Although the shooting of Dr. George Tiller will undoubtedly be used to tarnish the entire pro-life movement, the shooter, as expected was a nut. He was a member of the Freeman, a radical anarchist anti-government group and had previously been arrested for possession of bomb-making materials and failure to pay income taxes.
Gateway Pundit has all the details.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
How's All That Gun Control Going There, Chicago?
From the AP:
Chicago had seven shooting deaths in 24 hours this weekend, and police say they have no suspects in custody.Chicago has some of the toughest gun control laws in the country. How's that working for you?
All seven victims were men in their 20s or 30s, and all were shot to death.
The shootings occurred between 6:15 a.m. Saturday and just before 6 a.m. Sunday.
One victim, 30-year-old Demond Stansbury, was shot along with two of his brothers, who survived and are in fair condition.
The shootings spanned the city, happening on the North, South and West sides.
Chicago Police spokesman Roderick Drew says investigations into the shootings are ongoing.
On Saturday, police Superintendent Jody Weis spoke at an anti-violence march and rally on the West side.
Another "Compelling Personal Story"
Mark Steyn tells us that Sonia Sotomayor isn't the only one in the news with a "compelling personal story":
What does a nuclear madman have to do to get America’s attention? On Memorial Day, the North Koreans detonated “an underground atomic device many times more powerful than the bombs that destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki,” as my old colleagues at the Irish Times put it. You’d think that’d rate something higher than “World News In Brief,” see foot of page 37. But instead Washington was consumed by the Supreme Court nomination of Sonia Sotomayor, who apparently has a “compelling personal story.”Read the rest of it here.
Doesn’t Kim Jong Il have a compelling personal story? Like Sonia, he grew up in a poor neighborhood (North Korea), yet he’s managed to become a nuclear power, shattering the glass ceiling to take his seat at the old nuclear boys’ club. Isn’t that an inspiring narrative? Once upon a time you had to be a great power, one of the Big Five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, to sit at the nuclear table: America, Britain, France, Russia, China, the old sons of power and privilege. But now the mentally unstable scion of an impoverished no-account backwater with a GDP lower than that of Zimbabwe has joined their ranks: Celebrate diversity!
More "Apology" Nonsense From the GOP
As I watch the GOP response to many issues (including last night's Obama night out in New York) I'm reminded of the old Casey Stengel quote following yet another loss by the Mets: "Can anybody play this here game?"
Today on Fox News Sunday Sen. Lindsay Graham was asked about Sonia Sotomayor's infamous "wise Latina" speech:
What possible benefit is there in an Sotomayor apology? Does that make all the boo-boos feel better? Would he really believe an apology if one was offered now? If he would, he's a fool.
If she felt that her words were wrong or hurtful she would have apologized in 2001 after she made the speech. Her 8 years of silence on the issue tells us she's not the least bit sorry about what she said. If she's sorry today it's only because her words are causing controversy.
Let's quit asking for faux apologies. It's stupid and accomplishes nothing.
Today on Fox News Sunday Sen. Lindsay Graham was asked about Sonia Sotomayor's infamous "wise Latina" speech:
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told "FOX News Sunday" he wasn't buying President Obama's attempt to walk back his Supreme Court nominee's controversial statement from 2001. Obama said Friday that given the chance Sotomayor would have "restated" that comment, and that she was merely trying to express how her experiences give her perspective on others' hardships.
"She didn't say that at all," Graham countered Sunday, suggesting Sotomayor's statement raises questions about her objectivity.
"What she said is that based on her life experiences is that she thought a Latina woman, somebody with her background, would be a better judge than a guy like me -- a white guy from South Carolina," Graham said. "It is troubling, and it's inappropriate and I hope she'll apologize."
What possible benefit is there in an Sotomayor apology? Does that make all the boo-boos feel better? Would he really believe an apology if one was offered now? If he would, he's a fool.
If she felt that her words were wrong or hurtful she would have apologized in 2001 after she made the speech. Her 8 years of silence on the issue tells us she's not the least bit sorry about what she said. If she's sorry today it's only because her words are causing controversy.
Let's quit asking for faux apologies. It's stupid and accomplishes nothing.
Political Headline of the Day
From Itar Tass:
Save your money, Hugo, he's already got it.
Hugo Chavez to present Obama with book by Vladimir Lenin
Save your money, Hugo, he's already got it.
Kansas Abortion Doctor Killed as He Entered Church Services
UPDATE: Shooter was a member of a radical anti-government anarchist group.
This is just breaking: Controversial Kansas abortion Dr. George Tiller was shot and killed this morning as he entered church services. That's what you call a really late term abortion. More later.
UPDATE from Fox:
This is just breaking: Controversial Kansas abortion Dr. George Tiller was shot and killed this morning as he entered church services. That's what you call a really late term abortion. More later.
UPDATE from Fox:
WICHITA, Kan. — DEVELOPING: Media reports say that abortion provider Dr. George Tiller has been shot and killed at his Wichita church.UPDATE 2: From Kansas.com-
Tiller has been among the few U.S. physicians performing late-term abortion. His clinic has repeatedly been the site of protests for about two decades.
George Tiller, the Wichita doctor who became a national lightning rod in the debate over abortion, was shot to death this morning as he walked into church services.Tiller was in the news recently during Kathleen Sebelius' confirmation as HHS Secretary. She received $12,500 in campaign contribution from the abortion doctor.
Tiller, 67, was shot just after 10 a.m. at Reformation Lutheran Church at 7601 E. 13th, where he was a member of the congregation. Witnesses and a police source confirmed Tiller was the victim.
No information has been released about whether a suspect is in custody.
Homicide detectives and Sedgwick County District Attorney Nola Foulston have arrived at the church.
Members of the congregation who were inside the sanctuary at the time of the shooting were being kept inside the church by police, and those arriving were being ushered into the parking lot. Witnesses are being transported downtown for interviews and other members of the congregation are slowly being released from inside the sanctuary.
Tiller has long been a focal point of protest by abortion opponents because his clinic, Women's Health Care Services at 5701 E. Kellogg, is one of the few in the country where late-term abortions are performed.
Protesters blockaded Tiller's clinic during Operation Rescue's "Summer of Mercy" protests during the summer of 1991, and Tiller was shot by Rachelle Shannon at his clinic in 1993.
Tiller was wounded in both arms, and Shannon remains in prison for the shooting.
Tiller's clinic was severely vandalized earlier this month. According to the Associated Press, his lawyer said wires to security cameras and outdoor lights were cut and that the vandals also cut through the roof and plugged the buildings' downspouts. Rain poured through the roof and caused thousands of dollars of damage in the clinic. Tiller reportedly asked the FBI to investigate the incident.
Sgt. Bart Brunscheen of the Wichita Police Department said there has been no activitiy today at Tiller's clinic, although security crews were being brought in to make sure the building was secure. Officials also were going to check the clinic's security cameras to see if there was any activity over night.
Tiller and his clinic have faced continuous threats and lawsuits. A Wichita jury ruled in March that he was not guilty of illegal abortion on 19 criminal charges he faced for allegedly violating a state law requiring an "independent" second physician's concurring opinion before performing later term abortions. Immediately following the ruling in this criminal case, the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts made public a similar complaint against Tiller that was originally filed in December 2008. Tiller's medical license could eventually be suspended or revoked by the board on the basis of the complaint.
King Obamatut
The Egyptians are getting ready for the Obama World Apology Tour to hit Cairo, and some are already comparing the U.S. president to a famous monarch of their own:
I have it on good authority that King Tut was not black, but was in fact a white guy. I've even seen his video.
ABC News correspondent Lara Setrakian finds this t-shirt being sold in Egypt that compares President Obama to King Tutankhamen, who ruled Egypt from 1333-1324 BC.
One possible aspect at play here is the insistence by some African-American activists that Tutankhamen was black, though in 2007 Egyptian antiquities expert Zahi Hawass said that "Tutankhamen was not black, and the portrayal of ancient Egyptian civilization as black has no element of truth to it."
Hawass was responding to protestors in Philadelphia who objected to images of King Tut with lighter skin than they thought accurate in the exhibit "Tutankhamen and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs," soon to open in Indianapolis.
On the other hand, maybe the T-shirt vendor was just using the name of the most famous Pharaoh to sell some shirts.
I have it on good authority that King Tut was not black, but was in fact a white guy. I've even seen his video.
Even Japan is Running Away From Kyoto Treaty
It's not a good day for Al Gore:
Screw the developing countries. They don't mind if the powerhouses like the U.S., Britain, and Japan destroy their own way of life while they are allowed to keep on doing whatever they like. There's a reason they're called "developing countries" - they're still backwards. Why should we advice from people who still don't have their own acts together?The high costs Japan would incur if Tokyo promises to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent from 1990 levels by 2020 would be hard for the public to accept during the recession, Prime Minister Taro Aso said on Friday.
His comments showed there was still no consensus within the government after Environment Minister Tetsuo Saito said earlier this week that setting a mid-term target for cuts in a range of 15 to 25 percent was one option.
Aso has said he would announce Japan's mid-term target by mid-June, so he can set out Japan's views at a July meeting of G8 leaders and a U.N. conference in December that is meant to agree a new global climate pact to replace the Kyoto Protocol.
Japan, the world's fifth largest emitter, is under great pressure from developing nations to show leadership by opting for deep emissions reductions to ensure a strong outcome in December's gathering in the Danish capital Copenhagen.
GOP Hitting Back at Cap-and-Trade
Obama's cap-and-trade (or tax-and-regulate) energy plan is taking a beating in middle America where the impacts would be the greatest. Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels took it to him in the weekly radio address:
Apparently cap-and-trade is already working since the global warming it's supposed to stop actually ended in 1998.
I especially like that line "in a state where we like to make things". That's a direct shot at the West Coast and East Coast elites who would faint if they got a paper cut and wouldn't know how to build anything if you held a gun to their head.
The climate change proposal developed by congressional Democrats and endorsed by President Barrack Obama does little to reduce global warming and saddles Americans with high energy costs, Republicans said Saturday.
Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, in the GOP's weekly radio and Internet address, said the House's climate bill was "a classic example of unwise government." The address culminated a week of coordinated Republican attacks on the Democratic proposal, which would require the first nationwide reductions in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases blamed for global warming.
GOP House members used the weeklong Memorial Day break recess to drum up voter opposition to the Democratic bill. The governor's criticism echoed Republican lawmakers' arguments at "energy summits" in Pennsylvania, Indiana and California and at other forums during the week.
The proposal to cap greenhouse emissions "will cost us dearly in jobs and income and it stands no chance of achieving its objective of a cooler earth" because other nation's such as China and India will not have to follow, Daniels said.
"The cost for all American taxpayers will be certain, huge, and immediate. Any benefits are extremely uncertain, minuscule, and decades distant," he contended. ..."The national energy tax imposed by Speaker Pelosi's climate change bill would double electric bills here in Indiana, working a severe hardship on low income families, but that's only where the damage starts," Daniels said. "In a state where we like to make things, like steel and autos and RVs, it would cost us countless jobs. ... Our farmers and livestock producers would see their costs skyrocket. and our coal miners would be looking for new work."
Apparently cap-and-trade is already working since the global warming it's supposed to stop actually ended in 1998.
I especially like that line "in a state where we like to make things". That's a direct shot at the West Coast and East Coast elites who would faint if they got a paper cut and wouldn't know how to build anything if you held a gun to their head.
Homeowner's Association Takes on the Wrong Guy
I hate homeowner's associations. I've had to be a member of one with both the homes I've owned since we were married, and I've found that homeowner's associations are where people with no other power in their lives tend to end up on boards. Since they are otherwise powerless, they take the power granted them as board members to extremes. If you want to find a collection of little dictators, just check out most homeowner boards.
An association in Texas decided to pick a really dumb fight with a disabled Marine Corps vet. Here's the video report:
An association in Texas decided to pick a really dumb fight with a disabled Marine Corps vet. Here's the video report:
Obama, Who Voted to Filibuster Alito, Wants Straight Up-or-Down Vote on Sotormayor
Hypocrisy, thy name is Obama:
Jake Tapper has the rest of the details here. Tapper is doing the work the mainstream media just won't do.
President Obama's expressed hope today in his weekly address "that we can avoid the political posturing and ideological brinksmanship that has bogged down this (Supreme Court nomination) process, and Congress, in the past" runs against another historical first for the 44th president: his unique role in history as the first US President to have ever voted to filibuster a Supreme Court nominee.
So while there is little indication Republicans intend to filibuster President Obama's nominee for the Supreme Court, Judge Sonia Sotomayor, the GOP will likely invoke the President's unique history whenever he calls their tactics into question.
In January 2006, then-Sen. Obama joined 24 colleagues in a futile effort led by Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., to filibuster the Supreme Court nomination of now-Justice Samuel Alito.
Jake Tapper has the rest of the details here. Tapper is doing the work the mainstream media just won't do.
Oil Climbs as the Dollar Devalues
Here comes the next oil price crisis:
Investors know that the hundreds of billions of dollars printed by Obama will lead to massive inflation, and they're planning accordingly.
Crude oil rose, capping its biggest monthly gain in a decade, as the dollar weakened against the euro, bolstering the appeal of commodities.
Oil climbed above $66 a barrel to a six-month high as the dollar declined beyond $1.41 against the euro for the first time this year, making raw materials such as oil and gold an attractive alternative investment. Prices also gained as U.S., and Asian indicators pointed to a global economic recovery.
“The devaluation of the dollar is leading to the revaluation of energy and commodities in general,” said John Kilduff, senior vice president of energy at MF Global in New York. “This is a monetary-based rally. The market is focused on the future and ignoring the fundamentals of the present day crude-oil supply and demand picture.”
Investors know that the hundreds of billions of dollars printed by Obama will lead to massive inflation, and they're planning accordingly.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Obama Does Broadway, RNC Does Stupid
The Obamas are taking in dinner and a Broadway show in New York City, and the Republican National Committee is acting stupid:
The RNC will not gain support for Republican candidates with this kind of pettiness.
President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama landed in New York City late Saturday afternoon for a Manhattan date night that was to include a Broadway show.Look, RNC, I'm not an Obama fan either, but he is the President and he's entitled to stuff like this. President Bush took Air Force One to his Texas ranch 77 times and I don't remember the DNC stupidly criticizing each trip.
A spokesman read a statement from Obama: "I am taking my wife to New York City because I promised her during the campaign that I would take her to a Broadway show after it was all finished.
The president traveled in a smaller, Gulfstream-type plane rather than the larger planes typically used as Air Force One.
The Republican National Committee slammed the outing in an "RNC Research Piece": "As President Obama prepares to wing into Manhattan’s theater district on Air Force One to take in a Broadway show, GM is preparing to file bankruptcy and families across America continue to struggle to pay their bills. ... Have a great Saturday evening – even if you’re not jetting off somewhere at taxpayer expense. ... PUTTING ON A SHOW: Obamas Wing Into The City For An Evening Out While Another Iconic American Company Prepares For Bankruptcy."
The RNC's Gail Gitcho added: "If President Obama wants to go to the theater, isn’t the Presidential box at the Kennedy Center good enough?”
The RNC will not gain support for Republican candidates with this kind of pettiness.
"It's Increasingly Evident that Obama Should Resign"
See if you can guess the author:
There's lots more vitriol here.
No, the author wasn't Newt Gingrich or Rush Limbaugh, it was hard-lefty Ted Rall.
We expected broken promises. But the gap between the soaring expectations that accompanied Barack Obama’s inauguration and his wretched performance is the broadest such chasm in recent historical memory. This guy makes Bill Clinton look like a paragon of integrity and follow-through.
From health care to torture to the economy to war, Obama has reneged on pledges real and implied. So timid and so owned is he that he trembles in fear of offending, of all things, the government of Turkey. Obama has officially reneged on his campaign promise to acknowledge the Armenian genocide. When a president doesn’t have the nerve to annoy the Turks, why does he bother to show up for work in the morning?
Obama is useless. Worse than that, he’s dangerous. Which is why, if he has any patriotism left after the thousands of meetings he has sat through with corporate contributors, blood-sucking lobbyists and corrupt politicians, he ought to step down now — before he drags us further into the abyss.
There's lots more vitriol here.
No, the author wasn't Newt Gingrich or Rush Limbaugh, it was hard-lefty Ted Rall.
The Gang That Couldn't Vote Straight
Some Dems are having a hard time explaining their votes backing the NRA on a measure that would allow guns in national parks:
I'll bet they feel a little bit refreshed for having voted, even by accident, for the right thing once in their careers.
As they study the vote in Congress to ease gun restrictions in national parks, the National Rifle Association and gun-control groups agree on one important point: The final tally was a surprise.
In some cases, Democrats accidentally cast votes opposite of the way they intended — more proof, if any was needed, that the way the House of Representatives operates can be confusing even to insiders.
“There were certainly votes that weren’t expected,” said a satisfied Chris W. Cox, the NRA’s chief lobbyist.
At least 11 House Democrats (not including freshmen) who have typically sided with gun-control advocates on past votes this time around favored allowing state and local gun laws to take precedence over federal law in national parks.
Those 11 were Reps. Adam Smith of Washington, Frank Pallone Jr. of New Jersey, Ed Perlmutter of Colorado, Joe Courtney of Connecticut, Gregory W. Meeks of New York, Shelley Berkley of Nevada, Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, Hank Johnson of Georgia, Melissa Bean of Illinois, Patrick J. Kennedy of Rhode Island and Diana DeGette of Colorado.
“It was a mistake,” said DeGette’s deputy chief of staff, Kristofer Eisenla.
Meeks said he sided with the NRA “by accident.”
I'll bet they feel a little bit refreshed for having voted, even by accident, for the right thing once in their careers.
Today's Quick Headlines
Some quick hits on today's headlines:
Zoo Apologizes After Serving Poison Sno-Cones
I should hope so.
Firefighter Gets Probation for Stealing Severed Foot
He didn't have one of those in his collection of severed body parts.
Couple Thrown Off Motorcycle After Hitting Mattress
What they do in the privacy of their home....
Misdiagnosed Woman Loses Arms, Legs, Lawsuit
Talk about your really bad days.
Man Moving to Deserted Island to Quit Smoking
Funny, that's just about the only place where he could still smoke.
N. Korea Fires Another Missile, Slams U.N.
I'd pay to see that.Saudis Behead, Crucify Child Molester, Murderer
At least they didn't waterboard him.
The Days of Race-Based Policies Should Be Over
But it certainly won't be if Sonia Sotomayor is confirmed:
Democrats are pushing the idea that should the GOP block Sotomayor it will drive Hispanics en masse to the Democrat party. You mean, in the same way they all became Republicans when the Democrats filibustered Miguel Estrada's nomination to the appeals court, the first judicial filibuster in history?
Democrats don't think of people as individuals, they think of them as part of some larger group. They're Hispanics, or blacks, or gays or feminists. They assume that everyone in a particular group thinks the same way and will react the same way.
Certainly a case could be made that blacks are about as monolithic a group as you'll find. They regularly vote more than 90% for Dem presidential candidates, and 70% of them voted for Proposition 8 in California. However, I don't remember a great backlash from blacks when Democrats tried to stop Clarence Thomas' nomination to the Supreme Court.
Hispanics have not shown the same tendencies to be stampeded in one direction. I don't think Hispanics are near as invested in the nomination of Sotomayor as blacks were in the election of Obama. If good cause can be shown to block Sotomayor I doubt if there will be a noticable electoral effect from Hispanics.
WASHINGTON - The selection of Judge Sonia Sotomayor for the Supreme Court has opened a new battle in the fight over affirmative action and other race-conscious remedies for patterns of inequality, with each side invoking the election of the first black president in support of its cause.
Judge Sotomayor, whose parents moved to New York from Puerto Rico, has championed the importance of considering race and ethnicity in admissions, hiring and even judicial selection at almost every stage of her career — as a student activist at Princeton and at Yale Law School, as a board member of left-leaning Hispanic advocacy groups and as a federal judge arguing for diversity on the bench.
Now conservatives say her strong identification with such race-based approaches to the law is perhaps the strongest argument against her confirmation, contending that her views put her outside an evolving consensus that such race-conscious public policy is growing obsolete.
Democrats are pushing the idea that should the GOP block Sotomayor it will drive Hispanics en masse to the Democrat party. You mean, in the same way they all became Republicans when the Democrats filibustered Miguel Estrada's nomination to the appeals court, the first judicial filibuster in history?
Democrats don't think of people as individuals, they think of them as part of some larger group. They're Hispanics, or blacks, or gays or feminists. They assume that everyone in a particular group thinks the same way and will react the same way.
Certainly a case could be made that blacks are about as monolithic a group as you'll find. They regularly vote more than 90% for Dem presidential candidates, and 70% of them voted for Proposition 8 in California. However, I don't remember a great backlash from blacks when Democrats tried to stop Clarence Thomas' nomination to the Supreme Court.
Hispanics have not shown the same tendencies to be stampeded in one direction. I don't think Hispanics are near as invested in the nomination of Sotomayor as blacks were in the election of Obama. If good cause can be shown to block Sotomayor I doubt if there will be a noticable electoral effect from Hispanics.
You Never Know What You'll Hear in a Burger Joint
The president took the NBC TV crew out to lunch yesterday at a local D.C. burger joint, and while there learned about an agency of the federal government he didn't know existed:
On his trip to get a burger with Brian Williams at Five Guys this afternoon, the president appears to have learned of the existence of a Defense Department intelligence arm, the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, from an agency employee also at the burger restaurant.Politico has the entire transcript of the conversation.
"So explain to me exactly what this National Geospatial..." Obama said, after the worker mentioned his employer, according to a video of the event.
"We work with, uh, satellite imagery," the worker, Walter replied.
A Stunt Gone Bad
I reported earlier on the waterboarding stunt by Chicago shock jock Erich "Mancow" Muller and how he had a sudden epiphany that waterboarding was torture. It seems as more details come out about the event that a cheap publicity stunt was all it was. Radio Equalizer has the info:
Question: when is a waterboarding not a waterboarding?Read the whole report here. Mancow is sinking and he's taking the only TV reporter who would interview him and believe his story, nutty lefty Keith Olbermann, down with him.
Answer: when it is shoddily administered by a novice who has no idea how to carry out the procedure.
That, in a nutshell, is why former FM shock jock turned "conservative" WLS / Chicago talk host Erich "Mancow" Muller is in so much hot water today. With his latest fiasco, the struggling radio stuntmeister may be gearing up for more career suffering than a real waterboarding session could ever hope to provide. Don't be surprised if this cow is quickly turned into hamburger.
Remember When Dissent Was Patriotic? Now It Must Be Stifled
Mark Tapscott has the details:
You WILL accept what your federal government is doing with your money and you WILL NOT complain about it.
There's a cell at Gitmo with your name on it (since they won't be using it for terrorists, they can use it for dissenters).
A new White House policy on permissible lobbying on economic recovery and stimulus projects has taken a decidedly anti-First Amendment turn. It's a classic illustration of Big Government trying to control every aspect of a particular activity and in the process running up against civil liberty.
Check out this passage from a post on the White House blog by Norm Eisen, Special Counsel to the President on Ethics and Government Reform (emphasis added):
"First, we will expand the restriction on oral communications to cover all persons, not just federally registered lobbyists. For the first time, we will reach contacts not only by registered lobbyists but also by unregistered ones, as well as anyone else exerting influence on the process. We concluded this was necessary under the unique circumstances of the stimulus program.
"Second, we will focus the restriction on oral communications to target the scenario where concerns about merit-based decision-making are greatest –after competitive grant applications are submitted and before awards are made. Once such applications are on file, the competition should be strictly on the merits. To that end, comments (unless initiated by an agency official) must be in writing and will be posted on the Internet for every American to see.
"Third, we will continue to require immediate internet disclosure of all other communications with registered lobbyists. If registered lobbyists have conversations or meetings before an application is filed, a form must be completed and posted to each agency’s website documenting the contact."
For the full blog post by Eisen, go here.
The key passage is the reference to expanding regulation from registered lobbyists to "anyone else exerting influence on the process. We concluded this was necessary under the unique circumstances of the stimulus program."
This is the Camel's nose under the tent, being poked because of special circumstances. Let government restrict political expression - i.e. lobbying of government officials regarding policy - in one small, supposedly specialized area and not long after the specialized area starts expanding. Eventually, all political expression regarding all policy will become subject to government regulation.
More on this as it develops. And trust me, it will develop.
You WILL accept what your federal government is doing with your money and you WILL NOT complain about it.
There's a cell at Gitmo with your name on it (since they won't be using it for terrorists, they can use it for dissenters).
About That "Compelling Personal Story"
The AP goes where few in the media dare to tread as they shed some light on Sonia Sotomayor's "compelling personal story":
Obama has tried hard to get us all to think only of her story and not about her views. While her story is a great rags-to-riches all-American story, it's not her days in the projects that will be important when decisions are made. It what she thinks now.
In speeches, Sotomayor has harkened back to her and her brother's beginnings in a poor Bronx neighborhood, roots that President Barack Obama highlighted in introducing her this week.
"Born in the South Bronx, she was raised in a housing project," Obama said. "And even as she has accomplished so much in her life, she has never forgotten where she began, never lost touch with the community that supported her."
Yet Sotomayor did not live her entire childhood in a housing project in the South Bronx—she spent most of her teenage years in a middle-class neighborhood, attending private school and winning scholarships to Princeton and then Yale.
And Sotomayor's life and lifestyle after law school largely resemble the background of many lawyers who rise to powerful positions in Washington.
She climbed her way up through New York's Democratic power structure boosted by its ultimate brokers over those years—Gov. Mario Cuomo, Mayor Ed Koch, Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan and District Attorney Robert Morgenthau. That's the access of a partner in a corporate law firm, not a kid from the South Bronx.
She now earns more than $200,000 a year and owns a condominium in Greenwich Village, a neighborhood of million-dollar-plus homes. Her brother, Dr. Juan Sotomayor, is a physician in North Syracuse, N.Y., whose practice doesn't accept Medicaid or Medicare—programs for the poor and elderly—according to its Web site.
Obama has tried hard to get us all to think only of her story and not about her views. While her story is a great rags-to-riches all-American story, it's not her days in the projects that will be important when decisions are made. It what she thinks now.
How Bad Must it Be That Pravda is Mocking Us
I thought this was a Scrappleface parody when I first read it, but no, it's from Pravda, the official Russian newspaper:
Amazing how well the boys at Pravda have analyzed the situation. Much better than our own media.
It must be said, that like the breaking of a great dam, the American decent into Marxism is happening with breath taking speed, against the back drop of a passive, hapless sheeple, excuse me dear reader, I meant people.It goes on and doesn't get any better.
True, the situation has been well prepared on and off for the past century, especially the past twenty years. The initial testing grounds was conducted upon our Holy Russia and a bloody test it was. But we Russians would not just roll over and give up our freedoms and our souls, no matter how much money Wall Street poured into the fists of the Marxists.
Those lessons were taken and used to properly prepare the American populace for the surrender of their freedoms and souls, to the whims of their elites and betters.
First, the population was dumbed down through a politicized and substandard education system based on pop culture, rather then the classics. Americans know more about their favorite TV dramas then the drama in DC that directly affects their lives. They care more for their "right" to choke down a McDonalds burger or a BurgerKing burger than for their constitutional rights. Then they turn around and lecture us about our rights and about our "democracy". Pride blind the foolish.
Then their faith in God was destroyed, until their churches, all tens of thousands of different "branches and denominations" were for the most part little more then Sunday circuses and their televangelists and top protestant mega preachers were more then happy to sell out their souls and flocks to be on the "winning" side of one pseudo Marxist politician or another. Their flocks may complain, but when explained that they would be on the "winning" side, their flocks were ever so quick to reject Christ in hopes for earthly power. Even our Holy Orthodox churches are scandalously liberalized in America.
The final collapse has come with the election of Barack Obama. His speed in the past three months has been truly impressive. His spending and money printing has been a record setting, not just in America's short history but in the world. If this keeps up for more then another year, and there is no sign that it will not, America at best will resemble the Wiemar Republic and at worst Zimbabwe.
These past two weeks have been the most breath taking of all. First came the announcement of a planned redesign of the American Byzantine tax system, by the very thieves who used it to bankroll their thefts, loses and swindles of hundreds of billions of dollars. These make our Russian oligarchs look little more then ordinary street thugs, in comparison. Yes, the Americans have beat our own thieves in the shear volumes. Should we congratulate them?
Amazing how well the boys at Pravda have analyzed the situation. Much better than our own media.
Welfare State Poster Boy
Unbelievable:
As long as we insist on rewarding poor women for having babies, there's really no reason for this guy and the stupid women he bedded to stop.
I'll second the motion.A man aged 29 has fathered 21 children with 11 different women, it emerged yesterday.
Desmond Hatchett's brood came to light after authorities in Tennessee in the U.S. took him to court for non-payment of child support.
He has apparently set a U.S. record but said: 'It just happened.'
He's the daddy: Desmond Hatchett speaks to reporters about his prolific brood
He added that he would not have any more children. 'I'm done. I'll say I'm done,' he said.Hatchett, who earns a minimal wage, told TV reporters he knows the names and ages of all his offspring.
Their ages range from newborn to 11 years old.
Authorities in Knoxville said they plan to take half of his monthly salary to pay for the youngsters but officials said that would work out to just over £1 a week for each.His lawyer Keith Pope said: 'The children can't all be supported by Desmond, so the state of Tennessee has had to step in.'
Many Knoxville residents called for him to be castrated.
As long as we insist on rewarding poor women for having babies, there's really no reason for this guy and the stupid women he bedded to stop.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Great Moments in Advertising
Somebody clearly didn't think this one out:
Sending white powder through the mail - why didn't I think of that?
If you get an envelope in the mail containing white powder, chances are, it's nothing to freak out about.
According to local officials, the Bayer Aspirin Company will be deploying a nationwide mass mailing ad campaign that seems a little "misguided."
Between May 20 and May 29, the Aspirin Company will be sending out 178,000 envelopes. Of those envelopes, 33,561 will contain a sample of Bayer Aspirin Crystals, which is a white powder.
In a statement provided by the Boston Regional Intelligence Center:
"Area police departments, EMT's, and hospitals should be aware of these mailings and the potential to present as "white powder" calls. In addition, private sector mailrooms should be aware that these envelopes may be coming through their respective facilities."
Anyone who receives an envelope containing a white powder in the mail should contact authorities if they are unsure of its contents.
Sending white powder through the mail - why didn't I think of that?
Pennsylvania Newspaper Gets Secret Service Attention
Somebody in the classified ad department either wasn't paying attention or wanted to join the ad buyer in making a statement (from Editor and Publisher):
I would tend to go with political statement since no direct action is threatened. People shouldn't write this stuff and newspapers shouldn't publish it, but I don't think this is legally actionable.
The writer didn't say that he was going to make sure Obama went the way of the assassinated presidents, nor did he encourage others to do so. The Secret Service will undoubtedly contact the ad writer and the editor that didn't stop it from running, but I doubt they'll be able to do much beyond that.
For those of you wishing to comment, be advised that this post might get some attention too and unless you want to spend some quality time with the Secret Service, I'd be careful about what you put in the comments.
The publisher of a Pennsylvania newspaper that ran a classified ad appearing to call for the assassination of President Barack Obama said it was "unfortunate" the ad made it into the paper. He also said it drew dozens of phone calls to the paper and a likely visit from federal officials.So, do you think this was a political statement or a threat against the president, which is a federal crime?
Publisher John Elchert of the Times-Observer in Warren also told E&P the ad -- slated to run for three days -- was stopped after appearing once Thursday. "It is unfortunate that it got past our classified people," he said. "My first call [Thursday] was to the police chief and I believe his protocol is to contact the Secret Service."
The ad stated: "May Obama follow in the footsteps of Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley & Kennedy!" All four of those presidents, of course, were assassinated in office. Elchert said when the ad was taken, the staffer who took it "did not make the connection of what tied those presidents together."
I would tend to go with political statement since no direct action is threatened. People shouldn't write this stuff and newspapers shouldn't publish it, but I don't think this is legally actionable.
The writer didn't say that he was going to make sure Obama went the way of the assassinated presidents, nor did he encourage others to do so. The Secret Service will undoubtedly contact the ad writer and the editor that didn't stop it from running, but I doubt they'll be able to do much beyond that.
For those of you wishing to comment, be advised that this post might get some attention too and unless you want to spend some quality time with the Secret Service, I'd be careful about what you put in the comments.
Summer Jobs For Teen Losers At Your Expense
Jules Crittendon has the details:
Never mind. Parents, you can do your bit for your child aged 14-24 by encouraging the above behavior through action or inaction. Though like getting your kid into an Ivy League school, if you didn’t start that process at birth you’re already behind the curve. You and your kids may be too responsible to benefit from government stimulus funds. Meanwhile, if you have been a responsible parent, your kid is probably out of luck.
Hey, whatever happened to the Marine Corps as the premier government-subsidized job opportunity for the court-involved, basic-skills lacking, runaways, drop-outs and immigrants?Got a teen who needs a job this summer? Help is on the way. Yes, he or she can. Here’s what they need to do.
Stop studying. Get pregnant. Get court-involved. Offend. Drop out. Run away. Forget you ever knew English. Be from elsewhere.
Boston Herald:Criminal offenders, teen moms, dropouts, runaways and other wayward youths will score summer jobs with federal stimulus cash as most Bay State kids desperately scramble to land coveted seasonal gigs in a tight economy.
“To me, it sounds like the federal government is rewarding bad behavior,” said state Sen. Richard R. Tisei (R-Wakefield).
The state Department of Transitional Assistance will be using some of Massachusetts’ $1.3 million in Obama administration cash for jobs for clients’ children ages 14 to 24 who meet specific criteria, including:
-Lacking basic skills.
-Pregnant or parenting.
-School dropout.
-Homeless or runaway.
-Court-involved or an “offender.”
-An English as a Second Language learner or an immigrant.
Never mind. Parents, you can do your bit for your child aged 14-24 by encouraging the above behavior through action or inaction. Though like getting your kid into an Ivy League school, if you didn’t start that process at birth you’re already behind the curve. You and your kids may be too responsible to benefit from government stimulus funds. Meanwhile, if you have been a responsible parent, your kid is probably out of luck.
Someone to Watch Over You
Let's just say I'm skeptical about the real motivation behind this:
Does anyone seriously believe there won't be a political component to this?
WASHINGTON -- President Obama announced on Friday the creation of a "cyber czar" to oversee an enhanced security system for U.S. computer networks.
He also released a report recommending how to safeguard the nation's cyber network -- a review that was headed by former Bush administration official Melissa Hathaway.
"We're not as prepared as we should be, as a government or as a country," he said, calling cyber threats one of the most serious economic and military dangers the nation faces.
Obama said this is "a transformational moment" for America, when computer networks are probed and attacked millions of times a day.
Obama said he will pick the person he wants to head up a new White House office of cyber security soon, and that person will report to the National Security Council as well as to the National Economic Council, in a nod to the importance of computers to the economy.
Officials say a handful of experts -- both in and out of government -- are under consideration for the post.
Does anyone seriously believe there won't be a political component to this?
Unions Trying to Censor Debate on Health Care
It would be a shame if both sides of the nationalized health care debate were allowed to be heard by the public. At least, that's what the unions think:
Except, they haven't seen it:
As the article points out, if the information is false the organization will face big fines. In fact, the only thing the unions are trying to protect the public from is hearing the truth about what nationalized health care will do to our country.
Progressive health care reform groups demanded on Thursday that Washington’s NBC television affiliate refuse to air a 30-minute infomercial funded by a conservative group opposed to creating a public insurance plan.Wow, that must be some ad! The SEIU must have really been fuming when they saw it.
The Service Employees International Union sent a letter to NBC4, arguing that the station has a responsibility to pull the documentary-style commercial paid for by Conservatives for Patients’ Rights. The ad, set to run Sunday after “Meet the Press,” “will be false, deceitful, and a distortion,” the union’s attorney wrote in the letter.
Except, they haven't seen it:
The SEIU has not seen the ad, but is drawing the conclusion from CPR’s record of running “demonstrably false” ads. The station has the duty to protect the public from misleading advertising, the letter argues.
As the article points out, if the information is false the organization will face big fines. In fact, the only thing the unions are trying to protect the public from is hearing the truth about what nationalized health care will do to our country.
Jon & Kate Plus Labor Department
Boy, when it rains, it pours:
I doubt if this complaint will go anywhere. It's not like the kids are mining coal or plowing the fields.
Jon may be sowing some wild oats, but not the kids.
WERNERSVILLE, Pa. — Jon, Kate and their eight children have attracted a huge TV audience, screaming tabloid headlines and, now, a state labor investigation.
The Pennsylvania Department of Labor says it's looking into whether the hit reality show "Jon & Kate Plus 8" is complying with child labor laws.
The TLC series follows Jon and Kate Gosselin as they raise their eight young children, including 8-year-old twins and sextuplets who just turned 5. The show drew nearly 10 million viewers for its fifth-season premiere Monday following reports of trouble in the Gosselins' marriage.
Labor Department spokesman Justin Fleming tells The Associated Press that the department is looking into a complaint against the show.
TLC says it "fully complies" with state laws and regulations.
I doubt if this complaint will go anywhere. It's not like the kids are mining coal or plowing the fields.
Jon may be sowing some wild oats, but not the kids.
White House Moving Into Sotomayor Damage Control Mode
Several prominent Democrats have called on Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor to make a public statement disavowing her remarks that suggested a Latina woman would make a better judge than a white male just because of their racial and ethnic heritage. Many on the right have described the comment as racist.
This afternoon the White House started damage control:
Until I hear it from her, I'll never believe she didn't say exactly what she means. And even then, I'll be very skeptical. This won't make the controversy go away.
Now, what are they going to do about her stance on guns?
This afternoon the White House started damage control:
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs walked back controversial comments made by Supreme Court nominee Judge Sonia Sotomayor in 2001 when she said, “I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn't lived that life.”
“I think he’d say her word choice in 2001 was poor,” Gibbs said, suggesting his statement was based on conversations he’d had with people who have talked to Sotomayor. “She was simply making the point that experiences are relevant to the process of judging. Your personal exp have a tendency to make you more aware of certain facts and certain cases, that your experiences impact your understanding.”
Sotomayor made the comments at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law. This week critics including former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., and talk radio giant Rush Limbaugh have characterized the remarks as racist.
About her use of the word “better,” Gibbs said “I think if she had the speech to do all over again I think she’d change that word.”
Until I hear it from her, I'll never believe she didn't say exactly what she means. And even then, I'll be very skeptical. This won't make the controversy go away.
Now, what are they going to do about her stance on guns?
Brits on the Warpath About Obama...Again
The guy who was supposed to bring peace and harmony to the planet seems to be having difficulty winning over the stiff upper lips of Great Britain. Earlier there was the whole kerfuffle over the Prime Minister's visit, then the iPod for the Queen featuring Obama's greatest hit speeches, and now the British press is at war with Robert Gibbs, White House spokesman, after what they describe as a "sneering rant" against the Brit media yesterday.
Nile Gardiner of the UK Telegraph responds:
Hope. Change.
Nile Gardiner of the UK Telegraph responds:
This kind of attack would normally be made against the likes of the North Korean or Iranian state media, but in the current climate of "engagement" with America's enemies the White House is far more likely to attack its own allies. Gibbs' remarks have echoes of a senior State Department official's anti-British statements to The Sunday Telegraph after the appalling handling of the Prime Minister's visit in March.
Can you imagine Gibbs making these remarks about The New York Times or The Washington Post, or NBC, ABC or CBS? This would never happen. The British press, especially the Telegraph, has been singled out because they frequently publish articles critical of the Obama administration and are not afraid to take on the status quo in Washington. Increasingly, millions of Americans are turning to online UK news websites for cutting edge reports on American politics and U.S. foreign policy that the mainstream media refuses to cover in the States, especially if it is unflattering to the Obama White House.
Robert Gibbs' completely unwarranted rant against the British press is an absolute disgrace, and the President should disown his views. An unreserved apology by Gibbs is also in order.
For all its talk of "raising America's standing" in the world after the Bush years, the Obama administration is doing a spectacularly bad job of reaching out to its allies. Unfortunately this is the new face of America's public diplomacy, which will only serve to alienate public opinion across the Atlantic. Congratulations Gibbs - you've just made an enemy out of the entire British media, quite an achievement for the man in charge of selling the President's message.
Hope. Change.
Rookie Dems Getting Nervous About Ethics Complaints
Some of the rookie class of Democrats are getting worried about the effect of ethics scandals on their re-election chances:
Everyone knows that Nancy Pelosi had no intention of actually following through on the idea of rooting out corruption...unless there were Republicans involved.
Swept into office partly on promises to end a “culture of corruption,” many potentially vulnerable Democratic newcomers are pressing House leaders to confront allegations of unethical conduct involving fellow Democrats.
Discontent over ethics has been underscored in votes on Republican-sponsored privileged resolutions calling on the House ethics committee to probe the ties between the defunct lobbying firm PMA and powerful Democrats including John P. Murtha of Pennsylvania, Defense Appropriations Subcommittee chairman.
Democrats have rejected the resolution eight times, most recently on May 12. But 29 Democrats — including 22 first elected in 2006 and 2008 — voted for the measure sponsored by Rep. Jeff Flake , R-Ariz.
Almost a third of the 34 Democratic freshmen, or 11 members, bucked their leadership, which has pressed rank-and-file members to oppose the resolution, saying that if Republicans have a gripe, they should file a complaint with the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct.
Another unsuccessful GOP measure offered just before the Memorial Day recess would have barred funding for the lightly used John Murtha Johnstown-Cambria Airport, a facility in Murtha’s district. Murtha has used his perch on the Appropriations Committee to steer considerable federal funding to the facility. That measure, too, won support of 11 Democrats, all but one first elected in 2006 and 2008.
Everyone knows that Nancy Pelosi had no intention of actually following through on the idea of rooting out corruption...unless there were Republicans involved.
Obama Clears Black Panthers of Voter Intimidation
What are friends for?
Of course not.
Here's the video. Decide for yourself if the individuals are engaged in voter intimidation:
Had a racist white organization done something similar, would the Justice Department be so willing to let them go with just an injunction?Charges brought against three members of the New Black Panther Party for Self-Defense under the Bush administration have been dropped by the Obama Justice Department, FOX News has learned.
The charges stemmed from an incident at a Philadelphia polling place on Election Day 2008 when three members of the party were accused of trying to threaten voters and block poll and campaign workers by the threat of force -- one even brandishing what prosecutors call a deadly weapon.
The three black panthers, Minister King Samir Shabazz, Malik Zulu Shabazz and Jerry Jackson were charged in a civil complaint in the final days of the Bush administration with violating the voter rights act by using coercion, threats and intimidation. Shabazz allegedly held a nightstick or baton that prosecutors said he pointed at people and menacingly tapped it. Prosecutors also say he "supports racially motivated violence against non-blacks and Jews."
VIDEO: Click to watch the incident on YouTube
The complaint says the men hurled racial slurs at both blacks and whites. ...A spokesman for the Department of Justice told FOX News, "The Justice Department was successful in obtaining an injunction that prohibits the defendant who brandished a weapon outside a Philadelphia polling place from doing so again. Claims were dismissed against the other defendants based on a careful assessment of the facts and the law. The department is committed to the vigorous prosecution of those who intimidate, threaten or coerce anyone exercising his or her sacred right to vote."
Of course not.
Here's the video. Decide for yourself if the individuals are engaged in voter intimidation:
Valedictorian Inflation
Wednesday night I attended a Senior Awards Night at an Orange County high school where my wife had to make a presentation. It was an interesting experience.
The first award of the night was for the "Scholar of Scholars" - the kid with the highest GPA. When I was in high school that person was the valedictorian.
The second award given was for the valedictorian...or should I say valedictorians - all 77 of them. To be a valedictorian today means you've finished high school with a 4.0 or better GPA. With honors and AP classes it's possible to get B's in some classes and still end up with a 4.0. At some point in the past it was decided that having only one valedictorian was "unfair" to all those kids who work hard, and since we can't have anyone feel left out or second best and risk hurting their self-esteem, we have to find a way to make everyone a winner.
I'm not sure when the "scholar of scholars" designation came along since it returns us to the bad old days of having one kid declared better than all the others, but the whole thing seems silly to me. What does it really mean to be a valedictorian if 76 other kids share that designation and one other kid is even better than that?
Just like the bank I once worked for where it seemed that every other employee was a vice president, it appears that title inflation has taken over in our schools.
The first award of the night was for the "Scholar of Scholars" - the kid with the highest GPA. When I was in high school that person was the valedictorian.
The second award given was for the valedictorian...or should I say valedictorians - all 77 of them. To be a valedictorian today means you've finished high school with a 4.0 or better GPA. With honors and AP classes it's possible to get B's in some classes and still end up with a 4.0. At some point in the past it was decided that having only one valedictorian was "unfair" to all those kids who work hard, and since we can't have anyone feel left out or second best and risk hurting their self-esteem, we have to find a way to make everyone a winner.
I'm not sure when the "scholar of scholars" designation came along since it returns us to the bad old days of having one kid declared better than all the others, but the whole thing seems silly to me. What does it really mean to be a valedictorian if 76 other kids share that designation and one other kid is even better than that?
Just like the bank I once worked for where it seemed that every other employee was a vice president, it appears that title inflation has taken over in our schools.
Education Photo of the Day
From a recent student protest against teacher layoffs in the Los Angeles Unified School District (h/t Patterico):
This kid obviously didn't get far in the National Spelling Bee. Perhaps he should just stay in class.
This kid obviously didn't get far in the National Spelling Bee. Perhaps he should just stay in class.
National Sales Tax Trial Balloon Sinking Fast
I think someone decided to float the idea of a national sales tax, or VAT tax, as a trial balloon to see how it would play.
Not well.
And they'll be big.
Not well.
As lawmakers toy with the idea of an across-the-board sales tax on just about everything, tax reform advocates are starting to drum up opposition with the same fervor they employed during last month's anti-tax tea parties.If this national sales tax idea continues to advance you'll see the next round of tax protests focused on this issue.
The idea of a national sales tax was once unlikely. But now that the federal government is doling out billions in stimulus spending and bailouts, and looking for billions more for health care reform, the prospect could be gaining some traction.
The frenzy over the idea kicked up after a Washington Post article Wednesday reported that Congress is starting to pay closer attention to this largely academic proposal and that the Obama administration, though shushing speculation, is soliciting advise from supporters of the idea.
"It should certainly raise alarm bells that they think they can inject it into the debate," said Phil Kerpen, policy director at Americans for Prosperity.
The value-added tax, or VAT, as it is called, amounts to a tax-on-everything -- or TOE, for the acronym-inclined. It's a tax on goods that's applied in pieces throughout the chain of production and distribution and results in an increase in the cost of virtually everything you buy.
Aside from raising revenue for the government, the move could have a number of things going for it, say proponents -- it's tough to evade, it's simple by comparison to the income tax and it encourages saving.
Some conservatives have called for something similar -- the so-called Fair Tax -- that would replace the federal income tax system with a national retail sales tax.
But critics of the VAT say it would almost certainly not be implemented as a replacement for the income tax system -- rather, it would be just another tax, on top of the income tax, the state sales tax and everything else.
"This isn't a tax reform proposal that the White House is talking about. This is a new source of income for the government," said Max Pappas, public policy vice president at FreedomWorks. "The government needs big taxes and we've got big government, so now they're trying to decide how to pay for it."
It's unclear how far along the idea is on Capitol Hill.
"That's not something that I understand is under discussion," White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Thursday. A White House official also told the Post it's "unlikely" to be tapped to pay for health care reform.
And they'll be big.
No Surprise This Kid Won
The National Spelling Bee has been completed and the winner is 13-year old Kavya Shivashankar.
After spelling "Shivashankar" her whole life, I can't believe the spelling bee folks could find something that would stump her.
Congrats.
After spelling "Shivashankar" her whole life, I can't believe the spelling bee folks could find something that would stump her.
Congrats.
Sotomayor: "The Right to Own a Gun is Clearly Not a Fundamental Right"
If the Sotomayor nomination is going to go down in flames, it will likely be on the issue of guns:
In Sotomayor's world the 2nd Amendment means the federal government can't take away your guns, but your local city or state can. Besides ignoring the Bill of Rights it also ignores the fact that federal law is supposed to take precedence over state and local laws.
There are a lot of good Democrats who are gun owners and won't be as thrilled with this nomination as they might have been at first.
If the gun case doesn't get them, the obvious reverse discrimination approved by Sotomayor in the New Haven firefighter case might.
Both cases should also be a wake-up calls to voters that this nominee is right in line philosophically with Obama. If you don't like what she stands for, you might want to make a better choice in 2012.
Judge Sonia Sotomayor could walk into a firestorm on Capitol Hill over her stance on gun rights, with conservatives beginning to question some controversial positions she's taken over the past several years on the Second Amendment.
Earlier this year, President Obama's Supreme Court nominee joined an opinion with the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that Second Amendment rights do not apply to the states.
A 2004 opinion she joined also cited as precedent that "the right to possess a gun is clearly not a fundamental right."
Ken Blackwell, a senior fellow with the Family Research Council, called Obama's nomination a "declaration of war against America's gun owners."
Such a line of attack could prove more effective than efforts to define Sotomayor as pro-abortion, efforts that essentially grasp at straws. Sotomayor's record on that hot-button issue reveals instances in which she has ruled against an abortion rights group and in favor of anti-abortion protesters, making her hard to pigeonhole.
But Sotomayor's position on gun control is far more crystallized.
Blackwell, who also ran unsuccessfully to head the Republican National Committee, told FOX News her position is "very, very disturbing."
"That puts our Second Amendment freedoms at risk," he said. "What she's basically saying is that your hometown can decide to suppress your Second Amendment freedoms."
The chief concern is her position in the 2009 Maloney v. Cuomo case, in which the court examined a claim by a New York attorney that a New York law that prohibited possession of nunchucks violated his Second Amendment rights. The Appeals Court affirmed the lower court's decision that the Second Amendment does not apply to the states.
The ruling explained that it was "settled law" that the Second Amendment applies only to limitations the federal government might seek on individual gun rights.
Despite last year's landmark Supreme Court ruling in the District of Columbia v. Heller, in which the court ruled that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to bear arms, the Maloney ruling determined that case "does not invalidate this longstanding principle" that states are not covered by the Second Amendment. (Another appeals court since the Heller case reached the opposite conclusion.)
In Sotomayor's world the 2nd Amendment means the federal government can't take away your guns, but your local city or state can. Besides ignoring the Bill of Rights it also ignores the fact that federal law is supposed to take precedence over state and local laws.
There are a lot of good Democrats who are gun owners and won't be as thrilled with this nomination as they might have been at first.
If the gun case doesn't get them, the obvious reverse discrimination approved by Sotomayor in the New Haven firefighter case might.
Both cases should also be a wake-up calls to voters that this nominee is right in line philosophically with Obama. If you don't like what she stands for, you might want to make a better choice in 2012.
Political Photo of the Day
A reporter has some issues in Los Angeles:
Story here. It's probably not a good thing to be dragged away from Air Force One by the Secret Service.
Story here. It's probably not a good thing to be dragged away from Air Force One by the Secret Service.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Political Headline of the Day
From Red State:
Today Barack Obama healed 5 lepers, pooped enough gold to pay off the national debt, then patented cold fusionMakes as much sense as anything else coming from the White House.
Obama: It's Now or Never on Nationalized Health Care
I'll take never:
Time for the GOP to get mobilized to stop this thing.
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama says that if Congress doesn't deliver health care legislation this year, it will never happen.
Obama on Thursday told his re-election campaign-in-waiting that volunteers must pressure lawmakers to support the White House's goal on health care—or else the opportunity would be forever lost. He says delay is unacceptable.
Obama's political organization, Organizing for America, plans a nationwide June 6 kickoff to pressure lawmakers and demonstrate support.
Time for the GOP to get mobilized to stop this thing.
San Diego County Going After Home Bible Study
Where's the ACLU on this one?
The County of San Diego needs to back away from this as quickly as possible.
Home bible study groups are very popular these days, especially in large churches which use the home groups to help make the church a bit smaller and more intimate for their members. Instead of being a face in a big crowd, the home groups establish a core group of friends and fellow worshippers such as you might find in a smaller congregation. Saddleback Church, the megachurch I'm most familiar with, has thousands of such groups.
Now, if a home group is causing a nuisance to the neighborhood in the form of noise or traffic problems, some intervention by the local authorities might be warranted. But requiring a major use permit is clearly outside reasonable responses.
A local pastor and his wife claim they were interrogated by a San Diego County official, who then threatened them with escalating fines if they continued to hold bible studies in their home, 10News reported.And they will win. You'd think this would be an ideal case for an organization calling itself the American Civil Liberties Union. Look at all the civil liberties potentially being violated. The First Amendment to the Bill of Rights says this:
Attorney Dean Broyles of The Western Center For Law & Policy was shocked with what happened to the pastor and his wife.
Broyles said, "The county asked, 'Do you have a regular meeting in your home?' She said, 'Yes.' 'Do you say amen?' 'Yes.' 'Do you pray?' 'Yes.' 'Do you say praise the Lord?' 'Yes.'"
The county employee notified the couple that the small bible study, with an average of 15 people attending, was in violation of county regulations, according to Broyles.
Broyles said a few days later the couple received a written warning that listed "unlawful use of land" and told them to "stop religious assembly or apply for a major use permit" -- a process that could cost tens of thousands of dollars.
"For churches and religious assemblies there's big parking concerns, there's environmental impact concerns when you have hundreds or thousands of people gathering. But this is a different situation, and we believe that the application of the religious assembly principles to this bible study is certainly misplaced," said Broyles.
News of the case has rapidly spread across Internet blogs and has spurred various reactions.
Broyles said his clients have asked to stay anonymous until they give the county a demand letter that states by enforcing this regulation the county is violating their First Amendment right to freely exercise their religion.
Broyles also said this case has broader implications.
"If the county thinks they can shut down groups of 10 or 15 Christians meeting in a home, what about people who meet regularly at home for poker night? What about people who meet for Tupperware parties? What about people who are meeting to watch baseball games on a regular basis and support the Chargers?" said Broyles.
Broyles and his clients plant to give the county their demand letter this week.
If the county refuses to release the pastor and his wife from obtaining the permit, they will consider a lawsuit in federal court.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
The County of San Diego needs to back away from this as quickly as possible.
Home bible study groups are very popular these days, especially in large churches which use the home groups to help make the church a bit smaller and more intimate for their members. Instead of being a face in a big crowd, the home groups establish a core group of friends and fellow worshippers such as you might find in a smaller congregation. Saddleback Church, the megachurch I'm most familiar with, has thousands of such groups.
Now, if a home group is causing a nuisance to the neighborhood in the form of noise or traffic problems, some intervention by the local authorities might be warranted. But requiring a major use permit is clearly outside reasonable responses.
Man Power
A University of Chicago student goes where only women's empowerment movements have gone before:
A group of University of Chicago students think it's time the campus focused more on its men.If you can have women's studies, black studies, gay studies, etc., I don't see any reason why you can't have empowerment groups for every other gender, race or sexual persuasion.
A third-year student from Lake Bluff has formed Men in Power, a student organization that promises to help men get ahead professionally. But the group's emergence has been controversial, with some critics charging that its premise is misogynistic.
Others say it's about time men are championed, noting that recent job losses hit men harder and that women earn far more bachelor's and master's degrees than do men.
"It's an enormous disparity now," said Warren Farrell, author of "The Myth of Male Power" and former board member of the New York chapter of the National Organization for Women. He noted, among other things, an imbalance in government and private initiatives that advance the interests of women and girls.
Advocacy group wants to create Office of Men's Health Further, Farrell said, just because some men are doing well is hardly a reason not to applaud efforts to boost the careers of other men.
"It's like saying 'is it OK for the Yankees to keep recruiting new players because the Chicago Cubs have not won as often?' "
Steve Saltarelli, the president of Men in Power, wrote a satirical column in March in which he suggested forming such a group. "Anyone with an interest in both studying and learning from men in powerful positions, as well as issues involved with reverse sexism, may become a member of MiP," he wrote.
Shortly after the column ran, Saltarelli started getting e-mail messages from men eager to join.
"Mainly people are just excited about the idea that men can have a group as well," Saltarelli explained.
Sharlene Holly, associate dean of students and the director of student activities, said the University of Chicago has approximately nine women's advocacy groups on campus; this group would be the first male advocacy group.
The Baby Grand
We're not talking pianos here, but the grand minimum solar cycle. Take a look at this chart of sunspot activity (from WattsUpWithThat):
Check out the site with more information on how this solar minimum compares with some in the past, including the Maunder Minimum which gave us the Little Ice Age.
No wonder global warming ended in 1998.
Check out the site with more information on how this solar minimum compares with some in the past, including the Maunder Minimum which gave us the Little Ice Age.No wonder global warming ended in 1998.
Opposition to Sotomayor...From the Left?
Hard to believe, but yes:
"The most conservative choice"? Hardly.
The GOP may not be able to stop her, but they can certainly write her own words as largely as possible to get the message out not only about who she is and what she believes, but who Obama is and what he believes since he decided she was the best person for the job.
So, how vigorous is the opposition from the left? I haven't heard of any Dem senators expressing reservations, but there was a Twitter report I saw from a Hill staffer that as many as 13 or 14 Dem senators told Rahm Emanuel they couldn't support Sotomayor, but she was nominated anyway.
Could she be a throwaway nomination, clearing the way for someone even more radical once she is forced to withdraw? The left points to Bush nominee Harriet Miers whose nomination was torpedoed not by the left but by the right who didn't feel she was conservative enough. We got Sam Alito instead, a much more conservative justice.
Some on then left might be hoping for a similar outcome in this case.
There is discussion in the morning papers of a liberal backlash to Obama's pick for the high court -- Sonia Sotomayor. Yes, you read correctly, concern among some liberal circles over her position on a (the?) core issue -- abortion rights. One question -- is this a smokescreen meant to blunt the fears of the right?
ABC's Rick Klein summed up it in this morning's "Note":
Some abortion rights advocates are quietly expressing unease that Judge Sotomayor may not be a reliable vote to uphold Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 abortion rights decision," Charlie Savage writes in The New York Times. "In a letter, Nancy Keenan, president of Naral Pro-Choice America, urged supporters to press senators to demand that Judge Sotomayor reveal her views on privacy rights before any confirmation vote."
"Some liberal legal groups are raising questions about Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor, citing her relatively moderate judicial record and her skimpy paper trail on crucial issues like abortion, gay marriage and the death penalty," Politico's Lisa Lerer reports.She is "the most conservative choice that President Obama could have made," E.J. Dionne Jr. writes in his Washington Post column. "Liberals should not take the bait of the right-wingers by allowing the debate over Sotomayor to be premised on the idea that she is a bold ideological choice. She's not. But if conservatives succeed in painting this moderate as a radical, they will skew future arguments over the court."
"The most conservative choice"? Hardly.
The GOP may not be able to stop her, but they can certainly write her own words as largely as possible to get the message out not only about who she is and what she believes, but who Obama is and what he believes since he decided she was the best person for the job.
So, how vigorous is the opposition from the left? I haven't heard of any Dem senators expressing reservations, but there was a Twitter report I saw from a Hill staffer that as many as 13 or 14 Dem senators told Rahm Emanuel they couldn't support Sotomayor, but she was nominated anyway.
Could she be a throwaway nomination, clearing the way for someone even more radical once she is forced to withdraw? The left points to Bush nominee Harriet Miers whose nomination was torpedoed not by the left but by the right who didn't feel she was conservative enough. We got Sam Alito instead, a much more conservative justice.
Some on then left might be hoping for a similar outcome in this case.
Clinton Defense Secretary Blasts Obama on Missile Defense Cuts
Former Clinton Defense Secretary William Cohen thinks Obama is making a mistake in cutting funding to our missile defense programs:
Obama would rather fund a nationalized health care plan than missile defense. After all, after we lose a city or two there won't be as many people to insure.Writing the Washington Times, William Cohen, a Republican senator from Maine who served as President Bill Clinton's defense secretary from 1997 through 2001, says that President Obama's decision to reduce the funding commitment to the US missile-defense system by $1.4 billion "sends the signal that we do not take the threats of rogue regimes seriously, and are willing to take the risk that current technologies are sufficient to prevent devastating accidents or miscalculations."
Given North Korean actions, Cohen says, this is a big mistake.
"Given the disturbing geopolitical events that are now unfolding, it is imperative that we err on the side of safety," he says. "The consequences are too grave to allow our leadership to claim at some future time that they were taken by surprise."
Cutting this commitment will "embolden North Korea, Iran and other rogue states to pursue missiles of increasing range. It would also confuse our allies and undermine their trust in America's security guarantees. If the United States is vulnerable to the threat of a missile attack by a rogue state, allies could lose confidence in America's nuclear deterrent - which could lead nations such as Japan to pursue a nuclear deterrent of their own."
Closing Politically Incorrect Chrysler Dealers
I had a post the other day on some early speculation that Chrysler dealers were being chosen for closure not based on their financial impact on the company, but based on the political contributions of their owners. It appears that Republican donors are being targeted.
At first it was just an interesting idea, but seemed very unlikely. Now, I'm not so sure:
Other stories tell of Five-Star Chrysler dealers being shut down, which doesn't make sense at all since these are the dealers that are the strongest sellers and are making the company money. Why close dealerships that are performing strongly?
Either the Obama auto team has no business sense at all, or there's something more going on here.
Personally, I think that anyone looking for a new car and is considering a Chrysler or GM product ought to have their head examined. Do you really want to buy a car from a company with majority government or union ownership?
Not me.
At first it was just an interesting idea, but seemed very unlikely. Now, I'm not so sure:
Evidence appears to be mounting that the Obama administration has systematically targeted for closing Chrysler dealers who contributed to Repubicans. What started earlier this week as mainly a rumbling on the Right side of the Blogosphere has gathered some steam today with revelations that among the dealers being shut down are a GOP congressman and closing of competitors to a dealership chain partly owned by former Clinton White House chief of staff Mack McLarty.
The basic issue raised here is this: How do we account for the fact millions of dollars were contributed to GOP candidates by Chrysler who are being closed by the government, but only one has been found so far that is being closed that contributed to the Obama campaign in 2008?
Florida Rep. Vern Buchanan learned from a House colleague that his Venice, Florida, dealership is on the hit list. Buchanan also has a Nissan franchise paired with the Chrysler facility in Venice.
"It's an outrage. It's not about me. I'm going to be fine," said Buchanan, the dealership's majority owner. "You're talking over 100,000 jobs. We're supposed to be in the business of creating jobs, not killing jobs," Buchanan told News 10, a local Florida television station.
Buchanan, who succeeded former Rep. Katharine Harris in 2006, reportedly learned of his dealership's termination from Rep.Candace Miller, R-MI. Buchanan owns a total of 23 dealerships in Florida and North Carolina.
Also fueling the controversy is the fact the RLJ-McCarty-Landers chain of Arkansas and Missouri dealerships aren't being closed, but many of their local competitors are being eliminated. Go here for a detailed look at this situation. McClarty is the former Clinton senior aide. The "J" is Robert Johnson, founder of the Black Entertainment Television, a heavy Democratic contributor.
A lawyer representing a group of Chrysler dealers who are on the hit list deposed senior Chrysler executives and later told Reuters that he believes the closings have been forced on the company by the White House.
"It became clear to us that Chrysler does not see the wisdom of terminating 25 percent of its dealers. It really wasn't Chrysler's decision. They are under enormous pressure from the President's automotive task force," said attorney Leonard Bellavia.
Other stories tell of Five-Star Chrysler dealers being shut down, which doesn't make sense at all since these are the dealers that are the strongest sellers and are making the company money. Why close dealerships that are performing strongly?
Either the Obama auto team has no business sense at all, or there's something more going on here.
Personally, I think that anyone looking for a new car and is considering a Chrysler or GM product ought to have their head examined. Do you really want to buy a car from a company with majority government or union ownership?
Not me.
Armed Diner Kills Knife-Wielding Robber
Never bring a knife to a gunfight:
Why would a knife-wielding robber feel pretty safe robbing a busy restaurant in Southern California? Because in California it's almost impossible for a good citizen to get a concealed carry permit, meaning the odds are that in any group of average citizens none of them will have a gun.
Yes, the armed diner in this case was an off-duty police officer, and they're about the only people in California who can carry a concealed weapon. A private citizen with a gun may not be able to stop the situation as well as he did. However, in states with concealed carry laws crimes like this are on the decrease because the bad guys don't like walking into situations where they don't know who or how many people might be armed better than they are.
You don't have to arm everybody - just enough people that it greatly reduces the possibility of an armed robber being the only one there with a weapon. Most people wouldn't choose to carry a weapon and that's fine. However, those good citizens who can pass a background check and demonstrate an appropriate level of knowledge of laws and the operation of their weapons should be allowed to carry wherever and whenever they wish.
The politician that has the guts to stand up in California and demand such a law will be instantly a favorite for whatever position he wants. I believe that such a law in California would be very popular with the voters.
Authorities say an off-duty Gardena police officer shot and killed a man with a knife who was trying to rob a diner in Bellflower.
Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Gil Carrillo says the officer was eating at a Norm's Restaurant at about 2 a.m. today when the would-be robber came in.
Carrillo says the officer tried to stop the robbery and the man charged at him with a knife. He says the officer, fearing for his life, shot and killed the man, who died at the scene.
Why would a knife-wielding robber feel pretty safe robbing a busy restaurant in Southern California? Because in California it's almost impossible for a good citizen to get a concealed carry permit, meaning the odds are that in any group of average citizens none of them will have a gun.
Yes, the armed diner in this case was an off-duty police officer, and they're about the only people in California who can carry a concealed weapon. A private citizen with a gun may not be able to stop the situation as well as he did. However, in states with concealed carry laws crimes like this are on the decrease because the bad guys don't like walking into situations where they don't know who or how many people might be armed better than they are.
You don't have to arm everybody - just enough people that it greatly reduces the possibility of an armed robber being the only one there with a weapon. Most people wouldn't choose to carry a weapon and that's fine. However, those good citizens who can pass a background check and demonstrate an appropriate level of knowledge of laws and the operation of their weapons should be allowed to carry wherever and whenever they wish.
The politician that has the guts to stand up in California and demand such a law will be instantly a favorite for whatever position he wants. I believe that such a law in California would be very popular with the voters.
The Grudge Report
Bill Clinton still gets heartburn over people he had counted on to support Hillary, but who chose hope and change instead:
Bill really wanted back in the White House.
The New York Times Magazine has a must-read profile of Bill Clinton and how he's adjusted to having a Democrat once again in the White House -- but one who is not his wife.
"People close to Clinton said he has largely got over his resentment at Obama but not toward Ted Kennedy and his niece, Caroline Kennedy. As Clinton sees it, they say, he did so much for the Kennedys over the years that he felt they became almost family. Nor has he forgiven Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico, who endorsed Obama even though Clinton appointed him to two cabinet posts."
Bill really wanted back in the White House.
Welcome to Zimbabwe
Experts are warning of a coming inflationary spiral:
Inflation is the most damaging tax of all because it robs value from every dime you have and earn. You might want to consider investing in wheelbarrow manufacturers since Americans will need something to carry their currency around in.
The U.S. economy will enter “hyperinflation” approaching the levels in Zimbabwe because the Federal Reserve will be reluctant to raise interest rates, investor Marc Faber said.
Prices may increase at rates “close to” Zimbabwe’s gains, Faber said in an interview with Bloomberg Television in Hong Kong. Zimbabwe’s inflation rate reached 231 million percent in July, the last annual rate published by the statistics office.
“I am 100 percent sure that the U.S. will go into hyperinflation,” Faber said. “The problem with government debt growing so much is that when the time will come and the Fed should increase interest rates, they will be very reluctant to do so and so inflation will start to accelerate.”
Inflation is the most damaging tax of all because it robs value from every dime you have and earn. You might want to consider investing in wheelbarrow manufacturers since Americans will need something to carry their currency around in.
Activists Don't Want to Make Gay Marriage a Federal Case
Yesterday I reported on the lawsuit filed by Ted Olson and David Boies which is attempting to put the California gay marriage case in federal court and create a brand new "right" to gay marriage. Surprisingly, the activists pushing gay marriage are not in favor of this action:
Frankly, it's unlikely that the federal courts will even hear this case, and the activists are correct in being worried about a negative outcome that could hurt them all across the country.
SAN FRANCISCO - A coalition of gay-rights groups said Wednesday that a federal same-sex marriage lawsuit brought by two high-profile lawyers is premature and they'd rather work through state legislatures and voters to win wedding rights.
A day after the California Supreme Court upheld a voter-approved ban on gay marriage, the American Civil Liberties Union, Lambda Legal and other national organizations issued a statement saying they think the U.S. Supreme Court is not ready to rule in their favor on the issue.
"In our view, the best way to win marriage equality nationally is to continue working state by state, not to bring premature federal challenges that pose a very high risk of setting a negative U.S. Supreme Court precedent," said Shannon Minter, legal director of National Center for Lesbian Rights.
Frankly, it's unlikely that the federal courts will even hear this case, and the activists are correct in being worried about a negative outcome that could hurt them all across the country.
Political Cartoon of the Day
From Michael Ramirez:
Congratulations to Michael for winning the 2009 Reuben award as top editorial cartoonist. His work has often been found on this site.
Congratulations to Michael for winning the 2009 Reuben award as top editorial cartoonist. His work has often been found on this site.
Americans Aren't Confidant in Auto Bailout
Ford is the only one of the Big Three automakers who didn't end up taking bailout money, and Americans are taking note (from Rasmussen):
In a few years Ford will still be there. GM & Chrysler...not so much.
Most Americans think the Ford Motor Company, the one Big Three automaker who won’t be run by the federal government, has the best chance of staying in business, but they also suspect the government won’t make it easy.
Sixty-one percent (61%) of Americans say Ford is the Big Three auto company which has the best chance of surviving and becoming profitable again, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.
Just 17% give General Motors the edge, and only five percent (5%) say Chrysler is the company most likely to survive and profit.
Investors are even more bullish on Ford. Sixty-nine percent (69%) say that company has the best chance of returning to profitability. ...
Fifty-one percent (51%) of all Americans say they are more likely to buy a car from Ford because it did not take bailout funding from the government. Twelve percent (12%) say they are less likely to do so, and 33% say the bailouts will have no impact on their car-buying decisions.
In a few years Ford will still be there. GM & Chrysler...not so much.
Citizens Buy Guns as Cops Are Laid-Off
Not surprising:
At least in Toledo getting a concealed carry permit is an option. It's not an option in California.
TOLEDO, OH (WTOL) - The first round of Toledo police layoffs, in which 75 officers were let go, may already be having an affect on gun ownership.
"I just don't feel safe with the amount they're laying off," says Jonna Ewing. "I think it's going to be a longer respond time."
She is spending the day at a conceal carry class. She's been thinking of getting a gun for awhile, but feels now's the time due to the recent layoffs.
She's not alone. Case in point, someone in Jonna's class wears one those infamous police t-shirts: "I called 911 and all I got was this lousy garbage can" that showed up soon after the TPD cuts.
Tom Urbanski runs Ski's Firearms Training & Consulting. He also teaches the conceal carry classes.
For him, the layoffs mean big business as people are taking safety into their own hands.
"People are panicking, they're figuring the only way they can protect themselves is for them to protect themselves," says Urbanski. "So yeah, my business is booming."
At least in Toledo getting a concealed carry permit is an option. It's not an option in California.
Political Headline of the Day
From Drudge:
NOW where will the state legislature spend their nights?
Sacramento's main psychiatric hospital closes...
NOW where will the state legislature spend their nights?
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Political Quote of the Day
From Joe Biden, dealing with a malfunctioning teleprompter during his speech in Colorado Springs:
"What am I going to tell the president? I'll tell him his Teleprompter is broken. What will he do then?"Looks like another distraction.
Political Cartoon of the Day
How appropriate:
By the way, this is the oath of office that Sotomayor will take should she be elevated to the Supreme Court:
And then there's this:
She's going to be 4 for 6 on reversals when the firefighters case comes down.
By the way, this is the oath of office that Sotomayor will take should she be elevated to the Supreme Court:
"I, [NAME], do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will administer justice without respect to persons, and do equal right to the poor and to the rich, and that I will faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all the duties incumbent upon me as [TITLE] under the Constitution and laws of the United States. So help me God."Based on her own previous statements she has no intention whatsoever of obeying the restrictions in this oath.
And then there's this:
With Judge Sonia Sotomayor already facing questions over her 60 percent reversal rate, the Supreme Court could dump another problem into her lap next month if, as many legal analysts predict, the court overturns one of her rulings upholding a race-based employment decision.
Three of the five majority opinions written by Judge Sotomayor for the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals and reviewed by the Supreme Court were reversed, providing a potent line of attack raised by opponents Tuesday after President Obama announced he will nominate the 54-year-old Hispanic woman to the high court.
She's going to be 4 for 6 on reversals when the firefighters case comes down.
Governator Slashes Social Safety Net
The effects of California's runaway liberalism have finally created enough budget havoc that at least one state leader realizes we can no longer afford to subsidize everybody:
Faced with a ballooning deficit and a clear signal that voters won't pay more to fix it, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger released a budget plan Tuesday that would eliminate welfare, drop 1 million poor children from health insurance, cut off new grants for college students and shut down 80 percent of state parks.That's a good start. Keep the line-item veto pen handy, Governor.
In a state that long has prided itself on its social safety net, it could well go down in history as the most drastic reduction in social programs ever. And billions in further cuts will be unveiled later this week.
The governor's proposal to whack an additional $5.5 billion from state programs stunned even longtime Capitol-watchers with its blunt force. Ending cash assistance for 1.3 million impoverished state residents, for example, would make California the only state with no welfare program.
"Every single first-world nation has a safety net program for children," said Will Lightbourne, Santa Clara County's social services director. "This would return us to the era of Dickens — you'd have to go back to the 19th century to find a comparable proposal."
The governor's office reiterated that the cuts were painful but unavoidable, with the proposed budget for the 2009-10 fiscal year already outdated before lawmakers even begin debate. Schwarzenegger's finance team now says the deficit will grow to $24.3 billion by July 1, up from the previous $21.3 billion projected shortfall.
"The scope and the severity of this recession have forced us to put options on the table that would have been unthinkable just a few short months ago," said H.D. Palmer, the state's deputy director of finance.
Schwarzenegger had warned before last week's special election that if voters did not approve a host of tax and budget-reform measures, stunning cuts to social services, education and other vital state programs would be necessary.
The deepest cuts
So, in the wake of the resounding "no" that came from a disillusioned electorate, he has held true to his promise and then some:
-The budget proposal would eliminate vast swaths of programs, including CalWORKs — the welfare program serving more than 521,000 families who now receive $526 average monthly grants — and Healthy Families, which subsidizes health care for low-income children whose families don't qualify for Medi-Cal. Those cuts would also cost the state billions in federal matching funds.
-Medi-Cal coverage for dialysis and for breast and cervical cancer treatment for those over age 65 would be cut. Undocumented immigrants would lose nonemergency health care.
-In the prisons, rehabilitation, education and vocational programs would be hacked. So would the sentences of nonviolent, non-serious offenders, who would go free a year early.
-More than 200,000 college-bound students would lose some or all of their tuition assistance under the Cal Grant program. New grants for students to attend college would be eliminated, and existing grants would be reduced. All of that would come on top of $335 million in cuts for the University of California and California State University systems — which already have seen $415 million in cuts this year, forcing student fee increases.
-Surprisingly spared the ax — so far, anyway — were the state's battered K-12 schools. Though they represent California's single biggest budget expense, the governor proposed no new cuts Tuesday.
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