Why We Shouldn't be Supporting the U.N.

In case those flying saucers show up:

"The United Nations was set today to appoint an obscure Malaysian astrophysicist to act as Earth's first contact for any aliens that may come visiting."
http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/un-to-appoint-earth-contact-for-aliens/story-e6frfku0-1225929498742

A Great Video

A great video from Ms. Pia Varma, running for Congress in Pennsylvia.

Hmmmm....Interesting.....Obama Asking for Support for Obamacare

The Obama administration is working on an advertisement campaign for Obamacare.
The head of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships is asking for help from faith-based organizations--- “Make use of the resources described on this call: the website, door hangers, one pagers and so forth. We’ve got work to do.”

So what's the problem? Why is support for Obamacare plummeting?

Obama's promises seem to be disintegrating. For example, some insurance companies are not writing new policies. Why? Too much uncertainty about all the new regulations and rules. Because no one has bothered to read the bill, basically. Just like Ms. Pelosi said, "Just pass the bill"... and then we'll see what's in it.

Seniors are being hit, too. AARP will discontinue its prescription policy.

Ms. Pelosi, what else will we discover in this health care bill?

http://www.citizenlink.com/2010/09/obama-asks-faith-based-groups-to-promote-health-care-as-new-problems-surface/

So, What is the Truth About "Those Jobs No American Would Do"?

Mr. Colbert appeared at the behest of Democratic Subcommittee head Zoe Lofgren to support the UAW's new campaign supporting illegal alien farm workers.
This is part of that common assertion that illegal aliens only do those jobs that Americans don't want to do.
Which is entirely untrue.
From recent research:
•Of the 465 civilian occupations, only four are majority immigrant. These four occupations account for less than 1 percent of the total U.S. workforce. Moreover, native-born Americans comprise 47 percent of workers in these occupations.
•Many jobs often thought to be overwhelmingly immigrant are in fact majority native-born:
◦Maids and housekeepers: 55 percent native-born
◦Taxi drivers and chauffeurs: 58 percent native-born
◦Butchers and meat processors: 63 percent native-born
◦Grounds maintenance workers: 65 percent native-born
◦Construction laborers: 65 percent native-born
◦Porters, bellhops, and concierges: 71 percent native-born
◦Janitors: 75 percent native-born
From http://www.cis.org/illegalimmigration-employment

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/09/24/130096668/colbert-bringing-more-truthiness-to-capitol-hill-today

Bring in the Clowns

Today, the head of the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship and Et-cetera, Representative Zoe Lofgren (Democrat-California) invited comedian Stephen Colbert to testify about illegal alien migrant workers.

Mr. Colbert spent 10 hours on a farm to prepare for his "testimony."

So, arriving on Capitol Hill, Mr. Colbert proceeded to perform a comedy skit (which IMHO was offensive and juvenile) for the edification of the Subcommittee members.

Representative Lofgren then thanked the "witnesses" whose "testimony" she deemed (quote) "helpful."

Methinks they are all clowns.....

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/Colbert-embarrasses-Dems-Conyers-asks-comedian-to-leave-then-withdraws-request-103712949.html

Today: The First Day of Obamacare

Yesterday we looked at one of the casualties of Obamacare: Child-Only health care policies. http://politicopolitico.blogspot.com/2010/09/whod-have-thunk-latest-casualty-of.html

Some folks are now complaining that this decision is immoral, dishonest (insurance companies can't blame Obamacare for their not offering these Child-Only plans), and not a good turn of events for sick children.

On the last point, they are right.

But when the government demands that companies offer plans at a low cost to any child, no matter how sick they are (and face it, no child needs his/her own policy unless they are really ill) is ridiculous.

That company would go out of business lickety-split--and that would be the end of the child-only policy, just through a different means.

Hmmmmm.....

Republican Senators Wimp Out

Republican Senators, behind closed doors, decided NOT to remove Murkowski from her senior spot on the Energy Committee. http://politicopolitico.blogspot.com/2010/09/oooooooh-senator-murkowski-shot-down.html

Apparently, Senator DeMint (R-South Carolina) is the only one to think that her removal was an appropriate action.

Face it, Murkowski lost. Her write-in campaign is a slap in the face to Alaskan voters. And her phone calls to oil lobbyists for support --when she LOST the primary election--should be stopped by her colleagues in the Senate.

What are they scared of?

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0910/42642.html

Who'd Have Thunk? The Latest Casualty of Obamacare

Health insurance companies will no longer offer child-only policies.
Obamacare insists that health insurance companies agree to offer high-risk insurance at lower rates.
Well, business just can't run that way. They must either discontinue that service or go out of business.
Child-only policies are for those children who are really, really sick, which is only a tiny majority of youngsters. If you can't charge for pre-existing conditions---well, you go bankrupt really fast.
http://hotair.com/archives/2010/09/21/insurers-to-drop-child-only-plans/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/20/AR2010092006665.html

Oooooooh, Senator Murkowski Shot Down Also

Senator Lisa Murkowshi (R-Alaska) recently lost the primary race to Joe Miller (who should win the election in November and be Alaska's newest senator).

Ms. Murkowski then attempted to be the Libertarian candidate, asking the Libertarian candidate David Haase to step down so she could run.

He said No.

Now Murkowski is running a write-in campaign. She recently attempted to contact lobbyists, especially those related to oil companies, apparently trying to raise money for this write-in campaign.

Murkowski WAS the top Republican on the Senate Energy Committee, so she would have lots of influence over energy policies.

But today, Senator Murkowski got kicked off this Committee by the other Republican Senators. http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/09/21/murkowski-stripped-of-committee/

Something for our Public Servants to remember:

WE HIRE, WE FIRE

Senator Reid's DREAM Act Shot Down

You may not know, but Senator Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) recently attached an amnesty bill (the DREAM Act) to an appropriations bill for our troops.

He also stuck in a bill to end "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" in the military. Today, all three bills got torpedoed.

The Dream Act (which proponents have tried to pass for years) is an immigration bill allowing illegal aliens who moved here prior to age 15 and who go to college a "Get-out-of-jail-free" card and go directly to being a U.S. citizens.

Basically, this bill bypasses our immigration laws. For more details, see http://michellemalkin.com/2010/09/21/dream-act-showdown-dems-hold-defense-bill-hostage-to-social-justice/

"The President recently expressed his support for Reid's efforts to move forward on the DREAM Act" while meeting with Representatives Velazquez and Gutierrez and Senator Menendez (all Democrats). http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2010/09/obama_at_gutierrez_menendez_ve.html

Reid also tried very, very hard to prevent any debate, hoping, I guess, to slip these bills by.
For more on all the wily tricks to try and get the DREAM Act passed, see here: http://www.hstoday.us/content/view/14784/128/

Playing Politics with our troops is not cool.

Advertising for Public Schools

(Photo courtesy of Lee MacMillan)
Above is a billboard asking people to go to a website to view the 15 best things about South Bend schools.
http://www.wsbt.com/news/local/Billboard-Spelling-Error-Creates-Embarrassment-103312449.html

Oh, and did you hear about the Carp Czar?

No joke.

http://michellemalkin.com/2010/09/09/meet-the-new-asian-carp-czar/

No joke that We, The People are paying for this either.

Oops, My Bad

When President Obama told Congressional Black Caucus leaders to "guard the change"....



....I thought he meant they'd better watch out for the extra money in their pockets.

Czars and more czars

President Obama has circumvented the recently passed financial regulatory laws---which specify that the President nominate a director of the new consumer protection bureau to be voted on by the Senate---by installing a new czar who will be a special adviser to Tax Cheat, uh...Timothy, Geitner and President Obama.

Elizabeth Warren will be Czar-in-charge of this bureau as President Obama's special appointment, thus avoiding a Senate confirmation fight. She will be in charge of protecting consumers. If, for example, someone complains that s/he didn't understand the risks of a financial transaction, the financial institution could face criminal charges. THAT should encourage lending.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/15/AR2010091505999.html

And in other czar news....Science Czar Holdren advocates "de-developing" America in order to "restore" the environment.

http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/75388

And since global warming has not stood up to those pesky items called "facts", Mr. Holdren wants us now to be fearful of something called "global climate disruption."

Yeah.....right.....

And what about our Safe School czar, Mr. Kevin Jennings?

Yes, the one who promoted "safe sex" to an underage boy who was involved with an adult (but did nothing else) AND whose "inspiration" was the heavily-NAMBLA-involved Harry Hay AND whose organization GSLEN pushed pornography and promoted homosexual acts.....well, he has admitted that his goal is to introduce gay and lesbian issues into public school curriculums.

http://www.breitbart.tv/obamas-safe-school-czar-gay-issues-in-curriculum-is-ultimate-goal/

Economic Advisor Romer Gone; Goolsbee Takes Over Job

With stellar qualifications:
From the Obama Administration, “He’s young and energetic and good on TV." http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0910/41959.html

And hopefully, less candid than Christina Romer (now the former head of President Obama's economic advisors) who left saying that she had no idea why the economy went so far downhill and that she had no idea how to fix it. However, she defends Obama's stimulus spending, saying,
"As the Council of Economic Advisers has documented in a series of reports to Congress, there is widespread agreement that the [stimulus] act is broadly on track." How did she come to that conclusion, may I ask?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/01/AR2010090106148.html

Meanwhile, the new Head Economic Advisor Goolsbee asserts that "the summer of recover" touted by the Vice President didn't really mean economic recovery--Mr. Biden was only referring to the Recovery Act that would be put in place.

And by the way, don't be looking for any economic recovery any time in the near future.

http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/fox-news-sunday/transcript/austan-goolsbee-talks-economy-and-elections?page=1

What is Driving Voters This Year?

"It's the Spending, Stupid"

"They saw the Recovery Act," he said. "They saw TARP. They saw the auto bailout. And they look at these and think, 'God, all these huge numbers adding up.' So they're right to be concerned about that," said President Obama.

He hit the nail on the head.

Food for thought & good to read:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703743504575493953591176476.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_LEADTop

The Economy is Looking Even Worse

This year, 14.3 percent of Americans live in poverty--the highest level since the Census Bureau started keeping these statistics.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/16/AR2010091602698_pf.html

Foreclosures on homes continue to rise, while bank repossessions of homes has hit an all-time high. Interesting (and sad) note: Nevada leads the country in home foreclosures as well as in unemployment. (Note to Nevadians: fire Mr. Reid.)
http://www.cnbc.com/id/39192246

Unemployment hasn't gone down--it hovers around 10%, while the actual unemployment rate is closer to 18%. American debt has gone through the roof. Businesses are not hiring, and are not creating new jobs.

So, let's tax those who make some money.
Read this to understand that Mr. Obama is not quite telling the truth when he states that only 3% of small business owners will be affected by the tax hikes he wants to put on those at what--he--defines--as--"rich"-------it's actually 48% of small business owners that will get hit. Note the other name for "rich" small business owners--EMPLOYERS.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703959704575454061524326290.html

The Stimulus, Thus Far

This is a bit of what your taxes were spent upon--as part of the so-called stimulus packages. That stimulus money which was supposed to create jobs.

(Warning: Adult content--not vulgar, just not something you want to read aloud to your 6 year old)

In 2009, over 800 million dollars was spent to sh0w uncircumcised men in Africa how to wash their private parts after sexual intercourse.

My first question is--what?!?!? You're kidding. No amount of our tax money should be spent on this absurdity.

And secondly, how many jobs did this create in America? After all, this happened in Africa. The only person in America that probably got money for this idiocy was the professor at UCLA.

http://cnsnews.com/news/article/75198

http://projectreporter.nih.gov/project_info_details.cfm?aid=7814411&icde=5021426

Never Forget

We have so much to be grateful for here in America.

God has blessed us with a country that stands on principles of government for, by and of the people. Here's a tribute to our great nation by Canadian George Sinclair in 1973:

"This Canadian thinks it is time to speak up for the Americans as the most
generous and possibly the least appreciated people on all the earth. Germany, Japan and, to a lesser extent, Britain and Italy were lifted out of the debris of war by the Americans who poured in billions of dollars and forgave other billions in debts. None of these countries is today paying even the interest on its remaining debts to the United States.

When France was in danger of collapsing in 1956, it was the Americans who propped it up, and their reward was to be insulted and swindled on the streets of Paris. I was there. I saw it.

When earthquakes hit distant cities, it is the United States that hurries in to help. This spring, 59 American communities were flattened by tornadoes. Nobody helped. The Marshall Plan and the Truman Policy pumped billions of dollars into discouraged countries. Now newspapers in those countries are writing about the decadent, warmongering Americans. I'd like to see just one of those countries that is gloating over the erosion of the United States dollar build its own airplane. Does any other country in the world have a plane to equal the Boeing Jumbo Jet, the Lockheed Tri-Star, or the Douglas DC10? If so, why don't they fly them? Why do all the International lines except Russia fly American Planes?

Why does no other land on earth even consider putting a man or woman on the moon? You talk about Japanese technocracy, and you get radios. You talk about German technocracy, and you get automobiles. You talk about American technocracy, and you find men on the moon - not once, but several times and safely home again.

You talk about scandals, and the Americans put theirs right in the store window for everybody to look at. Even their draft-dodgers are not pursued and hounded.
They are here on our streets, and most of them, unless they are breaking Canadian laws, are getting American dollars from ma and pa at home to spend here.

When the railways of France, Germany and India were breaking down through
age, it was the Americans who rebuilt them. When the Pennsylvania Railroad
and the New York Central went broke, nobody loaned them an old caboose. Both are still broke.

I can name you 5000 times when the Americans raced to the help of other people in trouble. Can you name me even one time when someone else raced to the Americans in trouble? I don't think there was outside help even during the San Francisco earthquake. Our neighbors have faced it alone, and I'm one Canadian who is damned tired of hearing them get kicked around.

They will come out of this thing with their flag high. And when they do, they are entitled to thumb their nose at the lands that are gloating over their present troubles. I hope Canada is not one of those."
http://www.americanfamilytraditions.com/Tribute_To_The_United_States_of_America.htm

So How Does this Blogger Feel About Koran Burning?

A whole lot like I feel about the Ground-Zero mosque.

Anybody can (unless there's some local burn ban due to dry climatic conditions or some such thing, or a building doesn't meet local codes--local laws DO apply).

It's just unwise, foolish and ridiculous.

Here in the U.S. we have lots of freedom. We can burn Korans, Bibles, American flags....we can build houses of worship for any faith.

But we need to remember our manners.

And as a Christian, I don't believe I should offend my neighbor--I should show love; i.e., at least be nice.

Perhaps an Idea Worth Exploring

Ms. Kyle-Anne Shiver at American Thinker writes that it's "Time for an Islamaphobia Beer Summit."
She is jesting about the title (as I am), but her assertions ring true, such as, "One ought never confuse reasoned repugnance with irrational fear."
As to the ground-zero mosque fiasco, she writes that most "Americans oppose Imam Rauf's plan to build a "bridge" mosque so close to the site where his fellow Muslims murdered three thousand of our fellow citizens in the name of Islam just nine years ago."
And more, "A monument erected to the killers over the graves of their victims is a bridge too far for truly rational people. And it is doubtful that any rational American president would have ever lent his support to such an arrogantly vulgar idea in the first place."
Read her article here: http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/09/time_for_an_islamaphobia_beer.html

Interesting Addendum to "Topics of Interest" September 3

http://politicopolitico.blogspot.com/2010/09/topics-of-interest.html
Which may or may not be of any import--you decide.
From the LA Times in 2007, you can read an article about President Obama's childhood, which asserts that he was registered as a Muslim at his elementary school.
http://articles.latimes.com/2007/mar/15/nation/na-obama15

The "Deemed as Passed" Non-Existent 2011 Congressional Budget

What in the world is a "Deemed as Passed" yet non-existent budget?

Well, it's something just about as crazy as it sounds.

In July, as part of an emergency war bill, House Democrats stuck in a proposal to "deem as passed" a budget which doesn't actually exist.

A federal budget which has never been made nor voted on. Yet by "deeming" it passed, the House (controlled by Democrats, led by Ms. Pelosi) can spend YOUR money--without those cumbersome restraints of having a real budget.

This is FIRST year since the budget process was created in 1921 that a Congressional budget has not been enacted.

So what does this mean?

Congressional Democrats can spend as they please without budgetary constraints.

And at the same time, the "Non-Budget" doesn't ensure that our federal government meet its basic obligations to We, The People, such as defense.

Nor does this "Non-Budget" address the basics of a budget, such as accounting for income and outgo.

The House has basically reneged on one of its most basic governmental functions.

Question: So why do we need those Congress people, who cannot even perform one of their most basic duties?

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=37893

http://www.house.gov/budget_republicans/press/2007/notabudgetjun2010.pdf

Obama Continues Drilling Moratorium--In America, but Not in Mexico

President Obama has continued the oil drilling moratorium in the Gulf of Mexico despite pleas last month from oil-related workers to end the moratorium early (it is currently set to expire November 30th). http://blog.heritage.org/?p=40744

Yet the moratorium continues, in the face of the economic problems that this moratorium has caused Gulf Coast workers--not only in the oil business but in related businesses--

--AND despite the lies on which the moratorium is based (remember? The Administration cited a panel of experts as agreeing with a moratorium when in fact the experts were opposed to stopping oil drilling) http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/06/10/experts-say-obama-misrepresented-views-justify-offshore-drilling-ban/

---AND in the face of a ruling by a federal judge (which was upheld by an appeals court) to stop the moratorium and to continue drilling (at which time the Administration just issued another moratorium http://blog.heritage.org/?p=38583

---AND despite the fact that the federal government is support Mexico's drilling in the Gulf of Mexico through giving loans to PEMEX (Mexico's government-run oil company) in exchange for PEMEX buying American equipment. http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/72342


Rather ironic.


The Export-Import Bank loaned more than one billion dollars to PEMEX in 2009 and is set to offer one billion more dollars in 2010, all to help Mexico drill in the Gulf of Mexico.

The stated goal of the Export-Import Bank is to help U.S. companies.
"The Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank's )....mission is to assist in financing the export of U.S. goods and services to international markets.
Ex-Im Bank enables U.S. companies — large and small — to turn export opportunities into real sales that help to maintain and create U.S. jobs and contribute to a stronger national economy." (From the official government site http://www.exim.gov/about/mission.cfm)

Wow....Interesting Elections

A few surprises from this year's round of primary elections:

**Senator Specter, the Democratic incumbent famous for switching from the Republican party, is out of a job in Pennsylvania in the primary race.
**Republican Fiorina is in a tight race with incumbent Democrat Senator Boxer in California.
**Senator Reid (Democrat) looks to be out a job in Nevada against Republican Angle.
**Alvin Greene--a total unknown with criminal charges--won the Democratic nomination for Senate against a known candidate in South Carolina
**Mr. Joe Miller will be the Republican candidate for senator in Alaska, after defeating long-time incumbent Murkowski, who supported cap-and-trade legislation.
**Senator Bennett (Republican, Incumbent)--who voted for TARP-- lost the primary against contender Mike Lee.
**Representative Mollohan of West Virginia (Democrat, Incumbent)--with questions of ethics violations and his support of Obamacare--lost to his challenger Oliverio.
**Another party-switcher, Republican Representative Griffith of Alabama, lost the primary to Mr. Brooks.
**Representative Inglis (Republican in South Carolina) lost to Tea Party candidate Gowdy in the Republican primary.

Stay tuned for more primary election results!

Topics of Interest

Lots of interesting goings-on and speculations about our President:
1. Does he support the mosque at Ground Zero?

Yes, of course he does--he stated at a White House Iftar (during the Muslim month of Ramadan) that Muslims have "the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in lower Manhattan, in accordance with local laws and ordinances" speaking specifically about the Ground Zero mosque. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2010/08/obama-ramadan-iftar-remarks-text.html

Which leads to questions #1b--
Do Muslims really have a right to build a mosque there?
Yes, of course, legally they certainly have a right.
But that is not really the question. The argument that if we ask the Cordoba Project (the Muslim group that includes Iman Rauf and company) not to build a mosque at that particular place is against their First Amendment rights is ridiculous.
The people of New York City and America are asking for a certain group of people to act nicely. It's a bit like asking a child who is taunting another child to cut it out and act respectfully. That's all. Iman Rauf himself that he wants to promote good feelings between different faiths. How about starting with not building the mosque?
Not to mention Iman Rauf's possible connections to Hamas and the unanswered questions about funding for the mosque.

Which all leads to the next big question of the last week or so----

2. Is the President a Christian? Is he a Muslim? Or neither?
Well, that is up to God.
But let's just look at the facts:
He and his family have attended church 5 times (from what I could count) since his inauguration.
Previously, Mr. Obama states he rarely attended (and did not listen to the sermons at) Reverend Jeremiah Wright's church.
And a brief glance at the church website http://www.trinitychicago.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=114 reveals only a bigoted brand of black liberation without any mention of salvation through Jesus Christ in their "About" page.
He was raised by a non-believing mother and Muslim step-father.
He cancelled services at the White House for the National Day of Prayer.
He hasn't provided for religious education for his daughters.

So it's quite understandable that Americans are confused the President's religious views.

http://www.newsweek.com/2008/07/11/finding-his-faith.html
http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2010-08-21-kengor20_ST_N.htm

Back in the Saddle

Or in bloggerworld, whatever....

I know, I know....it's been longer than five weeks. It was really hard getting back into American mode this year, after five weeks in another country without internet access and very little phone communication with friends and family.

So, ONWARD!