Random thoughts on politics, current events, popular culture, and whatever else interests me.
Dick Cheney Still Brings Out the Snark
Former Vice President Dick Cheney has the ability to outrage people just by being alive. As he makes his media progress in support of his new book, "Heart," which relates his struggle with heart disease, the snark is flying fast and furious.
Kathleen Sebelius on Who is Responsible: 'Whatever'
| Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius went before Congress to explain the Obamacare debacle and made the following remarkable claim: "The website never crashed. It is functional, but at a very slow speed and very low reliability."
Obama: About that Promise that You Can Keep Your Health Care
President Obama ventured to Boston to do several things, including tweak his former opponent former Governor Mitt Romney and to preach the gospel of the Affordable Care Act, which in some parallel universe is working well.
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Poll: Virginia Governor's Race Tightens
It has hitherto been conventional wisdom that Terry McAuliffe is likely to beat Republican State Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli in the race for governor of Virginia. A new Quinnpiac Poll puts that scenario in doubt.
Mike Lee Asks What Should the Right Be For?
As the ongoing collapse of Obamacare continues to bring down President Obama's great experiment in fulfilling the progressive dream, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah ventured to the Heritage Foundation and gave a speech to answer a vexing question.
Collapse of Obamacare Mythmaking Has Already Begun
As Obamacare continues to burn, exploding and sending out clouds of toxic gas, its erstwhile supporters are already making excuses. Liberals are attempting to console themselves with two myths, writes Charles Cook in the National Review.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
The Anti-Obamacare Ad Campaigns Begin
The most obvious casualties of the Obamacare debacle, besides people who are losing their health insurance, are red state Democrats up for reelection in 2014. Two cases in point are Sens. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Kay Hagan of North Carolina.
Terraforming Mars: The Great Controversy of the Late 21st Century
Long after controversies over Obamacare, spending, and the war on terror are consigned to the history books, the big question of the 21st Century will be whether or not to terraform Mars, which is to say restore it to life.
Barack Obama Lied when He Promised We Could Keep Our Health Insurance If We Liked It
The revelation by NBC News that President Obama lied continuously and flagrantly to the American people that they would be able to keep their doctors and health insurance under Obamacare is a world historic event.
Monday, October 28, 2013
The Europeans Are Shocked, Shocked that the NSA is Spying on Them Too
Andrew Stuttaford has a pretty good rundown in National Review about the latest kerfuffle over the fact that the NSA has been spying on European leaders as well as Americans and the enemies of civilization in the Middle East.
If it Can Land a Man on the Moon, Why Can't Big Government Launch a Website?
Glenn Reynolds, the purveyor of Instapundit, asked the pertinent question, "If big government can put a man on the moon, why can't it put up a simple website without messing it up?" The answer, as it turns out, is a rather simple one.
Over a Year Later '60 Minutes' Admits the Truth About Benghazi
"60 Minutes," CBS News' venerable investigative journalism program, had an extraordinary broadcast recently that suggested that the Obama administration had ample warning of the Benghazi Massacre that it chose to ignore.
Sunday, October 27, 2013
CGI Has Had Disasters Before the Obamacare Website
CGI Federal, the American branch of a Canadian company that has become infamous for being the private concern behind the Obamacare website disaster, apparently has a history of being on the scene of public policy catastrophes.
Russell Brand Wants a Revolution -- Though He Really Shouldn't
Russell Brand is apparently some kind of actor, though I have to confess I have never seen any of his movies, especially the horrible remake of "Arthur" in which he proved he was no threat to the late Dudley Moore, by all accounts.
As Obamacare continues to burn to the ground, attempts to spin the disaster that does not involve President Obama becoming a lame duck for the next three years, proceeds apace. Salon has one of the inevitable narratives. It's all the Republicans' fault.
Latest Spin on the Obamacare Mess -- It's All the Republicans' Fault
As Obamacare continues to burn to the ground, attempts to spin the disaster that does not involve President Obama becoming a lame duck for the next three years, proceeds apace. Salon has one of the inevitable narratives. It's all the Republicans' fault.
Saturday, October 26, 2013
What If They Gave a Solar Energy Zone Auction and Nobody Came?
The Denver Business Journal reported that the Bureau of Land Management held an auction for parcels of federal land for the purpose of developing it for wind and solar power stations - and no one showed up to bid.
Piers Morgan is Desperately Seeking Sarah Palin
Piers Morgan, the British talker than CNN imported to replace Larry King, desperately would like to get Sarah Palin on his show, no doubt so he can lecture her about guns and other subjects, like Jesus celebrating Easter before it was a holiday.
Sen. Johnson to Propose 'If You like Your Health Plan, You Can Keep it Act'
One of the many pernicious effects of the Affordable Care Act is that millions of Americans are losing their health insurance policies because they do not meet the standards for "essential benefits" as prescribed by the law.
Friday, October 25, 2013
One Does Not Yell at Hillary Clinton; She Yells at You
Former senator, presidential candidate, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was recently confronted by a heckler who yelled, "Benghazi! You let them die!" Clinton had a response that was replete with irony, according to Real Clear Politics.
Kathleen Sebelius Still Has a Job, but Not Erling Davis
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius still has a job, despite the utter disaster of the Obamacare website. The same cannot be said for Erling Davis, fired from an Obamacare call center for telling Sean Hannity the truth about the website.
An Israel-Saudi Alliance Against Iran?
Israel and her Arab neighbors agree on two things, according to Hot Air. The first is that Iran's drive to acquire nuclear weapons represents an existential threat to the region. The second is that Obama's Middle East policy is dysfunctional.
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Rick Perry Fosters the Texas-Israeli Alliance
Texas Gov. Rick Perry has just returned from his latest foreign trip to Great Britain and Israel. Hot Air suggests that the trip burnishes the four term governor's foreign policy credibility in advance of the 2016 campaign.
Looks like You Can't Keep Your Health Insurance or Doctor Under Obamacare After All
One of the big lies about Obamacare was that if one liked one's health insurance and one's doctor, one would get to keep them. But, as the Washington Times notes, hundreds of thousands and soon millions will lose both.
Democrats Scramble to Extend Obamacare Enrollment Period
The old party line was that only a bomb throwing, hostage taking Republican terrorist would be in favor of delaying the individual mandate for Obamacare. The new party line is that it is a sensible idea, all things considered.
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Obamacare Lawsuit to Go Forward
The good news, from the standpoint of people who believe Obamacare is a disaster, is that a federal judge has failed to dismiss a lawsuit that, if successful, would cripple the Affordable Care Act. The bad news is that the ACA will go forward regardless.
Democratic Congressman Equates the Tea Party with the Ku Klux Klan
The Weekly Standard notes that Rep. Alan Grayson, D-FL, has sent a fund raising letter along with a graphic with a burning cross that spells out the first letter in "Tea Party." This is not the first alarming thing Grayson has done.
Sebelius Gives Obama Plausible Deniability on Obamacare Website
In an interview with CNN, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius claimed that President Obama had no knowledge of the various problems with the Obamacare website before the disastrous launch on October 1, 2013.
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Claim: Fracking Causes Drug Abuse, Prostitution, and Violence Against Women
The Daily Caller notes that the war against hydraulic fracking, the process that extracts oil and gas from shale formations through pressurized water and chemicals, has taken a surreal turn indeed.
China's Political War Against the United States
A new report by the Project 2049 Institute suggests that the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Political Department (GPD) is engaged in a massive political and psychological warfare effort to advance China's interests abroad.
The President's Strange Obamacare Infomercial
The Washington Examiner's Byron York captures the essence of President Obama's Rose Garden infomercial for Obamacare, at turns expressing mild irritation at the website "glitches" and exhorting that everything was peachy about the system itself.
Monday, October 21, 2013
Andrew Crawford's Big Idea: Voyage to Enceladus, a Moon of Saturn
One has to congratulate Andrew Crawford, an engineering student at Montana State University, for a little outside the box thinking. He suggests that NASA forget about going back to the moon, or Mars, or an asteroid. He favors Enceladus.
What George Will Got Wrong About the Tea Party
The venerable George Will, who has dispensed much wisdom in the past several decades, missed the mark in his recent Washington Post column in which he suggested that the tea party and Barack Obama share an abhorrence of compromise in common.
Sarah Palin Warns that Push for Single Payer Health Care is Next
Sarah Palin, former governor of Alaska, former vice presidential candidate, and current most powerful female politician on the planet, mused about the travails of Obamacare in a wide ranging piece called "D.C.'s Corrupt Bastard's Club."
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Mayor Julian Castro of San Antonio Faces Recall Effort Thanks to Gay Rights Law
Before Texas State Sen. Wendy Davis became the abortion Joan of Arc and thus the great Democratic hope of sweeping into the governor's office and turning Texas blue, Mayor Julian Castro of San Antonio was the official rising star of the Democratic Party.
Jim Baker:Republicans Must Be 'the Party of Hope, Opportunity and Optimism'
Jim Baker, the long time consigliore to the Bush family, is probably as establishment Republican as one can get. However that does not mean that when he dispenses advice he should not be listened to.
Obamacare is the Law of the Land? so was Prohibition
Obamacare is the law of the land? As Salena Zito points out, so was Prohibition. The noble experiment by the Progressive movement to stop drinking in America did not turn out so well. But it took 13 years to repeal.
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Are Zombie Apocalypse Shows Unhealthy?
Dr. Manny Alvarez, a medical doctor who dispenses his wisdom from time to time on Fox News, writes that he thinks that America's obsession with the zombie apocalypse is having an unhealthy effect on American society.
Get Ready for a War on Halloween
The "War in Christmas" has been a long fought conflict. Now, according to an article in Time Magazine, some public schools have launched what is in effect a war on Halloween. One wonders why?
Arnold Schwarzenegger for President?
The Washington Times reports that none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger former governor of California, action movie star, and adulterer is quietly lobbying his political allies to find a way for him to run for president in 2016.
Friday, October 18, 2013
The Obamacare Website Story Careens from Gross Incompetence to Naked Malfeasance
The story behind the Obamacare signup website, which has rapidly become the worst IT disaster in history, just keeps getting better and better. The matter has careened from gross incompetence to naked malfeasance.
Piracy in West Africa a New and Growing Problem
The Washington Free Beacon is reporting that while pirate attacks off the Somali coast have started to recede, thanks to more aggressive patrolling by international navy forces, West Africa has seen an upsurge in pirate activity.
On Behalf of Obama, Chris Matthews, Robert Redford Play the Race Card
As surely as night follows the sun going down, defenders of President Obama will play the race card. Two recent examples surrounding the government shutdown involve a media talking head and a well known actor and director, both white.
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Congressional Stenographer Starts Shouting, Has to Be Dragged from House Floor
There seems to be no precedence for the House stenographer who suddenly started shouting incoherently about God, the Constitution, and free masons and who had to be dragged physically off the House floor, and that is surprising.
Calling for Obama's Impeachment Shows David Dewhurst Has a Lack of Seriousness
Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst has called for President Barack Obama to be impeached, according to the Texas Tribune, citing the Benghazi Massacre as a reason. The call has a lot to do with Texas politics.
When Will the White House Break Down and Delay Obamacare?
With the budget/debt ceiling crisis now delayed for a few months, thanks to the surrender of congressional Republicans, the Obama administration still has to deal with the disaster that is the Obamacare website.
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Not Time for Kathleen Sebelius to Resign Over Obamacare -- Yet
Thus far the administration is resisting efforts to make Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius the fall woman for the Obamacare website disaster. How long that will last is anyone's guess.
It's Not Time for a Third Party, Despite Obamacare Wrangling
Hot Air reported that Sean Hannity, the radio talk show host and Fox News personality, has started to wonder if it is not time for a third party. Hannity was expressing the frustration of many over the mess in Washington.
Hillary Clinton: I Wanted to Kill Bin Laden and Joe Biden Didn't
Politico notes that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton addressed the National Association of Convenience Stores in Atlanta. During the question and answer session, the topic strayed into the raid that killed Osama bin Laden.
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Let the Investigations of Obamacare Begin
Congressional Republicans have thus far been unable to stop the Obamacare trainwreck, now exploding across the width and breath of the United States, but as Byron York of the Washington suggests Examiner, they can certainly investigate it.
Ben Carson for Vice President?
The 2016 elections are still a bit far in the future, but already the American Spectator has devised the perfect ticket, at least insofar as social conservatives are concerned. Are you ready for Ted Cruz/Ben Carson for President/Vice President?
Conservative Rep, Steve Stockman Cosponsors 'Respect State Marijuana Laws Act of 2013'
The Houston Chronicle notes that Rep. Steve Stockman, R-Texas has become a cosponsor of a bill called "Respect State Marijuana Laws Act of 2013." At first glance it is an odd piece of legislation for a conservative to support.
Monday, October 14, 2013
Peggy Noonan Remembers Scott Carpenter and Bemoans the Passing of the Heroic Space Age
Peggy Noonan published an eloquent tribute in the Wall Street Journal to Scott Carpenter, one of the original seven Mercury astronauts, who recently died. She also delved into the larger implications of the death of an American hero.
'Fifty Shades of Grey' Alleged to Have Inspired Sex with a Toaster
Top on the list of things one should not be reminded not to do is to attempt to have sex with machines that have heating elements. However, according to Hot Air, the London Fire Brigade is actually having to remind people of this.
Ted Cruz, Sarah Palin, Million Vets March Commit Civil Disobedience at WWII Memorial
To use the often quoted phrase by Glenn Reynolds, the purveyor of Instapundit, "They told me if I voted for Mitt Romney, visiting national monuments would become an act of civil disobedience - and they were right!"
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Could Mike Ditka Have Beaten Obama for the Senate in 2004?
The mercurial former coach of the Chicago Bears Mike Ditka recently expressed regret that he did not challenge a then obscure state senator named Barack Obama for the United States Senate in 2004, according to the Washington Times.
Why the Obamacare Website Became the Biggest I.T. Disaster in History
The New York Times, of all venues, has an excellent analysis of why the signup website for Obamacare turned out to be the greatest IT disaster in history. The bottom line is that politics intervened.
Sarah Palin Stumps for Conservative Steve Lonegan in New Jersey
Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin ventured to New Jersey and gave a fiery speech to a crowd of over 4,000 people at the New Egypt Speedway in support of Steven Lonegan, a conservative candidate in a special senate election in a decidedly blue state.
Saturday, October 12, 2013
Bill Maher Accuses Barack Obama of Cowardice
Bill Maher, the HBO ranter who has become an endless source of material for people like your humble servant, asserted that President Barack Obama has moved toward the center out of fear of assassination.
Kathleen Sebelius in Denial About Obamacare Website Flaws
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius traveled to Heinz Field in Pennsylvania to attend a live event that would illustrated how easy it is supposed to be to sign up for Obamacare. The event went as anyone might have predicted.
Nobel Peace Prize Committee Snubs Malala Yousafzai
The Nobel Peace Prize went to an organization called Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which, as NBC News reported, has sparked something of a controversy because of who didn't get the honor.
Friday, October 11, 2013
Bill Maher: Anti-Science Crusader
The Daily Cardinal, the campus newspaper for the University of Wisconsin at Madison, noted that Bill Maher, the HBO ranter, made 100,000 robocalls on behalf of PETA accusing university researchers of cruelty to animals.
Generic Ballot Shows GOP in Not Bad Shape During Government Shutdown
Which party is being hurt the worse over the government shutdown fight largely depends on what poll one reads. John Nolte at Big Politics notes a Rasmussen Poll that gives an interesting perspective on the question.
CNN's Wolf Blitzer Breaks Ranks Over Obamacare and Then Wishes He Hadn't
Conservatives are understandably crowing, as Andrew McCarthy did at National Review, over CNN's Wolf Blitzer's breaking ranks over the disastrous Obamacare website and suggesting that the Affordable Healthcare Act be delayed another year.
Thursday, October 10, 2013
$634 Million for an Obamacare Website that Doesn't Work
The Daily Caller has pegged the cost of the worst website ever created, that being the Obamacare signup site, at $634 million. It's a medium level example of government waste, fraud, and abuse by dollars amounts.
James Wood Risks His Career by Calling Out Obama
James Woods, a Hollywood actor, said something recently that rarely comes out of the mouth of someone in the movie business. He has been using Twitter to express what he believes to be career ending opinions.
House Republicans Shift Shutdown Strategy Away from Obamacare
Hot Air is reporting that the House Republicans, led by Speaker John Boehner and House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, have persuaded the Republican caucus to shift strategy concerning the government shutdown.
Wednesday, October 09, 2013
'Affordable' Health Care Insurance that No One Can Sign Up For
The Verge has a pretty good rundown of how an allegedly tech savvy administration produced an Obamacare signup website that has turned into the greatest IT disaster in history. The question is, what next?
Rouhani Boasted of Lying to the West About Iran's Nuclear Bomb Program
The newly elected president of Iran, Hassan Rouhani, has impressed President Obama with his moderate tone concerning Iran's nuclear program. But his tone was less than moderate when speaking to Iranian media, according to Hot Air.
Military Families' Death Benefits Held Hostage in Government Shutdown
The shutdown strategy move that surely has to take the prize for the cruelest imaginable was the decision to eliminate death benefits for families of fallen soldiers by President Obama's Defense Department.
Tuesday, October 08, 2013
The Latest Enhancement for Obamacare is a Virtual Waiting Room
The Washington Examiner reports that one of the ways that the buggy, not ready to go live Obamacare signup website is being enhanced is an added feature that will cause people to wait their turn in order to apply for the exchanges.
New York Middle School Bans Fun During Recess
A local CBS News affiliate turns its attention to Port Washington, New York and the Weber Middle School that seems to have banned most fun activities at recess in order to prevent children from getting hurt.
Jon Stewart Says HHS Secretary Sibelius is Lying About Obamacare Mandate
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius appeared on Jon Stewart's "The Daily Show" evidently thinking she was going to get a golden opportunity to pitch Obamacare to his young, healthy audience. Things didn't go as planned.
Monday, October 07, 2013
California is Run by Incompetent Fedual Barons
Joel Kotkin, writing for the Daily Beast, casts his eye on California and has concluded that the liberal, blue model of governance has transformed the once Golden State into a third world, medieval kingdom in which the rich lord it over the poor.
How Environmentalists Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Fracking
The old paradigm was that fracking would be the worst environmental disaster in history if it is allowed to continue. The new paradigm is that fracking will be an untold source of clean energy and will be lucrative to people who sign up for it.
How Many People Have Actually Signed Up for Obamacare?
Fox News' Chris Wallace put the question to Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, how many people have actually signed up for Obamacare since the exchanges opened at the beginning of October. That he refused to answer is illuminating.
Sunday, October 06, 2013
Bill Maher Insults World War II Vets
One can always count on Bill Maher, the HBO ranter, Obama campaign contributor, and intellectual leader of the Democratic Party to provide his own unique perspective on the government shut down and World War II vets.
Obama National Monuments War Spreads Across the Country
The national monuments war launched by the Obama administration is response to the government shutdown is heating up, with confrontations occurring with the National Park Service at a variety of locations.
American Special Ops Raids in Libya, Somalia a Change in Terror War Strategy
Government shutdown or not, American special operators were at work in two particularly lawless pasts of Africa, extending the long arm of the United States against terrorist targets, according to the New York Times.
Saturday, October 05, 2013
Roman Catholic Priests to Be Arrested If They Hold Mass on Military Bases
According to the Daily Caller, Catholic priests who attempt to minister to troops during the government shutdown have been threatened with arrest by the Obama administration. This has naturally provoked outrage.
Tom Hanks Stands Up for Veterans and Against Obama
The actor Tom Hanks, whether he realizes it or not, has broken ranks with the Obama administration, which hitherto he has warmly supported, by expressing support for veterans who are breaking through barricades to visit the World War II Memorial.
Obamacare Exchanges System Designed to Commit a Denial of Service Attack Against Itself
The Obama administration has blamed the inability to actually apply for Obamacareon its online exchange system on "glitches" and heavier than anticipated traffic. But a story in Reuters suggests that the problems go much deeper.
Friday, October 04, 2013
Wendy Davis Throws Her Pink Tennis Shoes into the Ring to Run for Texas Governor
Wendy Davis, the Texas state senator who became nationally famous for launching an 11 hour filibuster in an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to block an abortion restrictions bill, is running for governor of Texas, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The United States and Japan Strengthen Ties as Part of Long Term Pacific Strategy
According to the Washington Free Beacon, the continuing threat of a nuclear armed North Korea and the Chinese military buildup is causing the United States and Japan to upgrade its military ties for the first time in 17 years.
Dr. Ben Carson Gets a Visit from the IRS
Shortly after Dr. Ben Carson, the famous neurosurgeon and education activist challenged President Obama to his face about Obamacare, he received a kindly visit from the IRS with stern questions about certain investments he held.
Thursday, October 03, 2013
Why Putin May Get the Nobel Peace Prize
Russian President Vladimir Putin has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. If the Nobel Committee follows precedence in awarding the prize to unworthy recipients, he is likely to be the first Russian leader to get it since Gorbachev.
Lonegan Closes Gap with Booker in New Jersey Special Senate Race
A number of media outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, have noted that the special senate election in New Jersey has tightened somewhat, with Newark Mayor Cory Booker leading his Republican opponent Steve Lonegan by 13 points.
Harry Reid About Saving Kids with Cancer ’Why Would We Want to Do That?'
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid should be careful of what he says and especially to whom he says it. Otherwise he would not be accused of wanting cancer stricken kids to die. The irony is that he is actually affronted.
Wednesday, October 02, 2013
Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu Warns About Iran's Rohani and Nuclear Weapons
President Rohani of Iran has impressed the world, especially President Barack Obama, with a new moderate tone. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel is having none of it. He regards the moderate tone as cosmetic.
Software 'Glitches' Undermine Sign Up for Healthcare Exchanges
Three and a half years in planning and development, the Obamacare exchanges were opened for enrollment. The Associated Press reported that attempts by many to enroll in the exchanges were met with error messages and system crashes.
Veterans Defy Shutdown and Visit Closed World War II Memorial
Hot Air has a good account of how a group of elderly World War II veterans in Washington D.C. on an Honor Flight to visit the World War II Memorial breached the barricades set up by the Obama administration and took the memorial.
Tuesday, October 01, 2013
Rick Perry Prepares for His National Political Comeback
Texas Gov. Rick Perry, a Republican, has been spending months on rustling raids on blue states such as California and Illinois to entice businesses to move to Texas. Now, according to Fred Barnes, he is about to embark on phase two.
Why There Will Be No 'Hillary the TV Show' After All
It looks like both the CNN documentary and the NBC miniseries focusing on Hillary Clinton are now off. Republicans feared that both would be free campaign commercials for the future presidential candidate. But Team Clinton put a stop to both projects.
The Government is Shut Down; What Comes Next?
As of this writing, the United States federal government is in partial shutdown, with only "essential" services allowed to continue. The reason for this is that the president and the Democrats wish it so.