Post Scripts

Found by Peggy

For us political junkies it feels like waiting for the bell to ring for round #1.

Here is a great article. He saved the best for last.

Barack Obama: Slacker-in-Chief. He has higher priorities than attending to domestic and foreign policy. By Deroy Murdock

Concerning the fun parts of his job, Barack Obama resembles the Energizer Bunny. If there are crowds to wow, entertainers to schmooze, or donors to pitch, Obama is Johnny on the Spot. Too bad his sparks stop flying when it comes time for the serious heavy lifting of the presidency.

This phenomenon’s most chilling example involves Obama’s national-security-related Presidential Daily Brief (PDB). As the Government Accountability Institute (GAI) calculated, and Washington Post columnist Marc Thiessen first reported, Obama attended only 43.8 percent of his PDBs between January 23, 2009 (three days after his inauguration), and May 31, 2012. Available nearly every day, the PDB allows the commander-in-chief to hear directly from top intelligence professionals about the latest threats to U.S. safety. These experts are on hand to answer questions, hear suggestions, and otherwise help Obama foil America’s enemies. But Obama has had higher priorities.

Continue reading “Round One Begins…” »

WASHINGTON — A federal domestic security effort to help state and local law enforcement catch terrorists by setting up more than 70 information-sharing centers around the country has threatened civil liberties while doing little to combat terrorism, a two-year examination by a Senate subcommittee found.

The so-called fusion centers were created in 2003 after the Sept. 11 commission concluded that federal, state and local law enforcement agencies needed to collaborate more in counter-terrorism efforts.

Funded by federal grants, the fusion centers were intended to share national intelligence with state and local law enforcement and to analyze potential terrorist activity detected by police. Homeland Security Department officials have credited the centers for helping uncover terrorist plans, including a 2009 plot to bomb the New York subway. But the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, in a 146-page report released Tuesday that reviewed intelligence reports from fusion centers between April 1, 2009, and April 30, 2010, “could identify nothing that uncovered a terrorist threat, nor could it identify a contribution any fusion center made to disrupt an active terrorist plot.”

Costing us millions…and does absolutely nothing! This is a perfect example of the overall effectiveness of Homeland Security and another layer of bureaucracy brought to you under the pretext of national defense! It’s outrageous.

WHO THINKS UP THIS CRAP? SOMEBODY, SOMEWHERE OWNS THIS BOONDOGGLE …WE DESERVE TO KNOW WHO DID IT SO WE CAN FIRE THEM!

We should get our money back too, Congress should be forced to pay back our money anytime they squander it. (I know…fat chance)

If Congress votes for something totally stupid and worthless, like those Obama phones, we should penalize them directly. It’s not enough to get the program repealed. We (voters) should see gov. stupidity punished for a change. Do you think if passed a law that will take $100 out of each yes voting member’s paycheck until its paid back or the leave that would help? Oh, boy…I do. I would love to see that one!

You want to see government stupidity come to a screeching halt and real smart money management start…. that would do it. Hit em in their wallet, just like they keep doing to us. Wasteful spending would come to a halt almost immediately if there was any chance at all they might be held financially responsible for it!

Posted by Tina

Do yourself a favor, run on over to The Corner and read the article by Peter Kirsanow about a recently discovered historical document.

It’ll knock your socks off.

Photo courtesy LDS Church History Library

Posted by Tina

Sunday evening the Spanish television outlet, Univision, aired a special investigative report on the Fast and Furious scandal presenting evidence from the Mexican government. Mark Levin comments on what he has learned and the failure of our media to be journalists. Mr. Levin ‘s remarks cover the unreported F&F story but he also points to the silence from the American media on the wholesale slaughter of citizens by gang members, mostly black kids, going on every day in Chicago.

Mark Levin: “It’s my contention right now that these white, liberal media outlets are racist based on the priorities of what they cover and what they don’t cover.”

Full transcript available at NewsBusters.

This is being called a scandal much greater than Watergate or Monica-gate. What do you think…is our media deliberately avoiding investigation of this story? What about Chicago?

I keep thinking of the sixties and seventies when the media was dominated by those over thirty at the time…old school journalists. A scoop that resulted in a Pulitzer was what gave them purpose. The news was nonstop when it was bad news. Serial killers, civil rights, SDS, riots, Vietnam…we certainly weren’t deprived of information that would tarnish Nixon…LBJ…but they did protect John F. Kennedy before him.

Do they protect Obama because, as with Kennedy and Camelot, they created the mystique and fantasy that is Obama and the Obama presidency? If so, are they now just too prideful to investigate any story that could hurt the President. Do they fear discovery of the truth and the risk of ruining their creation?

by Jack

FEMA says we all need to have at least 7 days worth of food and water in the event of an emergency. Here are the kinds of foods that can sit on the shelf for long periods in any climate. This is just common sense. You don’t have to be paranoid recluse to be well stocked on food and water.

Here’s a sample of foods that could save your life:

Peanut butter – A great source of energy, peanut butter is full of healthful fats and protein. Unless the jar indicates otherwise, you don’t have to refrigerate after opening.

Whole-wheat crackers – Crackers are a good replacement for bread and make a fine substitute when making sandwiches. Due to their higher fat content, whole-wheat or whole-grain crackers have a shorter shelf life than their plain counterparts (check the box for expiration dates), but the extra fiber pays off when you’re particularly hungry. Consider vacuum-packing your crackers to prolong their freshness.

Nuts and trail mixes – high-energy foods–they’re healthful and convenient for snacking.

Cereal – Choose multigrain cereals that are individually packaged so they don’t become stale after opening.

Granola bars and power bars

Note: In a serious disaster where you will need a lot of water, use your hot water tank for fresh water. I holds on average at least 30 gallons. The hot water tank gets overlooked a lot as a fresh water source.

Continue reading “Seven Days of Food” »

This was put together by college and high school students.

by Jack Lee

General John R. Allen, USMC, is the commander of US forces in Afghanistan. In an interview with 60 Minutes reporter, Laura Logan, he says the signature attacks in Iraq were the IED’s. Now in Afghanistan the new trend is the “insider attack.” These are Afghan soldiers and policeman who have turned their weapons on their Americans trainers and helpers.

Gen. Allen termed these assaults as [murder] and said, “We’re prepared to do a lot of things to help them, but being murdered is not one of them”. On two prior occasions he was forced to halt our training program for Afghan Security Forces due to these insider blue on green attacks.

“On Saturday night, an Afghan soldier approached Americans, killing a soldier and a contractor; with that, the number of soldiers killed in Afghanistan is around 2,100 in the United States’ 11-year-war in the country. Insider attacks have become increasingly common – and no one seems to have a good answer about how to stop them.” NBC’s Lester Holt and Richard Engel report from Kabul.

Since the beginning of this year there have been 63 murders of US soldiers by Afghan soldiers and police officers, the very ones we trained and trusted. The latest murders came at a roadside check point where Afghan Security personnel shot and killed an American truck driver civilian and his US Army guard. Prior to that 3 US soldiers died when an Afghan policeman set off a bomb as they entered their vehicle. 11 civilians were also killed. (See photo upper left)

Gen. Allen says one of the big problems has been our ally Pakistan. They are secretly providing a safe haven for Afghan terrorists inside their borders. They’re allowing them to move freely between the two countries and worse, the Pakistani’s are continually providing them with direct military support.

This has reversed many of the past gains against the Taliban and Al Qaeda. It has been well established for years that the Pakistan Intelligence Agency, the INI, helped created the Taliban to fight the Soviets and they have maintained a continuous working relationship with their siblings ever since.

Afghan’s President Karsai said the reason for the American invasion was due to Al Qaeda terrorism. He notes with grim resign that 11 years later US forces are seeing a reversal of our gains. The terrorists are moving back in, in force, because they are seeing weakness and confusion amid the American leadership, starting with Obama. He blames the American’s mostly for this, but he also accepts some of that responsibility because his soldiers are still not up to speed. Karsai pointed out the Taliban are more closely aligned with AQ than ever. Further, they now have free run in many of Afghanistan’s rural tribal regions.

President Karsai said, “A lot of innocent people die every day and the question is, what have we done wrong? What can we do differently?” Karzai says he is not satisfied with the level of internal security and much needs to be done between his government and US forces.

However, the only solid plan of action for US forces is to leave Afghanistan sometime in 2014, no matter what happens in the meantime. This means as Taliban attacks increase and US losses mount, our end game is to leave. So, here we sit waiting while the enemy is growing stronger, unable to attack their training bases inside Pakistan and halt their supply routes. We’re coming under daily attacks by so-called friendlies, and for what reason, so we can say we met some arbitrary deadline for withdrawal? That’s some plan. I would not be very happy to be on the front lines waiting with no mission, no hope of winning, just waiting so we could meet some political deadline.

President Obama set up the time table, and this has cost him some support from his core supporters. Romney on the other hand, is moving to the right of Obama for a potential withdrawal date. This is 180 degrees out of synch with the people and it is bound to cost him. I imagine that if Romney was talking about ending our role in Afghanistan sooner than 2014 he would leading Obama.

by Tina Grazier

Big money stars of Hollywood are often out on the television circuit begging politicians to give them higher tax rates.

Stars like Barbara Streisand, Will Smith, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, and Eva Longoria come out in droves to endorse President Obama who calls for higher taxes on the rich and insists that greedy corporations should pay more of their fair share to help bring down the debt. I get all warm and fuzzy just thinking about all of the shaaaaaaaaaared love! “Cause that’s what shared sacrifice is, isn’t it? It’s shared love!

Imagine Americans sacrificing together to share the tax burden…to share the love!

Can you dig it?

CAN YOU BE THE DREAM?

In California Governor Brown and the Democrat run legislature share the dream of higher taxes to fix the problems they produced.

There is just one teeny little problem with this dream. The emotionally infused notion of “shared sacrifice” is just so much fairy dust, trick lighting, and camera angles when there’s a union to protect or a special industry that needs a tax break or a favor.

Governor Brown shows us how it’s done…via the L.A. Times:

“The state of California took a big step forward today, thanks to Gov. Brown and the legislature,” said MPAA Chairman Chris Dodd. “The two-year extension of the state’s production tax credit will keep California competitive for tens of thousands of production-related jobs. This is an important victory for California’s economy, our national economy, and the hardworking men and women who comprise the film and television industry.”

You remember Chris Dodd, the disgraced former Democrat Senator from Connecticut?

He was one of Countrywide’s, “Friends of Angelo”…part of a group of high powered Congressmen that were given favors in exchange for making sure Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac remained firmly in the business of purchasing Countrywide’s bundled low cost home mortgage loans:

Former Countrywide Financial loan officer Robert Feinberg says Mr. Dodd knowingly saved thousands of dollars on his refinancing of two properties in 2003 as part of a special program the California mortgage company had for the influential. He also says he has internal company documents that prove Mr. Dodd knew he was getting preferential treatment as a friend of Angelo Mozilo, Countrywide’s then-CEO.

That a “Friends of Angelo” program existed is not in dispute. It was crucial to the boom that Countrywide enjoyed before its fortunes turned. While most of the company was aggressively lending to risky borrowers and off-loading those mortgages in bulk to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, Mr. Feinberg’s department was charged with making sure those who could influence Fannie and Freddie’s appetite for risk were sufficiently buttered up. As a Banking Committee bigshot, Mr. Dodd was perfectly placed to be buttered.

Dodd is now Chairman of the Motion Picture Association of America and as such does buttering lobbying for the motion picture industry.

Isn’t that nice? Suddenly tax cuts are good!

Corporate tax breaks are good! They’re good for the California economy. They’re good for workers. Tax breaks offer incentives for the motion picture industry to do business in California! They create jobs and opportunity for thousands of Californians! Quoting the L.A. Times and Chris Dodd again:

“This is an important victory for California’s economy, our national economy, and the hardworking men and women who comprise the film and television industry.”

Hooo-wee…they even got a lick in for the President…it’s a good deal for the national economy too!

We’re feelin’ the love now!

Here’s a question…or two…or more…If it’s good for California and the nation…then why isn’t it also good for all of California’s industry and business? Why isn’t it good for all Employees? Why not across the entire fruited plain? Why not the rich?

Why does the philosophy of a tax break only apply to one industry, the film and television industry, in California?

In reality this is crony capitalism…another case of government picking winners and losers. Democrats do it all the time. I think they think they are entitled!

But according to these generous, caring, employment inducing democrats…the rest of us greedy buggers had just better pay up!

,strong>Governor Brown breaks for Hollywood…but he sure isn’t giving the rest of California business a break.

by Jack

Yesterday the League of Women Voters sponsored a forum on Props 30,31 and 38. I was invited to be one of the panelists and I spoke first, followed by three education professionals. Unfortunately, there was so much to say about Prop 30 we didn’t get to discuss the other two propositions.

The upside is, we did a pretty fair overview of Prop 30 and what we’re facing if it fails to pass and it looks like it won’t. If it does or if it doesn’t, the future for our school kids still looks bleak and sadly, it just doesn’t have to be this way! The state has the money, they’ve just wasted it on the wrong things and they have too mandates that ties up too much of the budget. Only about 14% of the budget is negotiable…what a stupid situation that is!

Most of us didn’t realize at this time when the legislature said they had a balanced budget for 2012-13 year, and that reality is only becoming known now. The Gov. and his pals gambled that voters would, approve a $50B tax on themselves at the ballot box. That’s risky budgeting.

The 2012-13 budget was fraudulent in many ways, but to bet the state budget on a proposition passing is just foolish.

Prop 30 looks like it will fail and it should fail. Sadly, that will leave a massive hole in the educational budget and students will suffer for the poor leadership in the legislature and a failure to reform the state’s massive budget.

Failed fiscal policies, over regulation, over spending, unsustainable salaries, failure to plan ahead, too many wasteful redundant programs, too many boards and commissions filled through cronyism and the list goes on and on. No wonder the dems don’t want to address these problems, there’s too many! Instead, they just want you to pony up more money for schools and let it go at that, and nothing get fixed, but the schools get a temporary budget reprieve.

Our schools are truly broke because the system has failed them. They need reform from top to bottom and the dems prefer to keep it status quo. This is why when Andy Holcombe (City Councilman) stood up (I’m paraphrasing) and said our schools aren’t broke, they are doing fine. They just need more funding. Well, I could have croaked our schools are definitely broke. How can anyone say our schools aren’t broke when various education rating agencies routinely give our schools a D- on most subjects and schools are getting a C- at best. Is this our new standard of excellence? If it is CA has fallen a long, long way.

We are spending 54% of our entire state budget to educate our kids and this is the best we can do? I don’t think so…. and 54% of a budget that ranks among the top 10 economies in the world? We’ve got a problem and it isn’t revenue.

One of the areas in need of reform is how tax money is filtered down to the schools. The state is using a strange formula, because in Butte County we’re getting about $5500 per students, while in some other areas the amount is over $15,000 per student. The highest I found was in excess of $100,000 per student and that was to keep the doors open on a few rural schools with only a few students.

Adam Schaeffer of the Cato Institute’s Center for Education Freedom seemed shocking: The Los Angeles Unified School District spent $29,780 per student in fiscal year 2007-08. That’s way above the $10,000 as advertised by the school district, and as used in most studies. When drop outs are higher than ever and students are flunking, this is just plain crazy.

The average teacher salary in California is about . Consider that UC salaries have climbed 29 percent in the past six years. Coaches make $2.9 million, and chancellors make more than the U.S. president. Our schools that are ranked 47th worst in the United States out of 50 states!

As of 2011, average teacher salaries came closer to $67,932 throughout the state. This is because of layoffs of newer or lower-paid instructors due to the decrease in state funding for the schools. Urban areas, such as Los Angeles and the Bay Area, pay their teachers anywhere from $60K to $99K a year, rural counties and smaller districts hover in the low $50Ks to $70Ks. That’s a pretty good gig when you consider the summer break, all the holidays and benefits.

And despite the money thrown at education and the poor results our Chico Councilman, Andy Holcombe, says the educational system is not broke? That’s amazing…utterly amazing.

California is so over regulated and overtaxed we’re headed for meltdown while other states with lower taxes are prospering and still Sacramento doesn’t get it!

California has the highest sales tax, the 2nd highest gas tax, the 2nd highest income tax (soon to be the highest), the 14th highest property tax and the highest Corporate income tax in the west. Raising taxes on us is not the answer to fixing our educational system and that is why Prop 30 is going to fail and is failing in the polls.