Numbers That Should Shock You, Numbers That Should Piss You Off

I've heard some numbers recently, numbers that the normal person should find very disturbing:

47%         
The percentage of jobs held by adult Americans that are considered 'Full Time', or career positions.

43%
The percentage of jobs that will be 'Full Time' after Obamacare is fully implemented.

110 Million
The number of adult Americans who are receiving some form of financial assistance from the Federal Government.

3.3
The number of workers who are paying Social Security taxes needed to furnish SS benefits to a single retiree drawing SS benefits.

100 Million plus
The cost, in dollars, of Obama's recent African vacation.  It was called a state visit, but in reality it was just another stop on the Obama world vacation tour.

250%
The amount of premium increase a healthy adult American will see their privately purchased health insurance policy increase as a result of Obamacare's implementation.

46 Million
The number of Americans (and non-Americans) drawing Food Stamp benefits (an all time high, up from about 27 million at the end of the Bush Administration).

50%
The percentage of children in America who are projected to receive food stamp benefits at some point in their childhood.

90%
The percentage of black children in America who are projected to receive food stamp benefits at some point in their childhood.

178
The number of rounds of golf Obama has played during his 4.5 years in office.  This equates to taking off every fifth day, with pay, and charging all the costs to the taxpayer.

1 Million plus
The number of abortions Planned Parenthood has performed over the past three years.

0.0
The number of mammograms Planned Parenthood performed during that same three year period - despite the group's claims that it provides important women's 'health services'.

542.4 Million
The number of taxpayer dollars Planned Parenthood was given by the Federal Government in 2011 and 2012.

November 7, 2012 - What Are We Going To Wake Up To?

When we all wake up on the morning of November 7, what is our government going to look like?  Pundits from all over the place are offering their opinions, and some of them are changing those opinions almost daily.  With Obama and his administration hell bent on continuing to shoot themselves in the foot time after time, public sentiment is changing.  As more and more people come to the realization about what this man has done to our economy, our country, public sentiment is changing.

Remember that the majority of folks have already made up their minds.  The fight over the coming months is going to be about those 20% or so that are in the middle (unless something really catastrophic comes out about one of the candidates).

Based upon my admitedly limited expertise, and seeing what these pundits are spouting out (on both sides), here are the possibilities, listed in order of how likely I think they are to actually coming to fruition:

1)  Obama squeaks out a narrow victory, perhaps losing the popular vote along the way.  Republicans take control of the Senate by one seat, and retain a decent margin in the House.  This will result in 4 years of gridlock, as a Republican Congress is repeatedly vetoed in almost everything it tries to do by Obama.

2)  Romney wins by a considerable margin.  Riding his coattails, Republicans take control of the Senate by 2 votes, and hold onto the House.  This will result in four years of damage repair by Republicans, hindered by Democrats who continually use the 60 vote rule in the Senate to try to block any meaningful reform.

3)  Obama (again) by a narrow margin.  Democrats retain the Senate by one vote.  Republicans retain the House.  Same four year result as 1) above.


4)  Romney wins, Democrats keep the Senate, and Republicans keep the House.  Vindictive Democrats in the Senate will block every attempt by the House and Romney to roll back Obama's damage, implement reform, and cut spending.  The Democrat task will be the same one they had back in 2006 - to sabotage any effort to rescue the country in order to make Romney look bad, setting the stage for Hillary in 2016.

5)  Obama wins, Dems retain the Senate, and retake control of the House.  Very, very unlikely - but God help us if it does happen, for that truly will be the end of the United States as we know it.



Of course, this prediction is only good for about a week ...

More Brilliance From Marco Rubio

Vice President Marco Rubio ... can I get an Amen on that?

Thanks to Bluegrass Pundit for the heads up on this ...

What I Want To Hear From The Republican Candidates

There is one thing that I want to hear from each and every Republican candidate remaining in the race. I would love to hear it from them while they are gathered, such as on stage at a debate. I want to hear this, and I think it is necessary for it to be said in order to unseat His Highness in November.

"No matter which of us is selected as the Republican nomineee, every one of us will rally behind that nominee, encourage all of our supporters to do the same, and we will do everything we can to support the nominee to kick out the current residents of the White House and pull our country out of the National Nightmare it is currently suffering through."

Anyone of them who wouldn't agree to say that ought to be booed right out of the building.

This Is What Republicans Need To Do More Of

I didn't watch CNN's debate last night, because frankly, I thought it ridiculous to have two debates on competing networks a couple of days apart. But when I saw this on Youtube, I knew I had missed an historic example of how Republicans should be acting, how they should be defending themselves.

I don't believe Newt Gingrich is the best choice for President. However, he does have his moments, and here is one of them ... (repeated standing ovations richly deserved!)

Marco Rubio - Republican Hero

I hope this man ends up in the White House someday (first Hispanic President?) ...

Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) sent a letter to President Obama, detailing in pretty harsh terms what he thinks of The Dear Leader's ability to run this nation. Worth a read.

Vice President Rubio in November?

http://www.humanevents.com/downloads-pdfs/1.6.12%20-%20Obama%20Debt%20Ceiling%20Letter%20-%20FINAL.pdf

Republicans and Iowa - What Does It Mean To The Winner?

Republicans and talking heads are all going crazy with the wildly fluctuating poll numbers heading into the Iowa primary next week. Each time a poll is released, there is a new front runner. Romney, then Gingrich, then Paul, then back to Romney, Santorum on the rise, Perry on the rise ... on and on.

It's as if Iowa is the 2012 election itself.

The only reason the results in Iowa are important is that it is the first state to hold a primary.

How important are the results? Does victory in Iowa give the winner the Republican nomination? Does defeat kill a campaign?

Victory ... No. The winner of the Republican primary in Iowa has gone on to secure the Republican nomination 4 out of the last 6 times there was not an incumbent Republican President. In 2008, Mike Huckabee won with 34% of the vote. Mitt Romeny was second, Fred Thompson (remember him?) was third. John McCain, the eventual nominee was fourth with just 13% of the vote.

Defeat ... depends on who it is, and how strong a showing in defeat they have. Iowa can weed out the bottom feeders, stop campaigns that have no hope before they go any further. For strong candidates, a defeat in Iowa will not cause them to get out of the race. There is no way any of the top 4 vote getters will give up (and no way Ron Paul will give up even if he receives 0 votes - he's such a loon).

I believe that Gingrich is done for. His flash in the pan stardom mirrors that of Herman Cain - initial interest, until his 'issues' start to come out and folks get to know more about him. Newt is sometimes brilliant, sometimes an absolute dunce. There are good reasons he was pretty much run out of politics in the 90s.

Romney just keeps plodding along. Polling numbers don't vary much, he's pretty much a known quantity. A few new items are popping to the surface now that are going to come into play on down the road, giving hope to his rivals of taking him down a few points. Romney is the middle of the road candidate - moderates like him, because he is not conservative. Conservatives don't like him for that very reason. If Romney ends up being the nominee, as looks likely, there is a very real danger of a vast number of conservative Republicans choosing not to vote in November - which will hand victory to Obama, just as it did in 2008.

Ron Paul is dangerous. His high poll numbers in Iowa are going to give his ego a boost and keep him in this thing longer, continuing to screw up the Republicans. He will ultimately drop out as a Republican, tell all his followers that no one who gets the nomination is worthy of voting for, and quite likely end up as running on a third party ticket. If he does that, Obama will win the election, because all the votes Paul sucks off will come from Republican ranks, thereby diluting Republican/conservative voting strength. Remember Ross Perot? Thanks to him we got 8 years of Bill Clinton.

Santorum and Bachman have no realistic chance at the nomination. I think they both know it, and are just waiting for a true frontrunner to emerge so they can drop out and endorse. It is too early for them to do so, because chances are good that they might choose the wrong bandwagon to jump on to, embarrass themselves, and guarantee they won't have any part in an upcoming Republican Administration.

Rick Perry, I think, is still going to be a force to reckon with as we move forward. He will do well to finish fourth in Iowa. He will be off the bottom of the board in New Hampshire. He may be middle of the pack in South Carolina. If his campaign can survive those early tests and get him by the first wave of dropouts, I think he has a very good chance of rising again to challenge Romney. That is, of course, if he doesn't keep shooting himself in the foot (or mouth, as the case may be).

A spoiler could be Donald Trump. His continued threats to run as an independent will have the same effect as if Paul runs on a third party ticket. He won't steal as many votes away from the Republican nominee, but every one he does take will come from the Republican side. You can be sure that if Trump runs, it won't be for political gain or cause, it will just be him stroking his own ego.

A Democrat dream would be for Romney to win the nomination, and both Paul and Trump to run on third party tickets. That would give Obama a landslide victory.

Republicans just have to realize that we do not have a strong, Reagan-like candidate to go up against Obama. Republican candidates have to realize this, and keep their egos from killing our chances. Stop with the negativity, stop with the personal attacks, get the hell out of the race if you have no chance. As voters, we have to understand that, and rally behind whoever the nominee is, for the one and only priority that we have to focus on is getting Obama out of office.

Chris Christie Tells It Like It Is

I like Governor Chris Christie (R-NJ). He's not conservative enough on some subjects for my tastes, but he's been a hell of a lot better for New Jersey than his Democrat (thief) predecessor. What he says here is just common sense, and he says it without regard as to how politically correct it is. That takes big brass ones in the political arena, and he is to be admired for that.




One thing I noticed in this clip, which was apparently shot in a large restaurant. Most of the employees moving around in the backgroud are African-American. They are all Republicans (unlikely), deaf (also unlikely), or exhibiting tremendous self control in not reacting to what the Governor is saying about Obama.



Update - Not to be outdone, The Donald goes off on Obama for inconveniencing New Yorkers, again. This is priceless!

Hey RNC - Back Off!

My recently departed mother made a few contributions to her local Republican electoral candidates in her home town. As the manager of her estate, I now see the results of these small donations in the mailbox.

Her name was added to the Republican National Committee's database of donors, and apparently passed along to several other Republican related organizations. OK, I can understand that.

What I don't approve of, and am pissed off at the RNC about, is the heavy handed nature of their constant badgering her for more money.

In the past few months, I have received a dozen or more mailings addressed to her from the RNC. Here are descriptions of some of the more interesting ones:


'Appointment Confirmation - Immediate Response Requested'

"Dear Ms. xxxxx. You know that your membership in the RNC is LAPSED. You have received notice after notice asking you to renew, but you have not. ... Ms. xxxxx, you have had many opportunities to renew your support for the RNC during the past few months. But I am not giving up on you. ...."

signed by the Chairman of the RNC, Reince Priebus


'PAST DUE'

A bill shaped letter addressed to my mother, with the words PAST DUE stamped in large red letters on the outside. Inside, something that appears to be a bill, titled "Republican National Committee, 2011 Septemter Statement".


'2011 GOP Presidential Straw Poll'

A two sided flyer, 2/3 of which is dedicated to how much are you going to dontate to the RNC in order to register for the straw poll.


'2012 Presidential Leadership Survey'

A four page foldout, made to look like a survey form. "This DOCUMENT IS REGISTERED to the individual named below, and must be accounted for." If you wish to participate in this 'survey' you get to choose how much your donation will be.


In addition, mailings from other conservative or Republican sounding organizations keep showing up, all asking for money.

I have tried to contact the RNC three times through their website, to get her name removed from their database. First, because she's no longer with us. Second, I don't want them to waste money sending stuff that will not be answered. And third, I am really pissed off at their pushy tactics towards their donors.

Mr. Priebus - I am a dedicated conservative Republican. However, the RNC will not get a single dime from me as long as you are leading the RNC, and while the RNC is using these kinds of bullshit strongarm demands to try and gain donations. Instead, if I choose to donate it will be directly to the candidate(s) of my choice. Trust me, sir - you are not helping to energize the Repubican voters this way.

Very Concerned About 2012

The closer we get to the elections of 2012, the more apprehensive I get about what will happen. A few months ago, it seemed a lock that no matter who the Republicans nominated, they would wax the floor with Obama. Republican control of both houses of Congress seemed assured.

Now, not so much, for four main reasons.

First, the Republican nomination process, although still far from decided, has left a bad taste in the mouths of a lot of people. A few missteps, combined with a rabid determination by the mainstream media to destroy anyone that poses a threat to Obama has minimized the potential candidates.

Cain had no chance, no matter what the poles stated. Even before the manufactured sexual harrassment crap, the initial excitement of his freshness was wearing off. No matter his message, he simply doesn't have the credentials to hold the office, and that was becomming apparent. Cain should have a future in a Republican Administration - he's a hell of a lot more knowledgable about the realities of finance than most of the idiots occupying Obama's cabinet, that's for sure.

Perry came on with a flash, but his debate performances have been bad - no doubt about it. Will Republicans be so put off by his lack of polish that they ignore the fact he's the most qualified candidate? Time will tell. You would think that an electorate that has seen how much you can count on a slickster behind a teleprompter would be smarter than that. Perry has run the most successful state in the Union for a dozen years. Texas is the envy of almost every other state, and a whole hell of a lot of people have moved here to benefit from that. Is he perfect - Of course not. But he's a lot better than the other Republican candidates, and light years ahead of the moron currently in the White House.

Romney is the default candidate. He will be the nominee if no one else is left standing. He's no one's first choice. The good things about him are he is very presentable, and he is a completely known quantity. The bad things are he is not a conservative by any definition of the word. If he is indeed the nominee, it will be difficult for Republicans to generate excitement over it. Also, as bad as it is to realize this, his Faith will be an issue in the general election to a sizable number of voters.

Gingrich is showing more lives than a cat. He is a puzzle. Sometimes, he is one of the most brillian political minds in our country's history. Other times, he can't get his shoe out of his own mouth. Resurgent in the poles after having his candidacy declared dead more than once, he is bound to step in it again before the convention. He will not be the nominee. If for some reason he is, Democrats will tear him apart during the general election process on his character issues - deserved or not.

Everyone else is just jockeying for the political payoff their endorsement for one candidate will bring them. (Except Ron Paul, whose ego just likes to see him make an ass of himself every 4 years.)

It is too late for anyone else to successfully enter the race. What we've got to choose from is what we've got. The biggest key to the White House next year is going to be whether the supporters of the losing candidates fall in behind the winner, and make him their candidate. If they get pissed off at their guy/gal not being the chosen one and take their toys home, the election is lost.

What Republicans MUST realize, and must be made to realize by all the candidates even after the choice is made, is that getting Obama out of the White House is the overriding mission. No matter who the Republican is, that person will be a marked improvement. 4 more years of His Highness is not something our country can survive - it is that important to return him to private life!!!!

Second, the Democrat spin machine is already moving into high gear. We are flooded with reports of economic recovery, better jobs outlook, and Obama's success in ending two wars. There is no recovery - if we keep going the way we are being led, there iwll be no recovery. The jobs situation is not better - just because the number of NEW unemployed people dropped below 400,000 last month does not mean the economy is adding jobs. Folks, that means that about 400,000 people are losing their jobs each month - according to the government's own figures. Those figures are monkeyed with constantly, with the goal to get the overall unemployed rate under 9.00%. Almost every month you see a revision to the number of lost jobs released a few days after the 'official' release - and the figure is always revised upwards. The first, better, figure is what the media reports. The Obama Administration is trying every dirty trick they can to keep that number down - counting phantom jobs, counting part time jobs, underreporting jobless claims, etc. They know that no President has eve been reelected with an unemployement rate this high.

This spin is going to increase as we progress thorugh early 2012 and into campaign season. If you listen to the mainstream media next summer, you will think that the country's situation is great. It's a lie, a coordinated lie intended to fool the public into believing Obama's policies are beginning to work, and if we just give him 4 more years, we'll be back stronger than we ever have been.

Third - about half of the country is directly benefiting from Obama's policies. They love the message that His Higness spits out - the rich should provide you everything you need. Never mind that is impossible, even if every penny the rich ever have is redistributed. Never mind that if the rich are robbed to the point where they aren't rich, where will the money come from then? Never mind that the left is trying its best to create an entitlement state, where each citizen or non-citizen depends upon the government handouts.

If you have a President who tells you that he will give you whatever you need, and some rich person you don't know is going to pay for it all, you'd be pretty happy with that President, wouldn't you? Of course you would, at least until you start to realize that it was all a line of bullshit - and even then you'd believe his lies about what's causing the delays in their checks.

You also have a good number of brain dead people who voted for Obama in 2008 because he was black, or because they thought it was cool, who will do so again.

Fourth - The conservative wave that swept through Congress in 2010 has done what it could to stop Obama. Unfortunately, pretty much all they could do was stop him, because Dems still had the Senate, and he still has the veto pen. Republicans have been unable to fix anything, because the Senate refuses to any legislation passed by the Republican controlled House to become law.

Democrats are already portraying Republicans as the party of NO. The guys who just stand in the way and don't accomplish anything. Never mind that it is all they've been able to do.

What happened in 2010 is unlikely to reoccur in 2012. It is by no means a given that Republicans will gain control of the Senate, and some Democrats are even now predicting they will regain the House.

It is essential for Republicans to maintain the House, and gain the Senate if they have any possibility of reversing what Obama has done to us. If they only have one side of Congress, we will continue in virtual gridlock. If they have both sides of Congress, but lose the White House, Obama will veto any attempt to roll back his destruction.

As important as the sweeping change of 2010 was, 2012 is a whole lot more critical to the survival of our country. What seemed like a certain victory just a few months ago seems a little less certain each day we get closer to November 2012.

Republican Field Narrows

OK, so Chris Christie and Sarah Palin have now both announced that they will not seek the Republican nomination for President. That pretty much tells us that the currently announced field is what we have to choose from.

That field has two serious entrants in it, Romney and Perry. Cain remains a popular oddity, and Bachman has fallen off a cliff. The rest of them don't have a prayer, for whatever reason.

Perry has fallen on some hard times, with poor debate performances, and some generated racial bullshit. The man has some baggage that has to be dealt with, and it can be - if his fellow Republicans don't spend their efforts trying to cut him down.

Romney is at his most popular right now, which isn't all that high. He seems to the the candidate that may be left if all the rest self-destruct.

No matter which one pulls this out, there are a couple of things that Republicans MUST abide by. First, lay out your positions and let the voters choose. Stop the hack jobs and dirty attacks against other Republicans. All that does is diminish them, and hurt the GOP's chances in 2012. Second, no matter who wins the nomination, the entire party must rally behind and fully support the nominee. There has to be excitement, there has to be a concentrated effort to send Obama to the unemployment line next year. Obama is set up for a defeat of historic proportions, but in-fighting and complacency will keep our country under his boot for another four years.

Time For Republicans To Chose

The race for the Republican's choice to face Obama in 2012 is starting to clarify. The field, which has been crowded with also rans, looks like it is going to come down to Rick Perry versus Mitt Romney, with Michelle Bachman on the fringe. Everyone else is pretty much done for, and we should start seeing a lot of them drop by the wayside in the coming months.

The danger for Republicans is the tendency for the candidates to attack each other. So far, it's been pretty mild, except for some squawking by Ron Paul and Bachman. Rep. Bachman, who was leading some before Perry entered the race, has in particular picked up her sniping.

Here's what Republicans need to know, and need to do. The goal is to get Obama out of office next year. No matter which Republican does it, the country will be much better off. This race is dropping to two principles. The rest of them need to quickly get out, and stand side by side to do whatever has to be done to ensure victory. Perry and Romney need to present themselves, their platforms, and their vision for our country, and let the Republican voters decide which of them should lead the party. They should not attack each other. There should be nothing negative in their campaign for the nomination. This will be a difficult, if not impossible, thing for them to do, since it is the natural tendency of those who are trailing to start negative attacks to try and catch up.

Candidates, keep the negatives and attacks for the true enemy, Obama.

As to the candidates, I personally lean towards Perry. He has done a very good job for my home state, Texas. I don't agree with everything he has done, but I can say that about anyone who has held office (Bush and Reagan included). Romney is a good candidate, and would be my second preference. He is not conservative enough for me on some things, but overall he is competent and has a good head for economic matters. My ideal ticket would be Perry for Pres, Romney for VP, with a commitment from them that Romney would become the economic 'czar' (replacing Bozo the Biden, who's supposed to be Obama's economy sheriff). Unfortunately, that won't happen - I don't think Perry or Romney would let their egos accept a VP role.

Bachman would have been my choice for VP, but the last couple of months of listening to her shrill attacks has soured me. Her best place is as a non-ticket attack dog, focusing on getting her fans to concentrate on supporting Republican efforts to oust Obama.

I have a high opinion of Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) for the VP slot. A second generation Cuban immigrant, he is a fiscal conservative, very charasmatic, and a strong personality.

The same can be said for the rest of the field, and a couple of non-runners that loom large - Palin and Guilliani. Close ranks quickly behind the nominee, no negative against fellow Republicans, and attack Democrats with no mercy between now and the election next year.

C'mon guys ... Perry/Rubio, and the rest of you close ranks and start the real battle!

Republican Hero of the Day

Meet. Rep Mo Brooks(R-AL)

Rep. Brooks delivers the best bitch slap smackdown I've seen in a long time to MSNBC bubblehead know-it-all Contessa Brewer on live TV. Ms. Brewer was attempting, in a snotty smart-assed way, to educate Rep. Brooks on the intracies of our economic situation. She is such an airhead that she doesn't even realize she's been cut off at the knees ...

Rep. Brooks graduated from Duke University in 3 years, with dual degrees in political science and ecomonics (highest available honors in economics). He got his law degree from the University of Alabama.

Ms. Brewer has a broadcast journalism degree from Syracuse University, and something called a Certificate of Contemporary Europe for studying politics at some instutution in Strasbourg, France - according to her official MSNBC bio page.

Take that, Beeotch!

Republican Hero of the Day

Meet Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA).

There are a few people in Washington who actually have their heads screwed on straight enough to see what is happening and are willing to stand up (or sit down in this case) and say something about it. This is well worth a listen.

We need a whole lot more Mike Kelly types running this country instead of the brain dead morons who are in charge right now.

Mr. Perry For Pres?

It certainly appears that Texas Governor Rick Perry will announce he's running for President before too much longer.

This is already drawing responses from Democrats and Republicans alike from all over the country - not another Texan!

Well, let me point out some facts about the Governor of our state:

He is the longest serving Governor in Texas History, having taken the reigns when George W went to the White House.

He has run the most successful state in the Union during mulitple economic messes that have occurred since 9/11. People may try to argue that, but they can't based on facts. Texas continues to have the best economy and job situation of any major state. Just ask all the yankees who continue to move here by the thousands each year in search of work.

He is a 'no apologies conservative'. He will work with Dems when they will work with him, but he will not become a moderate just to win votes. He works across the aisle when it is to the benefit of his conservative agenda.

He has a forceful personality. He is charasmatic. He comes across well as a public speaker. He is not afraid to come out and criticize his opponents. He is not afraid to address in blunt terms the lunacy that is going on in Washington today.

He does have a few skeletons in his closet. If you haven't already, you will hear about immiment domain, toll roads, HPV vaccinations, and other stuff. I admit to not agreeing with everything Perry has done during his tenure. However, I would take him with some minor issues over any Democrat and most Republican contenders - no question about it.

I've heard Dem pundits on TV already attacking him. They recognize a legitimate threat, and are focusing attacks on him even though he's not in the race. So far, the substance of the attacks is just juvenile, and ought to be embarrassing for them.

Perry/Bachmann. Perry/Pawlenty. Either of those tickets would work for me. Perry/Romney would be great for the country, though neither of them would agree to it. That would be an incredible team for our country - Perry leading the country, with Romney serving basically as CFO. My goodness - the potential of that team versus the pair of clowns we've got in there now is off the chart.

If you need evidence from other sources, just look at how the mainstream media is savaging Perry after his recent speeches. Sarah Palin is perhaps the only Republican who has gotten attacked with this much fervor. We know what that means - the left fears him.

Also, there is no other candidate that is generating as much excitement with Rush Limbaugh. Rush does not endorse candidates, but he's come as close as he ever has with his praise of Perry and his statements.

Folks, you have to remember/realize - we are not going to get Obama out of office by fielding a middle of the road, tepid, moderate candidate. We had that with John McCain, and look what happened. We need a conservative with a conservative, non-apologetic message - one who conservatives will rally behind and has a strong fiscal message. That will win. Conservatives are 40% of the voting population. Liberals are 22%. The mid-terms of 2010 proved that a lot of moderate/independents in the country will vote for a fiscal conservative, especially if their choice is to leave Obama in office.

Why The Donald Is Good For America

Donald Trump is good for American politics, and good for the Republican Party.

Now, don't get me wrong. I don't think he has a prayer of being elected President. In truth, I hope he doesn't run. However, he is serving an important function, and I believe will continue to do so.

His personality and 'I don't give a damn what people think' attitude allows him to bring up and address subjects that mainstream Republican candidates don't dare touch. Obama's birth certificate, for instance. If Trump hadn't forced this issue, we still wouldn't know for sure. Obama would still be twisting the birther knife into his political opponents. Now, the issue is dead, except for a few diehard conspiracy nuts. If any Republican candidate had pursued it at all, much less with Trump's zeal, their candidacy would have been pronounced dead.

I hope Trump continues bringing up subjects that are sore points to Obama and the left. I hope he keeps punching their buttons and making them respond.

I Want This Man In The White House

Why the hell couldn't this man, Allen West (R-FL), have been the first black man elected President? How much better off would we be if he was POTUS rather than the amateur socialist community organizer we ended up with?

Of course, liberals wouldn't consider him 'authentically' black.

This man should be VP in 2012, or GOP candidate for President in 2016 if union thugs and illegals are able to steal the 2012 election for Obama.

A Couple of Missteps for the New Republican House

While I am absolutely thrilled that John Boenher is now the Speaker of the House, taking power away from the Wicked Witch of San Francisco, the incoming Republican majority has made what I think are a couple of mistakes just as it gets started.

First - on the first day of the 112th Congress, changes to the House operating rules were introduced. Every change of majority control introduces rules changes - that is not new. However, something caught my eye.

House members from Guam, DC, Northern Marianas, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, and American Samoa have been allowed to cast symbolic votes on the floor - as long as their votes didn't decide an issue, their votes would be counted. They were given this priviledge in 1992, I believe, under a House Rules change imposed by the Democrat majority.

Five of these six members are Democrat. The remaining one is an independent who blocks with Democrats.

The end result of this is that vote totals on bills will not reflect an inflated number of Democrat votes - on votes that wouldn't be decided on those six votes.

While I understand the purity of this, and the political gain, it doesn't make sense to me to do this. These six votes won't hurt Republican efforts inthe House, so why give Democrats (and the people in these terriroties) a reason to berate Republicans for 'disenfranchising' them? I don't understand what this will accomplish, other than pissing people off.

Second - we're hearing right and left about Republican efforts to cut the budget, trim the deficit, and cut the national debt. Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) proposed legislation that would restrict the use of funds saved from budget cuts for use only to reduce the deficit. This would ensure that budget cuts would remain exactly that - cuts - and not just shifted to being spent elsewhere. His proposal was shot down by Democrats and Republicans. The reason is simple - politicians of both parties want to keep spending, and want to be able to claim making cuts when all they are doing is playing a shell game with our money. This problem isn't limited to one party - it is inherent in the established Washington political machine.

I hope these two goofs are just that - initial goofs - and not an indication of 'meet the new boss, same as the old boss'.

Republican Hero Of The Day

John Boehner (R-OH), the next Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Rep. Boehner called Democrat efforts to pass a half assed measure to extend some of the Bush era tax cuts by what it is - chicken sh*t. Decorum dictated he use a slightly less offensive word, but the message got across just the same ...

Tom Delay Guilty

Tom Delay was found guilty of money laudering by a Travis County jury. He faces up to life in prison.

Delay was a very powerful member of Congress, the Majority Leader. He was a political power broker, proud of his nickname 'The Hammer'. Those who were his friends basked in political power. Those who opposed him felt his wrath.

The incident which brought down his house was an incident where he funneled money from National Republican war chests to state level Republicans for their campaigns. Texas has a law which prohibits corporate money from being used in campaigns. A large amount of the national money was from corporations.

The Travis County DA, Ronnie Earle ( a longtime hated rival of Delay) brought an indictment against Delay for money laundering. Earle's motives were strictly political. The case was brought in Austin, the most liberal city in Texas. Delay fought to have the trial moved from Austin, but lost that effort - which ultimately caused his conviction. No where else in Texas would the Travis County DA have found such an anti-Republican jury pool.

Delay will appeal, and his chances are good to get the conviction overturned. Legal experts had pretty much agreed that it was a trumped up case, the prosecution was making a big stretch trying to apply money laundering charges to political donations. But, who knows. This mess has stretched on since 2002, and could continue for years through the appeal process.

I believe the case was a political strike by vindictive Democrats against a powerful enemy Republican. They were wrong to prosecute this.

However, I am glad Delay has fallen. ????

You may be surprised by that, given my card carrying membership in the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy.

Delay was a political power broker. His goal always was to accumulate more political power, and to exercise that power. He didn't have the State of Texas' interests at heart when he was in Washington. He had Tom Delay's interests at heart. He was a textbook example of a power politician - power junkies who get off on power and control, and will do just about anythying to gain and keep that power.

I can't stand people like that.

That's why I hate the Clintons, and the likes of Nancy Peolsi. These people live and breathe power. They want control. They want to be 'worshipped' (yes, worship is the correct word to use). They want to rule, they want to tell others what they have to do, and they want the means ot punishing anyone who stands in their way. Their ultimate goal is to sit on a throne (real or imagined) and look down on everyone else.

They are elected officials, who are supposed to be serving us and our country. Instead, they use us and the country as a ladder to feed their own egos.