doesn't understand English. If he did he would realize that one thing a vast majority of American agree on is that we need to drill for oil in ANWR and the Outer Continental Shelf. More on this story.

Absolute Must Read of the Day

From the Times Online (UK)

He ventured forth to bring light to the world-The anointed one's pilgrimage to the Holy Land is a miracle in action - and a blessing to all his faithful followers

And it came to pass, in the eighth year of the reign of the evil Bush the Younger (The Ignorant), when the whole land from the Arabian desert to the shores of the Great Lakes had been laid barren, that a Child appeared in the wilderness.

The Child was blessed in looks and intellect. Scion of a simple family, offspring of a miraculous union, grandson of a typical white person and an African peasant. And yea, as he grew, the Child walked in the path of righteousness, with only the occasional detour into the odd weed and a little blow.

When he was twelve years old, they found him in the temple in the City of Chicago, arguing the finer points of community organisation with the Prophet Jeremiah and the Elders.

Read the full article. This is priceless.

Bad Omen?

Hannity and Colmes had some video of John McCain at a campaign stop at a supermarket in Bethlehem, PA yesterday. While talking about WI Governor Tim Pawlenty, McCain was standing in front of Dole juice products. Hat tip to my husband for picking up on that. At least he wasn't in a drug store standing in front of a Viagra display! Let's hope this isn't a bad omen.

Before the big speech Obama decided against visiting wounded troops.

This man is unbelievable. We have wounded troops receiving treatment in Germany and Obama decided to scrap his plans to visit them. He said it would be inappropriate, since his campaign is funding his trip. Does that mean that his contributors would find it unacceptable for a presidential candidate to visit with US troops who were injured while fighting for our country? This guy is just unbelievable.

Obama scraps visit to wounded troops.

Update: It has been reported that Obama used his big Berlin speech as an avenue to raise campaign funds. Could it be he didn't visit our wounded troops because he didn't think they would contribute to his campaign?

The Speech!

Barack Obama has finally delivered his much anticipated Berlin speech. Thanks to the Drudge Report there is no need to listen to the speech, you can read the transcript. According to reports, he was interrupted numerous times by thundering applause from the European crowd. Wow, maybe he should move to Europe and run for king of the EU or something, it would be a land slide.

Yes, the Germans went wild for Obama's speech as most of his apostles here at home probably did. He talked about "global citizenship", "sustained sacrifice", "shared burdens" and "trade that is free and fair for all". He will send a "direct message to Iran that it must abandon its nuclear ambitions" and in Iraq will "finally bring this war to a close". He will save the planet and eradicate AIDS and poverty, because poverty causes terrorism. He notes that every language is spoken in the US and wants to eliminate all borders.

Sound good?

Lacking from his speech is the idea of American exceptionalism. He diminishes the role America played in ending the cold war and bringing down the Iron Curtain. He diminishes the sacrifice of Americans who fought and died in Europe in the last century. He also diminishes the role the American military has played in Iraq. With all due respect, you don't win wars by wishing for peace. You don't bring down terrorists and dictators by giving them a lecture.

Now we are all just "fellow citizens of the world". When in Ohio Obama blasts American companies that ship jobs overseas. When in Germany Obama lauds the global economy. Talk about playing to your audience.

Obama fails to recognize or acknowledge that the 9-11 terrorists were well to do and came from middle class families. He calls for unity, advancing his collectivist message to include the entire globe. When he talks about sustained sacrifice he doesn't say whose sacrifice? The American worker? He neglects to mention that President Bush is a rock star in Africa due to all he has done to battle the AIDS virus. So we should expect that if elected president, Obama will send even more of our tax dollars overseas.

Of course, Obama would never fail to mention in a speech how imperfect America is and how we have not "lived up to our best intentions". In his view, we will not be a perfect nation, a perfect global citizen until he is elected president.

The real reason Obama didn't invite the media.

Monkey in the Middle picked up on the story told by one of our GI's serving in Afghanistan about Obama's little jaunt through the war zone.

As the Soldiers where (sic) lined up to shake his hand, he blew them off and didn't say a word as he went into the conference room to meet the General. As he finished, the vehicles took him to the ClamShell (pretty much a big top tent that military personnel can play basketball or work out in with weights) so he could take his publicity pictures playing basketball. He again shunned the opportunity to talk to Soldiers to thank them for their service.

So really he was just here to make a showing for the Americans back home that he is their candidate for President. I think that if you are going to make an effort to come all the way over here you would thank those that are providing the freedom that they are providing for you.

I swear we got more thanks from the NBA Basketball Players or the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders than from one of the Senators, who wants to be the President of the United States. Read full story.

It had seemed that Obama kept the media at a distance during these events because he was afraid of making one of his famous gaffes. This story would lead one to believe that he didn't want the media recording his outright snub of our troops. The media has been talking non-stop about his three point shot, did he make that shot after snubbing the very people keeping him safe? Is he such an elitist that he's too good to sit down with the men and women in the milatary? Or is he uncomfortable in the knowledge that he will never live up to the greatness of those who serve our country?

Dan Maffei vs. Dale Sweetland

Which candidate is more likely to represent the interests of Central New Yorkers?

According to the Post Standard, 80% of Republican Dale Sweetland's campaign contributions were raised locally. Sweetland said that if the National Republican Congressional Committee were to offer him funds he would accept, but other than that he's not trying to raise money in Washington, DC.

On the other hand, they report that Washington fuels Maffei's lead over Sweetland's local cash. Only about 14% of Dan Maffei's campaign contributions came from local donors. The majority of his funds came from Washington DC but he also raised quite a bit in California, New York City and Boston.

So who can we assume Dan Maffei is going to be working for? Us? That's doubtful.

One more thing to keep in mind, a vote for Dan Maffei (or any other Democrat running for Congress) is a vote to for Nancy Pelosis to remain as Speaker of the House. Wake up, folks.

Obama speaks about how to deal with evil.

The Messiah has spoken again. This time at the Holocaust Memorial and Museum Yad Vashem. His answer to fighting evil is for us all to speak up with "one voice". There he goes with that whole unity/collectivist thing again. As Ayn Rand would have said, we can unite and have our collective throats slit.

Many of us have relatives who fought and died in World War II and find it insulting when politicians like Obama use sacred backdrops to pander. My friend Paul Zanucchi has a great piece today on the American Sentinel. He's justifiably angry. Click here to read what Paul has to say.

American Energy Act - Tell Pelosi we want a vote!

It's time for Nancy Pelosi to put her (or should I say "our") money where her mouth is. Today House GOP Leader John Boehner announced House Republicans have introduced the "American Energy Act".

Passage of this act would open the Outer Continental Shelf, ANWR and other oil rich areas for oil and gas exploration, among other measures. Republicans are calling this an "all of the above" strategy that promotes conservation while easing the burden on Americans. For Congressman Boehner's press release click here.

After President Bush lifted the executive ban on drilling the price of oil dropped. It went down again today. If the Congress lifts its ban the price will drop again, before we even pull an ounce of oil out of the ground.

The Democrats will do all they can to see that this bill never makes it to the floor for a vote. We need to let Nancy Pelosi know we want this to go to a vote. Call Nancy Pelosi today, tomorrow and the next day at 202-225-0100.

What are the new "green technologies" the Democrats keep talking about?

The Associated Builders and Contractors has announced its endorsement of Dale Sweetland, noting Dale's history of fighting for business rights.

In the mean time his opponent for the open 25th Congressional District seat, Dan Maffei, has used some more of his far left-wing money to release a new television ad. He said he's going to take our money and invest it in "green technology". I would suggest that Mr. Maffei read up on where all of this green investment has gotten us thus far.

The government thought it would be a great idea to subsidize ethanol, which is more expensive to produce than gasoline and has helped to drive up the price of gas. According to this report of the Competitive Enterprise Institute, regarding ethanol and the energy bill proposed by the EPA:

Ethanol costs considerably more than gasoline, so the mandate benefits Midwestern corn farmers and the ethanol industry at the expense of the driving public. In addition, the logistical difficulties of incorporating ethanol into the nation’s fuel supply also have added to costs. In effect, the ethanol mandate is yet one more costly federal fuel requirement piled on to an overly complex regulatory scheme and has proved to be a step in the wrong direction.

Dan Maffei appears to be against competitive enterprise so it is doubtful he will take any time to read any of CEI's reports.

Is the Honeymoon Over?

The main stream media has been falling in love with Barack Obama right before our eyes day in and day out. They travelled together overseas for what seemed like a honeymoon. The scenario was right out of a political fairy tale.

Then Barack Obama threw his buddies in the press under that old bus of his. Well, of course he did! He's a gaffe machine whose on/off switch is not easily controlled. He can't risk having reporters with microphones there. I mean, one of them could develop a conscience and actually air the footage of another gaffe. Heaven forbid.

I'm sure they will forgive and forget. They're just working out the kinks in this budding romance. And it's a brilliant move on Obama's part, he's giving them cover since everyone with eyes and ears knows he has them in his pocket.

Brietbart has the video of Andrea Mitchell complaing to tingly-legged Chris Matthews on Hardball about the lack of reporting going on during Obama's trip to the middle east.

Vote for McCain's new ad

John McCain's campaign is going to air a new ad portraying the love affair between the media and Barack Obama. Well, we don't know if it's a two way love affair, but the media definitely has a crush on Obama. Maybe the Obama girl got to them.

There are two videos and you can vote on which one you like better. I picked the first one. They're both funny. The media is so blatantly obvious, they aren't even trying to look objective. Even if you aren't one of John McCain's biggest supporters you should vote for him just to stick it to the main stream media.

Click here to see the videos and vote for your favorite.

Now the media is doing Obama's spinning for him.

ABC News is reporting that President Bush is taking foreign policy cues from Barack Obama. This couldn't be farther from the truth, but they won't report that. Just as the NY Times refuses to run John McCain's rebuttal of the op-ed piece they ran for Obama.

The headline from ABC News: State Dept. Talks With Iran, N. Korea Look Like Obama Policy. They would have us believe that President Bush has been seeking counsel from junior Senator Barack Obama, and that he has had some radical shift in foreign policy.

The American Thinker has a great piece rebutting this argument authored by Ray Robison who points out that President Bush has consistently been tough with the Iranians. He sums it up as follows:

With no more nuclear threat from Saddam, against a US government that has raised the stakes on Iranian attempts to hide nuclear development, and faced with an international community that largely agrees with our president that Iran must not get nuclear weapons, it is possible that Iran has run out of options and might actually be looking for a peaceful way out. Because of Iran's recent history trust is out of the question. But there is no reason not to find out what they have to say. That's not weakness. It's negotiating from a position of strength.

It isn't as if President Bush himself flew to Tehran to meet with the mullahs and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, as Obama has indicated he would do.

Like high gas prices? If so, vote Democrat this fall!

If you like high gas prices and hope they will go even higher, then by all means you should vote Democrat this November. With a Democrat in the White House and Democratic control of the Senate and the House there will be no stopping them!

The Democrats will do all they can do to make sure prices go up, up and away while they hope for magic fairies to fly in and create new sources of energy. They will block all attempts to explore for oil and build new refineries in the US.

Let's not forget about the cost of heating our homes. They'll block any new nuclear power plants or exploration and drilling for natural gas. But don't worry, the polar bears will be happy.

Just in case you don't like high gas prices, sign the American Solutions petition telling them you want to drill here, drill now and pay less.

McCain may announce his choice for running mate this week

According to Evans Novak Political Report, John McCain may be announcing his pick for running mate this week. Hopefully it may take some air out of Obama's sails while he and his press corp are travelling abroad.

Update: ABC News just announced that John McCain has a major appearance scheduled for Thursday.

An Invitation for Disappointment

While Obama's adoring European fans are waiting for his Berlin speech with baited breath, European leaders are not jumping on the Obama bandwagon. Why is this not surprising? According to Reuters:

His appearance at the "Victory Column" in Berlin's central Tiergarten park is expected to draw huge crowds and is being likened in advance to former president John F. Kennedy's celebrated "Ich bin ein Berliner" performance of 1963.

But in the German Chancellery a few hundred meters away there is unease with the Illinois senator's cult-like following and skepticism about whether he can live up to the hype.

"There is a sort of Obama-mania in Germany right now, but I think a lot of people will have their illusions shattered if he does become president," an official in Chancellor Angela Merkel's office told Reuters, requesting anonymity.

They certainly can't be blamed for their angst at the thought of an Obama presidency. With his shifting positions, voting record and naivete they should be downright scared. Barack Obama is trying to portray himself as some sort of world leader when he's not even half way through his first term as junior senator from Illinois. Who is he kidding? Eckart von Klaeden summed it up quite nicely when he said "Euphoria in politics is an invitation for disappointment."

Is Obama running for President of the USA or the EU?

Barack Obama is planning his big tour of Europe, details to be announced. He wanted to give a speech at Brandenburg Gate in Germany, but ran into a snafu when PM Angela Merkel raised objections as he is not a sitting president and why should a presidential hopeful use one of Germany's most historic places for political gain?

Barack Obama is billing (to us) his visit abroad as a "fact finding mission". He's as popular in Europe as he is with the left in the US. He's going over there on an adulation mission, on our dime.

He will also travel to Iraq, hoping to enhance his national security credentials. According to ABC News that may not be as easy as he thinks. Apparently the American troops over there aren't on board with his plan for defeat. They spoke to Major General Jeffrey Hammond about Obama's withdrawal plan.

Asked if he considered it dangerous to pull out if the withdrawal is not based on "conditions," Hammond said, "It's very dangerous. I'll speak for the coalition forces, men and women of character and moral courage; we have a mission, and it's not until the mission is done that I can look my leader in the eye and say, 'Sir, Ma'am, mission accomplished,' and I think it is dangerous to leave anything a little early."

At this point, who really knows what Obama plans to do if he's elected, he waffles so much it's hard to tell. But judging by what he has consistently said until recent weeks, it's a good bet that he will withdraw our troops before there is lasting stability in Iraq.

Our troops aren't on board with his withdrawal plan, they want to stay until the job is done. So what is his motivation to go to Europe and the Middle East? He knows that he's wildly popular with Europeans, Palestineans and the rest that are jealous, resentful and downright hostile to the United States. He wants to say to Americans "Look at me! The whole world loves me!" The problem with his plan is he's running to represent the United States of America. Rather than spend our money to go overseas, why doesn't he remain in the US, having a dialogue with the American people about his big spending, defeatist plans for us?

Who do you trust on the Iraq war-General Petreaus or Senator Obama?

Newsbusters picked up on an interview of General David Petraeus on Hardball. When asked about Senator Obama's 16 month plan for troop withdrawal, General Patraeus answered (in part) "It depends on the conditions; it depends on the mission set. It depends on the enemy. The enemy does get a vote and is sometimes an independent variable."

Subtle, yet effective. General Petraeus understands there is an enemy that must be defeated. Senator Obama has simply decided to take the enemy out of his equation.

Forgive Us Our Debts

The United States is in a fiscal crisis. Our national debt and unfunded mandates (Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid) are swiftly becoming unsustainable. Every year we owe more and more money to foreigners.

Andrew Yarrow is sounding the alarm about our growing deficits and debt in "Forgive Us Our Debts: The Intergenerational Dangers of Fiscal Irresponsibility". The book takes us through the process of how we got to this point and explores options for getting us back on track fiscally. Unfortunately, that responsibility falls on the shoulders of our elected officials who care more about the next election than doing the right thing for our country. Whether you agree with Dr. Yarrow's entire analysis or not, he is right in pointing out that something must be done soon.

"Forgive Us Our Debts" solidifies the notion that the United States has become a socialist country, and the way things look it's only going to get worse. Andrew Wilkow once said that Americans want our needs to be provided by the government so we can take care of our wants. It began with FDR and the entitlements keep expanding while we go into debt to pay for it.

We don't want to fund our own health care, we want the government to do it. We don't want to fund our retirement, we want to retire early and have the government pay for it. We want big new houses and when we can't pay our mortgages we want the government to bail us out. We want cell phones, ipods, computers, new cars and new clothes. When we can't pay the bills we file bankruptcy.

It is time for Americans to stop looking to the government to solve their problems. It is time for the government to reign in spending. As Yarrow concluded "If we do not, Ronald Reagan's 'morning in America' may undergo a time-zone shift of historical proportions: if it's night time in America, isn't it morning in China?"

Obama's Iraq Shifts

Talk about a flip flopper! Obama's official position when it comes to Iraq officially depends on what day of the week it is. It's too bad most of the media are too in love with him to point this out.

When we decide to drill here and drill now prices will drop

President Bush on Monday signed an executive order lifting the ban on off shore drilling. This was only the first step, now it's Congress' turn. Democrats keep saying it won't do any good and will not bring any immediate relief.

Democrats keep saying we should release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, like we did after Hurrican Katrina. They fail to see the point that Hurricane Katrina was a natural disaster and there were supply disruptions. We can't release the reserves every time there's a spike in oil prices. That's like telling people to dip into their 401k's every time the price of gas goes up. It's just ridiculous.

After the President signed the executive order on Monday API released the following statement:

"It is now up to Congress to lift the moratoria. Doing so could boost U.S. supplies of oil and natural gas, increase the nation’s energy security, add additional, well-paying American jobs and bring billions of dollars into the Treasury. We encourage Congress to pass a common-sense and effective long-term
energy policy designed to increase conservation and energy efficiency, promote greater supplies of all forms of energy, including domestic oil and natural gas."

Today the price of oil dropped for the third day in a row. The price of natural gas dropped 8%, the biggest drop in a year. Imagine what will happen if Congress voted to allow drilling in ANWR and offshore? You can't change the law of supply and demand. Supply goes up, prices drop. If speculators believe there will be an increase in supply, they will speculate that the price will drop. It's not that complicated.

Earlier this week American Solutions presented their petition with over 1.3 million signatures to leaders in the House and the Senate. This is what the American people want. When the Democrats took control of the House and Senate in 2006 they promised to do something about the price of gas. Since then the price has steadily climbed while they block any remedies that would alleviate the problem. The American people did not vote the Democrats into office for them to oppose President Bush on each and every one of his proposals. It is time for them to finally put politics aside and do their jobs.

It isn't too late the sign the petition to Drill Here, Drill Now and Pay Less.

The US Chamber of Commerce Strongly Opposes HR 6515

The US Chamber of Commerce is letting Congress know they are opposed to H.R. 6515, a.k.a. the "Drill Responsibly in Leased Lands" bill. We've been hearing the Democrats whine for months now about the oil companies not extracting oil from the lands they currently lease.

According to the Chamber Post Blog, they have released a key vote letter to members of Congress urging them to vote against this bill. In part, the letter states that the Chamber:

strongly opposes H.R. 6515, the "Drill Responsibly in Leased Lands Act of 2008," because its few pro-energy provisions are far outweighed by its punitive antienergy provisions. H.R. 6515 could ultimately result in the production of less American oil and natural gas, which, in turn, would lead to higher prices
and even more pain at the pump for consumers.

Section 7 of H.R. 6515, more commonly referred to as "use it or lose it," is completely unnecessary because oil and gas producers already operate under binding, statutory time limits for their leases. For onshore production, Section 17(e) of the Mineral Leasing Act, 30 U.S.C. § 226(e), stipulates that an oil company must have a producing well within 10 years, or else surrender the lease. For offshore production, the Outer
Continental Shelf Lands Act, 43 U.S.C. § 1337(b), stipulates that an oil company must produce energy within either five or 10 years, or else surrender the lease. Simply put, leaseholders are already required to surrender leases that are not producing.

The cost of natural gas is expected to double this winter over last year's price. The cost of a gallon of gas is now over $4.00. Prices of everything are now going up. People are losing their jobs. The last thing we need is Congress passing another inane law that will drive energy costs up even further while doing nothing to increase domestic production.

We are supposed to have "representative government". Something is terribly wrong when the American people overwhelmingly support legislation to open up more federal lands for drilling and Congress ignores our wishes. Is it any wonder their approval rating is so low?

How can anyone say there is no media bias?

Barack Obama is planning his trip to Iraq, and low and behold, all of the major news outlets will send their star reporters along with him to cover his trip. According to the International Herald Tribune:

Senator John McCain's trip to Iraq last spring was a low-key affair: With his ordinary retinue of reporters following him abroad, the NBC News anchor Brian Williams reported on his arrival in Baghdad from New York, with just two sentences tacked onto the "in other political news" portion of his newscast.

But when Obama heads for Iraq and other locations overseas this summer, Williams is planning to catch up with him in person, as are the other two evening news anchors, Charles Gibson of ABC and Katie Couric of CBS, who, like Williams, are far along in discussions to interview Obama on successive nights.

They're trying to play it off like their biased coverage is due to Obama's "newness". Excuse me, but have we not been getting non-stop coverage of this guy since his appearance on Oprah a few years ago and his speech at the 2004 Democratic convention? If someone buys a new pair of underpants and wears them every day for three years, are they still "new"?

That these news execs say with a straight face that they devote the same amount of time to candidates from each side is utterly ridiculous. Obama will be the recipient of free campaign commercials. If he makes any major gaffes while in Iraq (which is very likely) do you think the MSM will fill us in?

Quote of the Day

Our founders intended that the Senate would be the chamber which would house the statesman of our legislative body. But, then again, our founding fathers never met Chuck Schumer.

By Jerry Bower in How Chuck Schumer Set Off a Bank Panic.

Michelle Obama and the $600 earrings

According to the Washington Times, at a meeting in Pontiac Michigan last week Michelle Obama was talking about the recent economic stimulus package.

You're getting $600 - what can you do with that? Not to be ungrateful or anything, but maybe it pays down a bill, but it doesn't pay down every bill every month," she said. "The short-term quick fix kinda stuff sounds good, and it may even feel good that first month when you get that check, and then you go out and you buy a pair of earrings."

There is a lot of talk about the Obamas being elitist and how most Americans don't buy themselves $600 earnings. While that is true, what is more disturbing about Mrs. Obama's comments is the notion that somehow the government is responsible for paying people's bills. Is she suggesting that the government start sending citizens $600 checks every month? Since when do the hard working people of America expect the government, ie our fellow citizens, to pay our bills? This is just more proof that the Obamas are socialist to the core.

Happy Cost of Government Day!

According to Americans for Tax Reform, July 17 is the "cost of government day". That is, the day Americans stop working to pay for the enormous burden placed on us by the government. One might find it odd that this day comes later in the year than "tax freedom day" but if you think about the debt our country is in it makes perfect sense. We can just pass those debts along to our children and grand children.

Unfortunately for those of us in NY, the Cost of Government Day won't be here until July 28. The only states worse than NY are Washington DC, New Jersey and Connecticut. To see where your state ranks click here.

Don't let Obama claim success he hasn't earned

The Pentagon is now saying that there may be a reduction of US troops in Iraq by this fall. If the situation in Iraq continues to improve the "time table for withdrawl" we've heard the Democrats whining about for so long will be a moot point. As the situation improves, we can bring home more troops. Hasn't that been the plan all along?

President Bush went out on a limb with the troop surge at a time when the war (thanks to Democrats and the media) was very unpopular. John McCain went out on a limb by whole heartedly supporting the surge. The men and women of our military put their lives on the line under the leadership of General David Patraeus. What did Barack Obama do? Oh yes, he vehemently opposed the surge. One would have to assume that Obama prefers shameful defeat over victory.

What a shame it will be if Barack Obama is elected president and then claims for himself success brought about by the very actions he so forcefully opposed.

Mitt Romney-The Obvious Choice

Thanks in large part to the Democrat controlled, incompetent and irresponsible House and Senate, economic news seems to get worse every day. With the Democrats sabotaging our economy on so many different levels, it only makes sense for John McCain to choose Mitt Romney as his running mate.

Governor Romney has a proven track record as a successful business man. He understands the US economy better than most politicians, as he has actually worked in the private sector. When it comes to the issues Romney is right on just about everything. He has the ability to raise a ton of cash, which McCain is going to need to compete against Obama this fall.

Most people really don't care what religion he practices. To those who call him a flip-flopper: he has nothing on Obama. Much has changed since the primary season and now more than ever McCain needs a running mate with strong economic credentials.

On top of all of that, there is a lot of conservative support for Governor Romney, although that support came a bit too late for him to win the primary. His CPAC speech was a huge hit with the young conservatives and Romney could be just what Senator McCain needs to re-energize the conservative base.

While we're at it, how about calling for Chuck Schumer to resign

Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) caused the collapse of IndyMac Bank by publicizing a letter he wrote to regulators predicting the collapse of the bank. According to The $4 Billion Senator in the Wall Street Journal online:

Mr. Schumer now argues that OTS was asleep at the switch, and that blaming him is like blaming "the fire on the guy who called 911." In fact, it's blaming the guy who poured on the gasoline. Very few banks, if any, would remain standing for long in the current tense financial environment after a Senator, in effect, told its depositors to run for the exits. In the 1930s, such tipsters were derided as rumormongers and often faced indictment for encouraging depositors to stampede banks.

Only last week, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced an investigation into the role of rumor-peddlers in the run on Bear Stearns. We somehow doubt that Mr. Schumer will receive similar SEC scrutiny for his very similar role in bringing about a liquidity crisis at IndyMac. But he may be more deserving.

He certainly is more deserving. Not only is Senator Schumer not remorseful for his reckless behavior he is actually proud of himself. The Democrats are actively doing everything they possibly can to destroy the US economy. Do the American people understand this? Could it possibly be true that the American people are going to give even more power to this destructive group than they already have? It's time for people to wake up.

Investor's Business Daily Calls for Nancy Pelosi's Resignation

I was watching the Home Run Derby, but my favorite player, Chase Utley of the Philadelphia Phillies was out of the running so I thought I'd see what was going on out there in the blogosphere.

I came across a post from YID with LID about Investor's Business Daily calling for Nancy Pelosi to resign.

Feckless to Reckless: Pelosi Should Resign
Leadership: With oil hitting $147, Nancy Pelosi finally admits energy is a problem. But instead of drilling for it, she's cooked up a new drain-the-reserves scheme. It's pure politics at a time of crisis. She ought to resign.

They have it absolutely right. This woman is out of control and has become downright dangerous. There is absolutely no excuse for the way this woman is playing politics with our economy and our very lives. Enough is enough. Give her a call and tell her how you feel.

Nancy Pelosi: 202-225-0100.