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

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.”)

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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

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

Eric Massa versus Dick Cheney

Rep. Eric Massa (D-N.Y.) has challenged former Vice President Dick Cheney to a debate. Massa’s challenge came as he complained about being sick of Cheney “kicking us in the shins,” and saying that he “suffers from a horrible case of political Tourette’s”. The most telling part of his rant came when he decided to present himself as Barack Obama’s political bodyguard:

“I don’t want the president being diverted from his mission on this, having to deal with Dick Cheney. I want Dick Cheney debate me, anywhere, anytime, anyhow. And let’s see how he stands up to the truth.”

He doesn’t want the President to be diverted by Dick Cheney. Does that mean that he’s afraid the President would some how be swayed by Cheney’s argument, or intimidated into doing the right thing? Well, if that’s the case, have no fear because Eric Massa is here! By the way, if Eric Massa thinks Barack Obama could be so easily “diverted” by the comments of a private citizen, then what does that say about his perceived leadership skills? » read more

Another day, another $3.8 billion

The U.S. Treasury just gave another $3.8 billion to GMAC, which hopes to one day make a profit again. For those of you following at home, this latest infusion is on top of $12.5 billion distributed previously, for a grand total of $16.3 billion.

I know there are a lot of people who would defend this latest expenditure as being “necessary”. Here’s a question for those people: What about small businesses and medium-sized companies that have had to close their doors? Where’s their bailout? » read more

Barack Obama: The new Neville Chamberlain

I recently had a discussion with someone about the Republican party. He told me that he had been a registered Republican for years, but left the party while George W. Bush was President. We both agreed that George W. Bush had strayed from various Republican principles, such as fiscal conservatism, and were generally unhappy with his performance. The propensity of the Bush Administration to run-up the deficit and the national debt were maddening, but with most things, there were accomplishments that were not fully appreciated.

George W. Bush’s greatest achievement was helping to keep the United States safe after 9/11. Critics like to take aim at Guantanamo Bay, the Patriot Act, and The War on Terror in general, but his success in keeping the country safe cannot be disputed. There were attempts to attack the U.S. since 9/11, which were thwarted, and I’m sure there were many more attempts which were stopped early on in the planning process. For that, we owe the Bush Administration our gratitude. » read more

Sheldon Whitehouse’s ingnorant rant: Who is really a member of “the lunatic fringe”?

If you are in Washington, D.C. and talk about the simpleton from Rhode Island, you might automatically think of Patrick Kennedy. However, we can’t forget that Rhode Island has another simpleton in D.C.: Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. In case you think my categorization is merely a partisan shot, it isn’t. While I disagree with other Democratic politicians, I wouldn’t question their intelligence. I would just recognize the fact that we see the issues differently. With Senator Whitehouse, there is a certain shallowness to his thinking, tinged with hyper-partisanship, and a heaping helping of smarminess.

There have been many comments over the years which reinforced my opinion of him, but his latest speech on health care reform illustrates his failings perfectly:

“Voting ‘no’ and hiding from the vote are the same result. Those of us on the floor see it. It was clear the three of them who did not cast their yes votes until all 60 Senate votes had been tallied and it was clear that the result was a foregone conclusion. And why? Why all this discord and discourtesy, all this unprecedented destructive action? All to break the momentum of our new young president.

They are desperate to break this president. They have ardent supporters who are nearly hysterical at the very election of President Barack Obama. The birthers, the fanatics, the people running around in right-wing militia and Aryan support groups, it is unbearable to them that President Barack Obama should exist. That is one powerful reason. It is not the only one.” » read more

Ben Nelson sells his health care vote to Harry Reid

Senator Ben Nelson “negotiated” some changes to the Senate Health bill that have were needed to gain his support. One change stipulated that federal money wouldn’t be used to pay for abortions, while the others are nothing but freebies for Nebraskans. Here’s a brief summary:

Nelson secured full federal funding for his state to expand Medicaid coverage to all individuals below 133 percent of the federal poverty level. Other states must pay a small portion of the additional cost. He won concessions for qualifying nonprofit insurers and for Medigap providers from a new insurance tax, and was able to roll back cuts to health savings accounts.

“I know this is hard for some of my colleagues to accept and I appreciate their right to disagree,” Nelson told reporters at the Capitol, of the many changes made at his behest. “But I would not have voted for this bill without these provisions.” » read more

Tom Harkin talks about the road to single-payer health care

I’d like to thank Senator Tom Harkin for being honest about the Democrat’s plan to ram a single-payer system down the throats of the American people. In a comment aimed at his progressive colleagues, Harkin compared the current Senate health care bill to building a house:

“What we are buying here is a modest home, not a mansion. What we are getting here is a starter home. It’s got a good foundation: 30 million Americans are covered. It’s got a good roof: A lot of protections from abuses by insurance companies. It’s got a lot of nice stuff in there for prevention and wellness. But, we can build additions as we go along in the future. It is a starter home. Think about it in that way,”

» read more

“Jobs for Main Street Act” contains welfare payments

The House narrowly approved a “jobs” bill by a narrow vote margin of 217 to 212. The “Jobs for Main Street Act” will provide $50 billion for local governments, and another $50 billion for infrastructure projects. There’s little doubt that most of this money will find its way into the pockets of the unions that support the Democratic party, but that’s another story.

The most sickening item in the bill is a $1,000-per-child tax credit for people with little or no income. Ladies and gentlemen, this is nothing more than using the tax code to provide more welfare payments. Does it really make sense that someone who pays just $800 in taxes could see a $5,000 “tax refund”? The Earned Income Credit is bad enough, but then it is exacerbated by this additional payment. » read more