Don’t Like Tea Parties, Try Coffee!

Leave it to liberals to create a counter movement in which their symbol is a beverage topped with frothy milk, and whose motto is “espresso yourself.”

Lacking even one original bone in their vegan induced, emaciated bodies, this group of beret wearing neoprogressives have decided that they need to stand up “against” the tea party movement by writing a coffee manifesto!

The founder of the “movement,” Annabel Park, a documentary film maker (big surprise, the perfect vocation for the founder of such a group) even offered a motivating rallying cry:

"let's start a coffee party ... smoothie party. red bull party. anything but tea. geez. ooh how about cappuccino party? that would really p!ss 'em off bec it sounds elitist ..."

Gee you think, elitist? Where do I sign up?

Bruce Maiman wrote an interesting blog piece, in which he suggested some items that should be part of the coffee party planks:

* No sleeping until after the midterm elections
* YOU TYPE EVERYTHING IN CAPITAL LETTERS
* Ability to pass people on the highway without driving in your car
* Rename your kids "Cappuccino," "Americano" and "Mocha Latte"
* Tendency to lick window panes at Starbucks
* All videos watched in fast-forward
* Can only stand still during an earthquake
* Pulse can only be measured using the National Debt Clock
* You do 20 miles on the treadmill before you realize it's not plugged in
* You're shaking like Jim Bunning at an unemployment office
* You don't sweat, you percolate

Can’t wait for the first meeting when they breakout the bongo drums and unveil the new group flag, which just happens to feature a picture of Juan Valdez and his burro.

NH: Does Congressman Paul Ryan Deserve Our Fawning

With Congressman Paul Ryan’s recent visit to NH, I could not help but notice how easily some have forgotten how the Republican Party found themselves out as the majority. Everyone wants to get their picture taken with him, and no one wants to ask him the tough questions.

Maybe's its the euphoria of "certain victory" that many believe will come the Republican Party's way this Fall. Or maybe it because Congressman Ryan is young, providing the illusion of a Party newness. And although Ryan in the past, more times than not, has voted as a conservative (which I greatly appreciate), he also has a history of voting for political gain:

• Voted YES on $192B additional anti-recession stimulus spending. (Jul 2009)
• Voted YES on $15B bailout for GM and Chrysler. (Dec 2008)
• Voted YES on granting Washington DC an Electoral vote & vote in Congress. (Apr 2007)
• Voted against the original stimulus package, but than wrote that he supported the Energy Center of Wisconsin’s grant application, which “intends to place 1,000 workers in green jobs.” The funds for this center would come directly from stimulus funding he VOTED AGAINST.

Congressman Ryan was first elected to the House when he was 28 years old, and he is now 40 (that is 12 years……….the longest job he has ever held is in government!). Prior to joining the Congress he worked as an aide to Senator Kasten (1992), then served as Legislative Director for Senator Brownback, and next as a speechwriter for William Bennett and Jack Kemp. Where is the private sector experience? If he were a Democrat, many would be saying he is nothing more than the ultimately political insider! But because many see him as "one of us," they believe it is alright to ignore the fact that Ryan has called DC his home for most of his adult life.

He has little to no private sector experience. But he is young, and he is saying what we need him to say now; so NH welcomes him with open arms, wooed by his youth, and tough talk at the Healthcare Summit. But we have a greater responsibility as NH voters, it is called accountability. NH owes it to the rest of the nation to be tough on not only Democrats, but Republicans. He voted for some of the very things many of us stood against, and frankly has been in Washington far too long not to be tainted.

Some in NH care more about a photo op than holding our elected representatives accountable. I have nothing against Congressman Ryan, and feel in many ways he is far better than most in Congress. But I have gotten to the point that I need to acknowledge that part of the problem in DC is career politicians. Congressman Paul Ryan is a career politician.

It is not the Party’s Fault; It’s the “Isms”

This is in response to a Letter to the Editor blaming Republicans for all America’s economic woes throughout our history:

I could not help but response to David B. Munsey revisionist history of the role Republicans played in the economy. But in order to fairly represent the true nature of the discussion, the dialogue should really focus on the difference between the “ism” that controlled the debate at the time of the economic up or down. Was it progressivism or conservatism that was the overall guiding principles? By worrying less about the party affiliation, and focusing more on the reining “ism,” you start see an obvious trend.

First, Mr. Munsey ignores the Great Depression of 1920. That’s right 1920, not 1931. The WORSE economic crash to occur in modern record keeping was the crash under progressive Woodrow Wilson (D). Wilson applied a high tax rate (upwards of 70%) and massive deficit spending (spending outpaced tax revenues X 3). The fastest recovery out of a major economic downturn occurred under the great “forgotten” President, conservative Calvin Coolidge (R). President Coolidge reduced the tax rate to 25% and cut spending by a whopping 50%! It is the combination of a fair tax percentage and STRICT spending controls that resulted in higher tax revenues and unprecedented employment (98.1 % employment). Under Coolidge’s conservative leadership we saw the largest increase of the middle class in history.

The next economic downturn, 1929, which contrary to misconception, was not the start of the “Great Depression.” However, the downturn of 1929 was the result of the progressive policies of President Herbert Hoover (the “forgotten progressive”) (R). Hoover ignored the lessons of the Wilson administration and abandoned the conservative principals established by Coolidge. Hoover initially maintained the lower tax rate, but increased spending to record deficit levels (much like we saw under Bush 43). Also under Hoover, we started to see the heavy hand of government being applied to business. Lo and behold, the economic collapsed, eventually leading to the depression of 1929.

I noticed that Mr. Munsey ignored the next two great dips in our economy, 1931 (the Great Depression) and 1938, probable for good reason; they would not play very well into his argument of Democrat (good) versus Republican (bad). The Great Depression was the direct result of heavy taxation, deficit spending, confusing government control, and lastly, Hoover and the Congress trying to “spend” their way into prosperity (sound familiar?). Policies that would be continued under FDR.

1938, America saw another major economic downturn with high unemployment (19% ), out of control spending , a punishing tax code (67%), the heavy hand of government entanglements within the market, and continued attempts by the US government to spend their way into prosperity. In fact FDR’s attempt to “control” the economic resulted in the comment made by FDR’s Secretary of Treasury, "We've tried spending money. We are spending more money than we have ever spent before, and it does not work."

I could go on, but why bother. When our government is guided by progressive policies, economic downturn will follow. Whenever the government is guided by conservative principals, true economic prosperity follows. Mr. Munsey is simply reciting from the playbook of the “new progressives,” which currently exist in both major Parties.

40% of all Americans identify themselves as Conservatives, and for good reason. They understand that both deficit spending and a punishing tax code are immoral. They also understand that government should function the same way a responsible household does; with a balance check book and by not stealing from your neighbors to make up for a lack of fiscal responsibility. It is progressive policies that have failed us, and both the Democrats and Republicans are guilty.

The Tea Parties Born 2009 - R.I.P.2010?

Political truth, like revenge, is a dish best served cold; at least for some in the media. Take for example the recent article by Kenneth Vogel, that appeared on Politico, and was eventual e-mailed throughout the Democratic Party:

Will Tea Partiers turn on each other?
Kenneth P. Vogel November 19, 2009 11:41 PM EST

After emerging out of nowhere over the summer as a seemingly potent and growing political force, the tea party movement has become so rife with internal feuding over philosophy, strategy and money that some supporters fear it will disintegrate before realizing its full potential.

The grass-roots activists powering the movement have become increasingly divided on core questions such as whether to focus their efforts on shaping policy debates or elections, work on a local, regional, state or national level or closely align itself with the Republican Party, POLITICO found in interviews with tea party organizers in Washington and across the country.
Disagreements over those issues have spawned personal and institutional rivalries, at least one highly contentious lawsuit and - perhaps most significantly - resulted in the splintering of local, regional and national groups into a patchwork of hundreds of smaller groups that occasionally seem to be working at cross-purposes.

“These groups don’t play as well together as they should,” said Kevin Jackson, a St. Louis-based conservative author and activist who has spoken at dozens of tea party-type rallies and is traveling across the South with a convoy sponsored by the national Tea Party Patriots group.

“They’re fractured at the organization level, I think mainly because there are a lot of people who have not had managerial experience who all of a sudden are thrust into the limelight and become intoxicated with it. And when a potential rift comes up, instead of handling it and maybe agreeing to disagree, they splinter and go off on their own.”

The movement exploded onto the scene this year as a backlash to what participants contend are the free-spending, overreaching initiatives pushed by President Barack Obama and the Democratic Congress. It is composed of hundreds of independent local groups, many of which are incorporated as nonprofits, and have localized names referencing the tea parties, “9/12” or “We The People.”

Many of their members also belong to national conservative groups, including FreedomWorks, Americans for Prosperity and Grassfire, while the local groups often affiliate formally or informally with loose-knit umbrella organizations, including the Tea Party Patriots and Tea Party Nation.

The organizational chaos - combined with a widening apathy at the edges of the movement - has produced a growing consensus among local, state and national tea party leaders that in order for the movement to evolve from the loose conglomeration of fired-up activists who protests and marches across the country into a sustainable block with the power to shape the GOP and swing elections, it will require the emergence of a national leader, group or structure.
Ned Ryun, president of American Majority, a nonprofit that has conducted organizer-training sessions for many tea party activists, said “the next 3 to 6 months” are going to be critical in determining “what’s going to happen with the tea party movement. Are they going to be a bunch of fingers, or are they going to come together to be a fist?”

Yet, while some tout a planned National Tea Party Convention in February (at which former Alaska governor and tea party darling Sarah Palin is listed as the keynote speaker) as a potentially unifying moment and others point to online coordination efforts, there is deep disagreement about what any national organization would look like and who would lead it.
FreedomWorks, Americans for Prosperity, Grassfire, Americans for Limited Government and a host of other groups have helped organize various efforts capitalizing on the energy behind the tea parties, including providing training, online war rooms that help generate phone calls and ready-to-distribute canvassing literature.

But the groups have also jockeyed - mostly behind the scenes - to take credit for leadership of the movement, which - depending on who’s doing the telling - took its name either as an homage to the 1773 Boston tax revolt that played a major role in sparking the American Revolution or from an acronym standing for “Taxed Enough Already.”

The philosophical and strategic disagreements have been present within the tea party movement almost from the beginning. But they were hidden - or at least overshadowed - by the initial explosion of activist enthusiasm, which has dissipated somewhat, exposing and widening the rifts.

“Some of these groups may burn out, but this is part of this entrepreneurial process and the competition is good,” said Adam Brandon, vice president of communications for FreedomWorks, a nonprofit chaired by former House Majority Leader Dick Armey of Texas.

The group has facilitated some of the efforts demonstrating the potential power of the movement. Those have included the confrontations that erupted at congressional strong support from many tea party groups and leaders.

Brandon stressed that the strength of the tea party movement is in its grass-roots nature and that FreedomWorks’s goal is to help facilitate the movement, not to control it.
“One thing that’s clear is that anyone who says they own the tea party movement is going to get run over because no one owns the movement,” he said.

Brandon acknowledged the “rivalries and turf battles” now gripping parts of the movement but said “that’s normal because people have different ideas about what they want. That’s what’s happening now, and it’s sometimes a painful process.”

Those fights have been waged over issues that go to the heart of the movement’s purpose and strategy as well as more mundane rivalries and personal feuds.

In Myrtle Beach, S.C., disputes within the local tea party about how much to engage in partisan politics and whether board members were profiting from contracts to print paraphernalia emblazoned with the group’s logo prompted the treasurer to resign and join with defectors from a North Carolina “We the People” group to form a new organization.

“There’s a lot of fighting, and everyone wants to be in charge, and that’s why you have so many splinter groups,” said the ex-treasurer Janet Spencer, who charged her adversaries within the tea party with saying “derogatory things about me that were very unprofessional.”
She said her new group, called Patriotic Voices of America/Carolina Patriots, counts about 100 members and will not coordinate with the Myrtle Beach Tea Party, whose treasurer, David Ognek, said the friction is “just group dynamics.”

In Texas, a handful of thriving tea party groups severed their ties from the national Tea Party Patriots group after it ousted, then sued a founding board member who had affiliated with a rival group called the Tea Party Express.

“Our fight is in Congress and not with each other or with these other groups,” said Toby Marie Walker, who was the Texas state coordinator for the Tea Party Patriots and also co-founded the Waco, Texas, tea party.

This Waco group recently drew an estimated 4,000 people to a rally it organized with the Tea Party Express, which travels the country hosting rallies. The month before, it had pulled out of the Tea Party Patriots after the Patriots group extremist rhetoric, and raising questions about the Express’s finances.

The Patriots’ attack and lawsuit worried the Waco group’s board, Walker said, because “if you align yourself with someone who is going to be that malicious, then how do we know they won’t turn on us?”

Other local tea party groups, though, cast their lots with the Patriots, heeding the group’s call to disassociate with the Tea Party Express.

In Granbury, Texas, local tea party organizer Josh Sullivan says he believes the movement’s effectiveness is being compromised by extremism.“You have some interesting folks in the Tea Party movement - some of them I can support, but some of them are kind of out there and radical, and I don’t want to associate myself with them,” he said.

In Northern Colorado, meanwhile, a handful of active 9/12 groups - named for the Glenn Beck-encouraged effort to stage the Sept. 12 Washington march - are unhappy with the state 9/12 group’s aversion to fundraising and with its focus on national issues and have discussed forming their own rival statewide group.

“People are beginning to become a little bit de-energized - they’re starting to feel like they’re fighting a losing battle, because we send a lot of letters into Washington, D.C., and things like that, and people are saying they’re not listening,” said Brian Britton, who heads the Greeley, Colo., 9/12 group.

That fear is echoed by Glenn Galls, a Hot Springs, Ark., tea party organizer frustrated with the focus of Arkansas’ state-level tea party groups on national races and issues such as cap and trade and health care.

Democratic email footer:

“If the tea party movement is going to continue to thrive and to grow and to have influence,” he said, “it must start coming together and coalescing and finding its purpose in life, because if it doesn’t, the excitement will fade like it does from anything else.”

Michael Czin Regional Press Secretary Democratic National Committee Office: (202) 863-8106
BBerry: (202) 286-7654

***** End of E-mail *****

Although there is some truth in the original Politico piece, Mr. Czin should not be so eager in ordering the wreath for the wake, because in the words of Mark Twain, “the reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated,” as is the premature death knell of the liberty movement.

I would caution both the Republican and Democratic Parties from reading too much into some of the observations of this article (just as I would have advised Michael Czin from forwarding the email around the Democratic Party – it is the type of thing that can be used to unite the liberty troops). Infighting can be found with any group, from the Cub Scouts to the UN. It is human nature, why would we expect these groups to be any different?

Many of these groups came together because of their dissatisfaction with all levels of government, and that has not changed. The liberty groups see both parties as the disease (a point I disagree with – a few bad apples do not spoil the whole barrel; nor do a few RINO’s speak for the rest of the crash). Watch what happens if this healthcare monstrosity passes. These groups will put their differences aside in defense of a cause. For you see, it is the cause that serves as the surrogate leader. Every time politicians give these groups a reason to fight, such as healthcare, cap-n-trade, illegal alien amnesty, in a perverted sort of way, they are providing the very leadership these groups need to resist them……..the cause! And right now, it is the Democrats that keep providing the ammunition; ammunition that will be used to put the lame donkey out of its misery.

What we are witnessing are growing pains. But at some point a level of realistic, political maturity must be the order of the day for these groups to be considered viable entities. If not, we will continue to witness our representatives standing before us like the highwaymen of old, yelling “Stand and deliver! Your money or your life.” Individual liberty is the cause, but a communal synergy is means of resistance.

However, to the articles’ point, eventually these groups must rally with a common ally. A new group of Founding Fathers must come forth, concerned less about individual accolades, and committed to the greater good of the “united States of America.” In the words of Ronald Reagan, it is amazing what you can accomplish it you do not care who gets credit for the success.

But to the observations in the originally article, I have some advise for the liberty groups. Do not let petty squabbles divide you. United you stand, divided you will fall. The Democratic Party would like nothing more than to see the liberty groups marginalize, preferring to focus on your potential downfall so as to avoid dealing with their own civil war (Democrats.com - Let's Beat the BlueDogs ). Do not give the Democrats the pleasure by proving them right. Rise above your differences, because the reasons that brought millions of Americans together still exist; and the difference between a country committed to liberty and a country whose people are subjects to tyranny have always rested with the liberty groups throughout history.

The lack of leadership, beyond the cause, is easy to resolve. It is time for the liberty groups to start endorsing candidates. The liberty groups should seek out leaders willing and able to run for office. Leaders with integrity, leaders willing to commit to the principals of the group. Each liberty group should create a common, realistic pledge (or list of key principals they stand for), that each candidate would be required to publicly support. This is how the liberty groups will find their “level of realistic, political maturity.”

New Hampshire Stimulus Spending Update: 22 Million Dollars, 221 Jobs Created…????

Stimulus: to spur, motivate or incentivize. Based on the numbers, none of that happen in New Hampshire:

Now New Hampshire.com: Stimulus Has Created 221 Private Sector Jobs in NH

New Hampshire has received roughly 22 million dollars in Federal Stimulus Funds, and only created 221 new jobs (22 million divided by 221 jobs = political farce!). And what is the Democratic response….we need more stimulus spending!

President Obama: The Post Office Is Kaput, Let’s Do The Same To Heathcare

Many things can be said about President Obama’s townhall meeting in Portsmouth, NH. It was a staged event; yes and so are Republican rallies. It was stacked with people “friendly” to the President’s cause; Yep, as all political rallies are. The questions were softballs; What’s your point?

The town hall was a staged event, as has been most of the Obama’s presidency. All politics is politics, and no one should be surprised by the way the Democrats handled the Portsmouth Townhall Meeting.

However, what can be addressed is the content of the President’s address; especially things that were said off prompter. One such statement was his poorly selected analogy regarding the US Post Office and private package delivery services. It is in this statement that the truth about why people are concerned about the Democrats plans to take over our current healthcare system; the government can never do it better than the free-market.

President Obama went off prompter when attempting to answer how a public plan might co-exist with a private healthcare system. Chuckling as he usually does when he is trying to formulate an answer; President Obama made the following observations:

“I think private insurers should be able to compete. They do it all the time. I mean, if you think about, if you think about it, um, UPS and FedEx are doing just fine. Right? The, uh, no they are. I mean, it's the post office that's always having problems. "

First point, in a free society private industry should never be in “competition” with a government program. The deck is always stacked in the government’s favor; the government writes the rules, enforces the rules, and when need be, changes the rules. No true competition can be achieved.

UPS, FedEx, Airborne Express are not in the business of daily mail delivery service. Daily mail delivery service, regardless of what some people might think, is vital to a fluid communication infrastructure, thereby permitting to some degree government involvement. However, many of the inefficacies of the post office are a glaring example of a bloated bureaucracy and a failed business model.

Point two, UPS and FedEx actually aren’t real competitors of the United States Postal Service. UPS, FedEx, Airborne Express were born out the need to provide fast delivery service, as inexpensive as possible, originally to the business community. Nevertheless, the customer understands that there will be a premium cost for a higher degree of service, and the customer is willing to incur that burden. The United States Postal Service has tried to play in the “fast delivery” service arena, and has failed (the reason for this failure could be a whole other article). The same thing will happen when you try to build a healthcare model based on this flawed premise, as President Obama eluded to at the Portsmouth Townhall.

If anything, President Obama’s analogy demonstrates what happens when a government system, also known as a public opinion, is overburden. The public program rations the service options and quality, then tries to “change the rules” when a private option is successful at exploiting the government programs failures.

And the final point comes from the last sentence of President Obama’s statement – “I mean, it's the post office that's always having problems. “ You are correct Mr. President! The government run program, weight downed with a bloated bureaucracy, continuing to function using outdated business principals, rationing services to ease their own internal pressure points (also known as customers), in the end providing sub-standard service to all, but hey, they are servicing everyone!

Maybe President Obama should work on reforming the Postal Service first before trying to tackle healthcare reform. But I have a strong suspicion that he will come to the same conclusion many have come to regarding healthcare reform. The government will never be as affected at these types of programs as the fair market solution. Period.

Word of advice to President Obama and his staff; next time use analogies that support your position, not hurt it. Just a thought.

Flu Vaccination Priority List: Senior's On Their Own

As with every collective society, eventfully it is the elderly, infirm, and those that are deemed to be "unsuitable" that are cast out. We see this not only in history, but in today's societies that have taken control over essential services, such as healthcare.

A recent example of an unfortunate oversight (which will not doubt be the reply from the Obama administration), is the omission of one our more vulnerable elements of our society...the elderly.

Senior Citizens Left Off Government’s Swine-Flu Vaccination Priority List

I venture to guest that someone in the Obama administration will eventually suggest a solution that solves two perceived problems: those stuborn old folks who just won't die and the alleged dwindling food source for the polar bear population. Advise to anyone over 60 years-old, if the governemnt offers you a "free trip" to the artic circle, don't be surpise if the tickets one-way.

Healthcare Proposal: 5 Year Plan to Move Consumers Off Their Plans

Let me first start by saying I have done something most Congressmen, Senators, and liberals have failed to do......I READ THE BILL!

If you were to read this bill it would take you very little time to see that the numbers do not add up, nor is the plan sustainable without the eventual take over of the entire system. But one of the must concerning issues is the Democrats are lying , and their uninformed followers gobble up the misinformation like the dimwitted sheep in Orwell's book "The Animal Farm."

The biggest lie is the often repeated statement that you will be able to keep your plan. It is a bold face lie, and anyone who repeats this statement is either an idiot or a lair, or both.

Obama’s Health-Care Proposal Could Keep Consumers from Choosing Own Insurance Plan After Five Years, House Minority Leader Says

5 year plans have been tried before...........

Like what we are witnessing in France and Canada, we will end up with a tiered healthcare system where the rich and connected "somehow" receive the best care, while the other animals on the farm wallow in the slop of a "new" healthcare system.

Our Healthcare Future: You'll Need a GPS To Find Care

The Democrats are hoping that the American people are feeling so overwhelmed and exhausted, that they will not have the energy to beat back the onslaught of tyrannical legislative initiatives currently being pushed by the party of the jackass.

However, what the Democrats do not seem to realize is that their effort at remaking of American, by attempting to exploit a chaos of their own creation, is only serving to unite the American people against them.

Rasmussen Reports: Americans Trust Republicans More Than Democrats On 8 of 10 Key Issues

What do the Democrats think is going to happen when the American people look at the mess that will become our healthcare system if any one of the Democratic healthcare plans passes?

Will The Senate Slavery Apology Lead To Reparations?

Should the United States of America apologize for slavery? The US Senate believes we should.

Recently the US Senate passed the Slavery Apology Act, which included a disclaimer that would seemly prevent the payment of reparations. But how can the Senate deny plaintiffs legal recourse if the Senate themselves validate an alleged wrong? They can’t, as numerous reparation supporters have publicly indicated:

Randall Robinson, author of "The Debt: What America Owes to Blacks," said he sees the Senate's apology as a "confession" that should lead to a next step of reparations. "Much is owed, and it is very quantifiable," he said. "It is owed as one would owe for any labor that one has not paid for, and until steps are taken in that direction we haven't accomplished anything."

On the floor of the Senate, Senator Roland Burris (D – Illinois), stated that the “disclaimer in no way would eliminate future actions that may be brought before this body that may deal with reparations.”

This act is a slap in the face of all those, of every races and religion, that fought to end slavery. To put this solely at the feet of all Americans, ignoring the truth that is the terrible history of the worldwide slave trade, is disingenuous and unjust.

Senate slavery apology

A Minority View: Walter Williams

Last month, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed Senate Resolution 26 "Apologizing for the enslavement and racial segregation of African-Americans." The resolution ends with: "Disclaimer – Nothing in this resolution (a) authorizes or supports any claim against the United States; or (b) serves as a settlement of any claim against the United States." That means Congress apologizes but is not going to pay reparations, as least for now.

Members of the Congressional Black Caucus have expressed concerns about the disclaimer, thinking that it's an attempt to stave off reparations claims from the descendants of slaves. Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Barbara Lee, D-Calif., said her organization is studying the language of the resolution, and Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., said "putting in a disclaimer takes away from the meaning of an apology. A number of us are prepared to vote against it in its present form. There are several members of the Progressive Caucus who feel the same way."

It goes without saying that slavery was a gross violation of human rights. Justice would demand that all the perpetrators – that includes slave owners, and African and Arab slave sellers – make compensatory reparation payments to victims. Since slaves, slave owners and slave sellers are no longer with us, such compensation is beyond our reach and a matter to be settled in the world beyond.

Absent from the reparations debate is: Who pays? Don't say the government because the government doesn't have any money that it doesn't first take from some American. So which Americans owe black people what? Reparations advocates don't want that question asked but let's you and I.

Are the millions of Europeans, Asians and Latin Americans who immigrated to the U.S. in the 20th century responsible for slavery and should they be forced to cough up reparations money? What about descendants of Northern whites who fought and died in the name of freeing slaves? Should they cough up reparations money for black Americans? What about non-slave-owning Southern whites, a majority of whites; should they be made to pay reparations? And, by the way, would President Obama, whose father is Kenyan and mother white, be eligible for a reparations payment?

On black people's side of the ledger, thorny issues also arise. Some blacks purchased other blacks as a means to free family members. But other blacks owned slaves for the same reason whites owned slaves – to work farms or plantations. Are descendants of these blacks eligible and deserving of reparations? There is no way that Europeans could have captured millions of Africans. They had African and Arab help. Should Congress haul representatives of Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Muslim states before them and demand they compensate American blacks because of their ancestors' involvement in capturing and selling slaves?

Reparations advocates make the foolish unchallenged pronouncement that United States became rich on the backs of free black labor. That's utter nonsense. Slavery has never had a very good record of producing wealth. Think about it. Slavery was all over the South. Buying into the reparations nonsense, you'd have to conclude that the antebellum South was rich and the slave-starved North was poor. The truth of the matter is just the opposite. In fact, the poorest states and regions of our country were places where slavery flourished: Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. The richest states and regions were those where slavery was absent: Pennsylvania, New York and Massachusetts.

The Senate apology is nothing more than political theater, but it could be a slick way to get the camel's nose into the tent for future reparations. If the senators are motivated by white guilt, I have the cure. About 15 years ago I wrote a "Proclamation of Amnesty and Pardon Granted to All Persons of European Descent."

Walter E. Williams, Ph.D., is the John M. Olin Distinguished Professor of Economics at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va.

Obama To Chrysler: I Will Make Them An Offer They Can’t Refuse

What would happen if one branch of the government tries to interfere in an area that is the province of another branch? In a normal world the interfering branch is slapped back; but this is not a normal world, this is Obamaland.

The interview below features attorney Tom Lauria detailing how the Executive Branch of the United States government is serving as the negotiator, arbitrator, and judge, in the dismantling of Chrysler. This is clearly a violation of the separation of powers, and a dishonest attempt by the Obama administration to reward those that supported him.

The Obama administration has gone so far as to change the “pecking order” on who will be receiving money that is owed to them, and how much these companies will receive. It appears that the Obama administration has determined that entities (such as the unions) that had a lower financial commitment within Chrysler have been moved to the top of the monetary heap, receiving a higher percentage than companies who had been keeping Chrysler afloat before the government stepped in.

Fasicism, socialism…tomato, toemoto…let’s call the whole thing off!

Zero Hedge summarizes and surmises (from hotair.com):

In an interview of momentous importance, WJR’s Frank Beckmann interviews Tom Lauria, the Head of Restructuring at top five law firm White & Case, in which the lawyer, who represents Chrysler hold-out hedge funds Stairway Capital and Oppenheimer Funds, discusses on the record the amazing treatment by the White House of Perella Weinberg, which initially had been a transaction hold out but after threats by the White House (not my words) was forced to drop their objection and go with the administration. Says Lauria:

“One of my clients was directly threatened by the White House and in essence compelled to withdraw its opposition to the deal under threat that the full force of the White House press corps would destroy its reputation if it continued to fight…That was Perella Weinberg.”

…The full interview with Tom Lauria below is a must hear for everyone as it discloses not only the administration’s strong arming tactics in black and white, but also discloses some other critical facts that the president on his regular TV appearances has failed to mention such as:

- First lien holders were willing to accept a 50% discount on their positions, however the 71% demanded by the administration was seen as too much.
- The cash going to Junior claims (creditors below the first liens) will be between $10 and $20 billion, a number which in practice should satisfy a par recovery for the 1st liens if the Absolute Priority Rule was actually withheld.
- Among the creditors are not just vulturous hedge funds but “pensioners, teachers, credit unions, college endowments, retirement plans, and personal retirement accounts.”

In conclusion, Lauria summarizes the developing Chrysler mess best:

“The President is trying to abrogate contractual rights; if he will attack that contractual right, what right will he not attack?”

Murtha Madness: An Airport To Nowhere

Our politicians are fond of having the taxpayers fund follies that can be named after them. One only need to look to West Virginia to see how the self-serving Senator Byrd has transformed that State into his own personal shrine.

The most recent example of Washington's "let them eat cake" mentality comes from Congressman Murtha's and his airport to nowhere:

Murtha Airport Got Military Upgrades

The ethically challenged Murtha, whose past contempt for the military is well documented, has no problem hiding behind the military to justify support for this project. But this is just another series of questionable moves on the part of Murtha (and his family) that has some calling for an ethics probe:

Groups Wants Ethics Probe On Murtha

Mutha's Nephew Received Millions

Is this just another example of the corruptible nature of "pork" spending? Why do we allow public funds to go towards the vanity of those that should be serving the interest of the people? Should we pass a law that does not permit the naming of any project receiving federal funds after any senator, congressperson, cabinet member, etc? Should we reserve the naming of these projects for those that gave their lives in the services of their country?

Cap and Trade: Who Is Getting Rich From This Fallacy

Yesterday it was called Global Warming, today it is called Climate Change; but whatever you call it, it is a false emergency based on flawed science, questionable tactics, and devoid of integrity. And what would be the proper response to the pressure groups that are promoting this chimera? Why cap and trade, of course!

Cap and trade is a government run ponzi scheme that will cost Americans jobs, take money out of the pockets of all Americans (in effect, a tax in the form of higher energy cost), and line the pockets of the very “advocates” promoting this facade:

Cap-And-Trade: Al Gore's Cash Cow
10 Questions for Al Gore

The patron saint of the green movement, Al Gore, had an estimated wealth of 2 million dollars in 2000. Today he is worth 100’s of millions of dollars, and not one Democratic the House panel is concerned about a conflict of interest? Gore is green alright……….with money he has made from this “crisis.” But Gore is not alone. GE (the parent company of MSNBC and NBC), which has been heavily promoting both Obama and Cap and Trade, stands to make billions. yet the media is just skipping along to this madness.

The only thing that stands between this folly and common sense are the American people and a few conservative representatives.

House Begins 'Cap and Trade' Hearings
Cap and Trade a ‘Declaration of War,’ Say Republicans
Inhofe: Cap and Trade Will Cost U.S. 800,000 Jobs

Congressional Legislators Received Briefings Regarding Interrogation Techniques

In a Sgt. Schultz moment (“I see nothing, I hear nothing!”), we learn that Democratic members of Congress received over 30 known briefings from our intelligence agencies regarding the interrogation techniques they are now condemning:

Top legislators knew of interrogations

“Between 2002 and 2006, the top Republicans and Democrats on the House and Senate intelligence committees "each got complete, benchmark briefings on the program," said one of the intelligence sources who is familiar with the briefings.”

Do the Democrats really want to go forward with “show” hearing, which will not only harm America, but exposed the Democrats for the bankrupt party that they are.

Minnesota: Land of 10,000 Lakes and Thousands Uncounted Votes

One of the biggest hypocrisies committed by the Left is their false condemnation of the electoral process, which only seems to materialize when they were unable to steal an election.

Minnesota's Missing Votes

The sad reality is that the Republican candidate is “damned if they do, damned if they don’t.” If the Republican candidate wins in a landslide, the election was stolen and voters were “disenfranchised.” If the Republican candidate wins by only a few hundred or thousand votes, he/she will lose in the recount.

Many Democrat fronted “voters’ rights” groups suddenly become silent on the issue of fair play when it is the Republican candidate fighting to preserve the sanctity of the ballot box. Go figure!!??!!.

The truth is that the greatest voter fraud committed on the American people is the one perpetrated by the Left every election. Like little kids when they do not get their way, they fall to the ground kicking a screaming, all the while blaming someone else for their problems. Worse, when they win they flaunt their victory like spoiled brats with all the candy. The only thing missing is the “nanny, nanny, boo, boo” chant. But I guess they save that for their convention.

Rocky Mountain Lie: Democratic Dirty Tricks In Colorado

In a modern day version of the Donner Party moment, a Colordao politician ate one of his own.

Folks, let’s have no illusions that bipartisanship is the goal of either major party. There are major philosophical differences between the major parties. On all most every issue facing Americans today, let just say the two parties have agreed to disagree.

But that does mean that government should be turned into “Thunderdome,” and that integrity to the process should be maintained, unlike what we witnessed this week in Colorado:

Colo. Dems expedite illegals tuition bill

What happen in the Colorado Senate this week was pathetic. Senator Abel Tapia should be ashamed of himself and apologize. To take advantage of a fellow legislator dealing with a family crisis in this manner is cowardice and underhanded.

Hoyer: ‘I Don’t Know’ Where Obama Got Legal Authority for Auto Plan

Does the US Government have the constitutional authority to take over a private business merely on economic issues? Where did the Obama administration get the authority to fire the CEO of GM and force Chrysler to enter into a financial partnership with a foreign company?

I don’t know either, but guess what, neither does Democratic representative Hoyer:

CNS News: Clueless in Washington

Just a suggestion Representative Hoyer, don’t you think you should research the issue before you support the destruction of the free-market economy.

Liberals Lie: I’m Shocked!

For those that have read my blog in the past, and for those that are new to it, you know that I have very little tolerance for the dishonesty displayed by many on the Left. There are two things that I have learned when dealing with Liberal lies:

1. It is important for conservatives to not only known the historical truth, but to know the truth as liberals see it. Many liberals believe what they believe because they are just repeating fallacies that have been offered to them. Nothing shuts a liberal up faster than the FACTS. Facts are to liberals as garlic is to vampires.

2. Never, ever let a liberal get away with a false statement. I do not care where you are, and who it is, letting Liberals get away with a false statement is like letting your puppy poop on the rug. If you don’t correct them, they will continue to defecate all over the place! Now I am not saying that you have to get into a heated exchange. It could be as simply as saying “that’s not true,” and point the misguided individual to the truth. Or better yet, challenge the person to “explain” their statement, example:

SLS (Stupid Liberal Statement): “If we had more regulations, we wouldn’t be in this financial mess! This is all President Bush’s fault.”

ICR (Intelligent Conservative Reply): “Really, what are the regulations now, and what regulations would you proposed that would have stopped this?” Were you aware that President Bush and now ex-Senator Sununu recommended changes that would have prevented much of what we are dealing with now? Have you ever heard of defeated Senate Bill S.190? No, maybe you should do your homework before you hurt yourself. Push for details.

You know you have won when the Liberal says one of the following: “bigot, fascist (or Nazi), neocon (which most Liberals are unable to provide a proper definition for), Bush lover (or fill in the conservative of choice),” or my all time favorite – “I really don’t want to get in an argument (liberal translation: I have no idea what I am talking about).”

Democrats count on the fact that liberals, like parrots, will just repeat what they are told. Liberals also believe that if enough people repeat the lie, then eventually it BECOMES the truth….AMAZING! Now don’t get me wrong, I am not saying all liberals lie; some actual believe what they are saying. I am also not saying liberals are stupid, but as Ronald Reagan once said (about liberals) – “They know so much that just isn’t so.”

The Top Seven Techniques Liberals Use to Lie About Conservatives

President Obama: The New Mr. Goodwrench

America is in the car business now; expect an American version of the Yugo on a GM lot near you.

What we witnessed on March 30, 2009, was frightening, but not completely unexpected. Even more frightening was President Obama’s belief that American’s would feel reassured by the fact that the full force of the US Government is now backing GM warranties. Makes me glad I own a Honda.

I also have no sympathy for either Chrysler or General Motors. When you dance with the devil, you shouldn’t be surprised when he leads.

The Obama administration's auto industry plan

What If Liberals Ran The World