The Political Commentator

Mike Huckabee this morning at CPAC unwittingly provided the perfect metaphor for the problem with politics!

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Haltman) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:29:00 +0000

Mike Huckabee opened the Friday session of CPAC with a statement, intentional or unintentional, that provided a perfect metaphor for the problem with politics during a dangerous time!

Primarily at the podium to speak to the issue of abortion, Mike Huckabee opened with statement that I loosely quote here that in my mind provided a metaphor for one of the problems facing the American people heading into the 2012 presidential election!

The former governor of Arkansas said this:

"The organizers of CPAC might not like me saying this, but I don't care! I'm not running for anything so I can say any darn thing I want."

It was not meant to be anything more than a joke to engage with the crowd, but in those two sentences Huckabee described the innate problem voters have in trying to parse, learn and understand what it is that a candidate stands for.

For isn't the only way to make an informed decision to truly understand what a candidate actually stands for?

We of course know what they say and we know what if anything they have done, but we don't necessarily know the "truth".

Voters are forced to take what is presented as the "truth" at face value or instead try and research this "truth" for themselves. But how many voters actually do that? Instead they rely on other, potentially biased sources, to provide this elusive "truth".

How refreshing if instead of telling us what they think we want to hear, politicians actually told us the what they truly believe?

In a utopian world that would happen, but the last time I checked we don't currently live there and and most likely never will.

Candidates do whatever they need to do to get into office, whatever they need to do to thrive in office and then whatever it takes come the next election cycle to stay in office

When candidates are more chameleon than human, it becomes impossible to know what you have or even what you are voting for until it is a fait accompli. And then it may change all over again depending on circumstances.

Of course you always have their records, although sometimes as in the case of Obama in 2008, that record can be extremely thin and what is there may be a closely guarded secret that's maintained by the mainstream media.

We have the record of Mitt Romney as the governor of Massachusetts who may say one thing but his record says something different.

Today at CPAC we will have speeches by three of the four candidates who will be courting this important conservative vote, telling the masses what they think that they want to hear while some mean it 100% and others maybe not so much.

The 2012 presidential election is too important and the problems that we as a country face too great to simply listen to the words.

Seek to find the truth behind those words!

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The Watcher's Council CPAC Straw Poll 2012 edition!

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Haltman) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:59:00 +0000

As CPAC 2012 hits its midpoint, congratulations to this weeks Watcher's Council winner, Joshuapundit!

The Watcher's Council nominations for the week of February 6th were presented, the votes were cast, and the winner has now been announced!

For those of you who who may be reading about the Watcher's Council for the first time, it is a group consisting of some of the top conservative minded bloggers from around the world.

A group that The Political Commentator is extremely proud to have been asked to be part of!

Each week members select and submit an article of their own creation in addition to one article from a non-council blog they find to be particularly topical and important.

While you may not always agree with what you read, that alone may make the experience that much more valuable!

Once the submissions have been received at an undisclosed location in secret ballot form, the Watcher's Council members then individually vote for their favorites.

Those votes are protected and held by outside auditing firm Arthur Andersen until such time as they are counted and a winner named for the Grand Prize.

This Grand Prize consists of the appreciation of our peers.

In the end though, we all win because of the range of information and important analysis received on the critical issues of the day.

In a nutshell, the Watcher's Council is the ultimate conservative blog aggregator!

So without further ado, the winners of this weeks Watcher's Council are...?

Council Winners

*First place with 3 2/3 votes! Joshuapundit – Glorifying Evil

Second place *t* with 2 1/3 votes – The Mellow Jihadi- Slab City, Navy Town

Third place *t* with 1 vote – The Razor- Automate This – The Nature of Work in the 21st Century

Third place *t* with 1 vote – VA Right!- For Unto Whom Much is Given

Fourth place *t* with 2/3 vote – The Colossus of Rhodey-OK to rip the KKK; al Qaeda, not so much

Fourth place *t* with 2/3 vote – The Noisy Room-On the Road to Armageddon – Moving Ragnarok to the Middle East

Fourth place *t* with 2/3 vote – The Political Commentator – Obama: Are Jews finally catching on?

Fifth place *t* with 1/3 vote – Bookworm Room –The Narcissistic Mindset of Today’s World

Fifth place *t* with 1/3 vote – Simply Jews –Tehran: HOT under the collar

Fifth place *t* with 1/3 vote – New Zeal –“Iran’s Latin America Ties Pose Threat to US”

Fifth place *t* with 1/3 vote – Rhymes With Right – Is The Tea Party Dead?

Non-Council Winners

First place with 2 1/3 votes! – Armed Forces Journal- Truth, lies and Afghanistan submitted by The Watcher

Second place *t* with 1 2/3 votes – The People’s Cube – The Teachings of Jesus and Obama: A Reference Chart submitted by The Glittering Eye

Second place *t* with 1 2/3 votes – Niall Ferguson Israel and Iran on the Eve of Destruction in a New Six-Day War submitted by Joshuapundit

Third place with 1 1/3 votes - The Economic Collapse Blog –If The Economy Is Improving….submitted by Rhymes With Right

Fourth place *t* with 1 vote - The Sad Red Earth – ‘Israel Firster’: Anatomy of a Smear submitted by Simply Jews

Fourth place *t* with 1 vote - World Net Daily/Reza Kahlili – Ayatollah: Kill all Jews, annihilate Israel submitted by The Political Commentator

Fifth place *t* with 2/3 vote – Ayaan Hirsi Ali –The Global War on Christians in the Muslim World submitted by The Watcher

Fifth place *t* with 2/3 vote -James DelingpoleHow Green Zealots Are Destroying The Planet submitted by The Razor

Fifth place *t* with 2/3 vote – Now Lebanon – Egypt’s Christians, post-Mubarak submitted by The Watcher

Sixth place *t* with 1/3 vote -Sultan Knish – A Tale of Two Republican Parties submitted by The Noisy Room

Sixth place *t* with 1/3 vote -ZenPundit – Nagl: “COIN is not Dead!” submitted by GrEaT sAtAn”S gIrLfRiEnD

Sixth place *t* with 1/3 vote -Seraphic Secrets –Three Notable War Movies submitted by The Watcher

Encore EyeHandy video presentation: CPAC and the NRA 2nd Amendment Edition!

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Haltman) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:33:00 +0000

The NRA will be presenting today at CPAC!

As promised a slightly different take on the events at CPAC. So what better way to welcome the NRA than with this encore presentation from Ashley on the proper way to clean a Glock!

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From CPAC, this is what a patriot looks like!

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Haltman) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:00:00 +0000

This isn't about policy but the American way of life!

Sitting on Bloggers Row behind the network television commentators I could provide you with the policy discussions that that will be reported in 1,000 different places in a 1,000 different ways.

Instead I want to compare and contrast an article that I wrote yesterday concerning the "gatecrashers" expected at CPAC in the form of the labor unions, OWS D.C., anarchists and the New Black Panther Party with a gentleman I met while I was standing in the wrong line to register this morning.

He was an extremely modest man who told me that he had spent a tour in Iraq detonating IEDs and other bombs that were meant to kill US soldiers along with anyone else who happened to be in their way. Exactly like the soldiers in The Hurt Locker.

Speaking with him he didn't dwell on what he did there, what he accomplished there or what he saw there. He didn't discuss much about the work that he does now as he continues to serve his country at the Department of Homeland Security.

He simply discussed the reason that he was at CPAC. To learn more and to participate in the discussion of how we can keep the United States great and how, in order to achieve this, we can defeat Barack Obama in November.

In other words, he is simply a patriot!

Others are pariahs whose simple goal is to take whatever the United States is willing to give them and to then demand more. An entitlement attitude that's personified by these supposed "gatecrashers."

What the country desperately needs more of are people like the one I was lucky enough to meet by getting into the wrong line! That's what CPAC is all about!

So compare and contrast the man above with the image below and then tell me who the true patriots are. The givers who want to do whatever they can to keep this country great or the takers who just want to be given things by the country through an entitlement philosophy that serves no ones interests.

I believe that the answer to that question is clear.

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Thursday diversion from NewsBusted! (Political humor video)

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Haltman) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:54:00 +0000

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CPAC 2012 gatecrashers: Unions, anarchists, Occupy D.C. and the New Black Panther Party!

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Haltman) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:16:00 +0000

What better venue for gaining the publicity these groups lust after than at CPAC!

These groups share two common agendas, the first of which is to get Barack Obama elected to a 2nd term in the White House.

The second agenda is that they, unlike the Tea Party that they loathe, are willing to resort violence, civil disobedience and assorted other crimes in order to try and move their mangled and confused messages onto the front pages.

To accommodate this desire for publicity, it's fairly certain the mainstream media will be front and center, likely vilifying CPAC and its participants while at the same time casting a sympathetic light on the perpetrators.

Plans for mayhem at CPAC!

From The Scribe comes an inside look at some of the CPAC plans that these groups have!

"The “Occupy DC” protest group is planning to disrupt the upcoming Conservative Political Action Conference using a range of potentially illegal tactics that could even include violence against participants, Scribe has learned.

The planned disruptions at CPAC come only days after U.S. Park Police raided Occupiers’ tent cities at McPherson Square and Freedom Plaza in Washington, D.C., confiscating a number of tents, and prohibiting Occupiers from camping out there any longer.

During a Thursday meeting at McPherson Square, until Saturday the epicenter of the protests, Occupiers brainstormed tactics for shutting down or disrupting the conference, according to a source who was present at the meeting.

The protesters suggested pulling fire alarms in the hotel where the conference will take place, screaming “fire” during conference activities, “glitter-bombing” participants, cutting electrical power, and barricading entrances to the hotel, according to the source, who requested anonymity..."

Read the rest of the article at The Scribe here.

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The Watcher's Council Canyon of Heroes Edition!

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Haltman) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:11:00 +0000

If it's Wednesday that can mean only one thing! It's time for the weekly nominations at the Watcher's Council!

But before we get to the nominations, for the first timers let me explain who and what the Watcher's Council actually is.

The Watcher's Council is a long-standing group of 15 conservative bloggers from around the world and winner of the 2011 Fabulous 50 Blog Award in the category of Best Conservative Blog-Ring.

Each week, first thing Wednesday morning, we the members of the Watcher's Council make known our two articles for public consumption; one of our own (Council) and one from somewhere around the blogosphere (Non-Council) that address issues we feel are particularly timely and important to present.

After a secret ballot among the members, Friday morning the winners in each category are announced and the grand prize, the appreciation of our peers, is awarded! Stay tuned!

For the week of February 6, 2012 the Watcher's Council nominations are...

Council Submissions

Joshuapundit-Glorifying Evil

Simply Jews – Tehran: HOT under the collar

The Political Commentator – Obama: Are Jews finally catching on?

The Noisy Room – On the Road to Armageddon – Moving Ragnarok to the Middle East

VA Right! - For Unto Whom Much is Given

Bookworm Room – The Narcissistic Mindset of Today’s World

The Mellow Jihadi – Slab City, Navy Town

Rhymes With Right – Is The Tea Party Dead?

The Glittering Eye -Where the Wheel Hits the Road on Education

The Razor – Automate This – The Nature of Work in the 21st Century

GrEaT sAtAn”S gIrLfRiEnD – The Little Satan Paradox

The Right Planet – Video: Obama Opposed Super-PACs, Before He Was for Them

The Colossus of Rhodey – An "advocate" speaks

New Zeal – “Iran’s Latin America Ties Pose Threat to US”

Honorable Mentions

Crazy Bald Guy – Mitt vs. Newt

Maggie’s Notebook – Obama Blames Founders: He Can’t Force Congress: Founders Make it Difficult

The Independent Sentinel – Obama Signed the Anti-Counterfeiting Treaty & Ceded Internet Rights to the UN

Capitalist Preservation – Attention Christians: Barack Obama is on your side

Non-Council Submissions

Niall Ferguson – Israel and Iran on the Eve of Destruction in a New Six-Day War submitted by Joshuapundit

Sad Red Earth – ‘Israel Firster’: Anatomy of a Smear submitted by Simply Jews

World Net Daily/Reza Kahlili -Ayatollah: Kill all Jews, annihilate Israel submitted by The Political Commentator

Sultan Knish –A Tale of Two Republican Parties submitted by The Noisy Room

Big Jounalism – Credit Where It’s Due: Tablet Calls Out Media Matters, Center for American Progress, J Street on Antisemitism submitted by VA Right!

Michael Ramirez-“We’re behind you 100%” submitted by Bookworm Room

The Chicago Boyz –To the Lifeboats submitted by The Mellow Jihadi

The Economic Collapse Blog – If The Economy Is Improving…. submitted by Rhymes with Right

The People’s Cube – The Teachings of Jesus and Obama: A Reference Chart submitted by The Glittering Eye

James Delingpole –How Green Zealots Are Destroying The Planet submitted by The Razor

ZenPundit – Nagl: “COIN is not Dead!” submitted by GrEaT sAtAn”S gIrLfRiEnD

Now Lebanon – Egypt’s Christians, post-Mubarak submitted by The Watcher

Armed Forces Journal – Truth, lies and Afghanistan submitted by The Watcher

Ayaan Hirsi Ali – The Global War on Christians in the Muslim World submitted by The Watcher

Natural Born Conservative - Manipulation 201: Playing With Unemployment submitted by The Colossus of Rhodey

Seraphic Secret – Three Notable War Movies submitted by The Watcher

Photo source Getty Images

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US-Iran foreign policy through the eyes of a liberal!

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Haltman) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:40:00 +0000

This is how a pragmatist understands US foreign policy in conjunction with the Iranian nuclear weapons crisis!

Yesterday morning I wrote a short commentary on the Obama administration's lack of understanding about Iran and that country's quest to obtain nuclear weapons.

The writing was in response to reports of new sanctions being placed on Iran by Washington that were ostensibly designed to dissuade that country from pursuing the actions I describe in the first paragraph.

As a kicker, this implementation of sanctions was done with the hope of persuading Israel to not attack Iran as a means of self-defense.

I went on to provide four articles that clearly show the folly of thinking that sanctions would be any more effective today than they have been at any other time in the past.

Later in the day yesterday I read an article at The Atlantic promoting the theory that the only way to deal with Iran was to pursue a diplomatic solution to this crisis.

I responded to the article with a comment and subsequently had a dialogue that I needed to share!

I want to share it if for no other reason than to show the breadth and depth of the problem we as a society face when so many among us have such little understanding of the enemy that we are up against.

Failure to understand includes a President with questionable feelings for Israel, running for reelection and who will pander to his left-wing base in any way possible.

This presents a clear and present danger to the United States, Israel, the rest of the Middle East along with the entire world!

Read it and let me know your thoughts.

US foreign policy through a liberals eyes!

From The Atlantic: "We're having the wrong conversation about Iran"

The premise of the article is predictable and well summarized by this passage:

"... Our ultimate goal is ensuring that Iran does not weaponize. If a military strike won't accomplish that, it should not happen. We have a better option: diplomacy. It is more likely to succeed because it could offer a permanent solution and because it could address the causes of Iran's nuclear program rather than just the threat itself. But, if diplomacy is to work, there is one major hurdle: the American electorate..."

The dialogue between myself and someone named Gepap!

halthouse1 (Me)

Diplomacy? Do you work for Obama?

In an attempt to stop Israel from taking care of Iran and its nuclear program, President Obama announces some new sanctions.

That may be good politics in an election year but it is very dangerous foreign policy!

Read more at The Political Commentator here: http://bit.ly/yg83NK

Gepap in reply to halthouse1

And do you work for the Republicans?

Israel simply lacks the military wherewithall to take out Iran's nuclear facilities. The author is correct that we in the US through an air campaign can only delay the Iranians from building a weapon. Any attack on Iran would allow the regime to declare martial law and mercilessly root out any opposition by labelling them as enemy agents and spies. And in the end, we would just get a nuclear Iran anyways.

The only "solutions" to Iran's nuclear program are diplomacy or invasion. The later is far too high a cost, and we haven't really tried the second.

But I guess for a chikenhawk like you sending other people to die to invade yet another country is a cost you are willing to bear to satisfy your inadequate manhood.

halthouse1 in reply to Gepap

Spoken like a true lib who espouses an opinion and then resorts to name calling. Nobody takes the commitment of troops to a war zone more seriously than I do although I do not believe I ever suggested an invasion.

The fact of the matter is that Islamic fundamentalists have a different interpretation of life and death than you and I do. Where we fear death they do not but we continue to look at policy issues through the prism of both sides believing in the same things.

The Iranians have a fundamental belief that not only do they have a right to destroy Israel, but an obligation. Towards that end they will be more than happy to sit down at some table and go through the motions of "diplomacy.'

Why? To buy time knowing that by sitting down they are affording Western leaders the "out" of not having to take any drastic steps. In the meantime they will continue to work away for their ultimate endgame which is to develop nuclear weapons and then to use them.

You need to start thinking as they do and not assume that your way of thinking in any way corresponds to theirs.

Your hopes, dreams and mostly fears have nothing at all in common with the Iranian regime.

Under the auspices of this, what is your solution to the problem?

Read these 4 articles, with an open mind if that is even possible, and understand where the Iranians are coming from.

This is the link: http://politicsandfinance.blog...

Gepap in reply to halthouse1

Its funny seeing you claim "facts", cause you didn't actually use any. I assume you have read the Q'uran right? that is where you got your "knowledge" of the Islamic idea of life and death? cause of course only Muslim's treasure sacrifice for some greater absolute truth no? I mean, we enlightened westerners would NEVER commend anyone who acted suicidally in defense of some value, RIGHT?

I am sorry, but the idea that I would listen to some jokels opinion on Iran from some guy who probably doesn't know what Qom is or what the Majles is is absurd. Its always amazing how its the people who actually know the least facts that act as if they had some secret knowledge that those who have actually taken the time to know things about the subject don't. No, the Iranians do NOT believe that it is their obligation to end Israel, and anyone making that claim is self-evidently talking out of their behind.

And yes, Iran views Israel as an enemy, like Israel views Iran like an enemy. Yes, the Iranians support terrorist acts against Israel and us and arm Hezbollah. Those are all simple and obvious facts, but none of those facts support your absurd claim, anymore than the fact we viewed the Soviets as evil, called them the evil empire, and gave weapons to Islamic fundamentalist to kill Soviets in Afghanistan meant that we viewed it as our "obligation" to destroy the Soviet Union.

Iran has never acted as anything other than a rational revisionist power, looking to undermine the existing Middle Eastern order for their ideological benefit. We, as the reigning hegemon who is interested in maintaining the status quo view this aggresivess as devious, but its us that have invaded countries around Iran, not the other way around. The Iranian regime has been around for 30 years - more than enough time to show that is is a mature enough regime that views self-survival as paramount. If Iran was anywhere as crazy as people like you claim, the revolution would have burned itself out long ago, likely in the fires of the war with Iraq. But Iran sought peace with Iraq in 1988, instead of continuing on suicidally. It hides its support of insurgents and terrorists, as any rational state does, and it has never transfered trully nasty weapons, like chemical agents, which Iran has the capability to manufacture, as was shown during the war with Iraq.

Why wouldn't a revisionist regime seek nukes, huh? The NPT was supposedly to lead to de-nuclearization by the declared nuclear powers. But the five nuclear powers have essentially renaged on this promise - the US, the Russians, the Chinese, and UK and the French obviously have no intentions to get rid of their nuclear arsenals. Three countries that decided to ignore the NPT (India, Israel, and Pakistan) all got to make nukes without any real consequence. Why shouldn't Iran, a country constantly being threatened with attack or with foreign support for internal enemies not seek the security that having the ability to threaten nuclear attack brings?

This crisis is likely to end in one of three ways:

We invade Iran at massive cost (far greater than anything we have yet paid for Afghanistan and Iraq) and change the regime, the Iranians make the decision to go nuclear after Israel and we attack them, or the West does what the author wants and tries real diplomacy. And by real diplomacy I mean not actually laying down a significant number of preconditions that demand the other side unilaterally surrender on several points prior to "negotiations" even beginning.

With people like you around, I see no hope for the last option. So its invasion or a nuclear Iran. Sad really.

halthouse1 in reply to Gepap

As liberals and their arguments typically will do, you have left me no choice but to resort to a page taken out of your playbook:

You sir, are a moron!

Gepap 28 minutes ago in reply to halthouse1

What where big scarry farsi words like Qom and Majles too big for you? Too many consonants?

Typical conservative - projecting all your problems unto someone else. Contemptible but predictable.

Picture source

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Breaking News: A clue on Middle East US foreign policy has still not been found at this White House!

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Haltman) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:34:00 +0000

In order to try and stop Israel from doing what it needs to do for survival by preventing Iran from obtaining nukes, the Obama administration announces new sanctions against Iranian financial institutions!

The response to this brand of US foreign policy used as an attempt to combat an Islamist regime bent on the total destruction of Israel can be accomplished using these four article headlines:

Al Jazeera: US hits Iran with new sanctions

Israel National News: Iran: Genocide a Moral Obligation
Israel National News: Iranian Parliament's Website: Attack Israel this Year

The Political Commentator: US foreign policy and national security "Joke of the Year!"

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Could this be the signature scent of Occupy Wall Street! (Video)

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Haltman) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:50:00 +0000

It's not for all of the people of #OWS but for some it's perfect if only in name!

Having visited Zuccotti Park in New York City, the scent I'm talking about is not the one that was wafting through the air although being there on the ground this scent would have been a definite improvement.

It's something else, although this scent is also not for the 60's-style hippies out for a good demonstration, the unemployed who are seriously distraught about an inability to locate work or recent college graduates who don't know any better about the trials and tribulations of looking for a job!

But for all of those Occupy Wall Street anarchists out there, this scents for you!*

*May not be typical of the women at #OWS!

AXE is a trademark of Unilever.
Picture source

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Obama: Are Jews finally catching on?

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Haltman) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:16:00 +0000

For some time TPC and others have been asking why voters of the Jewish faith have historically had a blind attachment to the Democrat Party!

In the context of this article, when I say historically I am using the period of time since Barack Obama ran against Hillary Clinton for the Democrat nomination until today.

Looking back at 2008 the fact that college students, engaged in the presidential election process for the first time, and black voters had flocked to Obama did not really come as a surprise to anyone. Obama ran a well oiled campaign spouting visions of "hope" and "change" that lit a fire under some who were drawn into the process in large numbers.

That Jewish vote remained unquestioningly loyal and devoted, given what was already known of then Senator Obama's somewhat sketchy associations, did comes as a surprise but certainly not a shock.

Think back to the words uttered by George Costanza on Seinfeld when he said "My father was a quitter, my grandfather was a quitter... I was raised to give up!"

Jews were raised from the womb as Democrats! "My father was a Democrat, my grandfather was a Democrat ... I was raised to be a Democrat

For whatever reason, maybe it's the perception that the Democrat Party is the party of the underdog, the persecuted and the downtrodden or maybe it's for the reason that George Costanza gave, Jews have always gravitated to the left.

And shifting this deeply embedded ideology for any reason is an extremely difficult thing to accomplish. Regardless of the anecdotal or real evidence that would suggest that a move away was in order, even if for only one election.

Looking back to 2008, as anecdotal evidence of the Jew-unfriendly background of then candidate Obama was his clear and disturbing ties to a mentor and "spiritual" leader, Reverend Jeremiah Wright, who put forth not only anti-American thoughts but anti-Jewish as well.

Looking ahead at the 2012 presidential elections will past Obama affiliations or his current stance on Israel matter to American Jewish voters?

Up to this point I would say apparently not as these past articles that have appeared at TPC indicate:

Jews supporting Obama need to ask themselves a question: Why?

Obama:"The American Jews are mine!" (Gallup)

Unscientific poll: Jews still willing to vote for Obama!

Obama, Jews, Israel and the transitive property

As we move towards the 2012 election however, a glimmer of new "hope" may be rising that some sense of reality may be creeping into the consciousness of some members of the Jewish faith and that perhaps there is potential for at least a modicum of political flexibility.

If true it's a case of better late than never!

Obama, Jews and Israel!

For those still not convinced of the need for change in 2012, Jews need to recognize what now President Obama has done in the Middle East in what seems to be a conscious attempt to shift the balance of power there to the Islamists.

And to understand that in a 2nd-term with no reelection to worry about those actions in the region will be even more pronounced.

And for those who say that he does not have malice towards Israel in his heart and that the damage that has been done in the Middle East by this administration was simply due to ignorance and naivete, can we survive four more years with him at the helm?

Recall some of President Obama's questionable foreign policy moves there.

There's his active role in the removal of Hosni Mubarak in Egypt when the takeover of that government by the Muslim Brotherhood was a fairly obvious endgame. That in fact is what has occurred putting Israel in grave danger from this former less than willing "ally."

There's the date-certain withdrawal of US troops from Iraq with a real risk of that country heading into bloody civil war and becoming fair game for an invasion by Iran.

And speaking of Iran there's this administrations past and current dithering in dealing with that country's nuclear ambitions. An insistence on the reliance for sanctions to do a job that they will not do.

For this discussion the last items are the President's constant leanings to the side of the Palestinian's over the Israeli in that conflict and his call for immediate regime change in Syria which will take that country in the same direction that Egypt has gone.

Once again the question is whether President Obama's policies stem from ignorance, naivete, the need to utter populist rhetoric (particularly in an election year) or is it part of some larger plan he has for the region?

Perhaps the lightbulb has finally gone off!

This survey from Pew is a light at the end of the tunnel that seems to indicate that there is hope and that Jews may be migrating towards the Republican Party!

This certainly would come as good news both personally and for the country.

Source

Selfishly this move away from blind faith would cut down on the weekly fights that I have with liberal Jews in the local watering hole that I frequent. The ones who continue to give Obama a free-pass on his record and who continue to invoke the name George Bush into any discussion.

For the country it could be a great sign for the needed change in November because if this constituency could finally be swayed, there is then hope for all others as well!

Picture source

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Cairo or Amherst? (Video)

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Haltman) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:43:00 +0000

The post-New England Super Bowl loss riots in Amherst, Mass. were nothing compared to the soccer riots in Cairo (thank God), but can a psychiatrist explain why it happens at all?

Something about groupthink? Can you imagine the "euphoria" if the Patriots had won the game?

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CPAC: Are all thoughts, ideas and opinions created equal?

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Haltman) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:52:00 +0000

In the free and fluid exchange of opinions and ideas is there some basis of measurement that makes one man's more valuable than another's?

Heading to #CPAC this week I am looking forward to speaking with, and listening to, some of the best minds in the conservative movement.

As the United States heads into the heart of the 2012 election cycle with a somewhat flawed Republican candidate (regardless whether Romney or Gingrich) who will be up against the Obama machine and its MSM bench coach, we will have our work cut out for us.

This fact alone makes the upcoming CPAC that much more relevant and critical than most because, truth be told, we as a country cannot withstand four more years of an Obama agenda.

"Every man is my teacher in that I may learn from him"

So how can conservatives as a group can leave #CPAC stronger than the way they went in?

Stronger in mind and spirit while refocused on the endgame for November 2012?

Does there exist some line of demarcation based on a real or imaginary metric that somehow determines whether you warrant a seat at THE table for the discussion?

Put another way, if an opportunity exists for all of the conservative bloggers attending CPAC to circulate in a room to enjoy the exchange of ideas, why put some arbitrary limitation on the number that can participate?

Are all bloggers created equal or is a blogger whose blog receives 10, 20 or even 1,000 times more visitors in a day than another that much more qualified to espouse thoughts, opinions or views?

This difference in readership can be based on a number of variables but ideas and opinions are not necessarily going to be in the mix.

In this, my first CPAC I will benefit in an extraordinary way despite the fact that I may not be at THE table, although being there I would have gotten that much more from the experience!

Not from the experience of free food and free drinks because I can get all that I need on my own. But from the exchange of ideas, opinions and even strategies for getting the message of needed change in November out in the best possible way.

And who knows, perhaps one of the "whales" who has a seat at THE table might have gained something from a small fish like me in the same way I know I would from them?

In the end my point is that if we share a common goal and that our only constraints are not the size of the minds, the ideas or the opinions but merely the size of the room, then get a bigger room!

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Super Bowl Sunday edition: Anyone can pick a winner! How about these prop bets ...

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Haltman) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 12:34:00 +0000

While there are hundreds of prop bets (exotic wagers that include everything except just picking a game winner) for the New York Giants-New England Patriots Super Bowl, how about some political prop bets for the 2012 presidential election?

For the most part the wagers available for the 2012 presidential election race are plain vanilla in nature that will offer you odds for who will win the Republican nomination and then who will win the general election in November.

What if you need more? So many potential political prop bets, so little time!

So to make it more interesting as the saying goes, there are an enormous number of potential political prop betting categories that can be created, particularly in this election cycle where you have the Republican candidates attempting to tear each other to shreds and the sheer gusto with which Barack Obama is hitting the campaign and fundraising trail.

These bets can be created from simply watching the candidates in action or by using other sources such as the Barack's Bullshit Bingo game. The choices below are but a few of the many.

Caveat: Remember as always, bet with your head and not over it and that the only locks are on doors.

Some 2012 presidential election cycle prop bets!

Like the length of time component for the singing of the National Anthem at the Super Bowl, the over/under for the length of time for any Barack Obama speech (excluding the State of the Union Address): 17.5 minutes;
Over/Under "Rich need to pay their fair share": 4
Over/Under the number of times President Obama uses the words "I" and "me" in an average length speech: 61
Over/Under the number of times the word "folks" will be used in an average length Obama speech: 8
The name of the most obscure political prop asked to be present at an Obama State of the Union Address (i.e. this year the answer was Warren Buffett's secretary but the hope is that next year this prop bet will have been retired):___________
Over/Under on the number of times in any stump speech that Newt Gingrich calls Mitt Romney a Massachusetts liberal or moderate: 5
Over/Under for the number of campaign events that Barack Obama will attend until the November presidential election (campaign events that are presented as presidential business will count towards the total): 145
Over/Under the number of times that Dick Morris will appear on the Sean Hannity Show through the November presidential election (radio and T.V. combined): 27
Over/Under the date Newt Gingrich or Mitt Romney concedes the nomination to the other: April 1st
Leave any other 2012 presidential election prop bet ideas in the comments below.

2012 Super Bowl prop bets!

Now on to the business at hand! Below are but a small sampling of the potential Super Bowl prop bets with a more complete list at the website Bovada.

(Click to make bigger)

Source: Bovada

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Because Saturday morning cartoons, like Trix, aren't just for kids!

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Haltman) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 14:04:00 +0000

This Saturday morning humor centered around the Obama administration will make you laugh, then cry, then extremely mad and then incredibly refocused on the 2012 presidential election!

Cartoon 1 courtesy of Michael Ramirez at IBD

Other cartoons courtesy of Theo Spark
Top picture source

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President Obama wants things to be “Like in ’08. We were the sh-t back in 08″ (Video)

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Haltman) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 11:10:00 +0000

The inside story of President Obama's "spontaneous" Al Green moment at the Apollo Theater on January 19th.

For President Obama, spending days practicing to sing one line of an Al Green song at a campaign event in New York so that it would appear spontaneous, is what passes for doing the peoples business in this White House.

Remember this?

Of course you do and that was the plan when this "spontaneous" moment was mapped out on the drawing board at Obama campaign headquarters!

Because the sad reality is that spending all day every day on fundraising and campaigning for the 2012 election is what President Obama's job description actually seems to be.

The question then becomes whether the country is better off having him focus solely on getting a 2nd term in the White House or on Democrat policy matters that would more likely than not have a long-term negative effect on the country?

The inside story of a President who just wants to be "cool" again!

"... Regarding that little singing bit the president did recently. The Al Green thing. If you haven’t seen the clips of that then look it up. Easy to find. It’s been spread wide and far. And that was the plan. That moment was rehearsed to death. As in over and over and over again. Apparently the president has been complaining for some time that he’s no longer cool. He was actually in on a meeting with some of the Plouffe gang and told them more than once he wanted to be cool again. “Like in ’08. We were the sh-t back in 08″. Those are the president’s words. He is obsessed with getting back to being cool like in ’08. It’s become something of a theme apparently in-house among the younger staff. They have started to greet one another with “Are we cool again?” as a joke.

So anyway, back to that singing thing the president did. Told he practiced that little line for days. Seems likely that Obama spent more time on trying to sound good on that bit than he has on dealing with anything else facing the country. They brought in a voice coach. He was playing the song over and over again. It was a complete focus. Pretty damn sad..."

Read the entire article at The Ulsterman Report here, and use this episode as one more piece of anecdotal evidence for why Barack Obama needs to follow in the footsteps of Jimmy Carter and be a one-term President.

H/T IHateTheMedia

Photo source

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TGIF: The TPC political cocktail of the week "celebrates" the Republican Party primary fight!

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Haltman) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:58:00 +0000

The TPC TGIF political cocktail of the week segment has celebrated such notable past and present Washingtonians as...

Marion Barry with his signature cocktail The Dirty Hooker;
Barney Frank and Super Fruity Sangria; and
Ted Kennedy's The Chappaquiddick.

Unfortunately this week, given the extremely negative dialogue and overwhelming antipathy that has been displayed between Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich, the TPC TGIF cocktail is one not fit for human consumption and that should never be "poured" under any circumstances!

It is a cocktail that describes the potential damage that these two candidates are doing to the prospects of the Republican Party in November when a somewhat flawed survivor faces what should still be an extremely vulnerable incumbent in the person of Barack Obama.

The chosen cocktail provides a metaphorical description of the possible end result that could come from what has deteriorated into a me-first process of politics.

A process that will hopefully not have an impact akin to "eating the Republican Party's young."

Therefore, and although it pains me to do this particularly ahead of what should be a uniting experience for the party at CPAC (#CPAC) next week, the TPC TGIF cocktail this week in honor of the Republican Party is the ...

Molotov Cocktail

Ingredients will not be provided!

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The Super Bowl of conservative bloggers has announced this weeks winner!

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Haltman) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:52:00 +0000

Dedicated to the Super Bowl and CPAC 2012, congratulations to this weeks Watcher's Council winner, Joshuapundit!

The Watcher's Council nominations for the week of January 30th were presented, the votes were cast, and the winners will now be announced!

For those of you who who may be reading about the Watcher's Council for the first time, it is a group consisting of some of the top conservative minded bloggers from around the world.

A group that The Political Commentator is extremely proud to have been asked to be part of!

Each week members select and submit an article of their own creation in addition to one article from a non-council blog they find to be particularly topical and important.

While you may not always agree with what you read, that alone may make the experience that much more valuable!

Once the submissions have been received at an undisclosed location in secret ballot form, the Watcher's Council members then individually vote for their favorites.

Those votes are protected and held by outside auditing firm Arthur Andersen until such time as they are counted and a winner named for the Grand Prize.

This Grand Prize consists of the appreciation of our peers.

In the end though, we all win because of the range of information and important analysis received on the critical issues of the day.

In a nutshell, the Watcher's Council is the ultimate conservative blog aggregator!

So without further ado, the winners of this weeks Watcher's Council are...?

Council Winners

*First place with 3 2/3 votes! Joshuapundit – The New Egypt – Bankrupt And Sinking Fast

Second place with 2 2/3 votes – Bookworm Room- ObamaCare, the Catholic Church, and mandatory abortion payments

Third place with 2 1/3 votes – The Razor-The Twisted Memory of Newt Gingrich

Fourth Place with 1 2/3 votes – New Zeal-Russia Today Hires WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange- Will the Kremlin Be Pleased?

Fifth place *t* with 2/3 vote – The Colossus Of Rhodey-If you didn’t know this was coming by now, you’re living in a cave

Fifth place *t* with 2/3 vote –GrEaT sAtAn”S gIrLfRiEnD -The Saudi Persian War

Fifth place *t* with 2/3 vote –The Right Planet -GOP: On Whose Side?

Fifth place *t* with 2/3 vote – The Noisy Room – Tantrum on the Tarmac

Fifth place *t* with 2/3 vote – The Political Commentator –In a debate would John King ask Obama about this…? (Video)

Fifth place *t* with 2/3 vote – VA Right! –Senator Janet Howell ‘Rectal Avenger’

Sixth place *t* with 1/3 vote – The Mellow Jihadi – Parading Vets: St Louis Vs. New York

Sixth place *t* with 1/3 vote – Rhymes With Right – Presidents Are Not Kings; Americans No Obliged To Appear When He Beckons

Non-Council Winners

First place with 2 1/3 votes! – Alisineh.Org- What Is My Identity? submitted by Joshuapundit

Second place *t* with 1 2/3 votes – Smithsonian.com – Revisiting the Rise and Fall of the Third Reich submitted by The Colossus Of Rhodey

Second place *t* with 1 2/3 votes –Caroline Glick The Zionist Imperative submitted by The Political Commentator

Second place *t* with 1 2/3 votes –The Reserve Officer New Defense Strategy submitted by GrEaT sAtAn”S gIrLfRiEnD

Second place *t* with 1 2/3 votes –Bob Owens/PJ MediaNew Emails Suggest Eric Holder Perjured Himself submitted by The Glittering Eye

Third place with 1 1/3 votes -Frontloading HQ –I’ll see your white knight and raise you a filing deadline. Why It’s Too Late for Entry in the Republican Nomination Race submitted by Rhymes With Right

Fourth place with 1 vote - Investors Business Daily – Media Act As Though Only Republicans Misbehave submitted by VA Right!

Fifth place *t* with 2/3 vote -American Thinker –Barack Obama and the Strategy of Manufactured Crisis submitted by The Right Planet

Fifth place *t* with 2/3 vote - Michelle Malkin –For Santorum submitted by The Noisy Room

Fifth place *t* with 2/3 vote -Terry Glavin –It’s Not Funny Anymore submitted by Simply Jews

Fifth place *t* with 2/3 vote -Blogbat –The Moon Is Made of Cheese, You Know submitted by Right Truth

Sixth place *t* with 1/3 vote -Via Meadia –Beyond Blue Part One: The Crisis of the American Dream submitted by The Razor

Sixth place *t* with 1/3 vote -The Kitchen Dispatch –Aloha, Sarge Charlie. Until We Meet Again submitted by The Mellow Jihadi

Sixth place *t* with 1/3 vote -Bill Whittle –The Vote Pump submitted by Bookworm Room

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Friday Inspiration: Act of Valor (Movie Trailer featuring active-duty Navy SEALs)

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Haltman) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:50:00 +0000

A film including active-duty SEALs who risk their lives protecting ours!

H/T Theo Spark

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Video flashback: In President Obama's very own words it's a no-brainer; He MUST be a one-term president!

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Haltman) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:21:00 +0000

This morning the question was asked about whether Obamanomics has led the United States into a liquidity trap created by having the lowest possible interest rates and a non-growing economy?

That question was clearly answered by examining the treasury yield curve and the economic forecasts out of the CBO.

Now in his own words below President Obama tells you why, given the truth of the first statement, come 2012 election time he MUST be a one-term president!

Obamanomics and the story of a one-term president!

Video H/T Politicons

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Could money be any easier and could economic growth be any slower? (Video)

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Haltman) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:56:00 +0000

The answers are not really and I sure hope not!

Another question? Is the United States in a liquidity trap?

Liquidity trap is a term that's loosely defined as having had an enormous amount of cash injected into the system by the Fed to lower interest rates for the purpose of stimulating economic growth, with that desired economic growth never actually occurring.

Anecdotal evidence of a liquidity trap and tangible results of Obamanomics !

2012 GDP forecast (Congressional Budget Office): 2.0% reduced from a forecast of 2.7%.

2012 unemployment rate (CBO): 8.9% and 9.2% in 2013.

2012 federal budget deficit (CBO): $1.08 trillion up from the old forecast of $973 billion.

Treasury yield curve

(Click to enlarge)

If interest rates are virtually at zero and it is difficult to get any lower than zero!

If economic forecasts are heading in the wrong direction meaning down instead of up!

What would you call what we have?

And, what will happen to the economy and interest rates down the road as a result?

This video asks one of those million dollar questions!

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Which team will win Super Bowl XLVI? A politically incorrect look at handicapping the game!

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Haltman) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 08:31:00 +0000

Analyzing the New York Giants - New England Patriots game has been done in virtually every possible way by nearly every available pundit! Are there any unique ways left?

Handicapping a Super Bowl or a horse race!

As a young man I was a somewhat frequent visitor to the horse track.

As a frequent visitor, I would spend a great deal of time pouring over the Racing Form trying to pick the eventual race winners.

If I happened to be there with a young lady, often she would make a selection by the sound of a horses name, the colors of the silks the horse was wearing or just by the way that a horse looked.

Unfortunately I will tell you that this way of picking tended to work as well as my method did.

So in the 2012 Super Bowl is there an equivalent way to pick a team by the way a team looks?

Not really, but how about if we used some even shallower metric like the way that the New York Giants and the New England Patriots cheerleaders look.

Because the New York Giants have no official cheerleaders, we have used a randomly selected proxy group from a sport as tough as football, rugby, and from a country not the United States, South Africa, in order to maintain some level of impartiality.

You make the call!

The New England Patriot cheerleaders!

The proxy New York Giants cheerleaders from South African rugby!

It is no contest!

In a walkover, the projected winner of Super Bowl 2012 based on the unscientific analysis of a cheerleader competition;

The New York Giants!

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A Greece bond haircut definitely won't look like this!

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Haltman) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:29:00 +0000

Jim Sinclair on a Greece default, the pending ISDA decision and the insolvency of the five largest U.S. banks!

So who is Jim Sinclair, what is the ISDA and what do either one have to do with the Greece sovereign debt crisis or the solvency of banks in the U.S.?

Because the way that the Greece sovereign debt crisis will ultimately be handled by the EU has implications far beyond either Greece or the EU, the pending decision by the ISDA (see below) on what a Greece sovereign bondholder haircut will be "called" has potentially devastating global implications.

Due to the existence of these potential "unintended consequences" that could spark an even worse global banking crisis along with everything associated that would follow, it is likely that whatever this Greece event is called it will be done in such a way as to not trigger the CDS or credit default swaps that have been sold on that country's sovereign debt.

But there are no guarantees of that fact.

The players in this article!

Jim Sinclair - "... From 1981 to 1984, Mr. Sinclair served as a Precious Metals Advisor to Hunt Oil and the Hunt family for the liquidation of their silver position as a prerequisite for the $1 billion loan arranged by the Chairman of the Federal Reserve, Paul Volcker.

He was also a General Partner and Member of the Executive Committee of two New York Stock Exchange firms and President of Sinclair Global Clearing Corporation (commodity clearing firm) and Global Arbitrage (derivative dealer in metals and currencies)..." (Source)

ISDA (International Swaps and Derivatives Association) - "... is a trade organization of participants in the market for over-the-counter derivatives. It is headquartered in New York, and has created a standardized contract (the ISDA Master Agreement) to enter into derivatives transactions..." (Source)

An interview between Ellis Martin and Jim Sinclair

The interview at The Ellis Report makes for extremely interesting reading as it gives some of the details regarding the ISDA, who the players are, what the ramifications of their decisions concerning Greece sovereign debt could be and why then it can be assumed with a fairly high degree of certainty that whatever decision they come to will not include any language that could trigger a CDS event.

Read the interview at The Ellis Report here.

Photo source

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Beware of teenagers bearing computer keyboards!

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Haltman) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:20:00 +0000

Round 1 to Anonymous as Dana White of UFC.com learned the hard way after he crossed the group and had his personal information disclosed online and his website "defaced!"

In light of this, conventional wisdom has said that as we move further into the 21st century cyber-security issues may in fact supersede other types of national security threats.

As a neophyte on technical matters such as the security of computer networks this would appear to be the case, given that what has been reported in the media seems to indicate that even the most sensitive and supposedly most secure systems around the globe may be at risk.

One isolated example of the insecurity of a computer network!

As reported in an article at CagePotato.com, the UFC.com website and Dana White were both hit by a 13-year old Australian because White would not apologize for remarks he made about the group Anonymous in which he called the group "terrorists".

"According to a story released today by Softpedia.com, the hacker that shut down UFC.com and posted Dana White’s purported personal information including his Social Security number, phone numbers and net worth, was a 13-year-old Australian computer whiz who goes by the handle s3rver.exe..." (Read the full article at CouchPotato.com)

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Wednesday funnies courtesy of Michelle Obama!

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Haltman) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:56:00 +0000

Indirectly of course but we thank her anyway!

Just in case you needed confirmation that the Obama's lie squarely in the upper regions of the 1% the President so loathes and takes every opportunity to vilify, a breaking story has emerged out of the rumor mill regarding the First Lady's recent purchase of $50,000 worth of lingerie!

I have to draw(s) the line, however, at the unsubstantiated claims that the FLOTUS used Air Force One to do it.

In any event this is a short snippet from an extremely funny and politically incorrect article on this "news" along with a link to read the entire thing:

"Rosie O’Donnell must have beat Moochelle to the local Wal-Mart and hauled off all the Bufforilla Butt drawers! Because Mooch just dropped $50k on lingerie! $50,000? Isn’t that a little extreme even for Moochelle? Maybe she was buying lingerie for Hussein Hopenchange, too. He’s been in a funk lately since his body-man Reggie Love left Barack to moisturize with another. To be fair, Newt Gingrich’s latest wife likes to run up million dollar tabs at Tiffany’s on trinkets and beads so $50,000 on drawers shouldn’t raise an eyebrow. Especially with Mooch!

The White House is denying the story but, the fact is, nobody finds this news even a little bit surprising! With her record, she probably took Air Force One to every country in Europe and beyond to make her purchases. But $50,000 for panties to cover her big ham ass? They must be charging by the yard for those granny panties these days..." (Read the rest here)

H/T IOwnTheWorld

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Lebron James and "The Decision" are metaphors for the problems in this country (Cartoon) [del.icio.us]

halthouse1 — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 05:59:51 PDT

The priorities of the nation are slightly skewed.

Afghan Decision: Still Waiting [del.icio.us]

halthouse1 — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 05:25:09 PDT

The Politicians In The White House Continue The Military Debate

Security of our homeland begins in Iran and Afghanistan [del.icio.us]

halthouse1 — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 08:34:40 PDT

Article talks about the danger of appeasement and the Iranian missile crisis.

Jimmy Carter: One Term Wasn't Enough? [del.icio.us]

halthouse1 — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 03:56:55 PDT

No, this former peanut farmer from Georgia wants to make sure that his name goes down in history as a destructive career diplomat as well, both foreign and domestic. His current diatribe concerns the fact that any criticism of the new administration must have its foundation in racism. ...While blatantly untrue, why is this ex-President playing the race card, particularly when it is so far off base? Why is he making statements at all?...

The FBI Is The New CIA: Where Is The Public Outrage? [del.icio.us]

halthouse1 — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 04:25:04 PDT

For President Obama, The War On Terror Is Now Over. Excuse me. For President Obama "violent extremism," "overseas contingency operations" and "man-caused disasters" is no longer of concern (politically correct verbiage)...

The Hypocrisy Of The Phrase: Failed Policies Of The Last 8 Years!! [del.icio.us]

halthouse1 — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 03:27:35 PST

I know the rules of Washington. What you say in front of the cameras today is the new reality that wipes out any of your actions that have actually occurred through the years (i.e. Chappaquiddick, sorry couldn't help myself). Even though I know these rules, you reach a point where you just can't listen to it anymore without expressing some outrage. Remember some of the players and situations from before Bush took office? Bill Clinton, Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, Melvin Watt, the expansion of the Community Reinvestment Act in 1995, the political clout of Fannie Mae, the political contributions made by Fannie Mae (now President Obama was a substantial beneficiary), sweetheart mortgage deals, the attempt to reign in the problem that was blocked by the Democrats when Bush was in office and so on and so on.

The Stimulus Bill Simplified [del.icio.us]

halthouse1 — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 18:00:47 PST

The Stimulus Bill Explained Shortly after class, an economics student approaches his economics professor and says, "I don't understand this stimulus bill. Can you explain it to me?" The professor replied, "I don't have any time to explain it at my office, but if you come over to my house on Saturday and help me with my weekend project, I'll be glad to explain it to you."...

Obama Mortgage Modifications: Life Preserver or Something Else? [del.icio.us]

halthouse1 — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 03:36:23 PST

Politicizing The Problem President Obama gave the speech today outlining a plan to curtail the volume of home foreclosures in front of a cheering crowd in Arizona, thereby politicizing a problem that might have been better discussed in a speech from the White House in prime time to a national audience. That would have been Washington business as usual at its best. Quote: The government infected us with the disease (starting with Clinton and continued by Bush), and now they are trying to kill us with the cure.

Democrats: The New Age Of Plausible Deniability [del.icio.us]

halthouse1 — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 03:22:27 PST

What Is Plausible Deniability? "The term plausible deniability was introduced into the English language in 1975 when the Church Committee, a US Senate committee, conducted an investigation into the intelligence agencies. Plausible deniability has been honed since in government and private enterprise, into an art form. We all do it, at home with the kids, at work, with our mates from our club and sometimes sadly, with ourselves. The problem for me is that plausible deniability is a phrase that equates to lack of accountability." (ChangeFactory.com)

Time For Hillary Clinton To Start Proving Her Mettle [del.icio.us]

halthouse1 — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 04:29:33 PST

This is the quandary of opening a dialogue with the leaders of Iran. Talks in good faith would be terrific but cannot be one sided. We can not allow ourselves to be used as pawns by the Iranian government who will no doubt say and promise one thing and do another. Now one argument is that the ordinary citizens of Iran have become disillusioned with the government and want change. Can they force change? Maybe, but doubtful. How long do we wait for the change to happen? Conventional wisdom, or at least my wisdom, would say that we need that to happen before Iran has the nuclear weapons making capability.

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