Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Thank you President and Mrs. Bush for eight years of wonderful Christmas decorations at the White House. Their last Christmas in the White House in 2008 was a Red, White, and Blue Christmas in honor of America and our men and women serving in our military.

We want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy 2010!

Except for any breaking updates we will not be posting until the 4th January. We are taking time off to spend with our family and friends at Christmas. Christmas is such a special time of year as families gather from all over the Country to be together to celebrate the birth of Christ and be together as a family. Watching children and grandchildren open packages from Santa on Christmas morning makes everything right with the world for one special day.

We also hope our Jewish friends had a Happy Hanukkah also known as the Festival of Lights which includes lighting of the Mennorah one for each of the eight days which just ended.

After Christmas, it is off to El Paso for the Sun Bowl where the Oklahoma Sooners will be taking on Stanford. We will be celebrating New Year's Eve in El Paso with 20,000 or so of our closest Sooner friends who we see on game day at Owen Field. We are looking forward to spending time in the warm, sunny climate of El Paso, Texas and supporting our Oklahoma Sooner Football Team. Boomer Sooner!

God Bless the men and women who serve in our military all over the world and God Bless and Protect America!

Washington Cathedral at Christmas

Senate Votes to End Debate at 1am this Morning

With a vote of 60-40, the Democrats have stopped debate on a bill that no one has had time to read but now Grinch Reid will be holding a vote on Christmas Eve to pass this healthcare bill so he can say he passed it by Christmas. Why the rush?

Does it matter that Senators have not had to time to read this budget breaking bill with no Tort Reform? Not to the Grinch. He wants it passed at all costs.

The Democrats in this Senate have lost every right to be known as 'Senator' because not one of them has stood up to the Grinch and told him that they need to read and understand what is in this bill. Not this group of Senate Democrats who are FOR SALE. What some of them did was to hold out for lucrative deals from the Grinch to get their vote. Not one Democrat with one ounce of integrity or honesty in today's Senate.

The fact that the Grinch wants a vote on Christmas Eve should tell the American people all they need to know about these Democrats in the Senate. They care more about getting their pork and earmarks passed then they do spending Christmas Eve with their families. Any Democrat that dares to espouse family values should be laughed at to their face as the Democrats are demonstrating what they think of families values and Christmas -- zero, zip, nada.

We all know they are doing the bidding of Obama who plans to jet off to Hawaii for Christmas. He goes to Hawii to spend Christmas with his family while the Grinch keeps the Senate in session on Christmas Eve.

The Democrat Senators are not only bought and paid for but they are also stupid to not realize and take into consideration what the American people think of this tactic. Why reach across the aisle when you can ram a bill this huge through is what they are telling their constituents. Their 'my way or no way' approach is going to get them in the end as it always does. Despicable Democrats in the Senate that deserve to be tossed out on their ear and sent to the unemployment lines in the next three election cycles.

Each and every Democrat who is up for election in 2010 deserves a challenge from within their own Party. There must be some Democrats out there who are as steamed as Republicans at this travesty they are witnessing by Grinch Reid and the other 59 members of the United States Senate who want a quick vote without reading the bill.

Conservative Democrats, Independents, and Republican voters will work tirelessly to defeat every member of the Senate Democrats up for reelection in 2010. Not one of them including the two independents deserve to be sent back to the Senate and draw a salary from the taxpayers who they have chosen to ignore.

Trial lawyers buy Democrats in Congress

One more strike against the Senate and House Healthcare bills -- no wonder neither cuts costs since Tort Reform is not in either bill. Once again Democrats have been bought and paid for with trial attorney dollars. We have drug manufacturers, AARP, and Trial Attorneys who want this bill, but how about the American people who are opposed by a majority that is growing the more they learn about these two bills. Absolutely disgusting that the Democrat Party could care less about their constituents unless they are a trial attorney and then they get special treatment in return for campaign donations.

The sleeze that permeates the Democrats in the Senate today knows no bounds. There is no integrity and no honor left as they have told their constituents to basically "stuff it" as they could care less what they think as witnessed by the 1am vote to turn off debate. Why debate? Is Reid afraid more of this bill will see the light of day and turn more people off. Why not just vote on a bill no one has had time to read and digest what is in the bill when it is going to cost the taxpayers in the end big bucks? Reid's stand is to take his word which is worthless.

There is not a Democrat in the Senate that deserves reelection.

Trial lawyers buy Democrats in Congress
Examiner Editorial
December 21, 2009

Clickto see contributions to parties from top plaintiffs' law firms.

Neither of the Obamacare proposals now before Congress includes a medical malpractice reform provision despite the fact that the public wants one -- and that it would cut annual health care costs by $200 billion. A medical malpractice reform provision would protect doctors from expensive lawsuits filed by avaricious class-action plaintiffs' attorneys who have driven malpractice insurance rates into the stratosphere. Judging by Federal Election Commission data on the political contributions of people associated with the top 15 class-action plaintiffs' law firms, it's no accident that malpractice reform is not part of health care "reform": Trial lawyers are investing heavily in their Democratic friends who control the White House and both chambers of Congress.

Since Jan. 3, 2009, 581 contributions worth $1,261,023 have been made by donors identifying themselves as employees of the 15 firms (contributions by employees who did not identify their employer are not reflected in this data). Democratic candidates and committees received $1,241,978, or 98 percent of the total. The most generous of these lucrative sources of Democratic campaign cash was the Dallas-based Baron & Budd, best known for the late Fred Baron, who was finance chairman for former Sen. John Edwards' 2008 presidential run. Thus far in 2009, Baron & Budd employees have contributed $212,958 to 21 Democrats, and not a cent to Republicans. Second on the list is the New York-based Grant Eisenhofer firm, with employees contributing $184,078 to seven Democrats and no Republicans. Of the 138 total recipients from employees of all 15 of the firms, 122 were Democrats and just 16 were Republicans. The Democrats received contributions averaging more than $4,700, while the GOPers averaged $646.

Excerpt: Read More at Washington Examiner

Federal Government to Close; Senate stays Open per Reid

Snow has shut down the Federal Government for Momday but the Democrat clowns in the US Senate are going to keep working on the healthcare bill. What is so important that Reid is keeping the Senate in session into the Christmas break? Is he afraid if Senators return to their home states, they are going to get such an earful that they will vote NO? Senators and their staffs should be back in the districts with their families for Christmas not holed up in the Capitol when the rest of the Government is shut down due to the amount of snow.

Last night plows kept the runway open at Andrews so Obama could return to DC and then they towed cars so his motorcade could get through. He should have come home earlier or stayed in Copenhagen. Many passengers are stranded at Reagan as planes cannot take off or land. There was plenty of advance warning about the snow storm so why did Obama delay coming back until the storm hit? More waste of tax dollars which he loves to do.

No Honorable Democrats Left in the Senate -- all FOR SALE

Senator McCain is correct this morning in that Republicans are out of options to stop this Senate healthcare bill that the American people don't want. The head of the Senate, Harry Reid, has gone against the rules which state that a sitting Senator can ask for a bill to be read in its entirety and no one can stop the reading. The Senator Coburn request to have the Sanders' amendment read, was stopped at the request of Sanders which should have been denied but Reid controls everything and thus feels free to break the rules.

The members of the Senate have not seen the bill in its entirety yet are voting on the bill at 1 AM est, Monday morning. In other words, they will not have read the bill they will be casting votes but are willing to take the word of Reid to vote YES.

When someone like Nelson was stalling on his vote, Reid bought him off with benefits for NE. We are sure this is not what was meant to happen by our Founding Fathers. They would be appalled to see the United States Senate in action this year where bills are brought to the floor and voted and Senators voting who don't know what the bills say as there is not enough time for ANYONE to read them.

The so-called pro-life Nelson sold out for money for Nebraska that other states will not get setting up a court fight in the end because we have a 'pesky' part of the Constitution in the 14th amendment, Equal Protection Clause, which requires states to provide equal protection under the law to all people within their jurisdictions. With the Reid buyout of Nelson, he is granting citizens of Nebraska benefits the rest of us in other States do not get.

What is so mind boggling about this healthcare bill that no one has had the time to read it but what has come out has made Dr. Howard Dean, fromer DNC Chair, oppose the bill along with a lot of unions and all Republican groups not to mention the majority of American voters. AARP sold out its senior citizen members as A. Barry Rand, Chief Executive Officer of AARP announced AARP support for the Obama Healthcare bills going through Congress. One small problem for AARP as well -- as a non-profit they are not supposed to endorse legislation, but they know they are protected by Obama and AG Holder so why would they let that stand in the way.

For years we have heard the statement 'elections have consequences' and have to admit that it may be truer today then ever. The American people were duped and guilted into voting for Obama and his Hope and Change. What Obama said on the campaign trail and what he says and does today are vastly different and has both sides of the political sprectum disenchanted with Obama, his agenda, and his tactics. The same can be said for Democrat members of Congress who pretended to be much more conservative then what they have turned out to be.

In Minnesota Franken STOLE the election with the help of ACORN voter fraud and finding votes after the election which gave the Democrats the 60th vote needed to ram any legislation through. Now we know why they were so intent on making sure Franken got that seat.

Today's Democrats will lie, cheat, and steal to win elections as we have plenty of evidence to back up that claim starting right in Oklahoma in an OK Senate seat. ACORN is a Democrat funded organization for voter fraud among other things -- facts exist all over about this corrupt organization and voter fraud. ACORN was also funded by the Obama campaign to the tune of almost $1M to help with his campaign. Even Democrats admit ACORN takes voter fraud to a new low level as it is more then the dead voting now which was okay with some Democrats and to be expected. When you hear about one man, one vote that was never meant to mean one man, one dead vote.

The American election process is broken and needs a through housecleaning starting with outlawing motor voter that does not require proof of citizenship to register. Everyone voting needs to provide picture proof of identification which will give their legal address. Every state has a means to get a picture ID for free. Laws need to be passed in every state to provide proof of citizenship to register and proof with a picture to vote. No longer should the American people go to the polls wondering how many dead and made up voters are also voting in their precincts. Absentee voting laws need to be strengthened as well so Mickey Mouse (who we love) cannot vote in the next election.

Sadly we remember the days when Democrat Senators like David Boren and Sam Nunn who were never FOR SALE. They had honesty and integrity which is lacking in today's Senate Dems who are FOR SALE for the right price no matter if it stomps on their core beliefs which doesn't say a lot of good about today's Senate Democrats. David Boren stood on principle when he helped get Clarence Thomas on the Supreme Court. There will never be a better head of Armed Services then Sam Nunn. In those days, the two parties used to fight like cats and dogs on the floor of the Senate and then go have dinner together. They were working for their constiuents and the American people.

President Reagan needed the support of people like Boren and Nunn, and they worked well together for America. Clinton destroyed those days when he came into office and started threatening to put bases on the BRAC if certain Senators didn't go along for starters. Obama has followed in his footsteps with Offutt AFB, NE, which we believe did happen not matter what is being said as it was taken out of the playbook of Bill Clinton.

In the end the Democrat Senators will pay for ignoring their own oath of office as this bill has portions which are unconstitutional. We will end this article today with the Senate Oath of Office and its background. Ask yourself if the way the Democrats have conducted business on this Reid Healthcare Bill for Obama is what was meant when the founding fathers established the Senate in the Constitution.

The Constitution contains an oath of office only for the president. For other government officials, including members of Congress, the document specifies only that they "shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation to support the Constitution." The First Congress, in 1789, reworked this requirement into a simple fourteen-word oath: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support the Constitution of the United States."

In 1884, two decades after the Civil War ended when additional Test Oath section words had been added for the Civil War, Congress quietly repealed the Test Oath section, leaving intact what is today's current affirmation of constitutional allegiance:

SENATE OATH of Office

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God

BREAKING: Nelson (D-NE) Sold Out! -- Will Vote for Cloture!

This comes from Hot Air this Morning as Ben Nelson sold out -- the Senator who said there was nothing would make him sell out, sold out. Every Democrat has their price unlike a Senator Inhofe, Coburn, and host of other Republicans. Tired of hearing the two parties are alike because right now, it is obvious they are not.

Democrats stand for power grab at any cost and Republicans are standing for the people of America. There is a reason we chose Democrats for Sale as the name of this blog and once again the name has been proven right -- Sen Nelson of Nebraska will announce this morning that he is voting for the healthcare bill to his Democrat Caucus. His price came pretty steep as documented on Hot Air below.

It is time to recognize that Democrats in Congress are not for the people, but for their own self interest and payback to their donors. In this case, it is the drug manufacturers who don't want Americans to have access to Canadian drugs at a lower price. AARP sold out senior citizens to support Obama.

People need to wake up and realize that the Party of Corruption and For Sale is today's Democrat Party elected officials. It didn't used to be like that especially in the Senate when both sides worked together in a bi-partisan fashion but then Senator David Boren and Senator Sam Nunn and others like them put America not party first. There are NO Democrat Senators like those two and others today.

Read what Hot Air has to say and see how Ben Nelson was For Sale for a high price. Hope the people of Nebraska like what they are getting because they have their Senator to thank. There may be conservative democrat voters but there are NO Conservative Democrats in the Senate -- NONE!

Breaking: Nelson will vote for cloture
posted at 9:47 am on December 19, 2009 by Ed Morrissey

Every man has his price, apparently, and Harry Reid found Ben Nelson’s price for a cloture vote on ObamaCare. Nelson announced this morning that the language in the manager’s amendment on aborti0n will be enough to secure his support for Reid’s compromise bill, but Think Progress reports on what really sold Nelson — or bought Nelson, depending on your perspective. First, the Washington Post:

Sen. Ben Nelson (Neb.), the final Democratic holdout on health care, was prepared to announce to his caucus Saturday morning that he would support the Senate reform bill, clearing the way for final passage by Christmas.

“We’re there,” said Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), as he headed into a special meeting to announce the deal.

Democratic leaders spent days trying to hammer out a deal with Nelson, and worked late Friday night with Nelson on abortion coverage language that had proved the major stumbling block. But Nelson also secured other favors for his home state.

A few favors? Try a boatload of federal cash:

Under the current merged legislation (the version unveiled on November 18th), the federal government fully finances care for the expanded population for two years and increases its matching funds (known as FMAP) thereafter. Page 98 of the managers amendment specifically identifies Nebraska for higher federal matching funds, fully funding its expansion for an additional year:

‘‘(3) Notwithstanding subsection (b) and paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection, the Federal medical assistance percentage otherwise determined under subsection (b) with respect to all or any portion of a fiscal year that begins on or after January 1, 2017, for the State of Nebraska, with respect to amounts expended for newly eligible individuals described in subclause (VIII) of section 1902(a)(10)(A)(i), shall be determined as provided for under subsection (y)(1) (A) (notwithstanding the period provided for in such paragraph)

Subsection (y)(1)(A) refers to page 399 of the original merged Senate legislation which fully funds state Mediciad expansions for the first two years. The manager’s amendment also provides 2.2% increase in FMAP to help states finance their existing Medicaid programs.

That will be worth at least hundreds of millions of dollars in federal cash for Nebraska … for the first three years. After that, Nebraskans get as screwed as the rest of the country.

And what about that abortion coverage? Nelson caved, as one can read in the published version, via Patriot Room:

Mark Tapscott: Obamacare totters on the precipice

This editorial from the Washington Examiner by Mark Tapscott sums up the Senate version of Obamacare. Most Democrats have not read the bill and why Dr. Coburn (R-OK) and Sen DeMint (R-SC) are teaming up to get the bill read although the Democrats ignored the Rules of the Senate to shut off the reading this week.

Even Howard Dean and the liberal Democrats including unions are saying kill the bill and start over. Other then Obama, Reid, Pelosi, AARP, and their minions just who is for this bill? Certainly not the majority of the American people.

Obamacare totters on the precipice
Examiner Editorial
December 18, 2009

Obamacrats at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue are peddling the notion that passage of Obamacare is a stone-cold inevitability. Don't believe it for a second, if for no other reason than the fact that nothing the Senate has done on its version of Obamacare in recent weeks actually amounts to a legislative hill of beans. All of the sound and fury about the latest "compromise" and amendments being introduced, then defeated or adopted, means nothing. In fact, if 60 senators showed up at noon on the Senate floor and demanded a final vote, it couldn't be done. There's no bill to vote on, never mind that it would have to clear multiple procedural hurdles first.

As Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said, "They want us to vote on a bill that no one outside the majority leader's conference room has even seen. That's right. The final bill we'll vote on isn't even the one we've had on the floor. It's the deal Democrat leaders have been trying to work out in private. That's what they intend to bring to the floor and force a vote on before Christmas. So this entire process is essentially a charade."

Even if such a vote happens in the Senate, a Senate-House conference committee will have to be appointed and convened. There, many of the battles that have so entangled the Senate will be revisited, as well as the multiple substantial differences between the respective Obamacare versions approved by the two chambers. So there is no guarantee that a viable conference report will be produced. If that hurdle is overcome, the Senate and House will have to hold yet another vote on the conference report before the measure can be sent to the president for signature.

Oh, and don't forget that Obamacare isn't the only issue the Senate must address in coming days: The defense appropriation, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and the debt ceiling increase must also be voted on before the Senate can adjourn for the holidays. In other words, contrary to the whistling-in-the-dark Obamacrats and their enablers in the liberal media, there is nothing inevitable about Obamacare being approved by the Senate before Santa Claus hitches up his reindeer and takes off from the North Pole on his annual world tour.

Still hovering over the Senate is that magic number of 60. The inevitability mythmakers would have us believe that Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., is the last remaining Senate holdout on the road to 60 votes. That will come as news to half a dozen other Senate Democrats, most notably Sens. Evan Bayh of Indiana and Ben Nelson of Nebraska. Obamacare appears to have reached its high-water mark and has nowhere to go now but down.

Source: Washington Examiner

Dana Milbank -- President Obama writes a new health reform prescription

One more item added to what candidate Obama said on the campaign trail about prescription drugs (see bolded paragraph) and what President Obama who cut a deal with drug companies has to say. No wonder Obama's poll numbers are falling so rapidly as he continues to do a 180 from what he said on the campaign trail.

When we first heard about Obama's ties to radicals like Communist Frank Davis who was his mentor, Bill Ayers, Bernadine Dohrn, Louis Farrakhan, and others we suspected he would lurch to the left if he was elected. That said, his lurch to the left is much farther left then we even predicted.

Now we have his 180 on prescription drugs which once again hurts senior citizens the hardest, the question is if AARP will get off the dime and defend their seniors or will Obama's friend who heads AARP once again take the side of Obama against seniors. We hear crickets chirping as AARP continues to sell out seniors.

Thanks to Dana Millbank for writing this because a lot of crickets are chirping in the mainstream media about this Reid healthcare fiasco as they continue to cover for the White House and Democrats.

Dana Milbank -- President Obama writes a new health reform prescription
16 December 2009

If you needed proof that Democrats will resort to almost any means to achieve federal control of health care, Tuesday night’s vote to prevent the re-importation of drugs should provide ample evidence.

One of the great frustrations of the American medical system is that pharmaceutical companies charge more for the same drugs in the U.S. than they do in foreign countries. It’s also been a cornerstone liberal cause for 15 years.

The reasons – the bargaining power of single-payer systems, patent protections, etc. – all fade when a senior citizen hears he can get his $200-a-month pills for $75 a month on Canada. A coalition of 56 conservatives and liberals joined to seek an amendment to the president’s health bill that would have allowed re-importation of drugs and the Obama administration and Democratic leaders killed it.

Drug companies are the biggest backers of the president’s plan, which will provide new customers and more subsidies for the existing ones. They’ve put more than $100 million into selling the Obama plan -- unsuccessfully, it seems, as today’s Post/ABC poll shows a new high of 51 percent opposition even with the survey’s customary tailwind for Obama.

The industry has agreed to non-specific future concessions that the president says will net $80 billion over the first decade of the plan. What they get in return, aside from more subsidized customers, is protection from generic makers and re-importation.

Liberals may be willing to trade specific demands for dominion over health care, but the folks at home must be getting pretty grossed out by now.

If not, they will be after reading Milbank’s sketch.

“On the campaign trail, Barack Obama vowed to take on the drug industry by allowing Americans to import cheaper prescription medicine. "We'll tell the pharmaceutical companies 'thanks, but no, thanks' for the overpriced drugs -- drugs that cost twice as much here as they do in Europe and Canada," he said back then.

On Tuesday, the matter came to the Senate floor -- and President Obama forgot the "no, thanks" part. Siding with the pharmaceutical lobby, the administration successfully fought against the very idea Obama had championed. “

Source: Dana Milbank, Washington Post

White House using base-closure process to extort Nelson’s vote on ObamaCare? (Outrageous)

UPDATE: Both the White House and Senator Nelson's aide are denying this, however, we found this from John Fund of the Wall Street Journal to be interesting. It shows the high stakes for Nelson and how he may parlay this into monetary support for his pet project which we consider being For Sale:

John Fund in his Wall Street Journal article posted around noon today:

All eyes will turn next to Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson to provide the critical 60th vote to break a Senate filibuster and allow a floor vote. Mr. Nelson's major concern is that the bill doesn't do enough to prevent taxpayer money from going to insurance plans that cover abortions. Majority Leader Reid is scrambling to accommodate him.

Mr. Nelson also has other concerns that Mr. Reid and the White House will likely try to assuage. InsideHealthPolicy.com reported last month that the Nebraska senator "is keen on seeing construction of a new physician owned hospital in Bellevue, Nebraska completed." Current versions of the health care bill include federal mandates that could jeopardize the completion of many physician-owned hospitals.

The hospital is located south of Omaha, adjacent to Offutt Air Force Base, which is another major issue for Senator Nelson. Offutt's operations pump over $2 billion a year into Nebraska's economy and account for more than 10,000 jobs, but earlier this year the base was denied two new commands in an Air Force reorganization program, despite scoring well on graded Air Force evaluations. In June, Mr. Nelson called the process by which Offutt lost out "a charade" and no doubt would welcome assurances that Offutt will not be on the chopping block when the federal base-closing commission likely reconvenes in 2013.

****
If Obama really is threatening Sen Nelson (D-NE) to close Offutt AFB someone needs to tell him that the BRAC Commission Final Report was submitted to the President on September 8, 2005. That completed the last round of Base Closings. If Obama wants another BRAC, it will have to make it through Congress and that is highly unlikely to happen.

Our family was affected by the BRAC closing of Kelly AFB in the 90's so reading this made me furious that a President would use the BRAC to try and get someone to vote his way on healthcare. This is not Chicago. It is a long tedious process that leaves families worried about the outcome for months and months. For Obama to use that as a club on Nelson is despicable and not worthy of someone who is President.

We would recommend that Senator Nelson immediately switch parties since he votes a lot of times with Republicans and tell Obama to shove it. Only way you can deal with someone like Obama.

If true that Obama threaten to close Offutt which is a base that cannot be closed for security purposes, then Obama has way overstepped as President and as far as we are concerned Congress needs to start looking into his tactics and launch an immediate investigation by the House of Representatives. With Pelosi in charge we are not holding our breath that she will follow the Constitution.

Everyone need to remember that Offutt was the destination for Pres Bush on 9/11 for a reason. Most secure facilities on a regular base and one that should be left totally alone except to strengthen.

Americans deserve an honest answer whether Obama threatened to close Offutt and we need it immediately. This Country is not a dictatorship no matter how much Obama wants to make it one. We will keep you advised.

White House using base-closure process to extort Nelson’s vote on ObamaCare?posted at 1:36 pm on December 15, 2009 by Ed Morrissey Share on Facebook printer-friendly

How desperate has the White House become to get anything passed under the name of health-care reform? According to Michael Goldfarb’s source on Capitol Hill, the Obama administration has targeted the last remaining Democratic holdout, at least among moderates — and they’re willing to damage national security to extort his support. The White House has threatened Ben Nelson (D-NE) with the closure of Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska if he opposes Reid’s latest version, despite its status as the headquarters of US Strategic Command:

According to a Senate aide, the White House is now threatening to put Nebraska’s Offutt Air Force Base on the BRAC list if Nelson doesn’t fall into line.
Offutt Air Force Base employs some 10,000 military and federal employees in Southeastern Nebraska. As our source put it, this is a “naked effort by Rahm Emanuel and the White House to extort Nelson’s vote.” They are “threatening to close a base vital to national security for what?” asked the Senate staffer.

Indeed, Offutt is the headquarters for US Strategic Command, the successor to Strategic Air Command, and not by accident. STRATCOM was located in the middle of the country for strategic reasons. Its closure would be a massive blow to the economy of the state of Nebraska, but it would also be another example of this administration playing politics with our national security.

Excerpt: Read More at Hot Air

Corzine snubs Christie, names scores for posts

Democrat corruption is at work in New Jersey most likely until the last minute of Corzine's term. Would bet he is handing out political appointments to try and undermine the incoming Governor Christie and pay back his loyalist. One word that will never be used to describe Corzine is ethical.

Every state should have a law on the books that unless an emergency appointment is required, no one is appointed by an outgoing Governor to any position without the consent of in the incoming Governor. Same should happen at the Federal level. That would end the political appointments during the lame duck period of any Administration.

It is wrong to put people in place as payback which is obvious when Corzine named his Chief of Staff to be a judge. Corzine was bad for NJ and now he wants to appoint more of his cronies to positions as he leaves office. People of NJ deserve better.

The problem is that this goes on across the Country during the time someone loses or is term limited and the time the new person is sworn into office. Bill Clinton led the way with his making political appointees civil service when he was leaving idduxw. Disgusting way to run Government and an insult to voters and taxpayers who pay these salaries.

Looking forward to Governor-elect Christie, former prosecutor, being sworn in and going after more of Government corruption in New Jersy left behind by Corzine and the union thugs he curried favor to get them to do his bidding.

Corzine snubs Christie, names scores for posts
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Josh Margolin and Claire Heinin
STATEHOUSE

Political warfare between the outgoing and incoming governors escalated last night as Gov. Jon Corzine nominated dozens of people to coveted posts on state boards and commissions, over the objections of Gov.-elect Chris Christie.

Only minutes after Corzine and Christie parted company at the Newark swearing-in ceremony of U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman, Corzine's office released more than 180 names for direct appointments and nominations to paid and unpaid posts.

More than four dozen nominations -- including to the Sports and Exposition Authority and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, key government agencies with large budgets or regulatory authority -- must be approved by the state Senate before the current legislative session ends Jan. 12. Christie, however, had previously threatened to use his allies in the state Senate to block as many of the nominations as he could.

The nominations came after two weeks of intense behind-the-scenes negotiations between top aides to Christie and Corzine failed to resolve the impasse. The dispute began when Corzine -- without warning to the Christie team -- submitted the name of his chief of staff, Ed McBride, for a judgeship in South Jersey. Christie balked and sent word that McBride would face public scorn if Corzine didn't compromise on other posts.

"He really means what he says. He doesn't talk in political-speak," Sen. Kevin O'Toole, the Essex County Republican chairman, said last night.

Excerpt: See Full Story at New Jersey Ledger

AP sources: Obama summons Senate Dems

With this summons to the White House of all Democrats (58 Democrats; 2 Independents) a tactic reminiscent of Chicago thug politics, we take it that the President did not hang around Copenhagen for the Global Warming conference this week which he had planned to attend.

Did someone finally tell him that the Conference is blowing up as the larger nations tried to staff developing countries or the fact that emails point to a hoax on Global Warming? Or did the Obama staff finally figure out that Obama had no authority in Copenhagen to commit the United States to any treaty? Takes 2/3rds of the Senate to ratify a treaty and that wasn't happening.

Whatever it was, Obama is back in the White House and is now wanting to talk to all Democrats plus two Indy's at the White House on Healthcare. Will Lieberman, Nelson (D-NE), and others cave or will they stick to what their constituents want? Only time will tell.

The Senate bill is extremely unpopular with American voters. Some Democrat Senators will be showed the Unemployment Line in November if they vote for the Reid Healthcare bill the way it reads today. With Obama's poll numbers continuing to tank, voting for this pork/earmark ladened bill will doom the Democrat Party in 2010 and perhaps in 2012 as American voters are mad that some members of Congress have turned a deaf ear to their wishes.

AP sources: Obama summons Senate Dems to WH
AP
12/14/2009

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama will meet with Senate Democrats at the White House Tuesday to press for action at a make-or-break moment for his health care overhaul.

All 60 members of the Democratic caucus have been invited, according to three Democratic officials. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the announcement was not yet public.

Excerpt: Read more at news.yahoo.com

Postal Service Employees Owed $300M in Taxes, IRS Data Shows

Why are we not shocked? With all these people owing back taxes, the Congress might want to look at the Tax Code and ask why people are not paying taxes. This seems like a high amount for the Postal Service Employees. Between Federal Employees, the Obama Administration appointees and Congressional members/staff who have not paid taxes, it makes us wonder what is happening.

Do the postal workers know something that ordinary Americans don't know when it comes to paying taxes or cannot they not afford to pay the taxes?

Taxes at all levels of Government have been on the rise. We hate to think what is going to happen with the Bush Tax Cuts set to expire in 2010. Are the Democrats going to allow all the tax cuts to expire? Scary thought!

Postal Service Employees Owed $300M in Taxes, IRS Data Shows
Fox
12/14/09
Staff

The U.S. Postal Service has more tax delinquents in its ranks than any other federal agency or department, according to Internal Revenue Service data.
Maybe their tax payments got lost in the mail.

The U.S. Postal Service turns out to have more tax delinquents in its ranks than any other federal agency or department, according to the Internal Revenue Service.
IRS statistics from 2008 detailing the amount of money federal workers failed to pay the government in taxes showed postal service employees owed $297.93 million -- nearly 10 percent of the $3.04 billion owed by federal employees and retirees from dozens of agencies.

Excerpt: Read more at foxnews.com

Navy’s coach Ken Niumatalolo : “This is just a football game”

This annual clash between Army and Navy is legendary and in some instances pits family members against each other. On bases around the world, our military gather to watch this game and cheer on their respective service. At one time when the Air Force Academy was just beginning, the Army also had the Air Force rooting for them as a lot of Air Force senior officers had graduated from West Point. It is a day for Americans to view with pride our young men and women who have chosen the military as their career while watching a traditional football game. At least this year, the game was in doubt at halftime.

Navy beat Army on Saturday for 8th Straight Time, but this game was much closer then the last several games. We would bet that the Army cadets are already looking ahead to their clash with Navy next year as the Army continues to improve. Good Luck to the Midshipmen on their Bowl Game.

When you view theremarks of the Navy Coach Ken Niumatalolo, it hits home that next year at this time the seniors from the Army and Navy teams could very well be engaged in combat in Iraq or Afghanistan as the Navy Coach pointed out in his comments. These young men will be serving around the world as part of a larger military who protect our freedoms 24/7.

This one Saturday is special every year as the two Academies play for the Commander's Trophy. It is a day for the Cadets and Midshipman to be opponents on the field and next year at this time they could be serving together in a joint operation depending on each other for support. The caliber of young men and women from our three military academies Army, Navy, and the Air Force are some of the best and brightest this Country has to offer.

While other outstanding college football players are looking toward the NFL, these football players from the academies are waiting to find out what their first military assignment will be. World of difference in their daily lives as well as they get their college degrees while training to be the military leaders of tomorrow.

Our thanks go to all of the young men and women who have chosen the academies for their college and their service to our Country.

Senate sets Sunday vote on massive spending bill

UPDATE: Final vote was Aye 57; Nay 35; Not Voting 8. Some of the Republicans are in Copenhagen with Sen Inhofe for the Global Warming fiasco where they are going to be telling the truth that anything Obama signs has to be ratified by a 2/3rds vote in the Senate. Dr. Coburn is back in Oklahoma preparing for his Mother's funeral tomorrow so please keep him and his family in your prayers.
****
Sen Reid must think the American people are dumb not to see through his ploy of a Sunday session to pass this massive bill with almost $4B, yes that is billion, in earmarks. It used to work before the internet but no more. The American public has caught onto the games of this Administration.

Note that Obama's Rasmussen numbers today are at the lowest ever -19. On 23% of the nation's voters strongly approve of what the President is doing while 42% strongly disapprove. That should give the Democrats pause when passing huge spending bills but not Reid and Pelosi who will walk the plank for Obama.

This is an outrage and voters will show the Democrats what they think of their spending our tax dollars by growing government when a lot of people in this Country are barely making ends meet. The more they spend the happier they get. This runaway spending has got to stop but nothing will be done until we evict the Democrats from leadership in the House and Senate.

Senate sets Sunday vote on massive spending bill
Associated Press
9:20 am EST, Sunday December 13, 2009
Andrew Taylor,

Senate Democrats overcame a Republican filibuster to clear the way for a vote Sunday on a huge end-of-year $1.1 trillion spending bill that gives budget increases far exceeding inflation to much of the government.

The Democratic-controlled Senate voted 60-34 on Saturday to end the GOP filibuster that threatened to hold up the legislation. The final vote would send the measure to President Barack Obama.

The 1,000-plus-page bill brings together six of the 12 annual spending bills that Congress had been unable to pass separately because of partisan roadblocks even though the current budget year began Oct. 1.

The measure pays for Medicare and Medicaid benefits, and boosts spending for the Education Department, the State Department, the Department of Health and Human Services and others.
Democrats held Saturday's vote open for an hour to accommodate Independent Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, an Orthodox Jew who walked more than three miles to the Capitol to vote on the Sabbath after attending services at his synagogue. Lieberman, wearing a black wool overcoat and bright orange scarf, finally provided the crucial 60th vote.

The bill includes $447 billion in operating budgets with about $650 billion in mandatory payments for federal benefit programs such as Medicare and Medicaid as well as an estimated $3.9 billion for more than 5,000 back-home projects sought by individual lawmakers in both parties.

The bill increases spending by an average of about 10 percent to programs under immediate control of Congress, blending increases for veterans' programs, NASA and the FBI with a pay raise for federal workers and help for car dealers.

Republicans who fought the bill said it provides too much money at a time when the government is running astronomical deficits.

Excerpt: Read more at finance.yahoo.com

Tottering -- Harry Reid's Senate Healthcare Bill -- 61% of Americans Oppose (CNN Poll)

Like the majority of Americans, we oppose these huge healthcare bills in the Senate and the House that add a ton of earmarks to the budget including Reid buying votes with earmarks to bring it to the floor of the Senate. Then Reid tells everyone they are staying in DC to discuss healthcare this weekend when the reason is appropriations bills. When does Reid tell the truth? These bills that keep the Government running should have been taken care of months ago not wait until December but the Congress was in a rush to spend taxpayer dollars on non-essential items that a review of the stimulus by Senators McCain and Coburn is proving. We cannot fathom the fraud, waste, and abuse that would happen if this healthcare bill from the House or Senate becomes law.

Friday, December 11, 2009
Tottering
[Rich Lowry]

The Reid bill is really tottering now. "If this thing falls apart, you can look back to today as the tipping point," says a Republican aide in the Senate, echoing what Lamar Alexander notes in the Costa post below.

First, there was last night's CNN poll showing 61 percent opposition.

A new CNN/Opinion Research poll shows most Americans are wary of ongoing discussions in the Senate to overhaul the nation's health care system.

As you may know, the U.S. Senate is considering a bill that would make major changes in the country's health care system. Based on what you have read or heard about that bill, do you generally favor it or generally oppose it? 36% Favor, 61% Oppose

The survey of 1,041 adults was taken Dec. 2-3 and has a margin of error of 3 percent.

Then, there was the devastating CMS report today. "Nobody went to the floor that I could see to defend it on the Democratic side," says the aide.

The back-drop for all this is the non-deal that Reid hyped as a break-through earlier this week, only to have it unravel almost immediately. Even Bill Nelson says the Medicare buy-in is basically a "non-starter." "You're starting to see other Democrats nibbling around the edges," the aide says.

He predicts that if one Democrat comes out clearly against the Reid bill, others will follow, in a dynamic like the unexpectedly decisive defeat of the amnesty bill a few years ago. Reid also has to worry about the clock.

He needs everything to break exactly right—a CBO score coming in on Monday, a score that's good, no intervening, unexpected drama—to force a final showdown next weekend. If he goes to Christmas break without a bill, it gets much harder to pick up the pieces in January. Since the Senate debate began, the bill has only gotten more unpopular. It’s all still in flux obviously, but we just might be watching the bill fall apart before our eyes.

Source: Natonal Review and CNN/Opinion Research poll

In researching the details of the Medicare Buy-In we discovered that Doctors and Hospitals are now opposing this portion of Reid Healthcare bill. This idea that Reid and the Democrats are putting this patchwork list of items posing as the Healthcare bill is mind boggling. No real thought has been given to this monster of a bill except to keep adding earmarks and adding to the cost.

Will healthcare improve with these monstrous bills -- no way and the American people are waking up to the fact that the Senate version of this bill is a debacle. Medicare is almost broke but they want to add more people.

In Oklahoma The Oklahoma Health Care Authority board voted unanimously to cut nearly $17 million in the state's Medicaid program Thursday, but left payments to providers such as hospitals, doctors and nursing homes untouched. But Mike Fogarty, chief executive officer, warned that state legislators have indicated additional cuts are likely so providers likely will face a 1 percent reduction in Medicaid payments.

We believe what is happening in Oklahoma is the tip of the iceberg in many state's Medicaid funding which funds healthcare for those that can least afford the cost. Instead of this collage of healthcare proposals they call a bill, the House and Senate need to work in a bi-partisan fashion to get it right not ram something through just so Obama can say he passed his healthcare bill in his first year. That is a poor reason do anything.

Until this Congress puts Tort Reform in the Healthcare bill, costs will continue to skyrocket out of control because of lawsuits -- some of those lawsuits only happen because of ambulance chasing trial attorneys. The amount paid by some doctors for malpractive insurance is a crime but do you see the Democrats taking on that issue? So far crickets chirping.

Heritage has weighed in on the latest proposal to be thrown out to made people who are 55 eligible to buy into Medicare a system that is going broke in 2017 if not sooner.

The Reid Compromise Does Nothing to Improve A Very Bad Senate Health Bill
10 Dec 2009

Although the details have not been released, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has floated yet another potential “compromise” to his health care bill. There appear to be two broad elements: a federal insurance plan run by the Office of Personal Management and a Medicare buy-in option for Americans over 55.

Don’t Be Fooled. There is nothing new or original about these ideas. Both these policies have been recycled from previously failed efforts. Senator John Kerry’s (D-MA) health care proposal from his 2004 failed Presidential bid included a federal plan run by the Office of Personal Management (OPM). The Medicare buy-in was proposed by President Clinton in 2000. Those ideas were bad when they were introduced and are no better today.

New Federal Insurance Plan. The compromise proposal appears to envision giving the Office of Personal Management the authority to contract with a private, non-profit to administer a special federal health plan. There are several key problems with such an approach. First, running a stand alone health plan, in effect, a public plan for the entire nation, will undoubtedly result in higher taxpayer costs. In other words, the size of government, once again will grow. Taxpayers can expect new demands for funding. (snip)

Medicare Buy In. The compromise proposal suggests allowing individuals 55 to 64 to “buy-in” to the Medicare program early. This too has multiple problems. First, opening Medicare will lead to selection issues. As CBO points out, enrollees would likely be higher users of medical services which would be reflected in higher premiums. To address this, the government may likely subsidize these enrollees, adding more cost to the taxpayers. (snip)

Still Plenty Wrong With The Bill. Regardless of the merits of Majority Leader Reid’s latest attempt at a compromise, there is plenty wrong with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act – massive consolidation of regulatory authority over health care to the federal government; unintended consequences of the employer mandate; constitutional concerns over the individual mandate; inequities created through the subsidy structure; massive Medicaid expansion; Medicare “savings” shifted out of Medicare; and a flood of new taxes that impact Americans regardless of income – to name just a few.

Except: Read More at Heritage.org

BOTTOM LINE: Take the time and do it right or do nothing at all would be better then what we are witnessing. The Government should be cutting not expanding. What we found astounding comes from a poll done by CNN which should tell, Reid, Pelosi, and Obama to slow down this healthcare bill and get it right:

More on DC Metro Wasting our Tax Dollars

As the Washington Examiner reports today even Sen Mikulski (D-MD)is slamming the management of the DC Metro. Looks like the only thing that the Metro is competent to do right now is waste more tax dollars on lobbyist.

Normally we would not be following Local News of the District but in this case it concerns our taxpayer dollars as we pointed out yesterday.

Taxpayers should demand a complete and independent audit of how our US Tax Dollars are spent in the District of Columbia. Nothing seems to ever gets better even though millions and millions of dollars flow into DC from the Federal Government.

Washington Examiner Local News

Mikulski slams Metro's management in Senate hearing
Sen. Barbara Mikulski criticized Metro in congressional testimony on Thursday for paying "lip service" to riders' concerns about safety since the summer's deadly train crash.
"Metro is facing some serious problems. Yes, they need money. They remind me constantly," the Maryland Democrat said. "But I think they need more rigorous management."

Details on federal transit oversight plan questioned
A federal plan to regulate transit agencies in the wake of Metro's deadly train crash is raising questions about how it would actually work.
The need for tougher oversight hasn't been doubted, but congressional leaders and transit experts have asked about the cost, how quickly it could begin and the penalties against such a diverse set of systems.

Powerline: Follow the Money (Oil)

We would like to thank a reader of this site who sent us the link to this with the comments "why Obama is screwing Oklahoma and Texas." Those words tell it like it is.

This is one more example that Obama is the puppet of George Soros. Obama and Congress give Brazil money for offshore development while American domestic producers are on their own. In fact this Administration wants to tax them more that will put small oil development firms out of business. We have plenty of oil fields in this Country waiting to be developed especially with the new technology but it is hard for producers to get the money to do the development. Instead they are watching their tax dollars and ours be sent to Brazil for development.

Why are Democrats so loathe to investing money into developing United States oil and gas fields instead of sending money overseas? Do they hate Oklahoma and Texas that much because we are the recipients of their heavy handed tactics against oil and gas producers?

All you have to do is drive around Oklahoma and compare wells that are pumping today to ones that were pumping during the Pres Bush years. Even at Will Rogers World Airport there is a noticeable decrease in the amount of pumps active when you drive by the oil fields from Nov 2008 until Nov 2009. Why not spend more money on exploring for American natural gas which is a clean fuel?

Some of our oil workers have headed to PA which happens to be a Blue State to help in developing some fields there.

Makes one scratch their head at why the Democrats will not fund oil and gas exploration but will not hesitate to send money to Brazil to do the same. How many Democrats in Congress owe their election to George Soros and ACORN voter fraud? We know the President partially owes his election to Soros -- how much ACORN voter fraud affected his election we will never know although we have suspicions that voter fraud affected the outcome of the Democrat primary.

It should be against the law to send money to a foreign county to develop oil resources when we have plenty of oil and gas fields to be developed right in the United States including ANWR.

Follow the Money
December 7, 2009
Posted by John at 8:56 PM

As we have noted many times, the United States is the only country in the world that deliberately fails to develop its own energy resources. Other than instituting price controls, this is the single most destructive economic policy that a country can pursue, which is why no one does it except us.

Brazil has one of the world's most dynamic economies and is pursuing petroleum development on a grand scale. The Washington Post reports:

Everything about the shipyard here is colossal -- the 4,000-man workforce, the billions sunk into it in capital costs, the half-finished 10-story-high production platforms.

But then, so is the challenge facing Brazil's state-controlled energy company, Petrobras: developing a group of newly discovered deep-sea oil fields that energy analysts say will catapult this country into the ranks of the world's petro-powers. The oil pools are 200 miles out in the Atlantic and more than four miles down, under freezing seas, rock and a heavy cap of salt.

Petrobras, which until recently was little known outside oil circles, has launched a five-year, $174 billion project to provide platforms, rigs, support vessels and drilling systems to develop tens of billions of barrels of oil. Energy officials here project that Brazil -- still an oil importer five years ago -- will in the next decade have one of the world's biggest oil reserves.

It doesn't take a genius to figure out that if our government pursues policies intended to slow our economic growth, and Brazil pursues policies designed to accelerate its economic growth, before long Brazil will be richer than the U.S. What's really interesting here, however, is the identity of one of Petrobras's biggest shareholders:

With a market capitalization of more than $220 billion, Petrobras is one of the world's 10 biggest companies. Over the past two years, it has been the most frequently traded foreign company on the New York Stock Exchange, trade data show. Among investors bullish on Petrobras is George Soros, who last year made the oil company the largest single holding in his investment fund, according to Bloomberg.

That's right: the Godfather of the Democratic Party, who exerts his enormous political influence to prevent American oil companies from developing our own petroleum resources in the Gulf of Mexico and elsewhere, has placed his biggest bet--not on the United States, but on Brazil. If Exxon Mobil can't compete in the Caribbean with Petrobras, the value of Soros's Petrobras investment will skyrocket. That's the sort of thievery that lies behind the Democratic Party's deliberate hobbling of the American economy.

Source: Powerline

Obama Doubles Down on Failure

We want to thank Senators Coburn (R-OK) and McCain (R-AZ) for taking the time to look into how that taxpayer-funded stimulus money is being spent. What they discovered is massive amounts of our tax dollars have been misspent. That is not surprising out of anyone coming out of one of the most crooked cities in America -- Chicago which graft is king.

This is what you get when you elect someone from the political machine of Chicago. Voters didn't just elect Obama they elected part that Chicago political machine who are now in the White House with Obama -- Chief of Staff Rahm Emanual, Senior Advisor (Political Consultant) David Axelrod, Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett, and Social Secretary Desiree Rogers for starters. Most likely you have the four who are behind what comes out of the White House while Obama mouths the words. With all this money going back to Chicago, we would guess it is payback time for support during the election.

Probably another reason why Oklahoma is getting the short straw on stimulus money. Only 34% of Oklahomans voted for Obama. That amount of support has dropped even lower today. Not many paybacks due any Oklahomans since every county went to Senator McCain. Interesting that the two Senators after the mismanagement and most likely fraud of the stimulus are the Senator who won every County in Oklahoma -- John McCain and the Senator from the Great State of Oklahoma Dr. Tom Coburn. Oklahoma may be a small state but Oklahomans had Obama pegged as someone who spouted the rhetoric and didn't mean one word. Shame the rest of the Country didn't catch on Sooner!

Obama Doubles Down on Failure
Human Events
12-11-09
Gary Bauer

It sounds like the lead in to a bad joke: What do a Chicago-based dinner cruise company, a study of libidinous female college students and a former Hillary Clinton advisor have in common?

But the joke is on us, because each of the above has been awarded hefty doses of taxpayer-funded stimulus money since February, according to a new stimulus report card by Senators Tom Coburn and John McCain.

In his “jobs speech” this week, President Obama implicitly acknowledged that last February’s $1.2 trillion stimulus package has failed. Then he demanded another one in order to bolster his plan to “spend our way out of this recession.”
But given the failure of the first stimulus highlighted by wasteful spending unearthed in the new Coburn-McCain report, as well as the stifling deficits the Obama administration is already running, more government spending will mean more debt, more waste and more unemployment.

Titled “Stimulus Checkup,” the Coburn-McCain report exposes 100 projects paid for by February’s stimulus package they claim wasted at least $7 billion.
Some of the most egregious items include $5 million for alternative energy in a mostly empty shopping mall in Tennessee, and $1.6 million for fossil research in Argentina for Penn State University.

A dinner cruise company based in Chicago received nearly $1 million in funds to combat terrorism, and $100,000 was spent for a socially conscious puppet shows in Minnesota.

The State University of New York at Buffalo won $390,000 to study young adults who drink malt liquor and smoke marijuana, and the National Institutes of Health got $219,000 in funds to study whether female college students are more likely to “hook up” after drinking alcohol.

There’s even $30,000 to study how methamphetamines affect the sex drive of female rats.

Excerpt: Read more at humanevents.com

Pence: "The Democrat plan for financial regulatory reform is nothing more than a permanent bailout and a job-killer, and it must be opposed."

A familiar refrain is that Republicans and Democrats are alike so vote them all out which is naive. Republicans are standing up against a permanent bailout and job-killer plan proposed by liberal Democrats.

What we would like to know is how many moderate Democrats in the House are going to vote with Pelosi and their leadership on this bill?

Or does Democrat leadership plan to allow so many Democrats to vote against the bill and keep just enough votes to pass which they have been doing on all the major bills. That way Blue Dogs can return home and say they voted against the bill when in reality if the Democrats didn't have such large numbers over Republicans, they (Blue Dogs) would most likely be voting with leadership on every bill.

Pence: "The Democrat plan for financial regulatory reform is nothing more than a permanent bailout and a job-killer, and it must be opposed."

Washington, DC - U.S. Congressman Mike Pence, Chairman of the House Republican Conference, delivered the following remarks today regarding the House Republican effort to end the Wall Street bailout - known as the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) - and help reduce the deficit:

"I want to begin by commending the Ranking Member of the Financial Services, as well as the distinguished members who are gathered here, who have been so active and so effective on behalf of the American people in this debate.

"The American people have had it with borrowing and spending and bailouts, and House Republicans will stand in the next twenty-four hours, four-square with the American people in our opposition to the Democrat plan for financial regulatory reform. The Democrat plan for financial regulatory reform is nothing more than a permanent bailout and a job-killer, and it must be opposed.

"I didn't come to Washington D.C. to expand the size and scope of government. I didn't come to Washington D.C. to ask hard-working families on Main Street in Muncie, Indiana, to pay for bad decisions made on Wall Street. I opposed the Wall Street bailout under a Republican Administration, and I stand with my colleagues today in opposition to this latest Wall Street bailout coming under the guise of a financial regulatory reform bill.

"The Democrats are making permanent the policies of bailouts that have led to record deficits, undermined our economic freedom, and have been rejected by tens of millions of Americans in the last year. The Democratic regulatory reform bill will expand the power of the federal government and further empower Washington bureaucrats over the financial decisions of America's families and businesses.
"Economic freedom means the freedom to succeed and the freedom to fail. House Republicans support financial regulatory reform that brings accountability to Wall Street and that ends the era of taxpayer bailouts.

"To that end, in the next twenty-four hours, House Republicans will offer a Motion to Recommit this bill back to its original committee of jurisdiction, with a simple instruction: end the TARP program entirely and use the leftover money to reduce the deficit. We have will an up-or-down vote, on the floor of this Congress, on the subject of bailouts.

"The American people know we cannot borrow and spend and bail our way back to a growing economy. House Republicans oppose permanent bailouts. We oppose the Democrats' effort to enact it and in this cause we are on the side of the American people."

NOTE: To listen to these remarks online, click here

Metro hires Hill lobbyists for $200,000 (District of Columbia)

The fact that DC spends this amount of money for lobbyists should make all US taxpayers disgusted as it is our tax dollars at work. We are not sure we have all the money that the District of Columbia gets from the Federal Government as we could not find a listing except in the Congressional Bill but here is what we have found so far:

Federal Money Appropriated in the `District of Columbia Appropriations Act, 2009'

Federal Payment for Resident Tuition Support: $35,100,000
Federal Payment for Emergency Planning and Security Costs in the District of Columbia: $39,177,000
Federal Payment to District of Columbia Courts: $248,409,000
Defender Services in the District of Columbia: $52,475,000
improvements for District of Columbia courthouse facilities: $76,076,000
Federal Payment to the Court Services and Offender Supervisor Agency: $203,490,000
Federal Payment to the District of Columbia Public Defender: $35,659,000
Federal Payment to the District of Columbia Water and Sewer: $16,000,000
Federal Payment to the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council: $1,774,000
Federal Payment to the Chief Financial Office of District of Columbia: $4,887,622
Federal Payment for School Facilities: $54,000,000
Federal Payment to Jump Start School Reform: $20,000,000
Federal Payment for Consolidated Laboratory Facility: $21,000,000
Federal Payment for Central Library and Branch Locations: $7,000,000
Federal Payment to the Office of Mayor of the District of Columbia: $3,387,500
General Fund of the District of Columbia: operating expenses for the District of Columbia for fiscal year 2009 under this heading shall not exceed the lesser of the sum of the total revenues of the District of Columbia for such fiscal year or $9,888,095,000 (of which $6,082,474,000 shall be from local funds (including $420,119,000 from dedicated taxes), $2,177,382,000 shall be from Federal grant funds, $1,621,929,000 shall be from other funds, and $6,310,000 shall be from private funds)

The amount of money that is given to DC for the Court system is mind boggling. Is there that much crime in DC? If there is, maybe they should be hiring more police with the money.

Also why are American taxpayers funding DC students to attend school any place in America?

No wonder DC has a million dollars to spend on lobbyist with all the money they get from the Federal Government.

Metro hires Hill lobbyists for $200,000

Metro has hired a top lobbying firm for $200,000 to represent the transit agency on Capitol Hill.

That's on top of the more than $900,000 in salaries the agency pays to its nine-person, in-house, government relations staff, not including their employee benefits and other department expenses.

Still, Metro says the more than $1 million it spends to pay people to finesse its relationships with government is worth the cost, even as the agency is facing a tight budget squeeze with a projected $175 million shortfall next year in its $1.4 billion operating budget.

"If you look at the money they end up bringing in ... it's a bargain," Metro spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein said. "It more than pays for itself."

Sen. Harry Reid cancels New Orleans fund-raiser

What was the real reason this was canceled? Seems the Senate is not taking up the healthcare bill this weekend but doing appropriations according to Sen Kyl. When you come to think about it, Sen Landrieu might not want Harry Reid in LA with the disaster of a healthcare bill in the Senate with Landrieu being a deciding vote that brought it to the floor after being promised all kinds of money for LA. Taxpayers are tired of their tax dollars being wasted even in their own states.

Another possible scenario is that Demeocrats don't want to give to Reid.

Sen. Harry Reid cancels New Orleans fund-raiser
The Times-Picayune
December 10, 2009
Robert Travis Scott

A New Orleans fundraiser scheduled Saturday for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has been canceled as the Senate expects to stay in session over the weekend to continue consideration on the health care overhaul bill.

Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., and political strategist James Carville were to host a brunch for Reid at the St. Charles Avenue home of businessman David Voelker.
The entry level contribution was $4,800. Landrieu's office said she would not be in Louisiana this weekend because she will be working on the health care legislation, which is likely to be shaped by floor votes.

Excerpt: Read more at nola.com

Nobel peace prize: Norwegians incensed over Barack Obama's snubs

Now Obama is snubbing the King of Norway and the Nobel Committee among other activities. More of our Europen allies being snubbed which speaks volumes about Obama and who he has decided to cater. Maybe the Nobel Committee should have second thoughts about how they awarded the Nobel Peace Prize to Obama for doing nothing.

Wonder how the world likes the Obama "Hope and Change" now? Obama has only 44% support in this Country and an equal number of people would prefer Pres Bush now which speaks volumes.

Nobel peace prize: Norwegians incensed over Barack Obama's snubs
Gwladys Fouché and Ewen MacAskill
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 9 December 2009 20.00 GMT

Barack Obama's trip to Oslo to pick up his Nobel peace award is in danger of being overshadowed by a row over the cancellation of a series of events normally attended by the prizewinner.

Norwegians are incensed over what they view as his shabby response to the prize by cutting short his visit.

The White House has cancelled many of the events peace prize laureates traditionally submit to, including a dinner with the Norwegian Nobel committee, a press conference, a television interview, appearances at a children's event promoting peace and a music concert, as well as a visit to an exhibition in his honour at the Nobel peace centre.

He has also turned down a lunch invitation from the King of Norway.
According to a poll published by the daily tabloid VG, 44% of Norwegians believe it was rude of Obama to cancel his scheduled lunch with King Harald, with only 34% saying they believe it was acceptable.

"Of all the things he is cancelling, I think the worst is cancelling the lunch with the king," said Siv Jensen, the leader of the largest party in opposition, the populist Progress party. "This is a central part of our government system. He should respect the monarchy," she told VG.

Excerpt: Read More at guardian.co.uk/world

White House's Acorn Cookies Surprises Republican Lawmaker

You cannot make this stuff up! Everyone would think it is a work of fiction. This White House has no sensitivity to what has been happening. Whoever heard of ACORN Christmas cookies except maybe a Community Organizer?

White House's Acorn Cookies Surprises Republican Lawmaker
Foxnews.com
12/09/09
Chad Pergram

Any fan of Cookie Monster on Sesame Street knows that "C" is for cookie.
But at the Obama White House, "A" may be for acorn -- as in acorn cookies served at Monday's annual Christmas party.

The chocolate cookies shaped like an acorn were quite a hit with Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa.

"I didn't expect to see such stark symbolism," King said in an e-mail.
President Obama worked with the community organizing group ACORN in the mid-90s. But now ACORN faces a host of allegations related to voter fraud in the 2008 election and has been weakened by an undercover expose that shows employees offering tax advice to a couple posing as a pimp and prostitute.

Excerpt: Read more at foxnews.com

Copenhagen climate summit in disarray after 'Danish text' leak

Chalk another one up for Obama and his Administration as they were part of a group wanting to ram this through next week. We have bolded the part of the article that mentions Obama. They are going full speed ahead without regards to facts that have been coming out against global warming. Reminds us of Dan Rather and his "Fake but Accurate" comment.

Good News is that there are not enough votes to get this through the Senate ratification process.

Copenhagen climate summit in disarray after 'Danish text' leak

Developing countries react furiously to leaked draft agreement that would hand more power to rich nations, sideline the UN's negotiating role and abandon the Kyoto protocol

• Read the 'Danish text'
• In pictures: Copenhagen day two

The UN Copenhagen climate talks are in disarray today after developing countries reacted furiously to leaked documents. Photograph: Attila Kisbenedek/AFP/Getty Images
The UN Copenhagen climate talks are in disarray today after developing countries reacted furiously to leaked documents that show world leaders will next week be asked to sign an agreement that hands more power to rich countries and sidelines the UN's role in all future climate change negotiations.

The document is also being interpreted by developing countries as setting unequal limits on per capita carbon emissions for developed and developing countries in 2050; meaning that people in rich countries would be permitted to emit nearly twice as much under the proposals.
The so-called Danish text, a secret draft agreement worked on by a group of individuals known as "the circle of commitment" – but understood to include the UK, US and Denmark – has only been shown to a handful of countries since it was finalised this week.

The agreement, leaked to the Guardian, is a departure from the Kyoto protocol's principle that rich nations, which have emitted the bulk of the CO2, should take on firm and binding commitments to reduce greenhouse gases, while poorer nations were not compelled to act. The draft hands effective control of climate change finance to the World Bank; would abandon the Kyoto protocol – the only legally binding treaty that the world has on emissions reductions; and would make any money to help poor countries adapt to climate change dependent on them taking a range of actions.

The document was described last night by one senior diplomat as "a very dangerous document for developing countries. It is a fundamental reworking of the UN balance of obligations. It is to be superimposed without discussion on the talks".

A confidential analysis of the text by developing countries also seen by the Guardian shows deep unease over details of the text. In particular, it is understood to:

• Force developing countries to agree to specific emission cuts and measures that were not part of the original UN agreement;
• Divide poor countries further by creating a new category of developing countries called "the most vulnerable";
• Weaken the UN's role in handling climate finance;
• Not allow poor countries to emit more than 1.44 tonnes of carbon per person by 2050, while allowing rich countries to emit 2.67 tonnes.

Developing countries that have seen the text are understood to be furious that it is being promoted by rich countries without their knowledge and without discussion in the negotiations.

"It is being done in secret. Clearly the intention is to get [Barack] Obama and the leaders of other rich countries to muscle it through when they arrive next week. It effectively is the end of the UN process," said one diplomat, who asked to remain nameless.

Excerpt: Please Read more at: UK Guardian

In panic over jobs, Dems detour from health care

Once again, Byron York has outed this Administration for what they are doing. This facade of a "Job Summit" is not going to increase jobs unless they are like the ones previous listed for Congressional Districts that do not exist. One key group being left out is Small Business, but since most of them are not Obama donors, we are not surprised.

This so called "Job Summit" should be called the Obama Donor Summit. The people who helped lead the Country into this mess with their agenda to take over sectors of private enterprise starting with banks are the same Obama Donors at the "Job Summit." That does not instill confidence that anything will come out of all the rhetoric we are hearing today.

In panic over jobs, Dems detour from health care

Washington Examiner
Byron York
Dec 3, 2009

There's a reason Barack Obama squeezed a hastily-arranged "Jobs Summit" into a White House schedule dominated by national health care and Afghanistan. You can find it on every page of "The Economy and Politics of 2010," a new survey of voter attitudes circulating among Democrats that, despite its dry title, betrays a sense of dread and horror among party strategists hoping to avoid defeat in next year's mid-term elections.

The report is the work of Democracy Corps, the influential polling organization run by Democraic strategists James Carville and Stanley Greenberg. The two men found voters are nearly beside themselves about unemployment, angry about the deficit, pessimistic about the future, and in a mood to punish Democrats if things don't get better soon. "This is about the economy, and it's not pretty," they write.
Most ominous for Democrats is the rise in the number of people who believe the country is on the wrong track. That number grew steadily through the later Bush years, reaching a high of 85 percent just before last November's elections. But with Obama's win, discontent began to subside. By inauguration day, the number was 66 percent. By March, it was 56 percent, and by May it was 46 percent. It was a remarkable turnaround, attributable mostly to the new president.

Excerpt: Read the Full Story at The Washington Examiner

Honduras votes against Manuel Zelaya reinstatement

This has been a total disaster for the Obama Administration and particularly SOS Hillary Clinton as they supported former Honduran President Zelaya who was ousted constitutionally in Honduras. Happy to hear that the Honduran Parliament is telling Pres Obama and his Administration to go pound sand according to Hot Air.

We never could figure out why Obama chose to side with Zelaya who wanted to stay in power against his own Constitution. This was another in a long line of decisions by Obama that favored the enemies of the United States and trashed our allies. We have asked the question before, but it is still pertinent today -- Whose side is Obama on -- dictators or constitutionally elected or appointed officials? Looks to us like dictators keep winning out.

Great to see that the Honduras Parliament understands their own Constitution while Zelaya and his lackies (Obama and Clinton) in the United States don't.

From Times Online
December 3, 2009

Honduras votes against Manuel Zelaya reinstatement
Times Online

MPs in Honduras have voted overwhelmingly against reinstating President Manuel Zelaya, shrugging off international pressure four months after a coup that has isolated one of the poorest countries in the Americas.

As the vote continued, more than two-thirds of members of Congress had voted not to return the deposed president to power for the remainder of his term, which ends on January 27, as Washington and many Latin American governments had urged.

Honduran media put the ongoing vote at 98-12, well in excess of the simple majority needed in the 128-member, single-chamber Congress for the vote against restoring Mr Zelaya to succeed.

Mr Zelaya, who listened to the proceedings from the Brazilian Embassy, where he has been given sanctuary since he returned to the country, had said he would not return for a token two months even if asked.

He urged other governments not to restore ties with the incoming administration of Porfirio Lobo, who won Sunday's presidential election.

Honduras's interim leaders have proven remarkably resistant to diplomatic arm-twisting since the June 28 coup, rejecting demands that the deposed president be restored to his office before the previously scheduled election.

Politician after politician insisted that they were right the first time when they voted to oust Mr Zelaya for ignoring a Supreme Court order to cancel a referendum on changing the constitution.

That vote happened hours after soldiers stormed Mr Zelaya's residence and sent him into exile in his pajamas.

His opponents accuse him of trying to hang on to power by lifting a ban on presidential re-election, as his leftist ally Hugo Chavez has done in Venezuela. Mr Zelaya denies such intentions.

"My vote is [a lesson] for anyone who pretends to perpetuate himself in power. My vote is so that my son can look at me and say 'Dad, you defended democracy," said Antonio Rivera of Mr Lobo's conservative National Party.

Excerpt: Read Full Article at Times Online

Gates Signals Afghanistan Withdrawal Date Could Move

President Obama never ceases to shock us. Obama is now disputing Secretary of Defense Gates on the timetable and basically saying it it etched in stone when we withdraw. Talk about telegraphing your plans -- Obama just gave a perfect example.

UPDATE: McChrystal: The 2011 timetable isn’t set in stone; Obama: Actually, it is Hot Air
December 2, 2009
Allahpundit

"The 18-month timeline … is not absolute. It’s not an 18 months: everybody leaves. The president has expressed on numerous occasions a long-term strategic partnership with Afghanistan, and that includes all manners of assistance,” McChrystal said…

Just as I’m writing this, CBS is reporting that The One responded tonight to Gates’s ambivalence at this morning’s Senate hearing by declaring that 2011 is “locked in” as the starting date for withdrawal. Er, does McChrystal know that?

Looks to us like Obama should have vetted his Afghanistan speech he gave at the Military Academy before giving it to the cadets. Senator McCain nailed this Administration with his question of which is more important -- timeline or withdrawal.

This is beginning to look more and more like Vietnam where the LBJ White House controlled what happened on the ground, and we all know how that ended. Huge mistake to elect anyone with no experience and then to get someone like Obama who surrounds himself with the same type people. Even Bill Clinton put a finger in the wind to see which way it was blowing before making a decision which is a step up from Obama.

Gates Signals Afghanistan Withdrawal Date Could Move
FoxNews
December 02, 2009

The Pentagon will "evaluate" next year whether the military can meet its goal of starting to withdraw troops from Afghanistan by July 2011, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Wednesday under tough questioning, signaling that the withdrawal date could move back if violence spirals out of control.

President Obama said in announcing the timeline Tuesday night that the withdrawal would be based on conditions on the ground. But Sen. John McCain pressed Gates on Capitol Hill, calling the scenario "logically incoherent" and saying the national security team needs to choose which is more important: sticking to the timeline or providing security.

Gates said U.S. forces should be able to move out of "uncontested areas" by the summer of 2011 but that the United States would not transfer security responsibility to the Afghans in any province until they can stand up on their own. He said the security team would review the situation at the end of 2010 to see whether the military "can meet that objective" with regard to the timeline.

"If it appears that the strategy's not working and that we are...

Excerpt: Read more at foxnews.com

Rumsfield Responds (Obama Speech LIES)

Once again we see Obama and this Administration having a hard time with the truth when it comes to the Bush Administration. One thing that Obama didn't have trouble with last night with that speech to West Point was leaving out "God Bless our Troops" from the speech that was released in advance to the media. Why leave that out?

Quotes about his speech continue to resonate around the Net:

Obama Hard and Soft, Right and Left [Fred Thompson]

I was wondering how he was going to pull off the famous Obama split tonight.
He did it chronologically, and in two ways.

First, in the speech itself:
In the first part of his speech he sounded like Winston Churchill.
In the second part of his speech, he sounded like Lady Churchill.

Secondly, with regard to his course of action:
Commit troops for the Right, and then
Announce their withdrawal prematurely, in time for the 2012 election — for the Left.

It was clear for the world to see that we are without the most important ingredient for a chance of success: a determined president whose heart is in the effort.

Corner at National Review

"As I commented on the live thread, I wonder what was going through the cadets' heads when they heard their commander-in-chief speak in a foreign accent when he named the places they will be fighting when they graduate. I'd rather my president speak with an American accent and not a Koranic accent." (Source: Kristinn)

"West Point has a tradition, codified in regulation. “A Cadet will not lie, steal, or tolerate anyone who does.”When a liar can not be sentenced in any other way, the Corps of Cadets commits “Silence”. They only speak or interact with someone when it is their duty.When I saw the way they reacted, it looked to me as if they “Silenced” him." (Source: donmeaker

The above statement sent a cold chill up my spine after having spent years around the military in various locations. Cannot fathom what was going through the cadet's minds during the speech which was all over the place. Why are Obama's speeches continuing to get worse?

Once again we ask the question, Who is Obama? Can anyone in the media answer that question? We don't know for sure where he was born, who was his father, anything about most of his educational years including college. At Columbia no one can remember him, and we are still waiting to discover if went to Columbia on a foreign scholarship.

We know about the Harvard Law Review which makes one wonder how he got that position when he cannot write or speak that well. Uses a teleprompter to make the simplist speeches. His first book was ghost written by Bill Ayers -- still waiting to find out who ghose wrote the 2nd book. "Dreams of my Father" contained stories that pertained to Ayers in some instances not Obama. Some bio!

Just who is Barack Hussein Obama who attended Rev Wright's anti-white/anti-American Church for 20 years? The American people deserve answers but crickets continue to chirp.

We believe that anyone running for President should be an open book including their passport records which we do not understand why they have ever been sealed. Anyone asking the American people to vote for them as the President and Leader of the Free World has a right to know every detail but in Obama's case we know so little about him and only then what the Obama people want us to know. How can one man know so many radicals including Communist? Question after question goes unanswered and many members of the media continue to cover for Obama including last night.

Maybe he realized that Chris Matthews was right, he was in enemy territory at West Point after all and decided to deny them His blessing.

There is one thing about former Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld that has always stood out and that is the fact he is not afraid to speak his mind. Everyone needs to read what he has to say and ask themselves why Obama and his Administration always blame someone else. Obama tooks months to deliver this bomb of a speech which brings into question who is advising him but another question that will go unanswered. Someone needs to tell Obama that swiveling his head all the time to read his teleprompters is very annoying and the sign of someone with no core feelings as he needs to read what to say not speak from the heart.

The good news is that he is sending 30,000 troops (we think) and the bad news is that he telegraphed withdrawal so the Taliban/al Qaeda hide out and do sneak attacks knowing in three years they can take over the whole country as Obama cuts and runs.

Obama is making Carter look good which we didn't think possible.

Rumsfeld Responds
December 2, 2009

The statement from Rumsfeld:

“In his speech to the nation last night, President Obama claimed that ‘Commanders in Afghanistan repeatedly asked for support to deal with the reemergence of the Taliban, but these reinforcements did not arrive.’ Such a bald misstatement, at least as it pertains to the period I served as Secretary of Defense, deserves a response.”

“I am not aware of a single request of that nature between 2001 and 2006. If any such requests occurred, ‘repeated’ or not, the White House should promptly make them public. The President's assertion does a disservice to the truth and, in particular, to the thousands of men and women in uniform who have fought, served and sacrificed in Afghanistan.”

“In the interest of better understanding the President's announcement last night, I suggest that the Congress review the President’s assertion in the forthcoming debate and determine exactly what requests were made, who made them, and where and why in the chain of command they were denied.”

This is true as far as I know and conforms with what Steve Hayes reported in THE WEEKLY STANDARD in October:

Perhaps more infuriating for Bush veterans was the suggestion by [Robert] Gibbs that the Bush administration ignored requests for more troops. It's nonsense, they say. McKiernan wanted more troops--he asked for three additional brigades in the summer of 2008--but he understood that he could have them only when they became available. "McKiernan was making requests down the line," says a Pentagon official, "and late in 2008 we did have the ability to commit more forces. So we did." Indeed, Bush sent nearly 7,000 additional troops to Afghanistan before he left office, including one brigade that had been repurposed from Iraq.

One Bush veteran asks, "If it's true that the Bush administration sat on these troop requests for eight months, is the White House suggesting that the Pentagon was incompetent or negligent or both? That would be a good question to put to the defense secretary--and President Obama is in a position to make him talk."
I couldn't reach Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, but I did talk to a senior defense official who serves with him. This person stressed that Gates has gone to great lengths to avoid being dragged into political fights between administrations. Nonetheless, he offered a strong rebuke to the present White House political team.
"There was no request on anyone's desk for eight months," said the defense official. "There was not a request that went to the White House because we didn't have forces to commit. So on the facts, they're wrong."

Source: Weekly Standard