No fraud here

So Eric Holder wants to gut voter ID laws because they are discriminatory. Nevermind that it's seems racist to me to assume that African Americans can't perform the most perfunctory of citizen activities. But the claim that these laws are not needed because there's no evidence of wide spread fraud are hilarious.

This week we have New York............

A total of four Democratic officials and political operatives have now pleaded guilty to voter fraud-related felony charges in an alleged scheme to steal a New York election.

The latest guilty pleas expose the ease with which political insiders can apparently manipulate the electoral system and throw an election their way, by the forging of signatures of unsuspecting voters that are then cast as real votes.

"The phrase they use is: 'making sure they vote the right way,'" said a source close to the case, which is unfolding in Troy, N.Y. "It is not a Democratic or Republican thing. ... It is criminal."

Former Troy Democratic City Clerk William McInerney, Democratic Councilman John Brown, and Democratic political operatives Anthony Renna and Anthony DeFiglio have entered guilty pleas in the case, in which numerous signatures were allegedly forged on absentee ballots in the 2009 Working Families Party primary, the political party that was associated with the now-defunct community group, ACORN.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/12/21/officials-plead-guilty-in-new-york-voter-fraud-case/#ixzz1hqWhkSjn

Tea Party Takeover

If you want to know what a Tea Party America might look like, there is no place like Kansas.

In the past year, three state agencies have been abolished and 2,050 jobs have been cut. Funding for schools, social services and the arts have been slashed. The new Republican governor rejected a $31.5 million federal grant for a new health-insurance exchange because he opposes President Obama’s health-care law. And that’s just the small stuff.

A new “Office of the Repealer” has been created to reduce the number of laws and regulations, and the Repealer is canvassing the state for more cut suggestions.

In the upcoming legislative session, Gov. Sam Brownback (R) plans to roll out proposals to change the way schools are funded, taxes are levied and state pensions are administered.

A year after voters vaulted hundreds of tea party candidates to power in Washington and in state capitals, the movement’s goals are being pursued aggressively in states such as Wisconsin, Ohio and Texas.

But in Kansas, as nowhere else in the country, tea party fervor is reshaping government. The same political forces of the Republican Party driving the confrontation over taxes and spending in Washington are now completely in charge in Kansas.

Here's a question for those who are skeptical of tea party influence. Let's say that Kansas stays on this track, will the average standard of living improve or decline in the next 5-10-15 years?

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Blue state exodus

Will the last person leaving, turn out the lights............

Democratic reaction to the news that Waste Connections, a $3.6-billion company and major Sacramento-area employer, is headed to Houston to seek a friendlier business climate tells other businesses all they need to know about the attitudes of those who run California's government.

State Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, gave these clueless and snarky remarks in response to the news: "In this instance you have a company that is, in fact, profitable, making significant revenue gains in 2011 and 2010. That doesn't speak to a bad business climate here in California when a good company is able to thrive in that way. So whatever Mr. Middelstaedt's (company CEO) reasons are to leave the great state of California, I know I'm pushing back."

Is it really the Senate president's role to determine the proper profit margin for a privately owned company? Talk about arrogance.

"The decision by Waste Connections to relocate, despite the 17 percent revenue increase and the $18 million cost to move to Texas, illustrates that businesses will endure short-term costs to ensure long-term prosperity," wrote state Sen. Mimi Walters, R-Laguna Niguel, in response to Steinberg's message. Walters quotes business-relocation expert Joe Vranich of Irvine, who notes that businesses typically save 40 percent in costs by leaving California because of lower taxes and more manageable regulations found elsewhere.

If California wants to improve its business climate and reduce its double-digit unemployment rate, its officials need to understand what companies such as Waste Connections are saying, rather than simply dismiss their concerns.

More......

But hey, Let's not pick on California alone, how about Illinois, the land of liberal milk and honey........

On December 12, Illinois House approved CME-CBOE, Sears tax deal. Indeed, most of the above companies negotiated huge tax breaks and will stay in Illinois at least for a while.

Small companies with no clout and no leverage as well as taxpayers in general are the ones paying the price for the seriously misguided policies of Democratic Governors Pat Quinn, and Jerry Brown.

The Lord giveth, the Lord taketh away.

How to win an argument with a liberal?

Salon Magazine has an article on how to argue with a conservative relative during the holidays.

It's classic liberal drivel. There's no arguing the facts but twisting the subject matter.

I rarely get into many political arguments anymore. Why? Because I simply demand from the liberal at hand to tell me how life in Detroit (a city that is 92% democratic) is better under any objective quality? Schools, Crime, Unemployment, Poverty, Homelessness, Cost of Living, etc.?

Inevitably, the liberal at hand will either a) tell me there's other socioeconomic factors at hand (which tells me that they're a racist) or b) Try to hint that I'm a racist because Detroit has such a large black population.

So I hit them with California the liberal utopia if there ever was one.

And then I hit them with Europe where Europeans will be using their currency for toilet paper.

That usually shuts up said liberal but they still won't give up their beliefs in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

The fact remains that everywhere there is liberalism, there is a cesspool of humanity. Take any school district, city, township, state, country, continent where liberalism dominates and I'll show you an armpit.

So if you're liberal, give me example of where I'm wrong!

Dropping the conventional wisdom

One of the reasons I started this blog is the hope that somewhere someone might read and "get" how it is that liberalism does not, cannot, will not and has never worked in any society it's ever been tried in.

For the past several weeks, it's become more and more clear that we have a huge population that will never "get it". Which has really zapped my resolve with the blog.

What do I mean by "getting it"? Part of it starts with a media who's willing to drop the canard that the republican party is tool of the rich. Seriously, where's the evidence of this when you have Jon Corzine "losing" a billion or two in his company and Nancy Pelosi, who can somehow find enough dimes in her couch cushions to fund this...........

News that President Barack Obama arrived in Hawaii this weekend to join his wife Michelle and daughters Malia and Sasha in time for a Christmas holiday has been covered by news media worldwide.

The first family and their friends have been enjoying a reclusive 17-day holiday vacation in beach front homes in Kailua, Oahu.

But another powerful politician is here for the holidays as well, albeit on another island and with less media attention.

Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, D-CA, who served as Speaker of the House and is now head of the House minority, is once again spending her Christmas at the exotic Four Seasons Resort Hualalai at Historic Ka'upulehu in Kona on the island of Hawaii.

Pelosi reportedly plans to spend her Christmas Eve at midnight mass in St. Michael's Catholic Church in Kailua-Kona.

Pelosi spent the last two Christmas holidays in Kona at the same hotel in an elaborate suite that rents for $10,000 a night.

Seriously?

Why isn't the media all over the hypocrisy of this?

More....

Who did she vote for? #102

Meet Jaquetta Simmons. Why is Ms. Simmons in the news?

A woman punched a 70-year-old Walmart greeter in the face after she asked to see a receipt for merchandise the woman was carrying out of the store.

Jacquetta Simmons, 26, was charged with two counts of assault for the attack that knocked 70-year-old Grace Suozzi to the ground causing the elderly woman to fracture the side of her face.

Simmons and her male companion ran out of the store in Batavia, New York after the confrontation at 11:30am on Christmas Eve.

So in 2008 did the above voter support Hope and Change or Four more years of Bush?

Who did he vote for? #101

So in 2008, did this guy drop the chain on McCain or Obama?

Afterburner with Bill Whittle: Three Years Under Obama

Merry Christmas

Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas!

Another clueless democrat

Life in "Progress" City

Out here in "Redville" we have these concepts called "driiiiiveways". Try it sometime.

Some of us are more equal than others

Full disclosure, I have a relative who worked for MF Global. Hopefully, I'll get to share some of his information one day.

By the way, in case you did not know this, Jon Corzine operated a securities firm without the proper licensing (his expired without a renewal). DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS YOURSELF. Unless you are connected.

Reminder

It's been 780 days since the first of two federal raids on Gibson Guitars (where they confiscated millions of dollars of inventory) that have yet to yield a charge.

Call me cynical but I think it shouldn't take the government two years to either charge someone with a crime or return their property.

Calling BS

When is someone going to call out the first family for a carbon footprint that would make Sasquatch jealous?

First Lady Michelle Obama and her daughters, Sasha and Malia, spent the night in Kailua, Oahu, on Saturday.

President Barack Obama has not yet arrived for the family's 17-day holiday vacation in a beachfront home.

Friends of the Obamas are expected to arrive Sunday, December 18 and Monday, December 19, and stay nearby in several homes along the exclusive Kailuana Place.

This is the fourth year in a row that the first family has spent the holidays in Kailua.

Seriously, It's not like these folks a working a Leer over to the islands, it's a giant ass 747 with all the amenities. And they couldn't wait a day or too to carpool.

And these are the people who want to lecture me for wanting incandescent light bulbs for my dimmer fixtures.

More......

Why internet shopping is becoming more popular

Last week, after one of my seminars, I rolled into a Dick's Sporting Goods to pick up some ammo and Christmas gifts.

When I went to the counter, the clerk asked if I wanted to help children by donating $1, $5, or $10 to UNICEF.

I wanted to go into a rant about the communist leanings of UNICEF but instead I just told her "No. I don't want to help kids, I hate kids."

Given my purchase of ammunition, I surprised I wasn't arrested for some youth intimidation.

None the less, it highlights part of my distaste with shopping..... Getting hit up for a hand out.

Now, I'm good with a Salvation Army kettle because I'm used to it and I generally throw a few bucks in now and then. But it seems that every store I go into now has some Girl Scout, Boy Scout, or some other charity hitting me up for some more money.

But now we have store clerks hitting you up and it's not just commercial stores, it's license bureaus and the like.

Look, if Dick's Sporting Goods wants to take part of their profits and pass them along to UNICEF, go for it. Knock yourself out. But you know, I can avoid all this crap by simply buying online. Which I'm doing more of because of all the dingleberries of shopping in person and this is one of those annoyances.

Until then, if I want to give to UNICEF then I'll actually cut a check.

Follow up

You can't even go to a strip club without being hit up for a lap dance for charity.

I'm the fourth best president in American history ~ Barack Obama

Libtalker / Former CNN Host Bill Press- 'S-T-F-U Tim Tebow!'

Occu-Mom Places 4 Year-Old Daughter on Train Tracks.wmv

Charlie Brown Teacher Speaking

I'm in the middle of a weeks long tax conference(s). The only thing different between me and Peppermint Patty is the stylish clothing (her's not mine).

Why Obama's Stimulus Failed: A Case Study of Silver Spring, Maryland

Stuff libertals run - Universities

Check out the graph above.

Now maybe someone in the liberal ranks can explain to me how it is that ever since the feds started expanding student loans and Pell grants, education became less and less affordable.

Article here..........

BTW. I hate to be one of "those guys". The guys who resist change because it's change. But after simply upgrading to the new blogger, I lost all the stuff on the side panels and I find the new blogger horrible. I still can't find the font change for the post text. It sucks. So I went back to the old format until I'm forced to use the new one.

I'll try and get together ASAP.

17 Miles in Just 78 Minutes! Light Rail vs. Reality in LA

Thanks reader tim for the link

Cancel the game

If you watched the UC XU game yesterday, you got to see a good fight on the court as the game was ending.

I've been a little perturbed that most media types and commentators have somehow placed all of this on UC, particularly, Yancey Gates, who's main sin was apparently being the only one to land a punch.

It's too bad Gates has more heart in a fight than his game.



Of course, I'm a biased UC fan but let's go through the progressions of this.

It was an UX player that initiated any of the physical altercations when he pushed the UC player who he was not guarding.

Watch the press conference with Lyon and Holloway. Do these two clowns represent the "clean image" XU purports to have. These guys are thugs. Holloway got a technical in last year's game as a result of all his trash talking.

What isn't in the video is that after all the melee calmed down, the XU guys came back out on to the court to get into with the remaining UC fans. Kenny Frease started taunting a bunch of female fans and started heading to the stands. I guess if one of them had punch him he would have crawled back to the locker room.

As a UC fan, it gets tiring to hear the conventional wisdom that our teams are packs of thugs and the XU guys are characterized as good citizens. It's not UC who let their self proclaimed "gangstas" to talk to the media and talk about putting the opposition in bodybags.

I think UC should just cancel the damn game for good and be done with the whole thing.

Life in "Progress" City - Chicago edition

From the Windy city

Federal authorities have begun a criminal investigation into how nearly a dozen union officials became eligible for inflated city pensions, according to subpoenas obtained by the Tribune and WGN-TV through an open-records request.

The Chicago municipal employees and laborers pension funds each received subpoenas from a federal grand jury in October seeking "records pursuant to an official criminal investigation." The request seeks documentation on 11 labor leaders who appeared in reports from a joint Tribune/WGN-TV investigation.

The reports focused on a 1991 law that allowed union leaders who once worked for the city to receive credit in public pension plans for their private union work. When they retire, the union officials' pensions aren't based on their old city paychecks but on their much higher union salaries.

That opened the door for them to land public pensions that far exceeded their pay as city employees — even as they continued to earn lucrative salaries from their unions.

More.....

Holder and Chaffetz Fight Over Fast And Furious

Laws... we don't need no stinkin' laws

For democrats what this means is that if it's good enough for you, I don't have to follow it.

Seriously, how in the hell does Jon Corzine run a securities firm without a license?

We know that other FINRA staffers altered evidentiary documents regarding broker misconduct prior to forwarding cases to the SEC for action. 

Now, we learn that FINRA failed to require Jon Corzine to re-qualify for certain securities licenses that were required of the head of a securities broker-dealer. It appears that as much as $1.2 billion of customer assets are missing. One could argue that Bernie Madoff was current with all of his licenses. And, that would be correct. 

Now ask yourself this question. Imagine Joe the Plumber starting a securities firm in the Toledo area without a securities license.

How much trouble would he be in?

More.....

What is the meaning of "is"

Probably a good question for Eric Holder...........

When Wisconsin Republican Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner and Attorney General Eric Holder had a sharp back-and-forth on whether or not officials in the Department of Justice lied to Congress. The questioning was during Thursday morning’s House Judiciary Committee hearing on Operation Fast and Furious.

“First let me make something very clear, in response to an assertion you made, or hinted at: Nobody in the Justice Department has lied,” Holder said in response to accusations that he or his confidantes lied to Congress. 

“Nobody has lied.”

“Then why was the letter withdrawn?,” Sensenbrenner retorted, referring to a factually inaccurate letter one of Holder’s deputies, Assistant Attorney General Ronald Weich, sent to Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley on February 4. In that letter, Weich claimed that guns were never allowed to walk.

Holder and one of his other deputies, Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer have both admitted that statement was false in recent Senate hearings.

“The letter was withdrawn because there was information in there that was inaccurate,” Holder replied to Sensenbrenner’s question.

Still unsatisfied, Sensenbrenner followed up again. “Tell me what the difference is between lying and misleading Congress in this context?,” he asked Holder.

Holder responded that whether a statement is a lie or misleading comment depends on what the person making it is thinking at the time.

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Why we should consider a per mile road tax...NOT

Based on recent history and what's likely to happen to the nation's infrastructure, it's an inescapable conclusion: 

We will need new and different sources of funding if we are to have the type of transportation system that is needed to support economic prosperity.

For the past 75 years, the U.S. road network has provided the foundation for much of the nation's economic development. This network has not come without a cost; estimates are that the replacement value of the nation's roads is $1.3 trillion.

The bulk of the revenue to build the world's most extensive road network has come from motor vehicle fuel taxes, first used by Oregon in 1918 and culminating in a 1956 federal motor fuel tax to construct the national highway network, including the Interstate highway system.

But big challenges loom. The U.S. population is expected to grow through 2100 and the economy likely will be strongly tied to the movement of people and goods. The need for added capacity to the nation's transportation system is great.

When one adds the hundreds of billions of dollars that will be needed to reconstruct and rehabilitate existing infrastructure, the demand for transportation funding will be perhaps even greater than ever.

Why am I so adamant against increasing taxes. Because there is not one governmental unit in the history of the world who has properly prioritized its spending.

We currently pay for our roads through a fuel tax. The more you drive the more you pay. It seems totally fair to me. It would have been more than enough to cover the expenses for all our roads and bridges but our DOT decided that there were bigger priorities. And every time you drive on a freeway you get to see this............

The worst part of these walls is that they are less effective (and less green) than the plants and trees that used to be there.

So when you quit blowing taxpayer money on these road boondoggles, come back to me with your hand out.


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Blue State exodus

If you were to believe the conventional wisdom constantly espoused by the media, you would believe that the suburbs and the south were populated by droves of white racists; practically klansmen without the robes.

But how is it that affluent blacks are leaving the cities for these racist enclaves and there isn't even a cross burning to celebrate?

Affluent African-Americans are leaving industrial cities for the suburbs and the South shifting traditional lines between rich and poor, according to new study.

Their migration is widening the income gap between whites and the inner-city black population who remain behind, while making African-Americans less united as a group and subject to greater income disparities.

Roderick Harrison, a Howard University sociologist and former chief of racial statistics at the Census Bureau, said: 'Reverse migration is changing the South and its race relations.'

He said a rising black middle class is promoting a growing belief among some black conservatives that problems of the disadvantaged are now rooted more in character or cultural problems, rather than race.

HELLO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's what conservatives have been preaching for decades.