Category Archives: Soapbox

Dept. Homeland Security Targets Voters On The Right

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achmed.jpgThat’s right the same DHS that has banned the use of the word “terrorist” and the phrase “war on terror” has now found someone to target.  Right leaning voters are apparently the country’s greatest threat:

A footnote attached to the report by the Homeland Security Office of Intelligence and Analysis defines “rightwing extremism in the United States” as including not just racist or hate groups, but also groups that reject federal authority in favor of state or local authority.

“It may include groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single-issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration,” the warning says.

So if you believe in the concept of Federalism (States rights are more important than the Fed) or if you are pro-life or against Amnesty for illegal immigrants… you are an extremist.  Also the White House press secretary is apparently OK with using the T-word with regard with regard to right wing “radicals” if not Islamic radicals.   So I am a triple terrorist threat!  Strange how far the view has shifted on those that still hold to the original intent of the founding fathers on the country and the constitution.

The nine-page document was sent to police and sheriff’s departments across the United States on April 7 under the headline, “Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment.”

It says the federal government “will be working with its state and local partners over the next several months” to gather information on “rightwing extremist activity in the United States.”

The joint federal-state activities will have “a particular emphasis” on the causes of “rightwing extremist radicalization.”

Chris Dodd Attacks His Own Provision In 6 Month Old Law

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After inserting the provision into the bailout to allow AIG type bonuses into the bailout law – Chris Dodd now wants to tax them at 90% because Congress wasn’t aware about such bonuses!!!

Is anyone even paying attention any more???

Senator Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) on Monday night floated the idea of taxing American International Group bonus recipients so the government could recoup the $450 million the company is paying to employees in its financial products unit. Within hours, the idea spread to both houses of Congress, with lawmakers proposing an AIG bonus tax.

While the Senate constructed the $787 billion stimulus last month, Dodd unexpectedly added an executive-compensation restriction to the bill. That amendment provides an “exception for contractually obligated bonuses agreed on before Feb. 11, 2009,” which exempts the very AIG bonuses Dodd and others are seeking to tax. The amendment is in the final version and is law.

Also, Sen. Dodd was AIG’s largest single recipient of campaign donations during the 2008 election cycle with $103,100, according to opensecrets.org.

College Grade Inflation

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Glen Beck brings light to a report on college GPA inflation.  Here’s the dets on the standard 4.0 scale:

Average College GPA 1991: 2.93

Average College GPA 2009: 3.11

U. Michigan Ave  Grades 1951: 2.57

U. Michigan Ave  Grades 2009: 3.29

To put Michigan’s rise into perspective consider this:  it is -or at least was – a significant honor to graduate “Cum Laude” from a University.  Cum Laude simply means that your GPA was above 3.5.  Which used to mean you were a full grade letter above the average student.  At Michigan apparently it means that you did the assigned extra credit assignment.

As standards continue to slide or be watered down, the accomplishment of meeting such standards becomes increasingly meaningless.  Which is why our children will probably need to get a Ph D just to work a non-minimum wage job…

What Does Our Closest Ally Merit? What’evs in the WH Gift Shop

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The statesman that was supposed to make the world like us accepted pens made from a historic ship to match the “Resolute Desk” (yes in the movie National Treasure)… gave a “historic” gift of DVDs (that probably won’t play in the UK due to regional encoding)…Michelle did even worse – taking a first edition book and framed commission for the HMS Resolute and giving a couple of Marine 1 models from the gift shop…

These aren’t tourists on the white house tour! They are the heads of state of our closest ally!!

As he headed back home from Washington, Gordon Brown must have rummaged through his party bag with disappointment.

Because all he got was a set of DVDs. Barack Obama, the leader of the world’s richest country, gave the Prime Minister a box set of 25 classic American films – a gift about as exciting as a pair of socks.

Mr Brown is not thought to be a film buff, and his reaction to the box set is unknown. But it didn’t really compare to the thoughtful presents he had brought along with him.

The Prime Minister gave Mr Obama an ornamental pen holder made from the timbers of the Victorian anti-slave ship HMS Gannet.

The unique present delighted Mr Obama because oak from the Gannet’s sister ship, HMS Resolute, was carved to make a desk that has sat in the Oval Office in the White House since 1880.

Mr Brown also handed over a framed commission for HMS Resolute and a first edition of the seven-volume biography of Churchill by Sir Martin Gilbert.

In addition, Mr Brown and his wife showered gifts on the Obama children giving Sasha and Malia an outfit each from Topshop and six children’s books by British authors which are shortly to be published in America.

In return, the Obamas gave the Browns two models of the presidential helicopter, Marine One, to take home to sons Fraser and John.

Obama: No lobbyists! Except…

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This is getting to be too funny.  The Obama transition has more scandals than many Presidencies, and the promise breaking -er- “brilliant political exceptions” just keep coming in…

WASHINGTON (AP) – Barack Obama promised a “clean break from business as usual” in Washington. It hasn’t quite worked out that way.

From the start, he made exceptions to his no-lobbyist rule. And now, embarrassing details about Cabinet-nominee Tom Daschle’s tax problems and big paychecks from special interest groups are raising new questions about the reach and sweep of the new president’s promised reforms. …

PROMISES, PROMISES: No lobbyists at WH, except …

 

Here are former lobbyists Obama has tapped for top jobs:

  • Eric Holder, attorney general nominee, was registered to lobby until 2004 on behalf of clients including Global Crossing, a bankrupt telecommunications firm [now confirmed].
  • Tom Vilsack, secretary of agriculture nominee, was registered to lobby as recently as last year on behalf of the National Education Association.
  • William Lynn, deputy defense secretary nominee, was registered to lobby as recently as last year for defense contractor Raytheon, where he was a top executive.
  • William Corr, deputy health and human services secretary nominee, was registered to lobby until last year for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, a non-profit that pushes to limit tobacco use.
  • David Hayes, deputy interior secretary nominee, was registered to lobby until 2006 for clients, including the regional utility San Diego Gas & Electric.
  • Mark Patterson, chief of staff to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, was registered to lobby as recently as last year for financial giant Goldman Sachs.
  • Ron Klain, chief of staff to Vice President Joe Biden, was registered to lobby until 2005 for clients, including the Coalition for Asbestos Resolution, U.S. Airways, Airborne Express and drug-maker ImClone.
  • Mona Sutphen, deputy White House chief of staff, was registered to lobby for clients, including Angliss International in 2003.
  • Melody Barnes, domestic policy council director, lobbied in 2003 and 2004 for liberal advocacy groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union, the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, the American Constitution Society and the Center for Reproductive Rights.
  • Cecilia Munoz, White House director of intergovernmental affairs, was a lobbyist as recently as last year for the National Council of La Raza, a Hispanic advocacy group.
  • Patrick Gaspard, White House political affairs director, was a lobbyist for the Service Employees International Union.
  • Michael Strautmanis, chief of staff to the president’s assistant for intergovernmental relations, lobbied for the American Association of Justice from 2001 until 2005.

This doesn’t count Tom Daschle, who never registered as a lobbyist but got paid millions for his political connections in pursuit of preferential treatment for his clients in the health-care industry….

The list of lobbyists in the Obama administration

 

The AP comments that “Sloan and others said embarrassments over Daschle, one of several top Obama appointees with a history of influencing government for clients, should not detract from the president’s first-day vow to sharply limit the role of lobbyists in his administration.” But Ed fires back:

It’s been less than two weeks since Obama took office, and he’s appointed a lobbyist a day to a government position.  What kind of governing philosophy is that, if not a big “For Sale” sign on the White House, at least according to Obama’s own anti-lobbyist rhetoric on the campaign trail?  A lobbyist a day helps keeps accountability away. (emphasis HotAir.com)

Great stuff Ed!