Fighting the BCS: Bipartisan stupidity

Anyone with a passing knowledge of college football knows that the BCS is ridiculous. Think about this: Some undefeated teams don’t get a shot at the Championship. It’s a disgrace, and all football fans should voice their displeasure. Unfortunately, some of those fans are elected officials.

Both Barack Obama and Utah Senator Orrin Hatch are football fans upset with the current playoff system. As a result, they’ve used their position to bring about change. Hatch has requested that the Department of Justice perform an antitrust review, and they have agreed. Not surprising, since Barack Obama complained about the playoff structure just after his election. » read more

Over-regulation isn’t necessary

Barack Obama likes to take aim at “fat cat” bankers and Wall Street. Many members of Obama’s proletariat love it and thrive on any attempt to blame corporations for the current economic problems. Yet, there are two things that could have prevented the housing bubble and the current recession.

1. Not everyone should own a home.

Many will find this statement appalling. After all, isn’t home ownership the American Dream? The problem is that the federal government encouraged home ownership and encouraged relaxed lending standards, which allowed unqualified buyers to receive mortgages. Many of these loans had adjustable rates, didn’t require documentation, or required no money down. Is it any wonder that banks were overwhelmed with bad loans? » read more

Here’s a way to cut California’s deficit in half

I came across an article today, and I’m having trouble believing what I read. It discussed California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s idea of paying to build prisons in Mexico to house prisoners who are in the U.S. illegally. Schwarzenegger claims that the plan could save the state more than $1 billion, which could be used for higher education.

So, why am I in disbelief? It’s because of some stats provided by the Governator: Out of 170,000 inmates in California’s prison system, more than 20,000 are undocumented workers illegal aliens. Don’t liberals always say that undocumented workers illegal aliens come here to earn an honest living (after trespassing of course), and that they contribute more financially than what they cost? Well, these numbers seem to fly in the face of their reasoning. » read more

Apple introduces the iPad

It’s official: Apple has introduced the iPad. The Apple iPad is a tablet PC with a 10 inch screen, which basically functions like the apple iPod, only bigger. The iPad will have either 16gb, 32gb, or 64gb of storage. Most impressive is the battery life, which is rated at 10 hours, with 30 days of stand-by time.

During the announcement, Steve Jobs spoke about how the iPad fills a void between the iPod/iPhone, and a typical notebook computer. He also criticized netbooks as cheap laptops. There’s no doubt the iPad will be a huge success, especially for people who want it for media or entertainment purposes. The larger screen is superior to netbooks for movies, viewing pictures, and games. Of course, there are always going to be people who want to push actual buttons especially when typing a paper or writing an e-mail. » read more

Barack Obama’s approval rating drops and he’s taking fellow Democrats with him

How low will Barack Obama go? If you check out the latest poll by Rasmussen and follow the trends, it looks like the President’s downward spiral is continuing to pick up steam. The latest Presidential tracking poll shows that 25% of Americans strongly approve of the President’s performance, while 43% strongly disapprove. Overall, just 45% approve of the job Barack Obama is doing, while 54% disapprove.

The same poll found that nearly half of Americans believe GM will need another bailout, 61% believe Congress should drop healthcare reform, and 66% believe the country is heading in the wrong direction. It doesn’t look like American’s are fond of the Obama agenda. » read more

Scott Brown for President? Not yet

I was glad to see Scott Brown defeat Martha Coakley in a recent election for “Teddy Kennedy’s seat.” His win in such an overwhelmingly number of Democrats state shows how fed up many Americans are with Barack Obama and Congress. As the 41st Republican vote, Brown’s presence will force Democrats to actually make a real attempt at bipartisanship. What a novel concept!

There’s no doubt that Scott Brown’s win was impressive, and his presence has drastically altered the political landscape in Washington. If you’re a conservative, it was certainly an exciting win, but it seems like some of us are getting carried away by questioning whether Brown might run for President.

By the time the 2012 elections roll around, Brown will have had less than 3 years in office as a Senator. I’d prefer to see a deeper resume for a Presidential candidate. You might argue that Barack Obama had a similar resume when he ran in 2008. You would be correct, but let’s not forget one point: He’s a lousy President.

Good riddance to Air America

Air America, we hardly knew ya! After less than 6 years, the liberal radio network was forced to file for chapter 7 bankruptcy. If you didn’t listen to Air America, don’t feel bad, not many people did.

When I heard the news, I couldn’t help but laugh. Liberals like Rhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse like to refer to conservatives as the “lunatic fringe,” but isn’t Air America’s bankruptcy evidence that the exact opposite is true? » read more

Scott Brown defeats Martha Coakley and the Democrats

The unthinkable has happened. Just two weeks ago, Massachusetts State senator Scott Brown trailed Martha Coakley by nearly 30 points in the polls. He was gradually able to narrow that margin, and now he is the newest member of the United States Senate. This is a groundbreaking moment for Massachusetts and the nation.

From the beginning, Scott Brown said he would vote against Obamacare, and would be the 61st Senator needed to stop the Democrats. The fact that this message resonated with one of the bluest states in the country illustrates the level of discontent with Congress and Barack Obama. This is just the latest loss for the Democrats. You might recall the huge losses for the Democrats in the November 2009 elections when both Virgina and New Jersey elected Republican governors. Some felt that those elections weren’t really much of a barometer for national sentiment. However, Scott Brown’s win leaves no doubt that the Republican party has the momentum. » read more

Patrick Kennedy thinks ‘Marcia’ Coakley is great

I was born and raised in Rhode Island, and I couldn’t picture living anywhere else. Unfortunately, I’m mystified by some of the decisions made by my fellow voters. One of those, is the decision to keep sending Patrick Kennedy back to Congress every two years. Kennedy is no stranger to embarrassing incidents, and he experienced another one yesterday while attending a rally for Martha Coakley, who is running for the senate seat formerly held by Ted Kennedy.

“If you think there’s magic out there and things can be turned around overnight, then you would vote for someone who could promise you that, like Scott Brown,” Kennedy said. “If you don’t, if you know that it takes eight years for George Bush and his cronies to put our country into this hole … then you know we have a lot of digging to do, but some work needs to be done and this president’s in the process of doing it and we need to get Marcia Coakley to help him to do that.”

(Curiously, Kennedy mentioned Coakley repeatedly during his remarks to reporters, each time referring to her as “Marcia,” not “Martha.”)

» read more

Poll: Scott Brown ahead of Martha Coakley by 9 points

The latest Politico poll has Scott Brown’s lead over Martha Coakley expanding to 9 points. You may remember that Martha Coakley led Brown by more than 30 points less than two weeks ago. I can’t remember a time when a candidate lost so much ground so quickly.

I’m very optimistic that Scott Brown will win the seat formerly held by Ted Kennedy. If he does, it will send an overwhelming message to Barack Obama and every Democrat in Congress. Americans are tired of big government, and they plan on letting them know just how much in November 2010 and 2012.

Illegal Haitian Immigrants allowed to stay in U.S.: What’s next?

Not surprisingly, the Obama administration has decided to offer protected status to Haitians in the United States illegally. This status is often given to people who face going back to a country affected by a natural disaster or war. Many will agree with this decision and consider it humane. I think it’s insane.

For Haitians in the United States legally, extending their visas is the right thing to do. For Haitians in need of medical service due to injuries from the earthquake, I support bringing them to the United States temporarily so they can receive the treatment they need to survive. For those here illegally? They deserve nothing more than a plane ride home. » read more

Scott Brown might win ‘Teddy Kennedy’s seat’

If you haven’t seen the clip where Massachusetts Senate candidate Scott Brown corrects David Gergen during a debate with Martha Coakley, you must check it out. During the debate, David Gergen asks Scott Brown about “Teddy Kennedy’s seat”, and Brown reminds him that the seat belongs to the people, not the Kennedys or the Democratic party.

Scott Brown’s campaign was seen as a long-shot at first, but he is quickly picking up momentum. As of late, he has been quite successful raising funds, and his name recognition has increased steadily. Democrats probably thought Martha Coakley would walk right over to “Teddy Kennedy’s seat” and just sit down, but Brown will have none of that. » read more

Mark McGwire is a national disgrace

I wasn’t happy when I heard that Mark McGwire was becoming the St. Louis Cardinal’s hitting coach. For years, fans had suspected that McGwire had used steroids. When he testified before Congress a few years ago, he did nothing to counter these suspicions and seemed like someone who was guilty. Now, 11 years after breaking baseball’s single season home run record, Mark McGwire has admitted what many had suspected: He used steroids.

Mark McGwire’s apology seems sincere, but to me, it’s meaningless. His cheating and drug use has made a mockery of the game in general, and its records and history in particular. Him and other suspected and confirmed steroid users such as Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Andy Pettite, Jose Canseco, Roger Clemens, Ken Caminiti, and Alex Rodriguez have devalued the game and its history. The beauty of baseball was the constant comparisons of teams and players from differing eras. With a generation of baseball sullied by cheaters and drug users, those comparisons are largely null and void. » read more

Arnold Schwarzenegger looks for a bail-out

California is facing a deficit of $18.9 billion, but its residents need not worry because Arnold Schwarzenegger has a plan: He’s asking the federal government for more money. Maybe I’m old fashioned, but I believe that when you get yourself into trouble, you should work to get yourself out. After years of mismanagement of California’s budget, he’s hoping he can spread the pain to tax payers in other states. If you think that’s despicable, I don’t blame you.

Schwarzenegger’s supporters would likely point to the Governor’s other ideas, such as overhauling the pension system and privatizing prisons. Both of these are great ideas, but the fact remains that California is spending more than it earns in revenue. Opposing tax increases is commendable, since the state doesn’t have a revenue problem, it has a spending problem. Unfortunately, the Governor wants to hold down the taxes of Californians by begging the Obama Administration for money to help plug holes in his sinking ship. » read more

Barack Obama’s credibility continues to take a hit

In the past few days, Barack Obama has managed to break not one, but two campaign promises. The first involved his promise to have health care negotiations televised on C-Span to ensure transparency. His second was a meeting with House leaders, where he urged them to support a tax on high-end health insurance plans. Many of these plans are owned by the middle class, a group he vowed not to tax.

As far as televising negotiations, Barack Obama really doesn’t have the authority to promise such a thing. It made a great sound byte, but in the end, it was just another empty promise. With that said, he could have at least publicly expressed a desire to have a more open process. It probably wouldn’t have accomplished much, but at least it would have made him appear consistent and show that he cares about transparency. As for the tax on health plans, that’s another story. » read more

North Dakota Senator Byron Dorgan will not run for re-election

In a surprise announcement, North Dakota Senator Byron Dorgan announced he will not run for re-election in 2010. After 17 years in the Senate, Dorgan decided during the current recess that this term would be his last. Some have speculated that Nebraska Governor John Hoeven might run, which greatly increases the chances of Republicans gaining the seat.

With Dorgan deciding not to run, and Arlen Specter, Chris Dodd, and Harry Reid under seige in their states, it seems highly unlikely that Democrats will hold onto their 60 seat majority. I don’t think Republicans will be able to recapture control of the senate, but I do believe they will pick up seats and get much closer to 50 seats. Some might consider this wishful thinking, but it is very possible. » read more

Airport security measure violates child porn laws?

I have an important message for you, and it’s very important that you read it slowly and understand it completely. Here it goes: There are people out there called terrorists, and they like to kill people, often by blowing them up. We need to do everything we can to stop the terrorists and protect innocent people.

You might think that message is simplistic and goes without saying. If you feel this way, you probably have an IQ over 50. Unfortunately, there are too many people in the world who are terribly out of touch and don’t understand the reality of the world. This type of (or lack of) thinking is displayed perfectly on the topic of using body scanners at airports. As you may know, a terrorist linked to Al-Qaeda attempted to blow up a plane with 300 people on Christmas. You would think that this act would be enough to convince people of the dangers we face, but obviously, it’s not enough. » read more

It’s official: Google’s Nexus One is on the wa

It’s official: Google is now in the cell phone business. The company announced the release of the Nexus One, which was completely designed by its own engineers, and will help it gain traction in online advertising.

I’m not sure how the Nexus One stacks up to the iPhone, but there’s no doubt it is a game-changer for the wireless industry. Those who purchase the phone can buy an unlocked version that can be used with any carrier. Of course, that will be pricey, since the initial price will be $529. For those who are a bit more frugal, there is also an option of signing up for a 2 year agreement with T-Mobile and paying just $179. » read more

GM and Chrysler could learn from Ford

Ford recently announced that its Sync system will soon allow customers to plug in a modem, so that passengers will be able to access broadband internet. Basically, many of Ford’s cars will become rolling hot spots. This is in addition to Sync, which allows you to control many of the car’s features with your voice.

Ford’s recent innovations seem to be far ahead of both Chrysler and GM. Is it merely a coincidence that the most innovative American car company is also the only one that is profitable and wasn’t bailed out by the federal government? Perhaps GM and Chrysler should take notes.

Make your voice heard