Yahoo Calls Obama A Liar

On Yahoo News, the latest AP puff piece for Obama decries the wonders of the auto bailout for Chrysler (who went bankrupt anyway) and GM (who went bankrupt anyway) as a testament to the successes of the current Administration.

“This industry is growing stronger,” Obama declared.  “You are proving the naysayers wrong.”

The AP wrote…

Following the government-led bankruptcies of GM and Chrysler, the companies have shown signs of improvement. Obama said that all three U.S. automakers are “operating at a profit, for the first time in six years.”

But the claim that all three Detroit automakers are making money isn’t quite true. GM and Ford are making money, but Chrysler has yet to post a net profit since leaving bankruptcy protection in June of last year.

WHAT!?!?

Wait while I get up off the floor.  Yahoo and AP are admitting that the Chosen One lied?!?!

The article goes on to tout new shifts and jobs at the auto plants and payback of the loans.  And, then the kicker…

However, the White House said that proclamation referred only to the $60 billion spent by the Obama administration, not the additional $25 billion funneled to the industry in 2008 under the Bush administration. The most recent government estimate found that taxpayers will lose $24.3 billion on the auto bailout.

Whoops. Another lie.  NOT getting paid back and losing $24 Billion on the deal.  Thanks for nothing.

Bottom line, the economy of the automobile was lost because of the spike in gas prices, union greed, and company mismanagement.  The economy of the automobile is recovering because of lower gas prices, union concessions, and changes in management.  There’s also that little thing where about 10 Million vehicles need to be replaced yearly and the normal number of cars sold in the U.S is around 16 Million.  The industry had to rebound… …when the demand recurred.

Regardless, thanks to Yahoo and AP for pointing out the lies of the Chosen One.  Some of his tarnish is really starting to show.

 

Immigration Rationing

One of the most telling sentences in Judge Bolton’s AZ SB1070 ruling starts with “The federal immigration scheme…” but I digress.

I’ve re-read the AZ SB1070 bill and I’ve read Judge Bolton’s 36 page decision.

I agree with her decision to enjoin 1 of the 4 sections she ruled unconstitutional.

The sentence “Any person who is arrested shall have the person’s immigration status determined before the person is released.” IS too vague and does not match the intent of the Arizona Legislature and Representatives.  I am surprised by the naivete of those involved to have let this sentence stand in the bill.  According to Arizona’s lawyers, that sentence was to work with the prior sentence in that the Immigration Status would only be verified when there was Reasonable Suspicion that the person arrested was not here legally.  But, it leaves the issue open to question and must be amended.

Judge Bolton also enjoined the main crux of the bill which stated: “For any lawful contact made by a law enforcement official or a law enforcement agency of this state or a law enforcement official or a law enforcement agency of a county, city, town or other political subdivision of this state where reasonable suspicion exists that the person is an alien who is unlawfully present in the united states, a reasonable attempt shall be made, when practicable, to determine the immigration status of the person, except if the determination may hinder or obstruct an investigation.”

On both statements she ruled that the effort to determine the immigration status would severely burden the Federal Government and take them away from their priorities:

Regarding Section 2(B) sentence 1…

“With respect to the United States’ arguments regarding the burden on and impediment of federal resources as they relate to the first sentence of Section 2(B), the Court’s conclusions mirror those stated above regarding the second sentence of Section 2(B). Federal resources will be taxed and diverted from federal enforcement priorities as a result of the increase in requests for immigration status determination that will flow from Arizona if law enforcement officials are required to verify immigration status whenever, during the course of a lawful stop, detention, or arrest, the law enforcement official has reasonable suspicion of unlawful presence in the United States.”

Regarding Section 2(B) sentence 2…

“Further, the number of requests that will emanate from Arizona as a result of determining the status of every arrestee is likely to impermissibly burden federal resources and redirect federal agencies away from the priorities they have established”

Simply put, when there is suspicion of a crime in Arizona (unlawfully entering the United States) the Federal Government cannot handle the job of determining whether those arrested may or may not be legal.  The resources allocated through the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) “which empowers various federal agencies (including the Department of Justice (“DOJ”), Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”), and Department of State (“DOS”)) to administer and enforce the immigration laws” are not available for Arizona’s determination of legal status.  Those resources are allocated elsewhere.

Immigration Enforcement Rationing.

Once again the Federal Government fails the American People by not properly executing its charged duties.  Once again de facto amnesty is given to anyone crossing the border — al Qaeda, Hezbollah, or 6 year old child.  Once again, we see a form a rationing in the Federal Government ignoring the needs at the border an pushing “nicer” detention centers with “hanging plants” and “open spaces” for the detainees.

Think there won’t be any rationing in the Health Care Bill?  Think again!  We’ve already got it in the Immigration and Naturalization Act.

The saddest part of Judge Bolton’s ruling is her assumption that the Federal Government enforces the laws that she cites.  It may be that her ruling can be seen as valid, but it ignores the little fact that Arizona is substantially injured by the actions/inactions of the Federal Government.

 

MHA Article Against Proposition C in Southeast Missourian

I searched up Proposition C on the Southeast Missourian web site and found an article by Herb Kuhn of the Missouri Hospital Association.  Here’s his article:

CON: Learn more about Prop C before you vote

I posted this reply to his article:

Mr. Kuhn makes a straw man argument here saying that the $830 Million in cost will disappear under Obamacare. The fact is that there is an unconstitutional mandate for you and me to purchase insurance under Obamacare. And, if you don’t, you’ll be fined a small amount per year on your income taxes (if you had a refund). So, most people who currently don’t have insurance have no more incentive to buy it than they did before, if they don’t get insurance, the hospitals are in the same shape as they are now.

Additionally, under Obamacare, companies left and right are already planning to drop medical care for their employees as they see the astronomical cost of the program. INSURANCE RATES WILL GO UP under the program and it is NOT deficit neutral as advertised.

What Mr. Kuhn doesn’t tell you is that the Missouri Hospital Association has sold out to the Federal government agreeing to reduce its Federal reimbursement rates under the hopes they’ll get more patients FORCED (unconstitutionally) to buy insurance.

Finally, if this is such a great program given to the people by the government, why do they need 16,500 new IRS agents to enforce it.

Bottom line, this is America and we are free. Free to buy insurance or not. Period.

Thanks!

Hopefully, folks will read my reply and the fine article by Carl Bearden in support of Proposition C

PRO: Prop C would send a strong message

 

Dick Stratman – Request Denied

In politics today, it gets bloody even when you’re on the same team.  Jack Jackson, Dick Stratman, and Brian Nieves are all running for the GOP nod in the 26th Missouri Senatorial District.  Until very recently, the campaigns have been positive.  At the 11th hour, things have changed.

I’ve heard several replays of a commercial on St. Louis’ KFTK 97.1.  The commercial, by the Dick Stratman campaign, among other things, complains that Brian Nieves voted to increase his salary while in the Missouri House of Representatives.  Brian Nieves has vehemently denied voting to increase his own salary.

So, being curious by nature, I posted an entry on Mr. Stratman’s Facebook page requesting links to the Bills / Votes where Brian voted for the increase.  I assumed that would be an easy task since it would be on the Missouri House Of Representatives Public Record, and the Stratman campaign had obviously done its homework before creating the commercial.  As an example, one of my favorite entries on the Missouri Senate Record is Scott Rupp’s resolution to rescind Missouri’s call for a U.S. Constitutional Convention SCR 38.

Here’s a screen-shot showing the request (you can see my post below Eric Rascher’s comment):

After lunch, I checked back to see if the Stratman campaign had posted the links.  Instead of an informative reply, I found that my request had been summarily deleted:

Originally, I had started by posting a request for this information directly to the campaign’s Facebook wall, but that disappeared immediately.  I can still see it in my my News Feed, but not on the campaign’s wall.  I’m sure they deleted my comment above to reply to my wall post, and soon you’ll be able to see that information about Mr. Nieves’ nefarious voting record on Stratman’s Facebook wall.

I looked around on the Stratman Campaign web site for a bit, and I didn’t find the commercial or links to the Missouri House Record showing the Nieves salary increase votes.  If it was my campaign, I think I would have had both on my site.

I can only assume that the Stratman Campaign’s accusations against Brian Nieves are true — I heard them on the radio.  Why would they put something on the radio that wasn’t true?  I thought about searching the Missouri House Record for proof, but I didn’t make the accusation, so it’s not really my job (or Brian Nieves’ job) to prove it.

I guess I’ll just wait patiently and check back to see if:

1. My comment post reappears
2. My wall post reappears
3. The Stratman campaign answers my question

Hope I don’t turn blue holding my breath…

 

Shine The Light

If needed a reason to lift the cap off your city, county, and local school board, this week the Bell, California city council gave it to you in spades!  Conservatives, for years, have been calling on like-minded activists to get involved in their local government activities to root out excessive spending, increased control, and to help wrest the grip of the Federal Government from your life.

Last week we find out that leaders of a poverty-stricken California town had somehow picked up $300,000 to $800,000 salaries for part time jobs.  Leaders are now resigning and citizens are screaming for recalls.

So, what’s going on in your town?

• How much are your city / county leaders paid?
• Do they have businesses in conflicting areas?
• How about your school board. Do they get paid? What is their line of business?
• How many are Republican/Democrat/Liberal/Conservative?
• Where is your money spent?
• How many government jobs could be outsourced locally? …for less money.

The questions go on and on, but you get the point?  If YOU don’t know this information, does anyone?  Or are your local officials flying under the radar and literally stealing your time (labors) from you in the form of tax dollars.

It’s time to Shine The Light on all levels of government to elicit true freedom from the tyranny of taxation and control.

 

FCC Robert McDowell Interview from RightOnline.com

Who’d have thunk that one of the most interesting speakers at RightOnline (.com) was given the task of enlightening the crowd during dinner on Friday night.  His speech, while not for the masses, piqued the interest of Michelle Moore and me since we are a pair of geeks.

FCC Chairman Robert McDowell spent a large portion of the speech discussing ‘NET Neutrality’ and he talked more about it with Michelle Moore on Saturday here.

 

Don’t Worry Charlie! The Important Thing Is Captain Kirk’s Fish Story

The AP spent some quality time chasing down the Mark Kirk (candidate for US Senator from Illinois) story about his sailing accident when he was 16 years old.  AP’s reporter smelled something fishy and spent time investigating the news stories from 34 years ago to get to the truth.  After gathering information from his mother, police reports, historical documents, the AP reporter can definitely tell us in 674 words that:

• His mother said his body temperature was in the 80s and the local newspaper said Kirk was suffering from exposure
• Experts doubt he could have swam in 42-degree water if his body temperature was in the 80s
• He may or may not have watched the sun set

A heroic effort by the AP reporter.

Thank goodness there are no more important stories to follow about inappropriate behaviour of those who want to be our Senators.

No worries Charlie Rangel!  Have a nice week!  Go watch the sun set.

 

RightOnline – Saturday In Vegas

This morning’s activity at the RightOnline.com conference in Vegas started out with a bastion of great conservatives rallying the troops to get out and do the hard ground work necessary to take back the country from the cancer of Liberal Progressivism.

Speakers included:

• Judge Andrew Napalitano
• Herman Cain
• Tim Phillips
• Phil Kerpen
• John Fund
• Curtis Sliwa

The most enjoyable part of the morning was when Michelle Moore interviewed FCC Chairman (1 of 5) Robert McDowell.  He spoke during Friday night’s dinner and piqued our curiosity with ‘Net Neutrality.  He gave us some great insight into the machinations of the FCC and the power they have over about 1/6 of the economy.  Watch for the video, by me ;), at http://atraditionallifelived.com.

This afternoon, I attended the Breakouts

• Breakout 7 – Holding their feet to the fire
  • Brad Stewart / Kelly Maher
  • Be sure to know the laws for your state when videotaping regular people
  • You can generally take video tape of any elected official at any briefing
• Breakout 8 – Prosperity 101
  • This is a wonderful program to take back to the workplace to help employees get informed about general economics of business
  • It will help them with understanding Freedom, the Free Market, and that their Job Security comes through the Business’ Prosperity
  • Helps them become Informed, Involved, Impactful
  • I plan to take this information back to the president at Spartan Light Metal Products and suggest he (and all owners) follow this program

And that’s the end of the structured event.  Time to enjoy Vegas for another night and head back to Missouri on Sunday!

 

Obama Administration Okays Big Bank Bonuses

For all of Obama’s posturing over the past 3 years that he is for the little-guy, surely he would stand up for the Main Street he so loves as big banks showered 1.6 Billion in “lavish compensation” on the top executives.  Surely he would rake back the massive benefits package to the same company chiefs he decried as the “bad actors” of the financial system meltdown.  Send in the Pay Czar (sound of Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyries” in the background)

Time Magazine reported that on October 21st 2009 pay (and oil) czar Ken Feinberg announced “the Treasury Department will slash compensation for the 25 highest-paid executives at the seven firms that received the largest chunks of federal bailout money: Citigroup, Bank of America, AIG, General Motors, Chrysler and the financing arms of the two automakers. Salaries are expected to shrink 50% on average…”

But, alas, less than a year later, it turns out Mr. Feinberg’s big words have no more power than a United Nations Resolution — certainly no force of law, and he will not demand the return of the big bank bonuses since they are not “contrary to the public interest”.

“He said such a fight could have exposed banks to lawsuits from shareholders trying to recapture the executives’ money. Feinberg said his public shaming of the 17 banks was sufficient.”  Well, we certainly want to protect these banks… …and our good friends and donors.

Bottom line is there should be no Ken Feinberg, no bank czar, no TARP, no bank bailout, and no government involvement in the pay packages of any company in the U.S. — large or small.  Government’s involvement is to make sure the playing field is fair, and then let the players play.  If one does better than the others, then so be it.  Then, consumers, based on transparency, can decide whether they want to invest in the bank or use the services of the bank.  If I see a bank that doesn’t pay its executives huge bonuses, maybe I’ll decide to invest there.  Then, guess what, the free market will cause the other banks to lower their executive bonuses.

Once again government tries to repeal the law of supply and demand when the market would allow that game to be won by the consumers!

 

RightOnline – Friday In Vegas

I’ll keep a running blog here of the activity on Friday 7/23/10 at RightOnline.com in Vegas.  Great Grassroots Activism Training:

• Breakout 1
  • Technology of Camera / Lighting / Audio
    • 3 Point Lighting with one in the left rear to give subject an aura
    • Use pop screen on microphones and use ear phones when talking through computer
  • Post-Production.
    • Keep the exported files small; don’t want viewer getting a 3Gb file.
    • Windows Movie Maker and Final Cut
    • Final Cut is great but $800.00
    • Video / Audio Formats – MPEG4 / M4V typical for YouTupe
    • MP3 nicest audio format
    • Many conversion programs available
    • Getting it on the web
    • Podcast Maker $24.95 allows you to drag your podcast to the web!  Simple and easy!
    • Easy to create RSS feeds and allows you to pull existing RSS feeds into your programs and find errors
    • feedburner.com
  • Posting it to the Web:
    • Viddler / YouTube (Viddler allows > 10min)
    • tubemogul.com
    • Graphics / Sounds / Themes / Templates (Intro / Outro) / Format
  • Marketing 101
    • Know your audience – Where will they get your show?
    • ALWAYS put on YouTube and downsize if necessary
    • Build Commmunity somewhere that people can comment on it
    • Send it to Twitter / Facebook / Ping.fm / E-mail lists
  • More Information
    • www.getfree.tv
    • corey@getfree.tv

• Breakout 2 – Mobilizing Right: Coordinating Effectively
  • Use available resources:  Heritage.org
    • Don’t hesitate to contact them or be intimidated
    • They look forward to hearing from you to get their research out
    • Heritage = Content providers
    • Educating the grass roots
    • Highlights (Todd Thurman)
      • America now rated as ‘Mostly Free’ which is down from prior years
      • Morning Bell = The Message of the Date
      • Health Care
      • Insider Online = Highlights think tanks around the country
      • PolicyExperts.org = Experts on any number of issues
    • Cartoon explaining the economy available on site
  • Can’t overestimate how important it is to make the human connections
  • The left has OFA; but top down doesn’t work well for Conservatives (who think for themselves and aren’t part of the ‘star’ culture)
  • Mike Gonzales
    • With Heritage and has leaflets available
    • Call us
  • AlexaShrugged on Twitter and staffer at RNC: alexa@gop.com
  • Melissa Clouthier
  • This has been a bloody time since 2006 / 2008 and there are not enough grassroots Republicans elected yet, so a serious fight will continue
  • Continue to hound elected officials to get them to stick to their guns

• Breakout 3 – Emerging Trends and Tools – What’s Next?
  • Julie Germany
    • DCI Group
    • jgermany@dcigroup.com
    • @JulieG
  • Vincent Harris
    • Harris Media
    • vincentrharris@gmail.com
  • Discussion
    • Social Media’s problem is that it is a snake oil salesman that makes people feel as if the door to door activism is not necessary
    • What do we want from Social Media
      • Do better job of tying social media to the off-line world
      • Decentralize the role of the leader.  Allow me to delegate
      • Break through filters we build around ourselves on-line
      • Can be used on every website / social network / mobil device / etc.
    • Campaigns
      • Obsessed with numbers (Twitter Followers / Facebook Ads / Donation #s and $)
      • New Software Active:Ist is great idea.
        • Ability to reward FB followers when they complete an action.  Compete for the rewards.  Gets people involved in the campaign (See rickshottforflorida.com

        Virtual Yard Sale Signs using Boxes is going away. New Tabs functionality
        Endorsement Tab
        Ron Johnson in Wisconson money bomb using Piryx allows anyone in the campaign to manage and see where money is coming from and create news feeds
        E-Mail asks still brought in the most money / not one penny from a Facebook ask or ad
        Foursquare / Kickball / Kimbia

        • Online Town Halls
          • Facebook Town Hall / Google Moderator / Microsoft Town Hall
          • Square
            • Plug into phone and allows you to fundraise and Swipe credit cards with it
            • Applications/Tools Questions
              • How will this help me meet my advocacy goal
              • Will it drain resources
              • Is my a
              • Will it help build my orgs capacity
              • How do we promote this tool across all our online and offline platforms
              • Augmented Reality Applications
                • LayR
                • Twitteround
                • How does the Conservative Movement create their own change.org
                • Apps Building – Right wing programmers build apps as tools for the movement
                  • Sunlight foundation