Sugarplum's Solo Blog

Democrats Are the Rich

2012-02-09T05:54:00.000-08:00

Ann Coulter's column today has some interesting information about the wealth of the Left in America, as compared to the man they are loving to hate right now, Mitt Romney.

Snippets:
Kerry is in a special category of the gigolo. He acquired his fortune by marrying someone, who married someone, who inherited the money -- leading Kerry's children to refer to Teresa Heinz Kerry as their "step-money." In what can only be described as sheer luck, Kerry's first wife was also an heiress.
...

The six wealthiest senators are all Democrats, half of whom married or inherited their money. Some of the multimillionaire Democrats are:

-- Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., the second-richest senator after Kerry, inherited his money.

-- Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., the sixth-richest senator, married her money.

-- Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., was a bogus dot-com multimillionaire, cashing out before the stockcrashed.

-- Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., the ninth-richest senator, who failed to pay taxes on her private plane until she was caught last year, married her money.

Meanwhile, with few exceptions, Republicans either made money on their own or they don't have it.

It's not an accident that Democrats oppose a tax on wealth, which they have boatloads of, but strongly support taxes on income, something they typically do not have.

Painting

2012-01-31T08:48:00.001-08:00

I saw a post on Facebook about this painting and thought I'd share the link to the painting here. I think it's really interesting.

Leaving California

2012-01-30T09:36:00.000-08:00

The Hotel California song is kind of true about the state -- they make it very hard to get out. But we did it...many obstacles along the way. I wanted to share the story here with you.

Our LAX - DFW flight on American Airlines was scheduled for 7:45am, which meant we had to get up at 4am to pack and get dressed and get to the airport on time. Which, was fine. My in-laws were going to drive us to the car rental return and then drop us off at the curbside check in. My mother-in-law got a little lost trying to find the hotel parking lot, but we found her (she's not really awake at 5am) and got on the road. My father-in-law almost got off at the wrong exit about 4 times, but we managed to find the car rental return and be ok. We parked illegally and made enemies with the guard at the gate, but nothing truly terrible happened at that end.

At the airport, we unloaded our 5 suitcases and cardboard box-packed pack n play. That was fine. We also had a stroller, carseat, backpack, diaper bag, purse, and tote bag filled with snacks for the little one to carry inside. I had printed our boarding passes the day before, so we just went straight to security.

At security, things were moving along smoothly when our pre-packaged baby food and drinks were questioned by an agent named Luis. He told me that in order to be allowed to carry the items onto the plane, I needed to have a fully body pat down. The poor guy was trying to talk me out of doing this because a) I'm 34 weeks pregnant and b) I was carrying our 21 month old. I said "no, it's fine. I'll do the pat down. He has to eat." And TSA Agent Luis looked horrified because I know he was thinking this was going to be on youtube by the end of the day and that he'd be fired. There weren't any women TSA agents nearby, so I was getting pretty excited about the settlement payout I'd receive from TSA. His manager came over and asked me if I was travelling alone, which I was not, so my husband ended up getting the pat down for the family. I was really hoping they'd pat down our 21 month old so that I could go after there for molestation, but oh well. No such luck. They were very accommodating and my husband said the pat down wasn't so bad.

We got to our gate, had some breakfast, and boarded the plane. It was all fine until we realized that the seats on this 767 American Airlines plane were much closer together than the seats we've grown accustomed to on Southwest planes. So our son's carseat was literally bumping up against the seat in front of him and there was no space at all for his feet. The poor woman sitting in front of him had a lap baby and was thoroughly annoyed with us. We apologized and she was just yelling at us that her baby was sleeping and I wanted to yell back "lucky you" but I held it in, despite only having 3 hours of sleep. Yay, self discipline and willpower.

Three hours or more later, we were on the ground in Dallas. I was feeling every single week of my pregnancy and the lack of sleep, so I sat for a little bit while my husband picked up some lunch for us and our son slept in his stroller. We were sitting right next to our gate and didn't hear any announcements at all, but when boarding was supposed to begin, we found out that our gate had been changed. If you know anything about DFW, getting from one gate to another is not a simple task, so we walked as fast as my waddling legs would take us to the correct gate. I had to check the stroller and the woman didn't want to help me because she was working the gate by herself. She told me I didn't have the right boarding passes and it turned out, our son and I didn't HAVE boarding passes. The LAX - DFW ones printed twice and there were no records of us going from DFW - HSV. She had to call for backup.

Ten very tense minutes later, we all had boarding passes and the stroller was checked and we boarded the plane. Only to find out that American Airlines really doesn't like carseats at all. This one wouldn't buckle into the seat (which made the landing pretty exciting), however, there was space for our son's feet. Once again, the person seated in front of him was a mom with a lap baby. Our son screamed and kicked and cried for about half of the flight (approximately 45 minutes of the 1 hour and 15 minutes in the air) and annoyed everyone. The man sitting next to me was EXTREMELY sick with some kind of sinus something that I was thinking might require surgery and/or hospitalization to cure. Yuck. Every awake breath out of him sounded like a camel snoring. It was terrible, but he was very gracious to us with the screaming child.

We landed and the carseat flew almost out of the seat but I caught it and held it in place. We got off the plane and our luggage actually arrived with us. We got a rental car drove to the hotel. Unpacked, had dinner, and so far, Alabama has been a lot less stressful than flying to Alabama.

Thomas Sowell

2012-01-25T07:33:00.001-08:00

He wrote a great column today about "presumptuous ignorance." But my favorite part was this:

When Barack Obama speaks loftily about "investing in the industries of the future," does anyone ask: What in the world would qualify him to know what are the industries of the future?

Why would people who have spent their careers in politics know more about investing than people who have spent their careers as investors?

Yes...They're Exactly Like the Tea Party

2012-01-22T17:08:00.001-08:00

Because we've all heard the stories about Tea Party protesters who stole holy things from churches and urinated on crosses.

The Occupy movement is just a bunch of deadbeat hoodlums.

I Missed the Debate

2012-01-20T08:45:00.000-08:00

I didn't watch the debate last night because I was having dinner with friends, but I'm listening to the clips this morning and I think last night presents an even better case -- if Republicans choose Santorum or Romney, we have a chance, but Gingrich and Paul need to get the heck out of dodge.

I'm always amazed by Gingrich's brilliance, but the man's narcissism and ego are more than I can bear. I'm not sure he has America's best interest at heart, because I think he has Newt's best interest at heart.

Santorum understands what makes America great. I'm not sure if Romney does. I don't know who I'm for at this point, but I know for certain it's not Ron Paul.

Case Against Romney

2012-01-19T08:13:00.001-08:00

Ann Coulter obviously did a lot of research for this column and explains what everyone is talking about when bringing up Romney's history at Bain Capital.

ARGH

2012-01-15T21:49:00.000-08:00

Why are House Republicans trying to shut down the internet? #SOPA #tcot And what can we do to stop them?

EPA Has Too Much Power

2012-01-13T16:48:00.000-08:00

If they can make our gas prices go up by $0.25 a gallon, they have too much power.

She Just Makes So Much Sense

2012-01-12T09:47:00.001-08:00

Ann Coulter explains about how it's impossible to fire government employees with multiple examples in various locations and departments. It's kind of a defense of Mitt Romney.

As Seen on Twitter

2012-01-11T15:11:00.001-08:00

(Just click on the link)

http://www.620wtmj.com/blogs/charliesykes/137123713.html#comments

Lesson in Racism and Marxism

2012-01-11T13:34:00.001-08:00

For a person who didn't understand the difference between actual racism and satire. Good grief.

Holy Moly

2012-01-06T15:29:00.001-08:00

This blog is going to be done from Alabama pretty soon -- we just found out today that we are definitely moving there in about 3 or 4 weeks! Holy moly that's going to be a shift coming from LA County, California. Wow.

Obama's Appointment

2012-01-06T08:43:00.000-08:00

It's not in the news at all (that I've seen) and it should be. Our President is ignoring Congress and ignoring the Constitution and getting away with it.

Late to the Party

2012-01-05T14:20:00.000-08:00

I know I'm getting a late start on this book, but I am LOVING David Mamet's The Secret Knowledge. If I had totalitarian power, I'd force every American citizen to read it. Ironic, I know, but that requirement might provide them with more liberty than they've ever known before.

Is Virginia Still Considered Part of the South?

2012-01-04T16:57:00.000-08:00

After stunts like this one, I have to wonder.

Saw this thanks to Glenn Reynolds

2012-01-04T08:03:00.000-08:00

It's an article about California -- who is leaving and why and what the legislature focused on this past year. My favorite stupid law isn't mentioned, but it's the one that requires large corporations to develop a plan to show the government how they are dealing with human trafficking. They aren't required to actually do anything and the law is non-binding, but the lawyers at these businesses have to waste time developing a plan that they submit to some government committee, that I'm sure is unionized and paid higher wages than their private sector counterparts. Genius!!

Way to Encourage Tourism, New York

2012-01-03T08:51:00.000-08:00

As if it's not incredibly expensive and crowded and confusing and hard enough for tourists already...arresting them and giving them mandatory minimum jail sentences is really the way to encourage more people to visit.

Dumbass moron Democrats. Sometimes I wish you thought about the consequences of your idiotic laws.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

2011-12-30T14:29:00.000-08:00

I love it -- read the first review.

Father's Rights

2011-12-30T14:26:00.001-08:00

I am in favor -- fathers are vital and pushing them out through the court system is one of the toughest blows against marriage in our society. I hope we can reverse that and get the legal system and our society back on the right track.

Yip-Ee-Ki-Aye-Ay!

2011-12-29T20:55:00.000-08:00

Or however you spell that -- a judge has overturned the stupid global warming law in California! Santa Claus came late this year to CA, but I'm so happy to see he came!

Incandescent Light Bulbs

2011-12-29T18:59:00.000-08:00

To buy (and stock up) or not to buy. That is the question!!! I cannot decide what to do.

Karl Rove Election Predictions

2011-12-29T18:49:00.000-08:00

Kind of fun to read -- I hope we can see this again next year so that we can if he was right on any of these.

More Surprises...

2011-12-29T10:29:00.000-08:00

Thomas Sowell is a fan of Newt Gingrich. This also surprises me. I value Thomas Sowell's thoughts and opinions far more highly than most political op/ed writers, so this makes me stop and think. I'm more likely to fall into the Romney camp this year, mostly because he was governor in a blue state and because he's not flashy and self-absorbed. We HAVE a President who is flashy and self-absorbed. I'm not really a fan of repeating that. But if Thomas Sowell thinks the Gingrich record is worth reconsideration, then I guess it's at least worth that.

Wow...this is surprising

2011-12-29T10:24:00.001-08:00

Ann Coulter thinks Mitt Romney is our best bet. For a lot of logical reasons. And I'm surprised that she is saying him.

Jonah Goldberg on Christmas

2011-12-23T07:49:00.001-08:00

A fun article for the weekend.

Michelle Obama's Anti-Obesity Measures

2011-12-21T07:46:00.000-08:00

Not working at the LA Unified School District.

This is actually such a bad disaster that it's downright humorous now.

Snippet:
Iraides said the school food previously made her throw up, and Mayra calls it "nasty, rotty stuff." So what do they eat? The juniors pull three bags of Flamin' Hot Cheetos and soda from their backpacks.

"This is our daily lunch," Iraides says. "We're eating more junk food now than last year."

Yay for Michelle Obama's school lunch food black market. She's a genius!

Coburn's Waste 2011 Report

2011-12-20T14:37:00.000-08:00

It's long, but there's ridiculous spending on each page. What I'm sad about is that there are no names attached to the list -- we can't see who put these ridiculous "earmarks" into our national budget. So it's helpful to see where our government wastes money (video game preservation and pancakes for yuppies!?!?!?!) but if we knew who was behind all of this waste, we'd have a better shot at tightening the belt in the future.

These are the examples on Tom Coburn's website but the report is much longer:

Examples of wasteful spending highlighted in “Wastebook 2011” include:

• $75,000 to promote awareness about the role Michigan plays in producing Christmas trees & poinsettias.

• $15.3 million for one of the infamous Bridges to Nowhere in Alaska.

• $113,227 for video game preservation center in New York.

• $550,000 for a documentary about how rock music contributed to the collapse of the Soviet Union.

• $48,700 for 2nd annual Hawaii Chocolate Festival, to promote Hawaii’s chocolate industry.

• $350,000 to support an International Art Exhibition in Venice, Italy.

• $10 million for a remake of “Sesame Street” for Pakistan.

• $35 million allocated for political party conventions in 2012.

• $765,828 to subsidize “pancakes for yuppies” in the nation’s capital.

• $764,825 to study how college students use mobile devices for social networking.

And the Pendulum Swings Back...

2011-12-18T08:30:00.000-08:00

It looks like the Christians are only going to take this crap for so long before standing up for themselves...go Texas!

Scary for Conservative Teacher

2011-12-15T14:09:00.000-08:00

How dare she have a dissenting opinion. How dare she.

Good Stuff

2011-12-15T07:19:00.000-08:00

Victor Davis Hansen has a piece about The Hundred Years' German War and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Hard work, saving, self discipline...somehow leads to a better life for everyone.

Snippet:

In other words, an Athenian may still have his ultra-modern airport and subway, a Spaniard may still get a hip replacement, or a Roman may still enjoy his new Mercedes. But not if they still insist on daily siestas, dinner at 9 p.m., retirement in their early 50s, cheating on taxes, and a de facto 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. workday.

Behind all the EU's 11th-hour gobbledygook, Germany's new European order is clear: If you wish to live like a German, then you must work and save like a German. Take it or leave it.

News You Might Not Have Seen

2011-12-14T21:12:00.000-08:00

Company leaves CA for TX. Too bad we can't go with them. I'd move to TX.

A restaurant that was permanently closed due to the Occupy movement. Way to go, protesters!

Another company that is leaving CA for TX. But I doubt the Dems in power here are upset about this. Soon, California will only be illegal immigrants and public employees. I wonder who will pay for everything then?

Cell phones aren't as dangerous as the NTSB wants us to believe. Good thing I have so much distrust of institutional proclamations.

I enjoyed this

2011-12-14T07:18:00.000-08:00

Jonah Goldberg explaining what he calls "Newtzilla." I thought it was a good piece.

Snippet:

That remains a stretch. Mitt Romney is still the sensible choice if you believe these are rough, but generally sensible, times. If, however, you think these are crazy and extraordinary times, then perhaps they call for a crazy, extraordinary -- very high-risk, very high-reward -- figure like Gingrich.

This helps explain why Newtzilla is so formidable. In order to stop him, you need to explain to very anxious GOP voters that the times don't require him.

Newt's First Year as House Speaker

2011-12-08T05:27:00.001-08:00

Ann Coulter's column is worth reading.

Newt Presents a Fresh New Virtual Face - Page 2 - Ann Coulter - Townhall Conservative

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Trump Hosts Debate

2011-12-05T21:51:00.000-08:00

To everyone who is saying that a "reality TV host" shouldn't host a debate, hello? Anderson Cooper did a great job and he hosted The Mole. Or has everyone forgotten about that show?

People who don't know their TV, shouldn't make rash generalizations about it. Boo to the TV fools. I will absolutely watch Trump's debate and I will watch his show next season, whatever version of the Apprentice it is (regular or celebrity). I won't buy his book because I don't need to -- watching him on TV is enough to know that he is a genius and that's how to make things work. :)

Anyway, I don't mind him hosting a debate. I think it's funny.

Decline in America

2011-12-04T07:58:00.001-08:00

FOX News: Boy, 9, Suspended from School for Sexual Harassment After Calling Teacher 'Cute'

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In Honor of Christmas

2011-12-02T07:28:00.000-08:00

Lee Habeeb has a column up about the making of Charlie Brown's Christmas television special (which I love). I heard a radio interview with him on Hugh Hewitt's show and found out the show almost didn't air...interesting back story.

Enjoy!

It's Like the Onion, but It Really Seems Like It.

2011-11-19T21:37:00.000-08:00

This is not a joke. This is real. The EU has banned the statement that water prevents dehydration. LOL. It's hilarious and sad all at the same time. I particularly enjoyed this quote:
“The euro is burning, the EU is falling apart and yet here they are: highly-paid, highly-pensioned officials worrying about the obvious qualities of water and trying to deny us the right to say what is patently true.

Yikes. "Washington is Going to Explode."

2011-11-15T14:26:00.000-08:00

That sounds good to me!

If You Live in Iowa...

2011-11-15T14:09:00.000-08:00

I don't like it that when a business owner takes a stand against same-sex marriage, the GLBT community attacks the business/livelihood of that person. I don't like it. It's the politics of personal attacks in a weird and twisted way. I don't like it.

So, if you live in Iowa, please support this baker and keep her employed.

Wow.

2011-11-15T14:06:00.001-08:00

Some of the Syrian army seems to be defecting...I think this is good news, but it's still scary and unbelievable.

For the Record

2011-11-11T07:10:00.000-08:00

When I was in college, the European Union was one of two topics of discussion in all of my econ policy classes (the other was whether or not China should be allowed in the WTO). It was a hot topic. It was discussed at great length and I had to read about it all the time.

My conclusion back then (probably 1999-ish)? I thought there was no way a single currency union could last in Europe. They were trying to compete with the United States and there was no way they could achieve that. My first thought was that if someone in Montana loses a job, they can move to any of the other 49 states in the US and speak the same language, eat similar foods, celebrate similar holidays, watch the same TV shows, etc. If a hurricane hits North Carolina, it's easy to ship in help from Ohio or Kentucky. But in Europe, there are distinct cultures, languages, customs, traditions, foods. Did you know that when the World Cup was being held in France, the Italian team brought all their own food supplies with them because they refused to eat French food? There is no flexibility built into Europe like there is in the United States. And that's just a surface issue.

Now it turns out that they've set up a convoluted system of borrowing that is possibly going to ruin them. In the US, if a state wants to borrow money, their credit rating is set as a state. It's separate from that of the federal government and it is not linked to the credit rating of any other state. In the EU, if a country wants to borrow money, their credit rating is set along with all the other nations. They're somehow connected. So Germany isn't a risky borrower, but Greece is. But the interest rate for lending to Germany and Greece is virtually the same, so investors assume the risk is the same. It was set up this way because the EU was supposed to stand behind any country that joined the union. It was foolish.

If California goes under, it doesn't hurt anyone's investment decisions in lending to Nevada or Pennsylvania. But if Greece goes under, is anyone going to want to lend money to Germany or France?

So I can see why France wants to create a new breakaway group.

Scary Story

2011-11-10T11:53:00.000-08:00

Washington Nationals Catcher was kidnapped in Venezuela? I don't believe it. Must have been done by Chavez haters because we all know that Hugo Chavez is a benevolent dictator.

A Must Read

2011-11-10T07:32:00.001-08:00

Ann Coulter's latest -- a description of how David Axelrod destroys Obama's opponents.

Seriously, even if you don't normally read her stuff, this is beyond enlightening.

Cain's Anonymous Attackers

2011-11-02T15:13:00.000-07:00

I believe Herman Cain that he didn't sexually harass anyone. I believe him that this is probably coming from Rick Perry's staff.

But my overall opinion is that the politics of personal attacks are stupid and harmful. Not to the candidate, but to the country. I think the people who go after their opponents for personal stuff like this from decades ago are only out to promote themselves as an individual and they don't care that they debase the country in the process. It's sad to watch and I just don't care.

I wouldn't change my opinion of him if cheated on his wife once 20 years ago with a paid prostitute. I wouldn't change my opinion of how this would affect his ability to run the country. Keep in mind that Hitler led a blameless personal life and Churchill was a heavy drinker, heavy smoker, who couldn't get himself out of bed before noon.

Green Jobs

2011-11-02T14:33:00.001-07:00

FOX News: Obama’s $500 Million Green Jobs Program ‘Far Behind’ Projections, Watchdog Says

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Who Is The Victim Now?

2011-11-02T14:29:00.001-07:00

FOX News: Owner: Occupy Wall Street Cost Restaurant 21 Jobs -- and Counting

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Ouch.

2011-11-02T11:42:00.000-07:00

Walter E. Williams on the Libya situation and the Middle East in general. He basically thinks democracy is impossible there because they don't have the underlying philosophy to support what we know as democracy. It's a valid point.

2011-10-30T17:16:00.003-07:00

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Scary

2011-10-30T17:16:00.001-07:00

FOX News: Hawaii Couple's Daughter Taken Away for 18 Hours Over Alleged Sandwich Theft

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I Think I'm Getting Old

2011-10-28T07:55:00.000-07:00

Or...something. I watched Bridesmaids yesterday, which so many of my friends told me was absolutely hilarious in every possible way and that they saw it in the theaters multiple times and laughed so hard they almost peed, cried, fill in the blank. Granted, I had expectations set far too high by all the friend commentary, so I was kind of bound to be disappointed, but still. My reaction to the movie was just sadness. This also should not surprise me, since so many people involved in making this movie were NBC people (read: I think they hate marriage and families).

The characters included a single girl, whose ex-boyfriend ran a business with her and I couldn't tell if he caused the business to go under or if the recession did, but he was no longer in her life and he was a jerk somehow. She then gets fired from her job, moves in with her crazy mother, and has no one in her life except for a "f*** buddy" who treats her like crap. Sad. Not funny.
Her best friend gets engaged and seems mesmerized (in the original sense of the word) with the richest friend she has, this phony fake buy everyone's respect woman who is in a shallow marriage (we find out later).
There are three other bridesmaids in the film: the fat, quirky one who eats too much and is weird and says too much too soon and at least bordered on funny sometimes (the noises before getting sick, the fight club reference, the scenes on the plane), but totally grossed me out beyond belief at the very end of the movie with the hoagie. There's the one who has been married the longest (the cousin) who has 3 sons and hates her life and her family so much that she is trying to come up with fantasies she can live off of for the next however long and hasn't kissed her husband in five years. Then there's the naive newlywed who likes Disney/Pixar too much for an adult. She has a very sterile relationship and gets advice from the one who has the miserable marriage on how to make it work.

No one in this movie is happy. It's weird. It's sad. Obviously, I'm being totally pregnant about this, but seriously, if this is true of our culture, then we are totally screwed. We're about to be invaded by the Goths and Visigoths and it's OVER. This is the saddest group of people I have watched in a long time and it just made me concerned. I laughed once out loud and thought once "I can see how this is funny" but the rest of the movie was depressing.

I know my friends liked it and are going to think I'm crazy for writing all of this, but I think they might have been a little crazy to have liked this movie as much as they did. It didn't make sense to me to call it a comedy. It was just sad and parts of it were crudely gross. I don't think gross is funny either.

I'm not happy I watched it. Boo for Bridesmaids.

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Malkin on Sebelius

2011-10-28T07:40:00.000-07:00

Michelle Malkin has the story about Kathleen Sebelius when she was Governor of Kansas. She was asked to produce documents about underage girls who had had abortions (166 of them under the age of 14, showing potential for child rape) and refused to do so out of "privacy concerns." Now it turns out those documents were shredded.

The interesting part of the story (to me) is not mentioned in this article, but was mentioned by Bill O'Reilly last night on his television program, is that this is the same Kathleen Sebelius who is pressuring all of America to produce their medical documents to the federal government under Obamacare. When faced with the argument of "privacy concerns," she has clearly switched teams and considers that (now) a non-issue.

Honestly, on this one, I'm curious what Ron Paul thinks....since he's an OB/GYN and a libertarian. I bet he has an interesting point of view on this story.

If Only People Listened to Ann Coulter

2011-10-27T07:57:00.000-07:00

Instead of Joe Biden. She has a column up today that is enlightening. I'm not opposed to public school teachers (who is??), but she makes a lot of valid points about Joe Biden's careless (and deeply applauded) comments about rapes and murders increasing if the jobs bill doesn't pass.

Snippets:
What is liberals' evidence that there will be more rapes and murders if Obama's jobs bill doesn't pass? Biden claims that, without it, there won't be enough cops to interrupt a woman being raped in her own home -- which would be an amazing bit of police work/psychic talent, if it had ever happened. (That's why Americans like guns, liberals.)
Obama's jobs bill tackles the problem of rape and murder by giving the states $30 billion ... for public school teachers.
Only $5 billion is even allotted to the police, but all we keep hearing about are the rapes and murders that Democrats are suddenly against (as long as being "against" rape and murder means funding public school teachers and not imprisoning or executing rapists and murderers).
...
But if I were a liberal, I wouldn't acknowledge these facts, or any facts. I would close my eyes, cover my ears, demand that MSNBC fire Pat Buchanan and the FCC pull the plug on Fox, and pretend to believe that taxpayer-funded "green" projects and an ever-increasing supply of public school teachers were the only things that separated us from Armageddon.

Who Is More Irrational?

2011-10-25T19:54:00.000-07:00

Evangelicals or Leftists?

It's an honest question. Dennis Prager discusses this in his column today.

Snippet:

With regard to those evangelicals -- and for that matter, those ultra-orthodox Jews -- who believe that Earth is less than 10,000 years old and that there either were no dinosaurs or that they lived alongside human beings, my reaction has always been: So what? I believe that Earth is many millions of years old, that "six days" is meant as six periods of time (the sun wasn't even created until the third day, so how could there have been any days before then?) and that dinosaurs preexisted man by millions of years.

But what real-life problem is caused by people who believe otherwise? Does it affect any of their important behaviors in life? Do they not take their children to doctors? Do they oppose medical research? Do they reject scientific discoveries that affect our lives? No. Not at all. Are there no evangelical or ultra-orthodox Jewish doctors? Of course there are, and apparently they are very comfortable learning and practicing science.

Compared to the many irrational beliefs of secular, leftist intellectuals -- good and evil exist even though there is no God; male and female are interchangeable; international institutions are the hope of mankind -- evangelical irrational beliefs are utterly benign.

Emilio's Movie

2011-10-24T17:27:00.001-07:00

Do you remember Emilio Estevez? He made a movie. A new movie. One that's in theaters right now. It might be worth seeing. Here's an article about it, trying to convince us to go.

GenX Rant Against Millennials

2011-10-24T13:01:00.000-07:00

Not that I blame them, but this obviously comes from someone older than me -- probably someone born in the 1960's. If you can handle the foul language, it's an interesting insight.

Your Taxpayer Dollars At Work

2011-10-20T18:30:00.000-07:00

In Finland. Building cars. For an American company. Thank you, Joe Biden.

Harsh and Filled With Truth

2011-10-20T07:04:00.000-07:00

Ann Coulter's column today about the Occupy Wall Street protests.

Snippet:
Last week, the great minds of the OWS movement, bored with playing bocce ball and getting stoned, decided to protest at the homes of Wall Street's robber barons. They then proceeded to walk right past George Soros' apartment building in order to protest at the homes of Rupert Murdoch and David Koch.
THEY'RE NOT WALL STREET!
You may not like Koch and Murdoch's products -- fertilizer and media -- but neither one has anything to do with Wall Street. Unlike money manipulators such as John Corzine (Democrat), Robert Rubin (Democrat) and George Soros (Democrat and Obama's biggest supporter), Koch and Murdoch make money from corporations that actually produce something.
They take risks, make things and get menaced by the government. Wall Street schemers take no risks, produce nothing and get bailed out by the government.
Even assuming, for purposes of argument, that Koch and Murdoch are as evil as these morons seems to think, the protesters call their demonstration "Occupy Wall Street," not "Occupy Businesses Whose Products We Disapprove Of."

GOP Debate on CNN - My Thoughts

2011-10-18T20:32:00.000-07:00

1. Wayne Newton!!!!

2. Rick Santorum and Rick Perry both yelling over Mitt Romney makes me think they picked the wrong nickname for Richard. They just looked like desperate jerks to me. I've always thought Santorum was a good guy until tonight. In my opinion, he blew it. Same goes for Rick Perry -- talking over someone and accusing them of hiring illegals in their home just makes you look like a jerk who doesn't know the whole story. It might work in a commercial ad but in a debate, when the person has the chance to correct your twist-ation, tsk tsk. You look mean-spirited and petty.

3. Based on the fact that Newt Gingrich and Michele Bachmann just keep going after Obama instead of the other candidates makes me think they're running for Vice President -- by not saying bad things about the other people. I like it that they don't say bad things about the other people. I even prefer that. But since the other kids aren't playing that way, it makes me think that maybe they're giving up.

4. Newt Gingrich is still the smartest man in the room. I don't think he's like-able enough to be a good candidate, but if it were up to me, I'd make him Chief of Staff for whichever Republican wins the candidacy. He'd make the smartest Chief of Staff in the history of the White House. Dude knows his stuff and I wish they'd let him talk more.

5. I read a summary of Ron Paul's balanced budget plan today -- he would eliminate (if I remember correctly) the Depts of Education, Energy, Housing & Urban Development, Interior, and Commerce. And bring home all the troops. And based on what he said tonight about the border issue -- I think he'd put the troops from Afghanistan along the border with Mexico. I don't think this is sound foreign policy and while I'd enjoy cutting 5 major departments that do jack squat to make the country better, I'm not sure that plan would pass Congress.

6. Wayne Newton!

7. I think Mitt Romney is looking better and better -- getting angry just shows he's not a robot, so I'm glad he did. And I know everyone keeps saying he's not a true conservative, but four years ago, he WAS the conservative choice when he was up against John McCain. So perhaps we should consider the changes within the Republican party instead of the changes within Mitt Romney. He was the true conservative in 2008. Can he really be the non-conservative in 2012? I don't buy it. Maybe I just like moderates (a real possibility) but I'm a pragmatist and something he said a few debates ago has stuck with me -- he worked with a Dem Congress in MA. Rick Perry works with a Republican Congress in TX. Very different experiences as a Governor. It's at least worth consideration.

8. Did anyone else notice when Rick Perry called Herman Cain "brother"? Is that going to help his image?

Only in Alaska

2011-10-18T17:02:00.001-07:00

If a bear walked into a grocery store and decided to feast on the produce section, would you, a customer, pick the bear up and take it outside? I guess if you're in Alaska, you would.

Past Her Prime

2011-10-18T14:52:00.000-07:00

Susan Sarandon: what a mess. What a hot mess. She has a desperate need for attention. I heard she went to the Occupy Wall Street protests and no one knew who she was. So she had to call the Pope a Nazi to get more attention. Someone is a narcissist!!! I'm just saying...

Another Must Read

2011-10-18T07:38:00.000-07:00

Dennis Prager's column: Why is Class Hatred Morally Superior to Race Hatred?

Snippet:

The major difference between Hitler and the Communist genocidal murderers -- Stalin, Mao and Pol Pot -- was what groups they chose for extermination.

For Hitler, first Jews and ultimately Slavs and other "non-Aryans" were declared the enemy and unworthy of life. For the Communists, the rich -- the bourgeoisie, land owners, and capitalists -- were labeled the enemy and regarded as unworthy of life.

Hitler mass-murdered on the basis of race, the Communists on the basis of class.

Random Thought (Not Mine)

2011-10-18T07:33:00.000-07:00

When Thomas Sowell has something to say (anything at all, really), I'm listening. Today, his column is just random thoughts but they are thought-provoking.

If It Can Happen in Texas...

2011-10-17T14:42:00.000-07:00

High school students required to recite the Mexican pledge of allegiance and national anthem? Granted, it's in a Spanish class, but in my high school Spanish class, we were put into groups and assigned different countries. We studied more than one Spanish-speaking country in the class. Like Spain, for example. Or Venezuela, Ecuador, Argentina, etc. So I'm curious about whether these kids did the Mexico stuff as a part of a greater study of the Spanish speaking world.

Occupy Wall Street - MSM Influence on Them

2011-10-17T10:35:00.000-07:00

Big Journalism is breaking this story about how the MSM is offering advice to the OWS movement to help them with their messaging and media coverage.

That's ethical, un-biased journalism, right?

Occupy Wall Street - Anti-Semitism

2011-10-17T10:33:00.000-07:00

I know that the Tea Party has the "racist" label among the MSM, but it never really fit the Tea Party because the Tea Party is all about limited government, which has nothing to do with race.

Occupy Wall Street, however, is extremely anti-Semitic. Check out this series of clips.

Krauthammer on Scapegoat Strategy

2011-10-14T07:58:00.000-07:00

It's a good column. Try to read the whole thing if you can.

Snippet:

In Obama’s telling, it’s the refusal of the rich to “pay their fair share” that jeopardizes Medicare. If millionaires don’t pony up, schools will crumble. Oil-drilling tax breaks are costing teachers their jobs. Corporate loopholes will gut medical research.

It’s crude. It’s Manichaean. And the left loves it. As a matter of math and logic, however, it’s ridiculous. Obama’s most coveted tax hike — an extra 3 to 4.6 percent for millionaires and billionaires (weirdly defined as individuals making more than $200,000) — would have reduced last year’s deficit (at the very most) from $1.29 trillion to $1.21 trillion. Nearly a rounding error. The oil-drilling breaks cover less than half a day’s federal spending. You could collectObama’s favorite tax loophole — depreciation for corporate jets — for 100 years and it wouldn’t cover one month of Medicare, whose insolvency is a function of increased longevity, expensive new technology and wasteful defensive medicine caused by an insane malpractice system.

Occupy Wall Street - DC Edition

2011-10-12T11:42:00.000-07:00

Sad, sorry, lame. My part of LA County had more people show up for the very first Tea Party rally back in 2009. Seriously. We didn't even really have a "Tea Party" group at that point -- it was just people who read about it on blogs. There was ONE reporter on the scene. One. And several hundred protesters. And speakers.

This is so totally lame and this is what the Left has become -- let's ask the homeless to camp out with us so we look like there are more of us than there are.

Trying to Live Blog the Debate

2011-10-11T17:04:00.000-07:00

I'm doing this while I'm cooking dinner and playing with the toddler. So if I'm not covering everything, sorry.

-- I am growing more and more anxious with the 9-9-9 plan. I think it would disproportionately injure the older population.
-- Perry has a plan! It's about time.
-- I believe Romney could lead in Washington,. He probably understands how to work the system.
-- Perry's had 2 months. Romney's had 5 years. Seriously, people. Come. On.
-- Michele Bachmann is 100% right about where the fault lies for the financial crisis. Dodd-Frank is the source of the problem.
-- Gingrich is smart. Probably the smartest person up there. But he's such a cranky know-it-all.
-- Bernanke and Geitner ARE problems. Dodd and Frank ARE problems.
-- Gingrich is freaking Charlie Rose's freak!!! Putting politicians in jail...that's just crazy talk.
-- Santorum's idea to eliminate corporate tax for manufactures -- might be a good idea. I have to think about that one.
-- Huntsman tried to be funny and it was stupid.
--Medicare is a problem. Bachmann is right.
-- Huntsman is annoying. He likes his father? Idiot. Who doesn't? He's irrelevant.
-- I can't believe Charlie Rose is still alive. He is so boring it almost feels like he's not.
-- Huntsman's pizza price joke: another fail. Why are they giving him so much time?!?
-- Every time someone says 9-9-9, my son says "nah-nah" and it's cracking me up.
-- Milton Friedman joke by Romney: success. At least to me.
-- Romney on the economy: I like.
-- Newt on the Super Committee: 100% agreement.
-- Bachmann on tax policy: genius. Thank you for reminding Charlie that you're smart about this.
-- What did the heckler say?
-- I love Herman Cain's ability to cut through crap.
-- I agree with Bachmann that this 9-9-9 plan could give the federal government a new revenue stream. I've been saying that all along.

------ Major break while I cook, feed the little guy, and eat my own dinner -----

-- Rick Santorum says true things -- breakdown of the family is a large part of poverty. So is the faulty definition of poverty by our government. Do you know how many "impoverished" people have ipods, microwaves, DirecTV, name brand shoes, etc? We need a new definition of poverty. The old one is crap. My husband mentioned driving past a project neighborhood the other day that he doesn't normally drive past and he said almost every house had a DirecTV dish on it -- our taxpayer money goes to them. I have friends who can't afford DirecTV because they've had to cut back financially but these welfare recipients have it? Not cool. Not. Cool.
-- I think Hermain Cain's "nah nah" plan is taking a beating tonight and I don't think he's handling it well.
-- Newt is freakishly smart and understands DC so well.
-- Rick Santorum's idea about the industrial manufacturing industry is really growing on me. A lot.
-- I found myself agreeing with Ron Paul tonight which was...unusual. He sounded a lot less insane and a lot more rational.
-- Charlie Rose said "I believe in tables." What if I don't? What a goober.

So who won and who lost?

Most Pressing Issue Today

2011-10-11T16:38:00.000-07:00

I'm sure this a) protects our country from terrorists and b) creates jobs. Making it a federal crime to mislabel maple syrup. Great. Thanks, Senator Leaky. I mean, Senator Leahy.

Seriously, is this the best our Senators can do?!? They don't take their jobs seriously.

Father of Steve Jobs

2011-10-11T06:51:00.000-07:00

Dennis Prager wrote a column today about blood vs. adoption and for all my friends out there considering adoption, I urge you to read this and see if it in any way changes your mind pro or con.

Snippet:

In fact, as far as Steve Jobs himself was concerned, his only parents were Paul and Clara Jobs. As The New York Times reported nearly 15 years ago ("Creating Jobs," January 12, 1997), "Jobs holds a firm belief that Paul and Clara Jobs were his true parents. A mention of his 'adoptive parents' is quickly cut off. 'They were my parents,' he says emphatically."

But in reading much of the world's press in the past week, one would be excused if he or she came to think of another man as Steve Jobs' father.

The amount of attention paid to his birth father, a Syrian-born American named Abdulfattah Jandali, dwarfed the amount of attention paid to Paul (or, for that matter, Clara) Jobs.

Policy of Racial Payback

2011-10-11T06:46:00.000-07:00

Thomas Sowell has a column up today about a new book that's out. It's worth the time to read his column (per usual) but it might also be worthwhile to read this book.

Snippet from the column:

Those people of good will who want to replace the racism of the past with a post-racial society have too often overlooked the fact that there are others who instead want to put racism under new management, to have reverse discrimination as racial payback for past injustices.

Attorney General Eric Holder became a key figure epitomizing the view that government's role in racial matters was not to be an impartial dispenser of equal justice for all, but to be a racial partisan and an organ of racial payback. He has been too politically savvy to say that in so many words, but his actions have spoken far louder than any words.

Greek Problem

2011-10-10T20:29:00.001-07:00

The Germans want a Greek default? I still think Greece should leave the EU, go back to the drachma, devalue it, and move on. They need to cut benefits to the works because raising taxes isn't going to help them enough.

Christians Killed in Egypt

2011-10-10T12:08:00.000-07:00

Our fellow Christians are being slaughtered in gruesome ways in Egypt. If this is Arab Spring, I hope I never see Arab Winter. LA Times has a story, but it's not necessarily the whole story. It's a shame we have to look elsewhere for more accurate details.

Jerry Brown and the Dream Act

2011-10-08T21:16:00.000-07:00

It looks like Governor Moonbeam has signed legislation into law allowing illegal aliens to receive financial aid (funded by taxpayers) to go to college. Hooray for progress! Unfortunately, what this means is that kids whose parents are legal citizens will be pushed aside and not receive financial aid in order to fund the kids whose parents broke the law.

Just because something feels good doesn't mean it will do good. And at the end of the day, I want a government that does good instead of government people who feel good about themselves. I don't give a crap about their self-images.

Of Course.

2011-10-07T16:06:00.001-07:00

Time to drop the Energy Department.

FOX News: Energy Department Wanted to Give More Money to Solyndra, Emails Show

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I'm Sorry, But Ann Coulter is Funny

2011-10-06T07:25:00.000-07:00

Having lived with a couple of "capitalism protesters" in college, I can't help but laugh at the descriptions.

Snippet:

I am not the first to note the vast differences between the Wall Street protesters and the tea partiers. To name three: The tea partiers have jobs, showers and a point.

No one knows what the Wall Street protesters want -- as is typical of mobs. They say they want Obama re-elected, but claim to hate "Wall Street." You know, the same Wall Street that gave its largest campaign donation in history to Obama, who, in turn, bailed out the banks and made Goldman Sachs the fourth branch of government.

This would be like opposing fattening, processed foods, but cheering Michael Moore -- which the protesters also did this week.

But to me, the most striking difference between the tea partiers and the "Occupy Wall Street" crowd -- besides the smell of patchouli -- is how liberal protesters must claim their every gathering is historic and heroic.

They chant: "The world is watching!" "This is how democracy looks!" "We are the ones we've been waiting for!"

At the risk of acknowledging that I am, in fact, "watching," this is most definitely not how democracy looks.

New Take on America Gone Soft

2011-10-05T07:25:00.000-07:00

Thomas Sowell pokes holes in the idea of "hunger in America" or that the obesity problem for low-income Americans is related to high costs of "healthy" food.

Snippet 1:

Burgers, pizzas and the like cost more than food that you can buy at a store and cook yourself. If you can afford junk food, you can certainly afford healthier food. An article in the New York Times of September 25th by Mark Bittman showed that you can cook a meal for four at half the cost of a meal from a burger restaurant. So far, so good. But then Mr. Bittman says that the problem is "to get people to see cooking as a joy." For this, he says, "we need action both cultural and political." In other words, the nanny state to the rescue!

Since when are adult human beings supposed to do only those things that are a joy? I don't find any particular joy in putting on my shoes. But I do it rather than go barefoot. I don't always find it a joy to drive a car, especially in bad weather, but I have to get from here to there.

An arrogant elite's condescension toward the people -- treating them as children who have to be jollied along -- is one of the poisonous problems of our time. It is at the heart of the nanny state and the promotion of a debilitating dependency that wins votes for politicians while weakening a society.

Snippet 2:

We have now reached the point where the great majority of the people living below the official poverty level have such things as air-conditioning, microwave ovens, either videocassette recorders or DVD players, and own either a car or a truck.

Why are such people called "poor"? Because they meet the arbitrary criteria established by Washington bureaucrats. Depending on what criteria are used, you can have as much official poverty as you want, regardless of whether it bears any relationship to reality.

Interesting Idea

2011-10-05T07:20:00.001-07:00

Walter E. Williams has a column up today with an option for funding some of the Social Security liabilities. I would take this deal if given to me.

Jewish Student Leads Muslim Group?

2011-10-05T07:08:00.000-07:00

Just kidding. Although, it could happen now at Vanderbilt University since they changed the rules for student organizations and are requiring that they allow any student to lead religious groups, even if the student does not agree with the religion.

Snippet:

The story began the way these stories always begin: A homosexual student joined a Christian organization that did not share his acceptance of homosexuality. When he was removed from the group, he complained that the group would not alter its membership criteria just for him. Instead of finding another organization, he filed a complaint that resulted in the investigation of hundreds of organizations.

That bears repeating: Rather than telling one student it would be easier to join a group of like-minded people, the university is investigating over 300 groups and threatening to shut down many of them unless they change their core religious practices and beliefs.

Can't Drink Milk?

2011-10-04T15:59:00.001-07:00

Owning a cow doesn't give you the right to drink its milk. Crazy.

Food Freedom

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Taking Votes for Granted

2011-10-04T07:27:00.000-07:00

Thomas Sowell has a column about the President's speech to the Congressional Black Caucus. Everything he writes is a must-read and this is no exception.

Snippet:

How many people in the media have pointed out that the black-white income gap narrowed during the Reagan administration, just as it has widened during the Obama administration? For that matter, how many Republicans have pointed it out?

The Reagan administration did not have any special program to narrow the racial gap in incomes. The point is that the kinds of policies followed in the 1980s had that effect, just as the kinds of policies followed by the Obama administration had opposite effects. But just listening to rhetoric won't tell you that.

Wow -- It Really Does Work

2011-10-03T19:05:00.001-07:00

It worked in Texas and Florida, but now it's true for Chicago too? Amazing.

12 Step Program for Congress

2011-10-03T16:46:00.001-07:00

Not a bad idea...

A twelve-step plan for Congress | The Daily Caller

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VDH: Postmodern Class Warfare

2011-09-29T11:34:00.000-07:00

His column is up and worth reading.

Snippet:
When President Obama's polls hit 40 percent approval, he fumed at "billionaires and millionaires," "fat cat bankers" and "corporate jet owners." In his sloppy targeting, Obama doesn't care much that a billionaire has 1,000 times more than a millionaire -- or that his new tax proposals will take a lot more from those making $200,000 than from the tiny few making $1 million.

Addicted to Government Spending

2011-09-28T07:04:00.000-07:00

Walter E Williams has a piece today about how to resolve the financial crises of both Europe and the United States.

Snippet:
It turns out that if Congress taxed away our entire $14 trillion 2011 GDP and put it in the bank, it would just barely cover Social Security and Medicare liabilities. That observation suggests that we can't tax our way out of our fiscal mess. In order to avoid permanent stagnation or total economic collapse, governments must start the process of reducing welfare spending.

Love Me Some Netanyahu

2011-09-26T14:32:00.000-07:00

"Better a bad press than a good eulogy." If you want to click ahead, it's just after the 3 minute mark.

Is Greece Going Galt?

2011-09-23T18:38:00.001-07:00

That would be AWESOME!!!

If every business owner in Greece suddenly refuses to pay taxes...they can't just imprison them all. Who will run all the businesses in the country?

Parable of the Shoes

2011-09-21T08:05:00.000-07:00

I had not heard this one before and am thankful that Jonah Goldberg brought it to our attention.

Snippet:
If everyone had always gotten their shoes from the government, writes Rothbard, the proponent of shoe privatization would be greeted as a kind of lunatic. "How could you?" defenders of the status quo would squeal. "You are opposed to the public, and to poor people, wearing shoes! And who would supply shoes ... if the government got out of the business? Tell us that! Be constructive! It's easy to be negative and smart-alecky about government; but tell us who would supply shoes? Which people? How many shoe stores would be available in each city and town? ... What material would they use? ... Suppose a poor person didn't have the money to buy a pair?"

Just What We Need

2011-09-19T07:39:00.001-07:00

A committee of Presidentially-appointed czars. Greaaaaaaaat. Thanks so much, President Obama. But really, redundancy in government is kind of the problem these days.

Haha

2011-09-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

I liked this one.

But then again, I would.

Jonah Goldberg explains Obama's latest silly quote.

Snippet:
"If you love me, you've got to help me pass this bill."

That was part of Barack Obama's response to an exuberant fan who shouted "I love you!" at a campaign rally.

And so it has come to this. "The One" has gone from messiah to pleading like a teenage boy on a date. "Come on, baby. If you love me, you'll do it."

Ann Coulter's Latest

2011-09-15T07:24:00.000-07:00

Her column is up -- it's about the healthcare question at the Republican debate. Replete with facts and excellent reminders of the truth.

Snippet:

Liberals are on their high horses about a single audience member at CNN's Republican debate whom they believe wanted a hypothetical man without health insurance in a hypothetical coma to die -- hypothetically.

(Democrats want people in comas to die only when they are not hypothetical but real, like Terri Schiavo.)

I concur with the audience member who shouted "Yes!" This has nothing to do with any actual people in comas -- the people Democrats want to kill -- it's just a big "screw you" to the moderator.

Can You Imagine

2011-09-14T12:00:00.001-07:00

If you think about it, you can probably imagine how crazy the media would go if President Bush had expedited a $500 billion loan to a company that went bankrupt a year later, especially if he had known in advance that they weren't looking so good.

Can you just imagine?

Attack Watch

2011-09-14T08:09:00.000-07:00

This is so dumb. It's similar to the "snitch on your neighbor" tactics Obama employed a few years ago during the healthcare debate. It's such evidence of his thin skin. Good grief.

Twitter is hilarious about this right now -- everyone who says anything negative about President Obama adds #attackwatch in their message and it's just hilarious.

Solyndra Scandal

2011-09-13T20:31:00.000-07:00

I'm officially declaring this a scandal, in case no one realizes that yet.

Reading this article about the Solyndra Scandal and realizing there are DEFINITE ties to the White House, beyond a publicity stunt.

Snippet:

The company's solar panel factory was heralded as a centerpiece of the president's green energy plan -- billed as a way to jumpstart a promising new industry. And internal emails uncovered by investigators for the House Energy and Commerce Committee that were shared exclusively with ABC News show the Obama administration was keenly monitoring the progress of the loan, even as analysts were voicing serious concerns about the risk involved. "This deal is NOT ready for prime time," one White House budget analyst wrote in a March 10, 2009 email, nine days before the administration formally announced the loan.

Post Debate

2011-09-12T19:32:00.000-07:00

I didn't watch it, but I did just read through some Twitter quotes and it looks like Perry said something unfavorable about illegal immigration and Herman Cain was funny and Michele Bachmann had a defining moment and Mitt Romney fish-slapped Obama by saying he'd bring the Winston Churchill bust back to the White House. Oh, and Ron Paul? Still crazy.

Instapundit had a great link to a recap. If you were looking for one.

My favorite tweet of the night goes to FrankJ of IMAO:

@IMAO_Frank J. Fleming

Instead of being angry at him, we should ask ourselves what did we do to cause Ron Paul.

Today Did a Story on WHAT?!?!

2011-09-12T17:41:00.000-07:00

Stupid freaking NBC. Ann Curry on the Today show did a story about "A Day In the Life of the Leader of Iran."

Huh?

Good. Grief. This dude is evil. This is propaganda machinery.

For the Record,

2011-09-12T14:32:00.001-07:00

I'm not planning on watching the debate tonight.

Monday Night Football AND the season finale of Bachelor Pad.

Charles Krauthammer's Perspective

2011-09-12T13:39:00.000-07:00

It's worth reading the whole thing. We are lucky to have someone so wise instructing us on a regular basis.

Snippet:
The total cost of “the two wars” is $1.3 trillion. That’s less than 1/11th of the national debt, less than one year of Obama deficit spending. During the golden Eisenhower 1950s of robust economic growth averaging 5 percent annually, defense spending was 11 percent of GDP and 60 percent of the federal budget. Today, defense spending is 5 percent of GDP and 20 percent of the budget. So much for imperial overstretch.
Yes, we are approaching bankruptcy. But this has as much to do with the war on terror as do sunspots. Looming insolvency comes not from our shrinking defense budget but from the explosion of entitlements. They devour nearly half the federal budget.
As for the Great Recession and financial collapse, you can attribute it to misguided federal policy pushing homeownership through risky subprime lending. To Fannie and Freddie. To greedy bankers, unscrupulous lenders, naive (and greedy) home buyers. To computer-enabled derivatives so complicated and interwoven as to elude control. But to the war on terror? Nonsense.

Can't Believe This Was in the NY Times

2011-09-12T13:34:00.000-07:00

But wow. Go New York Times for publishing this article.

Iraqis are having second thoughts about the United States troops leaving. Well, I would too if I were in their shoes.