Thursday, February 17, 2011

House passes amendment that would defund Obama’s czars


February 17, 2011
by Allahpundit

There’s no earthly way, I assume, that Senate Democrats (let alone Obama) will agree to this, so it’s destined to die in conference committee after the Senate passes its own spending bill. In that case, since we’re larding up the bill with measure that are D.O.A., can we bring back the idea to cut funds for Obama’s teleprompter? That’ll end up getting chopped too, but it’d be nice to blow him a little kiss while his online minions are busy meddling in Wisconsin’s budget debate.

The amendment, offered by Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.), specifically targets Obama’s “climate czar” by blocking funding for the assistant to the president for energy and climate change, the position’s official title. The amendment would block funding for the ‘czars’ through the end of the fiscal year, when the spending bill would run out. The underlying bill also includes a provision to block funding for the position.

“I think this sends a strong signal to the president that we are tired of him running this shadow government, where they have got these czars that are literally circumventing the accountability and scrutiny that goes with Senate confirmation,” Scalise said after the vote…  Read More

House Passes Amendment to Block Funds for Net Neutrality Order

February 17, 2011
By Juliana Gruenwald

The House passed an amendment Thursday that would bar the Federal Communications Commission from using any funding to implement the network-neutrality order it approved in December.

The amendment, approved on a 244-181 vote, was offered by Energy and Commerce Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden, R-Ore., to legislation that would fund government agencies for the rest of fiscal year 2011.

Walden and other critics of the FCC's net-neutrality order argue it will stifle innovation and investment in broadband. The order aims to bar broadband providers from discriminating against Internet content, services, or applications.

"If left unchallenged, this claim of authority would allow the FCC to regulate any matter it discussed in the national broadband plan," Walden said.  Read More

Egypt Gets Its Khomeini

February 17, 2011
By Barry Rubin

Friday, February 18 may be a turning point in Egyptian history. On that day Yusuf al-Qaradawi, the best-known Muslim Brotherhood cleric in the world and one of the most famous Islamist thinkers, will address a mass rally in Cairo.

Up until now, the Egyptian revolution generally, and the Brotherhood in particular, has lacked a charismatic thinker, someone who could really mobilize the masses. Qaradawi is that man. Long resident in the Gulf, he is returning to his homeland in triumph. Through internet, radio, his 100 books, and his weekly satellite television program, Qaradawi has been an articulate voice for revolutionary Islamism. He is literally a living legend.

Under the old regime, Qaradawi was banned from the country. He is now 84 years old -- two years older than the fallen President Husni Mubarak--but he is tremendously energetic and clear-minded.  Read More

Chaos in Wisconsin

Shocker… Obama Administration Is Behind Chaos in Wisconsin – Students Used as Props

Posted by Jim Hoft on Thursday, February 17, 2011, 12:18 PM

BREAKING: Wisconsin Dems Hiding At Best Western in Rockford, IL …Update: TEA PARTY WINS! Chases WI Dems Out of Rockford …Update: WI Dem Says They’re Still in IL (Video)

Posted by Jim Hoft on Thursday, February 17, 2011, 4:49 PM

Both Posts Reported at The Gateway Pundit...Read More

Talk of What's To Come



Epidemic Of TSA Criminality

More Agents Caught Stealing Cash From Luggage, Another Arrested For Assault

"Deviants, dregs of society stealing people’s belongings and feeling them up on behalf of the federal government"
 


Steve Watson
Prisonplanet.com
Feb 17, 2011

Following an admission of guilt in federal court earlier this week from a TSA supervisor, two more TSA agents based at a completely different airport have been arrested for stealing thousands of dollars in cash from the luggage of travelers, while another was arrested and fired for seriously assaulting a co-worker in a dispute over a parking space.

Two TSA workers, identified as Persad Coumar and Davon Webb, were arrested Wednesday on suspicion of having stolen around $40,000 in cash from a bag that was checked through a security line at John F. Kennedy Airport, reports CNN and Reuters.

The agents discovered the money while viewing the bag inside an x-ray machine, according to the reports. The bag was said to have contained $170,000 in cash, the origin of which is now being investigated.
Read More

At UN, US sides with Israel's enemies on settlement issue

U.S. reportedly proposing U.N. ‘statement’ on settlements


February 17, 2011
By Rick Moran

It's being billed by the administration as a "compromise" - a move to forestall a Palestinian motion that would almost certainly force the US to use a veto to block it.

In reality, it is just another demonstration of the Obama administration's hostility to Israel.

Foreign Policy:

Susan E. Rice, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, outlined the new U.S. offer in a closed door meeting on Tuesday with the Arab Group, a bloc of Arab countries from North Africa and the Middle East. In exchange for scuttling the Palestinian resolution, the United States would support the council statement, consider supporting a U.N. Security Council visit to the Middle East, the first since 1979, and commit to supporting strong language criticizing Israel's settlement policies in a future statement by the Middle East Quartet.  Read More

Additional Report The Jewish Journal

The United States reportedly is backing a U.N. Security Council statement that would slam Israel on settlements but would stop short of a resolution.

The Security Council president’s statement proposed by the Obama administration would express “strong opposition to any unilateral actions by any party, which cannot prejudge the outcome of negotiations and will not be recognized by the international community” and “does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlement activity, which is a serious obstacle to the peace process,” according to reports Wednesday in Foreign Policy and on All Hurrah, the U.S. government run Arabic broadcaster.  Read More

Barack Obama resembles MAD Magazine, Alfred E. Neuman.

"What are our prospects for having a real president when we need him? So far, so bad."


February 17, 2011
Alfred E President
By Bruce Walker

Barack Obama resembles, more and more, the hapless, clueless, sappily cheerful mascot of MAD Magazine, Alfred E. Neuman. Given the intellectual vacuity of his life so far, attending schools and working in "jobs" that did not require a single original thought, or even exercise in critical thinking, it is increasingly hard to determine whether our illustrious leader actually grasps the profound seriousness of civilized life today.

Our national debt is exploding. Right now it is only a measly $45,000 per person, but it is growing fast. This does not just mean the federal government faces political problems with gigantic deficit "investment" appropriations, but it also means that no one wants to buy our government debt instruments any longer. Simply paying the interest on that federal debt is becoming harder. The value of the dollar and the credit of the government are both dropping precipitously. States cannot pay their "bills" (i.e. lawful obligations). When high unemployment rates are the way to control our porous borders and illegal immigration problem, then the long term prognosis for our nation is much grimmer than the calm demeanor of Alfred E President would suggest.  Read More

Speaker Boehner Violates Pledge to Stop Obama Care?


2/17/2011
By James Simpson, Right Side News

Speaker Boehner: Honor Your Pledge or Resign, NOW!

It is almost impossible to believe that a mere month into the new Congress, old guard Republicans led by House Speaker John Boehner are stampeding to violate key campaign pledges. We have seen the “resolute” House Republican leadership quail over the prospect of actually making a paltry $100 billion in promised spending cuts. We have seen tough talking Darrell Issa backing off desperately needed investigations of blatant Obama administration corruption and abuse of power. We have witnessed the spectacle of Speaker Boehner mindlessly complimenting Obama on his treasonous handling of Egypt, undermining Republican presidential candidates who have correctly criticized it. Now the leadership is putting up roadblocks to the only chance we may ever get to stop Obamacare.

The House is currently considering a Continuing Resolution to fund government programs for the rest of the year. A temporary CR was passed in the waning days of the 111th Congress that expires March 4th. Without a new CR the government will then shut down.

Representative Steve King (R-IA) offered an amendment to the CR that would entirely defund Obamacare. What better way to force Democrats to abide by the crystal clear will of the American people than to offer them the stark choice of passing the CR and defunding Obamacare in the process, or having the government shut down due to their arrogant stubbornness?

And do most Americans care if the government shuts down for a while? NO! We’d be relieved! Shut it down and keep it shut until the Democrats squeal “Uncle!”

So, Republicans should be all for King’s amendment, right?

Wrong.

Monday night, the House Rules Committee headed by David Dreier of California, blocked the amendment, claiming that it violated House rules. This is absolutely false. As King stated in a Washington Times editorial today:

One of the tactics is to argue that my proposal violates the rules by legislating on an appropriations bill. It wasn’t a violation when Congress defunded the Vietnam War, and it’s not a violation now. The CR, the very bill that I seek to amend, has language in it that blocks the use of any funds to move detainees out of Guantanamo Bay. By their definition, they’ve set a precedent and all I ask is to use the same tool to debate and vote on blocking the use of any funds to implement or enforce Obamacare.

Defunding Obamacare also would avoid $105.5 billion in Obamacare seed money slated for spending in 2011 that Nancy Pelosi slipped into the bill last year. So not only could Republicans keep their pledge to stop Obamacare, they would actually be doubling the budget cuts offered in the CR.

As King argued:

It makes no sense to allow funding of a law that the American public has rejected, that the House and every Republican in Congress has voted to repeal and that a federal judge has declared to be unconstitutional and void in its entirety. It is impossible to justify turning away from our oath to defend the Constitution and our obligation to save American taxpayers $105.5 billion that otherwise will be spent unconstitutionally and irresponsibly. Yet, the House is poised to do just that.

The Rules Committee made the call, but my Hill sources tell me this action was initiated by the leadership. That is especially infuriating because Speaker Boehner promised just yesterday to allow a vote on King’s measure. Let me be clear, these are his exact words: “We’re going to do everything that we can in this bill to make sure there’s no money in Obamacare.”

But he then covered himself by adding: “Within the rules of debate…” Pretty obvious that was a setup for the Rules Committee decision. He knew what their answer would be in advance because he defined the boundaries. But, not his fault! Against the rules, you see!

Without veto-proof majorities in both houses this is virtually the only chance of stopping Obamacare as Republicans promised. If Obamacare moves forward, say goodbye Republic. This economy has already taken way too many hits to allow one-sixth of it to be absorbed and slowly destroyed by our government, never mind the impact it will have on our collective health!

The voting public has had enough. It is impossible to convey the frustration of working endless hours to support candidates, giving time, money, blood, sweat and tears, only to see solemn campaign pledges arrogantly stomped once the election is passed. Republicans lost big in 2006 precisely due to this frustration. Speaker Boehner has publicly acknowledged this.

With Obama’s reckless leadership over the past two years our worries and concerns have reached a fever pitch. We turned to Republicans in a desperate last-ditch effort to stop Obama’s socialist juggernaut. House Republicans made a solemn campaign pledge to stop Obamacare, and many races turned on that one key issue.

Speaker Boehner, Majority Leader Eric Cantor, and Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy need to hear from us loud and clear. Put a torch under their rears and blizzard Congress with calls. NOW!

Let me be absolutely clear. If Speaker Boehner and the Republicans violate the solemn campaign pledges they made to a justifiably panicked electorate, in 2012 they will lose everything gained in 2010, and then some. As the Speaker has said himself many times, Republicans did not get a mandate, they got a chance. If they fail, goodbye America.

And one month into this new Congress, they are already blowing it!

This time is different, Speaker Boehner. This time is really different. Here and now, you need to honor your pledge to stop Obamacare. If you are unwilling to honor that pledge, then you need to step down, now, and allow someone to take your place who has the intestinal fortitude to do so.

Obama: Denying Public Employees Right to Organize

Obama: Denying Public Employees Right to Organize and Increasing Their Pension Payments By 8% is “An Assault on Unions”

The Gateway Pundit
February 17, 21ll
Posted by Jim Hoft

Barack Obama defended the public employee union thugs today. Under Republican Governor Scott Walker’s plan, public employees would have to increase their pension payments by 8%. This is not even close to what private employees pay. The unions would also strip government workers, including school teachers, of nearly all collective bargaining rights.
Scott Walker is a hero.



“Some of what I’ve heard coming out of Wisconsin, where you’re just making it harder for public employees to collectively bargain generally, seems like more of an assault on unions,” President Obama told TMJ4 in Milwaukee.

Governor Scott Walker (R-WI) said Friday his proposals were necessary to help the state overcome the $137 million hole in the current budget, and eventually help the state make up the $3.6 billion shortfall projected for the next biennial budget.

Of course, talking to Obama about deficits and debt is like talking to 5 year-old child about Chinese algebra.

Day Of Rage: Americans Finally Reacting To Economic Rape?

Cairo Moves To Madison: Protesters mass in hallways of Wisconsin state Capitol as debt black hole threatens riots



Paul Joseph Watson
Prison Planet.com
Thursday, February 17, 2011

Last month we speculated how long it would take for the scenes on the streets of Cairo to be repeated in America. After all, Americans are facing similar levels of economic rape to those that prompted Egyptians to rise up and overthrow 30 year dictator Hosni Mubarak.



Now Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan (R) is making similar comparisons after protesters massed in the hallways of the Wisconsin state Capitol this morning as part of what Matt Drudge dubbed a “day of rage”.

The demonstrators are rallying against a “momentous bill that would strip government workers, including school teachers, of nearly all collective bargaining rights,” reports the Associated Press.

The bill asks public sector workers to make a 5.8 percent pension contribution, roughly equal to the national average, along with a 12.6 percent health insurance contribution.

Ryan expressed his opposition to the demands of the protesters, but noted that the Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker was now facing, “Riots — it’s like Cairo has moved to Madison these days.”

Similarly, noting that the Governor has threatened to break the union protests by deploying the National Guard, writer Noam Chomsky told Democracy Now that what happened in Egypt was “the beginning of what we need here – democracy uprising.”  Read More

Renewal of the Patriot Act increases Big Brother Police State

Betrayed! Tea Party Politicians Vote To Renew The Patriot Act As America Is Slowly Transformed Into A Big Brother Police State Worse Than George Orwell’s 1984


The American Dream
Feb 17, 2011

For a moment, imagine that you are awakened one night by a heavily-armed team of federal agents dressed in all black breaking into your home. As you confront them, they hand you a piece of paper that says that your son has been identified as a "terrorist" and that they are there to take him away. They pull your son out of bed, they throw him on the floor and the use a taser on him repeatedly. Then they handcuff him and haul him away without telling you a thing about where they are taking him. Your son suddenly has no rights because the Patriot Act supersedes the U.S. Constitution. That's right - because your son has been identified as a "terrorist" because of something that he has said on the Internet he no longer has any constitutional rights. Your underage son is held indefinitely and is subjected to "enhanced interrogation" because he has been identified as a "threat". You are not able to get your son back for years even though it turns out that he is completely and totally innocent. If you think that such a thing cannot happen to you then you are a fool, because this kind of thing is happening over and over across the United States and it is all legal because of the Patriot Act.  Read More