“No Man’s life liberty or property is safe while the legislature is in session”.

- attributed to NY State Judge Gideon Tucker



Friday, April 23, 2010

Wonderboy At Cooper Union

So Wonderboy staged his second coming of Lincoln at Cooper Union yesterday.

Maybe he's turning out to be another Lincoln, after all, but not in the manner he envisioned. There are those who point to Lincoln's suspension of habeas corpus, imprisoning of newspaper editors who didn't agree with his prosecution of the war, and a few other choice violations of Constitutionally-guaranteed rights and freedoms.

In short, some viewed Lincoln as a dictator. Guess Wonderboy is making headway on being the second Lincoln, after all.

Yesterday's speech from the First Rookie, who, to my knowledge, has absolutely no background in, nor understanding of finance, was devoid of any sense of compromise or seeking a generally-agreed best solution for weaknesses in current law governing and structure in the sector.

Instead, as I expected, he simply demanded that Republicans vote for the flawed, dangerously-designed bill that bribed- and grafted-up Senator Dodd (D-CT) has cobbled together to a length of over one thousand pages. In effect, a financial sector version of the largely-unread, incomprehensible health care 'reform' rammed through Congress on a strictly party-line vote.

If Wonderboy truly wanted effective financial sector reform, he'd invite both parties to work together, using public testimony from affected firms in the industry, to write a widely-supported bill. And time wouldn't be an issue.

Why is it this president insists on ramming major, sector-changing laws through Congress without sufficient debate and input, claiming that 'something must be done now?' That any opposition is to total reform, not just his reform?

That's how you know that, with this president, the issue is never getting the best legislation. Instead, it's to get something liberal and accretive to federal power before the November elections limit what a Democratically-controlled Congress can still get away with.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Wonderboy's Lies About Taxes & Tea Parties

Did you see the clip earlier this week portraying Wonderboy castigating Tea Party activists for not thanking him for the largess of his alleged tax cuts?

Personally, I was reminded of a Roman Emperor excoriating the masses for failing to exhibit proper gratitude for their bread and circuses. Even though their taxes paid for the treats.

It's yet another example of our president demonizing free speech, the right of assembly, and anyone who dares to question the reality of the fantasy America he paints in his almost-daily public speeches.

Never mind that our First Rookie lies about the heavy tax burdens woven into his prized health care bill. Or the expiring Bush tax cuts about to raise levies.

Or the new reach of FICA into investment income, thanks to the health care bill. Which will hit anyone with non-qualified investments. That's much more of the voting public than many realize.

And how about the overall tax level, which translates to higher taxes, due to Wonderboy's unprecedented spending and borrowing binge since taking office?

Cap and tax, anybody? Won't that be a tax?

If I'm not mistaken, Wonderboy's so-called 'tax cuts' have only been social program transfers which result in lower-income Americans being given more welfare of various sorts. The people who actually work and pay taxes?

We're getting hammered.

Thanks for nothing, Wonderboy.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Governing vs. Dictating

First it was healthcare.

Now it's financial services regulation.

Wonderboy doesn't believe in governing. Governing takes time, patience, an openness to the ideas of opponents, and a willingness to arrive at a result that will truly be embraced by a majority. It involves compromise.

Instead, our First Rookie demonizes anyone who disagrees with his preferred bill-du-jour.

You can't oppose his proposal. If you do, as Wonderboy targeted Republican Senators and, in particular, their leader, Mitch McConnell, you are called out to the American people as obstructing any and all 'reform.'

Never mind that those opposing the Dodd bill have legitimate concerns. Dodd's deeply flawed bill allows executive powers over the financial sector that are truly imperial. It enshrines 'too big to fail' so that the currently-large and powerful financial institutions gain advantages under the presumed cloak of government rescue.

There are other flaws, as well.

The point is, just because some dispute that Wonderboy's health care or financial 'reform' bills are, as Candide might judge them, the best possible bills in all the world, doesn't mean they are against all reform of these sectors.

Republicans have offered credible, useful ideas and bills in these areas, but have been ignored by Democrats and, most visibly, Wonderboy himself.

Wonderboy is, by his actions, a dictator. Pure and simple.

He does not govern. He does not wish to govern. He only wishes to dictate.

That's not how our Republic was designed to be.....governed!

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

New Polls On Voter Discontent with Big Government

Andrew Kohut of the Pew Research Center wrote a fascinating piece in the Wall Street Journal yesterday concerning voter scepticism of Washington.

He cites many statistics in his editorial, mostly indicating how voters have become significantly disenchanted with and fearful of the federal government and its many social programs.

His last paragraph, however, really gave me pause,

"Nonetheless, antigovernment sentiment appears to be a more significant driver of possible turnout among Republicans and independents than among Democrats. Perhaps the most troubling for Democrats, independent voters who are highly frustrated with government are also highly committed to casting a ballot this year, and they favor the Republican candidates in their districts by an overwhelming 66% to 13% margin."

I have not seen such a lopsided pair of numbers reported anywhere else regarding the upcoming November elections.

If this number is correct, one can't help but see a Republican-controlled House next January.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Wonderboy's Foolish Retreat From NASA

Though interested in the new plans Wonderboy has for NASA, I had to skip listening to or watching his address from the Kennedy Space Center. It's virtually impossible for me to hear another of his endless self-promotional commercials without wanting to be sick.

However, thanks to generous news coverage and the many interviews with former NASA staff and astronauts, I was able to learn the important points of the new plan.

What an unmitigated disaster for our defense, space and economic interests. This is what you get when you elect a total Rookie as president.

Essentially, Wonderboy has cancelled the existing Constellation moon program, without a bona fide replacement. According to technical experts, the resulting promises made by existing NASA managers amounts to essentially a gigantic leap of faith.

In the meantime, the most powerful nation on earth will have to beg our way onto Russian rockets in order to get into space.

Much of our modern, world-leading technology came, directly or indirectly, from the space program. By choosing to solve tough technical problems with sufficient resources, American ingenuity developed computers, wireless communications, and many more technologies which, when applied to the lives of American consumers, resulted in better lives and increased wealth.

Now, our idiot president has shut down this wellspring of technological supremacy.

Mind you, if one criticizes NASA, we could have simply let contracts to private sector vendors to complete the Constellation program.

The reduced footprint of the remaining NASA programs, goals, and scope will result in nations other than the US working on and potentially solving important technological problems which often yield military and economic predominance.

Yet again, our sitting president engages in what some would see as impeachable actions.