What party is he?

Taxpayers spent more than $170,000 to send Gov. Mike Easley, his wife and a dozen others on a nine-day business-recruiting trip to Italy.

The expenses ranged from $700 for a lunch for eight in Rome to $61,000 for a daily chauffeured Mercedes just for North Carolina's first couple, referred to on the invoice as "Governor Easley and Lady Easley."

The state released documents concerning the April trip after a public records request, but the bills are still coming in. Still unknown are expenses for Easley's security detail and the head of the state Commerce Department.

The question class. What party is he?

This is what qualifies as successful?

An excerpt from the speech Obamania gave last week in Columbus.

A secure retirement is no longer a guarantee for the middle class. It's harder to save and harder to retire. People are losing their pensions. If we do not act, the promise of Social Security will grow harder to keep. That's why I will fight every day to extend the promise of a retirement that is dignified and secure when I am President of the United States.

It starts with protecting Social Security today, tomorrow, and forever. For millions of Americans, Social Security is the difference between a comfortable retirement and the risk of poverty. We have an obligation to secure the future of one of the most successful programs in our history. And that starts with talking straight to the American people about the challenges that lie ahead.

This is what qualifies as successful to a government bureaucrat. By what measure? The largest transfer of wealth in the country's history? Maybe it's the 27 trillion in unfunded liability that makes it successful? If it's so damn successful why do we have to increase taxes on it just to keep it going?

Obamania - Catch it

Mark at the Paindealer asked if I made these up myself.

Until today, I got these from this site.

You can actually build your own sign at this site.

If you want to put one together and sent it to me I'll post it here.

What party is she?

Maryland state prosecutors raided the home of Mayor Sheila Dixon yesterday as part of an investigation into past spending practices at City Hall, the most aggressive move so far in the years-long probe.

After spending more than seven hours inside, state prosecutors and police emerged from Dixon's house - in Hunting Ridge, along the city's western border with Baltimore County - carrying boxes, folders and a blue cooler they had brought in with them.

Prosecutors declined to comment on the search and gave no indication of what they were looking for or what they removed from Dixon's home. Asked about the raid as she left her house yesterday morning, Dixon responded: "Ask them."

The mayor kept to her schedule, and several political allies defended her publicly, but the search - a strong indication that Dixon is at the center of the investigation - had a disquieting effect on City Hall.

Nowhere in the article is her political affiliation indicated.

So guess what political party she's in? Think blue.

Bringing us together

Boy, for a guy who's all about bringing people together, Obamania sure has his share of "not bringing people together".

Two Muslim women at Barack Obama's rally in Detroit Monday were barred from sitting behind the podium by campaign volunteers seeking to prevent the women's headscarves from appearing in photographs or on television with the candidate.

The campaign has apologized to the women, all Obama supporters who said they felt betrayed by their treatment at the rally.

"This is of course not the policy of the campaign. It is offensive and counter to Obama's commitment to bring Americans together and simply not the kind of campaign we run," said Obama spokesman Bill Burton. "We sincerely apologize for the behavior of these volunteers."

Hey Barry, here's an idea.... Try being divisive. You might find that's more inclusive of all your friends.

Obamania - Catch it

What happened to the "Contract with America"?

Dick Armey with a great piece in Imprimis...

BOTH THE CREATION of the Contract with America in 1994 and its subsequent abandonment can be explained in terms of the conflict in government between what I call legislative entrepreneurs and legislative bureaucrats. In 1994, when we wrote the Contract, entrepreneurs were strong. Today, as most of the time, bureaucrats are running things.

By legislative entrepreneur, I mean a person who has a set of principles and is willing to take risks on its behalf. A legislative bureaucrat, by contrast, seeks only to perpetuate the current situation with the motive of remaining safely in office. The fact that legislative bureaucrats are usually in command reminds me of Armey’s Axiom Number One: “The market is rational. The government is dumb.” I know the former to be true as someone who has studied economics. I know the latter to be true as someone who spent a long time in Congress.

One of the greatest entrepreneurial moments in the history of human government was the writing of our Constitution. America’s Founders understood clearly what it means to accomplish a goal on behalf of ideas and principles that rise above self-interest. George Washington might have become our king, but chose not to. His governing idea was that government is our servant because we are inherently free. It is an idea too many in government today forget.

Quarterly reminder

It's time again for my quarterly challenge to "progressives" throughout the land.

Here is the 2004 Bush-Kerry electoral map by county.

As you can see, the break down between blue and red is not a state thing but a county thing.

In those blue, urban, counties, run by "progressives" we can expect to find the following.

High taxes.
High crime.
High unemployment.
Horrible schools
Run down slums all around

In those red, exurban/suburban areas run by republicans, we can expect to find the following.

Lower taxes.
Lower crime.
Low unemployment.
Better schools.
Nice properties all around.

Now let's assume I move to the US from another country and I'm trying to choose between a blue area and a red area.

Unless I'm on a suicide mission, why would I want to move to an area run by democrats?

C'mon "progressives". Give me your best sales pitch.

Another sign of summer

How do you know when summer is upon you? Besides the stacks of cicadas outside your doors.

When murder season starts up in all our inner cities cities across the nation. Those cities run by "progressives".

Cincinnati achieved it's 27th homicide last night. I believe we're way off the pace from 2006 but with a long hot summer, we'll probably be able to catch up quick.

Takin' it to the Streets

Last night kicked off the Gekko summer concert tour with the Doobie Brothers and Chicago.

This was our second time for the Doobies (if you don't count "the incident" in Blue Ash). They kicked out another great show. I was originally disappointed that they only played for an hour.

I am a Chicago fan of just about everything pre-Chicago X. Anything after that album is basically nice array of Peter Cetera chick classics. Frankly, the reason I'm not big on those songs is that Cetera's voice always makes my testicles hurt.

Well, they've got his replacement and they did all those chick songs; and yes, I had the same pain in that sensitive area.

Regardless, the encore was worth the price of admission. Both bands came out and played tunes from both bands; 15 guys on stage, three drummers, four guitars, four horns, etc.

The extra horns made for an awesome dueling sax solo on Takin' it to the Streets and the four guitars each played solos on 25 or 6 to 4.

I'd give the show a thumbs up. Go catch it.

General thoughts on the show.

Riverbend - Last year, I noted what a dump this place was. Well, if you make no improvements it doesn't get any better. Going to the bathroom is still akin to walking through Cedar Rapids Iowa; about two inches of water/piss everywhere.

What's with the pot smoking? I'm still working off a Willie Nelson like contact buzz from last night. Is it too hard to get through a show without burning up a fat boy?

Despite the pot smoking it is nice to get through a show without seeing someone puke, pass out, or pull up their top. OK.... maybe two of those.

Next up.... Rush..... 6/30 at the pasture otherwise known as Riverbend.

Which party represents my dad?

For the past few days, I've been in a posting rut. I think most of it stems from the visit with my dad on Father's Day.

I've been feeling this frustration on behalf of a guy that's worked his ass off for the last 50 years and I'm wondering, which party represents him?

He's a guy who, while he owns his own business, won't shop at Walmart; even goes so far as trying to find shoes made in America but is tremendously aggravated with a government that screws him over time and time again as it relates to his business; a smokey, old, beer and a shot bar.

I asked him about the new yuppie coffee shop that opened up across the street from his bar.

Quoting Dad, "They stay on their side of the street, we stay on our side of the street and everyone gets along. By the way, why in the hell would anyone pay for a $4 a cup of coffee that's not even as good as White Castle's?"

And yet, many of those yuppies buying that $4 cup of coffee, voted for the state's smoking ban even though they would never even set foot into his bar.

Who the hell do you people think you are?

They're the same people who think their doing a favor to the working guy by increasing the minimum wage. Well for guys like my dad, he just ended up working more since he can't afford to replace people with the new minimum wage workers.

Who the hell do you people think you are?

They're the same people who will vote for paid sick days which will be yet another job and profit killer for guys like my dad.

Who the hell do you people think you are?

Guys like my dad are getting screwed by the excessive gas price increases since his customers have less disposable income.

What is congress doing to rectify that screw job? Not a damn thing.

Now my dad is smart enough to know that it's the arugula eating douche bags of the democratic party responsible for this mess. Yet few of these measures would ever pass if there wasn't complicity on behalf of republicans and so called conservatives who don't seem to have a problem with regulation as long as it's not their business.

The man is 66 years old and still working primarily because the government has made it next to impossible for him to hire motivated workers at a wage he can negotiate with his workers.

So I'm bitter right now. Bitter because a guy who's done nothing but go to work each day, pays his taxes, and does people right, has less representation in government than a fucking polar bear in Alaska or a sea otter off the San Francisco coast.

He's just another gun and God clinging cast off in fly over country for people in Marin County to make fun of; like monkeys at the zoo.

So as far as I'm concerned, both John McCain and Barack Obama can kiss my ass until one of them decides to represent my dad.

Obamania - Catch it

Abstinence

Now that we're on the senior party circuit we've got all kind of commercials telling our kids to abstain from drunk and dangerous driving.

But teaching our kids to abstain from sex is somehow a no-no even though the consequences could mean death.

Manon Jones, 18, suffered bleeding and went into shock after part of the embryo remained inside her.

Doctors admitted her care on the night she died was compromised because they were so busy dealing with other cases and had they had more time to treat her "things could have been different".

I guess condoms weren't available since someone sent 16,000 down to Antarctica.

Blame the oil companies

So those nasty oil companies are doing everything they can to drill the American public?

What if I told you that they spend more money in taxes than they do actual oil exploration?

Over at the American Thinker, they have a nice piece on oil and the price we end up paying at the pump.

Is he a Muslim?

There's been plenty of criticism of bloggers speculating about Obama's faith. The Obamania camp has even set up a site to dispel many of these rumors.

Before Obamaniacs starts banging on a vast right wing conspiracy for calling him a muslim, he may want to talk to his half brother, Malik.

Apparently the Obamas of Kenya have been reading those scurrilous emails to which Barack likes to refer, because they have no doubt -- contrary to the claims of the Obama campaign, that the presidential candidate was raised a Moslem. They take that as a given.

As the Jerusalem Post reports, "Barack Obama's half brother Malik said Thursday that if elected his brother will be a good president for the Jewish people, despite his Muslim background. In an interview with Army Radio he expressed a special salutation from the Obamas of Kenya."

Who will she vote for? #6

Meet Diane Usher. Why is Diane in the news?

A Milford mother was arrested late Monday and charged with participating in a drug transaction while her two small children in tow, police said.

Diane Unser, 38, is held this morning at the Hamilton County jail on charges of drug possession and child endangering, court records show.

She was arrested about 11 p.m. on Globe Avenue after Norwood police’s drug task force discovered her with crack cocaine, court records show.

Now come November, will Diane cast her presidential ballot for ....

The man who will rid our government of the corporate types who run it... Ralph Nader?
The man who will rid the government of itself.... Bob Barr?
The man who will transform racial relations in this country in Barack Obama?
Or John McCain?

Another Che groupie for Obama

Once again the cult of Che shows up on another photo.

Meet Ohio common pleas judge James Burge, marxist.

A judge in Ohio says the state's method of putting prisoners to death is unconstitutional because two of three drugs used in the lethal injection process can cause pain.

Lorain County Common Pleas Judge James Burge said Tuesday the state's lethal injection procedure doesn't provide the quick and painless death required by Ohio law.

Burge said Ohio must stop allowing a combination of drugs and focus instead on a single, anesthetic drug.

The ruling is likely be appealed to the Ohio Supreme Court.

Ohio has executed 26 inmates since it resumed putting prisoners to death in 1999.

HT Brian Thomas

Sounds like a "progressive"

Here's an interesting piece on the "7 habits of losers"

1. Sees a problem in every opportunity:
2. Passes the buck:
3. Uses antagonistic phrases:
4. Cuts losses quickly:
5. Hooked up on cable and lottery drug:
6. Seeks approval from others:
7. He doesn't know what he wants from life:

Don't we need a government program for this?

Obamania - Catch it

State run Keno

Yesterday, I went up to Round Town (Circleville) to visit my dad on father's day and he had a few choice words for the Governor of Ohio.

Roughly quoting Pops

So the state increases the minimum wage so I make less money and pay less in taxes, then they ban smoking in my bar which has reduced my business by 20%. Now I get a letter from the governor asking for my support of on line Keno. He can kiss my ass.

Where was all this interest in my business before all that other shit passed?

You go Pops.