Ruminations - 3oct13 (updated 6oct13)

George Rebane

Dr Tyler Cowen is professor of monetary theory, financial economics, and welfare economics at George Mason University and Mercatus Center .  He joins a growing list of academics and authors (cf Charles Murray’s Coming Apart) who have now concluded that systemic unemployment and permanent class divisions all will become entrenched features of our future.  To some of us such a future has been apparent for some years now as reported here.

The thesis of Cowen’s recently published Average is Over is “that America is dividing itself in two. At the top will be 10% to 15% of high achievers, the "Tiger Mother" kids if you like, whose self-motivation and mastery of technology will allow them to roar away into the future. Then there will be everyone else, slouching into an underfunded future of lower economic expectations, shantytowns and an endless diet of beans. I'm not kidding about the beans.” according to reviewer Philip Broughton (here).

Dr Cowen concludes that “we will move from a society based on the pretense that everyone is given an okay standard of living to a society in which people are expected to fend for themselves much more than they do now."  In that future, the top 10% will continue to enjoy what we have come to call the ‘American dream’, the middle will continue to muddle on with stagnant or shrinking wages taking their comfort from “cheap education and cheap fun”.  But “the rest (Murray’s bottom 30%) will fall by the wayside, with government less and less able to take care of them.”

President Obama is deftly guiding the nation into default.  He will accept no alternative solution other than his diktat that the Republicans fold any remaining negotiating stance to save the nation from fiscal, monetary, and regulatory disaster.  Bolstered by Reid and Pelosi, the Dems have repeatedly refused to even consider any counter proposals that deviate from their ‘clean’ demands for continuing our country’s wreckless course.

The strongest evidence of this is the Left’s strong and constant opposition to passing the McClintock-Toomey ‘Full Faith and Credit Act’ that would guarantee that the US would never default on its debt obligation that Obama now threatens the world with multiple times a day.  “The McClintock-Toomey bill replicates the guarantees that state constitutions have had for hundreds of years to strengthen investor confidence. It gives the Treasury Secretary discretion to prioritize among other federal obligations until the political deadlock ends, tempers cool and the parties can reach a deal. But it makes his first priority to protect the full faith and credit of the U.S.”  While screaming about the dangers of default, the Dems have repeatedly killed this prudent measure, most recently as it was again included in the latest continuing resolution the House sent to the Senate last week.  (more here)

‘Obamacare wrecks the work ethic’, so argues Casey Mulligan (here), professor of economics at the University of Chicago.  Of the many horrors of this ‘affordable(sic) care act’ as it staggers toward single payer healthcare, possibly its worst consequence is “a reduction in the reward for working”.  The secret lies in what it will do to marginal tax rates (figure) –  “The health-care law, starting Jan. 1, will begin driving up marginal tax rates—well above 50% for many.”   Perhaps more than anything else, this will encourage increased effort and ingenuity expended to switch from being a maker to joining the ever-growing ranks of the takers.

Administrivia – Now TypePad has quit sending comment notification emails to its bloggers (at least this one).  This will require more work on my part to keep up with RR’s commenters.  A little slack will be appreciated while I am actively seeking to move the blog to WordPress as already suggested by several readers.  I have been woefully remiss.

[4oct13 update]  Reports are now pouring in of federeal facilities and recreational sites being patrolled by platoons of guards and other public employees to keep people from accessing them.  What is insulting to me as a citizen is that these same locations had no such security personnel on duty before the 'shutdown'.  This sleazebag administration sets new records daily in lying and its practice of naked autocracy.  I find it hard to identify with people who either don't care/know about this, or worse, they condone it and see nothing wrong in the practice.  (More on Barry Pruett's Nevada County Introspective.)

Oh yes, and the other lying claptrap coming out of the WH is Obama's positioning budget and debt limit negotiations as somehow an immoral or underhanded attempt by Republicans to introduce a new dimension into American governance.  Nothing, absolutely nothing, could be further from the truth as noted here before.  A piece today by Hassett and McCloskey (here) makes clear that "Congresses run by both parties have used the borrowing limit as political leverage with a president."

[5oct13 update]  A liberal commenter here argues persuasively that the reason the Dems don’t accept any of the Repub passed House bills to refund the government is that they contain proposals and actions which the Dems don’t like – well no s&!t Red Ryder!  However, the brain blinders are strapped on immediately by these same members of the National Association of Naifs when the Repubs argue similarly about adopting the Dem demands to forward with a “clean CR” for the President’s signature.

Obama’s overture to America, painting the Repubs as immoral (‘terrorists’?) and obtuse since they refuse his offer to negotiate AFTER they give him a clean CR and raise the debt limit, is the epitome of calling his constituents double dummies.  This he does that several times a day now; and he’s spot on since the double dummies are not throwing this argument back in his face.

Most of us learned in kindergarten that differences are settled by compromise – each party participates in a ‘give and take’.  What the double dummies have forgotten is that if the Repubs give up their opposition to an unconditional continuing resolution and debt limit increase, then they have nothing left to give that Team Obama values when the parties enter subsequent negotiations.  It’s like being invited to a gunfight with the proviso that first you leave your six-gun at home.  Negotiating such instruments of funding government was written into the very fabric of the Constitution and has been practiced for decades.  (There is an excellent and extensive graphic on pA4 of the 5oct13 WSJ print edition detailing the last 20-year history of debt limit negotiations and increases showing who dominated Congress and the WH, and the major points negotiated.  Apologies for not being able to find it online.)

However, given the generations of government educated masses since the Great Society (aka the above cited double dummies), such knowledge in America is as arcane as the contents of the Dead Sea Scrolls.  Truth to these people is only that which is recent, repeated, vocal, and preferably on an up volume video.  And truths no longer have to be remembered or recalled, since they will be supplied as needed with new ones tomorrow.

(As long argued here, those who know will understand that debt, and more importantly debt service, is the real threat to the country.  The rest is a sideshow as Niall Ferguson argues here in the 5oct13 WSJ.)

[6oct13 update]  Check out Russ Steele's new blog Sierra Foothills Commentary.  In the latest edition Russ posts and important piece from The Daily Beast titled 'California’s New Feudalism Benefits a Few at the Expense of the Multitude' which makes the case that "once famous as a land of opportunity, the Golden State is now awash in inequality, growing poverty, and downward mobility that’s practically medieval,"  Everyone knows of California's downfall, it is not limited to the intelligentsia, or to the US, but is common knowledge around the developed world.  People ascribe different reasons for our downfall, but the accepted wisdom is that California is in the toilet both economically and socially.

Comments

[Paul Emery]

To make it simple 14-4=10

[George Rebane]

FYI - The US has plummeted from 3rd(2000) to 17th(2013) place in the world's economic freedom rankings. America's fundamental transformation is proceeding on schedule. An interactive map updated to 2011 can be found here.
http://www.cato.org/economic-freedom-world/map

Details here -
http://www.cato.org/economic-freedom-world?utm_source=Cato+Institute+Emails&utm_campaign=a497f650c8-EconomicFreedomoftheWorldReport2013&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_395878584c-a497f650c8-141346185&mc_cid=a497f650c8&mc_eid=d05c04f8a0

[Bill Tozer]

Mr. Gregory. We all can learn life lessons from sports, including baseball. BTW, a survey showed that Republicans prefer baseball over football by a slight margin. Conversely, Libs prefer football over baseball, again by a slight margin. Just reinforces my theory that libs prefer instant gratification over long drawn out chess matches.

So, what has baseball taught me in life? Well, one example comes to mind. Remember when Mr. Clean Cut Steve Garvey got hit with that palimony suit? I learned right there and then to always wear a helmet when entering the batter's box.

[Paul Emery]

Checkmate? Boehners move if he has one.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/

[Gregory]

Paul (11:29AM) To make it even simpler

http://realclearpolitics.com/epolls/other/president_obama_job_approval-1044.html

In short, by the RCP accountings of polls, Obama has seen a slide since the beginning of the shutdown. Outside of MSNBC viewership, it has not been breaking his way.

[Gregory]

http://www.gallup.com/poll/113980/Gallup-Daily-Obama-Job-Approval.aspx

[George Rebane]

It looks like the Gallup poll (Gregory's 1151am) pretty well sums up Obama's approval rating history.

But what no liberal wants to talk about is what will the Repubs have left to negotiate after caving unconditionally on the CR and debt limit increase? Do any of the progressive worthies reading RR care to make Obama's case a reasonable one?

[Todd Juvinall]

PaulE has a strange way to explain his polls.

[Bill Tozer]

https://scontent-b-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/313912_10150925282805911_2065935987_n.jpg

[Paul Emery]

Todd

You of all people should cast no stone when it comes to evaluating polls. To remind our readers you were 11% off in last years Pres election and I was right on the money. Can you explain why you were so off the mark and why your expertise should be trusted now?

I only quoted the difference as cited by the Fox polls which usually lean towards the right. Can you explain the 10 point shift?

[Bill Tozer]

Polls, poles, and more polls. Who was Alexander Graham Belloski? The first telephone Pole, or was he the father of the first telephone poll? I only cite polls when I like em.

[Gregory]

Paul, you're cherrypicking; I get it, you really want "the Pubbers" to fall apart, and while they have plenty of time to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory (a GOP specialty) it isn't happening they way you are hoping for.

[Paul Emery]

George

The negotiation problems of the Pubs are not my concern. They put themselves in that situation and it will be interesting to see how the get out of it. Remember, they are the same crew that offered Sarah P as a heartbeat away from the Presidency essentially throwing the '98 election so go figure.

Amazing how you disregard the Fox poll on this one.

[Paul Emery]

Gregory

You are comparing my observations to my opinion which you don't have a clue of in this matter.

[Todd Juvinall]

PaulE, I was a supporter of Romney for Prez, I am going to stay positive on the race. What don't you get? The election happened and I lost. Whoopdeedo! I guess I am as accurate as your were with NH2020 eh?

[George Rebane]

PaulE 116pm - You misunderstand, I wasn't inviting your concern for the Repubs' negotiating position. I was inquiring about how Obama's stance makes sense in the eyes of a reasonable person with a 3-digit IQ (recall that my interpretation is that he doesn't care - aka give a shit - about sounding reasonable because he's pandering to his constituents who find reasoning difficult). But I elevate you above that status, and do (re)invite you to come up with an explanation for Obama's (and the Dems') stance that essentially invites the Repubs to show up at a give&take negotiation with nothing to give that the Dems want.

Absent such an explanation, one can only assume that the Dems' demand is motivated by nothing but power, perfidy, and pander. This is not the moral high ground (e.g. 'social justice' and all that) that liberals like to occupy.

[Russ Steele]

Civil disobedience is on the rise across the nation:

Truck drivers slow down traffic on the highway A1 on Oct. 18, 2010, near Lille, France. American truckers plan a similar protest beginning Friday, according to organizers.

Tractor-trailer drivers will intentionally clog the inner loop of the Washington, D.C., beltway beginning on the morning of Oct. 11, according to a coordinator of the upcoming "Truckers Ride for the Constitution" rally.

Organizers of the three-day ride want to call attention to a litany of trucker frustrations and express their disapproval of national political leaders.

Earl Conlon, a Georgia trucker who is handling logistics for the protest, told U.S. News tractor-trailer drivers will circle the beltway "three lanes deep" as he rides with other participants to Congress to seek the arrest of congressmen for allegedly disregarding the Constitution.

The truckers circling I-495 will keep the left lane open for emergency vehicles, Conlon said, but "everybody that doesn't have a supporter sticker on their window, good luck: Nobody in, nobody out." The trucks will be going the 55 mile-per-hour speed limit.

Over 3,000 truckers have RSVP and more e-mails coming in at 100 a day asking for details.

While it may not change anything, it will make great news coverage for less informed TV audience.

[Paul Emery]

Obama is poised to pick up huge support from the Business community, usually solid Republican territory. From the WSJ

Summing up the Wall Street CEOs' message on the White House driveway Wednesday, Lloyd Blankfein, chairman and CEO of Goldman Sachs, said:

"You can re-litigate these policy issues in a political forum, but we shouldn't use threats of causing the U.S. to fail on its obligations to repay its debt as a cudgel."

But can the Republican Party afford the lost of a major contributor and constinciency?

"We know that the threat of default is enough to tank the nation’s economy. Talking like Boehner does in this interview is the political equivalent of playing with fire while standing next to oily rags and several barrels of gasoline. It’s a disaster waiting to happen."

http://news.yahoo.com/gop-not-heeding-old-big-business-allies-070828233--finance.html

[Paul Emery]

Todd

You are confusing your support for all things Republican with the reality of being an unbiast observer. In this case you are a Pubcicle melting slowly and dripping the carpet. Have fun.

[Paul Emery]

George

My 1:59 post should enhance my observations about the futility of the Republican position. Your observation about IQ's of those opposing the Pubs stance you must then include traditional Republican supporters such as Wall Street execs.

[Paul Emery]

George

What you are saying is that the Repubs are essentially outmaneuvered in this situation. Shades of Clinton for sure.

[George Rebane]

PaulE 221pm - The WS CEO's made no assessment of Obama's offer to the Repubs, only on the impact on the economy should the US default on its debt obligations. Blankfein's historically ignorant/blind opinion has been bought and paid for by the Obama administration. Goldman-Sachs is a 'too big to fail' corporation that can no longer function without constant government 'co-operation'.

In any case, well enough. From your last two comments I take it that Obama's demand of the Republicans does not constitute a reasonable offer.

[Paul Emery]

George

I'm saying that the Repubs are so backed into a corner that it's irrelevant to discuss whether Obama is offering a "reasonable offer". It's raw power and the Repubs are coming up short for sure. Years ago I expressed my view that the Tea Party will push the Republicans into a dark hole which is what is happening. The Pubs are failing as an opposition "party" because they are helpless in dealing with their right flank which does not in any way represent the majority of the voters.

[Gregory]

In the "All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others" department, the National Mall is being opened for a politically correct immigration reform rally supported by the SEIU.

http://washingtonexaminer.com/park-service-oks-immigration-reform-rally-on-closed-national-mall/article/2536908

[Walt]

Russ.
I saw the news on that a few days ago when they were first thinking about it.
Now it's looks like it's got some traction.
Now the men and women of my " class" of working America are getting in on the action. The government "ruling class" want to selectively shut down public places? Well... "We" will show then what a shut down really is. It's being taken right to them, in their own front yard.
Yes. Truckers understand what the Constitution means too.

I recall the movie " Convoy". It was politically driven as well.
Here we go again with reality imitating Hollywood.
Just like we are not that far from " Atlas Shrugged ".

Just to add a little to your info there,, the organizer said that if one truck
is hassled by police, the breaks come on, for a complete shut down.

Yes,, us lower working class have a few tricks up our sleeve to get the radical politician's attention.
I hope they pull it off.

[fish]

The Pubs are failing as an opposition "party" because they are helpless in dealing with their right flank which does not in any way represent the majority of the voters.

The "pubs" are failing as an opposition party because most of the time they aren't an opposition party. The Tea Party is the only emergent counter to TEAM DEM and establishment "republicans" (John McCain, Orrin Hatch..etc.). Expect the death of what is currently thought of as the Republican Party Paul.

[Paul Emery]

Well spoken Fish. Goes well with my Republicrat view of our one party system. What we have is a Palace rebellion with the people being held as hostage. While I do not agree with the Tea Party on many issues I do respect them as a true populist movement. They will find soon that they are welcome in the Pub Party only as eccentric wingers because they are not acceptable to the ruling class that maintains our one party system as the only option. Our host truly believes that the Pubsters are an option with regret that Romney was not elected but I have to say that's a hopelessly naive nostalgic stance thinking he might be some kind of Ronald Reagan, whose myth as an economic reformer has been adequately noted.

[Walt]

My memory failed for a moment.
Local and Sac. truckers did this down at one of the first
big Tea Party rallies down at the Capitol.

Truckers are what make this nation operate. Not government.
Truckers can shut this nation down faster than a politician.

Think the teamsters unions are happy with "O" and Co.? They made a deal
with the devil and got burned.
Independent truckers are no fans either.

Government POed the wrong people this time.
Break out the CW McCall tape.

[Walt]

@ Paul&Fish.
I think you loose track of things, and what helped tilt the "victory"
in LIB favor. Low info voter is only a part.
Mitt got torpedoed by Dirty Harry by using Mitt's "tax records" obtained through
minions within the IRS. The IRS subverted the vote with it's attack on the Tea Party. Prosecutions of ballot tampering and fraudulent voting continue to this day. No,, none of this makes the news anymore.
As Nixon once said, " They stole it fare and square".
Next Nov. I don't believe LIBS will receive the outcome they desire.

[Russ Steele]

Paul, here is some insight to the real issue, it is the chaos of liberalism.

Victor Davis Hanson: Obama as Chaos

Amid all the charges and countercharges in Washington over the government shutdown, there is at least one common theme: Barack Obama’s various charges always lead to a dead end. They are chaos, and chaos is hard to understand, much less refute.

By that I mean when the president takes up a line of argument against his opponents, it cannot really be taken seriously — not just because it is usually not factual, but also because it always contradicts positions that Obama himself has taken earlier or things he has previously asserted. Whom to believe — Obama 1.0, Obama 2.0, or Obama 3.0?

When the president derides the idea of shutting down the government over the debt ceiling, we almost automatically assume that he himself tried to do just that when as a senator he voted against the Bush administration request in 2006, when the debt was about $6 trillion less than it is now.

When the president blasts the Republicans for trying to subvert the “settled law” of Obamacare, we trust that Obama himself had earlier done precisely that when he unilaterally subverted his own legislation — by quite illegally discarding the employer mandate provision of Obamacare. At least the Republicans tried to revise elements of Obamacare through existing legislative protocols; the president preferred executive fiat to nullify a settled law.

When the president deplores the lack of bipartisanship and the lockstep Republican effort to defund Obamacare, we remember that the president steamrolled the legislation through the Congress without a single Republican vote.

When the president laments the loss of civility and reminds the public that he uses “calm” rhetoric during the impasse, we know he has accused his opponents of being on an “ideological crusade” and of being hostage takers and blackmailers who have “a gun held to the head of the American people,” while his top media adviser Dan Pfeiffer has said that they had “a bomb strapped to their chest.”

When the president insists that the Republican effort to hold up the budget is unprecedented, we automatically deduce that, in fact, the action has many precedents, and on frequent prior occasions was a favored ploy of Democrats to gain leverage over Republican administrations.

In short, whenever the president prefaces a sweeping statement with one of his many emphatics — “make no mistake about it,” “I’m not making this up,” “in point of fact,” “let me be perfectly clear” — we know that the reverse is always true. For Obama, how something is said matters far more than what is said.

[Russ Steele]

Paul, Some more on liberal chaos from the Diplomad:

In sum, what do we see? We see the community organizer tactic of using lies, chaos, and the uncertainty that flows as tools of blackmail and extortion. The progressives have moved into almost every aspect of our lives, and when they encounter resistance to further encroachment, they threaten us by shutting down the other services on which they have made us dependent. It's blackmail, pure and simple. We have the extraordinary spectacle of an American President predicting economic disaster and warning Wall Street of tough times to come if he does not get his way. We have a President pushing the stock market to crash, and dissuading businesses from investing and creating jobs, all over a dispute about his seriously flawed health care policy. He, again, is the Chicago community organizer threatening the local landlord or McDonald's franchise with instability, violence, and disruption if he does not get what he wants. Imagine what he can do to you, if he controls your health care.

Chaos in the service of tyranny. The only way to defeat this is to stop the encroachment of government on our lives and begin a serious campaign of rollback.

The Republican know that it is time for a roll back, the Tea Party knows it, and so do the truckers from all across the nation. There will be more who join the roll back movement. Stay Tuned!

[Paul Emery]

Russ

For the sake of discussion let's assume you're correct in your view of Obama. It really doesn't matter. What you're saying is Obama is too smart for the Repubs and he uses nasty tactics to gain support. So what! He's winning the battle because the Repubs have no craft in what they do and don't understand politics. Public opinion is not shifting in favor of the TP's and they have the Repubs by their danglers between their legs. The TP's are supported by no more than a third of the populace and certainly not by big business and all the money that they brings in. http://www.pollingreport.com/politics.htm Big Business supports old school moderate Repubs which is why they nominated Romney and McCain and you see what that resulted in. Actually McCain could have won but not with Sara waiting for his heart to stop. That was an accommodation to the Right wing of the party so you see what that got them.

You can argue right and wrong as much as you like but what I see is politics not going the way of popular support for what the Repubs are doing and certainly not the ideas of the Tea Party.

[Bill Tozer]

Mr. Walt: Only one addition needed to your 03:58pm post. Perhaps you could have said "Break out the CW McCall 8 track tape." Truckers were on the cutting edge with them 8 tracks.

However, that's a big 10-4 good buddy. See ya on the flip side numb nuts. Keep your eyes out for the CB Savage if you got your hammer down. Think we got ourselves a convoy, Lounge Lizard.

[Joe Koyote]

"especially when there are delicious ironies like shutting down the "Amber Alert" website" --

The afternoon news ran a story stating that the only function of the entire Amber Alert System that was shutdown was the website which provides general information. According to the news story (on KNCO's national news feed) everything else including the inter-agency communication network, investigations, etc. were all running as normal. So it's not as bad as it seems on the surface. It's kind of like the closing of national parks and the Vet Admin., It makes good stories for evoking emotional responses in people and knee jerk reactions. Lots of other offices and services are closed as well, but we don't here much about that.

[Gregory]

"What you're saying is Obama is too smart for the Repubs and he uses nasty tactics to gain support. So what! He's winning the battle because the Repubs have no craft in what they do and don't understand politics"

Well, yes on the lying for nasty tactics, but the main things Obama has going for him remains white guilt and free stuff. You got to feel for the late Geraldine Ferraro who was banished from her party, despite being the first woman on a DEM or GOP ticket for speaking the truth: with his resume, Obama wouldn't have been looked at twice if he was white.

The GOP would never have thought of promising Romneyphones. As P.J. O'Rourke has conclusively proved... Santa Claus is a Democrat. Now, many are expecting Free Obamacare under their Christmas tree, and time will tell just how many kids will have been found to be naughty and not nice before Jan 1 and beyond. I did catch some talk radio yesterday and there was some chatter about a limbaugh caller whose wife kept telling her husband online on an insurance exchange to 'just pick the free one'.

But of course, there ain't no free insurance, and the cheapest ones both cost something and pay the few plan providers so little that the wait for care may rival Medicaid.

This is just beginning. People thought they were going to be getting the same healthcare that Congress got, for free or a fraction of what they were paying, not $10K a year more like the schlub in the Mercury News story this morning. We'd all be saving $2500 a year and get to keep our same policy and doctors, remember? Fasten your seat belts.

[George Rebane]

Well, it looks like VDH and the Diplomad are confirming the characterization of the Prez long heralded by RR. Yes, the Repubs have allowed themselves to be snookered into a corner by their rightwing consisting of the tea parties, those groups of irrelevant voters whose political demise has been loudly hailed by the Left for the last couple of years. (BTW, the local TP fundraiser dinner is at the fairgrounds on 16 November - see you there.)

As mentioned here for some time, the Repubs and Dems have attempted to construct tents too big that invite political factions with widely differing ideas on how the country should be governed. The solution is for more ideologically specific and narrower political parties. This would require governance by coalitions that represent highly visible political constituencies.

We are no longer a sufficiently like-thinking population that can conveniently be covered by two political parties - in short, we have splintered considerably during the last 50+ years. I see that both parties will split their seams if they try to represent wildly disparate voters. It just seems that the Repubs are the first to experience that as the party out of power.

As has been the case during the life of RR, I expect that the national pundits will start coming to that same conclusion pretty soon, and we'll see eloquent pieces by VDH, the Diplomad, and others calling for greater plurality in America's body politic. Maybe even the Great Krauthammer will weigh in.

But the Left has a harder time letting go of the big tent into which they will continue trying to herd everyone who voted for Obama. The Left's central planners have historically promoted a one party system if at all possible; it's so much easier to control. Exciting times.

[Bill Tozer]

Good recent post, Mr. Gregory and Dr. Rebane.

The Right is just not very good at playing nasty politics. That is why the libs are still screaming "Bush lied, Bush lied, Bush lied!" Its like they are shocked by this and engage in righteous anger.

Generally, the Right likes to play by the rules and are the ones extending the hand of friendship to the other side. Guess the Right simply believes a man should be as good as their word and believe in fair play and honestly and transparency. We are just plumb naive. Choir boys in the viper's den if you will.

Kindly recall when the Newt Revolution took place and the Republicans took over the House. Suddenly the fear of God was put into the House Democrats. They were begging for mercy. They were terrified that the Republicans MIGHT do to them what the Majority Party had done to the Minority Party for decades, aka, the House rules.

Suddenly the existing House rules enjoyed by and crafted by the Dems for years were mean spirited and unfair, hahaha. So, the Republicans decided the rules were not fair and changed them so the Minority Party could actually get more representation on various committees and even allowed the Minority to have a couple of committee chairperson-ships.

Yes, we play nice. We would not resort to the dirty tricks practiced by the other side. Not in our nature. We believe in truth telling and not hitting below the belt, nor kicking a man while he is down. We extend the benefit of the doubt. We are not sheep in wolves clothing as the other side appears to be. We are just too darn simplistic.

[Paul Emery]

Bill

You say "we"? You're not a Republican are you?

[Gerry Fedor]

Don't worry Paul, Bill's a 60 year old Republican....

[Bill Tozer]

Mr. Paul Emergy: I hate to break this news to you, but GUILTY AS CHARGED!!

Yep, I be one of those Right Winger Intolerant Fear Mongers that goes to family reunions to pick up dates. And a knuckle dragger to boot! Card carrying member of the Flat Earth Society and I don't worship crystals.

You would be pleased to know I once voted for Jimmy the Peanut Farmer. I was a young doped out of my mind drifter trying to forget, pissed off at Nixon, The Man, and trying to stick it to The Establishment. I was a Nam survivor before it was cool to be a Vietnam Vet, lol. And I saw the whites of the Cong's eyes, up close and personal like, at arms length, unlike the wannabes I hear about. Tomahawk time. A worthy opponent they were. No big deal now.

Say what you want about Carter, but he promised he would not lie to us and I believe he kept that one promise. Policy? Who cared about policy back then.

I feel that the Republicans and the other parties take themselves too darn seriously. Yes the stakes are high, but I can poke fun at my party and the other parties with impunity. A switch hitter if you will. Geez, ever want to walk away depressed? Just hit some Green Party event. Them are some angry folks, but it is funny when they get all upset about the whales or something and don't notice the lettuce stuck between their teeth when spouting off.

Sure, every once in a while a Republican somewhere in a small town or County will say something that leaves my head shaking. "You said WHAT?? Come again? Well, dumbshat, you just lost any chance of winning reelection. And you are making my side look bad." The people business is a messy business.

Nope, I never have attended a party function or a Vet function to this day. One exception to the Party function:

Did once hit the Republican National Convention in Kansas City in the summer of 1976. I was traveling with a young Federal Judge's daughter (a call girl by trade who took a liking to me and liked to travel as well, but not alone) and we got a motel room in Kansas City. Did not even know the GOP Convention was going on. Anyway, she started throwing tricks for the Cook County Delegation and they gave me some tickets. I know, its kind of hard to believe that there are enough Republicans in Cook County to even send a delegation.

So, I appeared at the convention wearing a pendleton shirt and cowboy boots and long hair and looked like a fish out of water. One look at the pass by security and I was in, no questions asked.

It happened to be the night when Prez Ford and Ronnie were battling it out from the nomination. The Reagen team hired a bunch of high school bands to sit in the nose bleed seats and do this unstop cheering for 20 minutes straight when the name Reagen was announced. Seemed to go on forever.

Anyway, I was sitting down close to the floor when I heard a ruckus to my left. Some Reagen supporter was waving a sign in front of Nelson Rockefeller's snot and Nelson reached up and ripped the sign from the supporter's hand and started to get into it with the young man. Then he turned around a flipped the dude off, then the whole Reagen section. Don't know what people saw on TV but it was exciting times bro. Exciting times.

I decided right then and there that these are my people. Perhaps I don't fit the profile, but tell me something new.

BTW, Mr. Emery, I was listening to KVMR the other day to soothe my savage beast and they kept mentioning your name about some upcoming gig. Did you get a permit? lol.
Love, joy, and right thinking, Bill

[Gregory]

Gerry and Paul, both here. Great.

Do you think the clash between the promises for Obamacare and the reality will be causing any significant problems for Dems in 2014? Or is bait and switch on such a massive scale OK because the ends justify the means? (The end there isn't actually what Machiavelli wrote but it will do for now...)

[Bill Tozer]

Mr. Gregory: Time to make some money on the exchanges. Obamacare will berry berry berry good for the investor. A win-win proposition. A can't lose law:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-10-06/exchanges-will-raise-u-s-health-care-costs.html

[Bill Tozer]

Always like what this guy says, whether I agree or not.

http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-ticker/obamacare-worst-law-passed-four-decades-must-stopped-121701392.html

[Bill Tozer]

Mr. Emery: Now that the cat is out of the bag concerning my deep dark secret that I am a Republican in a Blue State, here is one small reason I am what I am.
Republican controlled House vs Democrat Controlled Senate:

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/09/29/congress-approves-creation-new-envoy-as-religious-attacks-rise-globally/?intcmp=obnetwork

[Russ Steele]

Paul,

While you may think that Obama is winning, he is losing in the Great Smokey Mountains. It looks to me like he is recruiting for the Tea Party, like he was was recruiting for the NRA. Obama was the greatest gun sales man in history. Now he is recruiting for the Tea Party. This is not going to turn out well for Obama as he demonstrate how really bad big government can be:

TURNING KIDS INTO HOSTAGES: ‘All about power and leverage’ — feds shut down major roadway, block access to graveyard.

Folks who live in the Great Smoky Mountains have just about reached their breaking point with the federal government.

“It’s almost like they are pushing to see how far they can push before the American people say enough is enough,” said Ed Mitchell, the mayor of Blount County, Tenn. “We were founded on a declaration of independence. And they are about to push the people to the line again.”

Nearly a third of Blount County is inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. So when the federal government shut down the park, it also shut down one of the area’s chief sources of revenue.

The National Park Service also closed the Foothills Parkway, a major thoroughfare in the county. The closure came without warning and left the local school district scrambling to get children back to their homes.

If the press covered Obama the way they’d cover a GOP President who did this kind of thing, he’d be toast. But they don’t, because they’re on his team. Just think of them as Dem operatives with bylines and you won’t go far wrong.

UPDATE: From the comments:
Obama’s intended lesson was meant to be, “See how awful life is without your Federal Family?” But the lesson learned–I hope–is, “See how awful your Federal Family can make your life if you tick it off?” We’re not seeing the absence of government; we’re seeing an excess of bad government.

If I were in Congress, I’d be introducing legislation to turn the national parks over to the states.
Posted at 9:38 pm by Glenn Reynolds

[fish]

The afternoon news ran a story stating that the only function of the entire Amber Alert System that was shutdown was the website which provides general information.

Joe....most people are headline readers. The shutting of the federal Amber Alert website may have been a non event but whomever penned the headline made sure that the reference to Michelle Obama's "Drink Water" website remaining up and running was included. This is why I don't believe that the dems are getting nearly the traction they had hoped to get from this. Every negative from the scaling back government activities is contrasted with an example of where they could have made a more responsible choice but didn't!

It gets better....they are also hitting the fact that the overseas feed of professional and college sports have been cut off to by the Feds....way to look petty Obama administration. TEAM EVIL is every bit as politically tone deaf as TEAM STUPID and that is phenomenal!!

[Bill Tozer]

Mr. Fish, them libs are some mean SOB's for sure. "Make Them Hurt" is their latest campaign slogan.

Question of the Day:

Why does the government make a 77 & 80-year-old senior move from the house that they own, because it is on federal land, but they allow Obama to live in a house that is on federal land, which he doesn’t own?

Kinda like what Lenin did.

[fish]

Bill

I'm not sure that it's even conscious in many cases. I accuse the republicans of being TEAM STUPID but this event is demonstrating that TEAM Dem is bound and determined to give them a run for their money in that department.

[Gerry Fedor]

I like the interesting posts that seem to stream from Mr. Tozer at this point.....

I guess you gotta try to justify the basis for existence somehow! I smile when I read his latest group of "interesting" postings as he tries to do just that.

I have to wonder if "intelligent people" really buy into his postings, as now we're talking about justification for the President living in the Whitehouse and Lenin...

You'd have figured that at this point he'd have learned that sometimes it's actually better to take a break, look at what you've written (before you expose yourself as a dofus!) and not look like the a-typical angry white guy who's only resource is trying to pick something out to justify his viewpoints.

Are we going to hear more about the Muslim President, or how our President was born in Kenya, or maybe how it's been the Democrats fault that there are now 2 distinct Republican factions, with 2 different agendas?

It's amazing that you actually buy into the Republican mantra of talking out of both sides of you mouth!

My father once said to me that sometimes it's better the STFU and have people wonder if you're unstable, rather that say something that proves it. Too bad your father didn't have this same discussion.

Love, joy, and right thinking, Gerry!

[Gerry Fedor]

Russ, I find it interesting that you want to give our President "Kudos" for: one of the lowest income; most Federally supported; lowest levels of educated people; Republican areas in the country and how they can't figure out how to get their kids to school? (Like that's ever been a priority in this area?)

I think that it's "interesting" that the inverse of this things are values found in mostly Democratic strongholds.

You thoughts about how the areas that receive the most Federal assistance, and have the lowest education, are red states?

[Joe Koyote]

Question-- With all of the talk of this agency being shuttered and this other one over here that isn't shuttered...In terms of the closures. who determined it and how was it decided as to what should be closed and what shouldn't? Is there a protocol in place, was it random, was it part of a previous agreement?

[Bill Tozer]

Mr. Fedor. Gooood Morning! So glad you enjoy my musings. Unstable? Oh sir, you don't even know the 10th of it. Yes, I 100% buy into the Mantra. I am a boney-fide shrill for the 1%ers and smaller gobberment and red states. I can pose for a family portrait all by my lonesome.

Ain't going to call Barrack Hussein Obama a Mooslum. Obama said he is a Christian and I have no reason to doubt Reverend Jeremiah Wright or Obama's conversion to Black Theology. I'll let our Prez throw Reverend Wright under to bus. No need for me to go there.

Dems fault? Now, now, lets not project. The Dems have a knack for forming the old circular firing squad and the Repubs can snatch defeat out of the mouth of victory.

A major difference I see between the Dems and the Repubs is that when one of their own messes up, the Repubs are the first to clean house and banish the chap. Usually in a matter of 2-3 days. When one of the Dems messes up, he is defended for months, then when the heat gets too much in the kitchen, they finally throw the errant one in the oven and proceed to eat their own. Savage beasts them Dems are. Ruthless.

[Joe Koyote]

"thoughts about how the areas that receive the most Federal assistance, and have the lowest education, are red states?"

The key word here is "education". Those with lower levels of education are less likely to possess the critical thinking skills to process and evaluate messages, and therefore, are more easily fooled by propaganda and rhetoric, particularly when issues of patriotism are invoked as in "America love it or leave it" type arguments. Did not the Nazi Party invoke "patriotism" as their mantra? The people who ran the gas houses thought they were doing their duty to the fatherland rather than committing crimes against humanity. How could any human being participate in such atrocity, unless they were dumber than a rock and somehow convinced they were doing the right thing? Ideological surety is a dangerous thing as it closes the mind to possible alternatives.

[Gerry Fedor]

Clean house or banish the chap? Is that what you're saying? You surely jest! LOL!!!

I find that rather "laughable" as if the right worked as the left does (in your world) there would be NO ONE in the Congress as the people that are currently blocking legislation to keep your government running.

“We’re not going to be disrespected,” conservative Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., [told the Washington Examiner]. “We have to get something out of this. And I don’t know what that even is.”

Now what is the plan? You seem to know what's going on sir, so maybe you can share this "top secret plan" with the rest of us?

Like I said before sometimes it's better to STFU before you open your mouth and embariss yourself: as here's a world famous quote from one of your most recent parties heros...

Rick Santorum: “I think the right approach is to accept this horribly created — in the sense of rape — but nevertheless a gift in a very broken way, the gift of human life, and accept what God has given to you… rape victims should make the best of a bad situation.” - January, 2012

I wonder how most people with a vagina feel about this?

You seem to be wearing blinders sir, may I suggest you go back out to the woodshed and hang them back up there, as if this was true then how come we have people that are "afraid" of other people in the Republican party and they don't want to say anything to put the Republican party back into the mainstream of American Politics?

It's pretty obvious that my right will see huge losses in the next elections as they are the "gift that keeps on giving" to the Democratic movement.

[fish]

Rick Santorum: “I think the right approach is to accept this horribly created — in the sense of rape — but nevertheless a gift in a very broken way, the gift of human life, and accept what God has given to you… rape victims should make the best of a bad situation.” - January, 2012

How is this bad advice? As a catholic he can't endorse abortion. I'm the last guy in the world who would defend Santorum but taken as presented here what's the matter with the statement?

[Todd Juvinall]

Funny how libs use a defeated conservative like Santorum (defeated by fellow conservatives to boot) as sme sort of example for all. I guess in a tit for tat Elliott Spitzed is a typical democrat?

[Bill Tozer]

Mr. Fedor, I suppose the Right may see huge losses in the next election cycle. Always a possibility. Many possibilities. Not wise to remove one's armor before the battle begins.

"Like I said before sometimes it's better to STFU before you open your mouth and embariss yourself"

Mr. Fedor, how silly. You can't "embariss" a sociopath such as moi. Impossible my good man. Impossible. Shaming don't work either. But if you feel inclined to wag your finger at me and do your best Clinton impression, knock yourself out. "Now listen here" (start waving the finger with righteous indignation)......"I did not have sex with THAT woman." Now, really point the finger right at me and give it the ole wag. Feel better? I am such a worm.

Think calling the young intern about his daughter's age "THAT WOMAN" was a grievous lapse of judgement. She may have gobbled Bill's goob just fine, but never call a lover "That Woman". Never. Stupid mistake. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

Aw, nobody is perfect.

[Paul Emery]

Todd

Santorum was defeated by Romney, hardly a Conservative in these circles. Elliot Spitzer never was a contender for the Pres.

[Michael Anderson]

The Mighty Tozer wrote: "She may have gobbled Bill's goob just fine, but never call a lover 'That Woman.' Never. Stupid mistake. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."

Dood, you come up with delicious phraseology gems each and every day here at RR, but this is one of your finest. I would tip my hat to you if I had a hat.

Clinton cured me of the Democratic Party. He produces an amazingly thick and putrid inoculum, but it works like badger castoreum to keep me away.

[Todd Juvinall]

Paul, sorry you don't understand the election process, and apparently the primary process. Santorum did not win the primary process becasue the conservative voters (the one's that turn out for the primaries) did not elect him. Understand?

Spitzer is a good democrat and was the Governor of the second largest state. Like Weiner and others they are and have become the poster children of the democrat party. They are true believers. makes no difference if they ran for President. Capiche?

[Bill Tozxer]

Now what is so bad about dog poop? It decomposes and enriches the soil. Organic as well. And what is so bad about PBS fundraising?

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/congress-worse-cockroaches-witches-poll-173552610.html

[fish]

The Mighty Tozer wrote: "She may have gobbled Bill's goob just fine, but never call a lover 'That Woman.' Never. Stupid mistake. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."

Dood, you come up with delicious phraseology gems each and every day here at RR, but this is one of your finest. I would tip my hat to you if I had a hat.

Clinton cured me of the Democratic Party. He produces an amazingly thick and putrid inoculum, but it works like badger castoreum to keep me away.

Boys.....what the hell has been dumped into the water supply in the sierra foothills.....or have Michael and Bill simply been beating each other about the head and shoulders with Thesauruses?

[Paul Emery]

Todd

If you really want to slurp up the slime you can look at Newt. Bonking his Secretary while his wife in the hospital with cancer.
Ex wife Marianne says Gingrich wanted an "open marriage," so he could have both a wife and a mistress.

He's on his third marriage, and was accused of not only affairs in the first two, but also that he left one wife while she was fighting cancer, and he left another just after she was diagnosed with MS. Now that's class.

[Gregory]

"In terms of the closures. who determined it and how was it decided as to what should be closed and what shouldn't? Is there a protocol in place, was it random, was it part of a previous agreement?" -Koyote

It's pure pettiness designed to get people mad at the GOP.
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/10/05/list-obama-closures-for-shutdown

[Gregory]

Paul, the Newt's wife with cancer was dumped after her curative surgery.

She was his math teacher in high school, so you might give him a pass on that one. It might have seemed a good idea at the time, but... let's just hope Newt learned some math from her.

[George Rebane]

Speaking of Obama's closures, out of what appears pure spite, the man has closed down the SS information and Dept of Education sites with a sign that reads "Due to a lapse of appropriations and the partial shutdown of the Federal Government, the systems that host nces.ed.gov have been shut down. Services will be restored as soon as a continuing resolution to provide funding has been enacted."

Now do you suppose that the feds have also shut down the servers and the comm lines into the cloud? Nah! The marginal cost of keeping the government's info sites on line is about zero. All they want to do is to impress the double dummies about how evil the GOP is. And he's succeeding, even some astute RR readers have no quarrel with such a policy.

[Paul Emery]

Yes George, they are succeeding beyond their wildest expectations . The self destructiveness of the Republicans is unbelievable. It's only the 25% that you are a part of that support the shut down.

"Do you consider yourself to be a supporter of the Tea Party movement, or not?"

CBS News Poll. Oct. 1-2, 2013. N=1,021 adults nationwide. Margin of error ± 3. RV = registered voters

10/1-2/13 Yes 21 no 67 undecided 12

http://www.pollingreport.com/politics.htm

[Gregory]

Paul, this was from early 2012:
"The Gallup poll shows that 40 percent of Americans consider themselves conservative; 35 percent moderate; and 21 percent view themselves as liberal."

So it would seem to indicate "tea party" is at the same place as "liberal" when it comes to speaking for the electorate, doesn't it?

[Paul Emery]

Gregory

Conservative is a different bird than Tea Party. You know that.

[Gregory]

Paul, you missed the issue... Conservatives were about 40% on that poll, and it appears that about half the conservatives are also TP, and that TP group is about the same size as self described liberals.

Face it, Paul: if self described Tea Partiers are fringe nutcases, so are self described Liberals.

[fish]

It's pure pettiness designed to get people mad at the GOP.

Well it appears to be failing.....

From the Newburyport News via Drudge.

'Gestapo' tactics meet senior citizens at Yellowstone

The tourists were treated harshly by armed park employees, she said, so much so that some of the foreign tourists with limited English skills thought they were under arrest.

The bus stopped along a road when a large herd of bison passed nearby, and seniors filed out to take photos. Almost immediately, an armed ranger came by and ordered them to get back in, saying they couldn’t “recreate.” The tour guide, who had paid a $300 fee the day before to bring the group into the park, argued that the seniors weren’t “recreating,” just taking photos.

“She responded and said, ‘Sir, you are recreating,’ and her tone became very aggressive,” Vaillancourt said.

The political commercials are going to write themselves this election cycle and it's going to be absolutely glorious!

That reminded her of her father, a World War II veteran who spent three years in a Japanese prisoner of war camp.

“My father took a lot of crap from the Japanese,” she recalled, her eyes welling with tears. “Every day they made him bow to the Japanese flag. But he stood up to them.

“He always said to stand up for what you believe in, and don’t let them push you around,” she said, adding she was sad to see “fear, guns and control” turned on citizens in her own country.

http://www.newburyportnews.com/local/x1442580373/Gestapo-tactics-meet-senior-citizens-at-Yellowstone

[Paul Emery]

Gregory

In no way can you describe Obama as a Liberal. He's a middle of the road right leaning Democrat and is in a better position to capture the middle support that is essential to perpetuate control. There is no way the Tea Party or the Republican Right can claim that real estate. Poll after poll shows Obama with twice the public support than the Republican Congress which is around 16%. That's why '16 will be a cakewalk for the Dems and they could likely gain seats in an off year election which is very rare. In short, the Dems control the middle and are solidifying that position due to the astounding idiocy of the Pubbers. It's actually unbelievable tut here you have it.

[Todd Juvinall]

Greg you are right on the mark.. PaulE is as accurate with his political descriptions as he says I am with soothsaying elections. Too funny.

[Gregory]

"National Journal is out with its ratings of the votes of the members of the Senate, and it has found that the most liberal senator in 2007 was Barack Obama.

"The insurgent presidential candidate shifted further to the left last year in the run-up to the primaries, after ranking as the 16th- and 10th-most-liberal during his first two years in the Senate," National Journal notes."

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-502163_162-3775451-502163.html

[Paul Emery]

Gregory

That was 2007. Obama's support of NSA spying on American citizens his health care solution, his caving in on environmental causes, Gitmo, Drone attacks on and on are not liberal positions.

" But on Friday, political scientist Keith Poole released a study that probably cheered the White House. According to his highly respected classification system, Obama is the most moderate Democratic president since World War II. Which raises a question: How can Obama simultaneously be one of the most divisive and most moderate presidents of the past century?"

http://voteview.com/blog/?p=317

[George Rebane]

PaulE 310pm - Great positioning of Obama, "middle of the road right leaning Democrat" - wow! Perhaps you could send a short email to the WH.

With the certitude with which you've already decided the election, do you care to give any odds on the 2014 election? the 2016 election? You should be able to rake it in, starting with my money. Slam dunk.

And re your 418pm, I think we're going to see a lot of 'commentators' and political analysts who will be using a lot of ink to move Obama back toward the center from now on. Don't look at what Obama's doing behind the curtain, keep reading those analysts for the true story.

[Gregory]

Paul, he's as left as he can be. Any further and he'd completely lose the electorate, 80% of whom are to the right of Liberal.

[Paul Emery]

"Barack Obama's overseas trip this past week proved “he's not a left-wing ideologue” or a “dove” and, “if anything, he's center, even center-right, on foreign policy issues,” Bloomberg News world affairs columnist Fred Kempe, a veteran of the Wall Street Journal, declared on this weekend's Political Capital show"

Read more: http://newsbusters.org/blogs/brent-baker/2008/07/27/bloombergs-fred-kempe-obama-center-right-foreign-policy#ixzz2hAy0byfC

[Paul Emery]

I have to repeat myself

Obama's support of NSA spying on American citizens his health care solution, his caving in on environmental causes, Gitmo, Drone attacks on and on are not liberal positions.

[fish]

Obama's support of NSA spying on American citizens his health care solution.......

Rumor has it the NSA spying on American citizens is part of his health care solution.

http://reason.com/24-7/2013/10/08/obamacare-marketplace-info-may-be-shared

[Gregory]

Paul, Orwell's Big Brother wasn't a conservative, and the NSA was started by a Democratic president and congress.

Coercive utopians nowadays are on the Left; hadn't you noticed?

[Paul Emery]

Gregory

I cited so called left causes and illustrated Obama's positions. What more do you need? I'll provide it.

[Gregory]

Paul, your myopia is showing.

His governing positions are, in general, as left as he can make them. He's the same between the ears as he was when he was a community organizer, working with Bill Ayres in the Chicago Annenberg Challenge, in the Illinois legislature courtesy the Ayres, and in the Senate.

Do you really think a switch got flipped by the Presidency that made him a moderate as he was asserting Federal control over all health care in the USA?

[George Rebane]

PaulE 527pm - Paul, you have again demonstrated the Great Divide. Your logic on the Left's eschewing the functions and means of autocracy are mind boggling. Obama "caving on environmental causes" is window dressing for the sheeple. This president, like no other, has used and continues to use the EPA, HUD, DoJ, ... to end run laws of the land and Congress in ruling by executive fiat. Only his far left progressive chorus is totally blind to that, and continues to offer nitpicks to the sheeple as 'proof' that fundamental transformation is not happening.

[Paul Emery]

Chomsky on Obama Nuff said

MIT professor and widely renowned scholar Noam Chomsky said on Thursday that President Barack Obama is "basically what would have been called several decades ago, a moderate Republican."

His comments came during an interview with The Young Turks' Cenk Uygur.

Chomsky went on to say that Obama was "kind of a mainstream centrist with some concerns for liberal ideas and conceptions, but not much in the way of principal or commitment." Chomsky told Uygur that he regarded the president's stance on some issues as "pretty reactionary," offering civil liberties as an example."

[Paul Emery]

Amy Goodman on Obama

President Barack Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder have used the Espionage Act six times to prosecute whistle-blowers -- more than all previous presidents combined. Obama's assault on journalism and his relentless war on whistle-blowers are serious threats to fundamental democratic principles on which this nation was founded. The job of journalists is to hold those in power accountable. Our job is to be the fourth estate, not "for the state." Let us be.

[Bill Tozer]

Mr. Emery. Good evening sir. Your last post quoting Amy Goodman is spot on. Looking at her quote/analysis, would you say Obama is leaning Left, Right or Totalitarian?.

First thing young Castro did up in the hills was capture the radio station. Last year Obama and Holder spied not only on a journalist, but tapped his Daddy's phone and hacked his phone e-mail's as well. And his lady's cell phone. The journalist was threatened with trumped up charges, but since the journalist was never formerly charged, Holden claims no harm, no foul. Nothing to see here, move on.

Well maybe no harm no foul to this present Administration, but the message is clear.

Something as "uncontroversial" as a local station in Colorado doing a story on the taxpayer costs of The Obama family vacation in Colorado and flying the Obamas and their dog (separate flight for Fido) from the Bahamas to hit the slopes in Colorado and extend their vacation another week, well that was a big Bozo no-no. The station manager backed the reporters 100% up because the reporting was accurate and verified by several sources. Not a political hit piece, more of a dollars and sense piece. Having the slopes cleared out and only the Secret Service skiing most of the time was something the Obama political consultants deemed not ready for prime time. Very costly to buy up the ski slopes in Aspen or Vail. The story ran once. The station manager got a call from the owners who got a call from the White House. Message was clear. Shut it down. Do not run that story again. Plus, the station had to turn over all the tapes to the Men in Black. Seems the station is up for re-licensing. No harm, no foul. Nothing to see here, absolutely nothing.

So, Mr. Paul, is Obama lib, Middle, Right, or copying the Great Father in Pyongan, the capital of The Peoples Democratic Republic of Korea??

[Paul Emery]

Bill

So if Obama is such radical Leftist why are such outspoken Lefties as Noam Chomsky and Amy Goodman so disillusioned with him?

[Bill Tozer]

http://www.publicintegrity.org/2013/09/06/13344/court-rejects-obama-administration-secrecy-plea

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/mar/14/obama-transparency-podesta-sunshine-week

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tom-zeller-jr/obamas-secretive-side-a-b_b_3111699.html

takingnote.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/06/07/obamas-secret-habit/?_r=0

http://dissenter.firedoglake.com/2013/09/10/obama-administration-dishonestly-wants-public-to-believe-it-voluntarily-declassified-secret-nsa-documents/

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/08/24/The-Unprecedented-Secrecy-of-the-Obama-Administration

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVG1q49yPaY

[George Rebane]

re PaulE's 811pm - from my 601pm, "Only his far left progressive chorus is totally blind to that, and continues to offer nitpicks to the sheeple as 'proof' that fundamental transformation is not happening."

[Michael Anderson]

Mister Tozer,

Obama has become a fascist President, out of necessity, just like every president since Nixon (Carter excluded). It's in the the job description, and I have to say that he has done a very good job accommodating his "community organizer" constituency while still making the small wing of civil servant fascists somewhat happy. A huge bridge to gap.

Good on ya, my Kenyan brother!

That being said, calling him a socialist is completely silly. I know it makes a lot of people who hate black people feel good about themselves, but it is just plain inaccurate.

M.

[Bill Tozer]

Mr. Paul: you don't have to even read the above links. I brought visual aids to this party. Popcorn time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfooaIPczg4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_ANRgcvjkk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-PEx1O_k1c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_yxZXyUavE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOAc0PSn0MA

[Bill Tozer]

Mr. Paul Emery:

"So if Obama is such radical Leftist why are such outspoken Lefties as Noam Chomsky and Amy Goodman so disillusioned with him?"

Exactly my point, albeit we gleam different conclusions. You say he is pulling a Clinton and moving to the center. Clinton was hated by the far left because he believed in capital punishment.

I say he is moving in the footsteps of those who lust after absolute control, following the path of those that ruthlessly suppress any opposition, real or imagined. Think it is also called repression.

So, again, would you pigeon hole our Prez as Left, Right, Middle, or Totalitarian? Definitely not Libertarian, IMHO.

[Paul Emery]

George

This is getting silly! Are you saying that Amy G and Noam C are being deceived by Obama to think he's nor really a radical lefty but somehow he really is? I don't get what you're saying? Can you help me out?

By the way, the EPA was started by a Republican, Richard Nixon. Yesterdays pubbers would be todays radical lefties.

[Bill Tozer]

Mr. Anderson. How are you this fine evening? Guess you did not choose me to be your new BFF since I have not received a friendship ring or a nice funny card in the mail. Nor an invite to your slumber party.

"calling him a socialist is completely silly."

Mr Anderson, Mr Anderson. I do not think it is silly at all and I think it is quite accurate. Tell me, kind sir, what is the mind set of your typical community organizer? Why are they out there in front of bankers' homes demanding they be given something, that the rules be laxed for them to make it fair. Why do most community organizers spend a lot of time shaking down evil businesses to get money from the rich and give it to the poor...er...after the organizer and his/her buddies get their cut plus overhead. Social empowerment is all well and good, but darn it, that guy over there needs to kick down some greenies...to us! I would say Obama is wrought with socialistic leanings at the minimum.

[Gerry Fedor]

Bill I could never figure out that Bill Clinton goop gobbling episode too, as if you ask any woman I know if I put my penis into your mouth is that sex?

We're all smart enough to know that 99.9999999% of women would call it sex! LOL!!!

Nope. I'm not an Obama fan, or Obamacare fan, but this is still right on!

Oct 2008: "You'll never get elected and pass healthcare."

Nov 2008: "We'll never let you pass healthcare."

Jan 2009: "We're gonna shout you down every time you try to pass healthcare."

July 2009: "We'll fight to death every attempt you make to pass healthcare."

Dec 2009: "We will destroy you if you even consider passing healthcare."

March 2010: "We can't believe you just passed healthcare."

April 2010: "We are going to overturn healthcare."

Sept 2010: "We are going to repeal healthcare."

Jan 2011: "We are going to destroy healthcare."

Feb 2012: "We're gonna elect a candidate who'll revoke healthcare NOW."

June 2012: "We'll go to the Supreme Court, and they will overturn healthcare."

Aug 2012: "American people'll never re-elect you-they don't want healthcare."

Oct 2012: "We can't wait to win the election and explode healthcare."

Nov 2012: "We can't believe you got re-elected & we can't repeal healthcare."

Feb 2013: "We're still going to vote to obliterate healthcare."

June 2013: "We can't believe the Supreme Court just upheld healthcare."

July 2013: "We're going to vote like 48 more times to erase healthcare wasting tons of time and money by not addressing issues such as the debt issue."

Sept 2013: "We are going to leverage a government shutdown into defunding, destroying, obliterating, overturning, repealing, dismantling, erasing and ripping apart healthcare."

Oct 2013: "WHY AREN'T YOU NEGOTIATING?"

I think that timeline sums up the whole issue.....

[George Rebane]

GerryF 1125pm - That timeline may be true enough, but it does highlight that there is at least one political party that saw through the insanity that Obamacare has turned out to be. This litany is apropos to RR's recent companion pieces on national ignorance - e.g. how come the lamestream is not headlining (reporting?) the CBO's announcement that Obamacare will require an additional funding of $2.5T over the next ten years; that instead of the ballyhooed and bamboozled promise that this socialist pill will save us money?

[Gregory]

Fedor, and it will continue. For one thing, had the program now in place actually been honestly described, even Pelosi's Democrats would have run to the hills rather than pass it. People aren't able to keep their doctors, their insurance plan, no one besides the 'preexisting condition' cases are seeing lower prices and 29.5 hours a week is becoming the new normal.

Moynihan was right; big programs like HillaryCare or ObamaCare need to pass with a 70/30 bipartisan mandate, not 51/49 partisan squeakers that make it only with arms twisted to their breaking points.

Obamacare will be a success if they can convince the current 20 and 30 somethings to ignore their own self interest and pay through the nose for medical insurance in order to subsidize their parents. We shall see. Personally, I expect they'll balk. In the meantime, we have the CR Kabuki playing in DC.

Here's a view on the National Parklands closures:

"I hopped in my car this morning, and went to explore Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, the closest National Park Service managed public land to my house.

We got out to the park, and I anticipated all services would be shut down, no employees on duty, and open access to the park.

Well, I was half right. All the services were shuttered, and non-essential personnel were sent home.

It turns out essential personnel were still there. And those essential personnel were Park Rangers armed with assault rifles, wearing bullet proof vests, and blocking access to the park road. So the parks didn’t just “close” during this Federal Government shut down. No, instead the Parks are paying federal employees to stand around at the entrance gate, dressed like commandos and enforcing a closure.

It doesn’t sound so much like a park closure as it does as the government restricting the public access to their own lands."
http://www.famousinternetskiers.com/sorry-were-closed-says-the-national-park-service/

[Paul Emery]

George

I still need a clarification from you re my 8:57 question. I'm really scratching my had over this since if Obama is truely the radical Lefty you describe why is he not supported by that group? I