Even Obama Won't Last Forever

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Obama's Porkulus - Easy as A-B-C

That's,.....

Avoid responsibility, blame Bush

Burden us with more taxes

Cut the spending on defense



Simple, ain't it?

Monday, February 23, 2009

Cart Before the Horse?

In a perfect world, we'd be led by a president with the experience enough TO HOLD AN ECONOMIC SUMMIT BEFORE creating an enormous Porkulus spending bill.

But, no, we've got BHO,...and no one in the media dares question the wisdom of the Obamessiah, huh?



HT to Bill at Writemarsh for the pic!

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Those Who Live in Glass White Houses,....

You sow what you reap,...



WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Obama administration and the new Congress are rapidly giving Republicans the same "culture of corruption" issue that Democrats used so effectively against the GOP before coming to power.

Democrats' ethical issues are popping up at a dizzying pace, after less than two months of party control of both the White House and Congress. Freshman Sen. Roland Burris, D-Ill. is only the latest embarrassment.

The only consolation is timing: It's nearly two years until the next congressional election, giving Democrats a chance to stop the bleeding in time.

Republicans know all about bad timing on ethics issues. Their scandals developed over a longer period. But they were hurt most by a scandal that broke shortly before the 2006 election.

It was revealed that then-Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla., wrote suggestive notes to former teenage male pages, and several Republican lawmakers and officials failed to act when they learned of the situation.

The Democrats stepped up their campaign theme of a "culture of corruption," and it resonated all the way to the voting precincts. Democrats then regained control of the House.

Senate Democrats were blindsided by Burris, because they believed what he told them, that he was clean. Burris now acknowledges that he tried to raise money for Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who authorities say sought to sell President Barack Obama's former Senate seat.

"The story seems to be changing day by day," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said Wednesday.

The political mess for the Democratic Party, however, isn't Burris' conduct alone; it's the pattern that has developed so quickly over the past few months.

-The chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., is the subject of a House ethics investigation. It's partly focused on his fundraising practices for a college center in his name, his ownership financing of a resort property in the Dominican Republic and his financial disclosure reports.

-Federal agents raided two Pennsylvania defense contractors that were given millions of dollars in federal funding by Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., chairman of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee.

-Blagojevich was arrested Dec. 9 on federal charges, including allegations that he schemed to sell the Senate seat to the highest bidder.

-Tom Daschle, the former Senate majority leader from South Dakota, abandoned his bid to become health and human services secretary and the administration's point man on reforming health care; and Nancy Killefer stepped down from a newly created position charged with eliminating inefficient government programs.

Both Daschle and Killefer had tax problems, and Daschle also faced potential conflicts of interest related to working with health care interests.

-Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner was confirmed to his post after revealing he had tax troubles.

-Obama's initial choice for commerce secretary, Bill Richardson, stepped aside due to a grand jury investigation into a state contract awarded to his political donors.

-While the Senate voted overwhelmingly to confirm William Lynn as deputy defense secretary, Obama had to waive his ethics regulations to place the former defense lobbyist in charge of day-to-day operations at the Pentagon.

The No. 2 Senate Democrat, Richard Durbin of Illinois, expressed anger about the Burris case Wednesday while he was on an official visit to Greece.

"I do believe that the public statements made by Mr. Burris to this point have raised questions ... as to the nature of his relationship with the former governor and the circumstances surrounding his appointment," Durbin said.

Reid said in Nevada, "Now there's some question as to whether or not he told the truth."

Where to go next? Reid had no answer.

"What I think we have to do is just wait and see," the Senate leader said.

Senate Democrats now may be trapped in their own ethics system. Disciplinary action against a senator usually requires a long investigation by the Senate's ethics committee.

While a preliminary inquiry on Burris is under way, that's only the first step. And, with ongoing criminal investigations in Illinois, the committee probably would have to postpone any action - as it usually does - to avoid interference.

Monday, February 16, 2009

If Its From Illinois and Stinks,....

It must be a Democrat,...



FALLS CHURCH, Va., Feb. 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Peter Flaherty, President of the National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC), made the following statement today:

"Roland Burris must resign from the U.S. Senate. If he is unwilling to resign, he should be removed. This new sideshow results from Barack Obama and other prominent Democrats acquiescing to a brokered process to fill the seat, instead of insisting on the special election they originally favored. The Blagojevich debacle holds continued danger for Obama. His chief of staff Rahm Emanuel is not out of the woods. More importantly, public cynicism about this affair will undermine the hope and good will that ushered in the new administration."

On February 2, NLPC released an in-depth analysis of financial contributions made to Friends of Blagojevich by Balmoral and Maywood racetrack owner John Johnston and other Johnston-owned/affiliated interests. The "pay to play" relationship of these interests with Blagojevich was described in the FBI affidavit. It was previously reported that such contributions totaled $160,000. The NLPC analysis documents a much-higher figure of $343,000.

NLPC promotes ethics in public life and sponsors the Government Integrity Project.

Sunday, February 15, 2009

THE CENTRIST: A failed presidency

THE CENTRIST: A failed presidency

Failure in Less Than 100 Days??

Tony Phyrillas, over at The Centrist, starts the 2010 and 2012 drumbeat with this damning post:


I know what the Obamaniacs are saying. He needs more time. Give him a chance. He's stumbled, but will recover.

But there's clear evidence that Barack Obama has no clue.

Our worst fears about electing an inexperienced, unqualified empty suit have been realized.

We need an adult in the White House. But John McCain is stuck over in the Senate.

Has the Obama presidency already failed? The answer is yes.

Alan Caruba chronicles Obama's disastrous first weeks as commander-in-chief in a post titled "One Month Into A Failed Presidency" at his Warning Signs blog.

"The barbarians aren't at the gates, they are inside the gates," Caruba writes. "This isn't just a failed presidency at this point. It is a suicidal one that is threatening to take down the nation with it."

Lack of experience? Yes
Lack of maturity? Yes
Lack of judgment? Yes
Lack of focus? Yes
Surrounded by liars and crooks? Yes
Can the U.S. survive 4 more years of this? No

Hell, Joe Biden is looking and sounding more presidential than Obama.

Read the full post at Warning Signs

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Here We Go Again!


Republican Sen. Judd Gregg withdrew his nomination to be President Obama's commerce secretary on Thursday, citing "irresolvable conflicts" over issues like the economic stimulus package and the census.

"It has become apparent during this process that this will not work for me as I have found that on issues such as the stimulus package and the census there are irresolvable conflicts for me," Gregg of New Hampshire said in a written statement.

Republicans have been largely unified in their opposition to an economic stimulus bill that now totals $789 billion. They say it is full of government waste and won't create enough jobs to turn the economy around.

And in the past week, the GOP has stoked controversy over Obama's plan to share oversight of next year's census, which is carried out by the Census Bureau, part of the Commerce Department -- though Gregg said that was only a "slight" factor in his decision to withdraw.

Obama called Gregg's withdrawal "something of a surprise," and the White House issued a statement saying it regrets Gregg's "change of heart." Other Cabinet nominees have dropped out of the process, but Gregg was the first to do so in protest.

Gregg, who was first elected to the Senate in 1999, says he doesn't intend to run again in 2010. He didn't give specifics on why he didn't plan to seek another term, saying to reporters Thursday, "Sometimes, there's other things to do in life."

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said it was Gregg who first "reached out to the president" and offered to be commerce secretary. Gibbs said in a written statement that Gregg made it "very clear throughout the interviewing process" that he could "support, embrace and move forward" with Obama's agenda, despite "past disagreements about policies."

But it became clear after Gregg was nominated, Gibbs said, that Gregg could not support some of Obama's "key economic priorities."

"I said yes. That was my mistake," Gregg told reporters Thursday on Capitol Hill. He said he'd always been a strong fiscal conservative. "It really wasn't a good pick."

Gregg said he has followed his own path for 30 years but felt, after joining the Obama team, that he couldn't be himself. After agreeing to become the commerce chief, Gregg said he began to feel uncomfortable with his role and feared this would hinder his success. He did not go into specifics.

A senior Obama administration official confirmed to FOX News that Gregg met with Obama at the White House Wednesday to notify him of his decision to withdraw.

Asked why they met, the official said, "It's kind of tacky to break up with your girlfriend over the phone."

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson withdrew his name for the same position of commerce secretary in January amid an ethics investigation in his state. And Tom Daschle withdrew his name for health and human services secretary over criticism about his failure to pay taxes on unreported income.

Gregg said his and Obama's policy views are too different.

"We are functioning from a different set of views on many critical items of policy," he said in his written statement. "Obviously the president requires a team that is fully supportive of all his initiatives."

In referencing the stimulus, Gregg made clear his distaste for the package, echoing his fellow Republicans..

Only three Republican senators have supported the spending and tax-cut plan. They were the lone members of their party who pushed a compromise bill expected to cost $789 billion and be on the president's desk in a matter of days. Gregg didn't vote on the package in the Senate.

As for the Census Bureau, Republicans have accused the Obama administration of trying to politicize the once-in-a-decade event by having the bureau's director report directly to White House senior staff members, as well as the Commerce Department.

The outcome of the census has deep political implications, since congressional districts are drawn based on population. Many federal funds are distributed on the basis of population, as well.

But Gregg said at the news conference that the census was only a "slight catalyzing issue. It was not a major issue."

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said Gregg "made a principled decision to return and we're glad to have him. He is among the smartest, most effective legislators to serve in the Senate -- Democrat or Republican -- and a key adviser to me and to the Republican Conference. It's great to have him back."

A day after Gregg's nomination was announced, The Associated Press reported that a former staff member was under criminal investigation for allegedly taking baseball and hockey tickets from a lobbyist in exchange for legislative favors while working for Gregg.

The former staff member, Kevin Koonce, has been identified in court papers only as "Staffer F" in the sprawling corruption probe stemming from disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Gregg said at the time that he had been told he was neither a subject nor target of the investigation, and would cooperate fully.

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Taxes? Ain't That Near Mexico?

Has anybody is the Obamistake's cabinet ever heard of H&R Block???



Friday, February 06, 2009
By SAM HANANEL, Associated Press Writer

Print ShareThisWASHINGTON — Labor unions accused Republicans of seizing on questions about unpaid taxes to stall the confirmation of Labor Secretary nominee Hilda Solis because they dislike her policies.

The nation's largest labor federation, the AFL-CIO, along with other unions, women's and Hispanic groups, began calling and writing lawmakers Friday, urging them to confirm the California congresswoman.

"Enough is enough," AFL-CIO president John Sweeney said, warning GOP senators "to stop obstructing and confirm Rep. Solis now."

Bill Samuel, the AFL-CIO's legislative director, said the worsening economic climate demands a strong labor secretary.

"We've had terrible employment numbers released today and not having a labor department operating at full capacity is a disaster for us," Samuel said.

Tax problems have been a recurring theme for the administration. The discovery posed another political headache for a White House already chafing after tax problems and other controversies derailed some administration appointments, including former Sen. Tom Daschle's nomination as health secretary.

Solis' nomination had already been delayed for nearly a month when a newspaper reported Thursday that unpaid tax liens on a California auto repair business owned by Solis' husband were settled this week for about $6,400.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Does This Mean Democrats Are Un-Patriotic??

As well all know, Veep Joe "Amtrak" Biden famously stated during the campaign that "paying our taxes is patriotic."

So, on the day that the only intelligent Democrat in DC sees the folly of his appointment, let's review how many "patriots" are serving at the feet of the Obamessiah:

  • Tom Daschle - Forgot to pay his taxes,...OOPS! But the Obamistake says he's a patriot
  • Tim Geithner - He forgot his taxes, too! And now he's in charge of the cabinet that collects the taxes. Nice going, "O!"
  • Nancy Killefer - Obama's Chief Slavemaster,..er, Chief Performance Officer. Oops, she went to the same account as Geithner, I guess!
  • Bill Richardson - Questions about his finances,...OK,..maybe there are TWO smart Dems in DC.
Maybe its because the Dems are using the WRONG 1040 form?


(from American Thinker) The 1040DEM:

Line 1: Are you a Democrat?
Line 2: How much income [d]o you want to declare for this year?
Line 3: How much tax do you feel like paying on that income?

Only 1447 Days to go,....