...from 'round the sphere...

Super Boots

Just how many jobs has the "stimulus" created?  Today's Wall Street Joural points to an interesting claim by the Obama administration...

"...how many Americans does it take to make nine pairs of work boots? According to the White House's recovery.gov site, an $890 shoe order for the Army Corps of Engineers, courtesy of the stimulus package, created nine new jobs at Moore's Shoes & Services in Campbellsville, Kentucky. ..."

Yep.  Super Boots.  Able to create multiple jobs in a single laceup.

Guess who's not arresting illegal aliens...

Well, I'll give you three guesses, and the last two don't count.

(Via the WashTimes) It seems that arrests, indictments and/or convictions of illegal immigrants have fallen by over 50% since this time last year.  And we all know what happened about a year ago.

GOP Representative Lamar Smith points out that lax enforcement on illegal alien workers means less jobs for Americans - in a time when (ahem) jobs are getting harder to come by. 

CNN forced to admit the truth  read more »

Spending, schmending...

The Wall Street Journal has a great op-ed out today looking at government spending, as in how high it already is, and how much more the DC crowd wants to pile on top of it.

"The White House disclosed the other day that the fiscal 2009 budget deficit clocked in at $1.4 trillion, amid the usual promises to do something about it. Yet even as budget director Peter Orszag was speaking, House Democrats were moving on a dozen spending bills for fiscal 2010 that total 12.1% in more domestic discretionary increases. "

Yep, you read that right.  12.1%  And how much of that do you think is "one time only" spending, instead of "systemic"?  (hint: none)

They point out that from 2001-2008, the GOP raised spending at about double the rate of inflation...while the current crop of Democrats are besting inflation by six to one.

Quote of the Week:

The big spending ways of Congressional Democrats brings us to this quote of the week from New York's Chuck Schumer on Meet the Press.

He stated that:  "Barack Obama and we Democrats—this is counterintuitive but true—are really trying to get a handle on balancing the budget and we're making real efforts to do it."

No shame.  read more »

from 'round the sphere...

Democracy, shlemocracy...

Newt Gingrich points out the undemocratic way the health care reform bill is being put together...as in by just a few senators and their staff members.

Think about it: All of the power of the United States Senate to transform one-sixth of our economy will be in the hands of three men and their aides. It's government by staff, aided by lobbyists, for the benefit of bureaucrats.

No wonder so many Democrats in Congress are so dead set against having members read - and more importantly, allowing the American people to read - bills before they vote on them. ...

Just 5 more days for that Specter refund

The Washington Examiner notes that October 15th is the last day you can get a refund from Arlen Specter if you happened to give him a campaign contribution before he jumped ship and became a Democrat.  The Club for Growth has made the generous effort of contacting all such Specter donors by mail (over 6,000 of them) and providing them with a form they can fill out and tell Specter they want their money back.

We're sure Specter appreciates their kind assistance.  read more »

From 'round the sphere...

US not acting like leader of the "free" world anymore

The Washington Times uses the example of speeches at the UN General Assembly last week to point out that Israel is looking more and more like the leader of the "free" world, while what it calles the "previous leader" (the US) has resigned it's role and decided to act more like a "global community organizer".  From the article:

...This was made plain by President Obama in his speech, titled "Responsibility for Our Common Future," in which he heralded "a new chapter of international cooperation." By contrast, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a blunt and forceful call to action in the central challenge facing free people today. This is the struggle of "civilization against barbarism" being fought by "those who sanctify life against those who glorify death." ...

It would be nice to hear our own President use that kind of language.

***

New Jersey school upset of video of kids singing Obama's praises

Yes, the school leadership is upset over the video, but not why you would think.  They're not upset over the fact that the teachers decided to get the kids to sing an oblation to Obama.  They're upset that it was videotaped.  The administration pointed out that "school staff had no knowledge of the recording".  No surprise there.  In fact, that's probably the only reason we got to see it.  read more »

Some of the things that are interesting...

"Change" the UN can believe in

"The One" gave his first speech to the United Nations yesterday and, as National Review points out, "The other U.N. member states must be beside themselves with glee. President Obama gave them virtually everything they could ask for without demanding anything in return that was not already on the agenda (and which they are prepared to twist to their advantage). He did not even ask them to support more accountability, transparency, or efficiency in the U.N.

Now that's "change" those guys can believe in.  Waytago...

They're killing old people!

The Congressional Budget Office is at it again...  Tripping up Obama and liberals pushing Obamacare.  In this case, the director pointed out that, despite what Obama has said, his plan would result in reduced Medicare benefits for senior citizens.

No word on whether or not the liberals will start accusing themselves of "killing old people" like they did when Republicans suggested simple reductions in the rate of growth of the program (much less cuts).  read more »

 From 'round the sphere...

Massachusets desperately seeking another Kennedy

This is really sad. 

Predictably, the push has begun to get a Kennedy into the Senate seat held for lo those many years by Ted Kennedy.  The Kennedys favorite newspaper - the Boston Globe - all but annointed Joe in a news story by Frank Phillips that also handily reminded everybody that the seat is, after all, the permanent property of the Kennedy family.

Said Philips:

"With Massachusetts having paid its final respects to Senator Edward M. Kennedy, the politics of succession begins in earnest this week - candidates will emerge, a race will take shape, and the Kennedy clan will have to reveal whether it wants to keep the seat in the family.

"All eyes now are on Joseph P. Kennedy II, the former US representative, with family members and political allies expecting him to make a decision very shortly on whether to enter the Democratic primary.

Are the leaders of Massachusetts really saying that either a) one of their Senate seats is the hereditary property of a specific family, or b) that nobody in their fair state is capable of filling said seat but someone from a specific family?  Seems that way to me.

Of course we all know what's at least part of the equation here: health care.  As in, if we can get a Kennedy in that seat they can stand in the well of the Senate and be a reminder to the nation of Teddy and his dream of nationalized healthcare.  Oh, and plus they've got so much invested (politically) in the Kennedy name brand that want to be able to continue to leverage that investment and make sure that the seat stays securely in liberal, Democrat hands.  read more »

...some of the links that are fit to link:

Obama continues to whine about GOP opposition to health care reform

Yes, the man who's party has what almost amounts to a super-majority in both houses of Congress is busy blaming the guys in the minority for the lack of success (so far) of his scheme to nationalize health care in our country.

"I think early on, a decision was made by the Republican leadership that said, 'Look, let's not give him a victory, maybe we can have a replay of 1993, '94, when Clinton came in, he failed on health care and then we won in the mid-term elections and we got the majority. And I think there are some folks who are taking a page out that playbook," Obama said.

Of course, he doesn't allow that GOP opposition could have anything to do with conservative principles, (as rare as that seems for us conservatives sometimes, but still).  Or even that the majority of the American people simply don't want what he's selling...just like they didn't want what Bill and HIllary tried to sell in 1993.

Nah, it's those wascawy wepubwicans again.

Only 17 Democrat Senators hold town-halls back home

The Politico did a survey of Senate offices and found that only 17, less than a thrid of Senate Democrats, were holding town-hall meetings while back home for the August recess.  It seems that they're worried about "exposing " themselves to bad PR situations.  You know, the kind that can end up making them look stupid on You Tube, or just serve as a focal point for home-grown opposition.  It will be interesting to see if this strategy backfires on them, leaving them looking aloof and out of touch with their constituents.  read more »