Cheney on 2009 politics

HUMAN EVENTS' 2009 Conservative of the Year, Dick Cheney, on the Political Hot Topics of 2009

Change Nobody Believes In

From the Wall Street Journal
Change Nobody Believes In
A bill so reckless that it has to be rammed through on a partisan vote on Christmas eve.

Indiana newspaper targets gun owners

Indiana newspaper prints handgun carry permit database

More from Caleb about the interview.

Making something illegal, more illegal.
Why is that Reasonable?

Atlantis music video

STS-129 Ascent Video Highlights from mike interbartolo on Vimeo.

Climate Conspiracy

Hide The Decline - Climategate

Congress may probe faked global warming data

meanwhile... Rome burns...

Barack Obama 'vows major greenhouse gas emissions cuts'

And...
Overheard in Tam's Hallway

More Climategate links

Ares I-X Launch

The much anticipated launch of Ares I-X came to fruition on Wednesday, October 28, 2009, at 11:30, from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
These pictures of the launch were the view from the Banana Creek VIP viewing area, where many of those who worked tirelessly for over three years to bring Ares from concept to launch, and their guests were gathered to witness the beginning of the next generation of U.S. manned spaceflight.

On the right side of the photos, above the countdown clock, you can see Space Shuttle Atlantis on pad 39A, ready for the STS-129 mission in November.

Clouds, cargo ship made NASA officials call off the test flight on Tuesday.

Here is a short piece of video from the scrubbed mission on Tuesday. Tuesday was the day when we heard the term, Triboelectrification used a lot in the audio feeds we listened to at Banana Creek. The Triboelectrification trouble is explained here, by Astroprof, and here on Wikipedia.

Ares I-X test flight

I'm looking forward to being present at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida next week to witness the first test launch of America's new next generation space flight system. The launch is scheduled to be on Tuesday morning at 8AM, with a second launch window on Wednesday morning if the weather doesn't cooperate. I hope to have some video and photos to share when I return. Ares I-X is ready to go and is currently waiting on launch pad 39B.

The Space Shuttle Atlantis is also in position on launch pad 39A, being prepared for the STS 129 mission launch to the ISS on November 16. It will be interesting to observe two generations of launchers on the pads at the same time.

NASA's first flight test for the agency's next-generation spacecraft and launch vehicle system, called Ares I-X, will bring NASA one step closer to its exploration goals. The flight test will provide NASA with an early opportunity to test and prove flight characteristics, hardware, facilities and ground operations associated with the Ares I. You can follow the Ares I-X Twitter feed here.

This Ares Quarterly Progress Report, originally released to the public September 30, 2009, includes progress updates on:

-Development Motor 1 test firing

-J-2X component manufacturing

-Upper stage manufacturing facilities and tooling

-Ares I-X vehicle stacking

The Marines Know

Check out the completely different responses by Marine audiences to GWB and BHO.
Different Presidents, A Different Corps

Govt's Constitutional limits: Ignored and Broken

I don't find anything in the Constitution that authorizes the government to institute a 1000+ page bill for government run national health care.

Ladies and Gentlemen: The Constitution

From the Law Dog Blog
As Law Dog states emphatically at the end of his post:
"You want Government-run National health-care?
You do it right -- you get the Constitution amended to allow Congress that power.
Until then -- go to hell."

Marko says, "A mandatory public health care system is a universal adapter for unlimited Nanny State legislation."

Cash For Clunkers-Japanese and Korean Style

Top ten trade-ins - Cash for Clunkers
1. Ford Explorer
2. Ford F150 Pickup 2WD
3. Jeep Grand Cherokee 4 WD
4. Jeep Cherokee 4 WD
5. Dodge Caravan/Grand Caravan
6. Chevrolet Blazer 4 WD
7. Ford Explorer 2 WD
8. Ford F150 Pickup 4 WD
9. Chevrolet C1500 Pickup 2 WD
10. Ford Windstar FWD Van

Top ten new car purchases - Cash for Clunkers

1. Toyota Corolla

2. Ford Focus FWD

3. Honda Civic

4. Toyota Prius

5. Toyota Camry

6. Ford Escape FWD

7. Hyundai Elantra

8. Dodge Caliber

9. Honda Fit

10. Chevrolet Cobalt
The top ten trade ins are all American brands, but the top 10 models purchased with U.S. taxpayer subsidies include 5 Japanese models and a S. Korean. This may be yet another of the unintended consequences of yet another "taxpayer supported bailout" for auto manufacturers and dealers. Using a blunt instrument like this legislation to attempt to shape consumer buying by using government subsidies (the giveaway of taxpayer dollars) shows that central planning by our government is not the way to go for the U.S. economy.

Another unintended consequence is the elimination of maybe half a million perfectly functional used cars that the economically challenged, young and old, can actually afford to own and operate to get to a job. The smaller number of used cars inventoried will now cost more due to supply and demand unbalancing. As another side track, the engine (which must be destroyed) contains some of the most valuable used parts of a scrapped vehicle, which will increase the cost for used motor parts for the most popular trade-ins. Take that track further, and the price of scrap metal will likely fall because of the sudden increased supply, damaging the scrap industry. The demand for the scrap may have to come from the Japanese, who will gain many of the benefits from this giveaway program.


The "environmental" angle is also a bogus add on, because much more serious emissions are produced during manufacturing than are being accounted for with this spin, recalculating for the drastically shortened expected life cycle of the vehicle. Maybe the program will be so successful that we can fire up a couple of extra coal power plants to manufacture some replacements. The employment side of that is arguable, but the "saving our environment" angle is phony.

Read the Bills Act

The light of day is still exposing some liberals as the hypocrites that they are. When the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee states matter of factly at a National Press Club luncheon that reading the bills before voting on them is useless, unless you have 2 days and two lawyers to explain it to you after you read it, then the bill is also going to be too complicated to work as planned, and will fail.

To stop this kind of nonsense, we should strongly consider asking our representatives to pass the “Read the Bills Act”

“No LEGISLATION without representation.”

We hold this truth to be self-evident, that those in Congress who vote on legislation they have not read, have not represented their constituents. They have misrepresented them.

This clip of Michigan's rep, John Conyers, husband of Monica Conyers, a convicted bribe taking Detroit City Council member, should make the average American quite angry with liberal "politics as usual."

Decatur Celebration Ad

I just heard a commercial today, twice already on WSOY-AM, for the Decatur Celebration. This is the most annoying ad I have heard since the Firewater Cafe commercials using the same announcer, Capt. ConQueso, or maybe a wannabe Capt. C, a character who sounds like a cocaine fueled snake oil salesman. The theme song at the end is the only redeeming sliver for the spot.

I have intentionally avoided the cafe mentioned above for no other reason than revulsion at the lack of sensibility of whoever paid for the Capt. ConQueso ads. I can and do appreciate humor, but stupidity masquerading as humor isn't funny, it's just irritating. I hope this Decatur Celebration spot doesn't get heavy airplay and that other spots that are running could replace it. It is an embarrassing blot on the city's image.

Decatur Coal Gasification Plant update

Emerson, Secure Energy partner on $800M coal gasification plant

"An Emerson unit has formed a strategic relationship with Secure Energy Inc. to help build an $800 million alternative energy plant in Decatur, Ill.

The project would be the first coal gasification-to-synthetic natural gas plant to be constructed in the United States in two decades..."

more info about the gasification plant (H&R)

Nugent on 2nd

Ted Nugent discusses the 2nd Amendment with Evan Smith, host of the KLRU program TEXAS MONTHLY TALKS and editor of TEXAS MONTHLY magazine.

"...I don't like repeat offenders. I like dead offenders."

Well said, Ted.

Ignore Disease, Blame the Symptoms

Some hope hot dog stand is a washout

Owner says establishment will add jobs, opponents say it would attract trouble.

Their concern is that it will attract gang members and neighborhood thugs, joining an array of nearby fast-food restaurants that have devolved into hot spots for violence.

"We, as regular citizens, would not be able to go to that hot dog stand," said Jeannie Wainwright, who lives nearby and has stood with dozens of others in opposition to the business. "It would just be another hangout, another place for narcotics exchanges. Any place where they can loiter, they just seem to take over."

"It has nothing to do with him, it has to do with the type of business he wants to open," Wainwright said. "If he wanted to sell clothes or shoes or something like that, it'd be fine. But we know these kids around here and we know what they gravitate toward...."

***

The disease is ignored and the symptoms are blamed. The problem in this neighborhood isn't the potential hot dog stand, but illegal gang activity. Ms. Wainwright's comments show a blindness to the problem, much like the Chicago ban on effective self defense. Punishing or restricting the innocent and productive to empower the criminal element, or to cause the public to cower in fear of criminals is wrong. The agreement with the neighborhood group by the Police Chief shows he knows it is out of control and seems to be a surrender.

Free Rifles and Ammo from Uncle Sam?

The anti-2nd ammendment Coalition To Stop Gun Violence and the unintended consequences.

Wherein We All Get Free Rifles And Ammunition

"Over at the Coalition To Stop Gun Violence website, there is a post up on recasting the Second Amendment as a mandate for militia service. If executed faithfully, this would be a great idea, since every able-bodied male (probably females too, given sex-discrimination jurisprudence) would get a militia-compatible rifle, possibly a pistol, and a bunch of ammunition out of the deal. This new twist on gun control would actually increase the availability of guns and call into question the validity of any “assault weapon” legislation, since those are exactly the arms required for militia service..."

M. Jackson Malware Exploits

Michael Jackson Spam Distributes Malware

Another interesting article:
How Malware Defends Itself Using TLS (Thread Local Storage) Callback Functions

Cash for clunkers - defense appropriations?

Senate votes 60-36 to keep cash-for-clunkers in bill.

US Senate keeps car sales stimulus in war bill.

The cash-for-clunkers bill is bogus and could be the topic of another post, but including it with the war appropriations bill seems like an obvious way to steamroll a boondoggle into action.

How Not to Measure Temperature - Fuzzy Math

From the WattsUpWithThat blog, How Not to Measure Temperature

Honolulu Ch.9 News story on record high temps

Top Story

Fuzzy Math

Cold Cash Trial to Begin

William Jefferson, Democratic former congressman from Louisiana, is charged with 16 felonies including bribery, racketeering, obstruction of justice and money laundering. The trial will be held before a federal jury in U.S. District Court in Northern Virginia beginning today. (more...)

Chinese Hold Mayor Nagin - Keeping Him Safe

The mayor of New Orleans, Ray Nagin, is under lockdown in China.
Chinese hosts are screening his calls "to keep him safe."
more

There's a battle over who's in charge in New Orleans.
"...Nagin has put the city's chief administrative officer, Brenda Hatfield, in charge of Crescent City business, but City Council members say that's the wrong move.
Councilwoman Jackie Clarkson said Nagin hasn't followed the City Charter during past trips out of the country. She said the charter dictates that one of the at-large City Council members should be in charge...."

Someone will need to be responsible for leaving busses parked in low areas during any potential emergency while Mayor Nagin is Shanghaied.

The Obama Card

The Obama Card, good until we run out of other people's money.

Court is Where Policy is Made?

No! We elect representatives to the legislative branch of the government to do that. And we don't re-elect them if they don't represent us well. That is why the person with a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court must not make policy, but will be there only to interpret the laws that our representatives write and the executive branch signs.
A judicial activist making fun of the constitution is not a good choice for the Supreme Court. These comments alone should be a disqualifier, regardless of any other credentials or emotional life story accomplishments.

Climate change crusade is all cost, and no benefit

In a Fortune interview, noted climatologist John Christy contends the green crusade to fight climate change is "all cost and no benefit."

"...The problem is that the solutions being offered don't provide any detectable relief from this so-called catastrophe. Congress is now discussing an 80% reduction in U.S. greenhouse emissions by 2050. That's basically the equivalent of building 1,000 new nuclear power plants all operating by 2020. Now I'm all in favor of nuclear energy, but that would affect the global temperature by only seven-hundredths of a degree by 2050 and fifteen hundredths by 2100. We wouldn't even notice it..."

Mr. Christy's testimony to congress is here.

"...From my analysis, the actions being considered to “stop global warming” will have an imperceptible impact on whatever the climate will do, while making energy more expensive, and thus have a negative impact on the economy as a whole. We have found that climate models and popular surface temperature data sets overstate the changes in the real atmosphere and that actual changes are not alarming. And, if the Congress deems it necessary to reduce CO2 emissions, the single most effective way to do so by a small, but at least detectable, amount is through the massive implementation of a nuclear power program. Other currently available alternatives simply cannot produce enough energy to be significantly noticed at a price and geographic scale that is affordable."

Al Gore, of course, did the math a bit differently, and calculated that his ascension to the role of the high priest in the new religion of Global Warming was well worth whatever the enormous cost to Americans and the world economy.

Thank you, veterans.

Second Amendment Restored in National Parks

On Wednesday, NRA-backed legislation to restore the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens in national parks and wildlife refuges passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by an overwhelming bipartisan majority of 279-147. Today, the measure was signed into law and, as specified in the legislation, will take effect in nine months, on February 22, 2010. This was a major repudiation of the gun control community's anti self-defense agenda.
story here.

Illinois politicians do things differently, promoting only what Daley/Madigan/Cullerton want, the voters and constituency be damned. We are still waiting for our 2nd ammendment rights to be recognized in Illinois. 48 other states allow some form of legal carry of firearms. Let's not finish last in the country in allowing our citizens to utilize effective personal protection, allowing our rights in Illinois to be blocked by Chicago political patronage

Bipartisanship, Democrat Style

Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago) postponed action today on a series of ethics proposals, with aides saying he wanted to spend more time working with members of Gov. Pat Quinn's reform panel.
story here...

GOP wanted more ethics and good government, but Dems voted in committee 3-2 on a party-line vote to block the Republican plan from getting consideration.

Real bipartisanship, Democrat thug style.

No middle ground in War on Terror

The former Vice-President, Dick Cheney, speaks about national security.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Sausage recipe - Porkulus

"Laws are like sausages, it is better not to see them being made." -- Otto von Bismarck, 1st Chancellor of the German Empire (1815-1898)

The Democrats certainly know this and they didn't want the ingredients known to the public before serving it up less than half-baked. This is not the way that laws should be made and our government representatives know better. There was such a rush to get this passed that the 1073 page bill was delivered, still unfinished, at midnight Thursday. At 2:24 pm, the House Democrats passed it. At 5:29, Senate Democrats passed it.
14 hours to read a 1073 page package, presented with hand written notes, insertions scrawled in the margins, and other interesting markings and immediately voting on it. My guess is that not even one House or Senate member read the entire completed bill before voting for it.
To further conceal the recipe, it was only made publicly available as a pdf file, which doesn't allow text search, making it even harder to directly access particular topics which are sprinkled and hidden throughout.

Here are the links to the sausage recipe that now is on our table, do you dare to read it?

The Democrat Stimulus Bill.
Porkulus Bill, part 1

Porkulus Bill, part 2

Joint Explanatory Statement of the Committee of Conference, Division A

Joint Explanatory Statement of the Committee of Conference, Division B

"All applicable provisions in the Act are designated as an emergency for purposes of pay-as-you-go principles."

This is how our Illinois Reps and Senators voted.
Yea IL-1 Rush, Bobby [D] Yea IL-2 Jackson, Jesse [D] Present IL-3 Lipinski, Daniel [D] Yea IL-4 Gutierrez, Luis [D] Nay IL-6 Roskam, Peter [R] Yea IL-7 Davis, Danny [D] Yea IL-8 Bean, Melissa [D] Yea IL-9 Schakowsky, Janice [D] Nay IL-10 Kirk, Mark [R] Yea IL-11 Halvorson, Deborah [D] Yea IL-12 Costello, Jerry [D] Nay IL-13 Biggert, Judy [R] Yea IL-14 Foster, Bill [D] Nay IL-15 Johnson, Timothy [R] Nay IL-16 Manzullo, Donald [R] Yea IL-17 Hare, Phil [D] Nay IL-18 Schock, Aaron [R] Nay IL-19 Shimkus, John [R]
Yea IL Burris, Roland [D] Yea IL Durbin, Richard [D]

Family and Personal Protection Act - 2009

Well, it's another session, the 96th General Assembly, and we have to try again. As far as I can tell, there are three similar "conceal carry" bills introduced in the Illinois House, each being called the "Family and Personal Protection Act".

I will note all three, and try to sort out the basic differences as I see them.

HB 245, introduced by John E. Bradley (D) 117th District, and referred to the Rules Committee on 1/20/2009.

HB 367, introduced by Bill Mitchell (R) 87th District, and referred to the Rules Committee on 1/30/2009.

HB 462, introduced by Brandon Phelps (D) 118th District, and referred to the Rules Committee on 2/4/2009.

Here are some of the main differences I see so far.
Rep. Bradley's bill vests in the Department of State Police the authority to issue concealed firearms permits to qualified applicants.

Rep. Mitchell's bill vests that authority in each county's Sheriff, and creates the funding to reimburse the County Sheriff and administer the act.

Rep. Phelps' bill, like Mitchell's, vests the authority of administration with the County Sheriff, with different training requirements developed by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board. I'm not sure about the funding on this bill yet.

I spoke with a well informed person in Rep. Mitchell's office today to ask about the bills and got good information and a call back from Rep. Mitchell with more details.

I personally prefer HB 367 and HB 462 over HB245, with the administration of the act being done by local County Sheriffs rather than the Illinois State Police. The Sheriffs are closer and more responsive to the citizens than a state bureaucracy can be. That said, any one of these, if passed, would finally allow Illinois citizens to be safer, becoming state number 49 to allow conceal carry. Let Wisconsin be the last state to recognize the safety of their citizens.

Any suggestions?

more to come on this...

related...
Illinois Sheriffs Association supports concealed-carry handgun law

His reign has ended

Hello Governor Quinn
"I haven't done anything wrong. I look forward to proving my innocence, clearing my name and that's what's gonna happen."
Blagojevich, speaking after the state Senate's vote to convict him of abuse of power.
Good luck with that, Mr. Blagojevich.

As he drove "down there" to Springfield today, the Governor said this to a NYT reporter doing a feature article, “I come out of the alleys of Chicago politics. That’s a tough place. The politics there is not motivated by idealism or high purpose. It’s nuts and bolts, and you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours. I came up that way.”

This was part of the response from Andy McKenna, the Illinois Republican Party's chairman.
"Change for the people of Illinois will come when elected officials actually impose ethical reform, fiscal reform, create jobs and bring greater transparency and accountability to our government."
My only contention with Mr. McKenna is that I don't want the government creating jobs, I prefer that government make the business conditions favorable for private enterprise to create jobs.

Payback

President Obama Inherits the 'Miserable Failure' Google-Bomb that liberals created in 2003 for W.
More.

Driving to the hanging

It is reported that the Governor is driving to Springfield today to offer the closing comments during the impeachment trial he has been boycotting. It seems to be a foregone conclusion that he'd have to hitchhike back to his hideout in Chicago tonight if he did his usual commute in the taxpayer owned plane used in all of his occasional visits "down there" to the hinterlands.

Obama does Dubai Interview

In his first extensive interview since the inauguration, President Obama mentioned the Muslim background of many of his Kenyan relatives and alluded to his childhood in predominantly Muslim Indonesia. This was barely spoken of and hushed during interviews with American news networks, however, this interview was with Al Arabiya network, based in Dubai. more.

I'm still anxiously waiting for an executive order that helps or protects Americans. The first two seemed aimed at helping the enemies of our country by closing Gitmo and allowing foreign terrorists to claim rights granted to Americans under our constitution, the next one allowing US dollars to be used on foreign abortions.

If this is an indication of the next four years, buckle up.

The next 4 years

"He's going to overreach"
Rush Limbaugh on what's in store for the next 4 years.

Stimulus Pork Flooding

The lines at the Stimulus Pork Dollar feed lots are growing, even pet projects here in Central Illinois. Taking the federal dollar when it comes our way, but complaining if it goes elsewhere is a real problem. It is ALL coming out of our own pocket, and it certainly is not free. The cost of the bureaucracy will continue to drain the value of the taxes taken. Our economy needs to be weaned from the federal pork, not flooded by it. The "Stimulus Bill" will weaken our economy by rewarding the same "Give me mine" attitude that pervades the national liberal mindset that helped to create many of the economic problems we face. The solution to fiscal problems is not to add more debt, it is to produce more product or value added, enhancing revenue. Handing a huge debt burden to our children and grandchildren is an irresponsible solution.
If the promised "middle class" tax cuts that the President calls for are enacted, the balance of tax payers and tax consumers will tilt to over the 50% mark for the tax consumers. This is meant to be a way of growing government and ensuring a voter base tidal wave that will support the Democrats, which the DNC thinks will help grow their power base. After all, who would support tax cuts if most people didn't pay taxes at the time? The smaller number of economic producers that will still pay will not be equally represented by our increasingly socialism oriented elected officials. This state owned and operated economy would weaken the incentive for big businesses or the smaller ones who make up the REAL American economy, to grow or prosper. They will be too busy keeping the government pickpockets from taking nearly everything they work for to cover for the tax consumers who choose not to produce, and of course, the tax consumers will likely vote for the candidate who promises more of the same gravy.
How many jobs might the stimulus bill create?

$825 Billion, and Not One Job May Result
by Connie Hair
"...The creation of jobs is key to any stimulus of the economy, and House Republicans in the alternative are pushing for the free market solution of tax cuts to let working families and business who create the jobs in this country keep more of their own money to put back into the economy. The fundamental differences in the solutions to the economic morass offered from each side of the aisle could not be any clearer.I spoke with House Republican Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) outside the committee room about any Republican plans to try to bring some sanity into this effort. Cantor told me, “I am going to be meeting with the President next week with the Republican working group to try and lay out our vision of how we believe a stimulus bill should look, a bill that should be focused on the preservation, protection and creation of jobs. Given what Charlie Rangel and Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid and the rest on the Democrat side on the Hill are doing, I am very fearful that we are not going to get it right, which is why we have to all speak out and say, look, we can’t keep going borrowing money to spend on favorite pet programs just to put us trillions of dollars more in debt when what we could be doing is doing it the smart way by providing tax relief for middle class families, small business, entrepreneurs, so that we can get this economy going again. … It is very clear that the White House is going to be able to shape this, which is why it is very important that we go to the White House and bring the President our proposals to make this a bill that works.”...

Cowboy Rod Blagojevich

The Governor had a radio interview this afternoon complaining about the process to remove him from office. Last time I heard him at a press conference, he recited poetry. Today he had a cowboy story, complete with details of horse thievery, hanging, and an alibi.

Blagojevich:
"...I've done mostly the right thing..."

Daley:
Blagojevich is "cuckoo"

Boycotting the impeachment

Blagojevich to boycott his impending impeachment trial in the Senate.
I think he still just doesn't want to get out of Chicago and travel down to Springfield. His aversion to Springfield and Downstate Illinois in general has been one constant during his administration.