The BULLY-ing Pulpit

Did president Obama come off after today's health care summit as someone looking for bipartisanship, or did he come off as the Bully in chief? We call the presidency the Bully pulpit, but today did he redefine it as the bullying pulpit? Newt Gingrich had a thought a few days ago, that the Republicans should insist on equal time, and Mitch O'Connell made the point within the first ninety minutes that the time was slanting decidedly left. Obama's response to that was because he's the president he wasn't counting his time. As far as I know he still has a D behind his name. In fact after the summit was concluded the clock watchers actually reported that Obama himself took 119 minutes to the Republicans 110 minutes. The other congressional democrats got 114 minutes. Adding that up the Democrat point of view got 233 minutes, or almost 4 hours, and the Republicans got 110 minutes, or just under two hours. Now that's bipartisanship!

Leaving all that aside did he look presidential, as he constantly interrupted the opposition and seemed to go into a 5 minute rebuttal after every Republican spoke? I think he diminished himself and went from what Sarah Palin called, "A professor at the lectern, instead of a commander in chief," and became an annoyed moderator of a political dog and pony show. He acted imperious and arrogant as he alone was the arbiter of what was salient, or what was talking points and props. Of course the latter accusation always came after Republican assertions and criticism of the over two thousand page bill. He seemed not to be able to resist the temptation to comment after every Republican. His body language smacked of condescension and at times anger. His rebuke of senator McCain, who called him out on the process leading  up to the senate bill being passed was especially rude.

It is apparently this exercise in futility was nothing more than an attempt to provide the Democrats cover as they prepare to Ram the senate bill through on reconciliation, and twist enough arms in the house to make Obama Care a reality. The problem is, by hosting this summit, he gave every American the opportunity to see Republicans rip the bill apart and offer common sense incremental solutions to our Health Care situation. As much as he tried to dominate the time and the direction of the summit the GOP did enough damage to Obama Care to make the reconciliation process risky and passage in the House uncertain. Paul Ryan's description of the senate bill as a Ponzi Scheme was especially damning, and Eric Cantor, with that two thousand plus bill sitting in front of him was very resolute in his opposition. Tom Coburn and Lamar Alexander both made excellent points on the GOP senate side.

The Democrats each began their talks with the predictable heart tugging story of a constituent wronged by the insurance industry or an unfair health care system. Louise Slaughter won the Olympic gold medal with her story of a constituent so wronged  she had to wear her dead sister's dentures. The Democrats came with sob stories and tissues, and the Republicans came with substance and issues. I think the public is getting a little tired of the moral blackmail attempted by this tactic. "You have to vote our way or more of these injustices will continue." Another subtle tactic was almost every Democrat pressed the faulty position that we are so close to agreement on almost everything here, so let's get it done. An obvious attempt to frame the summit as bipartisan but those wascally wepublicans just won't compromise, so we may have to just go ahead and do it ourselves for the American people. Of course the fact that the American people overwhelmingly oppose the bill in question doesn't seem to matter.

President Obama's closing statement was also telling, and proof that this was nothing more than a Kabookie Dance, as he said we'll take a couple of weeks, or a month, or six weeks and see if there is any movement one way or another, or words similar to that. But, if there isn't we, {the Democrats,} may just have to go it alone. He won't take reconciliation off the table, as senator Alexander asked him to do right at the start of the summit. Politico has reported  the dems intention is to start the process for reconciliation by Monday. So what we saw today was a cynical attempt to appear to keep campaign promises of bipartisanship and transparency which to this point have been nonexistent, and a very good performance by the GOP of framing the differences of the two party's approach to health care reform.The Republicans should continue to stand firm and be the party of..... "NO" Obama Care...., and when the Democrats threaten reconciliation they should look them straight in the face, and in the words of Clint Eastwood,.. calmly say....Go ahead, Make my Day!
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The Mother Of All Battles

The next couple years is going to be remembered as a titanic battle between the forces of conservative and progressive thought. No time in our nations history have the stakes been so enormous. The threat of 1 trillion dollar deficits ten years into the future and the prospect of government's continuing intrusion into the private sector, including the idea of a take over of our health care industry is setting the table for the mother of all battles. Progressives now control our government. We have a president hell bent on a redistribution agenda, and a massive expansion of federal power.

I heard the other day a good description of the fundamental difference between conservative and progressive thought. In short, conservatives believe in freedom, and because of that they are willing to accept a disparity in economic outcome. Progressives on the other hand believe in equality, and are willing to accept a loss of freedom. Why would anyone dispute the idea of equality? Don't our founding doctrines say that all men are created equal? Yes, but equality of opportunity and equality of outcome are completely different concepts. Conservatives believe in the former, but they abhor the latter. Do progressive really not believe in freedom? Well, none would ever admit to that, but policies of wealth confiscation that takes from one and transfers to another obviously reduces freedom, and in a very subtle way condemns the recipient to an entitlement mentality that robs that person of self respect. They also seem to want to meddle in every aspect of American life, and set standards of conduct overseen by a nanny state that doesn't trust the individual to make decisions on his own..

There is a common sense reality that Ronald Reagan prescribed to. Whatever you tax you get less of, and whatever you reward you get more of. When you tax hard work the inevitable result is a loss of production and incentive. Men will work for the good of others, but usually only in a personal way. It's hard to have the fruits of your labor ripped from your fingertips and dispersed by a pointy headed bureaucrat to a faceless nameless recipient. This is not charity, it's confiscation. It's the cruelest of all rebukes. You work and strive for a better life for yourself and your family, and someone unknown to you will be rewarded for your labor. The person dependent on government services develops  an entitlement mentality that breeds mediocrity and a meager existence. Both are worse off.

Conservatives aren't against taxes that fund legitimate services for infrastructure, defense, and to manage a civil society. But, when a government decides they're going to level the playing field and confiscate to bring what they call social justice and an egalitarian utopia, the principles that made this country great are on life support. Rewarding failure is the surest way to guarantee more failure. Bankruptcy laws were made for a purpose, and weren't intended to be usurped by a government looking for power and control. Free market capitalism cannot survive under a bailout mentality. Crony capitalism will be the result and the favored few will be the winners, and those who succeed will be punished for their success.

How do progressives convince the public of their agenda? Two very distinct ways. First they use class warfare to pit the poor and middle class against the wealthy. They lecture us that if the rich weren't so greedy there would be more for the rest of us. The rich must be made to pay their fair share. How many times have you heard that? Well let's look at the facts. The top 1% of taxpayers pay 40.42% of all income taxes. The top 5% pay 60.63%, and the top 10% pay 71.22%. More startling then these statistics is that the bottom 50% of taxpayers only pay 2.89% of all income taxes. It looks to me like the rich are paying way more than their fair share. What this heavy taxation does to the most productive members of society is shrinks wealth creation and job growth. 84% of Americans work for small businesses. Those willing to put capital at risk and grow a business that makes life better for them and their employees. When wealth is confiscated at painful levels, disposable income shrinks and businesses can't grow and therefore jobs aren't created. In this new era of progressive thought, government jobs grow as money is sucked from the private sector and into the hands of bureaucrats. Unemployment  in Washington DC is 3%, while the private sector has a 9.7% unemployment rate.

The other tactic progressive use to elicit support for their agenda is to try and convince the public that only government can.... for example, make health care affordable and accessible, bailout banks and car companies, provide for the poor,  stimulate the economy, create jobs, clean up the environment, regulate the foods we eat, make decisions for every aspect of our lives. They want the public to believe they are the arbitor of all things good and just. The contrary is usually always the truth. Almost every aspect of government is broken. They can't run the post office, they've bankrupted social security and medicare, they run a continuing huge deficit... The deficit this year will be almost as much as George W. Bush's first complete budget. Thomas Freidman in his recent column in the New York Times showed how progressives are going to approach the record deficits and enormous expansion of government, by telling the public that lean times are here. We're going to have to sacrifice now for all the years of plenty. The arrogance of progressives once again puts the burden on the people.

Barack Obama has been the most progressive president in our history. But,  there has been one good thing he's accomplished. He's awakened conservatives all over the country. He so accelerated the growth of spending and deficits that he dropped the frog into the pot of boiling water, and the frog leaped out. Up until his presidency the heat was just slowly cooking the frog. He has startled us to the point of a massive awakening. Now we see what has been  happening to our freedoms, and we are prepared to fight back and retake our country to what it once was. Do you want to live in a land of freedom, or a land of government controlled equality? The choice is obvious. Remember what William Wallace screamed before going into battle against the English lords, and  after they started to disembowel him after his capture.........He didn't scream equality, he screamed.......FREEDOM!!!!!
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Cleanse the Justice Department.

Attorney general Eric Holder has admitted there are at least nine Obama appointees in the justice department who have advocated or represented terrorist detainees before joining the justice department. Of course he doesn't go into any real detail and only names two who have already been publicly known. The admission was in response to Senator Charles Grassley's question before a senate committee, but Holder has not revealed any other names. My first question is, Why is anyone who has represented or advocated for terrorist detainees involved in any way, shape or form with this justice department? Are we to believe that there is no conflict of interest or loyalties with these lawyers that obviously have an ideological affinity to the plight of terrorist? Conventional wisdom says that a lawyer can advocate for differing positions throughout his or her career without there being a conflict of interest. That may be true, but, when you have attorneys that are obviously cause driven, that ideal can be stretched to the breaking point

Prosecution of terrorist detainees is one of the primary responsibilities of this justice department. When Obama, on his first official declaration announced the closing of  the Guantanamo Bay facility, it was clear a new era in terrorist policy was being ushered in. And even though his commitment to close the facility in one year hasn't been reached, much of the public is pushing back. Polls show by an overwhelming majority the public doesn't want Gitmo closed. The Christmas day pantie bomber who came from Yemeni training camps, has had an adverse effect on the administrations goals on terrorism. A previous detainee released during the Bush administration from Gitmo, is reported to be a leader in Al Qaede in Yemen.

The decision to try KSM, the 9/11 mastermind as well as four others in New York City in civilian courts has received an even greater push back. The idea of New York hosting the greatest show trial on earth is now dead, and the idea of a civilian trial anywhere is in doubt. Eric Holder has admitted, that the New York civilian trials was his call, although every one knows that Obama had to sign off on that. The public is filled with angst about this president and his administration's dealing with terrorists, and already captured detainees. The decision to read the pantie bomber his Miranda rights after just 50 minutes of questioning, along with John Brennan, "the deputy national security adviser for homeland security and counter terrorism," statement that a 15 to 20 % recidivism rate for released terrorists was exceptable seems to many as unbelievable, naive and dangerous..

Now this revelation that at least nine justice department lawyers that have either represented or advocated for terrorist detainees are working in the justice department, is just more of the same, and shows a contempt for the actual fight we are in against Islamic extremists. Eric Holder's former law firm represented many terrorist, and he is the one calling the shots, and refusing to release the names of others associated with terrorist defense. It's time that the outcry be heard, and either Eric Holder resign or be fired. If not a clear conflict of interest, and or loyalties is provable, the very appearance to the American people is enough to demand he be replaced. Americans who are serious about the defeat of Islamic extremism and the threat of terrorism, stand up and be counted. Demand a cleansing at this justice department and the resignation or firing of Eric Holder.
Check out my other blog.....Con-Men 4 Palin

Hope And Change, Or Harp And Charge?

Hope and Change was what we were promised by Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential campaign. The American people were transfixed with the idea of a young, bright African American as our president. The promise of an end to partisan politics, and the beginning of a post racial era that all Americans would celebrate, has fallen flat and left most feeling deceived. Most Americans are willing to forgive almost every political sin, but deception is a tough one. "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me," is the mantra of most voters entering into an unknown spring, full of every conceivable twist and turn leading up to the mid term elections.

There are of course still many hard core Obama supporters, but their support came from an understanding of who he actually was, and they liked that. They knew he really couldn't reveal his true self, during the campaign, and still get elected. But, many independents and republicans were duped, and now are in no mood to succumb again. Every Obama speech is now greeted with a healthy dose of skepticism. Every campaign speech was replete with Hope and Change, but now, every presidential speech is full of Harp and Charge. Change a couple vowels and consonants  and you have a perfect description of the difference between a masterful campaign and a very disappointing first year presidency, marked by excessive finger pointing.

The lofty rhetoric of, "no more blue state or red state, but just the United States," has been replaced with,  "the republicans are obstructionists, and have brought  nothing to the table " His speech on Wednesday, celebrating the one year anniversary of the stimulus bill was full of accusations targeted at the previous administration. "We came into office with a trillion dollar deficit, and an economy close to depression," he said. He talked about a lost decade, another reference to his predecessor. He hasn't taken any responsibility for the 4 million jobs lost since he took office, but instead he contorts the idea that the stimulus has saved or created two million jobs. He lectures the public on the idea of fiscal responsibility, while he submits a budget with a 1.56 trillion dollar deficit. But of course we all know that's necessary to correct the mess that the previous administration got us into. According to him, we have to quadruple the deficit to correct the deficit that was left us.

The stimulus was sold to us with the promise to keep the unemployment rate below 8%, and if it didn't pass it might reach 9%. Wednesday his press secretary said unemployment would be 11%  without the stimulus. The legislative process has been anything but bipartisan. Democrats have written and rammed through every Obama agenda item they could, while locking republicans out, and securing votes with back room deals and payoffs. Far from the transparency promised by candidate Obama. Suddenly it seems there's been an epiphany, as Obama wants to gather with republicans to discuss health care. Of course by this time the well has been poisoned, and everyone perceives a trap to use the GOP as a prop to label them obstructionists once again.

Not only has this administration decided to assign responsibility for every negative aspect of the economy on the previous president, but now they're trying to co-opt their successes. Joe Biden on Larry king last week actually said, "the Iraq success may be the greatest achievement of the Obama administrtion." Talk about the Audacity of Hope. Both Obama and Biden opposed every aspect of the Bush administration prosecution of the Iraq war, including the surge, and now they want credit for its success. At least that's change they can believe in. Remember Mr. President, "fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice shame on me." In conclusion, Harp and Charge is not a whole lot different from Hope and Change. like I said, just change a couple vowels and consonants, and Idealistic dreams become stark reality. Barack Obama sold us a bill of goods.
Read: It Just Wasn't Funny......at my other blog.....Con Men 4 palin

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Global Warming Hoax Is Dying

The newest revelation from a climate scientist seems to signal the global warming hysteria is falling under it's own weight faster than a D.C. snowstorm, and could possibly put an end to the sky is falling mantra we've been hearing for the last two decades. In a recent Mail Online article, professor Phil Jones made several astounding confessions. First, He says, that much of the data that supports the hockey stick theory supporting global warming has gone missing. Second, he conceded the world may have been warmer during Medieval times than now, suggesting global warming may not be man made. And third, he said since 1995 there has been no statistically significant warming. These three admissions are devastating to the global warming advocates. All this comes after the climate gate scandal that broke in late November. Professor Jones stepped down as director of the East Anglia's Climatic Research Unit after the leaking of emails that skeptics claim show scientists were manipulating data.

The widely accepted proposition that the earth is warming at a rate that puts all of us at risk, seems to have lost it's luster with much of the population. Recent polls, taken before these new revelations, seem to suggest the population is souring on the idea that man is the primary culprit for global warming. The very concept that the earth is heating may in itself be a myth, due to these recent revelations. The term scientific consensus always struck me as a bit presumptuous, seeing that science is something that is supposed to be a proven fact through controlled experimentation. So, consensus would intimate a lack of scientific proof, with many disagreeing with the conclusions. It's obvious that videos of Polar bears playing on melting ice rafts can be manipulated to suggest drowning and certain extinction. And all this comes with news that the actual Polar bear population increase is being suppressed by the global warming alarmists. School children were inundated with propaganda from multiple sources including the Oscar winning Al Gore movie, An Inconvenient Truth. I remember attending a back to school night for my sons freshman year in High school four years ago, where I was excoriated by the environmental science teacher, about the absolute certainty of man made global warming. 

Now as a freshman in college he has dorm mates trying to get him to attend global warming seminars that would adjust his thinking to the certainty of an apocalyptic warming trend, even though the science is far more shaky than just four years ago. The advocates seem apoplectic in their denunciation of all that would challenge their sincerely held believes of a catastrophic warming trend attributed to man made avarice and progress. The kind of progress that is bringing millions of starving and sick populations into a standard of living that would support their lives in an acceptable way. The cruelty of the global warming advocates position is a return to certain poverty for millions in developing nations as well as a lower standard of living for those in developed countries, through higher energy costs and less disposable income.

Every American would like to see a country less dependent on foreign sources of energy, and a shift to a new energy that is less expensive and less polluting. But, the idea that we're going to tax industry and American's into submission, for a new energy policy that isn't cost effective or even practical, to correct a mythical problem is not only cynical, it's fundamentally evil. Since the house passed a huge tax raising, energy killing bill last spring the American people have begun to push back. The same legislation in the senate hasn't seen the light of day, and is probably not viable in this election cycle. Because of that, president Obama has signaled that he may go the route of executive orders on a whole range of issues, but also to allow the EPA to regulate green house gasses more stringently, even without congressional legislation. This would be cynical and desperate, knowing that cap and trade is probably not a viable option at this point, and the window is rapidly closing on the federal governments attempt to seize as much power and authority as it possibly can before new elections further decimate their political capital.

Now here is the central question. Do these liberal politicians really believe that global warming is a danger to the existence of mankind? Are they looking out for our best interest? Or, is this just one more manipulation of sincere and patriotic Americans in an attempt to consolidate power to the federal government in another cynical way? With these new developments and revelations it seems that the later is the obvious answer. Any politician who continues to push a global warming cabal, while propagandizing receptive and impressionable children should be marginalized and defeated at the ballot box. Americans are losing trust in their elected officials at an astounding rate, and the global warming hoax is just one more reason to clean house of all that perpetrate lies, and work to lower the standard of living for all Americans. It's becoming increasingly clear this is a quest for ever increasing power. An even more tyrannical federal government, resulting in less freedom for all would be the end result.
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Obama Tips His Hand On Tax Increases

President Obama said on Wednesday that he's now agnostic about raising taxes on households making under 250k a year to help cut budget deficits. This is an obvious walk back on his campaign promise that no household making under a quarter million dollars a year will have their taxes raised. He is saying a presidential budget commission needs to look at all options for deficit reduction...including tax increases. We all know what presidential commission are designed to do. They're designed to take the political fallout away from the politicians who cannot, and will not make the tough decisions to bring down deficits and get spending under control. It's so easy to put the onus on a commission to avoid blame for breaking a campaign promise. I don't think the American people are going to buy this new tactic that always seems to pop up whenever tough decisions need to be made.

First of all raising taxes in the economic climate we are in right now, is not only foolish, it's disastrous. Even the liberal economists say tax increases in a recession is counter productive, although many of those same economists say the recession is over. Technically it may be, but the American people struggling with continued layoffs and under employment aren't seeing it that way. The smart direction would be to extend the Bush tax cuts for at least another two years, even though the administration has stated they will expire as planned in 2011. They've backed themselves into a corner on this with their non stop demagoguery about tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. They can't very will continue those cuts, when they have so poisoned the landscape with class warfare, and their attempt to vilify wealth creation.

They want to make jobs their newly inspired priority, but with the president walking back on tax promises, and the expiration of the Bush tax cuts coming soon, what small business is going to take the chance of new hiring? Apparently the new Jobs bill making it's way through the senate, is proposing that all new hires this year will be exempt from payroll taxes until the start of 2011. Small business owners are not as stupid as this administration thinks. First of all with a huge tax increase coming on many of them shortly, with the expiration of the Bush tax cuts, some might be tempted to game the system and make a few new hires this year, but when the payroll tax is reinstated next year, along with the expiration of Bush's cuts, they are going to turn around and lay off again. The utter stupidity of this administration and this congress is beyond belief. 

What the private sector wants and needs, to expand their businesses and make new hires is a consistent tax policy, without unknowns like a continued debate on a health care plan that will cost trillions, a new energy tax that will suck jobs out of the economy, and gimmicks like tax incentives that make gaming the system tempting but bring no real relief  to job creators. It's time for this administration to stop their tinkering and back off. If they want to create jobs for the private sector, instead of an exponential increase in government jobs, they should reduce capital gains taxes permanently, continue the Bush tax cuts and maybe even increase them. Long term rate reductions is the only sure way of guaranteeing long term growth. This was proven by John Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, and somewhat by George W. Bush, who all proved rate reductions actually increased revenues to the federal government. Then start a conversation on health care that will reduce costs by doing the simple things like tort reform, and other small tweeks, instead of this constant talk of a comprehensive overhaul. Drop the cap and trade legislation, and start offshore drilling and began building nuclear power plants as well as new oil refineries. Wait for the entrepreneurs to make wind and solar productive and cost efficient before you destroy the existing energy production for our country.

Their talk of increasing taxes on both the middle class and the rich, and saving their unwise monstrosity of a health care bill,  promises of new energy taxes this year, and obscene deficits way into the future, is pushing this economy to a possible double dip recession and a continued high unemployment rate. The administration's lack of knowledge about what makes the private sector tick is appalling. They all seem to want to govern in theory, without any real practical and proven experience.  I for one am starting to believe that their goal is to destroy the once greatest economy on earth, because it's even harder to believe anyone can be as ignorant about what makes an economy tick, as they seem to be.
Read: Biden Talks About Sarah....at my other blog...Con-Men 4 Palin
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Lame Stream Media..Redux

The Media bashing of Sarah Palin continues. Since my last post, Sarah Palin had a very successful weekend, with a national Tea Party convention speech, that was replete with Obama criticism and Reaganesque common sense solutions to the massive government programs and intrusion into the private sector. Plus, a Sunday interview with Chris Wallace that showed she has increased her fluency on many issues. But, what does the mainstream media concentrate on....Of course it was the fact that she had a few crib notes written on her hand, that she referenced during a question and answer segment after her speech...

Sean Hannity did a Google search on Monday and found that there were over 2,100 references to her crib notes...In contrast, Obama a week ago miss pronounced corpsman three times in a teleprompter read speech, {enunciating it with the P and S}. The Google search of that incident only found 17 references. The Media has once again shown it's complete bias and is becoming a joke to many Americans, as their obvious continued attacks on Palin attest. Andrea Mitchell who used to be considered a serious reporter seems to be sacrificing that assumption, with a mocking display of Sarah's crib note incident on MSNBC... Of course it probably won't hurt her like it should because the viewing audience of that Obama friendly network is almost non existence.  Chris Matthews also mocked Palin calling her a palm reader on his show, "Hard Ball."

Instead of really debating the substance of Sarah Palin's  speech, and appearance on Fox News Sunday, which a few networks did, the pro-Obama sycophants wanted to reduce the dialogue to a mocking diatribe that doesn't serve the public or their image well. Why are these networks, especially MSNBC, losing market share and viewership? It's quite obvious they have lost all objectivity and become this administration's lap dog, rather than democracy's watch dog. Palin Derangement syndrome has so affected their judgment, they seem to be willing to sacrifice their viewership and success to feed their addiction to this self inflicted disease. Soon a support group will be needed to address the dangers of a disease that could cost many reporters and networks their livelihood.

Sarah mocked back her mockers at a campaign appearance with Texas governor Rick Perry on Monday, revealing a palm with the words written "Hi Mom," on it. Her obvious amusement with the media's obsession with her destruction is going over well with most Americans. She seems to be able to laugh off most of this mockery which actually marginalizes their attempts at destroying her influence on the political debate. She is becoming a more serious player in the national debate, and the Media understands that. But, instead of a debate they know they will lose they continue their pot shots and mockery. With that kind of a strategy they will lose big time, and Sarah will be the eventual winner!

Update.....Robert Gibbs also picked up on the Palin mocking at the daily press briefing...They are as scared of Palin as the Lame Stream Media is..There was an obvious gasp at his mocking... This development came after the publishing of this post!
Read: Biden talks about Sarah...at my other blog...Con Men 4 Palin
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Sarah and Barack...Lessons in Media Bias

The free press in America over the last decade has obviously slid left, but the last several years the slide has become the extreme descent at your favorite water park ride. The coverage of two politicians over the last two years has revealed a bias that is making the main stream media obsolete and irrelevant in the minds of many Americans. Let's look at the coverage of Barack Obama and Sarah Palin over the 2008 campaign and beyond. If you remember Hillary Clinton was already compiling her transition team at the start of the democrat primaries. It was a  forgone conclusion that she was going to be the nominee and, with the toxic atmosphere for Republicans, the next president. Along comes Barack Obama.

It's not so much that Obama got glowing coverage when the primaries started, but the vetting was non-existent because every one assumed Hillary was going to be the nominee. Then came Iowa, and the dynamic changed, and suddenly the press jumped on the Obama bandwagon. Hillary came back swinging in Hew Hampshire, but the media by this time had found their man. The Clinton campaign desperately desired the media to vet Obama on his drug admissions, and his radical associations, both of which the press refused to do. His most liberal senate voting record for 2007 wasn't emphasized in either the primaries or the general election. The "Center for Media and Public Affairs," Analyzed every soundbite  from every reporter, and found 0bama received the most positive coverage of any presidential candidate ever. The general election was extremely slanted, with Obama getting 68% positive and 32% negative coverage, compared to 36% positive and 64% negative for McCain. Then along came Sarah Palin.

Other then the first few days after McCain announced her as running mate, and she made a triumphant speech at the convention, the coverage of her was brutal, deceptive, and downright libelous. Remember the swarm of reporters that descended on little Wisilla Alaska during the final stretch of the 2008 campaign. The mainstream media even reported some blogger's assertion that her baby Trig was actually her daughters. There was the endless reports of infighting in the McCain campaign, and of course the wardrobe controversy. The Gotcha interviews with Charles Gibson and Katie Couric. No such vetting or scrutiny for the, "newly media crowned messiah." No talk of his campaign buying his $1,700.00 suites, or his wife's designer wardrobe, and the closest thing Obama got to a gotcha interview was Bill O'Reilly's very well balanced questioning. One interesting aside was the two photos of Obama and Palin on Newsweek covers, and their Titles, just before the election. Check them out here.

Of course after the campaign, the Palin Derangement Syndrome continued, a virus that mutated from the Bush Derangement syndrome, and which is epidemic among the mainstream media. Meanwhile the newly crowned president was receiving constant gushing coverage. Was that just, "to the victor belongs the spoils," or was it more. At the same time Sarah, who had become a flash point for all things political, was under a barrage of scurrilous ethics complaints that ultimately led her to resign as governor, because of $500,000.00 in legal defense fees, and countless hours of time to fight them. The mainstream media kept reporting the complaints, but never went into the unfounded nature of them. By the way, all but one have been dismissed. Meanwhile Nancy Pelosi has yet to have an ethics complaint filed against her, that I'm aware of,  for all the travel abuses and taxpayer money that has gone to her traveling band of merry democrats that includes private trips for her children and grand children. The media has been silent, and those stories only appear on Drudge, Fox news, and similar venues.

Now we see Sarah making a comeback with a successful book and book tour, and a media job with Fox News. AP actual put 11 reporters in charge of fact checking her book. Did Obama's books get that kind of scrutiny? Her poll numbers have risen, mainly because she has bi-past the mainstream media and taken her case directly to the people. At the same time the messiah's polls numbers have slid precipitously, even though the media is still is carrying his water. Could it be that policy matters, and no amount of propaganda can change the fact that America is still a center right country, and the majority of Americans have a value system closer to Sarah Palin's than Barack Obama's? A Dec 9, 2009 article talks about their two poll numbers, and the difference between them melting to one point.

Many mainstream media outlets find themselves in a desperate situation. The New York Times and other major print organizations are losing readership. The three broadcast networks have lost viewership, while one, Fox News,  has increased. Could it be that propaganda doesn't sell like it once did? What is happening with the ascension of the new media? The Mainstream media biases are being called out, and the American people don't like being manipulated and treated as dolts. A recent poll shows Fox News is now the most trusted media outlet. They were also the most critical of Barack Obama during the 2008 campaign. Are those two facts a coincidence? I think not. The American people are waking up and realizing that the mainstream media did not truthfully report and vet the qualifications and policy positions of Barack Obama? Even now trying to get stories about broken campaign promises, and  questionable policies are slow in coming, although their survival may depend on a renewed responsibility to become, once again, democracy's watchdog. 

No politician has ever received more negative coverage than Sarah Palin, but her tenacity and character has eventually gotten through the media filter, and the people are seeing her for who she is. They are increasingly sympathetic to her conservative common sense solutions.  Barack Obama on the other hand has received the most positive media coverage of any candidate and president to this point. His true character, ie.. "broken campaign promises and true intentions," has come through, despite unprecedented favorable coverage. The mainstream media accomplished what they intended, and that was to put Barack Obama in the White House, but in so doing they have fatally damaged the progressive agenda, for years to come. All democrats in congress are now vulnerable, and a new conservative movement is amassing.  

Once again the people are making their own decision on what they like and dis-like about Obama and his agenda. You would think the media would understand that when you lift a flawed human to godlike and unrealistic expectations, the only direction  is down. And, when you unfairly scrutinize and malign another to a ridiculous point, rising  status will inevitably come their way, if they have character and integrity. The unprecedented fairness of the American people has made Fox News, Sarah Palin and all they represent winners, and the mainstream media, the Obama Administration and all they represent  losers in the battle for the hearts and minds of the electorate. What a ride the American people are in store for in the coming years, as ideologies, character and policy are debated and fleshed out with a less powerful mainstream media and a growing and more influential new media.
Read: Sarah Sensational.....at my other blog...Con Men 4 Palin

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Is Obama An Ideologue?

President Obama unveiled his budget for fiscal year 2011, and it came in at a whopping 3.8 trillion dollars. That's trillion with a T. The deficit will reach 1.56 trillion dollars for the same period, and both figures are historic records. The deficit projection is based on some optimistic assumptions from the administration, which historically don't pan out over time. The president started his remarks Monday, with  blaming the previous administration and previous congress for his inheritance of a huge budget deficit. This is becoming a tired refrain. . 

In no way will I defend the Bush era spending policies, but lets also remember that the democrats controlled both houses of congress after the 2006 elections. But, even if you agree with Obama's constant assumptions of his inherited deficits, does that necessarily justify his unprecedented spending and increased deficits. We could run all the numbers here, but we all know they are fluid, constantly changing with revenues dependent on employment and economic growth. So rather then quibble over exact numbers and how much deficit was caused, inherited, or projected by who, when and how, let's look at the philosophy that is taking us to greater deficits and the precipice of ruin.

Friday when the president met with the GOP house members he made a statement that defies reality. He stated, "I am not an ideologue." There was snickering in the crowd, and a noticeable gasp of unbelief, and when he noticed the stirring he snapped back, "I'm not." It was almost as silly as Richard Nixon's cry out, "I am not a crook." An ideologue according to Merriam-Webster is an, "impractical idealist, or a often blindly partisan advocate or adherent of a particular ideology." With this definition in mind his assertion is laughable on the surface. All of America assumed that since the Massachusetts special election of Scott Brown that Obama would be forced to moderate and at least make a small step toward the middle. Instead his SOTU speech was riddled with a defiant defense of his agenda even though he tried to emulate a populist tone. He is what he is, and most all Americans know that by now. 

He is first of all a big government advocate that believes  government action and largess is the mothers milk of growth as well as a fair and just society. Nothing he has done or advocated in this first year in office can repudiate that. The Keynesian theory of government spending to stimulate economic growth coupled with the bureaucratic interference into free market capitalism is what we have seen. Class warfare and the redistribution of wealth is the method of  achieving his goals. His policies punish success and stifle incentive, while at the same time rewarding passivity and failure. 

His 2011 budget repeals the Bush tax cuts that will certainly inhibit growth, so the vicious cycle can continue and more government spending will be required to meet the needs of the country. He is a pseudo egalitarian, which means he advocates the removal of economic inequalities among people. Our founding documents do not advocate for equality of outcome, but equality of opportunity, and consider redistribution immoral. The problem with the egalitarian is that while he works to achieve an equality among the masses, he becomes what  in theory, he despises, "a ruling elite." It takes a fair amount of political power and persuasion to confiscate from the producers and distribute that wealth to others. The elite lives the life of the self aware. His thoughts and ideas are superior simple because they're his thoughts and ideas. He stands above as arbiter and judge doling out government largess as he sees fit, favoring his political allies and trusted friends. We have seen  through the bailouts, bankruptcies and bills before congress, that his most ardent allies, the unions, have received favored treatment at every turn.

A true egalitarian would never favor one group above another and would live by the same rules he'd advocate for the masses. It's clear he believes corrupt backroom deals that inevitably bring about the desired results are preferred over transparent and honest negotiations, that may result in failure. Of course we have seen him blame congress for that backroom dealing, but he could have put a stop to it at any time, and the union carve out in the health care bill was negotiated at the White House. The old adage, "power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely." is certainly true, but when you add in the resolve of an ideologue, that corruptive influence in magnified. An ideologue will always live by the motto, "The end justifies the means."

The end result of a far left progressive ideologue's policies, is a continual high unemployment rate, and drastic reduction in the standard of living for all Americans. A decrease in wealth creation, a weakened dollar, and loss of liberty and self reliance. The loss of tradition and community as societal norms dissipate. The devolution of America as a super power and standard bearer for the rest of the world is inevitable. All hope is not lost. Many members of the majority in congress are not progressive ideologues and may take the lessens learned from Virginia, New Jersey, and of course Massachusetts, and began to push back against the will of this White House for the good of the people. And, if that seems too optimistic, we have November 2010 as our next best chance for turning it all around.
Check out my other blog.....Read: Sarah Calls Out the Chicago Thug Machine.....at....Con-Men 4 Palin
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