The program is hosted by Patrick Crowley and features former KDP vice-chairman and democratic strategist/fundraiser Nathan Smith along with yours truly doing my level best to defend the conservative position and tell it like it really is.

You won't want to miss this one.  It is going to be hot, hot, hot.  Should start airing in the next day or so.

Keep your eyes open!

This from POLITICO:

The House Financial Services Committee has approved Rep. Ron Paul’s measure to drastically expand the government’s power to audit the Federal Reserve.

The measure, based on a Paul proposal that has attracted more than 300 co-sponsors, passed, 43-26, as an amendment to a financial reform bill. Florida Democrat and fellow Fed critic Alan Grayson co-sponsored the amendment with Paul and played a leading role drumming up support for it among committee members. The adoption of this amendment is an extraordinary victory for Paul, whose libertarian, anti-Fed leanings have often been dismissed by the political establishment.

I can hear the Beach Boys in the background now:

You gotta catch a wave and you're sittin' on top of the world
Not just a fad cause it's been going on so long
All the surfers going strong
They said it wouldn't last too long
They'll eat their words with a fork and spoon
And watch 'em they'll hit the road and all be surfin' soon
And when they catch a wave they'll be sittin' on top of the world
Catch a wave and your sittin' on top of the world
So take a lesson from a top-notch surfer boy
Every Saturday boy
But don't treat it like a toy
Just get away from the shady turf
And baby go catch some rays on the sunny surf
And when you catch a wave you'll be sittin on top of the world

Much of the news coverage regarding the Senate version of the "Healthcare Bill" has begun to focus on the way in which it deals with abortion. 

The AP is reporting that the White House is on a dangerous collision course with Bishops which could derail the whole program.  The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has said Reid's bill is the "worst he's ever seen".[AP] 

John Boehner has said on his blog that the bill requires a monthly abortion fee.

Just like the original 2,032-page, government-run health care plan from Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA), Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-NV) massive, 2,074-page bill would levy a new “abortion premium” fee on Americans in the government-run plan. [GOP Leader Blog]

If half of what is being written is true, then perhaps they should stop calling it a "health care" bill and start calling it "The Abortion Bill."  Let's see how many goofy dems would line up in support of THAT.

Dressed in black hooded jackets and black masks, two men entered a Columbus, Ga., area home around 2 a.m. through a lower-level door. Upon hearing noises, the 47-year-old resident (who has been burglarized twice before) went to investigate. When he saw the burglars, the resident called out and the intruders reacted by charging toward him. The resident pulled a .357 Mag. pistol and fired at the men, possibly injuring one before they fled the home via a sliding-glass door. When police arrived, they were able to follow a trail of blood off the property, but the trail was lost in some nearby woods. No arrests were made. (The Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, Columbus, GA, 09/10/09)

Reprinted with the encouragement of the NRA

It seems that Grayson scolded Paul for a position he took on his website which was contrary to a position he openly asserted at a forum in Louisville.  Paul then told Grayson maybe he better learn to read, insisting that the website contained no such language.  However, when he was confronted with a "screenshot" from his website confirming Grayson's claim that Paul had taken inconsistent positions, Paul retreated.

The Paul campaign has been sending out numerous press releases and other information on a daily basis.  Both old media and new media sites were getting very little from the Grayson camp.  The net result was that Paul got all the attention.  Some wondered when Grayson would finally strike a blow which would "leave a mark".  Today he may just have done that.

Granted, Paul's explanation is that someone else put the material on his site and that he has never held the position that the web site seemed to suggest.  In fact he said that somebody was going to be in big trouble.

What this little dust up reveals is a serious weakness in Paul's admittedly novice campaign.  No doubt his success to date is the result of a unique combination of timing and skill.  But now that he is leading in the polls and headed into a battle which will be orchestrated by the much more experienced Mitch McConnell, Paul needs to plug up holes, shore up his weaknesses and get ready for a bloody fight on a much more difficult battlefield than the easy ride he has had to date might have lulled him into thinking he might never have to face.

This from the Oklahoma NewsOK:

Millions in stimulus dollars are apparently flowing to nonexistent congressional districts in Oklahoma because of data entry problems with the federal government’s Web site.

The tally includes $11.6 million to Oklahoma’s 25th Congressional District and $10 million to its 51st District. The state has just five congressional districts.

Rep. Mary Fallin, R-Oklahoma City, said she had little confidence in the stimulus data released so far. Fallin, who is running for governor, voted against the stimulus bill.

"I’ve been very disappointed to learn there is fraudulent information on the Web site as far as how many jobs have been created, and certainly with fake congressional district numbers that don’t match up to the five congressional seats Oklahoma has,” Fallin said.

The errors go beyond simple data entry mistakes, she said. They also don’t inspire much confidence in the government as debate over health care reform continues in Washington.

This from Life News:

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has released the text of his new government-run health care bill to members of the Democratic Party. The new measure reportedly does not contain the Stupak amendment found in the House version that bans virtually all abortion funding.

One Capital Hill source tells LifeNews.com that the reid bill reportedly contains the phony Capps amendment, a fake amendment opposed by all pro-life groups and the Catholic bishops that still leaves massive abortion funding in place.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the FCC has taken the initiative to improve broadband Internet access across America.

The Federal Communications Commission began to lay the groundwork for a bigger federal role in the broadband business Wednesday, outlining the hurdles the U.S. needs to overcome to improve the availability of high-speed Internet access.

The FCC identified a number of issues the government should address, including the high cost of laying new broadband lines in rural areas, a lack of airwaves for wireless Web access and ill-informed consumers.

"This focus on broadband is a reflection of a recognition that the U.S. is lagging behind," FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said Wednesday at the agency's monthly meeting.

While this move is certainly good news for those of us living way out in the "country" in this day and time, with this administration, we will have to keep a close watch on the details, you know, camel's nose under the tent and all that.

This morning I read these words at Politico.com:

“Tonight begins the last leg of this journey” to bring health reform to the nation, [Harry] Reid said in announcing the [Senate Health Care] bill.

And thus begins the twilight of America should it pass.  Twelve generations of men and women fighting to first gain, and then to keep and later to share our unique vision of liberty as a beacon to the world, will fade into the dark world of socialism if he succeeds.

No where in history has our Constitution permitted the government to force you to buy a product as this bill forces you to buy health insurance.  No where in history has our government declared war on such a large segment of our economy as this bill does against the health care industry.  No where in history has our government so deceptively engaged in monopolizing unto itself the business of determining what health care we citizens will be allowed and which of us will not be given treatment.

There is no doubt that Harry Reid and his cronies in the Congress of the United States are planning the demise of liberty, hoping to have it re-born (fundamentally transformed) into the blood sucking world of darkness and socialism from which they make plans to prey upon the rest of us.

The plan of Reid, Pelosi and Obama is to enslave America in turn making them our masters.

Resisting the temptation of their seduction will be hard for some, and they know that.  But for the rest of us our duty is clear.

We must expose them to the light of day.  We must hold up the symbol of our nation in their faces and hope it will back them down.  And if none of that destroys their evil plan, we must, next year, vote out each and every incumbent of both parties and drive a stake through the heart of socialism once and for all.

With the words spoken by Harry Reid "Tonight begins the last leg of this journey"  we should all be feeling the hot breath of his evil intentions upon our necks.

The time to turn around and do something to stop him is NOW.

Joe Arnold is reporting that McConnell favorite and wealthy GOP fund raiser Cathy Bailey is thinking harder now about entering the race for the United States Senate.  Her comments about Grayson, though understated, are searing nonetheless:

Asked by WHAS11's Joe Arnold if she is now considering entering the U.S. Senate race, the former Ambassador to Latvia under President George W. Bush said she and other conservatives are "watching it closely."

"Obviously, this race is wide open,"  Bailey said in a statement, "The establishment's moderate choice has slipped and hasn't lived up to the hype."  [WHAS11]

Bailey went on to call Rand Paul's accomplishments "impressive" despite what she called some of his "extreme positions".

When asked about the possibility of Cathy Bailey entering the race Trey Grayson said he had "zero concern that Senator McConnell or anyone else that's been a big backer of mine or big supporter ...is going to jump ship"

McConnell has not publicly endorsed Grayson although he is hosting a second fund raiser for him in New York on December 7th.  Grayson's comments pretty clearly remove any doubt about McConnell's role in Grayson's candidacy.

Grayson also went on to slam Rand Paul in the WHAS report saying that talk about him losing support in the media is due to what he called "this little phenomenon, where you guys have this crush on this doctor from Bowling Green who has some crazy ideas."

Based on Bailey's comments her role may not be so easy to identify as at first blush might appear.  Her connections with McConnell suggest that she is gearing up in the wings for a possible run if Trey more than stumbles, but her role may also be to add fuel to the fire Grayson lit by trying to paint Rand Paul as "crazy".

That sentiment seemed to be echoed by Bailey who called Paul "extreme".  In any event, Joe's report is a pretty clear indication of the strategy lurking around in McConnell's head.  Like his father before him it looks like the "mainstream" moderates will try to paint Rand Paul and his supporters with the "tin-foil" hat image they assigned to his father in 2008.  And unless Paul can win some of the party loyalists to his cause, that image might just stick.

The poll asked if KSM should be tried in a military court or a civilian court and 64% favored a military court. Of those questioned, 60% wanted that trial to take place on US soil rather than abroad.

I'd like to see a poll asking how many would like to see his execution after conviction carried out in public.  It would be interesting to see just how many Americans want to see the results of the justice they demand.

A new medicine which was originally tested as a treatment for mild depression didn't seem to work well in that regard.  But, according to a new report, the study found that the women testing it reported an increased libido.

Women who took the drug flibanserin when it was being tested as an anti-depressant said it didn't help them beat the glums, but did give them "an increase in libido that they liked," John Thorp, one of the investigators analyzing data from three clinical trials of the drug, told AFP.

Lack of desire is the most common sexual problem in women aged 30 to 60, just as erectile dysfunction, for which Viagra is one of a choice of treatments, is the most common sexual disorder among men in the same age bracket, Thorp said.

"Men remain interested but can't act or perform properly and women lose interest," said Thorp.

"So where Viagra and other erectile dysfunction medications work in the blood supply,  flibanserin works in the brain, " he said.

Flibanserin is currently an investigational drug and is only available to women taking part in clinical trials. [Breitbart]

Merry Christmas fellas.

In an interview with Major Garrett at FoxNews the POTUS said that his decision to close Gitmo was a good one, but "technically hard".  He said it won't close by the deadline he set.

Yeah, like being president is "technically hard" making up your mind about troops in Afghanistan is "technically hard", supporting the Congressional health care bill despite that it will raise taxes and cut Medicare is "technically hard".

World Net Daily has compiled a list of Obama's many broken promises. 

For Barack Obama it seems that keepin his word is "technically hard".

John Cheves is reporting that Steve Beshear fired Ron Mills as head of the mine permit division after Mills refused to issue permits to politically connected companies in what Mills says were "illegal" situations.

According to Cheves, Mills found no support in the law for issuing the permits and tried to block them.  The result?  The governor fired him.

Wouldn't you say this is the kind of scandalous allegations which deserve the full blown investigation we all know former Attorneys General have been quick to launch?

Let's see what Jack Conway does, or doesn't do.  That should tell us a lot.

Lieutenant Governor Daniel Mongiardo made a very public cry that his opponent for the democratic nomination to run for the US Senate, Attorney General Jack Conway, failed to list a stock investment on his public financial disclosure form.  In return Conway pointed out that Mongiardo was guilty of failing to disclose his investment in a Frankfort apartment complex.

These "old school" democrats just can't help themselves.  They treat the tactic of tearing down a candidate's reputation as skillful political gamesmanship.  To most of us it is evidence that they are stuck playing politics as usual.

There are very serious issues facing this nation and ordinary moms and dads are worried about our future.  We worry about the economy, we worry about the socialization of our nation.  We worry about the kind of world we are going to leave to our children and grandchildren.  Why the democrats continue to fight each other to see which one can go lower in the gutter is beyond reason.

One thing does appear certain however, the kind of campaigns being run by both of these men fairly clearly demonstrates that neither is worthy of our trust.

Chris Cillizza is reporting that Trey Grayson will head out of state for a fund raising event in New York on December 7th which will be hosted by Mitch McConnell.  The event is intended to help former New Hampshire attorney general Kelly Ayotte and Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson.  Both have contested primaries and, according to Cillizza, this event means that McConnell has made his choice.

Both Ayotte and Grayson have been identified as "the establishment candidates". But in Ayotte's case, former New Hampshire governor and now the state's GOP chairman, John Sununu, has made it clear that the people of New Hampshire don't really appreciate the outside influence of the national republicans when it comes to picking their candidates.

"I hope the NRSC understands that New Hampshire doesn't really respond well to having candidates designated from outside the state," Sununu told the [Nashua Telegraph].[TalkingPointsMemo]

McConnell's influence in Kentucky republican politics is less of a problem for Grayson.  While the battle for the the early polls continues between Grayson and Rand Paul the battle for republican votes in May still may be influenced in Grayson's favor my McConnell's 'unspoken' endorsement.

Paul's current lead is on a bubble.  There is an expanding sphere of fresh air beneath his campaign but when republicans head to the polls in May those numbers may tell a different story.

In the 2007 primary race between then governor Ernie Fletcher and Anne Northup the republican turnout was about 20% of its registration, or about 203,000 voters total statewide.  That means the winner only needed around 102,000 votes to win.  The party machinery in 120 counties only needed to turn out an average of 850 votes each to capture the nomination.

Paul's popularity continues to increase statewide.  But his successful capture of the GOP nomination will require a significant effort designed to meet and/or exceed what the party machinery can and is expected to deliver for Grayson.

Paul's populist appeal is perfectly suited for the November general election but he must first win the primary in order to compete next summer. 

McConnell's continued support for Grayson remains a significant obstacle which Paul cannot remove alone.  He will need the help of party leaders to gain the necessary leverage.

There was a time, not long ago, when Trey Grayson seemed to relish the idea of being the presumptive party's choice to replace retiring U.S. Senator Jim Bunning.  He openly embraced his relationship with Mitch McConnell and the NRSC.  Those behind the scenes often advanced these relationships as formidable arguments in favor of Grayson's nomination by the RPK in May.  But things have changed.

Apparently sensing a growing surge of energy building across the nation, Grayson is now denying that he is the "establishment" candidate.

In an article at Politico, the Rand Paul/Trey Grayson matchup was included in a discussion about the increasing influence of "The Club For Growth".  Rand Paul was quoted as saying

“We hope we hit a chord” with Club for Growth officials. “I feel we represent the conservative alternative in our primary,” he said, adding that his chief opponent, Trey Grayson, was feted at an NRSC fundraiser in September."

That quote was followed by a "hotly disputed" comment by Nate Hodson, Grayson's campaign manager who is now seemingly willing to have his candidate start running away from the very image he cultivated for himself from the beginning of the campaign:

“There is no establishment candidate in this race. There is no incumbent. We reject the label. We reject it completely. We are not the establishment candidate,” said Hodson.

Apparently Grayson is now not only running for the Senate, running against Rand Paul and others, but now also running AWAY FROM his own image.  My how things can change in politics virtually overnight.

According to a report in Reuters, Chinese Premiere Hu has praised Obama for his support of the "one China" policy which of course is contrary to our recognition of Taiwan as a free and independent nation.

And judging by Obama's track record, odds are that this was not as much a "sell" out as a "hand out".  There are no reports of anything productive coming out of the meetings in China which would benefit ordinary Americans which means that if Obama did in fact jettison Taiwan, it was probably gratuitous.

Seriously folks, just a few years ago this guy was a state senator who barely showed up to vote.  And now we trust him to secure the world for democracy in dealing with the Communist Chinese?

Really, is this the kind of "change" you were "hoping" for?

The decision of the Obama administration to try Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in civilian court in New York may, according to both democrats and republicans, make Obama's presidency the next victim of their attack.

KSM was the mastermind of the 9-11 suicide bomber attacks.  Patrick Buchanan asks:

Are we at war – or not?

For if we are at war, why is Khalid Sheikh Mohammed headed for trial in federal court in the Southern District of New York? Why is he entitled to a presumption of innocence and all of the constitutional protections of a U.S. citizen?

Is it possible we have done an injustice to this man by keeping him locked up all these years without trial? For that is what this trial implies – that he may not be guilty.

And if we must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that KSM was complicit in mass murder, by what right do we send Predators and Special Forces to kill his al-Qaida comrades wherever we find them? For none of them has been granted a fair trial.

Minoru Genda, who planned the attack on Pearl Harbor, a naval base on U.S. soil, when America was at peace, and killed nearly as many Americans as the Sept. 11 hijackers, was not brought here for trial. He was an enemy combatant under the Geneva Conventions and treated as such.

Enemy soldiers who commit atrocities are not sent to the United States for trial. Under the Geneva Conventions, soldiers who commit atrocities are shot when caught.

Is the Obama administration aware of what it is risking by not turning KSM over to a military tribunal in Guantanamo?

In America, trials often become games, where the prosecution, though it has truth on its side, loses because it inadvertently breaks one of the rules.

The Obamaites had best pray that does not happen, for they may be betting his presidency on the outcome of the game about to begin.[WorldNetDaily]

And it's not just the republican firebrand Buchanan who raises this issue.  New York's democrat governor David Paterson ripped into Obama as well:

Gov. David Paterson openly criticized the White House on Monday, saying he thought it was a terrible idea to move alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other suspected terrorists to New York for trial.

"This is not a decision that I would have made. I think terrorism isn't just attack, it's anxiety and I think you feel the anxiety and frustration of New Yorkers who took the bullet for the rest of the country," he said.

Paterson's comments break with Democrats, who generally support the President's decision.[wcbstv.com]

Now if the decision was left up to most Americans, this is how we should treat guys like KSM, at a distance:

The latest failing venture of the goofiest failing presidential candidate in modern history and fear mongering opportunist in chief Al Gore has just broadcast some very vulgar attempts at humor toward Sarah Palin.  And we all know why.  Al Gore cannot stand to think that a woman might become more popular than he was in a presidential contest.

Funny how the women's movement seems to rally around rotund old liberals but see nothing wrong with those same loony lefties making nasty comments about other women, so long as they are conservatives.

If you want to see the nasty story or see the video, well go ahead, CLICK HERE.

Freedom, liberty and the right to live the life God gave you without government interference are all things we fought to win, fought to protect and now seemingly are willing to give up if the modern trend toward becoming "Europeanized" continues.

We've heard the horror stories of patients having to wait or win a lottery to get necessary health care.  We've heard the complaints about the lazy attitude which develops when the nanny state makes personal initiative an unnecessary nuisance.  Now British citizens will be subjected to in home searches by government agents charged with enforcing "safety regulations".

This from the Times Online:

Health and safety inspectors are to be given unprecedented access to family homes to ensure that parents are protecting their children from household accidents.

Council staff will then be tasked with overseeing the installation of safety devices in homes, including smoke alarms, stair gates, hot water temperature restrictors, oven guards and window and door locks.

Now isn't it just wonderful how much more advanced they are in the old country?  Gee, why can't we be more like them?  Makes me want to puke.

We are also tinkering with the site today so, please keep checking back.

It seems that Obama got irritated when asked in Japan what is taking him so long to make a decision regarding Afghanistan.  He snipped at the reporter who "dared" to ask him a hard question.  HERE

Now it seems Robert Gibbs has offered an insight into the problem.  Out of 6,700 hours he has been POTUS, Obama has spent less than 20 hours in meetings about the war he is in charge of.

Now the question is this:

He’s been president since January. Over 6,700 hours. And, as of October 20th, not even 20 hours spent discussing Afghanistan? Someone should ask Gibbs how many hours Obama has spent campaigning since his Coronation. [Pirates Cove]

When President Obama met Emperor Akihito of Japan he reached out with his right hand, lurched forward into a full bow from the waist.  The Japanese were so shocked by his rude gesture they refused to run a photo of it in their news.

According to Jake Tapper at ABCNews, the event was a big embarrassment.  He received a letter from an Obama supporter and Japanese expert who pointed out the huge gaffe by Barry O.

"Obama's handshake/forward lurch was so jarring and inappropriate it recalls Bush's back-rub of Merkel.

"Kyodo News is running his appropriate and reciprocated nod and shake with the Empress, certainly to show the president as dignified, and not in the form of a first year English teacher trying to impress with Karate Kid-level knowledge of Japanese customs.

"The bow as he performed did not just display weakness in Red State terms, but evoked weakness in Japanese terms....The last thing the Japanese want or need is a weak looking American president and, again, in all ways, he unintentionally played that part.

"But if Obama can get the dollar to stop bowing to the Yen I take it all back."

What a dipstick.

Over the next few days there might be a little down time for the BluegrassBulletin as we improve our functionality in very subtle ways which will only increase our exploding audience numbers beyond what is now possible.

Over the next few weeks, heading into the heart of the next political cycle, we are also planning a slightly new look to integrate our blog with "The Marcus Carey Perspective" radio show which airs each Sunday and Wednesday evenings at 6pm eastern on RFCradio.com.

And on top of all that we are now up and running with new equipment in the studio which will make the radio program even more exciting as we launch our daily show at a time and location which we are still closely guarding as a secret.

Thanks to all of you for the incredible readership of this blog and your support for the work we are doing here at The Conceived In Liberty Project.  Stay tuned, things are only going to get better.

Happy, and safe hunting!

Reports coming out of Washington DC have the Obama administration seeking to impose, retroactively, a new rule allowing him to purge from civil service jobs, any person hired during the administration of George W. Bush, in other words, republicans.

Via Instapundit comes word that the federal government’s Office of Personnel Management (OPM) intends to purge the federal government of Republican civil servants all in the name of purify the federal bureaucracy.

You can read the OPM memo here. [RedState]

Well here is what Rush had to say about this nasty little move:

“The memorandum goes on to apply this change to civil servants who were political appointees in the last five years, in effect freezing these employees out of other positions, denying them promotions, and forcing them out of their jobs.” This is what Marxists do. This is a purge. This is typical of Marxist regimes, totalitarian regimes. I’ll tell you what. I hope the next Republican administration learns this lesson, because there are going to be thousands of Maoists sleazing their way into the bureaucracy after whatever number of years that Obama is in the White House. The bureaucracy is being polluted with these people. And just as the Democrats and Obama are going to purge all Republicans from the civil service, you know, some people might say, “Well, you have a class-action suit on this.” [Gateway Pundit]

Uh, Barry, it's the flag man, the flag.  You know, hand over heart, pledge of allegiance, patriotism and all that.  Here's how you can tell the difference.

When Americans salute the flag we use our whole hand. 

Saluting you is beginning to involve fewer fingers.

Now THIS has to make the Obama administration a bit nervous.  Seems that weeks ago, Glenn Beck began talking about Anita Dunn's love of Chairman Mao and said he got a top secret tip that her husband was about to become White House Counsel.  Turns out, he was right.

In the first major shakeup among President Obama’s senior staff, CNN has learned that White House Counsel Greg Craig is being pushed out in favor of veteran Democratic lawyer Bob Bauer because of a dispute over the struggle to close the U.S. Military prison at Guantanamo.

A senior administration official and a senior Democratic source confirmed the move will be officially announced by the White House in coming days. The sources said it could be announced as early as Friday in Washington while the President will be in Japan starting a four-nation tour of Asia, which would make it likely the staff change will be overshadowed by other events.

Reached late Thursday evening by telephone for reaction, Craig told CNN, “I’m not going to comment” before hanging up.

Bauer is the husband of outgoing White House Communications Director Anita Dunn, who recently led a so-called “war” on Fox News. Dunn earlier this week announced she is leaving her White House post [CNN]

Beck was having fun a few weeks ago when he pretended to let it "slip" that Bauer was headed for this post.  Since no other media source had confirmed the story Beck's report was held up as further evidence that he is just plain crazy.

Now, with CNN confirming that Beck's insider information was correct, the Obama administration has to be concerned over leaks.  This could become a whole lot of fun.

Now of course he wants an investigation to see where the blame might lie. 

Would somebody please find that old desk sign used by former President Harry Truman? 

What if anything the first terrorist attack in over 8 years (Ft. Hood) had to do with his departure is likely to become the subject of wide spread speculation.

PC story here

Democrat Bill Owens was sworn in by Nancy Pelosi and helped her pass the health care bill with his vote, but the votes that really count, haven't all been counted.

Conservative party candidate Doug Hoffman conceded the election after being told that he had lost by a narrow margin and Owens was quickly sworn in.  But now, with 10,200 oversees and military ballots still not counted a re-canvass has substantially reduced the margin of victory originally thought to have been won by Owens.

According to a report in Syracuse.com, the latest unofficial count puts Owens up by only 3,026 votes.  Because Hoffman conceded that means the election is not contested.  However, if the absentee ballots give him a victory, what will happen?

"I don’t know if we would have conceded on election night," Rob Ryan, Hoffman’s campaign spokesman, said Wednesday while discussing the latest results of the recanvassing. "I’m someone who doesn’t like to look back. But would we have taken longer to make a decision on election night? Probably, if we knew it was only 3,000 votes making the difference."

Ryan, while acknowledging that Hoffman’s chances of pulling off a come-from-behind victory are still remote, said the campaign is looking at its legal options.

"We’re basically watching and waiting," Ryan said. "We’ve been looking very closely at the recanvass. We’re going to see how this week shapes up, and then we’re going to determine what to do."

Before Owens was sworn in Friday, Rep. John Garamendi, a Democrat who won a special election in California, was sworn in Thursday. The two gave Pelosi the votes she needed to reach a majority of 218 and pass the historic health care reform legislation in the House. [Syracuse.com]

Hoping to change America was Barack Obama's campaign theme.  Fundamentally transforming America was his near victory promise.  Taking America toward socialism has been the result of his first year in office, so says Texas Governor Rick Perry.  Watch this video:

Early one morning, a pregnant woman had no idea she would be targeted by a young adult in the midst of a burglary spree. Police say the suspect had already burglarized several cars and homes when he entered the woman's residence in the early morning hours. She awoke and confronted him with a shotgun, prompting him to draw a handgun. Rather than firing a shot, the pregnant woman explained to the intruder that her gun was larger. He put his gun away and waited for police. (Press-Register, Mobile, AL, 09/11/09)

Reprinted with the encouragement of the NRA

Paul has recently said that he respects McConnell's success and looked forward to meeting with him, but stopped short of endorsing McConnell as the next GOP leader in the United States Senate over Jim DeMint who had sought the minority leadership spot ultimately captured by McConnell.

For months it has been rumored that McConnell was behind an effort to keep Jim Bunning from seeking re-election and that Grayson was McConnell's hand picked choice to replace Bunning.  The meeting with Rand Paul this evening was initiated by Paul but not until after he had proven himself a viable candidate having out raised Grayson in the last quarter and coming out on top of Grayson in recent polling.

McConnell has previously said he is not endorsing anyone in the primary.  What both men say, if anything, after their meeting tonight will no doubt capture the interest of the national media which has so far found the Paul campaign of great interest.

The "business like" meeting was being conducted in a room near the gate where McConnell's plane landed.  The only other people in attendance were staff.

The race for the seat being vacated by the retiring two term United States Senator and baseball hall of fame pitcher Jim Bunning has had a lead change.  Rand Paul has come from far behind and is now the front runner according to a recent poll.  But his lead may be in jeopardy if he tries to run in britches that don't fit.

After a recent article appeared on NKy.com in which Trey Grayson unloaded on Rand Paul for refusing to endorse Mitch McConnell for GOP senate leadership, the turn of events had begun to favor Paul for remaining his own man, rather than being what some have said about Grayson's relationship with McConnell being that of "an owned man".

But then Paul's official campaign wrote a comment to the NKY.com article in which they said this:

"Everyone is talking about Rand Paul, especially the fading Grayson campaign. Their incessant claims of cornering the market on all things Kentuckian are as tiresome as their endless butt-kissing. Trey's big talking point is that he is a 5th generation Kentuckian as if that qualifies him for anything more than being a glorified clerk in Frankfort." [NKy.com]

When a United States Senate candidate puts in writing the phrase "endless butt kissing" one must ask, what is going on here?

Paul went on to describe a Constitutionally established office in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the current holder of that office, Secretary of State Trey Grayson as a "glorified clerk".  Again, what is going on here?

Wouldn't the use of that kind of language be more easily explained if it had come from one of Dr. Paul's overzealous supporters rather than his official campaign?  Does that kind of rhetoric match the dignity, decorum and respect required of one seeking a seat in the most respected deliberative body in the world, the United States Senate?

The answer to the question might have been revealed in Paul's response to one of Joe Arnold's questions when Paul said that when he entered the race he really didn't expect to get more than about 10% of the vote. 

What seems to have happened is that Paul came into this race wearing a pair of pants fitted to his expectations when suddenly he finds himself in the lead.  In that position he needs to be more careful. 

The risk of him stumbling increases unless he stops running with the style of someone who has grown too big for his britches.

This from OpenMarket.org:

Unemployment is now higher in the U.S. than in Europe,  reports the Washington Post.  “The official U.S. unemployment rate, reported last Friday, now stands at 10.2 percent,” compared to “9.7 percent” in Europe.   This is the highest rate in more than 26 years, and marks a huge change from the recent past, in which unemployment was double the American rate in much of Europe, such as in France.

Well, he said he had goals, like "fundamentally transforming the United States of America."

Is THIS the kind of CHANGE you were HOPING for?

Obviously ignoring her oath to preserve and defend the constitution of the United States Nancy Pelosi responded to a reporters question by saying that she thinks it is "Very fair in this respect" that those who don't buy health insurance could be sent to jail under her legislation.

Get ready America! ]]>Obviously ignoring her oath to preserve and defend the constitution of the United States Nancy Pelosi responded to a reporters question by saying that she thinks it is "Very fair in this respect" that those who don't buy health insurance could be sent to jail under her legislation. Get ready America!Obviously ignoring her oath to preserve and defend the constitution of the United States Nancy Pelosi responded to a reporters question by saying that she thinks it is "Very fair in this respect" that those who don't buy health insurance could be sent to Obviously ignoring her oath to preserve and defend the constitution of the United States Nancy Pelosi responded to a reporters question by saying that she thinks it is "Very fair in this respect" that those who don't buy health insurance could be sent to jail under her legislation. Get ready America!Patriotism, Socialismhttp://www.bluegrassbulletin.com/2009/11/is-this-an-excuse-for-ft-hood-muslims-in-military-suffer.htmlCurrent AffairsMediaPatriotismMarc CareyThu, 12 Nov 2009 05:42:09 PSTtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e008d2bcf488340120a686d305970b

No wonder the folks who sit in front of their televisions and either don't or can't think for themselves end up victims.  The network news propaganda machines are telling them that everyone is a victim. 

Of course, rarely do they say that about hard working, patriotic defenders of the constitution.  But they did say it about Muslims in the military.  Would that be like, Nidal Hasan the Ft. Hood terrorist maybe?

Drudge is reporting that the White House has granted Major Garrett of FoxNews an interview in China.  This report was picked up on several other sites.

The interview has not yet been confirmed. When asked about the interview, the White House told Politico, “We’ve not committed to doing any presidential interviews during the trip to Asia with any outlets at this point,” and Drudge’s report is 'not accurate.'"[Examiner.com]

Republicans have moved ahead of Democrats by 48% to 44% among registered voters in the latest update on Gallup's generic congressional ballot for the 2010 House elections, after trailing by six points in July and two points last month.

FULL STORY HERE

The Rand Paul /Trey Grayson matchup is a delightful contest for those of us for whom politics is our life.  Rand Paul has so far mastered the ability to fire back quickly and on target whenever Grayson attacked him. Grayson has now tried to do the same thing but in Grayson's case however the shot may have ricocheted and backfired on him sufficiently that Paul needs to do nothing.

In an interview with Joe Arnold for WHAS, Dr. Paul said that he had plans to meet with Senator Mitch McConnell.  He then said that he wasn't sure if he'd vote to have McConnell or Jim DeMint as the GOP senate leader.  Paul credited McConnell with his success and service to Kentucky, but said that Kentuckians want two senators not one.

Grayson, seen by most as McConnell's hand picked candidate, then tried to fire back, blasting away at Paul for refusing to commit his vote this early saying:

While many think that Beshear is short sighted enough to use his appointment powers to erode the GOP majority in the state Senate in order to advance his gambling agenda, in point of fact a much bigger issue is at stake for republicans.

With a new census next year the legislature will take up the issue of re-districting.  In Kelly's old district only a balance of power in the Kentucky Legislature can prevent the potential harm to at least one of Kentucky's current republican votes in Congress, Brett Guthrie, who holds the seat vacated by Ron Lewis.

In addition, re-drawing the lines could put Ed Whitfield in jeopardy if the democrats controlled both the house and the Senate.

I'm sure that Rand Paul's decision to help Higdon is also intended to demonstrate to republicans across the Commonwealth that Paul is a "team player", supporting the party faithful's chosen candidate and perhaps helping to bring on board what has turned out to be Paul's very successful fund raising skills for his own campaign.

Paul's front runner status continues to attract attention.  And now the timing of his recently announced meeting with Mitch McConnell coupled with this "party building" effort in support of Jimmy Higdon suggests that perhaps the time has come to stop underestimating the skill of the Paul campaign.

Retired Colonel Ralph Peters says that Obama's speech regarding the Ft. Hood murders was offensive when he said the act was "incomprehensible" and "hard to understand". 

Peters said this:

"No, it wasn't hard to comprehend and it's not now. It was the act of an Islamic terrorist who gunned down 55 people, 54 people, because he believed he was doing the will of Allah in accordance with the Koran."

Offensive?  Hell, Obama's comments are just plain ignorant and, I might add, dangerous. 

Watch the video: