Guess what? So called 'birthers" are not a fringe group.

According to a Kos/Research2000 poll published on Politico, only 42% of Republicans and 83% of Independents are sure Obama was born in the USA. Even 7% of democrats are unsure. Americans who want Obama to prove his eligibility can not be called a fringe group anymore. Twenty-three percent(23%) of Americans is not a fringe group.


Screen shot form LGF.

Americans spend 10 billion hours on government paperwork

This number won't get any smaller after the Democrats take over health care.

From US News:

* 9.9 billion: Number of hours Americans spent on government paperwork last year
* 2 billion: Increase in hours from 2004, a 25 percent increase
* 1 billion: Estimated number of hours in 1981
* 7.7 billion: Number of hours spent on IRS forms, or 80 percent of the total
* $460 billion: Estimated labor cost of the 9.9 billion hours of federal paperwork

Cambridge Police Sgt. Crowley: No One Apologized

Although everyone was cordial, it looks like the beer summit was a bust.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Crowley: "I think what you had today was two gentlemen agree to disagree on a particular issue."

Barney Frank Admits Public Option is Path to Single Payer (video)

Many Americans oppose a public option in the health care reform bill. They are afraid this will lead to a single payer (nationalized) government run health care system such as those in Canada and Great Britain. In June, President Obama promised the AMA the government option was not "a Trojan horse for a single-payer system."

Texas Medical Association reported:

President Obama told American Medical Association delegates on June 15 that the Health Insurance Exchange Program, or public option, portion of his health system reform plan is not "a Trojan horse for a single-payer system."

"I'll be honest," he said in a speech to the annual AMA meeting in Chicago. "There are countries where a single-payer system may be working. But I believe – and I've even taken some flak from members of my own party for this belief – that it is important for us to build on our traditions here in the United States. So, when you hear the naysayers claim that I'm trying to bring about government-run health care, know this – they are not telling the truth."

Looks like Barney Frank didn't get the message. A group that supports the single payer option has gotten Rep. Barney Frank to admit the public option is just a path to a single payer government controlled health care.



You may have noticed in his speech to the AMA, President Obama said, "I'll be honest," he said in a speech to the annual AMA meeting in Chicago. "There are countries where a single-payer system may be working." However, the White House was later unable to name a country they wanted to use as a successful single payer system.

CBS News reported:

“I don’t know exactly the countries. I think if you talk to the people in the countries that have that system, they think their health care is pretty good,” White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told CNSNews.com Wednesday during the daily press briefing.

Asked again if he knew specifically which countries, Gibbs replied: “I assume Canada, Britain, maybe France. I don’t know the exact countries, but again, I don’t think the president is going way out on a limb that some people in other countries have a health care system that they like. Just as some Americans like the health care system that they have.”

ObamaCare: The HR 3200 Workout (Funny Video)

America can get the 13 pound HR 3200 workout for only 52 payments of $19,231,769,235! This is hilarious!

From Late Night with Jimmy Fallon:

Pelosi goes nuts over ObamaCare

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi makes outrageous accusations against health insurance companies.

From HotAir:

“They are the villains in this,” Pelosi said of private insurers. “They have been part of the problem in a major way. They are doing everything in their power to stop a public option from happening. And the public has to know that. They can disguise their arguments any way they want, but the fact is that they don’t want the competition.”…

“It’s almost immoral what they are doing,” added Pelosi, who stood outside her office long after her press conference ended to continue speaking to reporters, even as aides tried in vain to usher her inside. “Of course they’ve been immoral all along in how they have treated the people that they insure with pre-existing conditions, you know, the litany of it all.” (accent is mine)

New low: Obama's Presidential Approval Index rating is -12

President Obama continues his slide in the polls. His Presidential Approval Index rating is now -12. This is a new low. President Obama's overall approval is 48%. Not surprisingly, after Obama's recent remarks on the Gates arrest and racial profiling, 49% of voters think Obama views America as unfair and discriminatory.

Rasmussen reported:

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Thursday shows that 28% of the nation's voters now Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Forty percent (40%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -12. That’s the lowest rating yet recorded for President Obama.

The Presidential Approval Index is calculated by subtracting the number who Strongly Disapprove from the number who Strongly Approve. It is updated daily at 9:30 a.m.

Obama's own physician is against Obamacare

The President's own physician is against Obamacare.

From The Huffington Post:

The man Barack Obama consulted on medical matters for over two decades said on Tuesday that the president's vision for health care reform is bound for failure.

Dr. David Scheiner, a 70-year Chicago-based physician who treated Obama for more than 20 years, said he was disheartened by the health care legislation his former patient is championing, calling it piecemeal and ineffectual.

"I look at his program and I can't see how it's going to work," Scheiner told the Huffington Post. "He has no cost control. There would be no effective cost control in his program. The [Congressional Budget Office] said it's going be incredibly expensive ... and the thing that I really am worried about is, if it is the failure that I think it would be, then health reform will be set back a long, long time."

Scheiner, who prefers a more progressive approach to reform, was hesitant about trying to divine the president's motives, although he said he believed that "in his heart of hearts" Obama "may well like a single-payer program."

"His pragmatism is what is overwhelming him." Scheiner added: "I think he's afraid that he can't get anything through if he doesn't go through this incredibly compromised program."

Admitting that he was not a political practitioner, Scheiner said he felt compelled to speak out because of his unique relationship with the president and this critical moment in the health care debate.

When Government controls health care, gypsies and other minorities get priority

Great Britain has a national health care system similar to what many on the left want for us. Having the government in charge of health care is fraught with dangers. One danger is minority laws may carry over to the health care system. How would you like to go to the back of a long long just because you don't qualify as a minority?

The Telegraph reported:

They should be given longer consultations, and should be seen by GPs when they walk in without an appointment, even if doctors are fully-booked.

The average length of a consultation is five or ten minutes but travellers will be given 20 minutes and allowed to bring relatives into the consulting rooms.

The guidelines have been introduced because, under race laws, gypsies and travellers are defined as minority ethnic groups and the NHS is obliged to consider their special needs and circumstances.

Yet no special treatment is promised for other groups such as those from the Asian sub-continent or Africa, the Daily Mail reported.

The guidance forms part of the Primary Care Service Framework, drawn up by the NHS Primary Care Commissioning - an advisory service for local health trusts - to help all PCTs understand the Department of Health's policy.

Please note this phrase from the article, "and allowed to bring relatives into the consulting rooms." Under government run health care, you may lose this and other rights you take for granted every time you see a health care provider.

Rep. Paul Ryan shreds ObamaCare on MSNBC

Rep. Paul Ryan (WI-R) is the ranking Republican member of the House Budget Committee. He is also on the House Ways and Means Committee. Rep. Ryan is extremely well spoken and does a great job defending the Republican's opposition to ObamaCare. Watch Rep. Ryan frustrate the liberals on MSNBC.

Paul Ryan on MSNBC: "Let's have an honest debate"


From the video:

Katrina Vanden Heuvel:
You have good government-plan health care. Why shouldnt all Americans have what you have?


Paul Ryan:

I have good private-sector healthcare. We do not have a public option. The federal employee plan lists a number of private plans to choose from to select and my employer, the taxpayer, pays for a portion of these private plans.

There is no public plan option in the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program. You are mistaken on that point.

My Patients Choice Act that I've introduced with Congressman Nunes, Senators Burr and Coburn actually proposes just what youre suggesting: give people the ability, in State-based exchanges, to have a plan just like what we have here in Congress. A private health care plan thats actuarially equivalent to what we in Congress have.

We actually had a vote in the House Ways and Means Committee on an amendment I offered with Congressman Dean Heller which said, Lets put Members of Congress in this public health care plan so that we can experience the same thing we want to impose on the rest of the country. You know what? That amendment failed on nearly a party-line vote.

--

Katrina Vanden Heuvel:
Competition is at the heart of America. To deny Americans competition by denying them the option of a public plan seems to me to be un-American.


Paul Ryan:

Whats weird about that line right there, Katrina, is that I know you and others are very much in favor of a single-payer plan, which is obviously to deny competition and have the government run it all. Whats concerning about this debate with me is that youre using capitalist rhetoric to try and move a plan that is inherently anti-market.

The problem is that the facts tell us this: A public plan option quickly becomes a government-run monopoly.The actuaries are telling us is that in a few short years, the public plan option displaces the private sector, employers dump their employees on the public plan, and then they have no choices but the public plan.

And so, lets not try to sell a government-run plan using free market rhetoric. Lets have an honest debate about what this bill is all about.

Many ACS Scientists Reject Man-Made Climate Fears!

The editor-in chief of of the Chemical and Engineering News wrote an editorial that claimed “the science of anthropogenic climate change is becoming increasingly well established.” Many members of the American Chemical Society (ACS) have revolted in an outpouring of scathing letters.

From Climate Depot:

An outpouring of skeptical scientists who are members of the American Chemical Society (ACS) are revolting against the group's editor-in-chief -- with some demanding he be removed -- after an editorial appeared claiming “the science of anthropogenic climate change is becoming increasingly well established.”

The editorial claimed the "consensus" view was growing "increasingly difficult to challenge, despite the efforts of diehard climate-change deniers.” The editor now admits he is "startled" by the negative reaction from the group's scientific members.

The June 22, 2009 editorial in Chemical and Engineering News by editor in chief Rudy Baum, is facing widespread blowback and condemnation from American Chemical Society member scientists. Baum concluded his editorial by stating that “deniers” are attempting to “derail meaningful efforts to respond to global climate change.”

Dozens of letters were published on July 27, 2009 castigating Baum, with some scientists calling for his replacement as editor-in-chief.

The editorial was met with a swift, passionate and scientific rebuke from Baum's colleagues. Virtually all of the letters published on July 27 in castigated Baum's climate science views. Scientists rebuked Baum's use of the word “deniers” because of the terms “association with Holocaust deniers.” In addition, the scientists called Baum's editorial: “disgusting”; “a disgrace”; “filled with misinformation”; “unworthy of a scientific periodical” and “pap.”

Here are a sample of the comments:

Selected Excerpts of Skeptical Scientists:

“I think it's time to find a new editor,” ACS member Thomas E. D'Ambra wrote.

Geochemist R. Everett Langford wrote: “I am appalled at the condescending attitude of Rudy Baum, Al Gore, President Barack Obama, et al., who essentially tell us that there is no need for further research—that the matter is solved.”

ACS scientist Dennis Malpass wrote: “Your editorial was a disgrace. It was filled with misinformation, half-truths, and ad hominem attacks on those who dare disagree with you. Shameful!”

ACS member scientist Dr. Howard Hayden, a Physics Professor Emeritus from the University of Connecticut: “Baum's remarks are particularly disquieting because of his hostility toward skepticism, which is part of every scientist's soul. Let's cut to the chase with some questions for Baum: Which of the 20-odd major climate models has settled the science, such that all of the rest are now discarded? [...] Do you refer to 'climate change' instead of 'global warming' because the claim of anthropogenic global warming has become increasingly contrary to fact?"

Edward H. Gleason wrote: “Baum's attempt to close out debate goes against all my scientific training, and to hear this from my ACS is certainly alarming to me...his use of 'climate-change deniers' to pillory scientists who do not believe climate change is a crisis is disingenuous and unscientific.”

Atmospheric Chemist Roger L. Tanner: "I have very little in common with the philosophy of the Heartland Institute and other 'free-market fanatics,' and I consider myself a progressive Democrat. Nevertheless, we scientists should know better than to propound scientific truth by consensus and to excoriate skeptics with purple prose."

William Tolley: "I take great offense that Baum would use Chemical and Engineering News, for which I pay dearly each year in membership dues, to purvey his personal views and so glibly ignore contrary information and scold those of us who honestly find these views to be a hoax."

William E. Keller wrote: “However bitter you (Baum) personally may feel about CCDs (climate change deniers), it is not your place as editor to accuse them—falsely—of nonscientific behavior by using insultingly inappropriate language. [...] The growing body of scientists, whom you abuse as sowing doubt, making up statistics, and claiming to be ignored by the media, are, in the main, highly competent professionals, experts in their fields, completely honorable, and highly versed in the scientific method—characteristics that apparently do not apply to you.”

ACS member Wallace Embry: “I would like to see the American Chemical Society Board 'cap' Baum's political pen and 'trade' him to either the New York Times or Washington Post."

It doesn't appear anthropogenic global warming is the 'settled science' proponents would have you believe.

Have Blue Dogs reached a Deal On ObamaCare?

According to this report on MSNBC, liberal Democratic leaders gave in to numerous Blue Dog demands.


MSNBC is reporting:

RALEIGH, N.C. - After weeks of turmoil, House Democrats reached a shaky peace with the party's rebellious rank-and-file conservatives Wednesday and cleared the way for a vote in September on sweeping U.S. health care legislation.

In the House, Democratic leaders gave in — at least temporarily — to numerous demands from rank-and-file rebels, so-called Blue Dogs from the conservative wing of the party who had been blocking the bill's passage in the last of three committees.

The House changes, which drew immediate opposition from liberals in the chamber, would reduce the federal subsidies designed to help lower-income families afford insurance, exempt additional businesses from a requirement to offer insurance to their workers and change the terms of a government insurance option.

New Ad Against ObamaCare

The Family Research Council Action has put out this ad discussing paid abortions and lack of care for seniors if Obamacare is passed.



From YouTube:

Your loved one denied surgery - a government bureaucrat decided it isnt needed.

Your hard-earned tax dollars funding abortions liberals in Congress decided they are needed.

Congress will soon vote on President Obamas healthcare bill a bill limiting our choices to preserve life and expanding the choice to end one.

Our greatest generation denied care. Our future generation denied life

Call your Senator.

Lou Dobbs refuses to back down on Obama's birth certificate

CNN's Lou Dobbs is under fire from the left for suggesting Obama release his original 'vault copy' birth certificate. Dobbs believes Obama is a citizen and doesn't see any reason why President Obama shouldn't release his long form birth record. He is refusing to be intimidated by groups on the left and has reiterated his belief that Obama should release the document.

From WND:

"The left is trying to silence their opponents and their competitors in the public marketplace of ideas," he said on his radio show. "One issue in which the ethnocentric issue groups have been trying to silence me is on the issue of illegal immigration. Many of those, if you will, have migrated to me here recently because I, even though I said I believe the president is a citizen of the United States, I don't understand why he shouldn't produce a birth certificate. My God, you're talking about the third rail of American journalism, baby! That's it. I'm not going to back off."

Bill Maher: America is a stupid country (video)

Bill Maher said this to CNN's Wolf Blitzer. When Blitzer gave hem a chance to retract the statement, Maher elaborated on just how stupid he thinks America is.

Bill Maher says America is a Stupid Country

US Soldier Demands Apology For ObamaCare From Senator Claire McCaskill (video)

A defender of our constitution demands an apology from Senator Claire McCaskill for undermining the Constitution by supporting ObamaCare.

From YouTube:

A US soldier demanded an apology from Senator Claire McCaskill at an Obamacare town hall in St. Louis, Missouri.

Car purchases generated by "Cash for Clunkers" will cost taxpayers $20,000 each

The "Cash for Clunkers" program gives new car and truck buyers $3500 to $4500 for each vehicle turned in if they meet certain requirements. However, respected car site Edmunds.com has determined each additional vehicle purchased under this program will actually cost taxpayers $20,000. How is this? Many "clunkers are already traded in every month. We will be paying for these even though they don't stimulate an additional new car sales.

From Business Week:

Edmunds.com, which is benefitting from all the extra site traffic generated by CARS nonetheless issued a report Monday saying that each car bought under the progream would actually cost the U.S. tax-payer $20,000 per vehicle sold, not the $3.500-$4,500 actually paid out.

Edmunds figures that CARS will only help drive about 50,000 incremental new car sales. How is this possible? Edmunds.com’s research shows that typically 200,000 vehicles worth less than $4,500 are traded in for new vehicles every three months. At best the current Cash for Clunkers program will fund 250,000 such transactions in the same time period—a gain of only 50,000 vehicles, says the company. Given that this program is budgeted to cost $1,000,000,000, this increase will come at the cost of $20,000 per extra sale. (accent is mine)

No health care vote on the House floor before the August recess

According to a memo published by Politico, the Democratic Leadership has told Mr. Boehner’s staff that "there will be no vote on Health on the Floor before recess and we will leave Friday."

From Politico:

The memo:

From: Cavicke, David
Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2009 4:51 PM
To: REDACTED
Subject: Schedule

Democratic Leadership has told Mr. Boehner’s staff that there will be no vote on Health on the Floor before recess and we will leave Friday.
We still have no confirmation of plans to resume or end the Committee Markup.

David L. Cavicke
Republican Chief of Staff
Committee on Energy and Commerce

Liberal “Social commentator” Nancy Giles wants to punch every Blue Dog Democrat in the nose

Liberals are getting testy since Blue Dog Democrats won't let Obama socialize our health care.

From NewsBusters:

“Social commentator” Nancy Giles appeared on the “Today Show” July 28 along with Dan Abrams and Willie Geist during Kathy Lee Gifford and Hota Kotb’s segment “News Flash.” The usually all small-talk segment got heated when it turned to health care.

Kotb posed the simple question “Do you guys think health care will pass…?” Abrams and Willie gave simple answers. Giles, however, got passionate.

“It better and I could punch every Blue Dog Democrat in the nose. And I’m a Democrat. I could punch them, I’m so annoyed. And I’m annoyed with Harry Reid. I better not find him in an elevator.”

Here is the video from the “Today Show” July 28

Homegrown Terror

Seven North Carolina Men have been charged with planning an "overseas jihad." Authorities are seeking an eighth man who may be in Pakistan.

From ABC News:

Seven North Carolina men have been charged with plotting to wage "violent jihad" by "murdering, kidnapping or maiming persons" overseas. According to a federal indictment unsealed today, the alleged ringleader, Daniel Patrick Boyd, and six co-defendants were accused of conspiring to provide financial and material assistance to terrorists abroad. The indictment does not allege the men planned to attack targets within the U.S.

7 North Carolina Men Changed With Plotting "Violent Jihad"

Senate bipartisan group to drop two key Democratic health care priorities?

Cracks are beginning to appear in Obama's plan to socialize our health care. Senate Democrats may be ready to drop the government insurance option and mandatory employer coverage.

Huffington Post reported:

WASHINGTON — After weeks of secretive talks, a bipartisan group in the Senate edged closer Monday to a health care compromise that omits two key Democratic priorities but incorporates provisions to slow the explosive rise in medical costs, officials said.

These officials said participants were on track to exclude a requirement many congressional Democrats seek for large businesses to offer coverage to their workers. Nor would there be a provision for a government insurance option, despite President Barack Obama's support for such a plan.

The three Democrats and three Republicans from the Senate Finance Committee were considering a tax of as much as 35 percent on very high-cost insurance policies, part of an attempt to rein in rapid escalation of costs. Also likely to be included in any deal was creation of a commission charged with slowing the growth of Medicare through recommendations that would take effect automatically unless overturned by Congress.

"We're going to get agreement here," Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., the Finance Committee chairman, said Monday. "The group of six really wants to get to 'yes.'"

Sen. Bunning won't run for reelection

Citing fund raising woes, Senator Jim Bunning (R-KY) has announced he won't run for reelection. recently, Bunning has been criticized for making outrageous statements.

Politico reported:

Cantankerous Kentucky Republican Sen. Jim Bunning has officially dropped out of next year's reelection campaign -- citing his paltry fundraising efforts.

Bunning's office just put out the following statement:

I have the same conservative principles in 2009 as I had when I was first elected to Congress in 1986. Over the past twenty-two years I have always done what I thought was right for Kentucky even if that meant taking positions that were not popular with the media or even leaders of my own party. Speaking out against bailouts and wasteful spending supported by the Republican leadership in the Senate and a Republican President last year angered many of my colleagues in my own party, but I didn’t run for public office for fame or public acclaim. When I cast a vote I think about how it will affect my grandchildren and the next generation of Kentuckians, not my next election or invitation to a D.C. cocktail party. The people of Kentucky know where I stand and I am honored that they have continued to send me back to Congress to represent them each time I have run for the House and Senate.

Unfortunately, running for office is not just about the issues. To win a general election, a candidate has to be able to raise millions of dollars to get the message out to voters. Over the past year, some of the leaders of the Republican Party in the Senate have done everything in their power to dry up my fundraising. The simple fact is that I have not raised the funds necessary to run an effective campaign for the U.S. Senate. For this reason, Iwill not be a candidate for re-election in 2010. more here

Why is there still a controversy over Obama's birth certificate?

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs admitted the controversy over Obama's birth certificate won't go away. He trivialized the issue by saying, "there are 10,000 more important issues for people in this country to discuss, rather than whether or not the president is a citizen." I guess he hasn't seen the AOL online poll where 82% want Obama to release his 'vault copy' birth certificate.

Gibbs addresses Obama birth certificate controversy


Gibbs claims he was the one who advocated posting Obama's birth certificate online. Many claim it was a fraud. Watch this YouTube amateur make a duplicate of the one posted in 5 minutes.

Make your own Obama birth certificate


Did the state of Hawaii verify the document posted online was Obama's birth certificate and Obama was born in Hawaii? No. They could have said, "Obama was born in Hawaii," but they didn't. Instead, in a carefully worded statement they said, they had “personally seen and verified that the Hawaii State Department of Health has Sen. Obama’s original birth certificate on record in accordance with state policies and procedures.” They didn't say what it contained. Why not? (Update: HDOH has issued another statement saying Obama was born in Hawaii.) Is it possible to have a Hawaiian birth certificate and not be born in Hawaii? Yes, it is. Sun Yat Sen the Father of Modern Communist China has a Hawaiian Birth Certificate, but he was born in China.

Sun Yat Sen's Hawaiian birth certificate.

(click for larger view)

Under this statute excerpted below, it was possible to get a Hawaiian Certification of Live Birth by simply filing a document attesting to the birth and the status of the parents.

[§338-17.8] Certificates for children born out of State. (a) Upon application of an adult or the legal parents of a minor child, the director of health shall issue a birth certificate for such adult or minor, provided that proof has been submitted to the director of health that the legal parents of such individual while living without the Territory or State of Hawaii had declared the Territory or State of Hawaii as their legal residence for at least one year immediately preceding the birth or adoption of such child.

(b) Proof of legal residency shall be submitted to the director of health in any manner that the director shall deem appropriate. The director of health may also adopt any rules pursuant to chapter 91 that he or she may deem necessary or proper to prevent fraudulent applications for birth certificates and to require any further information or proof of events necessary for completion of a birth certificate.

(c) The fee for each application for registration shall be established by rule adopted pursuant to chapter 91. [L 1982, c 182, §1]

There is also the issue of the birth announcement found in two Hawaiian newspapers. Many claim this is indisputable proof Obama was born in Hawaii. Others are less sure.

The announcements of Barack Obama's birth printed by two Hawaii newspapers in 1961 do not provide solid proof of a birth in the Aloha State because of uncertainties over the policies and procedures that apparently were being used at the time.

The Honolulu Star-Bulletin, for example, according to its website, now reprints birth information it receives from Hawaii's Department of Health.

"We don't have an editor who handles birth and marriage announcements; we print
what we receive from the Department of Health Vital Statistics System," a Star-Bulletin newsroom operator explained to WND.

The operator said, "This is how we've always done it."

The newspaper's "proof" of birth, therefore, could be based on a state-issued "Certification of Live Birth" which, as WND has reported is insufficient alone, even for some State Department officials, to document the birthplace.

Many people remain unaware a child does not even have to be born in Hawaii to receive a Certification of Live Birth, the very "evidence" the White House has cited in defending its assertion Obama was born in Hawaii. (accent mine)

Notice of Obama's birth in Hawaiian newspapers

If Obama was actually born in Hawaii, is there still a reason he might not release his original birth record? There could be. Barack Obama's mother married an Indonesian man, Lolo Soetoro, and moved to Indonesia with young Barack. Lolo Soetoro may have adopted Barack. Barack Obama was listed in Indonesian school as Barry Soetoro.

Obama's "Barry Soetoro" school registration

When a child is adopted, an amended birth certificate is issued and becomes the public record. If Obama were adopted and claimed Indonesian citizenship for part of his life, that could explain why he won't release his passport records or early college records. Would that make Obama ineligible? I will leave that question to the "legal eagles." However, questions about his divided loyalty could be very damaging.

President Obama could end this controversy tomorrow by authorizing the release of his original birth, college and passport records. He refuses to do so for some unknown reason. Instead he has spent hundreds of thousands in legal fees to fight demands he prove his eligibility.

Obama post election legal fees

Now you know why those derided as "birthers" won't shut up until Obama releases all his records.

Cambridge Police release Gates 911 Tape

Cambridge police released the tape of the 911 call that dispatched police to Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates' house. There is no mention of race on the tape. This incident had nothing to do with race. The police officer involved once gave a dying African-American Reggie Lewis mouth-to-mouth resuscitation in a failed effort to save the Celtics superstar’s life.

Israeli Protesters call Obama a Racist

Israeli protesters called Obama a "racist" at an anti-Obama rally in Israel today. They also called on President Obama's envoy, George Mitchell, to "go home."

WND reported:

JERUSALEM – President Obama's policies against Jewish construction
in eastern Jerusalem and the strategic West Bank were slammed as "racist" today by participants in a rally drawing about 2,000 Israelis in front of the U.S. consulate in Jerusalem.

"George Mitchell go home!" yelled protestors in front of the U.S. government building.

Mitchell, Obama's envoy to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, is here discussing the American administration's call for a halt to all Jewish settlement
activity, including natural growth or accommodating the needs of existing Jewish populations in the areas in question.

"Obama should not be pressing Israel to compromise and freeze building in Judea, Samaria and eastern Jerusalem," protest organizer Yaacov Steinberg told WND.

"All these steps in the past just brought more Palestinian terror and showed Israeli weakness," said Steinberg, director of a coalition of West Bank Jewish organizations.

Speaking at the rally, Rabbi Eliezer Waldman, who heads the prestigious "Nir" Torah seminary in the West Bank city of Kiryat Arba, called Obama a "racist."

"How dare he tell the Jews where they can or can't live! The era when Jews were banned from living in different places has ended," Waldman exclaimed.

White House bans Twitter

President Obama is the most tech savvy President to occupy the White House. He can't live without his Blackberry. A super secure version was customized so he could keep using one. Obama also made very effective use of the internet to attract young voters during the 2008 campaign. This makes it very odd he would ban Twitter. Twitter is the fastest growing online social media. Perhaps he is afraid staffers will tweet information he wants to keep from the public. President Obama is is failing on his promise of openness and transparency.

From UPI:

WASHINGTON, July 26 (UPI) -- White House staffers have been blocked from using Twitter at work, press secretary Robert Gibbs said.

Gibbs disclosed the block Friday, saying he doesn't use the popular social networking site himself because the world already knows enough about what he is doing, Tribune Newspapers reported Sunday.

Gibbs said he really doesn't know why the chief executive's offices
blocked access to the site. Maybe to avoid taxpayer-funded tweets, Tribune Newspapers said.

Sen. John Kyl thinks ObamaCare may force health care providers to perform abortions

Sen. John Kyl thinks ObamaCare may force health care providers to perform abortions.

Video from Fox News Sunday.

Priceless video: Rep. Grayson (D-Florida) grills Bernake on giving out half a trillion in our money to foreign banks

I may not always agree with Freshman Congressman Alan Grayson (D), U.S. Representative, Florida’s 8th District, but you have to love this gutsy grilling of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke before the House Financial Services Committee. Bernanke gave a half of a trillion dollars to overseas banks and doesn't know where the money went. Grayson laughs in Bernanke's face when Bernanke denies the money affected the U.S. dollar nominal exchange rate.

GOP Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell Declares Stimulus a Failure

GOP Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on with CNN's John King today said this about the stimulus, "We can fairly, safely declare it now a failure."

Stacking the Deck for Another Town Hall

President Obama loves a friendly audience and softball questions. During press conferences, he seats friendly journalist up front, uses a secret press list, and even prearranges questions. He has been accused of arranging friendly audiences for Town Hall meetings and having DNC volunteers as props. His upcoming health care Town Hall in Virginia will be no exception.

Annuit Coeptis reported:

A “town hall meeting” is by definition a meeting of the people of a town to discuss or conduct community business. Such a meeting is open to all citizens. In Obamaland, a “town hall meeting” admits only invited fans and worshipers who can be counted on to provide a friendly reception. So how does the scam work? A squib in today’s local newsrag provides a clue.

According to the story, Obama will appear at “a town-hall style meeting with Kroger employees” at a Kroger store in Bristol, Virginia, this coming Wednesday to push for “sweeping health care reform legislation.” Then: “Only those with tickets will be allowed to participate in the meeting, and the tickets have been reserved for Kroger employees.” Kroger is the only unionized grocery chain in Southwest Virginia and one of the few unionized retailers in the region.

So who do you think decides who gets to go?

Baton Rouge police censoring citizens at ACORN's request (video)

Everyone in America needs to see this video. The police in Baton Rouge trample on American's free speech rights at the direction of Acorn. Is this the change people were expecting when they voted for Obama?

Obamacare - ACORN


Hat tip to BOA via FreeRepublic.

AccuWeather: 3000 record lows in July

Have you noticed this July is cooler than normal? You would be correct. According to AccuWeather, there will be 3000 new record lows nationwide by the end of July.


AccuWeather reported:

First, some stats. 1,044 daily record low temperatures have been broken this month nationwide according to NCDC -- count record "low highs" and the number increases to 2,925, surely to pass 3,000 before the end of the month.

The period of July 17-20 was the worst, with over 1,600 stations breaking records. It's worth noting that these stats include all records across the nation.

Zogby: Obama Approval at only 48%

On Friday, Rasmussen reported only 49% of Americans somewhat approve of President Obama's performance. Zogby also confirmed Obama's approval is now under 50%.

From Zogby:

UTICA, New York—A new Zogby Interactive survey shows a slight decline in President Barack Obama’s job approval, with 48% of likely voters now approving of the job he is doing as president, down from 51% who said the same in an interactive/telephone hybrid poll conducted in mid-June. Forty-nine percent now say they disapprove of the job the president has done so far in office and 4% are not sure.

The survey found similar results when likely voters were asked specifically to rate President Obama’s performance—47% give him a positive rating, with 22% rating his job performance as “excellent” and 25% rating it as “good.” But slightly more than half (53%) give the president a negative job performance rating, with 10% who say he is doing a “fair” job as president and 43% who say he is doing a “poor” job—up from 36% who said he was doing a poor job in mid-June. (Zogby uses a four-point scale of excellent, good, fair and poor, and aggregates excellent and good to determine positive ratings.)

The Zogby Interactive survey of 4,470 likely voters nationwide was conducted July 21-24, 2009 and carries a margin of error of +/- 1.5 percentage points. (accent is mine)

Obama is -11 in latest Rasmussen Presidential Approval Index

President Obama's polling numbers are hitting new lows almost daily. President Obama is -11 in latest Rasmussen Presidential Approval Index.

From Rasmussen:

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Sunday shows that 29% of the nation's voters now Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Forty percent (40%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -11. That’s the first time his ratings have reached double digits in negative territory.

The Presidential Approval Index is calculated by subtracting the number who Strongly Disapprove from the number who Strongly Approve. It is updated daily at 9:30 a.m.

Texas Tea Party versus Acorn

The Tea Party attenders won. This is a great video, but too long for most people. If you don't want to watch the entire nine minutes, don't miss the time period where Acorn arrives. An Acorn organizer shows up at about the 6:50 mark wearing a $500 suit and carrying a sign saying "Cornyn has health care but I don't." That's hilarious. Unfortunately, the producer misspelled George Soros name, but Tea Parties are being organized by amateurs. Acorn has paid staff.

From North Texas Tea Party:

With about 36 hours to organize and no paid staff (unlike the other side), we dominated in front of Sen. Cornyn’s office today (July 23rd); about 200 conservatives opposing maybe 20 MoveOn people; it was fantastic! Everyone was polite; we always are. As for the other side, if you were outnumbered 10 to 1 by believers in the 2nd Amendment, wouldn’t you be?

Obama's Presidential Approval Index Hits New Low of -9

President Obama continues to slide in the polls. Thirty-nine percent of Americans now strongly disapprove of him.

Rasmussen reported:

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Saturday shows that 30% of the nation’s voters now Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Thirty-nine percent (39%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -9.

The number who Strongly Disapprove of the President has increased slightly following the prime time press conference on Wednesday night. That figure—39%–is now at the highest level yet recorded. As a result, the overall Approval Index has fallen to the lowest level yet recorded for this President. …

Overall, 49% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the President’s performance. This is the second straight day that his overall approval rating has been below 50% among Likely Voters nationwide. Fifty-one percent (51%) disapprove.

The Presidential Approval Index is calculated by subtracting the number who Strongly Disapprove from the number who Strongly Approve.

CBO torpedoes ObamaCare again

In spite of Obama's attempt to strong-arm the bipartisan Congressional Budget Office by arranging a highly unusual meeting, the CBO has found that a key cost savings Democrats have been touting probably won't save any money.


From Politico:

For the second time this month, congressional budget analysts have dealt a blow to the Democrat's health reform efforts, this time by saying a plan touted by the White House as crucial to paying for the bill would actually save almost no money over 10 years.

A key House chairman and moderate House Democrats on Tuesday agreed to a White House-backed proposal that would give an outside panel the power to make cuts to government-financed health care programs. White House budget director Peter Orszag declared the plan "probably the most important piece that can be added" to the House's health care reform legislation.

But on Saturday, the Congressional Budget Office said the proposal to give an independent panel the power to keep Medicare spending in check would only save about $2 billion over 10 years- a drop in the bucket compared to the bill's $1 trillion price tag.

Is Global Warming Over?

Is Global Warming Over? According to the temperature charts, there has been no appreciable temperature increase in the last ten years.


Chart found here.

Meanwhile, CO2 levels in the atmosphere continue to climb.


Chart found here.

These charts indicate a lack of correlation between carbon levels in the atmosphere and the Earth's temperature. There could be a reason for this, but the burden of proof is on those that advocate anthropogenic global warming, not the skeptics. So far, they have failed to explain this divergence of the carbon level and temperature. Instead, the anthropogenic global warming crowd claims ten years is too short a period to disprove global warming. What period is long enough for them? Would twenty years or a hundred years be enough? The global warming crowd likes to pick a time period that is conducive to their theory. Here is the graph they want you to see.


Chart found here.

In the above chart, global warming advocates have selected an arbitrary time period that best supports their theory. Here is the chart they don't want you to see.

(click chart for larger view)

Chart found here.

Th 2000 year temperature chart shows that temperatures were as hot 1000 years ago as they are today. Of course, human society was largely agrarian at that time and anthropogenic carbon emissions weren't a factor. This brings up the question of how big an impact CO2 has as a greenhouse gas. Here is a sample chart of greenhouse gases the anthropogenic global warming advocates want you to see.


Chart found here.

There is something missing from the above chart. The main greenhouse gas is water vapor. The impact of water vapor and cloud droplets as a greenhouse gas is widely acknowledged. There is debate about what percent of the greenhouse effect is caused by water vapor and cloud droplets, but the number is thought to be 66% to 85%.


Table found here.

New ad against ObamaCare: "Did you read"

The Americans for Prosperity Foundation will air this ad on cable. People are encouraged to ask their Congressmen if they read the 1000 page health care reform bill before voting.

Patients United Now "Did You Read" Ad

India rejects global warming and carbon caps

India won't hamper their economic growth based to the questionable science behind anthropogenic global warming.

Financial Times reported:

A split between rich and poor nations in the run-up to climate-change talks widened on Thursday.

India rejected key scientific findings on global warming, while the European Union called for more action by developing states on greenhouse gas emissions.

Jairam Ramesh, the Indian environment minister, accused the developed world of needlessly raising alarm over melting Himalayan glaciers.

He dismissed scientists’ predictions that Himalayan glaciers might disappear within 40 years as a result of global warming.

Obama's Poll Numbers Plummet: Approval below 50% for First Time

The most accurate pollster from the 2008 presidential election has President Obama's approval under 50% for the first time. Only 49% of Americans somewhat approve of President Obama's performance.

Rasmussen reported:

Overall, 49% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the President's performance. Today marks the first time his overall approval rating has ever fallen below 50% among Likely Voters nationwide. Fifty-one percent (51%) disapprove. (accent mine)

President Obama is rapidly losing polling numbers on many other issues. Fifty-three percent of Americans now view him as a partisan Democrat. Fifty-three percent are against Congressional health care reform. Only twenty-five percent think the economic stimulus helped the economy. Seventy-two percent don't want the government deciding what kind of light bulbs they use. Additionally, President Obama's Presidential Approval Index is now -8. This number is calculated by subtracting the number of people that strongly disapprove from number of people that strongly approve.

From Rasmussen:

Obama Acted Stupidly

An African-American Harvard professor lost his house keys. He broke into his own house and someone called the police and reported a burglary. From that point on, it gets weird. If the police came to my house to prevent a burglary, I would be appreciative. The professor had a different attitude. When the police showed up and asked the professor to identify himself, he got extremely nasty, accused the officer of racism, insinuated political connections and referenced the officers mother. The professor was arrested for disorderly conduct, but the charges were later dropped. Then, President Obama chimes in and says, "the police acted stupidly." Then, he talked about police profiling in America. If I had been the officer, I don't know if I would have arrested the professor. I wasn't there, but it looks like the professor was the one acting stupidly.

Here is the video.


The officer responded.

From NewsMax:

The police officer at the center of a national racial firestorm triggered by President Barack Obama told an interviewer Thursday that he had nothing to apologize for in the arrest of a black Harvard scholar, and that the president he didn’t vote for should have more carefully considered his words.

“The apology won’t come from me, I’ve done nothing wrong,” Sgt. James Crowley told Carl Stevens of WBZ News Radio in Boston.

Here is a great analysis from American Thinker.

From American Thinker:

From the moment a police officer dons that uniform, he/she becomes a symbol of authority, and it becomes obvious very quickly that most people in a free country resent authority. It could be the guy who gets pulled over for speeding or passing a red light; it could be the guy who's clobbering his wife during a family dispute, or it could be a guy who breaking into a residence that turns out to be his.

Although these are situations in which the police must take action, their authority will usually be resented. It's the type of job in which you are damned if you do, and damned if you don't. When a neighbor called police to the Cambridge, Massachusetts neighborhood next to Harvard University, she said there were two men breaking into a home. Sergeant Jim Crowley, a sixteen year veteran of police work, took the call and arrived at the scene to discover that the door had been jimmied and two men were inside.

It turned out later that it was Henry Gates, a Harvard professor, and his chauffer. Unfortunately for Sgt. Crowley, Gates did not have his name and address tattooed to his forehead. Therefore, it became necessary for the sergeant to ask him to show his identification.

What ensued from that moment is something that any veteran cop can relate to. This professor, evidently indignant about being questioned by a mere public servant, launched into a tirade that included references to the cop's mother and charges of racism.

In addition, it was reported that Gates made insinuations about his political influence. When he asked the officer if he knew who he's "messin' with," it was a likely reference to his friendship with President Obama.

So, here we have a case of a man who lost his keys to his house, broke in through a rear door and then became indignant when police responded to a report of a burglary and had the temerity to ask him to identify himself. When he was asked to step outside to speak with the officer, this Harvard-educated, "learned" professor said: "I'll speak with your mama outside!"

Such trash talk is generally confined to inner-city ghettos, not upscale areas which are often targeted by burglars. Is it any wonder that the cop doubted he was talking to a prominent citizen and respectable member of the community?

The fact that the cop is white and the professor is black made this a dream scenario for an opportunist to scream racism. Gates, who is reportedly working on a documentary about racism in America, apparently seized the moment as an excellent way to grab publicity for his upcoming project.

Keep in mind that the actions of the sergeant were thoroughly investigated by the Professional Standards Unit of the Cambridge PD and found to be in accordance with proper police protocol. If that cop had not followed procedure, and it turned out later that the house had in fact been burglarized, he could have been fired.

House Democrats block Republican Mailing

All Congressmen have a "franking" privilege. This means they can send you mail on the taxpayers dime. House Democrats are preventing House Republicans from sending you mail with the health care flow chart (pictured above) inside. The chart makes the Democrats health care reform look very complicated and bureaucratic. The Democrats claim two of the over 50 boxes on the flow chart are a little misleading.

From Roll Call:

Democrats are preventing Republican House Members from sending their constituents a mailing that is critical of the majority’s health care reform plan, blocking the mailing by alleging that it is inaccurate.

House Republicans are crying foul and claiming that the Democrats are using their majority to prevent GOP Members from communicating with their constituents.

The dispute centers on a chart (view PDF) created by Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas) and Republican staff of the Joint Economic Committee to illustrate the organization of the Democratic health care plan.

At first glance, Brady’s chart resembles a board game: a colorful collection of shapes and images with a web of lines connecting them.

But a closer look at the image reveals a complicated menagerie of government offices and programs that Republicans say will be created if the leading Democratic health care plan becomes law.

In a memo sent Monday to Republicans on the House franking commission, Democrats argue that sending the chart to constituents as official mail would violate House rules because the information is misleading.

Jon Stewart tackles the Obama birth certificate issue

Jon Stewart jokes that Obama is our first non-American President. Of course, he makes fun of people demanding Obama prove his eligibility. This is news because no one in the mainstream media would touch this issue in any fashion until recently.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
The Born Identity
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Joke of the Day

Reid and Pelosi Cave on Obamacare Vote

First Harry Reid thows in the towel on an August vote.

From Yahoo News:

Senate Democratic leaders on Thursday abandoned plans for a vote on health care before Congress’ August recess, dealing a blow to President Barack Obama’s ambitious timetable to revamp the nation’s $2.4 trillion system of medical care.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., delivered the official word on what had been expected for weeks, saying, “It’s better to have a product based on quality and thoughtfulness rather than try to jam something through.”

Then, Nancy Pelosi follow suit.

From The Hill:

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Thursday that the House can go home for its August recess without passing a massive overhaul.

Pelosi dismissed concerns expressed by many Democrats that a monthlong delay could give opponents more chances to rally opposition to the bill.