Capitol Notebook

On this day  --  exactly three years from the day on which Sarah Palin or Mike Huckabee or Tim Pawlenty or some other Reaganite Republican will probably be elected president  --  many Americans were shocked (but not Reaganites,) that Barack Obama's unemployment rate has now reached a massive 10.2% of the American people unemployed.   

Yet, Obama and his acolytes were promising (and threatening) Blue Dog Democrats that if they did not vote for Obama's  TRILLION dollar (with interest) so-called stimulus bill, the unemployment rate would go above 8%.  So many of the Blue Dog Democrats and other Democrats occupying the 80-plus congressional seats won by President George W. Bush or by Senator John McCain were intimidated and actually voted for the Obama stimulus bill last February.   

And what do they have to show for their vote?  Massive unemployment and some additional 3 million Americans who have lost their jobs since the passage of the Obama stimulus bill.  This week, to make fiscal matters worse, the Democrats in the United States Senate even voted to extend the unemployment benefits of $300 each week for a total of 99 weeks (almost 2 years) to further increase the gargantuan national debt, now approaching $12 TRILLION dollars.    read more »

Interesting tid-bits in the wake of Tuesday's election...

Election already having consequences for Obamacare?

Maybe.  The Hill reports that Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) on Wednesday indicated that he was opposed to the House version of Obamacare: "I oppose the creation of a new government-run public option and continue to have serious concerns about its unintended consequences for Missourians who have private insurance plans they like. I remain concerned about the bill's impact on rural hospitals and doctors."   The dominoes may be starting to fall.

Super stimulus...saves more jobs than actually exist!

Beware all ye who doubt the power of the super stimulus.  The Associated Press documents the proof. 

President Barack Obama's economic recovery program saved 935 jobs at the Southwest Georgia Community Action Council, an impressive success story for the stimulus plan. Trouble is, only 508 people work there.  read more »

Given all the attention paid to the election results in Virginia and New Jersey, it was easy to miss if you weren't paying attention, but voters in Maine comfortably passed a referendum overturning their state legislature's recent enactment of a gay marriage law in that state.

After the law legalizing gay marriage was passed and signed by their governor this past summer, conservatives got organized and initiated a petition to get what amounts to a "citizen's veto" put on the ballot, which allows the public to overrule laws passed by the legislature.  (Imagine have that option on things passed in DC!)

After being outspent almost two to one, to say nothing of having to fight against the mainstream media as well, traditional marriage supporters came out on top and passed the referendum by approximately 53% to 47%.

This was special for a few reasons.

First, it was the first time that voters have been able to overturn gay marriage in a state where it was put in place by a state legislature, (as opposed to the usual suspects of liberal judges).

Second, it continues the unbroken string of thirty-one victories in a row where traditional marriage has been on the ballot.  In fact, voters in no state whatsoever have ever approved gay marriage when they were given the option.

Which should give a little pause to the liberal Democrats in Washington with designs on overturning the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act.

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After Tuesday night's crushing defeat of all the Democrat candidates in the major races -- in Virginia (a 3-race sweep) and in New Jersey (in a huge upset) -  and a tremendous defeat in Maine for the radical homosexual movement and their left-wing allies (including the media) all over the nation, the big question now is will the Blue Dog Democrats listen to the American people?  Their record of listening to their voters is not good so far this year.    

Just last year, the president won both New Jersey and Virginia by large margins, but Republican Governor-elect Robert McDonnell won a gigantic 20-point margin victory over the Democrat candidate and Republican Governor-elect Chris Christie defeated the sitting Democrat Governor, Jon Corzine (who put over $100 million of his own money into his past three races).  

Even the Conservative Republican candidate in the 23rd congressional district special election in New York, Doug Hoffman -- who was hardly known two months ago and who was in the single digits in the polls, but actually pulled ahead in the last hours of the election -- made a reasonable showing after forcing the radically liberal Republican from the race who then endorsed Democrat Bill Owens which put the Democrat over the top.    read more »

After almost a year of big, new spending proposals - to say nothing of the tab that will come along with government run health care - the White House is signaling that this year's one and a half trillion dollar deficit might be a political problem that needs to be dealt with after all. 

It's a good bet that what this really represents is their recognition of what's happening in elections in Virginia, New Jersey and New York - and their trying to inoculate themselves against similar political damage in the future.

From the Washington Times... 

Anxiety about the deficit has fueled the anger of the conservative "tea party" activists, riled by government spending and debt, and it has seeded reservations about the long-term price tags of signature items on the president's agenda...

A speech last week by Christina D. Romer, chairman of the president's Council of Economic Advisers, looked at the reasons for the deficit and at how it relates to health care reform. Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner appeared on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday to make clear that the administration recognizes the deficit is growing too large.

"Well, it's going to have to come down. Now it's too high, and I think everybody understands this," Mr. Geithner said. "The president's very committed to bring down these deficits."  read more »

The headline of the top front-page story written by Rowan Scarborough in today's "The Washington Times" blared:  "Marine leads 'Don't ask, don't tell' fight; Commandant resists efforts to lift ban."  Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James T. Conway has emerged in internal Pentagon deliberations as the most outspoken opponent of permitting homosexual men and women to serve openly in the U.S. military, according to a former senior Pentagon official.  

During the last time America had an extreme left-wing president such as Barack Obama, another courageous American general officer challenged the sitting president, Jimmy Carter, over a major policy difference some 32 years ago.  Major General John K. Singlaub disagreed with the conclusion by the Carter administration that forces in South Korea would be withdrawn without the risk of war.  Like Obama's assinine promise of putting homosexuals in the military, Carter had made a foolish campaign promise that he would withdraw all American troops from Korea over a 4 to 5 year period.     read more »

The so-called "Tea Party Movement" has been disparaged by countless left-wingers including those in the "news" media who call them racists or "Un-American" and of course, the media underestimate their numbers when they march on Washington D.C. as they did earlier this fall, dropping hundreds of thousands of protesters off the actual numbers when reporting crowd size.  

To offer important support for the goals and ideals of the Tea Party Movement, the Republicans in the United States House of Representatives have stepped forward to sponsor a House Resolution.   

Members of the House of Representatives are being encouraged to co-sponsor House Resolution 870 which praises the 9/12 Taxpayer March on Washington D.C.  Thus far, there are 79 Members who have co-sponsored the Resolution.   

H.Res.870 begins by saying:   Expressing gratitude and appreciation to the individuals and families who participated in the Taxpayer March on Washington on September 12, 2009.   The Resolution then has a number of "Whereas clauses" which are listed below:  read more »

Spending, schmending...

The Wall Street Journal has a great op-ed out today looking at government spending, as in how high it already is, and how much more the DC crowd wants to pile on top of it.

"The White House disclosed the other day that the fiscal 2009 budget deficit clocked in at $1.4 trillion, amid the usual promises to do something about it. Yet even as budget director Peter Orszag was speaking, House Democrats were moving on a dozen spending bills for fiscal 2010 that total 12.1% in more domestic discretionary increases. "

Yep, you read that right.  12.1%  And how much of that do you think is "one time only" spending, instead of "systemic"?  (hint: none)

They point out that from 2001-2008, the GOP raised spending at about double the rate of inflation...while the current crop of Democrats are besting inflation by six to one.

Quote of the Week:

The big spending ways of Congressional Democrats brings us to this quote of the week from New York's Church Schumer on Meet the Press.

He stated that:  "Barack Obama and we Democrats-this is counterintuitive but true-are really trying to get a handle on balancing the budget and we're making real efforts to do it."

No shame.

Poll: 33% Say U.S. Is Heading In The Right Direction (67% really paying attention...)  read more »

As hard as it is to believe, a video of the American flag being desecrated is a finalist in a video contest being held by President Obama's campaign organization (Organizing for America at www.barackobama.com).  By the way, this is the same site that previously compared conservatives to "domestic terrorists". 

From the Politico:

One of the 20 finalists in health care video contest run by Barack Obama's campaign arm features a mural of an America flag splattered with health care graffiti until it's covered completely by black paint.

In the video - which is accompanied by the sound of a heart monitor pumping and then flat-lining - words such as "pre-existing conditions," "homeless" and "death panel" ultimately obliterate the flag, which reappears on screen seconds later with the words "Health Will Bring Our Country Back to Life" on the blue field where the 50 stars usually are.

According to the Organizing for American Web site, the 20 finalists in the "Health Reform Video Challenge" were chosen by a panel of "qualified" Democratic National Committee "employee judges."  read more »

  The "Amnesty Bill" concerning illegal immigration is legislation that is being called a "piece of s&$*" by Rep. John Boehner.  This bill would probably not pass on its own merits so we better be watchful and make sure it's not attached as an ammendment to another piece of legislation we want passed.  Mr. Boehner's assessment of the "Amnesty Bill" is correct, although I would use the word "crap" so I wouldn't be censored.  Following are the major points of this bill, which is being panned as "lousy" even by the liberal media.  

Illegal immigrants would be given legal status 24 hours after applying even if background check is not complete - and no one could do a thorough background check in 24 hours.  

 Taxpayers will pay for immigrants attorneys if they need one.  

Illegal immigrants get "temporary" visas that can be renewed indefinitely, making them essentially permanent visas.   Amnesty for gang members.  There are an estimated 30,000 immigrant gang members.  All they have to do is say "I don't want to be a gang member anymore" and their crimes are forgiven.  

Taxpayer dollars will be sent to Mexico for programs to encourage Mexicans to stay in Mexico.  That includes money for a Mexican healthplan for Mexicans and money to build schools.    read more »