Sotomayor Rationalizes that if Minorities can't Pass a Test, An Easier Test Should be Devised

Judge Sotomayor is often criticized for being part of the three judge panel that ruled a Fire Fighter's test had to be thrown out because no blacks were promoted based on their scores. The Hispanics and Whites outscored the black Fire Fighters. Using typical left wing logic, Sotomayor suggests the test must be flawed. Fire fighting is the same regardless of your color. How can a test on fire fighting knowledge be discriminatory? Wouldn't it be dangerous to put the least knowledgeable Fire Fighters in charge?
From Flopping Aces Blog:

The Wall Street Journal got their hands on a recording of the Ricci v. DeStefano hearing that is much talked about when Sotomayor’s name comes up.

JUDGE SOTOMAYOR: Counsel … we’re not suggesting that unqualified people be hired. The city’s not suggesting that. All right? But there is a difference between where you score on the test and how many openings you have. And to the extent that there’s an adverse impact on one group over the other, so that the first seven who are going to be hired only because of the vagrancies [sic] of the vacancies at that moment, not because you’re unqualified–the pass rate is the pass rate–all right? But if your test is always going to put a certain group at the bottom of the pass rate so they’re never ever going to be promoted, and there is a fair test that could be devised that measures knowledge in a more substantive way, then why shouldn’t the city have an opportunity to try and look and see if it can develop that?

KAREN LEE TORRE: Because they already developed it, your honor.

JUDGE SOTOMAYOR: It assumes the answer. It assumes the answer which is that, um, the test is valid because we say it’s valid.

KAREN LEE TORRE: The testing consultant said it was valid. He told them it was valid…. They had evidence that the test was job-related and valid for use under Title VII.

I can’t wait to hear the evidence that Sotomayor has that would prove the test was “always” going to put certain groups at the bottom of promotion lists.

Suspect in Custody in Killing of Late Term Abortionist George Tiller (Raw Video)

Update: Scott Roeder Arrested

Raw Video: George Tiller Murder Suspect in Custody

Obama Administration Sides With Saudis Against 9-11 Victim's Families

Obama Administration's Justice Department has filed a brief arguing that the Wahabi thugs who financed 9/11 can't be held accountable in a US court. Unbelievable. From the NYT:

The Obama administration is supporting efforts by the Saudi royal family to defeat a long-running lawsuit seeking to hold it liable for the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

The Justice Department, in a brief filed Friday before the Supreme Court, said it did not believe the Saudis could be sued in American court over accusations brought by families of the Sept. 11 victims that the royal family had helped finance Al Qaeda. The department said it saw no need for the court to review lower court rulings that found in the Saudis’ favor in throwing out the lawsuit.

DOJ spikes voter intimidation charges against the three black panthers

The DOJ dropped charges of voter intimidation against the three black panthers in this video. Watch and see if you think that was appropriate.

"Security" patrols stationed at polling places in Philly (video)

WH Spokesman Insults British Press (video)

First, President Obama insulted British PM Gordon Brown during his March visit by denying him a full press conference and giving him cheap DVD's for a gift. Now, his Press Spokesman Robert Gibbs is insulting the British press by calling them untruthful. From Politico:

Robert Gibbs swatted down reports in British newspapers that suppressed photos of prisoner abuse included graphic ... images of torture and rape — and took a hard shot at the overseas media.

“I want to speak generally about some reports I’ve witnessed over the past few years in the British media. And in some ways, I’m surprised it filtered down,” Gibbs began. “Let’s just say if I wanted to look up — if I wanted to read a writeup today of how Manchester United fared last night in the Champion’s League cup, I might open up a British newspaper. If I was looking for something that bordered on truthful news, I’m not entirely sure it’d be in the first pack of clips I’d pick up.”

“You're not going to find very many of these newspapers and truth within 25 words of each other,” Gibbs continued.

Obama wants to send Gitmo terrorists to Australia

I seriously doubt Australia will be putting any shrimp on the barbie for these terrorists anytime soon. They have previously turned down a Bush administration request to take some of them. President Obama has come to the realization that bringing any of them here is political suicide, but he boxed himself into a corner by promising his left wing supporters he would close Guantanamo Bay by next January. Make some popcorn. This could get interesting. Reuters is reporting:

SYDNEY (Reuters) - The United States has made a new request for Australia to accept a group of detainees from Guantanamo Bay for resettlement, a government spokeswoman said on Saturday.

The request is the first by President Barack Obama's administration, which plans to close down the detention camp in Cuba within the next year.

Media reports have said the request involves a group of Uighurs from China's largely Muslim western province of Xinjiang. Beijing has reportedly been pressing Washington to return them to China, but U.S. officials have expressed concerns about their likely treatment there.

Earlier requests for resettlement in Australia late last year by former president George W. Bush's administration were turned down by Canberra in January on "national security and immigration" grounds.

A spokeswoman for Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith confirmed the new request had been received.

Obama Prepares to Gag Stimulus Critics

From Michelle Malkin:

Caution: Obama gangland tactics at work.

In keeping with his past campaign tactics to shut critics up through brute force, the White House appears to be taking steps to crack down on critics of the trillion-dollar porkulus law.

Is anyone surprised? Mark Tapscott at the Examiner reports:

A new White House policy on permissible lobbying on economic recovery and stimulus project has taken a decidedly anti-First Amendment turn. It’s a classic illustration of Big Government trying to control every aspect of a particular activity and in the process running up against civil liberty.

Check out this passage from a post on the White House blog by Norm Eisen, Special Counsel to the President on Ethics and Government Reform (emphasis added):

“First, we will expand the restriction on oral communications to cover all persons, not just federally registered lobbyists. For the first time, we will reach contacts not only by registered lobbyists but also by unregistered ones, as well as anyone else exerting influence on the process. We concluded this was necessary under the unique circumstances of the stimulus program.

Obama wants clean process for Sotomayor, but voted to filibuster Alito

Obama wants a clean process for Sotomayor, but voted to filibuster Alito in January 2006. Senator Obama was one of only 24 Democratic Senators to vote to filibuster the Supreme Court nomination of now-Justice Samuel Alito. What a hypocrite. From ABC News:

President Obama's expressed hope today in his weekly address "that we can avoid the political posturing and ideological brinksmanship that has bogged down this (Supreme Court nomination) process, and Congress, in the past" runs against another historical first for the 44th president: his unique role in history as the first US President to have ever voted to filibuster a Supreme Court nominee.

So while there is little indication Republicans intend to filibuster President Obama's nominee for the Supreme Court, Judge Sonia Sotomayor, the GOP will likely invoke the President's unique history whenever he calls their tactics into question.

In January 2006, then-Sen. Obama joined 24 colleagues in a futile effort led by Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., to filibuster the Supreme Court nomination of now-Justice Samuel Alito.

Sotomayor is a member of La Raza

Sonia Sotomayor is a member of the radical, racist, re-conquistador group La Raza. From WND:

As President Obama's Supreme Court nominee comes under heavy fire for allegedly being a "racist," Judge Sonia Sotomayor is listed as a member of the National Council of La Raza, a group that's promoted driver's licenses for illegal aliens, amnesty programs, and no immigration law enforcement by local and state police.

According the American Bar Association, Sotomayor is a member of the NCLR, which bills itself as the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S.

Susan Boyle Places 2nd in Britain's Got Talent 2009 (Video)

She was fabulous anyway. Kudos.

Susan Boyle Places 2nd in Britain's Got Talent 2009 (Video)

Oklahoma State Troopers Try To Arrest EMT In Ambulance On Way To Hospital (video)

Unbelievable. Can anyone say, "Storm Troopers?"

Oklahoma Highway Patrol fight with EMT (video)


Hat tip to Hot Air Pundit.

Citizens protest against Obama's lack of a birth certificate (video)

Citizens protest against Obama and his lack of an original birth certificate. Who said nobody cares about this issue?

U.S. Citizens vs. Barack Hussein Obama (video)

GM is bankrupt, NK is testing nukes and Americans struggle while Obama jets to NY for "date night"

President Obama is trying to empathize with Americans who are struggling to make ends meet in these tough economic times. He is taking a smaller jet to New York for his and Michelle's Broadway show "date night." Yeah. That makes us all feel better. From The Hill's Blog:

The Republican National Committee (RNC) went after President and Mrs. Obama's date night, contrasting their trip to New York City Saturday evening with Americans' economic struggles.

"As President Obama prepares to wing into Manhattan's theater district on Air Force One to take in a Broadway show, GM is preparing to file bankruptcy and families across America continue to struggle to pay their bills," RNC spokeswoman Gail Gitcho wrote to reporters.

"Have a great Saturday evening — even if you're not jetting off somewhere at taxpayer expense," she added.

The president and first lady had announced they will take a smaller VIP jet under military command to minimize the costs of the flight to New York this evening.

Obama Defends Sotomayor's Racist Comment (video)

Obama Defends Sotomayor's Racial Comment On NBC Nightly News (video)

Obama learns about intelligence agency while at a burger joint (video)

Obama should skip his intelligence briefings and just grab a burger every day.

Burger lessons (video)

From the video:

Obama: What do you do Walter?
Walter: I work at, uh, NGA, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
Obama: Outstanding, how long you been doing that?
Walter: About six years
Obama: Yea?
Walter: Yes.
Obama: You like it?
Walter: I do, keeps me...
Obama: So explain to me exactly what this National Geospatial...uh...
Walter: Uh, we work with, uh, satellite imagery..
Obama: Right
Walter: [unintelligible] ...support systems, so...
Obama: Sounds like good work.
Walter: Enjoy the weekend.
Obama: Appreciate it.

Democrats are hypocrites on minority judicial appointments

The hypocrisy of Obama and the Democratic Party on minority judicial appointments is astounding. This hypocrisy is being covered up and supported by the mainstream media. The MSM, Democrats and many pundits are cautioning Republicans and conservatives to be careful and not mount to strong an opposition to Hispanic SCOTUS nominee Sonia Sotomayor. They say Republicans will face a Hispanic voter backlash. Democrats can hardly keep from snickering over the quandary they think Republicans are faced with. When the Democrats in the Senate stonewalled Miguel Estrada, one of President Bush's first judicial nominees, there was no talk of a Hispanic backlash. Here is what happened when Republicans nominated an "inspirational" Hispanic candidate to the Circuit Court. From GOPUSA:

The self-proclaimed "Party of the people," has shown its true colors. The Party which claims, time and time again, to champion the causes of women, minorities, and the "oppressed" has revealed its true agenda. For the Democrats, the nomination of Miguel Estrada proves that it's not enough to be a minority. It's not enough to overcome adversity and triumph through education and hard work. For the Democrats, you must be the "right kind" of minority to garner their support.

Miguel A. Estrada was born in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, and immigrated to the United States with his family as a teenager. He attended Columbia College in New York and graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa in 1983. Estrada received his law degree from Harvard Law School in 1986 and was an editor of the Harvard Law Review.

With these sterling academic credentials in hand, Estrada served as a law clerk for U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Amalya Kearse of the Second Circuit. Estrada then clerked for Justice Anthony Kennedy of the U.S. Supreme Court. From 1990 until 1992, Miguel Estrada served as Assistant U.S. Attorney and Deputy Chief of the Appellate Section for the U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York. During the Clinton administration, he joined the United States Department of Justice as an Assistant to the Solicitor General. Estrada is currently a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP.

On May 9, 2001, President Bush nominated Miguel Estrada to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Circuit. This court is widely believed to be the most influential circuit court and a stepping stone to the U.S. Supreme Court. Under the control of the Democrats, the Senate Judiciary Committee let the Estrada nomination languish for more than a year and a half. Only after the Republicans took control of the Senate following the 2002 elections and the Judiciary Committee fell under the chairmanship of Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), did Estrada get his day. Estrada's nomination was passed out of the committee by a straight party line vote.

Now, Senate Democrats are moving to filibuster the Estrada nomination and set a dangerous precedent in the Senate. Never before has a circuit court nominee been filibustered. By proceeding with this course of action, the Democrats would effectively change the rules to require a super-majority of 60 votes for confirmation rather than a simple majority of 51 votes. Three Senate Democrats have already said they will vote for Estrada: John B. Breaux of Louisiana, Ben Nelson of Nebraska, and Zell Miller of Georgia.

Democrats managed to stonewall this extremely qualified candidate until he finally withdrew. The reason they blocked this nomination was they didn't want the Republicans to have a Hispanic candidate primed for any Supreme Court opening that might have occurred. The liberal media never made a big issue of this hypocritical political move. There wasn't any talk of a Hispanic backlash against the Democrats.

Rush Limbaugh asked, "How Do You Get Promoted in the Obama Administration? ...By Hating White People" (Video)

Rush Limbaugh asked, "How Do You Get Promoted in the Obama Administration? ...By Hating White People." Rush Limbaugh made this comment in regards to Obama's pick of Sonia Sotomayor for the Supreme Court. Sotomayor said in 2001,

“I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life.”

Many people claim that statement is racist.

Rush Limbaugh: How Do You Get Promoted in the Obama Administration? By Hating White People

Judge Sonia Sotomayor ruled against free speech

Bloggers beware. Judge Sonia Sotomayor ruled against free speech on the internet in 2007. A high school student was disqualified from running for school government because she posted a derogatory comment about a school administrator on her blog. The student and her mother went to court alleging her free speech rights were violated. Sotomayor joined two other judges in ruling that the student’s off-campus blog remarks created a “foreseeable risk of substantial disruption” at the student’s high school. They ruled that the teenager was not entitled to a preliminary injunction reversing a disciplinary action against her. NBC Connecticut reported:

In August 2007, Judge Sonia Sotomayor sat on a panel that ruled against an appeal in Doninger v. Niehoff.

Avery Doninger was disqualified from running for school government at Lewis S. Mills High School in Burlington after she posted something on her blog, referring to the superintendent and other officials as "douche bags" because they canceled a battle of the bands she had helped to organize.

The case went to court and in March 2008, Sotomayor was on a panel that heard Doninger’s mother’s appeal alleging her daughter’s free speech and other rights were violated. Her mother wanted to prevent the school from barring her daughter from running.

Sotomayor joined two other judges from the 2nd Circuit in ruling that the student’s off-campus blog remarks created a “foreseeable risk of substantial disruption” at the student’s high school and that the teenager was not entitled to a preliminary injunction reversing a disciplinary action against her, Education Week reports.

Congratulations. Every American household is on the hook for $668,621.

Congratulations. Every American household is on the hook for $668,621. That is what the average household now owes in federal debt combined with personal debt. Taxpayers owe an additional $55,000 from new government debt incurred in the last year alone. USA Today reported:

Taxpayers are on the hook for an extra $55,000 a household to cover rising federal commitments made just in the past year for retirement benefits, the national debt and other government promises, a USA TODAY analysis shows.

The 12% rise in red ink in 2008 stems from an explosion of federal borrowing during the recession, plus an aging population driving up the costs of Medicare and Social Security.

That's the biggest leap in the long-term burden on taxpayers since a Medicare prescription drug benefit was added in 2003.

The latest increase raises federal obligations to a record $546,668 per household in 2008, according to the USA TODAY analysis. That's quadruple what the average U.S. household owes for all mortgages, car loans, credit cards and other debt combined.

"We have a huge implicit mortgage on every household in America — except, unlike a real mortgage, it's not backed up by a house," says David Walker, former U.S. comptroller general, the government's top auditor.

Sotomayor's racist comments go from "common sense" to "poor choice"

The White House is backtracking on their Supreme Court nominee Sotomayor's racist comments. On Wednesday they said her comments made common sense:

Now, Sotomayor has been forced to acknowledge her words were a poor choice. According to AP:

The White House says Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor acknowledges she made a poor word choice in a 2001 speech in which she said that a Latina judge would often reach a better conclusion than a white male judge who hasn't lived the same life.

That's according to presidential spokesman Robert Gibbs. He says he has not talked directly to Sotomayor about it but has spoken to people who have.

Critics have singled out the 2001 comment by Sotomayor for criticism. She was describing how personal experiences can affect judging. She said a "wise Latina woman" with her experiences would more often than not reach a "better conclusion" than a white male.

Anti Gay Marriage Reporter Dragged Kicking and Screaming From Air Force One Press Area

A small town newspaper reporter for the Georgia Informer was forciblely removed from the press area near Air Force One. She was trying to deliver a letter in support of traditional marriage. The Secret Service refused to deliver the letter for her and told her to give it to a White House staffer. According to Brenda Lee, she declined and wanted to wait and try to hand the letter to President Obama as he walked by. She said the Secret Service became annoyed and removed her from the press area. She said they told her she could return if she promised not to yell at Obama, but other officers arrived and told her to leave. If this is true, her free speech rights were violated. According to NBC Los Angeles:

A reporter for a small newspaper was forcibly removed from a press area near Air Force One shortly before President Barack Obama arrived at Los Angeles International Airport to depart California early Thursday.

Airport security officers carried the woman away by the feet and arms as she protested her removal.

She later identified herself as Brenda Lee, a writer for the Georgia Informer in Macon and said she has White House press credentials. The newspaper's Web site says it is a monthly publication, and a Brenda Lee column is posted on it.

Calls to the newspaper and the White House press office were not immediately returned.

Lee said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press that she wanted to hand Obama a letter urging him "to take a stand for traditional marriage."

She said she asked a Secret Service agent to give the president her letter, but he refused and referred her to a White House staffer. Lee said she refused to give the staffer the letter.

"I said, 'I'll take my chances if (the president) comes by here,'" said Lee, who identified herself as a Roman Catholic priestess who lives in Anaheim, Calif. "He became annoyed that I wouldn't give him the letter."

Lee, who was wearing what she described as a cassock, said she protested when she was asked to leave.

"I said, 'Why are you bothering me?' They escorted me outside the gate," she said.

She said security officers allowed her to return when she promised she would not yell or wave, but then other officers arrived and told her to leave.

"I said, 'I'm not leaving,'" she said. "They tried to drag me out."

Two officers then picked her up and carried her out. An Associated Press photographer photographed the incident.

Does Sotomayor Have a Temperament Problem?

Judge Sonia Sotomayor is well known for having a sharp tongue. Some lawyers describe her as “difficult” and “nasty." Here is a sample from the New York Times:

WASHINGTON — Judge Sonia Sotomayor, President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee, has a blunt and even testy side, and it was on display in December at an argument before the full federal appeals court in New York. The case concerned a Canadian man who said American officials had sent him to Syria to be tortured, and Judge Sotomayor peppered a government lawyer with skeptical questions.

“So the minute the executive raises the specter of foreign policy, national security,” Judge Sotomayor asked the lawyer, Jonathan F. Cohn, “it is the government’s position that that is a license to torture anyone?”

Mr. Cohn managed to get out two and a half words: “No, your hon — .”

Judge Sotomayor cut him off, then hit him with two more questions and a flat declaration of what she said was his position.

Pastor told to close bible study at his home (video)

Pastor David Jones was told to end the bible study class he has held at his home for over 5 years. The stated reason is he has over 15 people attend. I guess cook outs, family reunions and poker games are prohibited to under this ordinance.

San Diego Officials Threaten Pastor for Holding Home Bible Studies

From YouTube:
Pastor David Jones and his wife Mary, who live in San Diego, got some friends together at their house for a Bible study. However, when the county of San Diego found out, the couple was told they needed to either stop the Bible study or purchase a permit because they had too many people in their home.

Story on partisan dealership closings grows

Many are claiming this story does not have merit because most dealers tend to be Republican. This seems plausible at first glance because most dealership owners are older, upper middle class businessmen. A first look at dealerships by Gateway Pundit indicates owners donate more to the GOP by a ratio of 76% to 24%. That does not explain why almost no Democratic supporter had their dealership closed. Many actually gained dealerships or had their competition eliminated.
Here are the story basics from Examiner.com:

Evidence appears to be mounting that the Obama administration has systematically targeted for closing Chrysler dealers who contributed to Repubicans. What started earlier this week as mainly a rumbling on the Right side of the Blogosphere has gathered some steam today with revelations that among the dealers being shut down are a GOP congressman and closing of competitors to a dealership chain partly owned by former Clinton White House chief of staff Mack McLarty.The basic issue raised here is this: How do we account for the fact millions of dollars were contributed to GOP candidates by Chrysler who are being closed by the government, but only one has been found so far that is being closed that contributed to the Obama campaign in 2008?

Florida Rep. Vern Buchanan learned from a House colleague that his Venice, Florida, dealership is on the hit list. Buchanan also has a Nissan franchise paired with the Chrysler facility in Venice.
"It's an outrage. It's not about me. I'm going to be fine," said Buchanan, the dealership's majority owner. "You're talking over 100,000 jobs. We're supposed to be in the business of creating jobs, not killing jobs," Buchanan told News 10, a local Florida television station.

Buchanan, who succeeded former Rep. Katharine Harris in 2006, reportedly learned of his dealership's termination from Rep.Candace Miller, R-MI. Buchanan owns a total of 23 dealerships in Florida and North Carolina.

Also fueling the controversy is the fact the RLJ-McCarty-Landers chain of Arkansas and Missouri dealerships aren't being closed, but many of their local competitors are being eliminated. Go here for a detailed look at this situation. McClarty is the former Clinton senior aide. The "J" is Robert Johnson, founder of the Black Entertainment Television, a heavy Democratic contributor.


A lawyer representing a group of Chrysler dealers who are on the hit list deposed senior Chrysler executives and later told Reuters that he believes the closings have been forced on the company by the White House.

"It became clear to us that Chrysler does not see the wisdom of terminating 25 percent of its dealers. It really wasn't Chrysler's decision. They are under enormous pressure from the President's automotive task force," said attorney Leonard Bellavia.

Adding to this story is the revelation Obama's Car Czar, Steven Rattner, is married to Maureen White, the former National Finance Chair for the Democratic Party.

The SCOTUS Nominee Media Double Standard

Obama’s Supreme Court nominee Judge Sonia Sotomayor said at a Cultural Diversity Lecture at the University of California Berkeley School of Law in 2001,

“I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion [as a judge] than a white male who hasn’t lived that life.”

Would John Roberts ever have been confirmed if he had said,

“I would hope that a wise white man with the richness of his experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion [as a judge] than a Latina female who hasn’t lived that life.”

Of course, John Roberts never made that statement. The liberal media would have been "up in arms" if he had. So, what does the liberal media have to say about Judge Sotomayor? From a New York Times editorial,

If Judge Sotomayor joins the court, it will be a special point of pride for Hispanic-Americans — as it was for Jews, blacks and women before them to see one of their own take a seat on the highest tribunal in the land. It will also bring the paltry number of female justices back to two. And as Democratic Party strategists have no doubt calculated, the selection could give Mr. Obama and his party a boost with a key voting group.

Hat tips to I Hate THe Media and Hot Air blog.

Every Green Job Created Destroys 2.2 Other Jobs

Spain is considered a leader in green-job governmental activism. An authoritive new study show 2.2 jobs are destroyed for every new green job created in Spain. The data was treated optimistically and the results for green job creation could actually be lower. Only 10 percent of the green jobs created were permanent. Rasmussen Reports Reported:

Well, in March, one of Spain's leading universities, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, published an authoritative study "of the effects on employment of public aid to renewable energy sources." The report pointed out: "This study is important for several reasons. First is that the Spanish experience is considered a leading example to be followed by many policy advocates and politicians. This study marks the very first time a critical analysis of the actual performance and impact has been made. Most important, it demonstrates that the Spanish/EU-style 'green jobs' agenda now being promoted in the U.S. in fact destroys jobs, detailing this in terms of jobs destroyed per job created."

The central finding of the study is that -- treating the data optimistically -- for every renewable-energy job that the government finances, "Spain's experience . reveals with high confidence, by two different methods, that the U.S. should expect a loss of at least 2.2 jobs on average, or about 9 jobs lost for every 4 created."

Despite expensive and extensive green-job policies, a surprisingly low number of jobs were created. And about two-thirds of those "green" jobs were just to set up the energy source, in construction, fabrication, installation, marketing and administration. Only 10 percent of the green jobs created were permanent jobs actually operating and maintaining the renewable sources of energy.

After closing GOP dealerships, Chrysler wants to open new dealerships

After closing 789 dealerships, almost exclusively GOP-linked, Chrysler now wants to open new dealerships. Perhaps some big DNC donors want to enter the automotive market.

Automotive News is reporting:

Chrysler did more last week than thin the dealer ranks in clogged metro markets. Chrysler also took out some underperforming dealers, leaving some good smaller markets without any Chrysler stores.

Chrysler President Jim Press said the company will be back in those markets.

Chrysler has been managing its dealer count downward in overdealered metro markets, a program called Project Genesis.

Cheney is accused of making Gitmo harder to close

The Politico's Jeanne Cummings is complaining that former VP Dick Cheney is playing politics with Guantanamo and making it harder to close. Since Obama wants to bring some of the terrorists to America, most people should support Dick Cheney's elevation of this issue. It is very unfair to accuse him of playing politics. The funding to close Gitmo was defeated in the Senate by 90-6. Why was dissent patriotic in the Bush era and obstructionist during the Obama Presidency?

According to Newsbusters:

The Politico's Jeanne Cummings, a veteran of the Wall Street Journal, fretted on this weekend's Inside Washington that former Vice President Dick Cheney has “changed this debate in a way that has made it much, much harder to close Guantanamo, which the President is already committed to doing.” So he's done an awful thing in daring to oppose something President Obama is “committed to doing.” Dreadful!

In fact, she soon charged that in complicating Obama's intention to close Guantanamo -- which Obama had announced without any plan for where to place the detainees -- “Cheney really did damage to the effort to keep our country secure by turning this into a political issue. We were going to have to deal with this and to make it a political issue is not helpful. It's just not.”

To which a befuddled columnist Charles Krauthammer retorted by pointing out the overwhelming bi-partisan vote to block the closing: “Cheney is the one who turned it into a political issue? I thought it was a 90-6 vote in the Senate. Just about every Democrat in the Senate-” Cummings jumped in to blame Cheney for turning virtually every Senate Democrat against Obama: “No, Cheney started making political arguments a week ago. That is when you did start to see the tide turn up on Capitol Hill. It was after Cheney started to talk about 'I don't want to be the Member who says I brought a terrorist to a jail in my district.'”

Burris Promised to 'do something' for Blagojevich

Many people wondered exactly how Roland Burris got nominated for Obama's Senate seat by then Gov. Blagojevich. Blagojevich was under investigation for trying to sell the seat to the highest bidder. Burris denied any wrong doing. Now, the FBI is releaseing audio tapes. The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting:

In a Nov. 13 conversation recorded by the FBI, Roland Burris told Rod Blagojevich's brother he feared donating money to the governor would make it look as if he was "trying to buy an appointment," but Burris ends the call saying he would kick in to the fund.

Burris says on tape that he's trying to figure out "how to deal with this and still be in the consideration for the appointment."



Burris ends the call saying: "I will personally do something OK? And it will come to you before the 15th of December."

Rod Blagojevich was arrested Dec. 9 on charges that included trying to sell President Obama's vacant Senate seat to the highest bidder.

Obama Auto Team may have targeted Republican dealers

This is a serious allegation, but the statistics seem to support this charge. It is very odd that the list of closed dealerships appears to have contributed a grand total of $200 to Barack Obama and millions to the GOP. We are not talking about a couple of big donor dealers. The list of closed GOP contributing dealerships is very long. So far, only one Democratic contrubiting dealer can be found and the amount was only $200.

Here is a list of known GOP donor dealerships that were closed from Doug Ross.• Vernon G. Buchanan: $147,450 to GOP candidates and organizations

• Wallace D. Alley and Family: $4,500 to GOP.
• Robert Archer: $4,600 to GOP and conservative causes.
• Homer S. Higginbotham and Family: $2950 to GOP.
• James Auffenberg and Family: $28,000 to GOP; $6,000 to one Democrat candidate.
• Michael Maroone and Family: $60,000 to GOP; $8,500 to two Democrat candidates.
• Jerome Fader: $6,500 to Democrats; $2,500 to Independent Joe Lieberman.
• Stephen Fay and Family: $13,500 to GOP.
• William Numrich: $20,000 to GOP.
• Robert Carver: $10,000 to Democrats including $1,950 to Hillary Clinton, nothing to Barack Obama.

• Robert and Linda Rohrman: $24,000 to GOP.
• Frank Boucher, Jr. and Family: $18,000 to GOP, $1,000 to one Democrat candidate.
• Scott Bossier: $4,300 to GOP.
• Todd Reardon: $17,000 to GOP; $2,000 to one Democrat candidate.
• Russ Darrow and Family: $78,000 to GOP.
• Bradford Deery and Family: $24,700 to GOP.
• Charles Gabus and Family: $30,000 to GOP.
• Brian Smith: $15,500 to GOP.
• Michael Schlossman: $14,000 to GOP; $14,000 to three Democrats ($12,500 to Sen. Russ Feingold).
• Don Hill: $11,000 to GOP; $12,800 to conservative incumbent Rep. Heath Shuler.

• Don Miller: $2,000 to GOP; $1,000 to Feingold.
• Eddie Cordes: $2,150 to GOP.
• Robert Edwards: $1,100 to GOP.
• James Crowley: $19,100 to GOP.
• Stanley Graff: $2,200 to John Edwards (2008 Presidential Run); $500 to GOP.
• John Stewart: $10,500 to GOP.
• John Fitzgerald and Family: $4,600 to John McCain (2008); $2,000 to Hillary Clinton (2008); nothing to Barack Obama.
• William Churchill and Family: $3,500 to GOP.
• Thomas Ganley: $9.450 to GOP.
• Gary Miller: $20,000 to GOP.

• Kevin and Gene Beltz: $18,500 to GOP.
• Arthur Grayson: $14,000 to GOP.
• Eric Grubbs and Family: $26,000 to GOP.
• Michael Leep and Family: $19,500 to GOP; $4,800 to three Democrats including Sen. Evan Bayh.
• Harry Green, Jr.: $10,000 to GOP.
• Ronald Hoover: $5,250 to GOP.
• Ray Huffines and Family: $18,500 to GOP.
• John O. Stevenson: $1,500 to GOP.
• James Marsh: $8,200 to GOP.
• Max Pearson and Family: $112,000 to GOP

Obama picks hispanic female liberal activist for the Supreme Court

Obama has picked, Sonia Sotomayor, a female hispanic liberal activist for the Supreme Court. That just about covers all his base supporters. Why are we not shocked?
From National Review's Bench Memos:

Judge Sotomayor is a liberal judicial activist of the first order who thinks her own personal political agenda is more important that the law as written. She thinks that judges should dictate policy, and that one's sex, race, and ethnicity ought to affect the decisions one renders from the bench.

She reads racial preferences and quotas into the Constitution, even to the point of dishonoring those who preserve our public safety. On September 11, America saw firsthand the vital role of America's firefighters in protecting our citizens. They put their lives on the line for her and the other citizens of New York and the nation. But Judge Sotomayor would sacrifice their claims to fair treatment in employment promotions to racial preferences and quotas. The Supreme Court is now reviewing that decision.

She has an extremely high rate of her decisions being reversed, indicating that she is far more of a liberal activist than even the current liberal activist Supreme Court.

Hugo Chavez supplies Iran with uranium for its nuclear program

The Marxist leaders of Venezuela and Bolivia are supplying Iran with uranium according to a new Israeli report. Via Gateway Pundit.
FOX News reported:

Venezuela and Bolivia are supplying Iran with uranium for its nuclear program, according to a secret Israeli government report obtained Monday by The Associated Press.

The two South American countries are known to have close ties with Iran, but this is the first allegation that they are involved in the development of Iran's nuclear program, considered a strategic threat by Israel.

"There are reports that Venezuela supplies Iran with uranium for its nuclear program," the Foreign Ministry document states, referring to previous Israeli intelligence conclusions. It added, "Bolivia also supplies uranium to Iran."

The report concludes that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is trying to undermine the United States by supporting Iran.

Andy Rooney insulted veterans on Memorial Day

Bitter liberal Andy Rooney insulted veterans on Memorial Day by saying war was our "least noble activity." Since when was defeating Adolf Hitler and freeing millions of people from an evil dictatorship our least noble activity?
From the video:

There is more bravery at war than in peace, and it seems wrong that we have so often saved this virtue to use for our least noble activity - war. The goal of war is to cause death to other people.

RHINO Powell educates Obama on realities of closing Gitmo

Colin Powell said President Bush wanted to close Gitmo, but there wasn't any realistic way of doing it. President Obama wants to bring the terrorists to the US. Poawel may be a Republican in name onlt, but he is smarter than that. According to CBS News:

"I think President Obama didn't handle it very well by going up to the Congress and asking for $80 million without a plan. And by, frankly, giving enough time to opponents of it to marshal their forces as to why we shouldn't do this," he said.

Powell said that he has lobbied for Guantanamo to be closed or the last six years and that he went to his boss, former President Bush, with his concerns.

He even said that President Bush wanted to close the prison, but could not figure out how to- a point he used to answer criticism from former Vice President Dick Cheney.

"Mr. Cheney is not only disagreeing with President Obama's policy. He's disagreeing with President Bush's policy. President Bush stated repeatedly to international audiences and to the country that he wanted to close Guantanamo. The problem he had was he couldn't get all the pieces together," Powell said.

He said he was not buying "the business" that the United States would be less safe should the prisoners be transported to U.S. prisons.

Iran has a new attack helicopter

It appears to be a cheap Cobra knock off, but carries a formidable array of weapons and has all weather capability. The Israelis have real Cobras and Apaches.

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC)'s latest homemade attack helicopter, the Shahed (Witness) 285, has joined Iran's aerial fleet.

The Shahed 285 was unveiled Sunday on the anniversary of the 1982 liberation of the Iranian city Khoramshahr -- which was occupied by Iraqi forces during the 1980-88 war.

The IRGC says the state-of-the-art helicopter is capable of taking part in seaborne and airborne combat operations. The Shahed 285 can carry autocanons, machine guns, guided missiles, anti-armor missiles and air-to-air and air-to-sea missiles.

The "100-percent domestic-made all-weather aircraft" has a slick aerodynamic design and is capable of taking off in harsh conditions.

Obama outsources torture

Obama has ordered the secret CIA prisons closed and stopped "enhanced interrogation techniques" that were employed by the Bush administration. So, how is he going to get the valuable information we need? He has outsourced this to Middle East countries according to the New York Times. They would never employ torture or other rough interrogation techniques. From the NYT:

The United States is now relying heavily on foreign intelligence services to capture, interrogate and detain all but the highest-level terrorist suspects seized outside the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan, according to current and former American government officials.

The change represents a significant loosening of the reins for the United States, which has worked closely with allies to combat violent extremism since the 9/11 attacks but is now pushing that cooperation to new limits.

In the past 10 months, for example, about a half-dozen midlevel financiers and logistics experts working with Al Qaeda have been captured and are being held by intelligence services in four Middle Eastern countries after the United States provided information that led to their arrests by local security services, a former American counterterrorism official said.

Colin Powell will remain in GOP and head up left wing of party

Via YouTube:
Colin Powell told Face the Nation today that he's not leaving the GOP. Powell made the statement today after being attacked by Dick Cheney and Rush Limbaugh for supporting Far Left socialist candidate Barack Obama in the last election. Powell hopes to head up the socialist cut-and-run wing of the GOP.

Colin Powell: "I'm Not Leaving the GOP"

Hamas Made $800 Million in Smuggling Tunnel Investment Scam

Ever wonder how Hamas was funding their war against Israel? One way is by scamming money from Palestinians. Of course, they have always misused foreign aid. Arutz Sheva reported:

Hamas raked in $800 million from Gaza residents who invested in smuggling tunnels but lost most of their money to the ruling terrorist organization, Fatah has charged.

The Palestine Media Center, a branch of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), accused the terrorist organization of forcing contributors to sign documents stating that they received all of their money although Hamas retuned only 16 percent of the funds. The document also includes a pledge that the investors will not sue.

The money was supposed to be invested in two companies that Hamas set up in Egypt and Turkey after the coup two years ago. They money was invested in trading cigarettes, fuel and commodities, including animals, all of which were smuggled in tunnels between Egypt and Gaza.

Hamas previously had denied the scheme but now has admitted to it after individuals started looking for their money, the PLO media reported.

The rival Fatah faction, headed by Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, also has charged Hamas recently received 50 ambulances from European countries and immediately painted them black, removed medical equipment and put them into service for its army.

Karl Rove blasts Obama for unprecedented attacks on predecessor (video)

From the video:

"We have seen an unprecedented attempt by the current administration to attack its predecessor. Traditionally, when we have a change in administration the new administration may make an occasional reference to the previous administration but it's sort of like that was yesterday let's look forward. Instead this administration has almost daily I mean there has not been a week go by where there has not been several attacks made on its predecessor.

Finally, Dick Cheney decided that while he would like to stay on the sideline and keep a low profile that somebody had to stand up and set the record straight. And, I for one is glad that he did so."

New GM will need tens of billions in new government money

In order to save the UAW GM, the government will need to forgive $19.4 billion in loans and provide the "new" GM with tens of billions in additional support until the car market improves.
The Financial Times is reporting:

General Motors is preparing to file for bankruptcy protection as early as May 31, but a speedy restructuring of the car maker faces headwinds from an increasingly skeptical US Congress.

Under the current plan, the US government would cancel most or all of its existing debt in the company and invest in a “new” GM that could emerge from bankruptcy in the autumn, said a person close to the matter.

GM would receive tens of billions of dollars in new government money, probably in stages, to prop up its business at a time when car sales are threatening to be lower than the 10m annual rate at which GM says it can break even.

The person said that the government may keep a slice of debt in the “old” GM assets that are wound down in bankruptcy to retain leverage over the process.

GM, the largest US car maker, is likely to file for bankruptcy protection even if 100 per cent of bondholders agree to a debt swap proposed by the company and the government, said people close to the company. An agreement looked unlikely on Friday, after a bondholder committee said it would reject the offer.

GOP Fires a Hilarious Video Shot at Pelosi

The GOP have made a James Bond themed video spoof of liar Nancy Pelosi and her CIA statements. This is hilarious!

Pelosi v. The CIA (video)

WND is Putting Up "Where's the Birth Certificate" Billboards

The WorldNetDaily website has launched a campaign to put up "Where's the Birth Certificate" billboards across America to keep the focus on Barack Obama's refusal to disclose his "vault copy" birth certificate. The first ones are already in place. There has been a raging controversy over his Constitutional eligibility to be President for several months. So far, Barack Obama has succeeded in hiding his original birth and college records. From WND:

WASHINGTON – As WND's billboard campaign to raise visibility of the issues surrounding Barack Obama's constitutional eligibility yesterday continued to attract eager donors, the president had this to say: "I will never hide the truth because it is uncomfortable."

"On all of these matters related to the disclosure of sensitive information, I wish I could say that there is a simple formula," Obama said. "But there is not. These are tough calls involving competing concerns, and they require a surgical approach. But the common thread that runs through all of my decisions is simple: we will safeguard what we must to protect the American people, but we will also ensure the accountability and oversight that is the hallmark of our constitutional system. I will never hide the truth because it is uncomfortable. I will deal with Congress and the courts as co-equal branches of government. I will tell the American people what I know and don’t know, and when I release something publicly or keep something secret, I will tell you why."

Joseph Farah, WND's editor and chief executive officer, reacted to Obama's statement in stunned amazement.

"This is a guy who has no trouble turning over sensitive documents from previous administrations, but he still refuses to release for public view something seemingly so innocuous as his own birth certificate," said Farah. "This is a double-standard wide enough to sail the Queen Mary 2 through. Statements like this need to be challenged by a vibrant and free press. And that's what our 'Where's the birth certificate?' billboard campaign is all about."

The Second American Revolution (video)

Thomas Paine, author of "Common Sense," returns to modern times to plea for a second revolution to take back America, Now! This video was first posted on YouTube in July 2008. The election of Barack Obama and the hard left turn he has imposed on this country really bring the message home. Every patriotic American needs to watch this video.

The Second American Revolution (video)

Obama snubs kids to host Steelers (video)

White House cancels kids’ tour to host Steelers (video)

O'Reilly attacks GE for corrupt use of CNBC & MSNBC to promote Obama's progressive agenda for its own financial gain

O'Reilly attacks GE for corrupt use of CNBC & MSNBC to promote Obama's progressive agenda for its own financial gain. From the video:

"Will General Electric get paid for supporting President Obama - that is the subject of this evening's Talking Points Memo," O'Reilly said. "As everybody knows, GE, which owns NBC has been very aggressive in helping Barack Obama - first supporting the president in the election and now attacking his critics.

"Now, most CEOs would have stopped NBC's corruption a long time ago, but Immelt may be looking for a major payoff," O'Reilly said. "According to reporting by the Washington Examiner, GE is heavily lobbying the Obama administration for bailout money. The company is also pushing for the proposed cap-and-trade program. Apparently GE has set up a joint venture it hopes would manage billions of dollars in cap-and-trade transactions should that corporate carbon tax pass Congress."

Here is the video from Bill O'Reilly.

California has a spending rather than revenue problem (video)

California state government is bankrupt, but San Diego has a $700 million surplus. How? Watch as San Diego Board of Supervisors Chairman Dianne Jacob explains why California has a spending rather than revenue problem.

Did California Spend Too Much? (video)

Why one guy is leaving New York

The reason is taxes, taxes and more taxes. From Speakupwny.com:

Friends,

I love New York. But how much should it cost to call New York home? Decades of out of control budgets, spending increases and relentless borrowing have made New York simply too expensive.

Politicians like to talk about incentives: incentives for businesses to relocate, incentives to buy local and incentives to make smart decisions. After reviewing the 2009 budget I have identified the most compelling incentive of all: a major tax break immediately available to all New Yorkers. To be eligible, you need only do one thing: move out of New York State.

Last week I spent 90 minutes doing a couple of simple things-registering to vote, changing my drivers license, filling out a domicile certificate and signing a homestead certificate-in Florida. Combined with spending a 184 days a year outside New York these simple procedures will save me over $5 million in NY taxes annually.

That savings doesn't include that Florida has a 6% sales tax compared to NY's 8% or more. Florida has lower utility taxes. Lower gasoline taxes. Or that the Florida homestead certificate guarantees my property taxes will not grow more than 3%.

Obama Bashes Bush at Naval Academy Graduation (Video)

From the Gateway Pundit:
CLASSY OBAMA BASHES BUSH AT NAVAL ACADEMY GRADUATION--
Obama told the grads he would only send them into harm's way "when it was necessary."


Breitbart reported:

President Barack Obama Friday warned America risked its security when it compromised its values, seeking support for his bid to sketch a new legal framework for anti-terror policies.

Obama used the backdrop of the US Naval Academy graduation ceremony to argue that founding US ideals must guide the future battle against terrorism, a day after trying to quell raging debate over Guantanamo Bay in a major speech.

"We uphold our fundamental principles and values not just because we choose to, but because we swear to -- not because they feel good, but because they help keep us safe," Obama told 30,000 graduating navy cadets and family members.

"When America strays from our values, it not only undermines the rule of law, it alienates us from our allies, it energizes our adversaries and it endangers our national security and the lives of our troops."

Obama told the graduates they would face a "full spectrum of threats" from 18th century-style piracy to cyber terrorism.

"As long as I am your commander-in-chief, I will only send you into harm's way when it is absolutely necessary," Obama said, in an apparent veiled criticism of the Bush administration war in Iraq, which the president has argued was unnecessary.

Obama fails to deliver on stimulus transparency promise

President Obama promised unprecedented transparency in how the hundreds of billions of our tax dollars would be spent. He gave VP Joe Biden an oversight role, which is a lot like putting a chimpanzee in charge of a space shuttle launch. Biden gave out the wrong web address for tracking stimulus spending. Ironically, the nongovernmental address address he gave out (recovery.org)is doing a better job than the actual Obama administration site (recovery.gov). The government site has only news releases and general breakdowns of the spending. The Washington Post reported:

Shortly after the economic stimulus bill was signed, Vice President Biden was talking up the administration's Web site to track the spending, Recovery.gov, when he accidentally directed people to Recovery.org.

As slip-ups go, this one had an upside: Unlike the government site, the privately run Recovery.org is actually providing detailed information about how the $787 billion in stimulus money is being spent.

To build support for the stimulus package, President Obama vowed unprecedented transparency, a big part of which, he said, would be allowing taxpayers to track money to the street level on Recovery.gov. Together with a spruced-up WhiteHouse.gov, the site would inject the stodgy federal bureaucracy with the same Webby accessibility and Facebook-generation flair that defined the Obama campaign.

But three months after the bill was signed, Recovery.gov offers little beyond news releases, general breakdowns of spending, and acronym-laden spreadsheets and timelines. And congressional Democrats, state officials and advocates of open government worry that the White House cannot come close to clearing the high bar it set.

President Obama does not know his Defense Chiefs name

President Obama does not know his Defense chiefs name. He has flubbed it twice in one week. He needs to talk to Bob Gates more often and he will have a better understanding of what this country needs for national security. MyFoxDC is reporting:

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama sees his secretary of defense just about every day, but he still flubbed Robert Gates' name on Thursday.

Gates was in the crowd for Obama's national security speech. Pointing him out, the president said "William Gates" was on hand. Perhaps Obama was thinking of Bill Gates, the Microsoft billionaire.

The defense chief, who goes by Bob, was also misidentified at a Pentagon ceremony on Tuesday. Then, he was introduced as Ronald Gates.

Public Opinion of Dick Cheney Improves

Former Vice President Dick Cheney's favorable poll ratings are on the rise. His numbers have improved by 8 points since January. During that time he has emerged as a defender of Bush White House policy and a vocal critic of some of Prescient Obama's positions. CNN reported:

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- As Dick Cheney prepares to give a major speech on the battle against terrorism, a new national poll suggests that favorable opinions of the former vice president are on the rise.

But the CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey, released Thursday morning, indicates that a majority of Americans still have an unfavorable opinion of Cheney.

Fifty-five percent of people questioned in the poll say they have an unfavorable opinion of the former vice president. Thirty-seven percent say they have a favorable opinion of Cheney, up 8 percentage points from January when he left office.

In the past two months, the former vice president has become a frequent critic of the new administration in numerous national media interviews.

Chris Matthews Calls Michael Steele a Liar & Fearmongerer (video)

Chris Matthews lost it today after Dick Cheney's rebuttal of President Obama's national defense speech. Watching Cheny debate Obama is like watching a howitzer going against a water gun. It is no contest. Matthews took his frustration out on Micheal Steele.

From the video:

"Hardball" host Chris Matthews calls RNC chairman Michael Steele's statement, saying President Obama is "allowing terrorists into the United States", a "cheap shot" and "as close to a lie as I can think of."
"I'm thinking of bad names to call Michael Steele," he begins.

Lawrence O'Donnell comments, "It's breathtaking how stupid they can be in the way they talk about this.

Chris Matthews Calls Michael Steele A Liar, Fearmongerer (video)

House democrats refuse to investigate Pelosi claims against CIA

House Democrats voted down a Republican bill calling for a bipartisan investigation of Nancy Pelosi's claims the CIA lied to her and Congress. House Democrats already know the liar is Pelosi.
FOX News reported:

House Democrats have defeated a Republican push to investigate House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's claims that the CIA misled her in 2002 about whether waterboarding had been used against terrorism suspects.

The House voted 252-172 to block the measure that would have created a bipartisan congressional panel.

Mileage Standards Could Kill More Americans than Iraq War

CNSNews.com is reporting:

The Obama administration’s proposed mileage standards that will be announced today may kill more Americans at a faster rate than the Iraq War — his signature issue in the 2008 presidential campaign.

Obama’s standards will require automakers to meet a 35 miles-per-gallon standard by 2016 — four years earlier than the same standard imposed by the Energy Security and Independence Act of 2007.

As discussed in my new book “Green Hell,” the only way for carmakers to meet these standards is to make smaller, lighter and deadlier cars.

The National Academy of Sciences has linked mileage standards with about 2,000 deaths per year. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that every 100-pound reduction in the weight of small cars increases annual traffic fatalities by as much as 715.

In contrast in the more than six years since the Iraq war began, there have been 4,296 deaths among American military personnel.

And what will be gained by the new mileage standards?

The Natural Resources Defense Council said that the 35 MPG standard would save about one million gallons of gas per day. So how does that savings balance against the 2,000 fatalities per year that the National Academy of Sciences says are caused by those same lighter cars?

Smart Car Hits Concrete Wall at 70 (video)

Although the smart car has a surprisingly rigid steel cage, the lack of a crumple zone transmits all the crash energy into the passengers.

Obama sets bankrupt auto companies on war path with consumers

The new fuel mileage standards the Obama administration is proposing have set bankrupt Detroit car manufacturers on a war path with the consumers that they need to buy their product. Americans will not buy the expensive hybrid or electric cars that will be needed to meet these stringent new standards unless gas taxes are significantly raised or the government subsidizes every vehicle. The Wall Street Journal is reporting:

Start with technology. The President's proposed standards would raise fuel economy goals higher and faster than even the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration believes is practical. Last year, NHTSA issued a proposed rule making that would have raised fuel economy to 32.2 mpg by 2015 for cars and light trucks combined. Its 376-page report notes that "the resources used to meet overly stringent CAFE standards . . . would better be allocated to other uses such as technology research and development, or improvements in vehicle safety."

The new U.S. fleet will almost certainly be made up of hybrids and electric cars. This comports with the explicit intention of the President and his environmental partners to back out fossil fuels. One may ask: Once Detroit is forced to build these cars, will free Americans want to buy them, at any price?

Unless we outlaw the bigger cars that recent sales figures have shown Americans prefer any time gas prices fall below $4 per gallon, Detroit will need help marketing these small vehicles. As GM's Bob Lutz put it not long ago, "Very few people will want to change what has been their 'nationality given' right to drive big and bigger if the price of gas is $1.50 or $2 or even $2.50. Those prices will put the CAFE-mandated manufacturers at war with their customers."

All solutions to this problem flow from Washington. One would be to give substantial tax subsidies to buyers. Another would be to impose a federal gas tax to jack up the price of gasoline to $4 per gallon and keep it there. This is the solution that keeps Europeans driving small cars with tiny engines. High gasoline prices have become a political third rail in U.S. politics, and the Obama Administration insists it isn't interested in subsidies or taxes.

If Obama is somehow able to meet his mileage goals, there will not be enough money to repair the roads. Gas taxes pay for the bulk of road maintenance. If there is a 30% reduction in gas usage, the road maintenance costs will have to be funded by higher taxes somewhere. This will offset much of the gas cost savings officials are touting. Consumers will also be stuck with the $1300 hike in vehicle costs the new regulations will cause.

Iran tests missile capable of hitting Israel or Europe (video)

Iran tested a missile capable of hitting Israel or Europe. Yahoo News reported:

TEHRAN, Iran – Iran test-fired a missile capable of striking Israel, U.S. Mideast bases and Europe on Wednesday — a show of strength touted by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as he battles for re-election next month against more moderate opponents.

The U.S. responded by saying Iran must choose between destabilizing the Middle East or accepting the dialogue offered by President Barack Obama. The U.S. leader threatened earlier this week that Iran could face further international sanctions if it does not respond positively by year-end to U.S. attempts to open negotiations on its nuclear program.

Israel said the test appeared to be Iran's response to a positive meeting on Monday between Obama and new Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Iran tests new missile, Israel within range(video)

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says his country test-fired a new advanced missile Wednesday with a range capable of reaching Israel and U.S. Mideast bases. (May 20)

Obama spokesman admitted today that their decision to close Gitmo was "hasty " (video)

Obama administration admits closing Gitmo was a "Hasty Decision" (Video)

Rep. Barton Argues CO2 shouldn’t be regulated because it isn't a pollutant

Rep. Barton Argues CO2 Shouldn’t be regulated because it isn't a pollutant.



From the video:

“I would also point out that CO2, carbon dioxide, is not a pollutant in any normal definition of the term. … I am creating it as I talk to you. It’s in your Coca-Cola, you’re Dr. Pepper, your Perrier water. It is necessary for human life. It is odorless, colorless, tasteless, does not cause cancer, does not cause asthma. There is nobody who has ever been admitted to the hospital for CO2 poisoning, so it is not a pollutant. “

Some liberals are ridiculing this video. The statistics on global warming no longer support their theory. All they have left is attacking their opponents with ridicule. They can't cite facts to support their argument.

Nancy Pelosi is in meltdown over CIA briefings

Nancy Pelosi is in meltdown over what she knew from the CIA briefings she received several years ago. The House Republican Conference has put together some video clips of Pelosi trying to explain.

What did Speaker Pelosi know?

California voters set to slap down Arnold's new taxes

California voters were on Tuesday expected to reject the new tax initiatives proposed by "Governator" Arnold Schwarzenegger. The voters realizes raising taxes in an economic recession is a really bad idea. Financial Times is reporting:

California voters were on Tuesday expected to reject a series of special ballot measures aimed at addressing a widening state budget deficit in a blow to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

California would be the world’s eighth largest economy if it was a separate country but the state has been rocked by the recession and a record budget deficit that has threatened the provision of essential public services.

Mr Schwarzenegger has been urging voters to support a series of new revenue-raising measures that would limit the need for deep cuts in education and emergency services and avoid the budget deficit blowing out to some $21bn.

But polls suggest that voters have not responded to his pleas and in the last few months his popularity has tumbled as he has become the target of anti-tax demonstrations and public vitriol from talk radio hosts.

John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou, a pair of popular radio presenters, have emerged as two of Mr Schwarzenegger’s most outspoken critics. They supported him when he swept to power following the recall of Grey Davis, the former governor, but turned against him when he tried to address the state’s dire economy.

“If you’ve seen the polls, people are really, really angry,” said Mr Chiampou at a recent Orange County rally, where life-sized effigies of Mr Schwarzenegger were ripped apart by an industrial shredder. “We’re in a recession. Who in the world would talk about raising taxes?”