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Ron Johnson: Victims of Government

From The Daily Caller:

Wisconsin Republican Sen. Ron Johnson on Tuesday unveiled the first installment of a new project aimed at demonstrating how big government hurts average Americans.

“The root cause of our economic and fiscal problems is the size, the scope, and the cost of government – all the rules, all the regulations, and all the government intrusion into our lives,” Johnson said in a statement.

Johnson is encouraging other Americans to bring him their own stories of government overreach and burdensome regulations.

“Over-regulation consumes massive amounts of the people’s money, too often lacks common sense, has no heart, costs jobs and economic growth,” Johnson added.

Steve's Story



This is your government.

Proud?

I'm not. However, I'm very proud that I helped send Ron Johnson to Washington.

Gay Marriage, the Supreme Court, and the Constitution

Is gay marriage a constitutional matter for the Supreme Court to decide?



Should marriage be redefined by the courts, specifically the Supreme Court?

Mark Levin cites an AP story from earlier this month in which Justice Anthony Kennedy expressed his belief that the Supreme Court is deciding too many issues that should be decided by Congress.

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy said Wednesday that congressional lawmakers need to maintain the nation’s balance of power by being able to compromise, expressing concerns that the high court is increasingly the venue for deciding politically charged issues such as gay marriage, health care and immigration.

Kennedy, a former Sacramento law school professor, was asked by reporters whether he thought the court was deciding too many issues that can be decided by Congress.

“I think it’s a serious problem. A democracy should not be dependent for its major decisions on what nine unelected people from a narrow legal background have to say,” Kennedy said. “And I think it’s of tremendous importance for our political system to show the rest of the world — and we have to show ourselves first — that democracy works because we can reach agreement on a principle basis.”

Levin shares his thoughts related to the Supreme Court's role in this case.

MARK LEVIN: Here's a quaint thought. You know, we do have amendment procedures in the United States Constitution. If the overwhelming majority of Americans through their state legislatures believe that the Constitution should actually be amended, not rewritten by this what I call this ongoing Constitutional Convention in Washington, but I mean, actually amended to define marriage as something more than a man and a woman, then why don't they try that?

If Congress believes, if two-thirds of the members of the House and the Senate really believe, they really believe this is a fundamental right, a liberty, then they ought to make their case to each other, because two-thirds of both bodies, the House and the Senate, can propose a constitutional amendment to the states and three-fourths can ratify.

I am tired of our Constitution being amended by the courts, by presidential fiat, by congressional statute. I'm sick and tired of it. You and me, we show fidelity to our Constitution. We talk about our Constitution. We talk about the processes, the history, and this, that, and the rest.

They don't give a damn on the Left. The ends justifies the means. That's it. And if they don't like the outcome of a vote, like on Proposition 8, then they claim it's a constitutional right, or as I have said over the weeks, a civil right. When people out there oppose what the Left is doing, they're said to be pushing wedge issues. When the Left pushes exactly the same issue from a different perspective, it's said to be a civil right.

Bottom line: Levin believes, "If the Supreme Court is faithful to its responsibilities, it will rule no federal jurisdiction, period. No federal jurisdiction. Period."

Interesting.

Jim Carrey and Greg Gutfeld

On The Five Monday, Greg Gutfeld really unleashed on Jim Carrey and his new song, "Cold Dead Hand." Carrey's anti-gun video mocks gun owners and mercilessly targets the late Charlton Heston.

Before releasing the video, Carrey tweeted on Sunday:

'Cold Dead Hand' is abt u heartless motherf%ckers unwilling 2 bend 4 the safety of our kids.Sorry if you're offended by the word safety! ;^}

Carrey is begging for attention.

Watch video of Gutfeld's reaction.

GREG GUTFELD: He is probably the most pathetic tool on the face of the earth, and I hope his career is dead. And I hope he ends up sleeping in a car the way his life began. This video only made me want to go out and buy a gun. He thinks this is biting satire - going after rural America and a dead man.

Let's talk about Charlton Heston. Charlton Heston was one of the first actors to be behind the civil rights movement and march. What did this jackass Jim Carrey do? He was behind the anti-vaccine panic. There's 160,000 people that died from measles last year according to the World Health Organization. Jim Carrey has killed more people than all the rifles combined.

He's a dirty, stinking coward. He's a moral coward that did a video attacking rural America. He wouldn't do a video about gangs, which kills way more people with handguns. He wouldn't do that because he's too worried about his career. He's such a pathetic, sad little freak. He's a gibbering mess. He's a modern bigot. He's a modern bigot. He's a bottomless pit of insecurity, and the desire for acceptance is why he's doing this because he knows in his heart that he's a fraud.

The Charlton Heston thing is the thing. Here was a great man who is dead and cannot defend himself. This little dirtbag, this little nobody...

...He's as edgy as a Frisbee.

...He insulted a bunch of people and then he ran like a little baby. He's such a little, sad freak.

I'd like to hear Carrey's response to this.

He should do a video about gang violence or violent video games or the violent trash produced by Hollywood. If he had a spine he would.

Like Gutfeld, this video, as well as all the other bullying lately over guns, has only served to make me want to get a gun.

Bottom line: Carrey epitomizes the worst of Hollywood Leftists.

Joe Voiland For Judge

Judge Tom Wolfgram chose to toss his political impartiality out and joined the fray to oust Governor Scott Walker. He signed the recall petition, clearly engaging in a very public political act.



Why is this problematic?

Why vote for challenger Joe Voiland?

Voiland explains:

The Separation of Powers is central to our republic. The legislature makes the law. Our judges enforce it.

But here in Wisconsin, we have seen a concerted effort to undermine the Separation of Powers. Time after time, our state court judges have blocked legitimate acts of the Wisconsin Legislature.

Ozaukee County Judge Tom Wolfgram crossed the line into politics and publicly supported the effort to recall Governor Scott Walker.

Judge Wolfgram now claims in the liberal Ozaukee Press that publicly supporting the recall was nothing “political.”

Judge Wolfgram’s claim that the recall was not political is “not just hogwash, it’s transparently misleading hogwash. Petitions in any instance are political acts intended to force a question of some sort on a larger scale. In this case, it’s even more explicitly political, as the petitions want to use the political process to negate an election,” as one writer notes.

I am challenging Judge Wolfgram in the April 2nd Election.

I am thankful that Joe Voiland is challenging Wolfgram, giving Ozaukee County residents a choice.

The incumbent judge has revealed that he has terrible judgment. And then when confronted with the facts and his failure to remain impartial, publicly stating his opposition to Gov. Walker, supporting the recall, Wolfgram came up with excuses that were remarkably poor.

Given how badly Wolfgram has handled the matter, I wonder if those in the old boy network in Ozaukee County publicly endorsing Wolfgram realize that they're taking a risk. Their association with Wolfgram reflects poorly on them.

True, some may have given Wolfgram their endorsement before learning that Judge Wolfgram actually signed the petition to recall Gov. Walker. Have any withdrawn their endorsements? It's something they should consider.

Read Wolfgram's appeal to voters:

Dear Voters & Friends

I am deeply committed to the rule of law, applying it fairly and impartially, treating all participants in the court process with dignity and respect. I recognize each person’s case, at that moment, is the most important case in the court system. When I proudly and humbly took the oath of Office I swore to uphold the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Wisconsin. I appreciate my obligation to apply the laws as they are written not as I or anyone else thinks they should be. I have faithfully adhered to this duty in deciding thousands of cases during my judicial career.

I have owned a home in Cedarburg for 32 years and know that one of the most important functions as a Circuit Court Judge is to keep our community safe. The Police Chiefs of every community in Ozaukee County as well as Ozaukee County’s sheriff have recognized my efforts in this regard and support my re-election as Judge. I will be honored to have your continued support and your vote on April 2nd.

Presiding Judge, Ozaukee County

Tom R. Wolfgram

I don't buy the impartiality stuff.

Wolfgram blew it when he signed that petition.

Without question, Joe Voiland is the better candidate for Ozaukee County Circuit Court judge.

eBay: Jim Carrey Autographed Photo

An autographed 8x10 photo of Jim Carrey is for sale on eBay.

The seller hopes to earn money to buy a gun.

I'm selling this Jim Carrey Autographed B&W 8X10 Photo (mint condition) in hopes that I sell it for enough to buy a GUN to protect my family.

I'm thinking of getting the Glock G30S .45 ACP Pistol which retails for $640 U.S. Hopefully I can get at least that much for the autographed photo. If it sells for more than I'll get a laser sight for it and take some gun safety classes and get my "concealed carry" permit.

I lost all respect for Mr. Carrey after he released his "Cold Dead Hands" video mocking responsible gun owners and Charlton Heston.

I believe in the 2nd Amendment and my rights shall not be infringed! From MY cold dead hands Mr. Carrey!

I'm sure the seller doesn't really expect to get anywhere near $640 for that photo.

The current bid is $20. That reflects Carrey's popularity.

Milwaukee Voter Fraud

It's shocking that voter fraud in Milwaukee is actually being addressed a little bit by the DA's office.

The Democrats in power in Milwaukee, like Mayor Tom Barrett, have spent years and years denying the problem.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel takes credit for unearthing the alleged felons, but it also stresses that "cases of fraud surrounding voter registration or voting" are rare.

I think it's more accurate to say charges are rare, investigations into voter fraud are rare.

Another point from the JS: "Republican legislators and Gov. Scott Walker last year changed state law to make it harder for voter registration workers to move between communities in Wisconsin. But that same change also makes it harder for watchdogs such as the Journal Sentinel to easily gather information about who is now doing voter registration work."

Yeah, right. Blame Walker. Good grief.

Milwaukee County prosecutors should spend at least as much time digging into voter fraud in Milwaukee as they spent on their very open "secret" John Doe witch hunt.

These Democrats failed to get Scott Walker, after years of trying.

If they sincerely tried to clean up Milwaukee's elections, who knows how much fraud they would discover?

I'm sure the people they have under investigation for violations are just the tip of the iceberg of the problem in Milwaukee. These poor chumps are really unlucky.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Following Thursday's felony charges against a voter registration worker in Milwaukee, a prosecutor made clear that two more workers also are under investigation.

All three men came under scrutiny after being identified last year in a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel story that looked at the criminal records of the people certified to register voters in the city. In response, the Milwaukee Election Commission also is looking at the possibility of doing routine checks of its own to prevent such problems in the future.

Along with nine other people, Andrew L. Shepherd, 32, was charged with a felony by Milwaukee County prosecutors Thursday for falsely telling Milwaukee officials in 2012 that he had no felony record when applying to get hired as a special voter registration deputy. Shepherd has two felony drug convictions and a third conviction for recklessly endangering safety.

Shepherd and two other men were dropped as voter registration deputies by the Election Commission after the Journal Sentinel reported on their criminal records in an October 2012 story.

Milwaukee County Assistant District Attorney Bruce Landgraf didn't rule out further charges Friday.

"Other matters are under investigation at this time, including the ones you asked about," Landgraf said of the two other men.

Milwaukee is such a mess.

I have no faith in its elections. I don't trust the process.

That's not good.

Assembly Bill 54: Early Voting in Wisconsin

It is a totally legitimate effort to make voting uniform throughout the state of Wisconsin.

Hours of in-person absentee voting should not vary from locality to locality.

That's fundamentally unfair and potentially a way to disenfranchise people based on where they live.

It's wrong.

Of course, Leftists like Tom Barrett, utter failure as mayor of the decaying city of Milwaukee and three-time gubernatorial loser, object to Assembly Bill 54. They're crying voter suppression.

I say it's voter suppression to allow only certain areas greater access to early voting.

Duh!

From FOX 6 News:

A bill introduced in Wisconsin’s Assembly would cut the amount of time voters can cast ballots early for an election. The idea is not sitting well in Milwaukee, and on Tuesday, March 19th, Mayor Tom Barrett and others called it “unjustified.”

Some say it levels the playing field, but others say it attacks a person’s basic right.

“The problem apparently to some Legislatures is too many people are voting in areas that support people of not of their party,” Mayor Barrett said.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and other community leaders don’t support Assembly Bill 54 — a bill that limits a clerk’s office to take in-person absentee ballots Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

Rep. Duey Stroebel (R – Saukville) is one of the authors of the bill, and calls it a common sense bill. He says the measure would make absentee voting hours uniform statewide.

“What this bill is geared toward is fairness and equality,” Stroebel said.

Opponents in Milwaukee see it as a power play from the right, and feel it disenfranchises minority and college voters.

That's ridiculous.

College students and minorities can vote during the same hours as other citizens in Wisconsin. It's crazy to claim otherwise.

If Barrett and his Leftist brethren want longer hours, including weekends,  for voting, then all Wisconsinites should enjoy that convenience.

There is nothing unfair about MAKING VOTING FAIR FOR ALL.

Good grief!

I fully support Stroebel's bill and I encourage Wisconsin voters to contact their representatives and demand the passage of legislation that prevents people in certain areas from having extended voting opportunities that others lack.

This really is a no-brainer.

Of course, it should be fair.

On election day, polls are open in the state for specified hours. The same should be true for early voting.

Anything other than equal voting opportunity for all throughout the state is unjust.

Niki Johnson: Condom Portrait of Pope Benedict

Do you think this is a nice portrait of Pope Benedict XVI?

Would you judge it differently if you knew the "artist" made it with condoms?



The work is titled Eggs Benedict.

Not very respectful, is it?

The artist, Niki Johnson, is not praising Pope Benedict. She's condemning and mocking him.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, once again a step behind and slow in its reporting:

A Milwaukee artist is drawing national attention, some of it negative, for one of her creations: a portrait of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI constructed out of 17,000 colorful condoms.

The piece by Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design instructor Niki Johnson, a kind of latch hook portrait, is a commentary on the artist's views on sex and Benedict's statements on condoms -- including the now famous 2009 quote while on a trip in Africa stating that condoms increase the spread of AIDS.

Local church officials did not immediately return telephone calls seeking comment. But it's been featured on the Huffington Post news website and described as "disgusting" by MediaBusters, a conservative website.

Ironically, Johnson's commentary on her blog is in some ways in sync with Catholic teaching. She says, in part: "Healthy sexual choices are at the root of creating a healthy nation." However, they clearly differ on what constitutes "healthy."

The church holds holds that sex is a gift to be expressed only between a man and a woman in the confines of marriage. Johnson, who lives in Shorewood, says: "Love in all of its colors, partners and kinky curiosities is to be enjoyed by those who are in it."

Note to the JS: It's ridiculous to suggest that Johnson's commentary is at all in sync with Catholic teaching.

Read Johnson's post about her portrait.

She writes:

Eggs Benedict exists because I believe it is my responsibility as an able bodied person living in our current cultural climate to incite further discussion about the direction our leaders point us in. As an artist, my thoughts manifest in my artwork best. It’s a pretty simple relationship. During the production of this piece I made many intentional choices; from selecting a cheerful moment from the Pope’s earlier years to reproduce, to going with a festive color palette, to putting great care into the making of the portrait to ensure that both the subject matter and the materials were on some level being celebrated in the midst of the questions that their combination raises. I made these choices because it is important to me that this piece opens more doors than it closes, by remaining both glorious and irreverent at the same time, if that’s possible. Like other portraits I have made, I see Eggs Benedict conceptually existing in a grey space between the black/white nature of political statements- creating room for a nuanced experience that has an added degree of complexity.

There's nothing nuanced or complex about this work.

Johnson expresses her disdain for Pope Benedict, something she has the right to do.

But let's be honest. Johnson isn't opening any doors to discussion. Her portrait is not operating in a "grey space." It's perfectly black and white.

Personally, I don't find Johnson's portrait to be nearly as offensive to me as a Catholic as Piss Christ, Andres Serrano's photograph of a crucifix submerged in his own urine. Adding insult to injury was the fact that the National Endowment for the Arts was supporting Serrano's "art," that tax dollars had gone to the creator of Piss Christ.

The offensive "art" was defended by liberals. It was deemed artistic expression, not desecration. Although it caused some uproar and offended some Christians in the U.S. in the late 1980s, there were no riots. The taxpayer funds supporting it irritated many; but there were no fires, no calls for beheadings.

Like Serrano, I think Johnson wanted attention. She got it. She knew the way to get noticed would be to mock the Pope.

To some, she's a hero. To others, she's intolerant and hateful.

Bottom line: The Constitution doesn't protect us from being offended. It protects freedom of expression.

Dr. Kermit Gosnell

I'd like to hear what abortion advocates, like Obama and Planned Parenthood supporters, have to say about the actions of Dr. Kermit Gosnell.

Why aren't they expected to comment on his horrific behavior?

Leftists always demand that every conservative comment on the words or actions of people on the Right, as if all conservatives should be held accountable for an individual's behavior.

Why aren't all Leftists associated with Gosnell, requiring them to account for what he did?

Double standard. Same old, same old.

Why are ABC, NBC, and CBS ignoring the story of this monster?

ABC, CBS, and NBC's morning and evening newscasts have yet to cover the trial of Dr. Kermit Gosnell, which began on Monday. Gosnell is charged with murdering seven babies who were born after viability in his rundown abortion facility. The Big Three also gave the story minimal coverage back in January 2011, after the Philadelphia physician was arrested. ABC completely ignored it, CBS Evening News aired one full story, and NBC gave just 50 words on Today.

Serial murder is news. Ignoring the case is very telling.

If a nut claiming to be against abortion murdered Gosnell, you know the networks would be splashing the story.

From CNSNews:

Dr. Kermit Gosnell, an abortionist now on trial in Philadelphia charged with seven counts of first-degree murder--he allegedly cut the spinal cords of late-term aborted babies who were born alive--apparently used to joke about the large size of some the infants he aborted and in one case, according to what a co-worker told the grand jury, said, “This baby is big enough to walk around with me or walk me to the bus stop.”

Gosnell, 72, who ran a multi-million dollar abortion business in West Philadelphia, was arrested on Jan. 19, 2011, and his trial started Monday, Mar. 18, 2013. The first-degree murder counts refer to seven late-term aborted babies who were born alive and then killed, their spinal cords cut with scissors.

Gosnell is also charged with the third-degree murder of a pregnant woman, Karnamaya Mongar, 41, who died after being given a pain killer at Gosnell’s office. He also faces several counts of conspiracy and violation of Pennsylvania’s law against post-24-week abortions.

In testimony on Monday, Adrienne Moton, who used to work for Gosnell at the Women’s Medical Society in West Philadelphia, said she recalled one baby – “Baby Boy A” – who was aborted in July 2008. Baby A was so large, Moton took a photo of the child with her cell phone before Gosnell took the baby out of the room.

"I just saw a big baby boy. He had that color, that color that a baby has," Moton said in court. "I just felt he could have had a chance. … He could have been born any day.”

This is so sick.

Joking about killing a baby???

This is the stuff that Leftist extremists like Russ Feingold accept as "medical care for women."

Russ Feingold: Radically Pro-Abortion from Wisconsin Right to Life on Vimeo.

Obama shares Feingold's views on abortion/infanticide.

Really sick.

Jay Leno and Jimmy Fallon

Jimmy Fallon just celebrated his 800th episode of Late Night.

He's been on the air for four years, and NBC already wants him to host the Tonight Show.

In terms of late night TV, that's a quick rise. It took David Letterman more than a decade to get a show in that time slot.

I'm a late night TV viewer. I have been since I was old enough to determine my own bedtime. I've seen the hosts come and go, rise and fall, entertain and annoy.

I used to be a Letterman fan. I thought he was destined to be the next Johnny Carson, but NBC chose a different direction and went with Leno as Carson's successor.

Conan O'Brien's brief stint as the next Carson was a mess. I loved O'Brien's Late Night, but his show lost a lot when he moved to LA. The enormous studio didn't suit him. Something was very off. I still liked him better than Leno.

So, Leno returns to Carson's chair after a bitter fight. No one came out of that one looking good, except Jimmy Fallon. He, publicly, stayed out of it.

And now, NBC is ready to give Leno the boot again.

Good idea or bad idea?

From FOX News, the outlet routinely trashed by both Leno and Fallon:

Will Jimmy Fallon be the next host of “The Tonight Show?” He says he doesn’t care.

In the latest issue of GQ, on newsstands March 26, the funnyman addressed the burning question of whether or not he will take over “The Tonight Show” after Jay Leno retires.

“I mean, in the nicest way, who really cares,” he told the magazine. “In the nicest way. It would be great, sure, I guess. I’d love it, but it’s not on my mind. I’m in no rush to do anything. I’m kind of a boring character in that book. I’m not in a fight with Jay or Conan, or any of them. I don’t have that story.”

Still, “Saturday Night Live” producer Lorne Michaels said he thinks Fallon is a shoe in for the job.

“I’m not allowed to say it—yet. But I think there’s an inevitability to it,” he told GQ. “He’s the closest to [Johnny] Carson that I’ve seen of this generation.”

I still consider myself to be a fan of Fallon's show, though he has shifted away a bit from his goal to entertain without alienating people. That's unfortunate.

As much as I like Fallon, he's not close to Johnny Carson. He's irreplaceable.

Letterman, although from the midwest, didn't have the midwestern charm of Johnny Carson. Letterman's style is snippy and smart ass, and incredibly grating after a while. No Carson.

Leno seemed like a nice guy and appeared to want to appeal to a broad audience, but he's taken a sharp Left in his comedy and interviews. Also grating. No Carson.

O'Brien was really clever and quick and likable. His self-deprecating humor was funny, until it became impossible to accept as based in something honest.

None can compare with Carson.

Fallon is extremely talented and can be very entertaining. However, I don't know that he'll appeal to an older demographic. Yes, he won a Grammy and did a fantastic job hosting the Emmys. But at least some of what he does now would have to change. For example, I don't think an older audience would enjoy watching him debut a new video game. The goofy stuff probably won't translate well.

From The Hollywood Reporter:

It has become clear that Jimmy Fallon is going to become the host of The Tonight Show, but sources say an internal debate among key players is underway regarding the timing.

According to these sources, some top executives at NBCUniversal are leaning toward a February launch to take advantage of the promotional platform of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Others, including Late Night executive producer Lorne Michaels, are said to have concerns about rushing the transition.

The Leno-Conan debacle is still relatively fresh. Another retirement against his will by Leno wouldn't be too pleasant. Here we go again....

NBC Entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt and his late night and alternative chief Paul Telegdy are said to be actively looking for a Fallon replacement at 12:35 a.m. One possibility is another Michaels protege, Seth Meyers of Saturday Night Live.

The latest news comes as Leno continues to take jabs at NBC execs including Greenblatt, who reportedly sent Leno an email to back-off on the ridicule. On Monday’s show, Leno quipped during his monologue: "You know the whole legend of St. Patrick, right? St. Patrick drove all the snakes out of Ireland -- and then they came to the United States and became NBC executives. It's a fascinating story."

Leno taking jabs at NBC execs should be no big deal. Carson regularly mocked the execs behind NBC's programs and the network's poor performance.

I wish Leno, and all of these late night hosts, would make fun of the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. I like to think Carson wouldn't have given Obama a pass or been a shill for Obama, like Letterman and Leno. Fallon is possibly the worst shill of all. He let Obama use his show like no U.S. president has ever used a program in a network's entertainment division.

I certainly won't miss Leno when he gets shown the door - again. Good riddance.

If Jimmy Fallon takes Leno's place as expected, I think I might end up missing the Jimmy Fallon of Late Night, just as I missed the Conan O'Brien of Late Night and the David Letterman of Late Night.

Mark Levin to Obama: 'You Lied!'

It's refreshing to hear the truth.

It's something we don't hear from Obama. We get lie after lie after lie from him.

MARK LEVIN: Mr. President, you said you would not raise taxes on the middle class. You increased those payroll taxes. Why do you keep lying to the American people? You said you wouldn't raise taxes on the middle class. We've got all kinds of taxes on medical devices, on insurance plans that are passed on to the people. We've got all kinds of taxes, and not only that. Businesses are going to reduce employment 40 hours a week, 30 hours a week, to 29 hours a week. You've done this. You've done this to the middle class. Why do you keep lying about it?

...

Mr. President, you said if we wanted to keep our insurance policies, we could. You lied! You said [our insurance premiums] wouldn't increase. They are. You lied! You said ObamaCare would reduce the deficit. It's sky-rocketing the deficit. You lied! When are you going to tell the American people the truth? That's my question.

It's a great question.

Here's video:

Allen West CPAC Speecch (Video)

ALLEN WEST: Folks, I'm speaking from experience when I tell you that there's nothing on this green earth that a liberal progressive fears more than a black American who wants a better life and a smaller government.

Dan Kildee and Obama

Obama has a terrible mean streak.

We've been treated to many glimpses of the real Obama, the very uncool guy.

He's not only arrogant, but he's also cold and cruel.

The president of the United States should not mock Special Olympics athletes. Doing so on national TV during an interview with Jay Leno is inexcusable. He did that in March 2009, just a couple of months into his presidency. He displayed incredibly poor judgment to think that was funny.

The man does and says horrible things. He treats people with such disdain, even his political allies. No one should dare question the great and powerful Obama.

From Roll Call:

At a closed-door meeting between President Barack Obama and House Democrats, Kildee introduced himself as a freshman, to which Obama said, “Wow, you’re really classing up the place then.”

Kildee then proceeded to ask what one person described as a somewhat “long-winded” question about the importance of creating jobs for his economically distraught district.

“I can tell you’re a freshman because you didn’t pay much attention to the State of the Union,” Obama joked. “I talked about that.”

Amid the resulting laughter, House Democratic Caucus Chairman Xavier Becerra of California then offered to provide Kildee a printout of the speech.

Obama was referring to his $1 billion proposal for 15 manufacturing “innovation centers,” the details of which are still somewhat hazy.

Actually, though, the joke was on Obama: On Wednesday, Kildee had met with the White House legislative affairs team about the innovation centers proposal, so he was quite familiar with it.

And his question was broader, about what types of reforms are necessary to reform decaying urban centers like Flint, Mich., which Kildee represents.

Bottom line: Obama is not the smartest guy in the room, at least not in that room. Obama is stunningly self-centered. Obama is a jerk. I say that with all due respect.

Jimmy Fallon: Vatican TV (Video)

There's a lot of Pope-related reality TV out there: ow.ly/iVuvW #ClergyShore #KeepingUpWithTheCorinthians

— Late Night (@LateNightJimmy) March 14, 2013

Here's video of Wednesday night's cold open to Late Night with Jimmy Fallon:



Vatican TV reports that a new pope has been chosen after white smoke is seen coming from the chimney above the Sistine Chapel.

Coming up later in the week, all new episodes of:

"Clergy Shore"

"Keeping Up With the Corinthians"

"Wafer Swap"

"The Big Bang is Just a Theory"

Without question, Catholics have endured more ridicule in the past month on "comedy" shows than Obama has in the past four or five years.

Bloomberg: 'Portion Control'

A court ruled yesterday that Mayor Michael Bloomberg's control over the lives of people in his city is limited.

Bloomberg described his edict, approved by the New York City Board of Health, as "portion control."

Unbelievably lame.

From CNSNews:

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the large soda ban set to go into effect this month at city restaurants, street vendors and movie theaters is how government tells the public what’s in their best interest.

“We're not banning anything. It's called portion control,” Bloomberg said Sunday on CBS’s "Face the Nation." “It's a typical way that companies use to and governments use to explain to people what's in their interest and what isn't.”

It's positively idiotic to ban the sale of large sodas.

It is a ban if businesses are prohibited from selling a large size sugary drink.

It's not "portion control." Anyone can buy several smaller sizes.

...New York Supreme Court Judge Milton Tingling on Monday stopped the Bloomberg administration from carrying out the ban.

Good judgment.

Something that Bloomberg lacks.

Daylight Saving Time and Health

I'm not looking forward to losing an hour when we go back on daylight saving time tonight, but it's really not a big deal.

I don't need time to adjust to the "spring ahead."

For various reasons at various times of the year, I lose a lot more than one hour of sleep on a given night.

Stuff happens.

From USA Today:

The time switch has mixed effects on people's health. Night owls tend to have more trouble than early birds, according to a Finnish study in 2008, but everyone's sleep patterns can be disrupted by the transition into or out of DST.

...There is a spike in heart attacks during the first week of DST, as well as a slight drop in attacks during the first week after DST ends, according to another 2008 study, published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Researchers tagged the "spring forward" results to sleep deprivation, which affects heart health. Conversely, the extra hour of "fall back" sleep promotes general well-being.

I don't think losing 60 minutes of sleep on one night amounts to "sleep deprivation."

Is DST torture?

I can't imagine those lost minutes being enough to trigger a heart attack. One would have to be in extremely fragile health.

Shouldn't there be a spike in heart attacks the week after Black Friday, too?

Millions of people are out shopping in the middle of the night or at the crack of dawn, after consuming a ton of food on Thanksgiving.

Where are the studies on the "dangers" of Black Friday shopping?

I suppose the difference is that every American, except those in Hawaii and Arizona, shares in the experience of the 60 minute loss.

Every year it's the same routine: All these stories surface about the negative impact of DST on health.

Maybe Mayor Bloomberg should ban the switch to DST in NYC. The Leftists should be demanding government intervention to save us from DST syndrome.

Whatever, I'll welcome the extra daylight and I won't be whining about being tired.

Rand Paul's Filibuster Ends

Rand Paul's old school filibuster ended shortly before 1:00 AM ET, 12 hours and 52 minutes after he began.

In the end, it was his bladder that couldn't continue.



From the New York Times:

A small group of Republicans, led by Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, stalled the Senate on Wednesday by waging a nearly 13-hour old-school, speak-until-you-can-speak-no-more filibuster over the government’s use of lethal drone strikes — forcing the Senate to delay the expected confirmation of John O. Brennan to lead the Central Intelligence Agency.

Mr. Paul, who opposes Mr. Brennan’s nomination, followed through on his plan to filibuster the confirmation of President Obama’s nominee after receiving a letter this month from Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. that refused to rule out the use of drone strikes within the United States in “extraordinary circumstances” like the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

On Wednesday, Mr. Paul did exactly as promised, taking to the Senate floor shortly before noon and holding forth for 12 hours and 52 minutes.

Mr. Paul finally wound down shortly before 1 a.m. on Thursday, surrounded by a group of Republican senators and House members who had joined him on the Senate floor in a show of solidarity.

“I would go for another 12 hours to try to break Strom Thurmond’s record, but I’ve discovered that there are some limits to filibustering and I’m going to have to go take care of one of those in a few minutes here,” Mr. Paul said to knowing laughter as he referred to the legendary South Carolina senator known for his 28-hour filibuster. (Mr. Paul could not leave the floor to use the bathroom, making his filibuster at a certain point seem less a standoff between the senator from Kentucky and the administration than a battle between Mr. Paul and his own bladder.)

After almost 13 hours, Mr. Paul offered his final words: “I thank you very much for the forbearance and I yield the floor,” he said, to loud applause.

Earlier in the evening, as the filibuster moved into its 11th and 12th hours, the mood grew increasingly punchy, with Mr. Paul’s Republican Senate colleagues — who had joined him on the Senate floor periodically throughout the event — making repeat appearances and quoting liberally from pop culture and literature.

Senator Ted Cruz, Republican of Texas, at one point seemed to stage a mini-filibuster of the filibuster, reading from Shakespeare (“Henry V”) and quoting from “Patton.”

Not to be outdone, Senator Marco Rubio, Republican of Florida, took to the floor for his second appearance of the filibuster, quoting the rapper Wiz Khalifa, as well as “that modern-day poet by the name of Jay-Z.” Mr. Rubio also quoted from “The Godfather” three times — including, he said, a quote that never made it from the script into the movie. (“A lawyer with his briefcase can steal more than 100 men with guns can steal.”)

“I don’t know how that’s relevant to this,” Mr. Rubio admitted, “but I thought I’d bring it up.”

At a certain point, as the hour edged closer to midnight, participating in the filibuster seemed to become the gold standard among Senate Republicans, with a parade of Republican senators — Jeff Flake of Arizona; Ron Johnson of Wisconsin; Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader in the Senate; and Tim Scott of South Carolina — emerging for the first time to show their support for Mr. Paul’s cause, not to mention the C-SPAN cameras.

...The filibuster, which by its end had become must-watch reality television for much of the inside-the-Beltway crowd, offered its fair share of quirky moments. Mr. Paul, for instance, ate a “dinner” of a mystery candy bar, continuing his speech through mouthfuls of chocolate.

We shouldn't think of this political theater as "must-watch reality television."

The focus should be on what Obama is doing, allowing the U.S. military to be used on U.S. soil to kill American citizens.

It shouldn't be on Rubio citing Wiz Khalifa or quoting from The Godfather.

It should be about the matter of the Obama administration's use of drones to kill Americans within our borders. It should be about the disconnect between Obama pontificating about the inappropriateness of torture while having no problem with killing people.

Not only Republicans questioned Obama's proposed use of the military.

Democrat Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon showed support for Paul.

“The executive branch should not be allowed to conduct such a serious and far-reaching program by themselves without any scrutiny, because that’s not how American democracy works,” [Wyden] said.

At least one elected Democrat had the decency to voice concern over Obama's "lethal drone program."

Unfortunately, Obama supporters don't seem to mind that his administration has run amok.

The utter unwillingness by Obama and his regime to be forthcoming when asked direct questions is unacceptable. The secrecy is inexcusable.

With the liberal media as enablers, Obama can do whatever he feels like doing.

Graeme Zielinski - Out as Dem Party Spokesman

Graeme Zielinski out as communications director, docked a week's pay. Loses Twitter privileges. BUT stays on @wisdems payroll #WiRight

— RightWisconsin (@RightWisconsin) March 4, 2013

Where's the beef? This is a joke.

Zielinski hasn't been fired. Wisconsin's Democrat Party is still paying him. He still has an official role.

It's a joke to say he's lost his Twitter privileges. Do you think this guy won't continue his spewings on Twitter? He'll be getting his hate out online.

Zielinski will just have a different identity, allegedly detached from the DPW, but I'm sure we'll be able to recognize him.

Will he breathe his online fire while on the job, being paid by the Dems?

Leno Retirement

Not again. More late night drama.

Will NBC push Jay Leno out of his role as host of The Tonight Show?

Déjà vu.

From FOX News:

NBC is ready to announce Jay Leno’s retirement, expecting to move Jimmy Fallon into the coveted late-night time slot, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The announcement is expected in May, according to two high-level industry sources. The 2013-14 television season would be Leno’s last, according to the paper.

Fallon would then move from his “Late Night” spot into the 11:35 p.m. slot during the summer of 2014. A formal kickoff would happen in the fall.

Sources told the Hollywood Reporter that the network will bring in Fallon partly out of concern about the competition on ABC, which moved younger-skewing Jimmy Kimmel to the 11:35 time slot in January.

Leno, 62, has hosted “The Tonight Show” for 20 years.

NBC denied the report. And Leno’s rep said, “we do not speculate on rumor.”

I really don't like Leno anymore.

I preferred Leno to Letterman after Letterman turned so loony and cruel. I used to enjoy Letterman much more than Leno. I thought he was more innovative and witty and funny, but that changed long ago.

Now, Leno has become nearly as annoying as Letterman, always injecting his Leftist opinions into interviews.

Leno is constantly bashing Republicans, except Chris Christie. I think he's head of his fan club. Leno is still doing Mitt Romney jokes. The other night, he did a Rick Perry joke! Meanwhile, Obama pretty much gets a free pass.

Personally, I'll be glad to see Leno go, when that time comes. The sooner the better.

However, I don't know why NBC wants Leno to leave, given that he's delivering in the ratings.

It's like the Conan O'Brien debacle revisited.

Overall, I find Jimmy Fallon's show far more enjoyable than Leno's show. But, he's beginning to bug me a bit, too.

The Obama lovefest is not entertaining.

I just want to relax and laugh at the end of the day.

A thought on how to address NBC's 5th place problems: Stop offending half the country.