Blog @ MoreWhat.com

Some good news just keeps coming. A testament to the fact big government, bailouts, stimulus and other liberal dreams are not necessary nor wise.  In February this blog pointed to the success of Ford amid troubles all over the auto industry. It seems the old slogan ‘Ford has a better idea’ is once again noteworthy. They never took a bailout and are experiencing a string of very successful quarters.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Ford posts another quarterly profit as sales climb
07/23/10 5:40 PM

With its two longtime Detroit rivals still finding their way after spending time in bankruptcy last year, Ford, which never took government bailout money, extended its success story.

Not like the NAACP calling the Tea Party phenomenon racist or multiple blunders related to the employment of Shirley Sherrod were not enough to fuel more race debates but now another hot button is pushed.

It seems there’s an IG report describing the methods used in determining which dealerships would cease to be after Obama took over government motors, etc.  Besides criteria like how new the dealership or its importance to wholesale parts distribution at least two other factors were considered.  If the dealership was minority or woman-owned.

At first you might say ‘that is reasonable’.  But you may not be considering the fact that successful businesses not meeting the criteria may understandably take offense to such an arbitrary selection process.

And you can also see if the situation was reversed how offended all the liberals would be. That is why criteria based on anything other than the numbers, meaning financial success, is not the way to go.  Let performance be your guide.

If you had 100 dealerships and were forced to eliminate 20 other than keeping a presence in all markets the best performers should stay regardless of ownership demographics. But then that is just common sense talking. Some think we should make those decisions based on personal preferences or other bias rather than impersonal data like performance and viability.

But coming from an administration willing to take over the private sector their action on this is no surprise. Rather than economic survival based on free market principles their preference is to choose the winners and losers.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Read the rest here. (click)

STATEMENT BY GOVERNOR JAN BREWER

PHOENIX – “I am disappointed by Judge Susan Bolton’s ruling enjoining several provisions of “The Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act” — SB 1070; though I am heartened by some findings – including the ban on sanctuary cities.

“This fight is far from over. In fact, it is just the beginning, and at the end of what is certain to be a long legal struggle, Arizona will prevail in its right to protect our citizens. I am deeply grateful for the overwhelming support we have received from across our nation in our efforts to defend against the failures of the federal government.

“I have consulted with my legal counsel about our next steps. We will take a close look at every single element Judge Bolton removed from the law, and we will soon file an expedited appeal at the United States Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.

“For anyone willing to see it — the crisis is as clear as is the federal government’s failure to address it.

“The judge herself noted that the stash houses where smugglers hide immigrants from Mexico before bringing them into the country’s interior have become a fixture on the news in Arizona and that, ‘You can barely go a day without a location being found in Phoenix where there are numerous people being harbored.’”

“When I signed the bill on April 23rd, I said, SB 1070 – represents another tool for our state to use as we work to address a crisis we did not create and the federal government has actively refused to fix. The law protects all of us, every Arizona citizen and everyone here in our state lawfully. And, it does so while ensuring that the constitutional rights of ALL in Arizona are undiminished – holding fast to the diversity that has made Arizona so great.

“I will battle all the way to the Supreme Court, if necessary, for the right to protect the citizens of Arizona. Meanwhile, I also know we still have work to do in confronting the fear-mongers, those dealing in hate and lies and economic boycotts that seek to do Arizona harm.

“We have already made some progress in waking up Washington. But the question still remains: will Washington do its job, and put an end to the daily operations of smugglers in our nation, or will the delays and sidesteps continue? I believe that the defenders of the rule of law will ultimately succeed with us in our demand for action.”

###

Rather than bridge the divide over a past complete with racial conflict and enter a ‘post-racial’ era the election of President Barack Obama finds those whose weapon of choice is the race card only too willing to use it.

Among all the labels there is black and there is white. There is left and their is right. There is liberal and their is conservative. And you can mix and match all of them to describe parts of America.

There are those who are racist and those who are not. Simply calling others ‘racist’ because you disagree with them or as a political strategy undermines any legitimate position you might have. The ‘race card’ has been used dishonestly so much these days as to render it useless in a legitimate circumstance.

NAACP vs Tea Party is a recent case in point. An earlier post here bordered on being a rant. I am white. I am conservative. And I am tired of the race card. Below is a useful piece written by someone who is black and conservative. It appears he has no fondness for the race card either.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Larry Elder: NAACP fights old fights, embraces liberal policies

Is the NAACP demanding that it not be taken seriously?

The civil rights group passed a resolution condemning “bigotry within” the limited-government/constitutionalist Tea Party movement, as if there is any large group without idiots — and, in this case, inconsequential ones at that.

Four percent of Democrats — and 3 percent of Republicans — according to a Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll, would refuse to vote for a black presidential candidate whose views mirror their own. That comes out to almost 3 million Democratic bigots. How does that compare with the number of presumed bigots within the Tea Party?

If you are looking for another reason to vote against tax and spend liberals, here it is.

Sen. John Kerry, who has repeatedly voted to raise taxes while in Congress, dodged a whopping six-figure state tax bill on his new multimillion-dollar yacht by mooring her in Newport, R.I.

That opening paragraph from the Boston Herald says it all. ‘Repeatedly voted to raise taxes while in Congress’ yet denies the state of Taxachusetts their due. And of course the senator’s chief of staff denies the mooring location was selected to avoid paying the tax.

As the article states, Kerry is skirting a Massachusetts sales tax of 6.25%. The same sales tax ordinary citizens are required to pay and likely cannot avoid. If Kerry and his rich wife can afford a MULTI=MILLION dollar plaything paying a 6.25% sales tax should be no problem. If you can pony up $7 million plus for the boat you can afford to pay the tax.

For instance, those paying a similar duty after purchasing an automobile have little choice but to pay it. And the car, truck or other vehicle is probably a necessity rather than a luxury.

When the liberals once again target the public for the cap and trade burden let’s see if Senator John Kerry stands to profit from carbon credit exchanges like Al Gore and friends. John Kerry’s leader, Barack Hussein Obama said their will be no taxes on those earning under $250K. Will Kerry once again vote for increasing taxes when his leader promised not to do so?

That’s really a rhetorical question since Obamacare and other legislation passed by Dems with purchased votes already place new burdens on taxpayers. By increasing the national debt and deficits or directly raising taxes for specific items the Obama Administration and their liberal allies in Congress have broken any campaign promises about no tax increases.

Come November 2010, throw the bums out. Repeat as necessary.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

The name says it all. Wikileaks produces ’sensitive materials to communicate to the public’. In the name of a self-proclaimed ‘multi-jurisdictional public service’ this organization displays information without regard for the damage it may cause. In their own words the material is sensitive. They should understand that no matter how noble their intent might be the consequences of their actions can be viewed as irresponsible. That reasonable distinction between transparency and irresponsible behavior trumps any noble intent.

Of the nine people listed on their board for 2007 five are described as activist, dissident or social justice advocate. The other four are listed as writer, security expert or physicist.

If the actions of others resulted in the death of an activist, dissident, advocate or writer, etc., it would be no surprise if these same people at Wikileaks expressed outrage and a desire for justice. If death is caused by their brand of ‘transparency’ to someone outside their sphere of influence it is predicted no such outrage or call for justice would be forthcoming from Wikileaks.

In the days ahead a more complete accounting of Wikileaks latest crusade will develop. Questions about the content and validity of ’sensitive materials’ displayed will be raised. The effect and possible ‘unintended consequences’ may also be analyzed.

If harm to anyone comes from this action by Wikileaks fair is fair. They should be held accountable for their actions. Like most other things in life you can take whistleblowing too far. Any reasonable method for any reasonable purpose can be misused. It is only a matter of time before a group like Wikileaks finds that threshhold and violates standards of ethics and good judgment.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

story source:

WikiLeaks Founder Defends Releasing US Documents on Afghanistan

Afghan, Pakistani Reactions at Odds Over Leaked US Documents

Analysis: Leaks Only a ‘Snapshot’ of Afghan War Effort

In the meanwhile, we will breast with them, rather than separate from them, every misfortune, save that only of living under a government of unlimited powers. We owe every other sacrifice to ourselves, to our federal brethren, and to the world at large, to pursue with temper and perseverance the great experiment which shall prove that man is capable of living in society, governing itself by laws self-imposed, and securing to its members the enjoyment of life, liberty, property, and peace; and further to show, that even when the government of its choice shall manifest a tendency to degeneracy, we are not at once to despair but that the will and the watchfulness of its sounder parts will reform its aberrations, recall it to original and legitimate principles, and restrain it within the rightful limits of self-government.

Thomas Jefferson, December 1825

Draft Declaration and Protest of the Commonwealth of Virginia, on the Principles of the Constitution of the United States of America, and on the Violations of Them

from Rights and Responsibilities in America: Civics Literacy (14)

You might find this press release interesting. It also explains why the Ixquick logo and link are displayed prominently on this blog. Although this blog reserves the right to withdraw support for Ixquick in the future if circumstances warrant, much about Ixquck features a refreshing change from other search engines.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Ixquick: Search Engines Should Become Government Spies, Says EU Parliament
Ixquick and Startpage will fight “Big Brother” data retention clause in Declaration 29

June 28, 2010 03:33 AM Eastern Daylight Time

BRUSSELS & NEW YORK & ZEIST, Netherlands –(BUSINESS WIRE)–A draconian proposal to retain all Internet search traffic, known as “Written Declaration 29,” was adopted by the European Parliament last week. Framed as a measure to crack down on paedophiles, the controversial Declaration calls on the EU to require that search engines store all search traffic for up to two years for possible analysis by authorities.

Search engine Ixquick (www.ixquick.com), widely regarded as the world’s most private search engine, has built a strong privacy reputation by storing no search data on its users. The company believes it has been singled out by the data retention proposal, and it has vowed to strongly oppose the measure becoming law.

“Since Google, Yahoo, and Bing already retain users’ search data, this proposal is clearly aimed at Ixquick and our English-language subsidiary Startpage (www.startpage.com),” said Robert Beens, CEO of Ixquick. “We have worked hard to create a privacy-friendly search engine that embodies the spirit of EU Privacy Protections, in line with the strict recommendations of the EU Article 29 Data Protection Working Party. This Declaration is evidence that the left hand of the EU does not know what the right hand is doing.”

Mr. Beens fears that if the measure becomes law, it will vastly undermine the privacy of over 500 million law-abiding EU citizens. Storing everyone’s search data, rather than restricting surveillance to known or suspected offenders, would give the government access to a rich trove of political, medical, professional, and personal data on virtually every person in Europe. And critics say it will do little to stop child pornography.

“Sex offenders exchange files through underground networks. They don’t find this stuff through search engines,” said Alex Hanff of Privacy International, an advocacy group that is launching a campaign against the measure. “I spent eight years helping law enforcement track down online sex offenders and never once did we see a case where search engine data was useful.”

Ixquick will join the public campaign started by Privacy International to stop the provisions of Written Declaration 29 from becoming law.

“Privacy is a fundamental right and the basis of a free society. The phenomenal success of Ixquick and Startpage proves that people don’t want to be watched by their governments,” said Mr. Beens. “Spying on law-abiding citizens is not the way forward, and we will stand by our principles to protect the public’s ability to search in privacy.”

About Ixquick and Startpage

Ixquick is an international, award-winning search engine with an industry-leading privacy policy. Ixquick has been awarded the EU Privacy Seal by the independent certification authority Europrise. Further information can be found at www.ixquick.com and www.startpage.com.

For press inquiries, please contact:

EU Media Relations, Ixquick
Alex van Eesteren, +31-30-6971778
alex@ixquick.com

OR

U.S. Media Relations, Startpage
Dr. Katherine Albrecht
877-434-3100 (U.S. toll free)
+1-973-273-2125 (for International access)
kma@startpage.com

Say it ain’t so. Harry Reid is abandoning cap and trade? Or was this simply one of those times the House passed a bill knowing all the while the Senate would kill it? Dems like to claim cap and trade, aka the national energy tax, was proposed over concern about global warming. The GOP claims it is a tax on energy and job killer. Truth is that many including Al Gore and many in the federal government stand to profit through carbon credit exchanges.

It is easy to doom a legislative proposal by adding additional language making the bill a multi-purpose scam. Loose references to bipartisan negotiations were reported to break down over offshore drilling disputes and the immigration reform issue. But all that could have been intentional poison pills inserted to guarantee failure.

The strategy being those supporting it really oppose cap and trade but look good to eco voters and other liberals in an election year. The other side gets their pick of items in the bill to mask their true intentions. All in Congress get political cover in an election year with such tactics and then wonder what causes voter outrage.

It is interesting that some state the reason the bill would fail is the need for 60 votes. That did not seem to stop passage of Obama’s financial fiasco commonly and mistakenly referred to as Wall Street reform.

Bribes for votes were offered to three RINOs named Collins, Snowe and Brown. Just like the 60 vote hurdle was overcome in a similar fashion for Obamacare by offering Cornhusker Cash and the Louisiana Purchase for Ben Nelson and Mary Landrieu.

The titles of ‘Senator’ were intentionally omitted for these elected officials as their actions do not warrant the respect. If what they did is not a violation of their oath or affirmation, nothing is.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Read the complete article here. (click)

BTW, by the time this post is published all this could change.

Yet another news report includes a reference to anonymous sources. Those ‘familiar with the allegations’ are ‘not authorized to discuss them publicly’. And this story is about ethics. Not the lack of ethics of the sources but that same lack ‘alleged’ for Charlie Rangel.

Whether the sources are acting on their own or it’s all a big charade arranged by those in charge of the ‘leak’ it should cease. Of course what renders this episode of anonymous sources more ridiculous than others is the story topic of ethics. Whether Rangel is sanctioned or not the ’sources’ should be out of a job.

As for Rangel, the worst case scenario is expulsion followed by censure or the dreaded committee report. Rangel is charged with misuse of official stationery, rental programs, disclosure rules and accepting improper gifts. Jail time should be an option. Violating the public trust should have severe consequences.

You can read the rest of the story here. (click)

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

It would be comforting if politicians would tell you what they are going to do and then deliver as promised. And party affiliation would not matter. That is because all POLS tell you their intentions are good and they govern for your benefit.

Republicans long on optimism, short on specifics
By: Susan Ferrechio
Chief Congressional Correspondent
July 19, 2010

Top Republicans are forecasting big wins in November and could even take over the majority in the House, but still struggle to say how they would run the government.

In the brief article from the Washington Examiner some words of top Republicans and the Vice President on the Sunday talk shows demonstrate it’s an election year. Democrats will continue with their agenda if left in the majority after November. Republicans will tip toe forward until after the elections fearful that major blunders right now will keep them in the minority.

If you are the minority party in Washington your options are limited. If you are a weak majority in Washington your options are limited. Both major political parties in America are pursuing the brass ring of politics. Having an overwhelming majority that allows either to do as they please.

Which brings us back to their intentions, governing and delivering as promised. None of that is necessary if you own a powerful majority. Protecting your political career, pandering to lobbyists and legislating favors to some constituents keeps you in office. And that’s the problem.

It’s okay if the GOP is short on specifics this election year. Specifics from previous campaigns and delivering as promised rarely pans out. And if you think the current administration is any different, think again. What they promised is not what they delivered.

If you pay attention long enough that will become clear. But they’re hoping you won’t. Thousands of pages of legislation and timelines that stretch out for decades do not produce good results. But it does hide the truth.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

H/T: http://www.marktalk.com/blog/
From CNN: Roland Martin and Mark Williams debate on AC 360
July 15th, 2010

Once again a familiar expression on this blog must be repeated. Some people believe if you are white you are racist. And once again Tea Party participants are described as racist. And once again ‘new’ Black Panther members who dress in para-military gear sporting night sticks to intimidate voters or call for killing white people are given a pass. That’s right. No accusations of hate crimes or hate speech or proceeding with violations of, go figure, civil rights and voting laws. But white people are racist.

Okay, I’m white. Based on recent stories on the topic of ‘race relations’ that suggests I’m racist. Sorry, I disagree with that assessment.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Once again the community organizer-in-chief engages in exactly what he claims his political opposition is doing… playing politics. In the very same week HIS party’s financial legislation was passed with the help of three GOP Senators; Collins, Snowe and Brown the President has the audacity to charge Republicans of blocking his agenda.

Mr President, if you cannot pass legislation with a majority of Democrats in both houses of Congress it is not the fault of the GOP. The rules of Congress have been developed over a long period of time. Like everything else in Washington, DC politics is at play and the game has all POLS, including you, putting that first.

If the sixty vote requirement for passing legislation obstructs YOUR agenda you might consider it’s the agenda’s fault not the GOP or Democrats who are not crazy about it.

The programs you claim will help are exactly that - programs. That means more government spending more taxpayer money and increasing deficits and the national debt. Even your own commission has agreed with the majority of Americans. We cannot continue spending, raising deficits and increasing debt.

How long do you think the unemployed should continue to receive benefits on the backs of other taxpayers? How long do you think the government should be using taxpayer money for bailouts, takeovers and stimulus bills that stimulate nothing except more public sector waste?

If you had simply reinstated legislation that had been repealed, e.g., portions of Glass-Steagall rather than wasting time and money on YOUR financial reforms we would be better off. At the very least that simple step could have been implemented easily, was already tested and worked when it was previously in place for many years.

But I suppose that is one of ‘those misguided policies’ you express in your weekly address. And yes, Mr President, some people live off public sector money like unemployment benefits as long as they are available. That goes for scammers of supplemental social security money, Medicaid and just about any public assistance ‘program’.

Here’s one for you Mr President. How about extending the tax cuts that are about to expire? How about removing the added burden of Obamacare from the small businesses you claim to be worried about? How about reducing the nearly three quarters of each budget dedicated to entitlement ‘programs’?

You might consider all those ways of saving money, improving the economy, reducing spending and waste. Or you can continue to blame the GOP for your own failures.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

The de Rothschild’s fortune may be a publicly unknown quantity but theories abound on its size. It has been estimated by some as in the trillions and some accounts place it in the hundreds of millions when at first the dynasty was born.

David de Rothschild may not be your typical or average limousine liberal. With the size of the family fortune a whole new label may be required. But what de Rothschild shares in common with the long car lefties is an affection for anthropogenic global warming.

Why is it that well-heeled individuals take a Hollywood approach when telling the rest of us how to live? Is it possible that those who shoulder the burden of living with massive fortunes the rest of us can only dream about have no clue? It would make more sense if those short on targets for their fortunes invested in practical solutions to the issues they embrace.

But that would illuminate the real story. It is not about AGW or any real issue. It’s about them and their personal interests.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

from VOA News….

A British adventurer is spreading his own message in a bottle by crossing the Pacific Ocean aboard an 18-meter catamaran made of thousands of plastic soda bottles.

David de Rothschild’s unusual boat is his way of drawing attention to the plastic polluting the world’s oceans while also showcasing a solution. The 31 year old hopes to inspire followers with the boat he calls the “Plastiki.”

Global mission

“We’re on a mission to beat waste,” says de Rothschild. “The Plastiki project is really trying to showcase that waste is inefficient design and that we can reuse everyday materials and rather than them ending up in landfill, or in our oceans, or being incinerated and ending up in our atmosphere, we can repurpose and build items that can be reused so we can close the loop.”

After reading a United Nations report about the huge swirls of plastic trash in the oceans, the British banking heir thought up the expedition to draw attention to the problem.

The name Plastiki echoes the Kon-Tiki, the raft that Norwegian anthropologist and adventurer Thor Heyerdahl built to cross the Pacific in 1947.

His grandson, Olaf Heyerdahl, was one of six crew members on the first leg of the Plastiki voyage, from San Francisco to Christmas Island.

Hardly a day goes by without some ‘rights group’ being featured in the MSM. There are groups that could be defined as ‘responsibility groups’ but they receive little attention from those individuals that regard themselves as journalists or organizations that claim to present news and information based on standards of journalism.

Last week one report opened by describing Human Rights Watch as a ‘leading human rights group.’ Could the author be referring to the executive director’s salary? Since 1993 a lawyer named Kenneth Roth has been the executive director of HRW with an annual salary of $350,000. That’s nearly 18% of HRW’s management and general expenses for the year. And they may have 275 employees. And let’s not forget their fundraising expenses of $8,641,358 for 2008 (according to Wiki).

The non-governmental organization claims they do not accept government money directly. But they receive funds from other groups who may. And they supported ACORN at least in 2000 and/or 2001 to the tune of a half-million dollars.

So what’s this all about? The report out last week has Human Rights Watch whining about the rights of illegals. And for all their whining the problem they perceive could be solved if no one entered the United States illegally. They bad mouth countries all over the world for claimed wrongdoing. It is interesting that they say nothing about Mexico’s ‘responsibility’ to correct their own problems and eliminate the attraction to cross the border illegally into another country.

Here’s the report. Have a good laugh. HRW is a scam. The last three paragraphs assume the reader is extremely gullible. Correction, the entire report assumes you are gullible.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

from VOA News….

A leading human rights group is calling on the U.S. Congress and the Obama administration to include protections for immigrants’ rights in their proposals for immigration reform.

New York-based Human Rights Watch released a report Friday saying more needs to be done to protect undocumented immigrants in the workplace and in court.

The group says at work such people are vulnerable to exploitation - including sexual abuse and poor working conditions - and should be allowed to find other jobs in such cases.

It also recommends giving undocumented immigrants a path to legalization that includes government protection, so they feel safe to report crimes.

Earlier this month, President Obama called for bipartisan support for immigration reform. He described overhauling the system as a “moral imperative.” Congress is sharply divided over the issue, with Republicans generally opposing what they call amnesty programs.

The Human Rights Watch report also urges the government to allow immigration judges to consider the ties legal permanent residents have in the United States before deporting them for minor crimes. The group says thousands of legal residents are deported each year without having their family connections or past military service considered.

Human Rights Watch also calls on the government to limit immigrant detentions. The group says those who have committed nonviolent crimes should be exempt from detention.