Blog @ MoreWhat.com

Last weekend four governors gave their political statements in answer to questions provided by Chris Wallace of Fox News Sunday. Gov Granholm of Michigan does not dispute she is a money grabbing liberal and doesn’t care where it comes from or what it will cost in the long run. Gov Pawlenty of Minnesota offers his excuse for taking the money citing his state pays more to the federal government than they get back. Rendell is only slightly more subtle than Granholm but the money grabbing philosophy is nearly identical. From this transcript it is unclear whether Gov Sanford of South Carolina will follow suit with the others.

This is what bipartisanship is in the present day. Perhaps it was always that way. The fact is all the rhetoric and posturing that does not result in doing the right thing gets characterized as bipartisanship or simply the other guys fault followed by we have no choice.

The fact is you always have a choice. And when none of the choices are pleasant it is time to come up with another plan. Unless solutions proposed are supported by an overwhelming majority both in the government and the public responsible elected officials should continue to find the right solution. Suggesting we cannot wait or that we must act now or perish is simply fear mongering to get your way. And that is rarely the right way.

The transcript excerpts and link are provided below.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

GRANHOLM: Well, this, to me, is not about philosophical theory. This is about real people who, through no fault of their own, are laid off because of a recession. They need to be able to put food on the table.

So you better believe I’m going to take every dollar that is coming to Michigan. And if my colleagues here in Minnesota and South Carolina don’t get — don’t use theirs, I’m going to be first in line to say for my people, for our citizens, to put people to work and to make sure that they can survive through this, I’ll take their dollars, too.

PAWLENTY: Well, I do. I don’t like this bill, but it is now the law. It’s not the bill that Mark and I would have crafted, but it’s now our responsibility and opportunity to try to implement it.

In Minnesota’s case, we are a major net subsidizer of the federal government, and that’s unlike some other states. For every dollar we send in, we only get 72 cents back. So we’re paying the bill either way. We’re going to take our share of the money.

We also don’t have some of the same impediments as some other states. In the unemployment area, this is a time to try to help unemployed people, and most of the enhancements that the federal government is requiring the states to undertake on this bill we did years ago. So it doesn’t impinge us or hurt us in that regard in Minnesota.

RENDELL: Well, in the long term, I don’t think anybody can be sure that any single thing is going to fix the economy. It has to be a number of things, attacking on all different sides of the problem. But I do think it will create jobs.

I mean, one thing I think we all agree on — and I hesitate to speak for all of us — is that the infrastructure dollars do produce jobs. There’s no question about that. You fix a bridge and people have to work on the bridge.

You fix a bridge and orders have to go out, hopefully, to Pennsylvania, or South Carolina, or Michigan, Minnesota companies, factories that desperately need orders — steel, concrete, asphalt, lumber. So there are aspects of this plan that are definitely job producers.

And in Pennsylvania, I think we’ll net about the same amount of jobs we’ve lost since August, 60,000 or 70,000 jobs, by the time we’re done. So there are elements of this that are terrific.

It’s not all stimulus. I mean, part of it is relief, and I think Tim said something that was very important. I’m not sure that we can, over the long run, cope with the higher unemployment compensation standard that this mandates for states, but I don’t care.

My people are suffering. My people are hurting. They need that extra money. And right now that’s paramount in my mind.

SANFORD: I guess my question would be wasn’t it the same sort of short-term thinking that got us into this problem in the first place.

And so if we say tell you what, you know, the unemployment benefit that would be basically foisted on different states is not sustainable, they can’t even pay for what they got, but they got to increase spending to — to — to pull down these federal funds, it goes to the heart of the bigger problem, which is, OK, you get a two- year window and then what happens.

You’re going to substantially increase taxes to get yourself out of the problem then? Are you going to issue more debt?

And I think one of the real issues here is we have $52 trillion in accumulated debt in Washington, D.C. And we don’t have a giant piggy bank that we can now raid now that times are tough. All this money is going to be borrowed from the future — from future generations, from Social Security.

So in essence, we’re digging yet another hole for ourselves with regard to unsustainable spending.

source: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,498265,00.html

Welcome to Blog @ MoreWhat.com’s Open Trackback

Secure the Borders Linkfest

This is an open trackback linkfest. The Secure the Borders theme is intended as a reminder to all for obvious reasons. If you have any suggestions, criticisms, questions or just feel the need to communicate, trackback or post it in the comments. If you want to be added to the Blogroll, register and/or inquire to make arrangements. The Honor Roll is reserved for blogs viewed as special by this blog’s owner.

JIHAD stands for Jesus I Have A Deathwish.

This linkfest is dedicated to the guest worker who never left.There are plenty of illegal immigration posts on this blog.

If you’re here legally and behavin’ yo self, welcome aboard.
.
.

We suggest using the Linkfest Haven Deluxe Trackback pinger for ease of use and time savings to catch all the festive linking activities today. Or, if you have done this less than we have, the permalink for this Open Trackback is the title link and the trackback is located near the bottom of the permalink page for this post. Just poke around, you’ll find it.

links in the sidebar

NOTE: It may be worthwhile to comply with the unofficial standard of submitting your blog’s best work for open trackbacks whether here or at multiple sites. The practice may have been inspired by a desire for increased quality versus quantity as well as providing greater impact from the power of the blogosphere.

This front page was printed in September 1938 - one year before the outbreak of World War II. The Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, believed that ‘appeasement’ was the best way to avoid war with Germany. (graphic and caption above from link provided and not part of VOA report (click pic)

U.S. President Barack Obama has tied the future of Iraq to that of the broader Middle East, which he says will include Washington’s “principled and sustained engagement” with Iran and Syria.

Mr. Obama said the U.S. can no longer deal with regional challenges in isolation. He argued Friday during a speech to Marines in North Carolina that Washington must take a “smarter, more sustainable and comprehensive approach.”

While reaching out to Tehran, Mr. Obama added that the U.S. is developing a strategy to use all elements of American power to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. The Iranian government says its nuclear program has no military component.

Mr. Obama also said the U.S. will refocus on al-Qaida in Afghanistan and Pakistan and is actively seeking a lasting peace between Israel and the Arab world.

As proof of his commitment. he pointed to the appointment of George Mitchell, Dennis Ross and Richard Holbrooke as special envoys to the region.

He also announced he intends to send veteran diplomat Christopher Hill to Baghdad as U.S. ambassador.

The U.S. president said that everyone - both friends and foes - must know that the end of the Iraq war will bring a new era of American leadership and engagement in the Middle East.

crossposted at:
Maggie’s Notebook
Conservative Thoughts

Democrats have a host of idiots to draw from in their effort to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. John Kerry is no exception to this rule. In an effort to quickly confirm the allegations that liberals hold appeasement as their primary weapon against national security threats Senator John Kerry reveals Democrats are ready, willing and able to cave to accusations by the “Muslim world’ that the big bad old US needs to ‘forge ties’ with same. For all those who never cease to find time to criticize the Bush Administration’s eight years in office kindly remember we have not been attacked since September 11, 2001. ‘We share your aspirations’ is a quote from Mr Kerry. The problem is Mr Kerry may not be completely up to speed on what those aspirations are. To broadly state that the US wants to ‘forge better ties’ with the ‘Muslim world’ assumes that all Muslims share common aspirations. Are liberals so ignorant as to think ALL Muslims think alike? Are they silly enough to assume a generalization like that? Name one group where all members of the set think exactly alike on any issue or topic. This is part of the Obama brain trust who is the Chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee. What is worse? That Kerry could have won in 2004 or Obama winning in 2008?

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

The chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts, is calling for a new chapter in America’s relationship with the Muslim world. Kerry chaired a hearing Thursday to explore ways to forge better ties with the Muslim world.

Senator Kerry opened the hearing by echoing President Barack Obama’s call for better ties with the Muslim world. “We share your aspirations for freedom, dignity, justice and security. We are ready to listen, learn, and honor the president’s commitment to approach the Muslim world with a spirit of mutual respect,” he said.

Kerry called on Americans to do their part to ease the climate of fear and distrust that followed the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States. “If we truly want to empower Muslim moderates, we must also stop tolerating the casual Islamophobia that has seeped into our political discourse since 9/11,” he said.

The senator, who recently returned from a trip to Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank and Gaza, called for expanding educational exchanges between the United States and the Muslim world and for greater funding to promote Americans’ foreign language capabilities.

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright was among those who testified at the hearing. “Our engagement with Muslim communities should include explicit support for democracy. This preference need not be heavy handed, but neither should it be so timid as to be inaudible,” she said.

Dalia Mogahed, executive director of the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies, discussed Muslim perceptions of the United States gleaned by international surveys of done by her organization.

She said detainee abuses at hands of U.S. personnel in the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq and the U.S. detention center Guantanamo Bay, Cuba hurt America’s image in the Muslim world. She said most Muslims believe the U.S. invasion of Iraq did more harm than good, and that very few Muslims believe the United States takes an even-handed approach to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Mogahed says many Muslims admire what they say are universal values practiced so well in the west, including good governance and self-determination, as well as human rights. But she says they are skeptical as to the United States’ true intentions in promoting these values in their region.

“Ironically, it stems from the perception that we do not live the values that they so admire about us in our treatment of them - rule of law, self-determination, and human rights. Many believe that the U.S. is denying Muslims these rights by supporting dictatorships, direct occupation of Muslim lands, and what is seen as passive support for Israeli violence,” she said.

Mogahed says Muslim Americans could play an important role in helping improve U.S. ties with the Muslim world.

President Obama is often described as an orator. Whether great or good or above average the description in its various forms is widely used after Mr Obama speaks in public. Not taking those speeches or public statements at face value is the task. It is of course not uncommon for politicians to use speeches to further their agendas. The President’s recent speech is no exception. How one interprets a politician’s speech is the task.

What Mr Obama’s words suggest is who is at fault although he states from time to time that is not the purpose. Without supporting details on how we arrived at the situation we are in now his words in this, the second look at his speech, one could get the idea he is pointing blame on his political opposition. Here is the next excerpt from his speech being offered here with some supporting details.

‘In other words, we have lived through an era where too often, short-term gains were prized over long-term prosperity; where we failed to look beyond the next payment, the next quarter, or the next election. A surplus became an excuse to transfer wealth to the wealthy instead of an opportunity to invest in our future. Regulations were gutted for the sake of a quick profit at the expense of a healthy market. People bought homes they knew they couldn’t afford from banks and lenders who pushed those bad loans anyway. And all the while, critical debates and difficult decisions were put off for some other time on some other day.’
(source: publicly available transcript of President Obama’s 02/24/2009 speech before a joint session of Congress.)

The excerpt and link below features Franklin Raines and some others involved with Fannie or Freddie’s meltdown. Could these be some of the people of which President Obama speaks?

The executives said Congress pressured the companies to finance lower-income borrowers while regulators did little to curb the increasing risk that ultimately led to a government takeover that wiped out most shareholders and potentially saddles taxpayers with a $200 billion tab. James Lockhart, the companies’ regulator, said in September that exerting greater control over Fannie and Freddie was impeded by “their lobbying power.”

Maybe Mr Obama missed the ‘transfer of wealth’ being created in the story below which includes those who were not wealthy. They were so ‘not wealthy’ a subprime loan was their only option and some were only too happy to oblige. At the beginning that may not have included banks or regulators.

In a recent meeting with the Council on Foreign Relations, Barney Frank–the chair of the House Financial Services Committee and a longtime supporter of Fannie and Freddie–admitted that it had been a mistake to force homeownership on people who could not afford it. Renting, he said, would have been preferable. Now he tells us.

Long-term pressure from Frank and his colleagues to expand home ownership connects government housing policies to both the housing bubble and the poor quality of the mortgages on which it is based. In 1992, Congress gave a new affordable housing “mission” to Fannie and Freddie, and authorized the Department of Housing and Urban Development to define its scope through regulations.

Shortly thereafter, Fannie Mae, under Chairman Jim Johnson, made its first “trillion-dollar commitment” to increase financing for affordable housing. What this meant for the quality of the mortgages that Fannie–and later Freddie–would buy has not become clear until now.

On a parallel track was the Community Reinvestment Act. New CRA regulations in 1995 required banks to demonstrate that they were making mortgage loans to underserved communities, which inevitably included borrowers whose credit standing did not qualify them for a conventional mortgage loan.

To meet this new requirement, insured banks–like the GSEs–had to reduce the quality of the mortgages they would make or acquire. As the enforcers of CRA, the regulators themselves were co-opted into this process, approving lending practices that they would otherwise have scorned. The erosion of traditional mortgage standards had begun.

Like most debates with partisan influence those who support one party or the other line up with the evidence which favor their argument. It is likely there are culprits on both sides of the aisle in this case also. But if Mr Obama wants to present his version of reality the rest of us must present ours. And perhaps if that is done for a long enough time the truth will prevail, we can fix what’s wrong and move forward to more successful times.

So please Mr President, stop the insanity. You have made many claims including reaching across the aisle, transparency, accountability, no lobbyists in your administration, doing the people’s business and on and on. Yet all you have done to date suggests otherwise. Instead of changing Washington and eliminating politics as usual it appears we are in for more of the same. If you expect to charm your way into continuing politics as we know it we will not be fooled. Put another way, if you are going to do what most suspect have the common courtesy to kiss us first, figuratively speaking of course.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Oh, where is the omni-pork in your neighborhood? (Michelle Malkin) 

It is time to begin the process of analyzing President Obama’s February 24, 2009 speech to a joint session of Congress. As stated in an earlier post this could take a while. The first item that raised a question here was Mr Obama’s use of the following:

‘We have known for decades that our survival depends on finding new sources of energy. Yet we import more oil today than ever before.’

Is this a little melodramatic? Okay, that is going to happen in a speech. After all, if you don’t want your audience falling asleep in the first ten minutes you have to get and keep their attention. That did it. Are you sure our survival depends on new sources of energy? How about we consider utilizing the ones we have before introducing fear of survival to the debate. We import more oil now? No wonder. Have you considered the fact that the nation gets larger every year? That might account for importing more oil. Have you considered it may be better to import than drain all our own resources? Have you considered that much opposition has been raised over using our own resources? Take for instance the recent opposition to offshore drilling. Even drilling within the country is not something that is necessarily profitable or without opposition.

In other words Mr President, it is not as simple as you would have us believe. And for a little added argument consider this. One report on per capita petroleum use for the years 1972 through 1997 shows a noticeable decline. At the time of writing this post a more complete view had not been found and may be later. The point being this represents a 25 year period in which per capita use declined. Could it be we import more oil today than ever before due to an ever increasing population? Could it be that obstacles to domestic production make importing more profitable? So if your intention, Mr President, was to push for alternative fuels or spending more money on your pet projects just say so. After all, you’re the guy who lately touts transparency and accountability in government.

The remainder of this part of the speech summarized the crazy cost of healthcare and that nothing has been done about it. The failure of education in the US to prepare students for the marketplace. And last but not least a comment that we spend too much and incur too much debt. Obviously the President is hinting that universal health care is on his mind as well as equally scary spending on education. Pointing to spending and debt in the public and private sector is another hint that things will get worse. He is saying you cannot spend and take on debt for that will be the province of government from now on. And to pay for it will require a massive tax increase which is why you will no longer be able to spend or take on debt for yourself.

Below is the full excerpt from the transcript on which this first post is focused. And that should be enough to digest for now.

‘The fact is, our economy did not fall into decline overnight. Nor did all of our problems begin when the housing market collapsed or the stock market sank. We have known for decades that our survival depends on finding new sources of energy. Yet we import more oil today than ever before. The cost of health care eats up more and more of our savings each year, yet we keep delaying reform. Our children will compete for jobs in a global economy that too many of our schools do not prepare them for. And though all these challenges went unsolved, we still managed to spend more money and pile up more debt, both as individuals and through our government, than ever before.’

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

02/13/09: PRESS RELEASE - Berg Fighting On – 3 Pending Lawsuits to
Expose Obama for “not” being Constitutionally “qualified/eligible” to be President
and Berg requests help to spread the word as the major media refuses

(Contact information and PDF at end)

(Lafayette Hill, PA – 02/13/09) - Philip J. Berg, Esquire, the first Attorney who filed suit against Barack H. Obama challenging Senator Obama’s lack of Constitutional “qualifications/eligibility” to serve as President of the United States and his cases that are still pending, Berg vs. Obama [2 cases – 1 under seal] and Hollister vs. Soetoro a/k/a Obama announced today the request to his supporters to spread the word as the major media continues to refuse to cover this story – the most significant story in the history of our country; the biggest “HOAX” perpetrated on the citizens of the United States in 230 years, since our nation was established. Obama must be legally removed from office.
Berg’s request: “I hereby request all of obamacrimes.com supporters to (1) go to your computers; (2) send a message to everyone on ‘your address’ book to go to obamacrimes.com and read it; (3) ask everyone on ‘their address’ book to read and send on to everyone on their address book; and (4) if they can, make a contribution to obamacrimes.com [on our web site to donate online or mail in]. I am requesting donations of asking four [4] friends to contribute $15.00 each or donate $60.00 themselves as this is the seventh [7th] month that we are pursuing this effort to expose Obama’s ‘HOAX’ and we are preparing to proceed with discovery [interrogatories, request for production of documents, subpoenaing of documents, depositions of Obama & Howard Dean, etc.].

I believe that 10 to 15 million people are aware of the Obama ‘HOAX,’ and we must make 75 million people aware. When people are made aware of the Obama ‘HOAX,’ that Obama has not proven he is constitutionally ‘qualified/eligible’ to be President; that Obama has not produced his original (vault version) ‘Birth Certificate;’ that Obama has not produced legal documents to show he legally changed his name from his ‘adopted’ name of ‘Barry Soetoro’ from Indonesia; they will demand Obama be removed from his office of President of the United States.”

Berg concluded, “I am proceeding for the 305 + million people in ‘our’ U.S.A., for ‘our’ forefathers and for the tens of thousands of men and women that have died and/or been maimed defending our Constitution, with our legal fight to prove that Obama is not constitutionally qualified/eligible to be President.”

Status of Cases:

Berg vs. Obama, Third Circuit Court of Appeals No. 08 – 4340
Berg filed Brief on 1/20/09
Waiting for Response Briefs from Obama, DNC and the other Defendants (Appellees)

Berg vs. Obama, U.S. District Court
Case filed under seal on 11/07/08 – cannot be discussed

Hollister vs. Soetoro a/k/a Obama,
U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, No. 08-cv-02254
Berg filed 1st Amended Complaint for Hollister on 2/09/09
after Soetoro/Obama and Biden filed Motion to Dismiss

For copies of all Court Pleadings, go to obamacrimes.com

For Further Information Contact:
Philip J. Berg, Esquire

555 Andorra Glen Court, Suite 12
Lafayette Hill, PA 19444-2531
(610) 825-3134
(800) 993-PHIL [7445]
Fax (610) 834-7659
Cell (610) 662-3005

philjberg@obamacrimes.com

# # #

pdf version link below:

02/13/09: PRESS RELEASE -Berg Fighting On – 3 Pending Lawsuits to Expose Obama for “not” being Constitutionally “qualified/eligible” to be President and Berg requests help to spread the word as the major media refuses

Within the first ten minutes of President Obama’s speech to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday February 24, 2009 one thing became clear. Pointing out all the bunk he is still trying to force feed the American public will take considerable time to distill into one or more posts published on this blog.

No doubt the net will be overflowing with analysis and commentary on this very topic for the remainder of the week at least.

The audacity of his brand of hope and change are alive and well in his words of this speech. Too bad words don’t make it right or make it work. While the opposition party made plenty of mistakes in recent years, Obama’s ideas are not the answer either.

More to come on this story later.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

PBO’s weekly address finds the new President claiming he will keep a campaign promise. Now all we need is answers to why he has failed to deliver on others. And it is not like some of them are difficult to implement. Take for example transparency. A little reminder of those missed promises was not allowing the public to inspect the stimulus package and make comments before the vote was held.

According to most reports on the ‘family’ tax cut (a use of the word ‘family’ that should cease) the amount will average $65 per month. Assuming a family of four comprised of one husband, one wife and two children that cut is halved if both individuals work or $32.50 each. That may be where the 8 bucks a week figure came from that is circulating lately.

What is eight bucks more per week in the hands of working Americans going to do for them or the economy? And how long will it be until the announcement of tax increases follow? You cannot borrow trillions upon trillions of dollars and spend it without having to pay it back sometime, or at least attend to debt service in the form of interest on that debt. If there ever was a reason to use the phrase ’smoke and mirrors’ this is it.

If anyone knows of something positive coming out of Washington please advise. The view from this blog is nothing has appeared yet to indicate any meaningful efforts for solving the nation’s problems. And that includes the announcement VP Joe Biden will oversee emptying the US Treasury and how recipients spend the money.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Obama: Americans to See Tax Cuts by April 1

U.S. President Barack Obama says the tax cuts in the economic recovery bill he signed recently should take effect by April 1. Mr. Obama calls the stimulus package the first step on the road to economic recovery.

President Obama says the tax cut will reach more Americans more quickly than any other in the nation’s history.

In his weekly address Saturday, the president says the legislation Congress passed and he signed will allow the average U.S. family to keep an extra $65 each month.

“Because of what we did, 95 percent of all working families will get a tax cut, in keeping with a promise I made on the campaign. And I am pleased to announce that this morning, the Treasury Department began directing employers to reduce the amount of taxes withheld from paychecks,” he said.

Mr. Obama signed the $787 billion stimulus plan on Tuesday, in hopes of creating or saving 3.5 million jobs in the next two years.

The bill passed both houses of Congress, but received almost no support from opposition Republicans. In Saturday’s Republican response, Representative Dave Camp of Michigan says his party wanted to pass a stimulus plan, but that this particular plan involves too much spending.

“Republicans genuinely want to work with the president to solve these problems in a responsible way that does not burden our children and grandchildren with a mountain of debt,” said Camp.

The president says other aspects of the economic crisis will need to be addressed. The first, he says is slowing the spread of home foreclosures and falling home values. On Wednesday, Mr. Obama unveiled his $75 billion proposal to prevent as many as 9 million Americans from losing their homes.

Mr. Obama says fixing the broken U.S. economy will also require stabilizing and repairing the banking system, and bringing the government’s budget deficit under control as the economy begins to recover.

“We cannot successfully address any of our problems without addressing them all, and that is exactly what the strategy we are pursuing is designed to do,” he said.

The large amount of government spending in Mr. Obama’s economic initiatives is expected to lead to what he calls “exploding” federal deficits. The president will hold a bipartisan “fiscal responsibility summit” at the White House on Monday to talk about ways to control the $1 trillion budget deficit.

On Tuesday, Mr. Obama is to address a joint session of Congress. The speech is expected to emphasize the economy and his efforts to revive it.

How’s this for adding insult to injury: Microsoft has asked some of its 1,400 recently laid-off workers to pay back some of their severance pay because the company accidentally overpaid them

Talk about adding insult to injury. Apparently Microsoft has inadvertently overpaid severance to some of its recently laid off employees, and is now asking for some of the money back.

Update: CNET reports that Microsoft has decided to allow any workers who were overcompensated to keep the money. The story also notes that around 25 workers were overpaid, and around 20 underpaid.

45 errors out of an earlier reported 1400 employees laid off. Do the math, that’s between 3 and 4 percent. Okay, this sort of story can fire up the public easy enough. God knows this blog loves bashing MS. The fact that MS makes a mistake and the press picks up on it is understood as it sells. Microsoft, the company everyone loves to hate. Then why do so many still use their products? It is the main reason this blog bashes MS.

That MS let this go far enough to become a story is typical Microsoft. Just like the near infinite list of problems with anything MS since their beginning the problem reaches epic proportions due to lax damage control or not thinking things through before acting. But the MS customer base shares in the problem by not holding their vendor accountable. If they keep screwin’ up and you keep buying there is no incentive to do things right the first time, every time.

For this particular Microsoft oops at least one question remains unanswered. Did MS implement the severance arrangements using their own software, doing it manually or by some other means? Maybe using their own software is why no further comment can be found from the company on this part of the topic.

Microsoft, making major problems out of minor ones. One of the few constants in their history.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

For those of you not thrilled with the action of RINOs Collins, Snowe and Specter the following report should be comforting if not a guarantee of retribution.

Republican National Committee Chair Michael Steele stated on Monday that he is open to primary challenges for 3 GOP turncoats who voted in favor of the 1.2 trillion-dollar Obama-Democrat pork spending program. Those 3 turncoats, of course, are Arlen Specter, Olympia Snowe, and Susan Collins.

Most of the GOP faithful view all 3 not only as anathema but as highly vulnerable in the next election due to their quick capitulation to the ill-conceived Obama program.

Below is a report on the Senate advancing debate on placing full voting rights for the DC rep which may include more down the road and certainly would give Utah another seat at least. Aside from the constitutional questions there are plenty of politics being played here. Check the roll call vote and co-sponsors of each chambers bill if you need convincing. No reason given for Jim DeMint (R-SC) not voting but he has plans that include a vote on the Fairness Doctrine.

A measure granting Utah an additional House seat and the District of Columbia its first full-voting member overcame its biggest likely hurdle Tuesday as the U.S. Senate on Tuesday surpassed the 60 needed votes to move the legislation to final passage.

The Senate voted 62-34 to debate the bill and move to a final vote later this week, moving past objections from some Republicans that the legislation is unconstitutional.

Utah’s Republican senators split on the issue. Orrin Hatch backed advancing the measure, while Bob Bennett opposed it.

Here’s the report on the Fairness Doctrine latest news….

“I’m glad President Obama finally confirmed his opposition to the Fairness Doctrine … but many Democrats in Congress are still pushing it,” said Sen. Jim DeMint, South Carolina Republican, who vows to force a Senate vote on the question this week.

“With the support of the new administration, now is the time for Congress to take a stand against this kind of censorship,” he said.

Just a few stories indicating how much is on the table in politics these days. It would be helpful if the band in Washington could properly solve any of them so there would be less to concentrate on but that seems unlikely. Don’t let them wear you down. Stay involved, continue to express your concerns to your elected reps and keep their phones busy and email boxes overflowing. If there ever was a time to press elected and appointed officials on every move it is now. Do not assume that what you see is what you get. Remember, most of them have enough experience in politics to throw up effective smoke screens. And those who don’t are helped by those who do or replaced at the next election. Question everything and continue to contact them regularly even if you don’t have a pressing question. Just ask them a question and request a written response. Make ‘em work for their taxpayer funded income. Put them on the spot if you can.

The busier they are dealing with public inquiries the more attention they may pay or at least it increases the chance they will make a mistake and tell you the truth.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

If Senator Shelby is taking heat for a story indicating he questions President Obama’s citizenship it may be worth the price of admission. While Shelby is quoted below responding to the report being incomplete and a distortion and the paper standing by their account the story becomes mired in who do you believe? But does that really matter? The larger point is that the MSM never pursued the vast quantity of questions about their chosen candidate. To have one question revived if only for a moment may be worthwhile. The mystery man who is the current US President has successfully dodged inquiries into his past.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Obama Birth Certificate: Senator Shelby Comment
Right Pundits, CA -
By Maggie M. Thorton A United States Senator has spoken in public about Barack Obama’s natural born citizenship status. A constituent asked Senator Richard …

Shelby’s office calls Times report ‘distortion’
Cullman Times Online, AL -
Richard Shelby’s office is calling a Cullman Times report “incomplete” and a “distortion” of his comments on President Obama’s citizenship status during a …

‘I Haven’t Seen Any Birth Certificate’
The Washington Independent, DC -
Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) is getting heat today for his response to a question about President Obama’s citizenship, delivered to a conspiracy-minded citizen …

2/23: The GOP Gets Feisty
National Journal, DC -
Richard Shelby (R-AL) a “conspiracy theorist” and a “nasty, braindead piece of work” after he questioned Pres. Obama’s citizenship during a meeting with …

Alabama paper stands by Shelby story
Politico, DC -
Senator Richard Shelby today denied, through a spokesman, casting doubt on President Obama’s citizenship, but the Cullman, Ala., paper that reported that he …

Shelby: ‘They said he was born in Hawaii, but I haven’t seen any …
WorldNetDaily, OR -
Other challenges have focused on Obama’s citizenship through his father, a Kenyan subject to the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom at the time of his birth …

“The stimulus was political nirvana: cut taxes and raise spending,” said Robert Bixby, executive director of the fiscal watchdog group Concord Coalition, who is among those invited to the summit. “This is the opposite; it is the political agenda from hell.”

Some of the promises made by Barack Obama may have disappeared. Much talk of bipartisanship and reaching across the aisle leading up to the stimulus package and his administration in general along with transparency have faded. Quotes like the one above needed to generate debate on the stimulus before it became law. As cited by many in Congress, mostly from the GOP, no one may have had time and no one certainly read the 1000 plus page document. Hundreds of politicians voting on something they know little if anything about. And the public was shut out. Where is the promise from Obama that the public would be able to view and comment on the ‘proposal’?

Now we finally hear warnings and criticism that deficits will be too high, long term economic health is being ignored for expediency and there may be a ‘grand plan’ for the third rail of politics in the near future. While concern is voiced about entitlements and they were once the critics’ favorite target deficits and the willingness of foreign countries to buy our debt have taken center stage. With the new Secretary of State essentially begging China to buy more US debt and the new chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations committee on an appeasement mission to the Middle East we have much to be concerned about beyond the overwhelming insanity of the economic ‘fixes’ coming out of Washington.

Despite the embarrassment caused by Gregg’s about-face, the White House believes that he could be one of its most important allies in the overhaul of Social Security, Medicare, and tax policy. That is because Gregg is the co-sponsor of the measure that would create a bipartisan commission to put together far-reaching recommendations for an up-or-down vote by Congress.

In an interview, Gregg said that under such a procedure, the measures could be passed within a year, as long as most of the benefit cuts and tax increases were not slated to take effect until well after the recession is over. “We need an up-or-down vote on a package that will be unquestionably bipartisan and fair,” Gregg said, a reference to criticism that Obama’s stimulus bill was too partisan.

Financial numbers from the Obama Administration that could make the man of steel wince and the opposition party talking benefit cuts and tax increases for social security is reason enough to conclude Washington has lost its collective mind. Not like it wasn’t a strong suspicion in the past but there is no other way to paint it these days.

Adding to the problem is evidence a previous post here asking whether GOP governors would embrace porkulus for their states has been answered. Two Democratic governors and two GOP governors were on Fox News Sunday and the view here is they all will gorge at the pork table. Granholm, Democratic governor of Michigan, said not only would she enjoy the pork but would eat the other’s shares if they turned it down. Rendell, Democratic governor of Pennsylvania, mentioned he will only be governor for a while longer and will plunder the pork yet be concerned about the problems facing those after he leaves. That’s reassuring. Mark Sanford and Tim Pawlenty, GOP governors of South Carolina and Minnesota respectively, were slightly more vague about their pork menus. Sanford will likely continue to criticize the stimulus and only indulge in those items for which he can acquire political cover. Pawlenty will undoubtedly do the same.

Going out on a limb the view at this blog is there is no politician alive who will not take the money. If Obama maintains a policy of use it or lose it you can bet staffers of every politician have already compiled a variety of public statements to cover every possibility. Either they will take the money and offer an excuse or offer the excuse and then take the money.

To listen to those praising infrastructure spending and citing the need can cause one to wonder if Saddam Hussein was not the only one ignoring such things in the last few decades. As an example the governor in my home state has been accused of robbing the transportation budget to pay for pet projects during his tenure. Now he looks forward to porkulus to make up the difference. But what is to stop him from doing more of the same. It would be no surprise if other states found themselves in the same situation.

And CITI group, bank, whatever, as well as other beneficiaries of the ANOTHER bailout of many are again asking for more money. You have to ask yourself if this will ever end? And perhaps more important will it do any good for the ‘economy’? Which brings to mind another words of wisdom type of sentiment.

When you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Special interests? What special interests? (Michelle Malkin) 

Economic times being what they are who would expect the price of gas to rise? What could consumers learn about the last time the prices fell after reaching near five dollars a gallon at the pump? From the basics of supply and demand to specific world events that affect the markets the consumer sometimes has a significant effect on prices. A huge decrease in demand as gasoline prices peaked last year is often cited as why the price eventually fell. Wouldn’t it be nice if consumers did not require such a severe price increase to encourage cutting back on gasoline purchases? A small reminder of the power of the consumer was illuminated last year but will likely be forgotten in times ahead. That is one reason for this post being published now.

The excerpt below links to an interesting analysis of how the price at the pump is determined. This blog cannot speak to the validity of this appraisal but it is interesting nonetheless. In other words it is worth a read.

Did you know that gas price gouging almost never occurs as prices rise? Rather, it’s most often when dealers keep prices artificially high even as their costs fall. As gas costs were near $5 a gallon until falling and oil companies earn around $100 billion each year, it’s a good time to question what really goes into the price of gas. The numbers on the gas station sign hide a complex set of transactions. Before gas can power your car, it must be discovered as crude oil, traverse three markets, and be refined from crude into gas. Inside, we’ll explain the three markets, walk you through the role of refineries, and show how oil companies use creative tactics to manipulate gas prices…

The piece below is what renewed the interest here on gas prices and how it all works and who is in control a few weeks ago. It mentioned one of the big players.

Lack of Spending Kills US Jobs, Profits
By VOA News
27 January 2009
(brief excerpt)

Valero, the largest U.S. oil refiner, said it lost more than 43 billion as the recession dampened demand for gasoline.

The item below simply describes this major player and is from Wikipedia.

Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE: VLO) is a Fortune 500 oil and gas refining and retail company based in San Antonio, Texas. The company owns and operates 18 refineries throughout the United States, Canada and the Caribbean with a combined throughput capacity of approximately 3.3 million barrels per day, making it the largest refiner in North America.[1] Valero is also one of the nation’s largest retail operators with more than 5,000 retail and branded wholesale outlets in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean under various brand names, including Valero, Diamond Shamrock, Ultramar, Shamrock, and Beacon.

A piece from Motley Fool expands on the list of player and how things are going right now.

Along with Valero Energy and pint-sized Calumet Specialty Products (Nasdaq: CLMT), Holly possesses the ability to process sour-crude feedstocks that provided a competitive advantage during oil’s last climb. With expansions and improvements nearly completed at both refineries, Holly will not only face the next rise in oil prices with about an 18% increase in refining capacity, but also an enhanced ability to process sour crude. In fact, the Navajo refinery will soon be equipped to rely entirely on sour crudes if needed. Although I’ve been cool on the refining sector lately, as the majors have been cutting production, I am intrigued by the company’s competitive refining spreads and the steps underway to enhance that sour-crude advantage.

And who can forget the large campaign by the man below suggesting what we should do about energy? So what has he been doing lately?

T Boone Pickens buys Peabody Energy Corp., Chesapeake Energy Corp., sells ABB Ltd., Westport Innovations Inc, Valero Energy Corp., Tenaris S.A., Talisman Energy Inc., Schlumberger Ltd., The Shaw Group Inc., SANDRIDGE ENERGY INC, National Oilwell Varco Inc., Petrohawk Energy Corp., Halliburton Company, The Greenbrier Companies Inc., Foster Wheeler Ltd., Fluor Corp., DresserRand Group Inc., Chevron Corp., Clean Energy Fuels Corp., BPZ RESOURCES, INC, XTO Energy Inc. during the 3-months ended 12/31/2008, according to the most recent filings of his investment company, BP Capital. T Boone Pickens owns 9 stocks with a total value of $40 million. These are the details of the buys and sells.

This is just a little public service feature that will hopefully keep people’s minds on some of what falls to the back burner these days. Notice what is focused on in the news lately and what has been pushed aside. Not like the current economic conditions will make those items pushed aside a non-issue for the future. Can those we elected to serve in Washington keep their eye on all important issues? Or will they falter and obsess on the most popular while dropping the ball on others?

What could happen or what could be ignored to cause another damaging rise in energy prices? Just a little food for thought on a lazy Sunday in February 2009.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

With the manufactured row over the NY Post stimulus bill cartoon plus past comments by Obama, Holder and others about all the racists in the US the Clintons are adding their two cents as well as other news stories which seem to be going retro as well.

The meaning of retro in this case points to themes in current events, politics and the like which are reminiscent of the fifties or even further in the past. About the only new item is that the US elected its first black President. Everything else is a rerun. From talk focused on comparisons to Lincoln and FDR primarily due to the direction of economic policies and race to the rhetoric in Korea sounding like notice of an active continuation of the Korean War we’re walking backwards.

The report below includes Hillary’s own actions contradicting her denial she is not Tammy Wynette.

Clinton discusses her love for Bill in SKorea

AFP -
SEOUL (AFP) — US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, taking a break from nuclear disarmament issues, discussed women’s rights and her love for husband Bill …

Okay, the white guy is giving the black guy advice he probably doesn’t want.

A month in, 2-termer Bill Clinton has some advice for rookie Obama

Los Angeles Times, CA -
Tone down the economic despondency talk some and ratchet up the optimism a bit. All gloom and doom could worsen the situation. Scare people. ...

How is this news, others have stated Obama is focusing on nothing but gloom and doom to promote his socialist agenda. It is just that Slick Willie says it different and being a loyal liberal claims all Obama actions are positive but sound bad.

Bill Clinton: Obama Should Sound More Hopeful

ABC News -
By TAHMAN BRADLEY Former President Bill Clinton gives President Barack Obama an “A” grade for his first month in office, but tells ABC News that Obama needs …

A link with some quotes from former Prez Bill to the anointed one’s followers as well as another attempt to keep his name in the news.

Former President Bill Clinton on the Stimulus, the Economy …

FOXNews - 1 hour ago
This is a rush transcript from “On the Record ,” February 19, 2009. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated. GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, FOX NEWS …

Will this really lead to armed conflict or are the two Koreas playing this for all it’s worth?

Official: SKorea to retaliate if NKorea attacks

The Associated Press -
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea will retaliate if North Korea attacks its naval ships in waters near their disputed maritime border, the defense chief …

If you are not concerned about all of this you are not paying enough attention. If you opposed the Bush Administration and love the Obama Administration there is an obvious contrast in your preferences. With the worst Bush Administration policies people outside the US may have found themselves on the short end. With the worst Obama Administration policies (all of them currently) people inside the US will be on the short end. When picking your poison on the worst that can happen with selecting a US President the current outcome indicates McCain still would have been a better choice. His downside could have been managed by Congress and public outrage in the form of an avalanche of complaints clogging DC’s phone systems and other communications. The same cannot be said with the GOP in repair mode and the Kool Aid drinkers awaiting handouts.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com