From On High

Happiness Is a Warm Gun

2012-02-01T07:37:00.000-05:00

Wisdom comes in small packages:

Story From a Minnesota State Trooper:

I made a traffic stop on an elderly woman the other day for speeding on MN State Highway 210 at Mile Marker 197 just East of McGregor, MN.
I asked for her driver's license, registration, and proof of insurance.
The lady took out the required information and handed it to me. In with the cards I was somewhat surprised (due to her advanced age)
to see she had a Concealed Carry permit. I looked at her and ask [sic] if she had a weapon in her possession at this time.

She responded that she did indeed have a .45 automatic in her glove box.
Something --- body language or the way she said it --- made me want
to ask if she had any other firearms. She did admit to having a 9mm Glock in her center console. Now I had to ask if that was all. She responded once again that she did have just one more, a .38 special in her purse. I then asked her what she was afraid of.

She looked me right in the eye and said, “Not a f---king thing!”

She reminds me of my dear, departed Mom.Lock and load, Granny.

* Click on the image to enlarge it.

Four More Years! Four More Years!

2012-02-01T07:30:00.000-05:00

The man wants you to know that things are getting better.

You can believe the man or you can believe the experts who are NOT lying weasels:

CBO projects $1.08 trillion deficit, 8.9 percent jobless rate in 2012
By Erik Wasson, The Hill

The Congressional Budget Office on Tuesday predicted the deficit will rise to $1.08 trillion in 2012.

The office also projected the jobless rate would rise to 8.9 percent by the end of 2012, and to 9.2 percent in 2013.

These are much dimmer forecasts than in CBO's last report in August, when the office projected a $973 billion deficit. The report reflects weaker corporate tax revenue and the extension for two months of the payroll tax holiday.

A rising deficit and unemployment rate would hamper President Obama's reelection effort, which in recent weeks has seemed to be on stronger footing. If the CBO estimate is correct, it would mean that the United States recorded a deficit of more than $1 trillion for every year of Obama’s first term.

The deficit was $1.4 trillion in 2009, $1.3 trillion in 2010 and $1.3 trillion in 2011. The largest deficit recorded before that was $458 billion in 2008.

CBO had forecast an 8.5 percent unemployment rate for the end of 2012 in its August report. It now expects the jobless rate to be higher and to still be at 7 percent in 2015.

The higher unemployment numbers are due to lower economic growth than previously estimated. Gross domestic product for 2011 is now estimated to have grown 1.6 percent in 2011, down from the 2.3 percent forecast in August. CBO a year ago had predicted 3.1 percent growth for 2011.

The outlook for 2012 has also worsened. GDP is forecast to grow only 2 percent this year, compared to a previous estimate of 2.7 percent. [link]

That's about as bad as it could be.

Obama, of course, along with his enablers in the press, will blame Congress. And Bush. And the tsunami. And the oil spill. And us racist gun-toters/Bible-clingers.

But who was it not long ago who promised America that he would fix everything, including the rising tides?

Four more years? Four more years of Obama and we might as well close this sumbitch up.

Virginia Democrats Are Clowns

2012-02-01T07:22:00.003-05:00

For those on the outside looking in, there's a reason why Democrats are becoming a rare commodity here in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It's because, when it comes to the critical issues of our day, they would rather act like six-year-olds and play games.

Exhibit 1: Janet Howell, Democrat, senator, feminist, loon, Fairfax (see her photo to the right, on her best day).

Howell Seeks Gender Equity in Ultrasound Bill
Reston Patch

To protest a bill that would require women to undergo an ultrasound before having an abortion, Virginia State Sen. Janet Howell (D-Reston) on Monday attached an amendment that would require men to have a rectal exam and a cardiac stress test before obtaining a prescription for erectile dysfunction medication.

"We need some gender equity here," she told HuffPost. "The Virginia senate is about to pass a bill that will require a woman to have totally unnecessary medical procedure at their cost and inconvenience. If we're going to do that to women, why not do that to men?"

The Senate will formally vote on the mandatory ultrasound bill on Tuesday. [link]

A rectal exam. Boy, I'll bet Howell and the three remaining feminists in America got a big chuckle out of that one.

I don't want to give this goof's idea too much attention, but was there supposed to be some kind of legislative equivalence to her amendment? Or was this the equivalent of her fellow feminists' bra-burning escapades of last century (that resulted in a lot of breasts now sagging around a lot of wrinkled feminist knees this century)?

I am bra-less; hear me roar.

This Howell woman thinks she's being cute. We think otherwise. As Virginia looks to legislators to help us in these troubled times, she's playing games.

Speaks volumes about who these Democrats are.

And about why we reject them in ever growing numbers.

Obama, The Great Orator

2012-02-01T07:03:00.000-05:00

Take the script away from him and he's not even up to being a clerk at the Department of Motor Vehicles.

This is embarrassing.

As were musings like this, from not so long ago:

"Years from now speech instructors will be playing tapes of his speeches for their students; in fact; it’s probably happening already on many college campuses. Years from now books will be written compiling many of his speeches; some given even before he became one of the most historic of all our presidents. From here on in Barack Obama will be the standard by which great speakers are measured. He is undoubtedly one of the best public speakers ever (especially from a prepared script)."

Then he had to open his mouth without a teleprompter nearby.

Poof. The thrill is gone.

Who Would Have Ever Guessed?

2012-02-01T06:49:00.001-05:00

California, the least business-friendly, the most tax-and-regulation-friendly, state in the Union, finds itself short on tax revenue.

How could that be with all the taxes it's levying on its citizens and corporations?

I'll let them figure it out. I'll not waste my time on them.

But I will provide this:

Controller: [California] to run out of cash in March without action

I'm thinking it's time to raise more taxes ...

Majoring In The Minors

2012-02-01T06:29:00.001-05:00

The world economy teeters on the brink.

What to do about it?

The Obama administration has the answer:

State Dep’t Official Discusses Promotion of ‘Human Rights for LGBT People’ Around the World

Hey, you know how I said "jobs" would be my Number One priority? Just kidding! Let's focus on gays and lesbians and whatever the B's and T's are!

Meanwhile there are 14 million Americans who can't find work and Europe is one step away from implosion.

But, hey.

For the love of God. We deserve better than this.

Ah, Yes, The 99%

2012-02-01T06:16:00.002-05:00

Two points to consider:

1) It's this bunch that the national Democratic Party wants to align itself with.

2) What does a retired college professor make, by the way?

From "Oakland police, Occupy protesters clash - 100 held":

Speakers at the rally exhorted the crowd to fight economic inequality. The first speaker, Roxanne Dunbar Ortiz, took perhaps the most pointed stance, urging the crowd to fight the rich.

"Passionate, organized hatred is the element missing in all that we do to try to change the world," said Ortiz, a retired professor from Cal State East Bay. "Now is the time to spread hate, hatred for the rich."

I'm going to take a wild guess and say this retired professor is herself rich. Which makes her either senile or a badass instigator wannabe. Or maybe she's just spending all her free time playing Gears of War and she's let her savage battles against the alien menace go to her muddled head.

Bigger picture though, these are the lowlifes that the Democratic Party leadership in this country wants to align itself with.

May they do so in spades.

"Now is the time to spread hate ..."

Remember that next time they accuse the Tea Party of being made up of really mean people.

Well, That Didn't Work Out Well

2012-02-01T04:37:00.000-05:00

I have to believe that when Newt Gingrich announced in Florida last week that he - as president - will be colonizing the moon, I like others, thought he was trying to woo the Cape Canaveral crowd to his campaign. I don't know if that strategy worked or not, but while wooing that bunch he apparently forgot this bunch:

Women abandon Gingrich, drive Romney victory in FL

52 percent to 28 percent to be exact.

Oops.

I Knew This Was Coming

2012-01-31T06:12:00.002-05:00

When I read on the New York Times editorial page the other day a call for the end of the filibuster of judges and "high-ranking executive branch officials," I knew someone was going to go back and check on the paper's consistency on the issue. And they did. And just as I suspected, the really expansive-thinking editorialists there are about as serious in their convictions as I'd imagined.

Turns out, according to the incomparable James Taranto, not only did the Times change its position to fit Obama's needs, it was actually against the filibuster before it was for it before it was against it. Turns out?

Yet amid its zigging and zagging, the Times has been consistent, in that its view on the filibuster has always been in line with the immediate interests of the Democratic Party.

The New York Times is against the filibuster if a Democrat is being stymied but in favor of it if a Republican's (nefarious!) intentions are blocked.

Now that's conviction!

We Carry The Load

2012-01-31T05:54:00.003-05:00

The Racialists Just Won't Go Away

2012-01-31T05:44:00.003-05:00

Now it's Juan Williams who's decided that the most plain-spoken, the most blunt, the most straightforward politician in America today - Newt Gingrich - speaks in code.

For the love of God:

The language of GOP racial politics is heavy on euphemisms that allow the speaker to deny any responsibility for the racial content of his message. The code words in this game are “entitlement society” — as used by Mitt Romney — and “poor work ethic” and “food stamp president” — as used by Newt Gingrich. References to a lack of respect for the “Founding Fathers” and the “Constitution” also make certain ears perk up by demonizing anyone supposedly threatening core “old-fashioned American values.”

Meanwhile, out here in the real world, where such nonsense is viewed as the work of small minds with large amounts of time on their hands ...

T-Shirts Don't Lie

2012-01-31T05:36:00.004-05:00

I received this via email this morning. Thought it was interesting:

Barack Obama has finally overtaken Ron Paul on CafePress.com.

As you may know, CafePress.com is an e-commerce platform that powers user-designed merchandise. CafePress has been tracking 2012 election presidential candidate support via the 2012 Meter graph. With an average of over 137,000 new designs uploaded every week, it’s no surprise many of them are political in nature. As a result, CafePress is often seen as a Cultural Barometer®, making their political product sales relevant and interesting. The Meter graphs track merchandise sales trends for each presidential candidate, and through such trends, successfully predicted Barack Obama’s victory in 2008.

Since The Meter poll launched in November, Ron Paul has held the top spot in product sales (e.g., t-shirts, etc.) each week in a commanding fashion—a testament to his loyal supporters, as they’ve been able to counter surges from the rest of the Republican field, as well as the incumbent, President Barack Obama. However, following Obama’s SOTU speech, Paul has finally fallen to 2nd place, demonstrating a sudden and significant surge in Obama support.

Obama-tagged items lead Paul-tagged items, 46% to 33%. A week prior, Obama was in 3rd place, with 12%, behind Paul’s 66% and Mitt Romney’s 13%. This is a stunning shift in sales, and could represent a rebound for the embattled Obama. It seems like the State of the Union really rallied his supporters.

To further this point, pro-Obama sales have witnessed a massive uptick. After seeing anti-Obama-tagged items outpace pro a week ago, 74% to 26%, pro-Obama items have rallied to put up a 45% mark, compared to 55% anti. That’s a huge jump in just one week. Talk about a bounce back in support and sales!

Other interesting election-related tidbits from The Meter include:

● With the Florida primary a day away, Newt Gingrich-tagged items have surged in sales. Gingrich-tagged items edged out Romney-tagged items this past week—10% to 9%.

● The week prior, Romney led Gingrich 13% to 6%. While Romney seems to lead in Florida, the uptick in Gingrich’s sales showcases the rise in support he has encountered following his big win in South Carolina.

We know the polls. They've told us that Obama's State of the Union speech did nothing for his approval rating. T-shirt sales say otherwise.

Who to believe? Who to believe?

Blockheads

2012-01-30T07:26:00.000-05:00

Are the people who suck up oxygen each day in the Roanoke Times editorial boardroom really this stupid?

From its offering this morning - "Playing politics with children's health":

As their daughters prepare to enter middle school, parents are informed about a three-dose vaccine that has the power to keep them from contracting a virus known to cause cervical cancer. Virginia's immunization schedule requires, with their parents' permission, for 11-year-old girls to undergo the regimen so that someday when they eventually become sexually active their bodies will be able to fight off common strains of HPV.

It's a good requirement, and one that ought to be extended to boys, now that research shows the vaccine is just as effective in preventing certain types of cancer in them as well.

But the Virginia House of Delegates is having none of that good science. As predicted, delegates approved a bill, HB 1112, that would strike the requirement that girls have the vaccine. Apparently, they subscribe to the bizarre notion that it's a license to have adolescent sex. [emphasis mine]

No, it couldn't be the obvious reason. It couldn't be their stated reason. It's the bizarre reason.

Rather than the Republicans in the House of Delegates simply wanting government out of our shorts (and out of our wallets; this mandated vaccine costs a lot of money if one is not insured), rather than leaving the decision-making to the parents and advising them to know the possible dangers of this virus under certain circumstances (and not dangerous at all under most) and the GOP members wanting parents to act accordingly, the Times editorialists have their knickers twisted because government doesn't use its heavy hand to control our lives and the decisions we make. Because they know better how to run our lives because we're ignorant fools who don't know how to take care of our own children.

Think I'm exaggerating? From "Bill to repeal HPV vaccination law approved by House":

"Del. Jeion Ward, D-Hampton, voiced concern that children from low-income families would have more difficulty getting the vaccine if the state repeals the mandate."

Since low-income families are eligible to receive the HPV vaccination for free under federally funded programs, Delegate Ward's comment can mean only one thing: She's a bigot, thinking her poor constituents are too dumb to be able to take their children down to the doctor's office for the FREE vaccine if left to their own devices - or lack thereof. How else to explain the condescension?

Another thing: The jury is still out on just how safe the HPV vaccine itself is: "According to the CDC, Center for Disease Control, as of December 31, 2008 more than 23 million doses of Gardasil were distributed in the U.S. Of those doses, the CDC received 11,916 reports of adverse affects that were linked to Gardasil vaccinations."). Might that not be a consideration?

Or are the small-minded editorialists at the Roanoke Times - blind ideologues all - unable to get beyond the fact that the despised Bob Marshall sponsored the legislation?

Obama Dividing The Country ...

2012-01-30T07:14:00.000-05:00

... along class lines, will have this effect:

Obama: The most polarizing president. Ever.

That was then:

I chose to run for the presidency at this moment in history because I believe deeply that we cannot solve the challenges of our time unless we solve them together - unless we perfect our union by understanding that we may have different stories, but we hold common hopes; that we may not look the same and we may not have come from the same place, but we all want to move in the same direction - towards a better future for of children and our grandchildren.

This is now:

Obama's class warfare rhetoric divides the nation

He went, in three short years, from calling on Americans to pull together behind him and work to solve our shared problems, to provoking certain segments of our society into turning on others. A sad and troubling turn in outlook and message.

So which is the real Barack Obama?

Does it matter?

Nevada, Here We Come!

2012-01-30T07:02:00.000-05:00

Californians' pain is Carson City's gain:

California breaks rank again, demands over 15% of cars sold be non-polluting by 2025

I wonder - what's 15% of zero?

So everyone living in Los Angeles drives to Las Vegas (think of the pollution generated!) to buy a new car because California dealerships are locked into meeting a government quota and will have to try and steer them into an overpriced, inefficient, inconvenient, uncomfortable electric car (that won't even get them to Las Vegas before it runs out of juice).

This has to be a conspiracy foisted upon the people of California by the Dealers Association in Nevada or Arizona. Has to be.

What Now For The Global Warmists?

2012-01-30T06:23:00.001-05:00

How much longer can they go on denying this inconvenient truth?

The supposed ‘consensus’ on man-made global warming is facing an inconvenient challenge after the release of new temperature data showing the planet has not warmed for the past 15 years.

I know. I know. They quit talking about "global warming" a long time ago (about that point in time when the planet quit warming; go figure). And now focus their apocalyptic predictions on "climate change."

But more and more, as time goes on, their prognostications have less to do with climate than weather.

Expect, any day now, for them to change the emphasis.

We're all going to die from ... weather change!

Modern-Day Slave Traders

2012-01-30T06:14:00.000-05:00

When your only claim to fame flows from your bringing any discussion around to a talk about skin color, you're going to see skin color motives (wrap your brain around that concept) in any discussion.

Thus we have, according to our modern-day slave traders (those who earn a tidy living off the racism issue), "code words" abounding. Racial code words - words or phrases that have absolutely nothing to do with race, but are all about race anyway, because they say so.

(Hey, it's how they earn a living; cut 'em some slack.)

Speaking of whom ...

Al Sharpton and Sheila Jackson Lee Translate Racial Code
By Jeannie DeAngelis

This whole "Differ with Barack Obama and You're a Racist" thing is getting old. Take for example Texas Democrat congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. Sheila has already made it known that disagreeing with the first black president instantly makes you a racist. Besides being at odds with Barack, more recently Jackson Lee has also declared racist any mention -- by a white candidate, that is -- of blue-collar work or, for that matter, any-color food stamps.

according to the congresswoman, Newt Gingrich daring to mention the words "food stamps" was inappropriate code whose intent was merely to "generate and signify race."Now, Sheila Jackson Lee's official racially offended male counterpart, Reverend Al Sharpton, has decided that, if it seems rude and involves Obama and a Republican, it should immediately be exposed for what it is -- racial antagonism.

The latest Republican to be installed in the Racist Hall of Shame is Governor Jan Brewer of Arizona. After meeting and greeting President Obama on the tarmac of Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport and despite being sued by his administration, Governor Brewer invited him to have lunch and join her for a tour of the border.

Speaking directly into the camera, Al Sharpton passionately addressed Jan Brewer directly, saying, "Thin-skinned? You felt threatened? What does that mean, you felt threatened? By the president of the United States? This is yet another example of disrespect and delegitimatizing this president." [link]

It should be mentioned that the only reason Al Sharpton got his gig on MSNBC is his ability to hawk his slave trade so well. He's certainly not that bright. Nor telegenic. Nor articulate. But there he is.

As for these two aggrieved souls, more power to them. Everyone has to earn a living. And they are so good at what they do.

Now, as for all you racist bastards out there ...

Had Me Some Starbucks The Other Day

2012-01-30T05:53:00.000-05:00

Probably will again today:

Anti-Gun Group to Launch Nationwide Boycott of Starbucks

And tomorrow. And ...

I Love NewsBusters

2012-01-30T05:41:00.002-05:00

They are on their game.

The latest: NBC News's paragon of virtue Brian Williams the other night criticized - on air - Arizona Governor Jan Brewer for pointing her finger at President Obama as the two of them got into it over a book she had written in the past (of all things to get into an argument over ...), with Williams asking, "Who have you ever seen talking to the president like this ...?"

Oh, the outrage.

Well, as it turns out, Brian Williams has talked to the president just like that. And NewsBusters has the photo to prove it.

I love these guys.

As for the apostle Brian, maybe he needs to get away from that teleprompter on occasion and join the real world.

Do You People At The Roanoke Times Even Read ...

2012-01-29T07:37:00.000-05:00

... the horse shit you write?

How the good people of the Star City who subscribe to the Roanoke Times must long for someone at the city's only major newspaper to some day hire smart people to populate its editorial board. (I don't subscribe so I don't lose out; I just laugh and click through to the funnies.)

This morning? A two-star double-chuckle.

Why?

The Roanoke Times editorial page comes out (see "ICLEI alarmists get iced, for now") four-square in favor of Roanoke County's decision to continue shelling out $1,200 a year to some United Nations-backed organization (no, I'm not making that up; Roanoke County sees benefit in donating your hard-earned income to some far-removed bureaucracy in some faraway monastery) that goes by the acronym ICLEI (which stands for "The International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives").

Return On Investment aside (though it would be worth some reporter's asking about, ahem), why are the boys and girls on the Times editorial staff so orgasmic about the decision?

Because "a small, vocal and persistent group of 'Agenda 21' true-believers" opposed it. And that's all the reason they need to laud the county's decision to pay for crap county supervisors could easily pick up for free off the internet.

The question remains: Is the 1,200 bucks worth it?

To the small minds at the Times, apparently, you betcha! $1,200 to see those small, vocal, and persistent true-believers put in their place? Priceless!

Here's my thinking: How about someone living in Roanoke County propose to those supervisors who thought it wise to flush $1,200 down the drain if they could pass an ordinance calling for that sum to be garnisheed from the wages of the members of the Roanoke Times editorial board to pay for their silly expenditure

Let's find out how enthusiastic they are then about ICLEI.

So Who Do I Support?

2012-01-29T07:24:00.000-05:00

My son asked me that question last night. "Who do you support for president?"

I sat in dumb silence.

I had no answer.

Because, at this point, I see my "support" falling on ... the last man standing.

Whoo. Pee.

Hear me roar.

I'm going to go all-out for ... Whomever The Republican Party Decides Is Least Objectionable To That Independent Voter Out There Who Pays Scant Attention To Affairs Of State And Won't Pay Attention Until The End Of Our Republic Is Nigh And He/She Sees The End Possibly Preempting His/Her Daily TV Viewing.

Christ Almighty.

So who would I support?

Well, my mood and outlook make me lean toward Attila the Hun. But I hear he's dead. And I'm not sure he'd be willing to take the gig (putting the western world to the torch was one thing, tackling federal entitlements is a whole 'nuther matter) anyway.

Ditto Paul Ryan (sans the deceased part).

I guess, right now, I'm holding out hope that Alexis-Charles-Henri Clérel de Tocqueville comes back to life and knocks some sense into the heads of the collective American body politic.

Short of that? I just don't know.

For what it's worth, columnist Mark Steyn and I are pretty much in the same place these days. We just want to get in that escape pod and get beyond the Death Star before it implodes.

Or, as Steyn puts it

Newt, meanwhile, has committed himself to a lunar colony by the end of his second term, and, while pandering to an audience on Florida’s “Space Coast,” added that, as soon as there were 13,000 American settlers on the moon, they could apply for statehood. Ah, the old frontier spirit: I hear Laura Ingalls Wilder is already working on Little House in the Crater.

Maybe Newt’s on to something. Except for the statehood part. One day, when America gets the old foreclosure notice in the mail, wouldn’t it be nice to close up the entire joint, put the keys in an envelope, slide it under the door of the First National Bank of Shanghai, and jet off on Newt’s Starship Government-Sponsored Enterprise?

There are times for dreaming big dreams, and there are times to wake up. This country will not be going to the moon, any more than the British or French do. Because, in decline, the horizons shrivel. The only thing that’s going to be on the moon is the debt ceiling. Before we can make any more giant leaps for mankind, we have to make one small, dull, prosaic, earthbound step here at home — and stop. Stop the massive expansion of micro-regulatory government, and then reverse it. Obama has vowed to press on. If Romney and Gingrich can’t get serious about it, he’ll get his way.

As that famous American once said, "Beam me up, Scotty. This place is going up in flames."

Global Warmists Are Twisting Themselves in Knots

2012-01-29T07:21:00.000-05:00

This, from an assistant professor in the Center for Science and Technology Policy Research at the University of Colorado at Boulder, writing in this morning's Washington Post, speaks volumes about the pickle global warming enthusiasts have created for themselves. Not to mention the fact that it sounds the death knell for the movement that, a few short years ago, was held in such high regard by the scientific community.

From "A dangerous shift in Obama’s ‘climate change’ rhetoric":

When the president moves away from talking about climate change and talks more generally about energy, as he did in the State of the Union, calling for “an all-out, all-of-the-above strategy that develops every available source of American energy,” the impact is more than just political.

Calling climate change by another name creates limits of its own. The way we talk about the problem affects how we deal with it. And though some new wording may deflect political heat, it can’t alter the fact that, “climate change” or not, the climate is changing.

The problem? This clown, not that long ago, would have written the same thing about the term "global warming." But it was his pals who abandoned that expression, in favor of the more nebulous "climate change," in order to better fit realities to the end-of-the-world predictions they had then been making to that point in time. When the globe stopped warming - as it did in 1996 - they made the political decision to start calling the "problem" "climate change." Now he's worried that the term may lose some of its meaning.

As it was surely to do, genius.

Earth to assistant professor in the Center for Science and Technology Policy Research at the University of Colorado at Boulder: When the science lives or dies by the rhetoric that proponents associate with it, you lose.

You lost.

Find gainful employment, why don't you?

YouTube Changes The World

2012-01-29T07:19:00.000-05:00

How many of you remember this from the the last century?

Schoolhouse Rock.

Sadly, it was the only civics education that most of our youth of that era ever got, what with public schools being more concerned about self-esteem than about education.

Sadder still, Schoolhouse Rock died off in 1999.

Sadder still, our public schools are still ladling out self-esteem by the bucketloads, and still ignoring education.

But wait.

Where once Schoolhouse Rock filled a void, so YouTube does today.

Today's civics lesson from that remarkable venue: "Can the Government Make Entrepreneurs Do Useless Things For No Reason?":

Short answer: Only if We the People let it.

Here's to YouTube. Let freedom ring.

They Made Us Proud

2012-01-29T06:07:00.002-05:00

They are indeed our best and brightest.

To those who chose to risk everything for their country, this is for you:

St. Louis hosts big parade for Iraq War vets

Stand tall.

Every job is a self-portrait of the person who does it. Autograph your work with excellence.

-- Ancient proverb --

In Iraq, you guys and gals were excellent.

You Democrats Own This

2012-01-29T05:58:00.001-05:00

You decided to align yourselves with this bunch (and you know who you are). So live with your decision:

Riot police fought running skirmishes with anti-Wall street protesters in Oakland on Saturday, firing tear gas and bean bag projectiles and arresting more than 200 people in clashes that injured three officers and at least one demonstrator.

You - and those to whom you provided support and encouragement - disgrace this country.

All's Fair In Politics. Unfortunately.

2012-01-29T04:41:00.000-05:00

It's only fair that if I make mention of the size of Michelle Obama's butt that leftists can get away with things like this:

Maher Mocks Gingrich's Wife as a Martian

The difference?

I'm good-looking. Bill Maher?

What's that saying about people in glass houses?

And She Didn't Make a Dime From It

2012-01-29T04:25:00.000-05:00

At least hookers have something to show for it.

I've slept with 1,000 men so far - I don't care if people judge me!

I'm going to take a wild guess and suggest that those thousand guys remember as much about each encounter as she does.

Whatever humps your camel, sweetheart.

Politico Sees What It Wants To See

2012-01-28T05:22:00.002-05:00

You've all seen the AP photo by now:

That's Arizona Governor Jan Brewer giving President Obama an earful after she met him at the airport, welcomed him to Arizona, only to have him go off on a tangent into some problem he had with a book she had written in the past, and about the way he was portrayed in it.

A book. On the airport tarmac.

Thin skin?

Anyway, if you're like most of us, you see in this photo a woman letting the guy have it with both barrels.

But not the Obamabots at Politico. Here's how they see the interaction taking place (in "Obama's tarmac tiff with Jan Brewer: The president fights back"):

President Barack Obama’s three-day trip won’t be remembered for his talk here on rising college tuition costs. Or for his flogging of clean energy proposals in Nevada and manufacturing tax breaks in Iowa.

No, the enduring image of his tour through five key states this week will be Obama confronting Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer over months-old insults from her book, his dismissive mien facing down her French-manicured fingertip.

It was a tarmac tiff that lasted no more than a minute but encapsulated the president’s mood of the moment: fed up with the GOP.

Are you seeing a president "fed up with the GOP" in that photo? Or are you seeing a small woman doing a little in-your-face to a guy who should have kept his hurt feelings to himself?

No sane person can view the altercation the way this "reporter" does. But then the people who write for Politico aren't particularly sane. Blindly loyal to their man, but not sane.Jan Brewer does not back down when the president attempts to intimidate her. End of story.

You people at Politico really should be ashamed of yourselves.

Headline of the Day

2012-01-28T05:00:00.002-05:00

Christie to the 1%: Please Occupy New Jersey

* Hey, we'd love to have ya down here in Appalachia too, fellas. New York sure don't want ya.

Money Down The Rat Hole

2012-01-28T04:57:00.002-05:00

How much longer are we the taxpayers going to continue to pour money down this drain? Apparently a lot longer than those in Britain are prepared to do.

Revealed: There are more charging points than electric cars in UK as sales slump
London Daily Mail

Sales of electric cars have slumped so badly that there are now more charging points than vehicles on the road.

Just 2,149 electric cars have been sold since 2006, despite a government scheme last year offering customers up to £5,000 towards the cost of a vehicle.

The Department for Transport says that around 2,500 charging points have been installed, although their precise location is not known.

The high cost of electric cars has put many off. The Nissan Leaf still costs £25,990 even after the £5,000 grant has been deducted.

Electric cars are also only suitable for short journeys, with a maximum range of around 100 miles on a full charge.

It's a similar story in the U.S., with Nissan selling 10,000 Leaf cars last year - compared to almost 13million new vehicles every year, The Sunday Times reported. [link]

You can't really blame Nissan or GM or the other car makers for this. As long as government is throwing them free money, they're going to provide that which the free money gets them more free money.

But there'll come a day when the fools who run government are told by taxpayers - in no uncertain terms - Stop the madness.

For madness it is.

It's Almost Sad

2012-01-28T04:39:00.001-05:00

What does an aged race warrior do when he can no longer find any overt racist acts to assail?

APNewsBreak: Jackson enters fray over Grammy cuts

The Recording Academy decided to cut back on the categories for which it would give out Grammy Awards. And Jesse Jackson is on the case.

For the love of God. Can't someone give the old dude something to do?

Unlawful Detention of American Citizens?

2012-01-27T18:41:00.001-05:00

I can't believe we're even debating the issue. This being the United States of America. But there it is. Efforts continue in Congress to give the president the authority to indefinitely detain American citizens accused - or suspected - of being enemies of the state. Detained without trial. Habeas corpus be damned.

(Most everyone cheered when Obama killed those two American citizens in Yemen back in September because the president and his buddies in the news media told us both needed to die for their transgressions - the details of which we were never provided. Revisions to the National Defense Authorization Act are but an extension of that policy.)

Well, here in Virginia an effort is moving forward to exempt the Commonwealth and its citizens from engaging in such an unconstitutional activity:

HB 1160: Will Virginia Lead the Way Against Indefinite Detention of her Citizens?
Abingdon/Bristol, SW Virginia Tea Party

It’s short, sweet and one paragraph long. And it asserts that US citizens stand safe under the protection of Article 1 of the US and Virginia Constitutions. Safe from our government.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of law, no agency of the Commonwealth as defined in 8.01-385 of the Code of Virginia, political subdivision of the Commonwealth as defined in 8.01-385 of the Code of Virginia, employee of either acting in his official capacity, or any member of the Virginia National Guard or Virginia Defense Force, when such a member is serving in the Virginia National Guard or the Virginia Defense Force on official state duty, may engage in any activity that aids an agency of or the armed forces of the United States in the execution of 50 U.S.C. 1541 as provided by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 (P.L. 112-18, 1021) in the investigation, prosecution, or detainment of any citizen of the United States in violation of Article I, Section 8 or 11 of the Constitution of Virginia.

Delegate Bob Marshall’s bill (R, Mannasas) simply reinstates what we as a free people are guaranteed twice, under both the US and Virginia Constitutions.

On Wednesday, January 25th, a House Courts of Justice Sub-Committee voted 6-3 in favor of passage.

SWVA Republican Greg Habeeb voted in favor (8th District /Counties of Craig, Montgomery (part), and Roanoke (part); City of Salem). So did Joe Johnson, Democrat (Counties of Dickenson, Russell (part), Washington (part), and Wise (part).

The committee vote:

YEAS–Iaquinto, Kilgore, Habeeb, Farrell, Minchew, Johnson–6.
NAYS–Loupassi, Toscano, McClellan–3.

Here's to Delegates Bob Marshall (as sponsor) and Southwest Virginia's Joe Johnson and Greg Habeeb for being there for us. And for protecting that Constitution that so many politicians in Washington - Republican and Democrat alike - have limited regard for.

The fight for freedom is far from won. But we continue to pursue that greater good.

When Prediction Gets Out Ahead Of Science

2012-01-27T18:08:00.000-05:00

As contrarians like me have been asking for years: We're going to alter our way of life on this planet - in a breathtakingly sweeping way - because of results obtained in computer models and on (educated or otherwise) prognostications?

Scientists - scientists - have - to their shame - said YES.

Well, some anyway.

But not all.

There is now - finally - a growing number who say NO:

No Need to Panic About Global Warming
There's no compelling scientific argument for drastic action to 'decarbonize' the world's economy.
Wall Street Journal

A candidate for public office in any contemporary democracy may have to consider what, if anything, to do about "global warming." Candidates should understand that the oft-repeated claim that nearly all scientists demand that something dramatic be done to stop global warming is not true. In fact, a large and growing number of distinguished scientists and engineers do not agree that drastic actions on global warming are needed.

In September, Nobel Prize-winning physicist Ivar Giaever, a supporter of President Obama in the last election, publicly resigned from the American Physical Society (APS) with a letter that begins: "I did not renew [my membership] because I cannot live with the [APS policy] statement: 'The evidence is incontrovertible: Global warming is occurring. If no mitigating actions are taken, significant disruptions in the Earth's physical and ecological systems, social systems, security and human health are likely to occur. We must reduce emissions of greenhouse gases beginning now.' In the APS it is OK to discuss whether the mass of the proton changes over time and how a multi-universe behaves, but the evidence of global warming is incontrovertible?"

In spite of a multidecade international campaign to enforce the message that increasing amounts of the "pollutant" carbon dioxide will destroy civilization, large numbers of scientists, many very prominent, share the opinions of Dr. Giaever. And the number of scientific "heretics" is growing with each passing year. The reason is a collection of stubborn scientific facts. [link]

It would do everyone well to read that "collection of stubborn facts." The most prominent of which is this: The planet is no longer warming.

Make no mistake, science will some day overtake the wild, unsubstantiated conjecture that passes for global warming theory. It won't be soon. But eventually. Inevitably.

It was a mistake by many, a hoax perpetrated - and perpetuated - by others.

Global warming will die. And science will be the better for it when it does.

The Ends Justify The Means

2012-01-27T17:51:00.000-05:00

It's the message that's the important thing. Not the fact that we had to make stuff up in order to make the point:

A fear-inducing advertisement, posted around New York City, warning that too much sugary soda will give you diabetes and cause you to lose limbs has come under scrutiny because the amputee in the poster lost his leg due to Photoshop, not diabetes.

For the love of God.

* As you might guess, Michael "Goebbels" Bloomberg is behind this.

With Shades of Al Gore

2012-01-27T17:40:00.000-05:00

Hilarious:

Perfect… Obama Leaves Event Promoting Clean Energy in Motorcade of 22 Gas Hogs

Despicable.

But hilarious.

You Can Believe Obama Or ...

2012-01-27T17:26:00.000-05:00

... you can accept the truth.

He wanted you to believe the other night in his State of the Union address that his administration was making great strides in pioneering new technologies that will eliminate our dependence on fossil fuels.

In truth? He's flushing our hard-earned income down the rat hole. And enriching hios donor friends in the process.

Two headlines in today's news say it all:

Electric-Car Firm That Received Biden Visit and $118M in Stimulus Funds Files for Bankruptcy

Stimulus-Backed ‘Green’ Bankruptcy of the Week: Ener1

Millions wasted. Hundreds of millions more yet to be announced.

And Obama wants you to believe his giving your money to his "green" pals is a resounding success.

Decide for yourself. Before November.

HB 291, What's Up With That?

2012-01-26T07:45:00.000-05:00

Sometimes you go along, in a good mood, reading the news of the day, everything looking like roses, and then you halt in mid-coffee-gulp.

What caused the gulp?

Tyler Blount of Wytheville brought to my attention in an email a seemingly - on first read - innocuous piece of legislation that has been introduced in the Virginia House of Delegates by Washington County Democrat (and generally okay guy) Joe Johnson.

Here's a (.pdf) copy of the bill:

You might want to enlarge it (by clicking on it) in order to read it.

The legislation addresses - through a change in the existing Code of Virginia - the very real problem of poachers stealing timber from landowners. Which is fine.

That's Section 1a.

But what's up with 1b?

"B. Any owner of property on which timber is to be cut shall send written notice, via certified mail, to all owners of property adjoining the property on which the timber is to be cut at least 60 days prior to the cutting of any timber. The owner shall send written certification to the State Forester, via certified mail at least 45 days prior to the cutting of any timber, that such notice was sent to the adjoining property owners."

Protecting property owners is one thing. But what's this written notification of neighbors and the government nonsense?

Wytheville's Tyler Blount smells a rat. Here's a portion of the email he sent me, which references the email he sent to Delegate Johnson:

I am particularly worked up about yet another Democrat, perhaps the most conservative Democrat left in the House of Delegates, and a man who is a very kind and reasonable person being willing to offer legislation that restricts free enterprise and needlessly regulates one of the larger industries in his district- the forest products industry.

I sell timber for private landowners throughout southwest Virginia every year for whom the timber sale income helps hold on to their farm, finance college educations, purchase more land, a tractor or car/truck and kick-start their retirement. The logging companies, sawmills, heavy equipment machinery (dozers, skidders, knuckleboom, log loaders) and parts dealers, fuel distributors.... and various other attendant businesses that benefit from the private wealth redistribution initiated by a timber sale would all be negatively affected by this bill. A neighbor with an axe to grind could send a registered letter to a landowner who intends to sell timber and dispute a long-established property line and threaten to use the Timber Trespass law this proposed bill would amend to effectively block a timber sale for an indeterminate time.

This bill appears to be a pernicious, incremental, back-door attempt to halt timber sale on private land just like they have been halted on public lands. The environmental wackos are ever vigilant to cripple free enterprise and seemingly always able to find a Democratic politician to carry their socialist water.

The impact this bill would have on timber marketability, administrative costs and its just plain inconvenience merits our opposition. Perhaps most importantly the "foot in the door" that passage of such a requirement would give to those opposed to timber harvesting is significant. If this bill passes It is not hard to imagine that a future amendment would require that adjoining landowners approve the sale of your timber.

Here is the body of the email I sent to Delegate Johnson and excerpts from other emails with relevant comments:

Dear Delegate Johnson:

I am writing to inquire into your motivation for offering house bill 291 requiring sixty days written notice before cutting timber.

As a private consulting forester I support my family and contribute to my church and community from the commissions I earn from professionally marketing timber for my private landowner clients. One of the most important considerations is managing timber is deciding when to sell. And one of the best times to sell timber (and to cut it) is during the winter months. Snow, rain, freezing and thawing and generally inclement weather makes harvesting timber in the mountains very challenging during winter months or periods of prolonged wet weather. The resulting decline in log supplies at area sawmills and wood using plants can lead to sharp spikes in demand for timber that can be logged in winter. When an informed or professionally assisted landowner offers timber for sale that can be logged during bad weather he/she will very often receive premium price for the timber. However, if the logger cannot begin immediately to harvest trees and pulpwood and transport logs to sawmills and other wood processing plants the winter logging premium evaporates. Requiring 60 days notice before beginning harvesting is the same as taking money from the landowner's pocket.

Why do you in this economy or even in a booming economy want to sponsor legislation that hamstrings a significant source of income for so many southwest Virginia landowners?

This bill would have a very deleterious effect on the value of standing timber and is a significant encroachment on private property rights. Values of standing timber fluctuate widely over a period as small as a few weeks. Requiring 60 days written notice before cutting timber is taking money out of the pocket of the private timberland owner and empowering disgruntled or contentious neighbors to hinder ones benefits from owning timberland. Whatever happened to the self-evident truths that we are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights... the right to pursuit of happiness was originally to own property and was expanded to include all private business. What business has the state in interfering in private business of privatelandowners?

Please help me understand why you wish to hamstring my business and eclipse the private property rights fo so many of your consituents?

Sincerely,

Tyler Blount, Consulting Forester

I'm guessing Delegate Johnson has a legitimate reason for having introduced this change to existing law. Darned if I know what it is though.

Mr. Johnson?

Why You Can't Debate Liberals

2012-01-26T07:39:00.000-05:00

They are, in a word, blockheads.

Take Roanoke Times columnist Dan Casey for instance (please).

In his latest exercise in byte-waste (see "There's no good future in unsustainable practices"), he goes after the Roanoke Tea Party.

Why?

Because the Roanoke Tea Party - as a collective - sees no good in Roanoke County's participation (at an annual cost of $1200?) in a bosomy international kumbaya society that goes by the acronym ICLEI.

So why is the Tea Party wrong for opposing ICLEI?

Here's Casey's reasoning:

ICLEI is for "sustainability." ► ► ► The Tea Party opposes ICLEI. ► ► ► Therefore the Tea Party opposes sustainability. ► ► ► Therefore the Tea Party stands for "unsustainability." ► ► ► And who is for unsustainability?

What?

How do you even argue that?

Who would even want to?

You'd be better off arguing with a potted plant.

Bill Carrico Makes Us Proud

2012-01-26T07:30:00.000-05:00

That silly one-handgun-a-month law is one step closer to repeal, with Republican Senator Bill Carrico out in front leading the effort:

Va. Senate panel votes to scrap one-gun-a-month rule
By Jim Nolan, Richmond Times-Dispatch

The Senate Courts of Justice Committee today approved a measure that would eliminate Virginia's one-gun-a-month restriction on the purchase of handguns.

Approval of the one-gun-a-month repeal (Senate Bill 323), sponsored by Sen. William Carrico, R-Grayson, signaled what is likely to be the most significant change to Virginia's gun laws this year.

The vote was 8-6 on the GOP-controlled committee, with Sen. John S. Edwards, D-Roanoke, voting for passage with seven Republicans and Sen. Thomas K. Norment, Jr., R-James City, who was not present at the time of the vote, being recorded as abstaining.

The measure has strong support in the Republican-dominated House of Delegates, and Gov. Bob McDonnell has previously indicated he is inclined to sign the repeal bill into law.

The one-gun-a-month law -- adocated by then-Gov. L. Douglas Wilder -- was first implemented in 1993 to address interstate trafficking of firearms in Virginia. Opponents of Carrico's bill said repeal of the law would hamper efforts to stem the flow of weapons. [link]

As you might expect, the gun ban crowd is all apoplectic over this legislation having passed the Senate committee. Guns will start flowing out of Virginia and into the hands of bad guys ... blah, blah, blah. Which would be news to New York Mayor Bloomberg, who's been telling us that that has been happening all along.

Oddly, those who are wetting their beds over Carrico's legislation don't seem to care about our 2nd Amendment rights being rationed by government.

To them I provide a quote from a great American, Charlton Heston:

"You know, the Bill of Rights guarantees every citizen the right to own and bear firearms. It doesn't say anything about how many or how much you can pay for them. That's in the Bill of Rights. That's a sacred document in our country. There's no other country in the world that has such a document."

In my weaker moments, I want to tell those who would pick and choose the freedoms that I'm allowed to have: You ration my rights and I'll ration yours.

Is that really where we as Americans want to go?

Well, Ya Live Long Enough And ...

2012-01-26T07:27:00.000-05:00

... you just know that everything the "experts" tell you will prove to be hogwash.

The latest undeniable health "facts" to be denied:

Fried food heart risk 'a myth'

Nutrition: No Obesity Link to Junk Food in Schools

When it comes to the foods that have graced my table over the years, my motto has been, "Screw the experts; I choose to live la vida loca."

To those who've endured those same years with a diet regimen that amounted to the equivalent of tree bark I say:

Suckas!

Is that Colonel Sanders I hear calling my name? Can you squirt some chocolate on that Extra Crispy?

Why I'm Uncomfortable About Romney

2012-01-26T06:47:00.002-05:00

Can we cut through the bull plop? I read the other day a piece written by someone who tried to make the argument that Ronald Reagan was a great pro-life president. The meat of it was that he said all the right things about the issue when he was president.

Big deal.

In my world, it comes down to this: What did Reagan do about ending the heinous practice of abortion?

The answer, if we're honest with ourselves, is, in a word, SQUAT.

So, when a politician tells me he's in favor of doing something, I shrug. Words are cheap. Especially coming from a politician. Especially at election time.

Mitt Romney is going to repeal the most hated piece of legislation to come out of Washington since Prohibition. Or so he says.

Those around him? His close advisors? We get a completely different story:

With Friends Like Romney's . . .: Norm Coleman tells voters the GOP won't repeal ObamaCare.

Who to believe?

Remember this: We're not required to believe either of them.

Which is where I'm at today.

I can't get past this bad feeling ...

And This Guy Scares Me Too

2012-01-26T06:44:00.000-05:00

Say what?

Gingrich pledges moon colony during presidency

Earth to Newt ... Earth to Newt ...

The Greatest Commercial Ever Made

2012-01-26T06:22:00.002-05:00

I suppose it's a good moment in time, what with Eastman Kodak having filed for Chapter 11 reorganization bankruptcy, with liquidation of assets a real possibility in its future, to look back on Kodak's glory days and on the best TV commercial ever aired.

Where are you going, my little one, little one,
Where are you going, my baby, my own?
Turn around and you're two,
Turn around and you're four,
Turn around, there's Fuji knocking at your door.

* That's Ed Ames's voice, in case you're wondering.
** Actual lyrics.

Too Funny

2012-01-26T06:09:00.000-05:00

That secretary who earns slave wages working for gazilionaire Warren Buffett? The one who pays a higher tax rate than he does?

Turns out, she's quite likely to be in the top 1% of American taxpayers in this country too.

It don't get better than this.

Why I Support Our Nuclear Weapons Program

2012-01-26T05:48:00.001-05:00

You'll want to enlarge the photo. It's priceless.

Hillary and her buddy in the White House worry about our image in the Muslim world.

That image? It should be cut from this asshole's cold, dead, bloody carcass.

Dumb & Dumber

2012-01-26T05:29:00.000-05:00

What do you want to bet there are people who actually tune into this nonsense?

[MSNBC host Ed] Schultz Guest [mentally challenged Alan] Grayson: Gingrich Running Most 'Overtly Racist' Campaign Since George Wallace

Clowns. Circus. Amusement.

As a Public Service ...

2012-01-26T05:00:00.000-05:00

Grassfire Nation has a petition drive going that calls for the ouster of the most contemptible United States attorney general since ... well, since the last Democrat in the White House had an attorney general (look it up).

Petition to Congress:
Holder Must Go!

Attorney General, Eric Holder’s tenure has been pockmarked by deception, lies and inconsistencies, culminating in the botched “Fast and Furious” firearms sting that ran from September 2009, until December 2010 and saw U.S. officials “walk” more than 2,500 assault weapons into drug-infested corridors of Mexico, only to lose track of the guns. Tragically, those weapons have resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Mexicans and U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian A. Terry.

Dissatisfied with Holder’s lack of honesty, accountability over the “Fast and Furious” scandal as well as increasing public demand for answers, 40 Republicans sent a letter urging President Obama to ask for Holder’s resignation.

Obama discounted the letter and in fact, publicly endorsed Holder in hopes the issue would fade away. That hasn’t happened. Public pressure has continued to intensify, and now the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee has summoned Holder to testify on February 2.

Just prior to this hearing, Grassfire Nation will be hand-delivering tens of thousands of grassroots petitions to the White House, key members of Congress and the Committee demanding Eric Holder’s resignation.

Read our petition and add your name today so that you will be included in these important deliveries prior to the Holder hearing.

Holder is an incompetent political hack who should be held in contempt by all Americans because of the way he's turned the Department of Justice into a Department of Justice For Some but Not For Others.

And then there's the Fast and Furious tragedy, about which we still have too few answers, for which Holder refuses to apologize.

Sign the petition. Let your voice be heard.

Why Am I Busting My Hump Again?

2012-01-26T04:43:00.000-05:00

I'm thinking I should chuck the fifty hour weeks and kick back and enjoy the fruits of other people's labor.

VA Democrats Pull a Wisconsin

2012-01-25T07:44:00.000-05:00

The only thing "Dick" Saslaw and his bed-wetting Democrats in the Virginia Senate didn't do yesterday was take their toys and flee to Illinois. But, like their brethren in the Cheesehead State, they decided the charge given them by their constituents - rather than make for a more perfect Commonwealth - was to sit down, do nothing, and whine:

Democratic Temper Tantrum Grinds Senate to a Halt
RPV

Senate Democrats on Tuesday made good on whispered threats of obstructionism, and used what was normally a routine Senate vote on judicial elections to grind the entire chamber - including committee meetings - to a halt.

"Democrats have been warning quietly for weeks that they would block all new judicial appointments and the state budget in an effort to overturn the will of the voters at the ballot box," [RPV Chairman Pat Mullins] said. "The irony is thick - Democrats move to block judicial appointments just as they clog the court system with frivolous lawsuits."

"Just like their counterparts in Wisconsin and Indiana, Senate Democrats have decided that if they can't win at the ballot box and don't have the votes to prevail on the floor, they'll simply blow up the process," he said. "But elections have consequences, even if Democrats don't like them." [link]

The only saving grace in this despicable saga is in the fact that Saslaw and his buddies - as long as they refuse to do the job they were sent to Richmond to do - can't raise all those different taxes they say they want to raise.

In that sense Saslaw's petulance serves Virginia well.

Otherwise, he and they are - again - an embarrassment.

Memo To Roanoke Times:

2012-01-25T07:31:00.000-05:00

I'll believe you're sincere when you get consistent on this (or any other) subject:

"There's something repugnant in suspecting our neighbors of drug use simply because they're out of work. The idea of drug testing the unemployed builds on an effort to test those turning to public assistance. What makes the unemployed more unclean?"

Really.

Let me speak for everyone on the planet. They're not unclean. But they're no better than the rest of us either.

Truckers are required to be tested for drugs.

Ain't seen that denunciatory editorial yet.

Pilots are required to be tested for drugs.

Ain't seen that denunciatory editorial yet.

I'm required (by my employer) to be randomly drug-tested. (Am I unclean?)

Ain't seen that denunciatory editorial yet.

What makes those who want us to pay them to stay at home and do nothing so special?

How Fake Is This?

2012-01-25T07:21:00.003-05:00

There's a YouTube video making the rounds that's supposed to make us all scared of really badass Chinese soldiers. Watch "Chinese Soldiers Pass Around LIVE GRENADE In Military Training Exercise."

Upon viewing the piece the first time one is indeed impressed. If not frightened.

Six warriors (faces blackened for that Jean-Claude Van Damm effect) handing a smoking grenade to one another as it's about to explode? Those guys have nerves of steel!

Only two problems: Watch closely and you immediately notice that (1) that grenade isn't the kind of grenade any of us (civilians anyway) has ever seen before (it looks more like a harmless smoke bomb), and (2) when the "grenade" is passed around the second time, the last Ironman wannabe drops it at his feet - about two yards from where the "resulting" explosion takes place. Which means the explosion didn't result from the "grenade" going off; ignition was controlled by someone elsewhere to take place after the the little wieners leaped out of the way.

Nice matching outfits though.

Yeah, color me scared, Wang.

On the Oscar Nominees

2012-01-25T07:20:00.000-05:00

Okay, I'm no authority. I haven't seen most of the flicks that were nominated for Academy Awards and don't recognize half the names put forward for Academy honors. In fact, based on what I've read, I'll probably never watch most of the movies that Hollywood considers its best of 2011 (a foreign silent film and not in color? Are they kidding?).

But I will say this: Regarding the movie, "Bridesmaids," which I watched on DVD, I found it boring to the point of suicidal inclinations, except for one redeeming quality. Someone had the good sense to cast Melissa McCarthy. She was fabulous. In an otherwise unequivocally abominable pile of poop.

No, I won't be paying to see the movies and I won't be watching the Oscar self-love fest.

Speaking of which, did you catch Obama's speech last night?

Well, I chose to not watch that smelly pile of poop either.

- - -

I should mention this also: Demián Bichir deserves recognition in his work in "A Better Life," another great flick.

Fact Checking Obama's Ass

2012-01-25T07:19:00.000-05:00

There was a day when snakes-for-presidents could do it with impunity.

Not no mo'.

With weblogs proliferating these days, there's no way a lying Head of State is going to make the outlandish claims Obama is making and get away with it.

Obama Claim: “Since President Obama took office, oil imports have been reduced by an average of 1.1 million barrels per day.”

Reality: A reduction of imports has happened in spite of President Obama, not because of him. More than half of the reduction is because the ongoing recession and much higher price have made fuel so expensive that consumers are using less of it.

In January 2009, when President Obama was inaugurated, the U.S. produced 5,154,000 barrels of oil a day. By November 2011, the last month for which we have data, the U.S. was producing 5,874,000 barrels of oil a day. This 700,000 barrel a day increase isn’t happening on federal lands, for which President Obama would justifiably claim some credit, but on private and state lands.

The reality is that oil production on federal lands is falling, while production on private and state lands is rising. There is a long term trend of decreasing oil production on federal lands. In fact, oil production on federal lands has fallen by 43 percent over the past 9 years according to the Obama administration’s Energy Information Administration. And it has dropped rapidly on President Obama’s watch.

Here's Obama, in his first reelection campaign ad, telling us how great a job he's done on the energy front.

You can see from the facts provided above that he's lying through his teeth.

Obama's record on energy has been a nightmare. And four more years of Obama will make it that much worse.

You have the power to stop him. Remember November.

- - -

Then there are Obama's lies relating to our national debt. Does he think he's dealing with a bunch of fools and Democrats out here?

The Quintessential Act of Feminism

2012-01-25T07:14:00.000-05:00

Arming oneself against predation.

* I love this line:

"My first thought is, I can’t believe how loud that was.
"My next thought is, I want to do that again!"

Quote of the Day

2012-01-25T07:04:00.000-05:00

From Glenn Reynolds:

"Is it sexist to tell [Democratic New York Senator Kirsten Gilibrand] to grow a pair?"

It's fair to say, Glenn, that she needn't as long as the press is there holding theirs out for her.

Why America Rejects Obama's Socialist Ideal

2012-01-25T06:56:00.001-05:00

“'As Republicans, our first concern is for those waiting tonight to begin or resume the climb up life’s ladder,' [Indiana Governor Mitch] Daniels said. 'We do not accept that ours will ever be a nation of haves and have-nots; we must always be a nation of haves and soon-to-haves.'”

In Obama's world, we should all be have-nots alike.

Americans believe, traditionally, that we should - through "blood, tears, toil, and sweat" - all be comfortable beyond our wildest aspirations, and that we should be able to do for our children more than was done for us.

It's called The American Dream.

A dream Obama and his ilk consider a nightmare.

One thing is for certain, if Obama wins, none of us will have the opportunity to bring it to reality.

It Was Either The 'State of the Union' ...

2012-01-25T06:17:00.000-05:00

... or a movie I'd already seen twice ("The King's Speech"; wonderful).

I chose to watch the movie and skip Obama's speech last night.

Why?

Hey, who’s up for an hour-long lecture on “fairness”?

Sorry, Barry. I've seen your flick too. Over and over again. Starting with "The Battleship Potemkin" that came out in 1925 (for God's sake). And a hundred other left-wing films since.

"The rich aren't doing enough" in a land where the poor are expected to do less than nothing.

Take it somewhere else. That rerun of yours got tiresome long ago..

Headline of the Day

2012-01-25T05:59:00.003-05:00

Obama: "My Fellow Americans, the State of the Union Is Not My Fault."

My Thought Exactly

2012-01-25T05:54:00.000-05:00

"Yes, [Massachusetts Senator Scott] Brown is a Republican running in a very liberal state, and yes, today's 'liberals' are not very liberal when it comes to free speech. Politicians sometimes have to compromise on matters of principle. But to our mind this goes so far that the Massachusetts Senate race reminds us of the Iran-Iraq war. As Henry Kissinger is supposed to have said, it's a pity they can't both lose."

James Taranto, "Conspiracy of Silence," January 24, 2012

Sign of the Times

2012-01-25T05:24:00.000-05:00

Get Over It

2012-01-24T06:04:00.002-05:00

I committed no crimes against humanity. I owned no one. I put no one in chains. I never used a whip on a human being in my entire life.

I know no one who did.

So I'll be damned if I'll feel sorry for some breathtakingly well-paid columnist in New York City because someone I don't know owned and abused someone he doesn't know.

It's over, dude. Deal with it.

Or, as James Taranto puts it:

One cannot go backward. White supremacy is as good as dead, and white guilt is dying along with guilty whites of older generations. Both these developments constitute progress toward racial equality. The election of a black president was the most compelling dramatization this country has seen of the death of white supremacy. In our view, it is also hastening the demise of white guilt.

That is why we characterized Gingrich's standing ovation as the 21st century's second most compelling dramatization of racial progress. Here again is what Gingrich said to provoke the applause: "I believe every American of every background has been endowed by their Creator with the right to pursue happiness, and if that makes liberals unhappy, I'm going to continue to find ways to help poor people learn how to get a job, learn how to get a better job, and learn someday to own the job."

If a politician had said those words in 1964 (minus the swipe at "liberals," which wouldn't have made sense back then), his statement would have constituted a rejection of white supremacy. Today it is a rejection of white guilt. The words are as true today as they would have been then.

Some of those who stood and cheered last week surely had ancestors who believed in white supremacy and would have bristled (or worse) at the suggestion that "every American of every background" is equal. By enthusiastically applauding instead, they gave the lie to the liberal left's genetic fallacy.

It's worth noting - again - the fact that liberals in this country thought well of white America when it voted Barack Obama into the highest office in the land. Now that Obama has proven himself to be a failure, and many Americans (white and black) have soured on the man, we're seen as being white again.

However stupid that may sound, it really, in the end, doesn't matter. We ain't going back. We have moved beyond race. They don't like it but it's a fact.

Liberals in this country are going to have to join us - some day - here in the 21st century.

Showdown

2012-01-24T05:42:00.000-05:00

It's good government vs. the unions. And the outcome is in doubt.

But, as Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker will tell you, it's a fight that needs to be fought:

Big Labor's Wisconsin Vendetta
Walker's reforms are saving money, which unions cannot forgive.
Wall Street Journal

They swore revenge for his offenses, and last week Wisconsin Democrats delivered what they say are a million signatures for the recall of Republican Governor Scott Walker. If they do make the ballot and cause a recall vote as early as this spring, they'll have to campaign against reforms that have already saved taxpayers tens of millions of dollars and rescued the state from a budget crisis. Game on.

Since last summer, unions have fired every weapon in their arsenal at Mr. Walker and state senators who voted for his collective-bargaining reforms for government workers. Union members must now contribute a very reasonable 5.8% of salary toward pensions and 12.6% toward health insurance, and unions must collect dues from members, rather than having it done by the government. In their pique, Big Labor waged and lost a bitter fight over the election of a state Supreme Court Justice and spent millions trying to recall Republican state senators.

Those efforts mostly failed and the GOP retained its majority, but the unions feel about Mr. Walker the way Cato the Elder felt about Carthage: Walker delenda est, Scott Walker must be destroyed. Last year state senator Spencer Coggs called Mr. Walker's plan "legalized slavery" while others predicted disaster for school districts and public services.

It's not turning out that way: The Apocalypse has not arrived for services, and Mr. Walker was able to balance the state budget without new taxes or looming deficits.

Some of the most significant results have come in local school districts, where school boards and governments have been able to use the public-union reforms to reduce budget shortfalls. In districts like Wauwatosa, Racine, LaCrosse and Eau Claire, the changes in health and pension contributions prevented layoffs that were expected to be widespread and in some cases allowed the boards not to fire a single teacher. [link]

Scott Walker represents good government. Something about which union bosses couldn't care less. They want their cash. The people be damned.Here's to Mr. Walker for looking out for the little guy.

Democrat Moron:

2012-01-24T05:31:00.003-05:00

"Newt is the face of the politics of resentment and racism and angry white male rage ..."

Someone's angry all right. And it ain't Newt.

This gal needs to take her meds.

Tim Kaine Tied At The Hip To Obama

2012-01-24T05:25:00.003-05:00

I get the impression, as I watch the Senate race here in Virginia play out, that former Governor Tim Kaine really doesn't care all that much about the gig. Obama asked him to run, so he's running. If he loses ... oh well.

Until he loses, though, he has a lot of explaining to do. To us. About his buddy in the White House. Who is inflicting such harm on our country. The one Tim Kaine is "an unabashed supporter" of.

Here, in a video released by his opponent, George Allen, is what Mr. Kaine unabashedly supports:

The damage being done couldn't be worse. Yet Tim Kaine is loyal, not to us, but ... to Barack Obama.

Come November ...

Headline of the Day

2012-01-24T05:14:00.000-05:00

"Palin to Christie: Don’t get your panties in a wad over Gingrich’s victory in South Carolina."

* There's some imagery that would give one nightmares. Chris Christie in panties ...

What Was Tim Kaine Thinking?

2012-01-23T07:46:00.000-05:00

This calls into question the man's judgment, as well as his ability to discern right from wrong.

Read it. And be troubled:

Soering Decision Disqualifies Kaine for U.S. Senate
By Michael J. Brown, Sheriff, Bedford County, writing in the Lynchburg News & Advance

It was every parent’s nightmare — one with a horribly tragic ending.

In Bedford County, Derek and Nancy Haysom raised their beautiful and talented daughter, Elizabeth. And after earning top honors in high school, Elizabeth went on to enter the prestigious Echols Scholar program at the University of Virginia.

During her first year at UVa in 1984, Elizabeth met Jens Soering, a young man from Germany who was attending UVa while his father served as a German diplomat in Detroit. Despite being described by other students as unbalanced and hot-tempered, Soering and Elizabeth began a relationship that soon had Elizabeth’s parents very worried.

But then the parent’s nightmare became a family and community tragedy.

“Freaked out” by the Haysoms’ objections to his relationship with their daughter, Soering went to their house on April 3, 1985 — and butchered them. According to police reports, he used a seven-inch knife to stab Mr. Haysom 37 times and Mrs. Haysom six times. His attack was so brutal that he nearly decapitated the couple.

When Soering’s alibi unraveled, he and Elizabeth fled the United States, where he would have stayed — unpunished for his horrific crime — were it not for the cooperative efforts of Virginia and English law-enforcement officials.

After an arrest in London for check fraud, Soering was soon identified as the fugitive in the gruesome Haysom murders. Virginia officials flew to England to question him and, satisfied that he was their man, sought to have Soering returned to Virginia to stand trial for his crimes.

Soering tried everything he could to evade justice. He told a Scotland Yard official that he feared a trial in Virginia would lead to the electric chair because, as he admitted, “You know I killed two people.” He mobilized European officials to oppose his extradition to Virginia because he might face the death penalty here, forcing the U.S., as a condition of winning his return, to agree that Soering would not be put to death for his crimes.

Despite all the evidence and Elizabeth Haysom’s guilty plea as an accessory to the murder of her parents, Soering still had the audacity to stand in front of a Bedford County judge and claim he wasn’t guilty.

Fortunately, the jury saw through Soering’s lies and took less than four hours to find him guilty and recommend that he be sentenced to two life terms in prison.

Not yet done, Soering spent the next 15 years taking advantage of every step in Virginia’s judicial system and wasting countless taxpayer dollars. He appealed his conviction to the Virginia Supreme Court. He then appealed to a federal judge. He brought his case to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. And he petitioned the Campbell County Circuit Judge. All of these delay tactics were denied, after which he sought and was denied parole time and time again.

But the tragedy of this story sadly doesn’t end there.

On his last full day as Virginia governor, Tim Kaine quietly asked the U.S. Department of Justice to allow Soering to return to his native Germany — where he might serve as few as two years in prison.

That’s right. Despite being convicted of savagely murdering the Haysoms, and after wasting time and money with numerous delay tactics, Soering was about to get his wish and avoid the punishment he’d been given for his heinous crime.

Instead of sitting on death row or living out his remaining years in a cell from which there is no escape, Soering would be able to sit in Germany, free and clear.

All because of one man — Tim Kaine.

Fortunately, Gov. Bob McDonnell took swift action to keep this travesty of justice from occurring. Just three days after succeeding Kaine, McDonnell rescinded Kaine’s request and told the Department of Justice Soering would be staying where he was — in prison.

Why would Kaine let a convicted double-murderer avoid serving two life sentences for the murders he committed? That’s what a lot of Virginia residents and lawmakers have been asking.

According to Kaine, he did it because he didn’t expect to run for office again. As he told The Associated Press, “I frankly thought that I wouldn’t see my name on a ballot again.”

Think about that for a moment.

Kaine’s reply reveals two very important things: First, it reveals that Kaine knew the people of Virginia would oppose Soering’s release. And, second, it reveals that he didn’t care all that much because he didn’t plan on ever asking Virginians for their vote again.

But now he is. And he’s hoping we’ll forget what he did.

As a retired federal agent and a current Virginia law-enforcement officer, I can’t forget what Kaine tried to do. Like my fellow men and women in law enforcement, I took an oath to protect the citizens of Virginia from harm — including the evil that Soering brought into the Haysoms’ home that night in 1985.

I take that oath more seriously, it seems, than Kaine did.

And that’s why I am proud to strongly support George Allen to serve as Virginia’s next U.S. senator. Unlike Kaine, George Allen recognizes that protecting Virginia families is a core responsibility of anyone who wishes to represent them in office. It is something that must inform every decision they make — not just if they’re planning to run for elected office.

That’s why Allen led the successful push to abolish parole in Virginia when he was governor. It’s why he has made fighting and punishing crime a top priority. And it’s why he has the support of over a hundred law-enforcement officials throughout the commonwealth.

When Kaine tried to let Soering, a vicious criminal, return to Germany to serve two years — not two life sentences — he showed us that he does not take our justice system seriously and he’s the wrong man to represent Virginia in the U.S. Senate.

Let’s keep that in mind this November. [link]

"According to Kaine, he did it because he didn’t expect to run for office again." That's about as cynical as anything I've ever read.

I've never felt comfortable with this slime ball. The outrageous Soering affair only reinforces my attitude toward the man.

In November, let's send Tim Kaine back to the rock from under which he came.

Those Bleeding Hearts At The Roanoke Times

2012-01-23T07:36:00.000-05:00

Let me get this straight.

The Roanoke Times editorial board is on record in support of raising gas taxes. Which will have a crushing impact on the poor.

The Roanoke Times editorial board is on record in support of SCHIP, which raised the cigarette tax through the roof. A tax which fell overwhelmingly on the poor.

The Roanoke Times editorial board is on record in support of legislation that would put payday lenders out of business. A business that lends cash mostly to the poor.

And the Roanoke Times editorial board this morning wants us to believe it cares about the poor?

Be consistent, children, or get out of the business.

Memo To Bob Goodlatte (7)

2012-01-23T07:25:00.000-05:00

You don't need to reinvent the wheel. And you sure don't need to hand Janet Napolitano the ability to stifle the free flow of ideas on the internet.

So go to Plan B. And focus on the problem:

"Copyright violators should be punished, but not by turning over the Web to Washington."

Bob, what with the Solyndra and ObamaCare waiver scandals, do you honestly think the president wouldn't have taken your legislation and started picking winners and losers - friends and enemies, donors and non-donors - on the internet? "Fair use"? Goodbye. A weblogger like me - an outspoken critic of our socialist-in-chief - would be shut down in a heartbeat.

It's called the law of unintended consequences that would take your handiwork and turn it into a cudgel.

Dude, your SOPA legislation was completely over the top. So start over. And, more than anything else ...

... KISS.

You Can Believe Obama or ...

2012-01-23T07:18:00.000-05:00

... you can accept the truth:

The truly dismal state of the union
By Joseph Curl, Washington Times

[W]ith the president delivering his State of the Union speech to Congress Tuesday night, let’s pause here to take as hard look at the real state of America, by the numbers, using only cold, hard facts.

The unemployment rate when Mr. Obama was elected was 6.8 percent; today it is 8.5 percent — at least that’s the official number. In reality, the Financial Times writes, “if the same number of people were seeking work today as in 2007, the jobless rate would be 11 percent.”

In addition, there are now fewer payroll jobs in America than there were in 2000 — 12 years ago — and now, 40 percent of those jobs are considered “low paying,” up 10 percent from when President Reagan took office. The number of self-employed has dropped 2 million to 14.5 million in just six years.

Regular gasoline per gallon cost $1.68 in January 2009. Today, it’s $3.39 — that’s a 102 percent increase in just three years. (By the way, if you’re keeping score at home, gas was $1.40 a gallon when George W. Bush took office in 2001, $1.68 when he left office — a 20 percent increase.)

Electricity bills have also skyrocketed, with households now paying a record $1,420 annually on average, up some $300.

Some 48 percent of all Americans — 146.4 million — are considered by the Census Bureau either as “low-income” or living in poverty, up 4 million from when Mr. Obama took office; 57 percent of all children in America now live in such homes.

Since December 2008, a month before Mr. Obama took office, food-stamp use has increased 46 percent. Total spending has more than doubled in just four years to a record high of $75 billion. In 2011, more than 46 million people — about one in seven Americans — got food stamps. That’s 14 million more than when Mr. Obama took office.

Median household income has dropped nearly 7 percent in the last six years, taking inflation into account. What’s more, nearly 20 percent of males age 25 to 34 now live with their parents.

Low- and middle-income Americans 65 and older now hold more than $10,000 in credit card debt, up 26 percent since 2005. The average age of the American car is 10 years; in 1990, it was 6.5 years old (by the way, in 1985, Americans bought 11 million cars; in 2009, less than half that, 5.4 million).

On the macro side, America’s annual budget has jumped to $3.8 trillion — and yet the United States brings in only about $2.1 trillion in revenue. The U.S. trade deficit for 2011 was $558 billion. America’s total public debt stands at $15.23 trillion; in January 2009, the debt was $10.62 trillion. Mr. Obama is on pace to borrow $6.2 trillion in just one term — more debt than was amassed by all presidents from Washington through Bill Clinton combined. The debt is rising by $4.2 billion every day — $175 million per hour, nearly $3 million per minute.

So, America, that is the State of Your Union. But remember, Mr. Obama had not one thing to do with it. So don’t blame him when you go to the polls. Blame everyone else, especially yourself. [link]

The box score:

I read this and wonder why the Democratic Party is even running Obama for reelection.

Do they hate this country that much?

All Show & No Go

2012-01-23T07:06:00.000-05:00

I ask again, now that the South Carolina primary is in the history book:

Why is Mitt Romney running for president?

To this late date, the answer escapes me.

As, apparently, it is escaping his handlers.

Fellas, it has to be about more than this*:

Romney stages perfect events. For example, on the eve of the primary, Romney's rally in North Charleston was perfect from a production point of view: stage just right, big flags, big Romney signs, smooth introductions from South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, all topped off by a showy entrance by Romney, who arrived in his big campaign bus that drove right into the room.

It was perfect in every sense but engaging with the voters.

It has to be about more than pageant and process. Romney must have a reason for running for the highest office in the land.

Darned if I know what it is though.

* From "Why Gingrich won -- Why Romney lost."

Washington Examiner To NY Times:

2012-01-23T07:04:00.000-05:00

Get a life:

From the "Dim Bulb" segment of the Examiner:

Dim Bulb: The New York Times editorial board

Who: The New York Times editorial board

What: Claimed Newt Gingrich used "racial resentment" and "hatred of the media" to win the South Carolina GOP primary.

Why it's dim: Just because South Carolinians voted contrary to the Times' wishes, it doesn't make them racists or haters.

Cure: Somebody should explain to the editorial board that it's not 1865 anymore. Or 1964.

Retching the "racism!" charge quit being a cogent argument many years ago. Perhaps the editorial staff of the Times could get out of the 50's and enter this century?

Maybe Newt's The One

2012-01-23T07:03:00.004-05:00

Why do I suggest that?

Think about this sentence, from the Wall Street Journal editorial, "The Gingrich Challenge this morning:

"Mr. Gingrich's biggest problem is that more voters say they dislike than like him."

Not a good formula for getting elected, to be sure.

But is it possible that a man we don't like is just the man we need to make the choices that are going to enrage one bloc or another - or maybe all of them - as we bring this country back from the brink?

For the last many years Washington has been trying to please every human being in this country. Those without money and means are handed money and means. Those whose only relationship with the federal government is through the annual submission of their 1040 tax form have enjoyed a tax cut since GW Bush was president. Those who believe in a strong defense have been blessed with a strong defense - that we can't afford to maintain. Those who want a "green" government are getting just that - and are showered with cash to prove it. The unemployed are now assured welfare checks each month into perpetuity. Social Security/Medicare recipients now have more disposable income than any other demographic group in America because the government is providing them both income and medical insurance. The poor. The rich. Everyone in between.

A relationship that is unsustainable.

The government is flat broke and dysfunctional.

And everyone in government knows it.

And nobody in government has the balls to do anything about it.

They just sit by and await the crash. With prepared denunciations of the opposition in hand and ready to go.

Perhaps it's time we elected someone who we don't like going in?

Maybe it's that guy who will put an end to the madness, knowing that you're going to dislike him more after he's inflicted the necessary - inevitable - pain than you dislike him already.

(The alternative is Greece, folks.)

You find Newt to be dislikable? Maybe he's just the dude you need to set you straight. Like the bartender late at night who tells you you've had enough, to pack it in and go home, you don't like him or his demand, but you thank him the next morning for saving your ass from certain doom.

Quote of the Day

2012-01-23T06:22:00.002-05:00

From Maureen Dowd:

"Despite what his rivals say, the president and the first lady do believe in American exceptionalism — their own, and they feel overassaulted and underappreciated.

"We disappointed them."

"Showtime at the Apollo," New York Times, January 22, 2012

Newt Doesn't Back Down

2012-01-23T06:06:00.000-05:00

Here's a clip from yesterday's "Meet the Press" in which ultra-liberal host David Gregory pushes the now-tired narrative that Republicans aren't nice, asks Newt Gingrich - in so many words - if he even has it in him to be nice, and Newt replies with an assault on Gregory's buddies in the media. This is how you win arguments and influence people:

He doesn't back down or cower before the elite media. I like that about Newt.

* I heard it said the other day that Newt Gingrich may be the best debater in our lifetime. That may very well be the case. I can't think of another politician who holds a candle to him.

Question Answered

2012-01-22T07:37:00.000-05:00

The extremely liberal Christian Science Monitor, in a moment of wishful thinking, two days ago:

Is tea party 'dead' if Newt Gingrich fails in South Carolina?

Next question.

Guess They Know What They're Doing

2012-01-22T07:29:00.000-05:00

I'm kinda surprised by this. You all heard the news that Food Lion is closing a bunch of its stores. Well, included on the list of closings, according to the Roanoke Times, is the store over in Radford (or Fairlawn). Odd. I always thought it was really busy.

Must be some other factor or factors besides sales volume in play.

We'll never know.

By the way, the announcement included this fact: 5,000 more souls are entering Obama's unemployment line.

This on a day when the Washington Post tries to make the argument - again - that his "stimulus" wasn't an abject failure.

They should tell it to the ~~18,000,000~~ 18,005,000 Americans who are out looking for work.

It's What Jesus Would Have Wanted

2012-01-22T07:19:00.000-05:00

What does it say about me when I read this story about human beings desecrating churches and I found myself smiling?

It's a story about little angels from the Occupy Wall Street movement being given shelter and a place to sleep at night in two different (liberal) churches in New York City only to have them steal valuable church-owned property and piss on the cross of Jesus.

Being a "wrath of God" kinda guy, I think those boneheaded, do-gooder ministers who thought such horrors could never result from their beneficence should bring some old-fashioned, Biblical-scale wrath down upon the shoulders of the human waste that desecrates the House of God.

Instead, I'm sure their "hosts" will turn the other cheek(s) and encourage more thievery and sacrilege.

In any case, the "occupiers" will, in the end, get theirs.

2 Thessalonians 1:6-9; 2:-10-12:

God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power… . They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

Sooner or later ...

Obama Triumphant

2012-01-22T07:17:00.000-05:00

"Under my plan electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket."

-- Barack Obama, January, 2008 --

So it was written. So he has done:

As Price of Oil Soars, Users Shiver and Cross Their Fingers

How pleased he must be.

Giving Credit Where It's Due

2012-01-22T07:07:00.000-05:00

I'll give Obama credit. This took a lot of hard work:

Gallup: Only Carter was less popular
Don Surber

In his third year as president, Barack Obama was less popular than all but one president — Carter — since Harry Truman in their third year as president. According to Gallup, President Obama’s average approval was 44.4% in Year Three of his administration, above only Jimmy Carter.

Gallup pointed out that only three recent presidents averaged below 50% approval in the crucial January 20-April 19 quarter in the election year — Ford, Carter and Bush 41. None were re-elected. Stay tuned. [link]

What is the one word that links Ford to Carter to Bush 41?

Ineptitude.

And who has given that noun a whole new meaning?

Obama's handlers should be very, very worried.

The SC Results By County

2012-01-22T06:51:00.001-05:00

Click on the image to enlarge it.

There's a lot to be read into this:

Romney wins the urban areas. Gingrich takes the rural counties.

Hmm.

Extrapolated to a broader America and ...

... how strong is New Gingrich's support nationwide?

Map courtesy of Google and the Associated Press.

Does Obama Really Want To Do That?

2012-01-22T06:48:00.001-05:00

Nobody will remember this, but I do.

There was a time when Kmart ruled the retail world.

And then someone there decided to launch a new corporate slogan.

That slogan?

"Is this place great or what?"

A huge mistake. The company decided to leave it up to its shoppers - all of whom were tired of the long lines at the checkouts, no help on the sales floor, and a woeful lack of merchandise advertised in the newspaper - who were given the choice:

GREAT or WHAT.

And they voted for WHAT.

And Kmart went bankrupt.

Now Obama has come up with a new slogan:

CHANGE IS.

A huge mistake.

Because now we get to decide how that sentence ends.

CHANGE IS ALL THAT'S LEFT IN YOUR POCKET NOW THAT OBAMA HAS PICKED IT.

CHANGE IS SEEING THIS ONCE-PROUD COUNTRY DESCEND INTO A NATION OF FOOD STAMP RECIPIENTS AND THOSE WHO SLAVE TO PAY THE WAY OF FOOD STAMP RECIPIENTS.

CHANGE IS THE NAME OF THE GAME AT THE GAS PUMP.

My favorite:

CHANGE, THANK GOD, IS COMING ON NOVEMBER 6, 2012.

I think maybe Obama would be wise not to leave that thing open-ended.

One More Thing

2012-01-22T06:31:00.000-05:00

Is it just me or does this t-shirt - depicting our president with his new 2012 campaign slogan - remind you of another image from times past/future?

Someone had to work hard to capture that same malign glare.

Fitting. So fitting.

My, Oh My

2012-01-22T06:09:00.004-05:00

Maybe I was wrong the other day when I stated it as being a fact that the United States of America has moved beyond race. It appears that, in one tiny segment of our society, racism thrives.

At National Public Radio.

The ... friends of the downtrodden ... NPR.

The lesson to be taken away from the shameful Juan Williams debacle?

At NPR, if you're black, you're welcome. But you'd better dance when they say dance and you'd better dance to the tune they say dance to.

National Public Radio
Where Nothing Ever Changes

The plantation. Alive and well. And coming to you - for your amusement - on the radio each day.

My. My. My.

Newt Smiles

2012-01-22T05:48:00.000-05:00

I remember this smile taking over my face the other day when I listened to the recording on the radio of Newt Gingrich blistering poor John King with CNN for the dastardly crime of bringing up the question about Newt's past marital infidelity in the South Carolina Republican debate. I smiled because it was a stroke of genius.

Why?

Gingrich storms to SC victory, scrambling GOP race
By David Espo and Thomas Beaumont, Associated Press

Columbia, S.C. (AP) — Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich stormed to an upset victory in the South Carolina primary Saturday night, dealing a sharp setback to former front-runner Mitt Romney and abruptly scrambling the race for the Republican presidential nomination.

In victory, Gingrich praised his Republican rivals and attacked President Barack Obama and "elites in New York and Washington."

Obama is "the most effective food stamp president in history," he said. "I would like to be the best paycheck president in American history." Those declarations and his attack on the "elite news media" reprised two of his more memorable lines from a pair of debates that helped fuel his victory.

Exit polls showed he led among voters who said their top priority was picking a candidate who could beat Obama — a group that had preferred Romney in earlier contests in Iowa and New Hampshire. [link]

In truth, Gingrich's response to John King's "debate" question resolved nothing. But it set the anti-Obama, anti-government, anti-media elite crowd on fire. His win in South Carolina was assured.

Now it's a matter of whether or not he can keep that fire burning.

And, should he win the nomination, a matter of whether he can kindle enough of a flame in the bellies of all those citizens who see this country crumbling but are too lazy to get off their dead asses and vote to radically stop the decline. Those "independents" among us. Those who have more of an interest in Snooki's drinking habits than Obama's willful destruction of everything their ancestors strove to build and maintain.

As for John King's question, it ain't going away. Everyone in the media is now going to be gunning for Newt Gingrich.

But then, with their buddy in the White House, where they want him to stay, it was inevitable no matter who the Republican nominee ended up being.

Photo courtesy of the AP.
Click on the image to enlarge it.
Snooki, in case you're wondering.

Newt Smiles II

2012-01-22T05:42:00.000-05:00

I haven't decided to go all in for Newt Gingrich yet. I just can't get some of the goofy things he's said and done in the past - and his penchant for coming up with new ways for the government to control our lives when a "need" arises - out of my mind.

But this may force my hand:

The New York Times this morning has gone completely batshit over Newt's win in South Carolina.

See "South Carolina’s Divisive Message." And be amused.

South Carolinians are all racists.

They're all extremists.

They're "very conservative."

"Divisive."

"Mean."

"Aberration[s]."

I can see the really non-divisive, non-extremist Obama lovers at the New York Times struggling with insomnia, incontinence and erectile dysfunction (male and female staffers alike, ahem) about now.

That alone makes the Newt candidacy alluring.

Not alluring enough. But tempting to be sure.

Don't Ya Just Love It ...

2012-01-22T05:24:00.005-05:00

... when some judge somewhere decides what "the right of the people to keep and bear arms" really means. Here's another one. In Texas, of all places:

NRA Will Appeal Texas Concealed Handgun Case
NRA-ILA

NRA will appeal yesterday’s decision by a federal court in Texas, which held that the Second Amendment doesn’t protect any right to keep or bear arms outside the home.

The decision, handed down by U.S. District Judge Sam Cummings of the Northern District of Texas, came in the case of Jennings v. McCraw, in which a group of law-abiding 18- to 20-year old adults challenged the state law prohibiting issuance of concealed handgun licenses to persons under 21, who are treated as adults for virtually every other purpose under the law. (NRA is also a party on behalf of its members in this age group.) Judge Cummings ruled that it was unnecessary to address the state’s discrimination against young adults because “the right to carry a handgun outside of the home … seems to be beyond the scope of the core Second Amendment concern articulated in Heller [v. District of Columbia].”

Unfortunately, this is only the most recent of several court decisions that have misread Heller in that way. Heller, of course, only directly addressed gun possession in the home, for a very simple reason: The plaintiffs in that case only challenged Washington, D.C.’s limits on possession in the home, rather than its restrictions on carrying firearms outside the home.

More importantly, the Supreme Court in Heller never said the Second Amendment doesn’t apply outside the home. Rather, it said that the home is the place “where the need for defense of self, family, and property is most acute”—implying that there are other places where the need may be less acute, but still exists. Likewise, the Court suggested that it would uphold bans on carrying guns in “sensitive places”—which implies that carrying in places that are not “sensitive” would be protected under the Second Amendment.The NRA will appeal the Jennings decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and to the Supreme Court if necessary. Although the Supreme Court recently declined to hear two cases addressing the right to bear arms outside the home, several others are working their way through the courts. These include the NRA-supported cases of Peruta v. County of San Diego, which challenges discriminatory permit issuance under California law and Shepard v. Madigan, challenging Illinois’ complete denial of any lawful way to carry firearms for self-defense outside one’s home or place of business. Peruta is pending in the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals and Shepard is awaiting action in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois. [link]

According to this genius from Texas (appointed by Ronald Reagan, for God's sake), Heller simply reinforced our 2nd Amendment right "to bear arms" in our homes? So now the landmark decision is being narrowly interpreted by lower court judges to mean the 2nd Amendment grants us rights in the home that we are not granted outside the home.

For the love of God.

Quote of the Day

2012-01-22T05:15:00.000-05:00

"Abortion is as American as apple pie."

Memo To Bob Goodlatte (6)

2012-01-21T05:26:00.001-05:00

Regarding SOPA, that online piracy bill that you still favor but all of America outside of Hollywood opposes because of the potential mischief that the federal government can make if it is passed, read the comments to this Roanoke Times "Blue Ridge Caucus" post ("Does Goodlatte’s SOPA support make him vulnerable to a challenger?") (eleven comments as of this writing), and understand the hornet's nest into which you're sticking your perfectly curried head.

It need not get ugly, Bob.

Online piracy is a very real concern. And, according to everything I'm reading, addressing it through a copyright law upgrade is called for.

But the bill you sponsored went way too far. Policing the entire internet? Obama given the power to shut down any website of its choosing?

I checked the rules and regulations by which you're to function. That ain't there.

So stop.

And start over.

There are bad people out there.

I'm not one of them.

How Not To Win Friends & Influence Legislators

2012-01-21T05:17:00.000-05:00

So you know, there's a delegate to the West Virginia House who has introduced legislation that would limit the number of handguns lawful citizens could purchase from a licensed dealer to two in any given month. Need I mention the fact that the lawmaker - one John Doyle - is a Democrat? And out of sheer meanness, should I post his photo?

Uh. Yeah.

Anyway, this Democrat apparently hasn't anything better to do than push for another gun rationing law. (The fact that the unemployment rate in his state jumped dramatically last month - anything worth your attention there, Johnny?)

Well, a disgruntled constituent wants everyone to know he's upset enough that he wrote Mr. Doyle. And wants everyone else to do the same.

What he wrote, though, is just a tad ... intense?

Here's his letter (or email) (I cleaned it up so as not to offend the sensibilities of the pure of thought out there):

Dear Mr. Doyle,

In response to your House Bill 2229, I think the bill is ridiculous in the most common sense and pathetic. Your attempt to limit handgun purchases to 2 per month is a disgrace to West Virginia. As a gun collector, at certain times I may buy up to 4-5 handguns per month for my collection. Why would you want to limit handgun purchases to 2 per month?

You are a disgrace to WV and the NRA for even attempting to get this bill passed. You will NOT have my support in any way, shape or form should you choose to persue this bill.

This is f...ing stupid and pathetic. Two handgun purchases per month? Mother f...!

Uh, dude? Are you trying to influence Delegate Doyle or prompt him to defy his own proposed legislation and arm himself to the teeth?

Impassioned argument is one thing. Scaring the crap out of - or angering - your addressee is another.

How about you bring it down a notch?

My Thought Exactly

2012-01-21T05:06:00.000-05:00

I watched Barack Obama's new campaign ad on TV last night and shook my head in disbelief. It was the kind of thing that Joseph Goebbels would be proud of. I couldn't help but wonder, though, just how many Americans would buy the bullshit.

Investor's Business Daily? It isn'y buying one penny of it.

First, check out the ad.

Then read "First Obama Re-Election Ad Filled With Fibs."

Laughable fibs at that.

Not a good beginning, Barry, lying to us like that.

Cavuto & Wallace Are Wrong

2012-01-21T04:57:00.002-05:00

Look, I don't disagree that journalists are there to ask the tough questions. (If only they'd be consistent and ask them of all candidates. Has Barack Obama ever cheated on his wife? We don't know. He's never been asked. In fact, there's a host of questions that he's never been asked. The double standard is what riles us.)

And I think asking Newt Gingrich about his ex-wife's allegations is fair.

But this is over the top:

John King Defended By Fox News' Chris Wallace And Neil Cavuto
Fox News

Fox News hosts defended CNN's John King on Friday for asking GOP candidate Newt Gingrich about the bombshell interview his ex-wife gave ABC before Thursday's Republican primary debate.

King started the debate by asking Gingrich if he would like to discuss the allegations his ex-wife made during the interview. Gingrich said he did not and blasted ABC for airing the interview days before the South Carolina primary. He also lashed out at CNN and John King for using what he called "trash" to open a presidential debate. King received a considerable amount of backlash from the debate audience.

On Friday's "Fox and Friends," Fox News' Chris Wallace defended King for asking Gingrich the question. Wallace told the "Fox and Friends" hosts that he would have "absolutely" opened the debate with the same question if he were the moderator.

"Our job isn't to be popular, our job is to ask what's on people's minds...I thought it was a legitimate first question to ask," Wallace said.

Later on Friday, Fox News host Neil Cavuto also defended King. Cavuto opened his show by telling his viewers that it was King's duty as debate moderator to ask Gingrich about his ex-wife's recent interview. Cavuto said, "Enough with making CNN's John King a villain for asking it, and Newt Gingrich a hero for effectively dodging it." Cavuto echoed Wallace's statement and said that he would have opened the debate with the same question. [link]

So what are these two overlooking in their zealous defense (deployed from a rather too-high horse) of their colleague, John King?

The question was asked at a debate by a debate moderator. How exactly were the other three participants expected to debate the question?

No. King, in his effort to be the first to have the opportunity to ask the sensational question, stepped out of bounds. And Cavuto and Wallace are wrong. There's a time and place for everything. And the ABC journalist chose the wrong ones.

Think it through, fellas. Loyalty is admirable. Being blind in judgment is not.

I'm Confused

2012-01-21T04:43:00.002-05:00

So Newt Gingrich didn't ask for an "open marriage"?

Seems not. (I don't watch ABC so I'll have to take James Taranto's word for it.)

What's all the kerfuffle and hair-pulling about then?

Hmm. I'm guessing it has more to do with the fact that he is surging in the political polls than with the perception that his then-wife gleaned from a conversation she had with him many years ago.

If I were his enemies, I think I'd be pulling my hair out too.

Quote of the Day

2012-01-20T19:11:00.002-05:00

From Robert J. Samuelson:

"President Obama's rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico is an act of national insanity."

Without doubt.

Memo To Bob Goodlatte (5)

2012-01-20T18:45:00.002-05:00

You were on the wrong side of this one, big guy.

Learn from it.

Lesson Number 1:

"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same."

-- Ronald Reagan --

Ya Gotta Give Newt Credit

2012-01-20T18:37:00.002-05:00

Okay, Newt's ... neutering of CNN talker John King was fun to watch. But the smile that arose on my face - and just wouldn't depart - didn't really come about because ol' Newt let a holier-than-thou member of the mainstream press have it with both barrels. It was because Gingrich's response to the question about his cheating on his wife-of-many-years-ago that was bound to come up was ... masterful. Simpy genius.

Not because Newt even answered the question well. Or that King necessarily deserved the spanking. But because The Newtster was able to so adroitly deflect the question and take it to the inquisitor.

And the audience only made it that much finer.

As for the question itself, I think it was worth asking - and is still worth exploring - but not in a presidential debate, for God's sake. King deserved to be admonished for that. Questions that should have been asked of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama should, as well, be asked about Newt Gingrich. What's good for the goose ...

In reality, the issue isn't going to go away. The media will continue to hound Gingrich as long as he stays in the race. And Newt will be there givin' it right back at them.

Not all that enlightening. But was it ever entertaining.

* Newt says the allegations made by his ex-wife are "false." Now that's bold. Or suicidal. I wonder if we'll ever find out the truth.

You Know What's Preposterous About ...

2012-01-20T17:15:00.000-05:00

... this?

CNN Suggests 'Racial Coding' In Gingrich's Words

"Coding."

Translated: Gingrich means to say something that's not explicit or readily discerned. "Coded." For those who know the ... "code."

Tell me, is there anyone out there who actually thinks that Newt Gingrich doesn't mean exactly what he says?

Newt Gingrich of all people.

Gimme a break.

A Fine Mess Those Democrats Made

2012-01-20T16:19:00.000-05:00

You'd think they'd learn at some point.

But no.

Remember how the Democrats in Illinois raised taxes through the roof in 2010 in order to balance the budget and put the state on sound fiscal footing?

So much for that:

The Greece Next Door
Wall Street Journal

Run up spending and debt, raise taxes in the naming of balancing the budget, but then watch as deficits rise and your credit-rating falls anyway. That's been the sad pattern in Europe, and now it's hitting that mecca of tax-and-spend government known as Illinois.

Though too few noticed, this month Moody's downgraded Illinois state debt to A2 from A1, the lowest among the 50 states. That's worse even than California. The state's cost of borrowing for $800 million of new 10-year general obligation bonds rose to 3.1%—which is 110 basis points higher than the 2% on top-rated 10-year bonds of more financially secure states.

This wasn't supposed to happen. Only a year ago, Governor Pat Quinn and his fellow Democrats raised individual income taxes by 67% and the corporate tax rate by 46%. They did it to raise $7 billion in revenue, as the Governor put it, to "get Illinois back on fiscal sound footing" and improve the state's credit rating.

So much for that. In its downgrade statement, Moody's panned Illinois lawmakers for "a legislative session in which the state took no steps to implement lasting solutions to its severe pension underfunding or to its chronic bill payment delays." An analysis by Bloomberg finds that the assets in the pension fund will only cover "45% of projected liabilities, the least of any state." And—no surprise—in part because the tax increases have caused companies to leave Illinois, the state budget office confesses that as of this month the state still has $6.8 billion in unpaid bills and unaddressed obligations. [link] [emphasis mine]

So now what is state government going to do?

Take a wild guess. It's run by Democrats after all ...

Say It Ain't So

2012-01-19T05:31:00.000-05:00

Please tell me Obama didn't reject the construction of the Keystone oil pipeline.

Please.

Is he that hellbent on destroying our country?

He is:

Obama’s Keystone pipeline rejection is hard to accept
Washington Post editorial

On Tuesday, President Obama’s Jobs Council reminded the nation that it is still hooked on fossil fuels, and will be for a long time. “Continuing to deliver inexpensive and reliable energy,” the council reported, “is going to require the United States to optimize all of its natural resources and construct pathways (pipelines, transmission and distribution) to deliver electricity and fuel.”

It added that regulatory “and permitting obstacles that could threaten the development of some energy projects, negatively impact jobs and weaken our energy infrastructure need to be addressed.”

Mr. Obama’s Jobs Council could start by calling out . . . the Obama administration.

On Wednesday, the State Department announced that it recommended rejecting the application of TransCanada Corp. to build the Keystone XL oil pipeline, and Mr. Obama concurred. The project would have transported heavy, oil-like bitumen from Alberta — and, potentially, from unconventional oil deposits in states such as Montana — to U.S. refineries on the Gulf of Mexico coast.

Environmentalists have fought Keystone XL furiously. In November, the State Department tried to put off the politically dangerous issue until after this year’s election, saying that the project, which had undergone several years of vetting, required further study. But Republicans in Congress unwisely upped the political gamesmanship by mandating that State make a decision by Feb. 21. Following Wednesday’s rejection, TransCanada promised to reapply — so the administration has again punted the final decision until after the election.

We almost hope this was a political call because, on the substance, there should be no question. Without the pipeline, Canada would still export its bitumen — with long-term trends in the global market, it’s far too valuable to keep in the ground — but it would go to China. And, as a State Department report found, U.S. refineries would still import low-quality crude — just from the Middle East. Stopping the pipeline, then, wouldn’t do anything to reduce global warming, but it would almost certainly require more oil to be transported across oceans in tankers.

Environmentalists should fight for policies that might actually do substantial good instead of tilting against Keystone XL, and President Obama should have the courage to say so. [link]

Is Obama simply a coward? Or is he fulfilling his campaign promise to raise our costs of energy?

Either way the man is not on our side.

November! It can't come soon enough.

Obama, The Anti-Jobs President

2012-01-19T05:30:00.000-05:00

One day - one! - after I hear that Barack Obama - our "jobs president" - is going to focus his next annual budget proposal on the creation of jobs (how many times have we heard it before?), I read this:

The Anti-Jobs President
Wall Street Journal editorial

The central conflict of the Obama Presidency has been between the jobs and growth crisis he inherited and the President's hell-for-leather pursuit of his larger social-policy ambitions. The tragedy is that the economic recovery has been so lackluster because the second impulse keeps winning.

Yesterday came proof positive with the White House's repudiation of the Keystone XL pipeline, TransCanada's $7 billion shovel-ready project that would support tens of thousands of jobs if only it could get the requisite U.S. permits. Those jobs, apparently, can wait.

Unless the President objected, December's payroll tax deal gave TransCanada the go-ahead in February to start building the pipeline, which would travel 1,661 miles from Alberta to interconnections in Oklahoma and then carry Canadian crude to U.S. refiners on the Gulf Coast.

The State Department, which presides over the Keystone XL review because it would cross the 49th parallel, claimed yesterday that the two-month Congressional deadline was too tight "for the President to determine whether the Keystone XL pipeline is in the national interest." The White House also issued a statement denouncing Congress's "rushed and arbitrary deadline," which merely passed with overwhelming bipartisan support.

This is, to put it politely, a crock. [link]

I can't think of anything the president could do on his own that could be more destructive to the USA.

And he's done it.

Obama, the jobs president. Gimme a break.

This guy's gotta go.

- - -

That, by the way, goes hand-in-hand with this:

Interior Secretary Imposes 20-Year Ban on Uranium Mining on Public Lands

What are these people doing to us?

Where's Tim Kaine?

2012-01-19T05:23:00.002-05:00

Here's a spot-on response to Obama's cynical, arbitrary and short-sighted decision to block the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. It comes from the Republican Party of Virginia:

RPV Chairman Mullins: America needs jobs, not political posturing

-- Obama decision to kill Keystone XL more proof that we can't afford four more years --

-- Tim Kaine stands by his good friend instead of fighting for Virginia --

RPV Chairman Pat Mullins gave the following statement:

"President Obama tries to look like he is working hard to fix the economy, but today's decision is more evidence that he doesn't have the same priorities as the people of Virginia. We needs jobs, yet the current occupant of the White House has no problem throwing 20,000 jobs on the fire just to help his re-election efforts," Mullins said.

"President Obama's decision - and Tim Kaine's silence - make it clear that our country simply can't afford four more years of Barack Obama, or six years of Tim Kaine in the U.S. Senate," Mullins said.

"This is yet just another example of how Tim Kaine will stand by Barack Obama, even though his policies have a detrimental impact on the people of Virginia. "

"Virginians needs more jobs, not more political posturing," he said. "Sadly, that's all Barack Obama and Tim Kaine have to offer."

We need new leadership in this country, and fast.

And Tim Kaine isn't going to provide it.

He and Barack Obama need to be sent back to whatever hole they crawled out of and this country needs to get back on track.