Consumer Reports is now "snitching" for EPA

Consumer Reports is supposed to be for consumers. So, what do you think they did when they found an excellent shower head (pictured above) with a really forceful spray? They reported it to EPA as illegal. Consumers will have to keep on struggling to get the shampoo out of their hair.

CEI reported:

Consumer Reports states that the British-made Hudson Reed Theme Thermostatic Shower Panel had a forceful spray that “seemed too good to be true—or legal.” Environmental Protection Agency regulations limit shower head water flow to no more than 2.5 gallons per minute. Consumer Reports acknowledges that many shower fixtures get around this rule by using several shower heads, but the magazine decided to report the new single-head fixture to authorities, anyway. (In its words, "We've contacted EPA....")

Hat tip to the corner.

Robert Gibbs gaffes and uses forbidden "War on Terror" term (video)

At today's White House press conference, Spokesman Robert Gibbs slipped up and used the forbidden term "war on terror." The White House declared the "war on terror" was over on August 6, 2009.

The "war on terror" gaffe is at the 15:30 mark of the C-SPAN video.



From the White House Briefing Room:

MR. GIBBS: Well, and not all those additional troops are there. The assessment that is coming back is part of what a new commander does when they go to a region when they're newly assigned, as the President has General McChrystal to this region.

But understand, Chip, we are not -- the President, whether it's the economy, health care, or anything, isn't going to -- we're not going to make -- we're not going to see the entire thing turn around in a few months, after years and years of neglect. You can't under-resource the most important part of our war on terror, you can't under-resource that for five or six or seven years -- whether it's under-resourced with troops, whether it's under-resourced with civilian manpower, whether it's under-resourced with economic development funding -- and hope to snap your fingers and have that turn around in just a few months.

Patriotic Video: The 9-12 Project

From Glenn Beck- The 912 Project:

The 9-12 Project (video)

Obama's website calls Obamacare critics "heirs of Bin Laden"

Here is a screen shot of My.BarackObama.com. This is President Obama's organizing For America website.

(Click image for a larger view)

Screen shot found at Gateway Pundit.

The text of this page has now been modified. Here is what it previously said.

---* RECLAIM OUR LAND FROM THE HEIRS OF, YES: BIN LADEN *---* YOU KNOW IT'S TRUE *---

In case you haven't seen it in the News: Republican Representatives, Senators, GOP Party Leader, GOP Political Machine top personnel (e.g., Gingritch), etc etc etc --- they're ALL every one of them applauding and encouraging their zealot-horde by merrily referring to them as "Proud Right-Wing Terrorists". Google it - I'm not pulling your leg.

But don't hate them: Misguided citizens are easy-pickings for demagogues, whom they blindly follow because they’ve been trained all their lives not to question the dogma of their religion, so it’s natural for them NOT TO QUESTION what’s being spoon-fed to them by their FALSE PROPHETS who, themselves, shamelessly seek Worldly Glory.

They don’t apply the simple Test: “Am I being led closer to God, when I do what these folks say? – Or, am I on a Bullet-Train to the Devil, and I’m just a pawn to make these folks richer and more powerful?” Because, you know: the Faith one has in God, is different from faith one should have in Man. And you need to be even MORE skeptical, when one of ‘em says that God picked them for something or another. You can bet whatever they’re doing is making them more powerful/ more wealthy, and certainly less pious, no? Ooops, and following them is making YOU less pious too, in thought, and in deed. Yesseree, it’s a real thing to chew on.

Just remember: We Are The Super-Heroes Who Yes WE DID, and YES, WE SHALL commence administering Super-Hero Karate Chops, beginning now.

Oh, and can some of you facebook and tweat this around? I'm not that good at it yet.
IF YOU MISS THIS DAY, JUST DO IT OVER THE WEEKEND – IT'LL ALL GET REPORTED TO THE RESPECTIVE SENATORS ON MONDAY, ANYWAY.

Hat tip to Gateway Pundit.

Rasmussen: President Obama's Approval at New Low of 46%

President Obama continues to lose his shine. According to the Rasmussen Daily Presidential Tracking Poll, only 46% of likely voters somewhat approve of his performance.

Rasmussen reported:

Overall, 46% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the President's performance. That’s the lowest level of total approval yet measured for Obama. Fifty-three percent (53%) now disapprove. Eighty-one percent (81%) of Democrats approve while 83% of Republicans disapprove. As for those not affiliated with either major party, 66% disapprove

The incandescent light is getting turned off

Seventy-two percent of Americans don't want the government telling them what kind of light bulb to use. This is going to happen in spite of consumer opposition because of an energy bill passed in 2007. Americans have about eight years left before the change is fully implemented. The incandescent light has already gone out for Europeans.

Sky News reported:

Shoppers are stockpiling traditional light bulbs while they still have the chance.

An EU ban comes into force on Tuesday making it illegal for retailers and wholesalers to import most of the old-style bulbs.

It means once stocks have run out, the only ones available will be the more pricey, low energy variety.

Roger King, who runs Hampton Hill Hardware in Middlesex, said: "I've taken orders this week for quantities in the 50s and 100s."

"People don't like being told what to do for a start. Many are concerned that they are not going to be able to see properly with the new type of light because it rapidly diminishes in effectiveness."

Who do Americans have to blame for this government intrusion into our daily lives? Democrats and the companies that will make a fortune selling the new compact fluorescent bulbs advocated this requirement be in the 2007 Energy Bill signed by then President George Bush.

Bloomberg reported:

Dick Cheney Advocated Bombing Iran?

Former VP Dick Cheney was on Fox News Sunday yesterday. Much of the time was spent talking about the insane decision by Team Obama to re-investigate the CIA. In this discussion of what to do about Iran's nuclear program, it sounds like Cheney advocated using military force, but former President George Bush decided against it.

CHENEY: It wasn't my decision to make.

WALLACE: Would you have favored military action?

CHENEY: I was probably a bigger advocate of military action than any of my colleagues.

WALLACE: Do you think that it was a mistake while you were in power, while your administration was in power, not to go after the nuclear infrastructure of Iran?

CHENEY: I can't say that yet. We don't know how it's ultimately going to come out. WALLACE: But you don't...

CHENEY: At the time...

WALLACE: You don't get the choice to make it 20/20 hindsight. In 2007-2008, was it a mistake not to take out their program?

CHENEY: I think it was very important that the military option be on the table. I thought that negotiations couldn't possibly succeed unless the Iranians really believed we were prepared to use military force.

And to date, of course, they're still proceeding with their nuclear program and the matter has not yet been resolved. We can speculate about what might have happened if we'd followed a different course of action.

As I say, I was an advocate of a more robust policy than any of my colleagues. But I didn't make the decision.

WALLACE: Including the president.

CHENEY: The president made the decision, and obviously we pursued the diplomatic avenues.

WALLACE: Do you think it was a mistake to let the opportunity, when you guys were in power, go, knowing that here was Barack Obama and he was going to take a much different...

CHENEY: I'm going to -- if I address that, I'll address it in my book, Chris.

WALLACE: It's going to be a hell of a book.

CHENEY: It's going to be a great book.

Full transcript here.

Ways and Means Chairman Charlie Rangel (D-NY) Finds $1.3 Million In His Couch. Democrats Yawn.

The good times are still rolling for Democrats accused of corruption. Ways and Means Chairman Charlie Rangel has found $1.3 million in previously unreported income. Oh, Really? How do you lose track of $1.3 million? Perhaps it fell out of his pockets into his couch. Nancy Pelosi and members of the Congressional Black Caucus are aren't concerned unless something "insane" comes up. It is unclear what would meet their definition of insane. Rangel has a long history of tax problems. As the nations chief tax writer, he had no problem proposing we pay the largest tax increase in history.

The New York Post reported:

House Democrats are willing to rally around Rep. Charles Rangel in his latest spate of tax missteps -- but only as long as no more embarrassing revelations come to light, sources told The Post.

The head of the powerful Ways and Means Committee last week amended six years' worth of financial disclosure forms and revealed he'd earned $1.3 million in previously unreported income.

That's on top of ongoing House Ethics Committee probes into four other areas of Rangel's financial past -- including failure to properly report income taxes on a Caribbean villa he owns.

But unless the Ethics Committee probes hit Rangel with something more than a slap on the wrist -- or a bigger scandal arises -- Democrats are unlikely to push him off the Ways and Means Committee, a Washington insider said.

"He doesn't strike me as someone who would go quietly, and he's not afraid to play the race card on his own party," the DC source said.

Friends like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, members of the Congressional Black Caucus and the New York delegation are committed to keeping Rangel in place, sources said.

"Unless he's done something absolutely insane that hasn't come out yet, he's protected," said a Democratic official.

Woman goes off on Rep. Anthony Weiner [D-NY9] at Town hall (video)

This woman claims to be an independent who was not previously interested in politics. She sure "gives it" to Democratic Rep. Anthony Weiner. I would guess these Democratic Congressmen are glad the August break is almost over. Enjoy!



From the video:

"Thank you Congressman. My name is Bonnie Cohen. I'm a patriotic, law abiding, tax paying citizen who clings to her religion. We the American people were fed up with Washington so we voted for change. But we did not vote to remake the nation! You may not be aware of it but we love this country! I'm an Independent; I've never been interested in politics. But, let me tell you Congressman that for the first time in my adult lifetime I am afraid for my country. I see Washington bankrupting our future one day at a time! From TARP to Stimulus to 9000 earmarks to auto bailouts to Cap and Trade. And now you guys want to take over health care after you screwed up housing. I think its fair to say that Congress has been acting stupidly! My question for you Congressman is; do you plan to go back to Washington and deliver for us what we actually voted for? Or is that above your pay grade and do you plan to just promote your own career and campaign every hour on MSNBC?"

Rep. Shea-Porter has constituent removed for asking about bussed in SEIU thugs

Rep. Shea-Porter doesn't like it when someone calls her out for "AstroTurfing" her town hall. She had police remove a constituent who asked about SEIU protesters and questioned their residency.

From Hot Air:

When one of her constituents challenges the presence of union enforcers in the crowd, Shea-Porter asks for police intervention.

I’ve watched this video a couple of times, and I still can’t figure out why the police took this man out of the room. He was actually less disruptive than the woman behind him. He challenged Shea-Porter on the appearance of SEIU protesters in the room, one of whom got up and disrupted his question. When the first man then challenged the residency of the SEIU rep, police swooped in and removed him.

Is it any wonder she doesn't think there are any communists in Washington?

Video: Rep. Shea-Porter denies there are communists and socialists in Washington

At a town hall NH 1st District Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter denied that there are communists and socialists in Washington. I guess she hasn't met Castro loving Rep. Diane Watson (D-CA) or President Obama's green jobs czar Anthony Van Jones. Rep. Shea-Porter also denied there are 35 czars in Washington now. She refused to say how many czars Obama has. Rep. Shea-Porter must get all her information from President Obama's website. Here is a list of 44 potential czars.

Rasmussen: Strong Disapproval of Obama Hits Record High

According to the Rasmussen Daily Presidential Tracking Poll, strong disapproval of President Obama has hit 42%. Only 47% of likely voters somewhat approve of President Obama's job performance. If given a choice, 57% would vote to through out all the legislators and start over again.

Rasmussen reported:

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Sunday shows that 32% of the nation's voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Forty-two percent (42%) Strongly Disapprove. That’s the highest level of Strong Disapproval yet recorded for this President and it gives Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -10.

Overall, 47% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the President's performance. That matches the lowest total approval yet measured for Obama. Fifty-two percent (52%) now disapprove.

Obamacare Will Give Thousands of Government Bureaucrats Access to Your Private Medical Records

Remember what happened to Joe Wurzelbacher, better known as "Joe the Plumber," after he asked candidate Barack Obama a tough question? Obama supporters in the Ohio state government searched his records and leaked embarrassing details to the press. Do you want this to be possible with your private medical records?

From the Washington Times:

Privacy rights are under threat in the House's government health care plan. While plowing through the more than 1,000-page Democratic House bill, Declan McCullagh of CBS News uncovered provisions that would allow startling privacy intrusions. The innermost secrets of people's personal lives would be made available to thousands of government bureaucrats.

Section 431(a) requires the Internal Revenue Service to give detailed taxpayer information to the new health choices commissioner and state health programs.

The Social Security Administration also could obtain whatever individual income-tax information it deemed relevant to determine people's eligibility for a "low-income prescription drug subsidy" even if the individual had not applied for it.

Why won't Al Gore take this bet?

J. Scott Armstrong from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania wants to bet Al Gore he can more accurately predict the temperature over the next 10 years, by using a "no change" model, than the forecasters using the "CO2 global warming" model can. The money will go to charity. So far, Al Gore has declined to take this bet.

Scott Armstrong of the Wharton School challenges Al Gore $20,000 that he will be able to make more accurate forecasts of annual mean temperatures than those that can be produced by climate models. Scott Armstrong’s forecasts will be based on the naive (no-change) model; that is, the forecasts would be the same as the most recent year prior to the forecasts. The money will be placed in a Charitable Trust to be established at a brokerage house. The charity designated by the winner will receive the total value in the fund when the official award is made at the annual International Symposium on Forecasting in 2018.

An Intrade market was set up so anyone can wager on the outcome of this challenge.

There is an Intrade market for the proposition “Gore vs Armstrong”. Betting Armstrong to win costs you $62 right now (to win $100); taking the Gore side of the bet would win $100 on only $38 at risk – over 150% profit! Given the overwhelming scientific consensus behind anthropogenic global warming, how can you possibly say “no” to this proposition?

You can see from this chart, the market is betting Al Gore is wrong.

Why do Democrats want emergency power over the Internet?

Why do Democrats want emergency power over the Internet? A revised Democratic bill would give President Obama the power to "declare a cybersecurity emergency" relating to "non-governmental" computer networks. This means he could shut down access or exert control over Internet content.

From CNET:

Internet companies and civil liberties groups were alarmed this spring when a U.S. Senate bill proposed handing the White House the power to disconnect private-sector computers from the Internet.

They're not much happier about a revised version that aides to Sen. Jay Rockefeller, a West Virginia Democrat, have spent months drafting behind closed doors. CNET News has obtained a copy of the 55-page draft of S.773 (excerpt), which still appears to permit the president to seize temporary control of private-sector networks during a so-called cybersecurity emergency.

The new version would allow the president to "declare a cybersecurity emergency" relating to "non-governmental" computer networks and do what's necessary to respond to the threat. Other sections of the proposal include a federal certification program for "cybersecurity professionals," and a requirement that certain computer systems and networks in the private sector be managed by people who have been awarded that license.

Why shouldn't this be shocking? Attorney General Eric Holder has long wanted to censor and control Internet content. See video.

Video Ad: The upside-down priorities of government run health care

Ever wonder what it would be like if politicians decided the priorities for health care? Special interests will rule the day and priorities will be upside-down. This amusing video ad from Patient Power Now examines what has happened in Oregon's Medicaid system.

Video: Democrats Use Kids as Political Props to Push Obamacare at Teddy Kennedy's Funeral

Using kids as props to push a political agenda at a funeral is disgusting. Have they no shame?

Proof Waterboarding Works?

Khalid Sheik Mohammed was subjected to some of the toughest enhanced interrogation techniques. He was reportedly waterboarded some 187 times. Now, Khalid Sheik Mohammed is considered one of our best al-Qaeda intelligence assets. One former senior intelligence official attributes this cooperation to those enhanced techniques. Mohammed does claim he sometimes gave false information to interrogators.

MSNBC reported:

WASHINGTON - After enduring the CIA's harshest interrogation methods and spending more than a year in the agency's secret prisons, Khalid Sheik Mohammed stood before U.S. intelligence officers in a makeshift lecture hall, leading what they called "terrorist tutorials."

In 2005 and 2006, the bearded, pudgy man who calls himself the mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks discussed a wide variety of subjects, including Greek philosophy and al-Qaeda dogma. In one instance, he scolded a listener for poor note-taking and his inability to recall details of an earlier lecture.

Speaking in English, Mohammed "seemed to relish the opportunity, sometimes for hours on end, to discuss the inner workings of al-Qaeda and the group's plans, ideology and operatives," said one of two sources who described the sessions, speaking on the condition of anonymity because much information about detainee confinement remains classified. "He'd even use a chalkboard at times."

Over a few weeks, he was subjected to an escalating series of coercive methods, culminating in 7 1/2 days of sleep deprivation, while diapered and shackled, and 183 instances of waterboarding. After the month-long torment, he was never waterboarded again.

"What do you think changed KSM's mind?" one former senior intelligence official said this week after being asked about the effect of waterboarding. "Of course it began with that."

Mohammed, in statements to the International Committee of the Red Cross, said some of the information he provided was untrue.

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) zings pro-Obamacare heckler

Rep. Michele Bachmann held a heath care town hall Thursday. After she talked about women forced by a lack of hospital beds to give birth in hospital hallways in Great Britain, a pro-Obamacare heckler argued it happens here. Rep. Michele Bachmann responded, "I've given birth here probably more times than you, sir." Zing!



From WND:

Bachmann was in the middle of highlighting a story about 4,000 U.K. women forced by a lack of hospital beds to give birth in hospital hallways, when the heckler became too loud to ignore.

"That happens here!" the heckler shouted.

"Not here," Bachmann attempted to argue.

When the heckler insisted she was wrong, Bachmann responded with an impromptu zinger:

"I've given birth here probably more times than you, sir," she said.

The gathered crowd erupted in laughter.

Rathergate Update: Bush Did Volunteer To Go To Vietnam And Mapes Knew

Do you remember when Dan Rather and his producer Mary Mapes put a story on the weekday edition of 60 Minutes using "fake but accurate" TANG documents to try to destroy George W. Bush and get John Kerry elected President? A part of that story was "Did George W. Bush volunteer to go to Vietnam?" Information buried in the independent panel's investigative report indicates he did and Mary Mapes knew it.

From Bernie Goldberg:

Until now, the controversy over the Rather/Mapes story has centered almost entirely on one issue: the legitimacy of the documents – a very important issue, indeed. But it turns out that there was another very important issue, one that goes to the very heart of what the story was about – and one that has gone virtually unnoticed. This is it: Mary Mapes knew before she put the story on the air that George W. Bush, the alleged slacker, had in fact volunteered to go to Vietnam.

Who says? The outside panel CBS brought into to get to the bottom of the so-called “Rathergate” mess says. I recently re-examined the panel’s report after a source, Deep Throat style, told me to “Go to page 130.” When I did, here’s the startling piece of information I found:

Mapes had information prior to the airing of the September 8 [2004] Segment that President Bush, while in the TexANG [Texas Air National Guard] did volunteer for service in Vietnam but was turned down in favor of more experienced pilots. For example, a flight instructor who served in the TexANG with Lieutenant Bush advised Mapes in 1999 that Lieutenant Bush “did want to go to Vietnam but others went first.” Similarly, several others advised Mapes in 1999, and again in 2004 before September 8, that Lieutenant Bush had volunteered to go to Vietnam but did not have enough flight hours to qualify.

UAE Seizes Explosives Laden N. Korean Arms Ship Heading to Iran

Sanctions against North Korea were ramped up after there last round of missile firing.
This is the first seizure under the stiffer sanctions, which prohibit North Korea fron selling any conventional weapons.

From Fox News:

UNITED NATIONS — The United Arab Emirates has seized a cargo ship bound for Iran with a cache of banned rocket-propelled grenades and other arms from North Korea, the first such seizure since sanctions against North Korea were ramped up, diplomats and officials told The Associated Press on Friday.

The seizure earlier this month was carried out in accordance with tough new U.N. Security Council sanctions meant to derail North Korea's nuclear weapons program, but which also ban the North's sale of any conventional arms.

Diplomats identified the vessel as a Bahamas-flagged cargo vessel, the ANL Australia. The diplomats and officials spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

"We can confirm that the UAE detained a North Korean vessel containing illicit cargo," a Western diplomat told the AP.

Turkey's deputy U.N. ambassador, Fazli Corman, who chairs the Security Council's sanctions panel, also confirmed the incident without providing details and said council members are examining the seriousness of it.

The UAE, a hub for Iranian goods, seized the ship earlier in August. The ship is registered in the Bahamas, a common country of registry for vessels, but it wasn't immediately clear who owns it nor where the owner is based.

The Security Council's latest resolution came in the wake of North Korea's second nuclear test in May and firing of six short-range rockets.

Anti-Obamacare Protester at town hall, "This used to be America!" Security officer, "It ain't no more, OK? "

A pro-Obama security officer at a town hall demanded a protester not show an Obama the joker poster. The protester pleaded, "This used to be America!" The officer responded, "It ain't no more, OK?" Somehow we knew it would com to this.



From Liveleak:

Officer Does Not Like anti-Obama Poster: "It ain't [America] no more, OK?"

Many people were left outside when the school filled to capacity. School security officer Wesley Cheeks, Jr. did not like my anti-Obamacare poster which used one of the gone-viral "Joker" graphics.

When protester said to Officer Cheeks, "This used to be America!" his response was: "It ain't no more, OK?

Gallop: There’s no correlation between the Dow and Obama’s approval rating

Most Presidents poll numbers track closely with the Dow index. This is not true for President Obama. This is very strange. Please post a comment if you have an explanation.

From Gallop:

PRINCETON, NJ -- President Barack Obama's job approval rating has been steadily declining over the past several months at the same time that the Dow Jones Industrial Average has been steadily increasing. This inverse relationship between job approval and the stock market is not a common pattern with recent presidents. In fact, Gallup's analysis of job approval ratings and the Dow going back to 1977 finds few sustained periods where the Dow and presidential approval were strongly related (either positively or negatively).

Even for Obama, the current pattern is only recent. In the early months of his administration, Obama's job approval was positively related to the Dow, rather than negatively related, as is the case currently. (The accompanying graph, and all other graphs in this story, displays Dow closing values and presidential job approval ratings indexed to the respective averages for each presidential administration. The Dow figures represent the closing averages for the first day of each poll, or the most recent day before the poll began if the stock market was closed on the day the poll began.)

Unbelievable video: Rep. Diane Watson (D-CA) "they're trying to see that the first president who looks like me -- fails."

Here is a little race baiting from a Representative who thinks Castro was "one of the brightest leaders I have ever met." This is the most unbelievable video I have ever seen from a US Congressperson.



From the video:

"They are spreading fear and they're trying to see that the first president who looks like me -- fails."

Seniors will have to give up some Medicare benefits for Obamacare to work?

Seniors will have to give up some Medicare benefits for Obamacare to work? That is what Democratic Representative Betsy Markey of Colorado has said repeatedly during the August break.

From the Coloradoan:

Some people, including Medicare recipients, will have to give up some current benefits to truly reform the nation's health-care system, Rep. Betsy Markey told a gathering of constituents in Fort Collins on Wednesday.
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Markey has repeatedly said during the August congressional recess that Medicare spending needs to be reined in to help pay for reforming the broader health-care system.

"There's going to be some people who are going to have to give up some things, honestly, for all of this to work," Markey said at a Congress on Your Corner event at CSU. "But we have to do this because we're Americans."

From the size of this crowd outside Rep. Markey's office, I am not sure she is in tune with her constituents.

Central Bank Official: Unemployment is really 16%

Atlanta Fed chief Dennis Lockhart said the real unemployment rate is 16%. The 9.4% number does not count those who have given up on finding a job. Lockhart is the first central bank official to acknowledge the depth of unemployment.

From Breitbart.com:

The real US unemployment rate is 16 percent if persons who have dropped out of the labor pool and those working less than they would like are counted, a Federal Reserve official said Wednesday.

"If one considers the people who would like a job but have stopped looking -- so-called discouraged workers -- and those who are working fewer hours than they want, the unemployment rate would move from the official 9.4 percent to 16 percent, said Atlanta Fed chief Dennis Lockhart.

He underscored that he was expressing his own views, which did "do not necessarily reflect those of my colleagues on the Federal Open Market Committee," the policy-setting body of the central bank.

Lockhart pointed out in a speech to a chamber of commerce in Chattanooga, Tennessee that those two categories of people are not taken into account in the Labor Department's monthly report on the unemployment rate. The official July jobless rate was 9.4 percent.

Lockhart, who heads the Atlanta, Georgia, division of the Fed, is the first central bank official to acknowledge the depth of unemployment amid the worst US recession since the Great Depression.

Gallop: Obama's approval ready to drop below 50%.

President Obama is on a pace to drop below 50% approval during his first year of office. The Gallop Daily Obama Job Approval had President Obama's approval at 50% yesterday. Only two other Presidents approval numbers have faded faster.

From the LA Times:

Should the slide continue, Obama will by no means be the first president to slide below 50% in the Gallup Poll, which has been tracking public approval of presidents since Harry S. Truman.

But Obama has reached his new low more quickly than most of his predecessors did, according to Gallup. The percentage of people voicing disapproval for the job the president is performing also stands at a near-high of 43%.

Slipping below 50% before November of the first year in office would represent “the third-fastest drop” since World War II, Gallup reports. Republican Gerald Ford slipped below 50% in his third month as president, Democrat Bill Clinton during his fourth month.

It took Republican President Eisenhower five years to fall below 50% in the public’s eye, Gallup notes. It took both Republican George Bushes about three years. It took Democrat Lyndon Johnson and Republican Richard Nixon more than two years.

Does the released Lockerbie bomber really have less than three months to live?

Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi (right) meeting with freed Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet al-Megrahi in Tripoli

Does the released Lockerbie bomber really have less than three months to live? The answer isn't clear. Apparently only one doctor would certify that diagnosis and he may have been working for the Libyans. Labour and Conservative politicians,along with the families of the Lockerbie victims, are demanding answers. Scottish government officials are stonewalling.

From The Scotsman:

JUSTICE secretary Kenny MacAskill was last night under pressure to reveal more details of the medical evidence that led to the release of the Lockerbie bomber, after it emerged that only one doctor was willing to say Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi had less than three months to live.

Labour and Conservative politicians have demanded the Scottish Government publish details of the doctor's expertise and qualifications, amid suggestions he or she may not have been a prostate cancer expert.

The parties have also raised questions over whether the doctor was employed by the Libyan government or Megrahi's legal team, which could have influenced the judgment.

According to the report that was the basis of the decision,

And suggestions that the doctor who gave the prognosis may have been employed by the Libyan government emerged in the report's notes. It said that a professor from Libya had been involved in Megrahi's care and the medical officer who wrote the report had been "working with clinicians from Libya over the past ten months".

The anti-Obamacare ad ABC doesn't want you to see

ABC news is refusing to run this ad by League of American Voters:



ABC didn't have any problem turning its programming over to President Obama for a prime time health care reform infomercial direct from the White House. NBC has also refused to run this ad.

Sen. Claire McCaskill: "You have every right to fire me." Town Hall crowd cheers.

Sen. Claire McCaskill held a town hall at Jefferson City, MO on Wednesday August 26. During the town hall, she said, "You have every right to fire me." From the cheering, the crowd wholeheartedly agreed.

It is a good time to be a Democrat accused of corruption

The Department of Justice has dropped the investigation into the "pay for play" allegations against New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson. The decision was made in Washington.

From Hot Air:

What do Bill Richardson and the New Black Panther Party have in common? Both got let off the hook by Attorney General Eric Holder and the Obama Department of Justice. Holder, who recently announced a push to investigate and potentially prosecute CIA interrogators, will not prosecute the governor of New Mexico for his pay-for-play activities, which scotched his nomination for Secretary of Commerce:

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and former high-ranking members of his administration won’t be criminally charged in a yearlong federal investigation into pay-to-play allegations involving one of the Democratic governor’s large political donors, someone familiar with the case said.

The decision not to pursue indictments was made by top Justice Department officials, according to a person familiar with the investigation, who asked not to be identified because federal officials had not disclosed results of the probe.

“It’s over. There’s nothing. It was killed in Washington,” the person told The Associated Press.

CIA Interrogators Accused of Another Illegal Interrogation Technique

We have all heard about how CIA interrogators used water boarding and threats to pry information from known terrorists. Now, a new allegation as been reported. Interrogators blew smoke in a terrorist's face. Yes, that's right. They blew smoke.

CNS News reported:

Abd al Rahim al-Nashiri, according to the 9-11 commission report, was the mastermind of the Oct. 12, 2000, attack on the U.S.S. Cole that killed 17 U.S. sailors.

Nashiri was also the target of an "unauthorized" CIA interrogation technique (that had not been legally vetted by the Justice Department) that is described in a May 7, 2004, CIA inspector general's report that was partially declassified by the Obama administration this week.

CIA officers blew smoke in Nashiri's face, according to the report, and they used cigars.

The IG's office described this smoke-blowing as one of several "unauthorized or undocumented techniques" it discovered had been used in isolated incidents by CIA employees interrogating high-level al-Qaida terrorists.

"An Agency (redacted phrase) interrogator admitted that, in December 2002, he and another (redacted phrase) smoked cigars and blew cigar smoke in al-Nashiri's face during the interrogation," said the IG report.

The IG, however, was unable to clearly establish that the smoke-blowing was intended to force Nashiri to cough up what he knew about al-Qaida's plans.

CBO Projection: 2.3 million Additional Job Losses in 2010

Both the CBO and OMB released revised economic projections yesterday. Hidden in the data from the CBO was this calculation from Keith Hennesssey.

From KeithHennessey.com:

Yesterday the Congressional Budget Office released their “summer update” publication, in which they update their baseline budget and economic projections for changes in the economy and legislation enacted so far this year. The Administration also released their “Mid-Session Review” publication, which makes similar updates for the President’s policy proposals.

Most of the press coverage focused on the updated budget deficit projections. I instead want to draw your attention to one component of the new CBO economic forecast.

Based on CBO’s forecast for the average unemployment rate in calendar year 2010, 2.3 million fewer people will be employed on average next year than they projected in January.

Michelle Malkin on fake Denver vandalism

Michele Malkin was on Hannity last night. She discussed the fake vandalism at the Denver Democratic Headquarters. Democrats blamed anti Obamacare protesters, but the actual perpetrator has worked as a Democratic operative. Michelle may have missed one thing. The suspect is a transgendered “Denver-based anarchist” who goes by the name “Ariel Attack.”

CBN Video: Update on the Tarheel Jihad Group

The mainstream media are doing their usual "good job" of ignoring potential violent jihad in America. CBN News has produced a great video follow up on the North Carolina group planning violent jihad here in America.

Video: Chris Mathews uses Kennedy's death to insinuate Obama's opponents are potential assassins

This is disgusting. Chris Mathews is using the death of Senator Kennedy to insinuate Obama's opponents are potential assassins.

From NewsBusters:

Chris Matthews has used the passing of Ted Kennedy to paint opponents of Pres. Obama as a pool of potential assassins.

CHRIS MATTHEWS: You know there's going to be a lot of talk about the tragic blessings of the Kennedy family, and the curse. And it's all nonsense. These people were courageous risk takers. Kathleen Kennedy, the girl, the oldest daughter, she was killed with her lover traveling on a plane ride she never should have taken through terrible weather in Europe. Joe Kennedy, Jr. took a mission that nobody should have taken in a plane loaded with dynamite to go blow up the V-1 rocket sites. Jack Kennedy was killed in an open car in Dallas in the midst of the most hated--it's like the mood we're in right now.

Colorado Democratic Headquarters Vandal is a Democratic Activist

The Colorado Democratic Headquarters in Denver was vandalized yesterday. Democrats were quick to blame opponents of Obamacare.

Eleven windows at the Colorado Democratic Party headquarters on Santa Fe Drive were shattered early this morning in a vandalism spree that party Chairwoman Pat Waak blamed on animosity surrounding the health care debate.

"We ought to be having a serious, conscientious debate about what's best for the country," Waak said. "Clearly there's been an effort on the other side to stir up hate. I think this is the consequence of it."

Police have arrested a suspect and he is is a Democratic Party activist who was arrested at the RNC convention. Don't hold your breath waiting for an apology.



Update: He she is really a girl?

How is the government run option working out in Great Britain?

The answer is "not very well," if you are an expectant mother trying to have a baby. There are not enough maternity beds and many mothers in labor are being turned away. Some are having their babies in lobbies and public toilets. Is this the change you want America?

The Daily Mail reported:

Thousands of women are having to give birth outside maternity wards because of a lack of midwives and hospital beds.

The lives of mothers and babies are being put at risk as births in locations ranging from lifts to toilets - even a caravan - went up 15 per cent last year to almost 4,000.

Health chiefs admit a lack of maternity beds is partly to blame for the crisis, with hundreds of women in labour being turned away from hospitals because they are full.

Latest figures show that over the past two years there were at least:

* 63 births in ambulances and 608 in transit to hospitals;
* 117 births in A&E departments, four in minor injury units and two in medical assessment areas;
* 115 births on other hospital wards and 36 in other unspecified areas including corridors;
* 399 in parts of maternity units other than labour beds, including postnatal and antenatal wards and reception areas.

Additionally, overstretched maternity units shut their doors to any more women in labour on 553 occasions last year.

Babies were born in offices, lifts, toilets and a caravan, according to the Freedom of Information data for 2007 and 2008 from 117 out of 147 trusts which provide maternity services.

Video: Bill O'Reilly Declares Obamacare Unconstitutional

How can the Government force Americans to buy something they don't want? If the government wanted to prop up GM, could they force you to buy a new GM car? The Commerce clause of the Constitution has long been abused by Congress to justify government intervention in our lives. This part of the Constitution gives Congress the power to regulate interstate and international commerce. This has nothing to do with forcing Americans to buy health insurance or anything else. Any Congressperson who would try to force Americans to buy something they do not want has not read the Constitution or doesn't care what is in it. Bill O'Reilly has read the Constitution and he clearly believes some of the mandatory insurance purchase proposals in Obamacare are unconstitutional.

Video: Glenn Beck Outs the Left as Socialists

This is a great video montage of the left using their own words to out themselves as socialists.

75% Worried About Gitmo Closing

A new Rasmussen poll has found fifty-five percent of Americans now oppose closing the Guantanamo Bay terrorist detention center. Support has been dwindling since President Obama announced the plan. Most Americans don't want a terrorist moving in next door.

From Rasmussen:

Seventy-five percent (75%) of U.S. voters are at least somewhat concerned that dangerous terrorists will be set free if the Guantanamo prison camp is closed and some prisoners are transferred to other countries. Fifty-six percent (56%) are very concerned.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that just 24% are not concerned about the potential danger.

Support for the president’ s plan to close the prison camp for suspected terrorists at the Guantanamo Naval Base in Cuba continues to erode. It’s been steadily dropping since Obama announced the camp closure just after taking office in January. Only 32% of voters now favor closing the prison camp, down six points from May and down 12 points since the President announced his decision in January.

Fifty-five percent (55%) now oppose closing the prison, with 13% not sure. In January, just after the president announced his decision, just 42% were opposed.

Rush Limbaugh: "fascism is exactly what we're getting under Barack Obama"

Rush Limbaugh, on his broadcast today, accused President Obama of turning the US into a "fascist" economy.

From The Patriot Room:

So back in April, Obama said, "No, no, no, no. I'm not going to do that. I want to go forward," because he knows the American people do not want to investigate the Bush administration. He knows the American people don't want to weaken our intelligence gathering ability and our foreign policy.

And this business of "undermining the Constitution," I might remind you that Obama has kept the warrantless spy program, and he has expanded it. And I might remind you there's nothing in the Constitution that says the president can fire a CEO. There's nothing in the Constitution that says the president can turn this into a fascist economy, which he is in the process of doing. It is not socialist. Socialist is where the government owns the means of production and distribution. Fascism is where the private sector still owns what it owns but politicians run it. The state runs these businesses, but they don't own 'em. Now, I know he owns some. He owns a couple struggling car companies. He owns some banks and some other things. But fascism is exactly what we're getting under Barack Obama.

Glenn Beck first made this allegation months ago.

Is Sen. John McCain "getting it" on health care reform?

Senator John McCain at his health care town hall said, "You might be seeing the beginning of a peaceful revolt in America." Senator McCain, you were slow to recognize what is happening, but welcome aboard.

Obama budget chief admits forecasts were junk

First the OMB admitted the CBO were right and they were underestimating the 10 year budget deficit by $2 trillion. Now, Obama budget chief Peter Orszag says the recession is deeper than they predicted.

From Bloomberg:
Ed Morrissey at Hot Air connects the dots.

Let’s recall the difference between Orszag’s OMB projections for the deficit in March, and the CBO’s numbers:

The difference between these projections was the prediction of Obama’s economic advisers of US economic performance. They predicated their numbers, in the light pink, based on the entirely unrealistic expectation of getting -1.2% GDP growth this year, after the first quarter came in at -6% (annualized), later revised to -5.4%. Even while the second quarter continued to look poor, the OMB continued with its sunny analysis. Now that we’re in the middle of the third quarter and growth remains elusive — and more importantly, unemployment continues to rise — the White House has no fig leaf to hide their errors.

Don't worry. Obama budget chief Peter Orszag has a plan to get us through this "deeper recession." He wants to spend more money.

Howard Dean: Those who oppose Obama are "undermining the country."

Howard Dean said those who oppose Obama are "undermining the country," on yesterday's Rachel Maddow show. You are wrong Mr. Dean. Those who oppose Obama are "saving the country."

Gallup: Obama’s weekly average approval at new low

President Obama's approval is dropping dramatically among seniors, the young and upper income Americans.

From Gallop:

Approval of Obama is down among all major age groups over the past month, but the drop has been particularly steep -- 11 points -- among adults aged 18 to 29 (though young Americans continue to give Obama the strongest support). It has dropped by four to seven points during that time among the three older age categories of Americans. However, over the past week, the sharpest drop -- from 48% to 43% -- has been among seniors.

Seniors remain the only age group whose average approval rating of Obama is below 50%, a pattern seen since mid-July. But last week, for the first time, finds more seniors disapproving than approving of Obama (48% disapprove vs. 43% who approve).

Support for Obama has also dropped below 50% for the first time among upper-income Americans (those making $90,000 or more per year) and registers below that threshold for only the second time among upper-middle-income earners (those earning from $60,000 to $89,999).

Dick Morris: Democrats Could Lose 100 Seats in 2010 (Video)

On the Hannity Show, Dick Morris predicted the Democrats may lose as many as 100 seats in Congress in 2010. According to Dick Morris, Americans are becoming more concerned about the deficit and the tide has turned against Obamacare. Morris is also warning of the possibility of a double dip recession.

From YouTube:

Dick Morris sent out the disaster warning tonight on Hannity. With the humongous debt the Obama has created and the likelihood of a double-dip recession, democrats could lose 100 Congressional seats next year!

Must See Video: Glenn Beck Exposes Obama's Radical "Green Jobs Czar"

If you are not familiar with President Obama's "Green Jobs Czar" Van Jones, you will be shocked. President Obama has appointed a (former?) communist revolutionary and radical to head up his "green jobs" program. Glenn Beck does a great in depth video analysis of Anthony Van Jones.

10 Billion Reasons Unions Support Obamacare

Have you wondered why unions are providing such strong support for Obamacare? The Democrats in Congress have tucked 10 billion good reasons in the bill. Can you say political payback?

From the Detroit Free Press:

Antilabor forces say it’s welfare for the UAW and Democrats’ union allies. Labor supporters say it falls short of what’s needed as tens of thousands of union members are pushed into early retirement as employers cut back health care coverage.

They’re both talking about a $10-billion provision tucked deep inside thousands of pages of health care overhaul bills that could help the UAW’s retiree health-care plan and other union-backed plans.

It would see the government — at least temporarily — pay 80 cents on the dollar to corporate and union insurance plans for claims between $15,000 and $90,000 for retirees age 55 to 64. …

Greg Mourad of the National Right to Work Committee called it “a shameless case of political payback,” saying Democrats and President Barack Obama are trying “to force the rest of us to pay billions to cover those unions’ health care.”

Obama flip-flops on prosecution of CIA employees

Back in January, Barack Obama had no intentions of prosecuting Bush administration or CIA employees for water boarding and other enhanced interrogation techniques.

Barack Obama on This Week (Jan 2009)


From the Video:

"I don't believe anybody has broke the law. On the other hand I also have a belief that we need to look forward as opposed to looking backwards. And part of my job is to make sure that for example at the CIA, you've got extraordinarily talented people who are working very hard to keep Americans safe. I don't want them to suddenly feel like they've got to spend all their time looking over their shoulders and lawyering."

Now that they need a distraction from the Obamacare disaster, they are ready to name a prosecutor.

Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. has decided to appoint a prosecutor to examine nearly a dozen cases in which CIA interrogators and contractors may have violated anti-torture laws and other statutes when they allegedly threatened terrorism suspects, according to two sources familiar with the move.

Holder is poised to name John Durham, a career Justice Department prosecutor from Connecticut, to lead the inquiry, according to the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the process is not complete.

Durham's mandate, the sources added, will be relatively narrow: to look at whether there is enough evidence to launch a full-scale criminal investigation of current and former CIA personnel who may have broken the law in their dealings with detainees. Many of the harshest CIA interrogation techniques have not been employed against terrorism suspects for four years or more.

President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder should remember water boarding prevented a second 9-11 in Los Angeles. This investigation will be very damaging to the moral at the CIA. Rumor is CIA Director Leon Panetta is ready to throw in the towel.

Hat tip to Gateway Pundit.

From the RNC: Seniors’ Health Care Bill Of Rights

The Hippocratic oath says, "Above all, do no harm." Republicans say health care reform should do no harm. They have issued a Seniors’ Health Care Bill Of Rights.

From the GOP:

* PROTECT MEDICARE AND NOT CUT IT IN THE NAME OF HEALTH CARE REFORM: President Obama and Congressional Democrats are promoting a government-run health care experiment that will cut over $500 billion from Medicare to be used to pay for their plan. Medicare should not be raided to pay for another entitlement.

* PROHIBIT GOVERNMENT FROM GETTING BETWEEN SENIORS AND THEIR DOCTORS: The Democrats’ government-run health care experiment will give patients less power to control their own medical decisions, and create government boards that would decide what treatments would or wouldn’t be funded. Republicans believe in patient-centered reforms that put the priorities of seniors before government.

* PROHIBIT EFFORTS TO RATION HEALTH CARE BASED ON AGE: The Democrats’ government-run health care experiment would set up a “comparative effectiveness research commission” where health care treatment decisions could be limited based on a patient’s age. Republicans believe that health care decisions are best left up to seniors and their doctors.

* PREVENT GOVERNMENT FROM INTERFERING WITH END-OF-LIFE CARE DISCUSSIONS: The Democrats’ government-run health care experiment would have seniors meet with a doctor to discuss end-of-life care that could mean limiting treatment. Republicans believe that government should not interfere with end-of-life care discussions between a patient and a doctor.

* ENSURE SENIORS CAN KEEP THEIR CURRENT COVERAGE: As Democrats continue to propose steep cuts to Medicare in order to pay for their government-run health care experiment, these cuts threaten millions of seniors with being forced from their current Medicare Advantage plans. Republicans believe that seniors should not be targeted by a government-run health care bill and forced out of their current Medicare coverage.

* PROTECT VETERANS BY PRESERVING TRICARE AND OTHER BENEFIT PROGRAMS FOR MILITARY FAMILIES: Democrats recently proposed raising veterans’ costs for the Tricare For Life program that many veterans rely on for treatment. Republicans oppose increasing the burden on our veterans and believe America should honor our promises to them.

Was Mossad behind the Russian ship hijacking?

Many foreign newspapers are now reporting that the hijacking of the Russian freighter Arctic Sea was an Israeli secret service operation. Allegedly, the ship was carrying cruise missiles to Iran?

From the Jerusalem Post:

Was Israel's secret service behind the unexplained hijacking of a Russian freighter, to foil a secret attempt to ship cruise missiles to Iran?

The mystery surrounding the hijacking of a Russian freighter in July has taken a new twist with reports claiming the pirates were acting in league with the Mossad in order to halt a shipment of modern weapon systems hidden on board and destined for the Islamic republic.

While Israeli and Russian officials dismissed the reports, accounts published in the Russian media sounded more like a spy thriller than a commercial hijacking.

"There is something fishy about this whole story, no doubt about it," former deputy defense minister Ephraim Sneh told The Media Line. "But I can't comment further on this."

The Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta reported over the weekend that the vessel Arctic Sea had been carrying x-55 cruise missiles and S300 anti-aircraft rockets hidden in secret compartments among its cargo of timber and sawdust.

The eight hijackers originally claimed to be environmentalists when they boarded the ship in the Baltic Sea in Swedish waters on July 24. The Russian navy tracked it down three weeks later and recaptured it near the West African archipelago of Cape Verde on August 17, thousands of kilometers from its original destination of Algeria.

The hijackers were charged late on Friday with kidnapping and piracy, the Interfax news agency reported. Russian authorities have declined to revealing further information about the suspects' motives.

Massive protests against socialism in Venezuela

Here is a story the MSM is trying to ignore.

From NewsBusters:

Imagine if the Congress passed a law mandating that all school students in America be indoctrinated in socialism? Yeah, I know that is precisely the type of indoctrination that is already going on in many classrooms but the reaction to such a law actually spelling this out would cause demonstrations that would dwarf even those currently going on at the tea parties in opposition to ObamaCare. Well, this is precisely what is currently happening in Venezuela where the Hugo Chavez controlled National Assembly recently passed just such a law.

As a result, many previously apathetic Venezuelans are pouring into the streets to protest against this proposed indoctrination of their children. Now it's personal.

You can see the scope of these protests in this video. The commentary is in Spanish.