Leno and Jokes For the Other 50% of Country

I completely disagree with Matt Drudge's tweet that Jay Leno "dared to entertain and offer jokes for the other 50% of country."

Left cheering #Leno exit typical, he dared to entertain and offer jokes for the other 50% of country. Unacceptable in 'New America'...
— MATT DRUDGE (@DRUDGE) March 20, 2013

Yes, some Leftists may object to Leno's rare Obama jokes and are eagerly awaiting his departure.

As a conservative, I am cheering Leno's departure because he has veered so far to the Left, trashing the Right on a nightly basis.

He does it all the time, and not only in his monologues. Leno recently has brought in a line-up of Leftists in his second guest spot to help him trash Republicans. We get NBC "News" personalities up the wazoo, spewing their Leftist drivel. Not long ago, Leno gave Piers Morgan a spotlight platform to lobby for gun control. Way too much Leftist propaganda for me.

Here are some of Leno's "jokes for the other 50% of country" from Thursday's show:

JAY LENO: Well, here's a big controversy with the History Channel's mini-series The Bible. Well, it seems the actor playing Satan bears an uncanny resemblance to President Obama. You know, this isn't the first time the president's been portrayed as the devil. FOX News does it every single day. This is not new.

And Congresswoman Michele 'Nutball' Bachmann back in the news -- She has attacked what she calls the Obamas' lavish White House lifestyle. She says they spend too much money on perks and things like a dog walker. That turns out to be totally not true. The Obamas do not pay someone to walk their dog. Joe Biden does that job every day for free.

This was followed by a clip of Obama being heckled during a speech in Israel. The tape showed the heckler to be Donald Trump.

The next joke:

LENO: Well, after losing two presidential elections in a row, the Republican Party has outlined a plan to attract minorities. It's called 'Operation Pretend We Like 'Em.'

Not funny, in my opinion. Not entertaining. Not a grain of truth.

No joke Leno told mocked Obama or his policies, but he obviously did slam Republicans.

I think Drudge is living in the past, when Leno was more fair.

While Leno will occasionally throw in a joke that zings Obama, without question, Leno's monologue is not fair and balanced. He does not offer many "jokes for the other 50% of country."

Thursday night, Leno did do a gag about Nancy Pelosi endorsing a new, highly caffeinated coffee, showing a container with her face, eyes bugged out. That and the Biden swipe were the only so-called jokes involving Democrats. Those don't remotely balance out with Leno's attacks on Republicans.

Leno is still telling stale Mitt Romney jokes. Then again, "It Guy" Jimmy Fallon is, too.

Bottom line: Drudge is wrong.
________________

UPDATE: Right bemoans possible Jay Leno exit.

Could Jay Leno become a new conservative hero?

In the bitter and gossipy duel between Leno and NBC (the “Tonight Show” host is set to be replaced by Jimmy Fallon, according to reports), some see political fallout in Leno’s fall from grace.

“Left cheering Leno exit typical, he dared to entertain and offer jokes for the other 50% of country. Unacceptable in ‘New America’…” tweeted Matt Drudge this week in the wake of news of Fallon’s ascension. And Jezebel touched on Leno’s rough relationship with the coastal elites, describing him as “Middle America’s favorite late-night host.”

Fox News’ “The Five” speculated, if slightly in jest as is the show’s wont, that Leno was suffering for his barbs against President Barack Obama.

...Perhaps conservatives will be cheering when they hear this - Leno could land at Fox.

...Matt Towery wrote on the conservative Town Hall website that Leno – despite being a liberal – is like “Barry Goldwater” when compared with David Letterman.

"...I know that Jay Leno, like most on network TV, is a self-proclaimed ‘liberal,’ but I could care less. Next to David Letterman, he looks like Barry Goldwater,” Tower wrote.

Towery described Leno as an “equal opportunity offender” comic, who doesn’t back away from poking fun at Democrats when it’s warranted.

“The critics generally hate Leno, because to them he’s too much a part of ‘average’ America. He doesn’t have the endless—and I mean endless — sarcasm of Letterman and actually refrains from attacking people. He’s not cutting edge. He’s too much the apple pie American. Oh and he’s too funny to a majority of Americans,” Towery wrote.

This is driving me nuts.

If Leno is a "conservative hero," then conservatives have terrible judgment when it comes to choosing heroes.

I don't think these commentators watch past the monologue. They really don't know what they're talking about. They don't know how much Leno has changed since his return to NBC as host of the Tonight Show.

I never tune in to watch Letterman anymore. He's been a nightmare for over a decade. I can't stand him. It's kind of sad because I really used to enjoy him, but those days are long gone. I know he's an insufferable lib. He's cruel. He's horrible.

But Leno is not the person being portrayed in the media right now. This idea that Leno offers conservative stuff, even middle-of-the-road stuff, is ridiculous.

On the conservative-liberal spectrum, Letterman would out lib Leno; but Leno is no conservative hero.

Ann Coulter CPAC Speech (Video)

Ann Coulter really wanted Chris Christie to run for president in 2012.

That's over. He's off Coulter's list for 2016.

I didn't want Christie to be the nominee in 2012 and I don't want him to be the Republican candidate in 2016.

Here's the complete video of her CPAC speech:

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.

Glenn Grothman: Residency Rule and Milwaukee

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Sen. Glenn Grothman (R-West Bend), a longtime proponent of local control, said Monday that Gov. Scott Walker's call to end residency rules statewide could hurt some of Milwaukee's best neighborhoods.

Grothman said that, while he viewed the end of residency rules statewide as a good idea "in the abstract," Milwaukee is the state's most important city.

"We have to be mindful that it might be devastating to some of the city's best residential neighborhoods," he said. "It will be big trouble in Milwaukee."

...Asked if he would actively oppose the measure, Grothman repeated his statement that it would harm some of the city's neighborhoods.

Asked if the measure belonged in the state budget, as opposed to a separate measure, Grothman said: "Of course it doesn't belong in the budget."

If the only thing propping up Milwaukee is the residency rule, the city is in BIG trouble.

Milwaukee is important to Wisconsin, being the state's largest city; but that's no reason to impose rules that hold people hostage.

According to Grothman, abolishing the rule would be "devastating to some of the city's best residential neighborhoods."

Why?

Why would people leave great neighborhoods? Why would they choose to uproot if where they live is so desirable?

They wouldn't. There's no reason to assume the best residential neighborhoods would be devastated if some city employees are no longer forced to live within the city limits.

Is Grothman saying that only the residency requirement is keeping the city afloat?

Arguing that lifting the residency rule would mean a mass exodus from the city's good neighborhoods is to argue that people would never choose to live in Tom Barrett's Milwaukee without being coerced. It's to admit that the city has so many negatives and the quality of life is so poor that people will escape even the "city's best residential neighborhoods" if given the chance.

Not good. Not good at all.

If the residency rule is the only thing keeping Milwaukee from collapsing then the city may be too far gone to save.

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.

Leno: Rick Perry and Sequestration

Comedians have always joked about the president.

Regardless of political party affiliation, the person in power has been the butt of jokes. The president's activities and policies are fodder for punch lines.

As we know, Obama has been spared ridicule. It's a rare, rare thing when Obama is mocked by a late night talk show host or guest. It just doesn't happen.

Last night, I had the misfortune of hearing a bit of Jay Leno's monologue.

He actually chose to mock Rick Perry on the topic of sequestration. RICK PERRY!

The joke involved Perry not understanding sequestration and mistaking it for Ryan Seacrest.

It's absolutely pathetic that Leno reaches back to Perry rather than focusing on Obama. Leno mentioned Obama in a joke but it ripped FOX News rather than the guy in the White House.

Obama offers so much material that Leno and those of his ilk could be using, but they protect him. He's untouchable. It's not normal.

The Leftist comedians didn't spare Bill Clinton. Why does Obama get a pass? It's never happened before.

I've heard many say that Obama isn't funny. He's so cool. He's so perfect. Jokes aren't there.

Now, that is funny.

You'd think the Leftist comedians would end their self-imposed moratorium on jokes directed at the sitting president. Getting a laugh is the goal.

Rick Perry. Unbelievable.

Daniel Day-Lewis and Ann Coulter

Dan. Day Lewis won for his portrayal of Lincoln.The Academy appreciates how hard it is for an actor to play a Republican as a good guy.

— Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) February 25, 2013

Adam Neylon Wins Assembly Race by 30 Votes

The drama of the 98th Assembly District special election continues.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Village of Pewaukee window cleaning business owner Adam Neylon won Tuesday's Republican primary for the 98th Assembly District, all but guaranteeing he will take the Waukesha County seat in the April 2 general election because no Democrat is running.

Neylon, 28, beat out four others - Village of Pewaukee Police Chief Ed Baumann; construction project manager Todd Greenwald of the Village of Pewaukee; Marquette University graduate student Matt Morzy of Waukesha; and Jeanne Tarantino of Waukesha, the former chief of staff to Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch.

Neylon led his closest opponent, Baumann, by 30 votes out of more than 5,200 cast. That means the official canvass will be closely watched. If the lead holds up in the canvass, the close margin would raise the possibility of a recount because candidates can get the state to pay for recounts in instances when the margin is less than half a percentage point.

The district includes the City of Pewaukee, Village of Pewaukee, Sussex and the northern portion of the City of Waukesha.

The general election is April 2, but only the name of the GOP primary winner will appear on the ballot because no Democrats or independents registered.

The election will boost the GOP's majority in the Assembly to 60-39.

Results, from FOX 6 News:

100% OF PRECINCTS REPORTING

Adam Neylon (R) - 2,003 - 38%

Ed Baumann (R) - 1,973 - 38%

Jeanne Tarantino (R) - 773 - 15%

Matt Morzy (R) - 253 - 5%

Todd Greenwald (R) - 217 - 4%

Thirty votes.

One thing is certain: Jeanne Tarantino is out.

SNL: Marco Rubio (Video)

There was never any doubt that Marco Rubio and his infamous water gulp would be fodder on Saturday Night Live this weekend.

Here's video:



It's worth noting that there was no sketch lampooning Obama and his State of the Union address.

Saturday Night Live is in its 38th season.

ALL sitting presidents, Repubicans and Democrats, have been mocked on the show.

But Obama is spared.

GOP Valentine's Day Cards 2013

Once again, the GOP is offering a selection of Valentines for you to send to that special someone.

See some of the 2012 cards here.

See some of the 2011 cards here.

See some of the 2010 cards here.

The GOP has 18 cards. One is sure to please your Valentine.

Some options:



Barack Obama (Gee, thanks - FOR NOTHING!)



Joe Biden (He's the doofus that keeps on giving.)



Bob Menendez (The definition of sleaze.)



Hillary Clinton (She's sleazier than Menendez and her husband combined.)




Joe Biden (Joey is a champion speller!)



Dianne Feinstein (Happily eroding our rights.)




Nancy Pelosi (We have a Leftist problem.)




Barack Obama (You can't buy love, but you can buy dependency.)

Marco Rubio: The Republican Response (Text)

Here's the text of the Republican response to Obama's State of the Union address, delivered by Sen. Marco Rubio:

Good evening. I'm Marco Rubio. I’m blessed to represent Florida in the United States Senate. Let me begin by congratulating President Obama on the start of his second term. Tonight, I have the honor of responding to his State of the Union address on behalf of my fellow Republicans. And I am especially honored to be addressing our brave men and women serving in the armed forces and in diplomatic posts around the world. You may be thousands of miles away, but you are always in our prayers.

The State of the Union address is always a reminder of how unique America is. For much of human history, most people were trapped in stagnant societies, where a tiny minority always stayed on top, and no one else even had a chance.

But America is exceptional because we believe that every life, at every stage, is precious, and that everyone everywhere has a God-given right to go as far as their talents and hard work will take them.

Like most Americans, for me this ideal is personal. My parents immigrated here in pursuit of the opportunity to improve their life and give their children the chance at an even better one. They made it to the middle class, my dad working as a bartender and my mother as a cashier and a maid. I didn’t inherit any money from them. But I inherited something far better – the real opportunity to accomplish my dreams.

This opportunity – to make it to the middle class or beyond no matter where you start out in life – it isn’t bestowed on us from Washington. It comes from a vibrant free economy where people can risk their own money to open a business. And when they succeed, they hire more people, who in turn invest or spend the money they make, helping others start a business and create jobs.

Presidents in both parties – from John F. Kennedy to Ronald Reagan – have known that our free enterprise economy is the source of our middle class prosperity.

But President Obama? He believes it’s the cause of our problems. That the economic downturn happened because our government didn’t tax enough, spend enough and control enough. And, therefore, as you heard tonight, his solution to virtually every problem we face is for Washington to tax more, borrow more and spend more.

This idea – that our problems were caused by a government that was too small – it’s just not true. In fact, a major cause of our recent downturn was a housing crisis created by reckless government policies.

And the idea that more taxes and more government spending is the best way to help hardworking middle class taxpayers – that’s an old idea that’s failed every time it’s been tried.

More government isn’t going to help you get ahead. It’s going to hold you back.

More government isn’t going to create more opportunities. It’s going to limit them.

And more government isn’t going to inspire new ideas, new businesses and new private sector jobs. It’s going to create uncertainty.

Because more government breeds complicated rules and laws that a small business can’t afford to follow.

Because more government raises taxes on employers who then pass the costs on to their employees through fewer hours, lower pay and even layoffs.

And because many government programs that claim to help the middle class, often end up hurting them instead.

For example, Obamacare was supposed to help middle class Americans afford health insurance. But now, some people are losing the health insurance they were happy with. And because Obamacare created expensive requirements for companies with more than 50 employees, now many of these businesses aren’t hiring. Not only that; they’re being forced to lay people off and switch from full-time employees to part-time workers.

Now does this mean there’s no role for government? Of course not. It plays a crucial part in keeping us safe, enforcing rules, and providing some security against the risks of modern life. But government’s role is wisely limited by the Constitution. And it can’t play its essential role when it ignores those limits.

There are valid reasons to be concerned about the President’s plan to grow our government. But any time anyone opposes the President’s agenda, he and his allies usually respond by falsely attacking their motives.

When we point out that no matter how many job-killing laws we pass, our government can’t control the weather – he accuses us of wanting dirty water and dirty air.

When we suggest we strengthen our safety net programs by giving states more flexibility to manage them – he accuses us of wanting to leave the elderly and disabled to fend for themselves.

And tonight, he even criticized us for refusing to raise taxes to delay military cuts – cuts that were his idea in the first place.

But his favorite attack of all is that those who don’t agree with him – they only care about rich people.

Mr. President, I still live in the same working class neighborhood I grew up in. My neighbors aren’t millionaires. They’re retirees who depend on Social Security and Medicare. They’re workers who have to get up early tomorrow morning and go to work to pay the bills. They’re immigrants, who came here because they were stuck in poverty in countries where the government dominated the economy.

The tax increases and the deficit spending you propose will hurt middle class families. It will cost them their raises. It will cost them their benefits. It may even cost some of them their jobs.

And it will hurt seniors because it does nothing to save Medicare and Social Security.

So Mr. President, I don’t oppose your plans because I want to protect the rich. I oppose your plans because I want to protect my neighbors.

Hard-working middle class Americans who don’t need us to come up with a plan to grow the government. They want a plan to grow the middle class.

Economic growth is the best way to help the middle class. Unfortunately, our economy actually shrank during the last three months of 2012.

But if we can get the economy to grow at just 4 percent a year, it would create millions of middle class jobs. And it could reduce our deficits by almost $4 trillion dollars over the next decade.

Tax increases can’t do this. Raising taxes won’t create private sector jobs. And there’s no realistic tax increase that could lower our deficits by almost $4 trillion. That’s why I hope the President will abandon his obsession with raising taxes and instead work with us to achieve real growth in our economy.

One of the best ways to encourage growth is through our energy industry. Of course solar and wind energy should be a part of our energy portfolio. But God also blessed America with abundant coal, oil and natural gas. Instead of wasting more taxpayer money on so-called “clean energy” companies like Solyndra, let’s open up more federal lands for safe and responsible exploration. And let’s reform our energy regulations so that they’re reasonable and based on common sense. If we can grow our energy industry, it will make us energy independent, it will create middle class jobs and it will help bring manufacturing back from places like China.

Simplifying our tax code will also help the middle class, because it will make it easier for small businesses to hire and grow.

And we agree with the President that we should lower our corporate tax rate, which is one of the highest in the world, so that companies will start bringing their money and their jobs back here from overseas.

We can also help our economy grow if we have a legal immigration system that allows us to attract and assimilate the world’s best and brightest. We need a responsible, permanent solution to the problem of those who are here illegally. But first, we must follow through on the broken promises of the past to secure our borders and enforce our laws.

Helping the middle class grow will also require an education system that gives people the skills today's jobs entail and the knowledge that tomorrow’s world will require.

We need to incentivize local school districts to offer more advanced placement courses and more vocational and career training.

We need to give all parents, especially the parents of children with special needs, the opportunity to send their children to the school of their choice.

And because tuition costs have grown so fast, we need to change the way we pay for higher education.

I believe in federal financial aid. I couldn’t have gone to college without it. But it’s not just about spending more money on these programs; it’s also about strengthening and modernizing them.

A 21st century workforce should not be forced to accept 20th century education solutions. Today’s students aren’t only 18 year olds. They’re returning veterans. They’re single parents who decide to get the education they need to earn a decent wage. And they’re workers who have lost jobs that are never coming back and need to be retrained.

We need student aid that does not discriminate against programs that non-traditional students rely on – like online courses, or degree programs that give you credit for work experience.

When I finished school, I owed over 100,000 dollars in student loans, a debt I paid off just a few months ago. Today, many graduates face massive student debt. We must give students more information on the costs and benefits of the student loans they’re taking out.

All these measures are key to helping the economy grow. But we won’t be able to sustain a vibrant middle class unless we solve our debt problem.

Every dollar our government borrows is money that isn’t being invested to create jobs. And the uncertainty created by the debt is one reason why many businesses aren’t hiring.

The President loves to blame the debt on President Bush. But President Obama created more debt in four years than his predecessor did in eight.

The real cause of our debt is that our government has been spending 1 trillion dollars more than it takes in every year. That’s why we need a balanced budget amendment.

The biggest obstacles to balancing the budget are programs where spending is already locked in. One of these programs, Medicare, is especially important to me. It provided my father the care he needed to battle cancer and ultimately die with dignity. And it pays for the care my mother receives now.

I would never support any changes to Medicare that would hurt seniors like my mother. But anyone who is in favor of leaving Medicare exactly the way it is right now, is in favor of bankrupting it.

Republicans have offered a detailed and credible plan that helps save Medicare without hurting today’s retirees. Instead of playing politics with Medicare, when is the President going to offer his plan to save it? Tonight would have been a good time for him to do it.

Of course, we face other challenges as well. We were all heart broken by the recent tragedy in Connecticut. We must effectively deal with the rise of violence in our country. But unconstitutionally undermining the 2nd Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans is not the way to do it.

On foreign policy, America continues to be indispensable to the goal of global liberty, prosperity and safeguarding human rights. The world is a better place when America is the strongest nation on earth. But we can’t remain powerful if we don’t have an economy that can afford it.

In the short time I’ve been here in Washington, nothing has frustrated me more than false choices like the ones the President laid out tonight.

The choice isn’t just between big government or big business. What we need is an accountable, efficient and effective government that allows small and new businesses to create middle class jobs.

We don't have to raise taxes to avoid the President’s devastating cuts to our military. Republicans have passed a plan that replaces these cuts with responsible spending reforms.

In order to balance our budget, the choice doesn’t have to be either higher taxes or dramatic benefit cuts for those in need. Instead we should grow our economy so that we create new taxpayers, not new taxes, and so our government can afford to help those who truly cannot help themselves.

And the truth is every problem can’t be solved by government. Many are caused by the moral breakdown in our society. And the answers to those challenges lie primarily in our families and our faiths, not our politicians.

Despite our differences, I know that both Republicans and Democrats love America. I pray we can come together to solve our problems, because the choices before us could not be more important.

If we can get our economy healthy again, our children will be the most prosperous Americans ever.

And if we do not, we will forever be known as the generation responsible for America’s decline.

At a time when one showdown after another ends in short-term deals that do little or nothing about our real problems, some are starting to believe that our government leaders just can’t or won’t make the right choices anymore.

But our strength has never come from the White House or the Capitol. It’s always come from our people. A people united by the American idea that, if you have a dream and you are willing to work hard, nothing should be impossible.

Americans have always celebrated and been inspired by those who succeed. But it’s the dreams of those who are still trying to make it that sets our nation apart.

Tonight, all across this land, parents will hold their newborn children in their arms for the first time. For many of these parents, life has not gone the way they had planned.

Maybe they were born into circumstances they’ve found difficult to escape. Maybe they’ve made some mistakes along the way. Maybe they’re young mothers, all alone, the father of their child long gone.

But tonight, when they look into the eyes of their child for the first time, their lives will change forever. Because in those eyes, they will see what my parents saw in me, and what your parents saw in you. They will see all the hopes and dreams they once had for themselves.

This dream – of a better life for their children – it’s the hope of parents everywhere. Politicians here and throughout the world have long promised that more government can make those dreams come true.

But we Americans have always known better. From our earliest days, we embraced economic liberty instead. And because we did, America remains one of the few places on earth where dreams like these even have a chance.

Each time our nation has faced great challenges, what has kept us together was our shared hope for a better life.

Now, let that hope bring us together again. To solve the challenges of our time and write the next chapter in the amazing story of the greatest nation man has ever known.

Thank you for listening. May God bless all of you. May God bless our President. And may God continue to bless the United States of America.

Rubio 2016.

Please, let's not focus on him taking a sip of water during his address.

Newsflash @marcorubio, everyone stopped listening after that desperate gulping of water.

— Nerdy Wonka (@NerdyWonka) February 13, 2013

"An equally impassioned drink of water that is trending on Twitter" -@bwilliams on Marco Rubio's drink during response

— TODAY(@todayshow) February 13, 2013

Brian Williams is such a jerk.

We're gonna go out on a limb and say that Marco Rubio's words may be overshadowed by his water drinking. Prove us wrong, Internet!

— HuffPost Media (@HuffPostMedia) February 13, 2013

Marco Rubio's response brought to you by Poland Spring.gifboom.com/x/99f8db90

— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) February 13, 2013

Congrats, Marco Rubio. I thought only my father's drinking could make me feel that embarrassed.

— Jen Statsky (@jenstatsky) February 13, 2013

Good grief.

Obama Conference Call After SOTU

Obama is holding a conference call of sorts after he concludes his string of Leftist campaign rhetoric, lies, and distortions - the State of the Union address.

Mary --

Tonight, after the President finishes delivering the State of the Union from the Capitol, he'd like to jump on the phone for a special online call with the folks building this organization.

You're going to want to be a part of this. The call will start at 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time -- sign up here.

On the call, the President will talk about his plan for moving this country forward -- and how you can help put his words into action.

He's looking forward to the chance to talk to all of us directly about what comes next. Don't miss this.

Sign up for the online call here:

http://my.barackobama.com/Join-the-Call-with-President-Obama

Talk with you then,

Jon

Jon Carson
Executive Director
Organizing for Action

I think Obama is trying to keep supporters from watching the Republican response from Sen. Marco Rubio as much as he's rallying his troops to put "his words into action."

Herb Kohl: 'Buh-Bye'

The Herb Kohl era is drawing to a close.

Kohl is one of those liberal multi-millionaires who could afford to buy a seat in the U.S. Senate.

Wait. Rich Democrats don't do that. Kohl didn't buy his way into the Senate. Only rich Republicans are vilified for doing that. Only rich Republicans are criticized for their financial success. Never Dems.

How many times have you heard the media refer to Kohl as Wisconsin's multi-millionaire senator?

I wonder if Kohl will take his pension. That wouldn't seem right. He doesn't need it. He shouldn't have been accepting a salary from the taxpayers for all these years. He should be spreading his wealth around. Write me a check, Herb. Please?

It's weird the way legislators like Kohl, capitalists, vote against capitalism.

He always managed to wake up from his naps to cast a vote for big government. What a guy!

Well, so long, Herb.

Your seat will be filled by a Leftist that makes you seem like a member of the John Birch Society.

Given the prospect of six years of Tammy Baldwin, I can honestly say you will be missed.

Read Kohl's farewell statement:

Today I delivered my farewell remarks to the United States Senate, and I want to share them with you too. Thank you.


Mr. President, I rise today for one final time to address the Senate. My remarks will be brief. Actually, I just want to say one thing -- thank you.

I wish I could say it with the eloquence of one of my first friends in the Senate, Senator Dale Bumpers, who told his stories and always made his case pacing these aisles like a lion, tethered to his specially-made, extra-long microphone cord -- or with the breadth of vision of the late Senator Robert C. Byrd, who sprinkled his classic Mother’s Day or Fourth of July speeches with memorized poetry and his vast command of history – or with the fire of my dear friend, the late Senator Ted Kennedy, who would bellow to the rafters his passion for the America that could be and call on the Senate to make it so.

What a privilege to serve with such men – and so many other men and women who have made up this body over the last 24 years. You have been friends, advisors, sometimes adversaries – always worthy -- and inspirations. Thank you.

My colleagues in this body are, to a man or woman, thoughtful, hard-working patriots. We don’t always agree -- understandably. But every Senator I have met is pursuing a course that he or she believes is best for the nation and advocating policies that he or she believes are best for their state. And when I have come to any of you with my ideas about what’s best for the nation or for my state, you have listened respectfully, counseled wisely, and helped when you could. Thank you.

The Senate is often referred to as a family, and that is certainly how I feel about my staff, many of whom are gathering today to say our good-byes. Perhaps what I will miss most on leaving the Senate is coming to work every day in Washington and in Wisconsin with such a bright, creative, and dedicated group of people – constantly focused on what’s best for our nation and Wisconsin, challenging and pushing me to be the best Senator I could be. You cannot be a cynic about the future of this country when you work in an office like mine and have the privilege to interact with generations of intelligent, civic-minded, and loyal staffers. So I thank them all – for making a hard job, not just easy, but enjoyable and for serving the people of Wisconsin tirelessly and exceedingly well.

My final thanks go to the extraordinary people of Wisconsin. Thank you for letting me pay back in part the great debt my family owes to the state that took in my immigrant mother and father and allowed our family -- including my brothers Sidney and Allen and our sister Dolores -- to grow and thrive. Thank you for taking a chance on me in that first election 24 years ago and renewing my contract three more times. Thank you for trusting me with your problems and concerns, your hopes and dreams.

Please know that we have listened to you carefully and fought for you always. Every Wisconsinite who wanted it – Democrat or Republican, rich or poor, farmer or city dweller – got full consideration in my office. And whether it was arranging a Capitol tour, finding a lost Social Security check, pushing for legislation to reform the federal dairy program, or reviving the shipbuilding industry in Marinette, Wisconsin -- every Wisconsinite had an ally and an advocate in us.

It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve these 24 years in this hallowed institution, alongside my fellow Senators and my staff, and as the voice of the people of Wisconsin. For that, I thank you all one last time, and I yield the floor.

Harry Belafonte: Throw Republicans in Jail (Video)

I suppose it's not surprising that Harry Belafonte, pal of Hugo Chavez, would recommend that Obama use the tactics of a third world dictator to deal with those opposing him.

From The Blaze:

And apparently, Belafonte thinks his other Left-leaning idol, current President Barack Obama, could stand to learn a few things from Chavez’s example (or someone like him). Speaking on Al Sharpton’s show on MSNBC this week, Belafonte made a strange suggestion about where Obama might want to go with his Presidential powers.

“What fascinates me is that in the face of millions of Americans expressing their desire, the whole political establishment defining its game, that there should be this lingering infestation of really corrupt people, who’re still trying to dismantle the wishes of the people, the mandate that has been given to Barack Obama, and I don’t know what more they want. The only thing left for Barack Obama to do is to work like a third world dictator and put all these people in jail. They’re violating the American desire!” Belafonte said.

Granted, the tone Belafonte took during the final section implied that the comment might have been a joke, but with a supporter of actual third world dictators, one never knows. In any case, it is less than clear what Belafonte means by the “American desire,” though his “infestation of really corrupt people” seems an obvious reference to the “right wing” Sharpton mentions when setting up the response.

If a conservative suggested tossing the "infestation" of Leftists in jail, he would be crucified by the media.

Yes, Belafonte is an elderly man. Perhaps it's dementia talking and he should be cut some slack. If that's the case, and Belafonte's advanced age is to blame, he should not be on MSNBC, yapping about Obama jailing his opposition.

If Belafonte is in full control of his faculties, he's the enemy of freedom.

Here's video:

Obama and the Fiscal Cliff

We know Obama is prepared to go over the fiscal cliff.

He's not negotiating with Republicans. Obama just wants it to look that way.

The clueless will buy his BS lines and Obama can blame Republicans for his mess.

Obama - good; Republicans - bad.

Under Obama's "tax the rich" plan, the fiscal crisis wouldn't be averted. That's a total joke. It's not a plan at all.

Amid all the political and media hoopla about the "fiscal cliff" crisis, there are a few facts that are worth noting.

First of all, despite all the melodrama about raising taxes on "the rich," even if that is done it will scarcely make a dent in the government's financial problems. Raising the tax rates on everybody in the top two percent will not get enough additional tax revenue to run the government for ten days.

It's disgusting that Obama is lying to the American people and the Leftist media are allowing him to get away with it. They're enabling the deception.

And what will the government do to pay for the other 355 days in the year?

All the political angst and moral melodrama about getting "the rich" to pay "their fair share" is part of a big charade. This is not about economics, it is about politics. Taxing "the rich" will produce a drop in the bucket when compared to the staggering and unprecedented deficits of the Obama administration.

No previous administration in the entire history of the nation ever finished the year with a trillion dollar deficit. The Obama administration has done so every single year. Yet political and media discussions of the financial crisis have been focussed overwhelmingly on how to get more tax revenue to pay for past and future spending.

The very catchwords and phrases used by the Obama administration betray how phony this all is. For example, "We are just asking the rich to pay a little more."

This is an insult to our intelligence. The government doesn't "ask" anybody to pay anything. It orders you to pay the taxes they impose and you can go to prison if you don't.

Obama should be honest and quit distorting reality.

He should tell the American people that his plan to soak the rich will be utterly ineffective. It's all smoke and mirrors.

Obama should tell the truth.

The real cliff he's leading us over is so much deeper than he's willing to admit.

SNL: John Boehner, Obama, Fiscal Cliff (Video)

Saturday Night Live opened with a bit mocking Speaker of the House John Boehner.

He was depicted as weak, a helpless victim, a buffoon.

Why not mock Obama, the real bully?

That won't happen until hell freezes over.

Hell is guaranteed not to freeze for four years.

Here's video.

Paul Ryan and Charlie Sykes (Audio)

Listen to Charlie Sykes interview Paul Ryan.

Congressman Paul Ryan reflects on his bid to become the next Vice President of the United States and offers his perspective on the fiscal cliff negotiations, in which he is a key cog for the GOP.

Hearing that Paul Ryan has come to terms with the results of the election makes me realize that I haven't.

I still feel sick when I think about what almost was and what is.

Instead of fearing the future under Obama, I would be hopeful and anticipating the new administration.

So many of my family's economic decisions would be different if Obama had lost and change for the better was a reality.

Still, I'm thankful Paul Ryan remains in Washington, working to improve our country.

I'm sick that the smug Obama is playing politics with our lives.

"Fiscal cliff" this, Obama.

Obama Aide: Slavery and Republicans (Video)

The things that are being spewed by the Leftists since Obama's reelection are shockingly irresponsible, even when taking their derangement into consideration.

On Monday morning, NBC's Chuck Todd shared the ramblings of a "very smart White House aide."

From the Weekly Standard:

"You're going to like this," MSNBC host Chuck Todd said this morning on TV. "So, I threw the Lincoln analogy at a close aide to the president last week, and he said, 'You know, with this Republican, with the way politics of Washington are today, there'd still be slavery. Lincoln wouldn't have been able to navigate the polarization between the media between this--' It was an interesting and depressing observation from this very smart White House aide."

This "very smart White House aide" is obviously not very smart.

I can't take the idiocy of these Leftists.

Todd seems to think there's great insight here. He doesn't recognize how ridiculous the comment is.

Here's video:

Krauthammer: Geithner's 'Insulting' Deal (Video)

Charles Krauthammer gives his take on the "fiscal cliff" deal offered by Timothy Geithner yesterday.

Here's video:

CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER: It's not just a bad deal. This is really an insulting deal. What Geithner offered, what you showed on the screen, Robert E. Lee was offered easier terms at Appomattox, and he had lost a civil war.

The Democrats have won by three percent of the vote and they did not hold the House. Republicans won the House, so this is not exactly unconditional surrender, but that's what the administration is asking of the Republicans.

This idea there not only are no cuts in this, there's an increase in spending with a new stimulus. I mean, this is almost unheard of. I mean, what do they expect? They obviously expect the Republicans will cave on everything. I think the Republicans ought to simply walk away.

The president is the president. He's the leader. They are demanding that Republicans explain all the cuts that they want to make. We had that movie a year and a half ago where Paul Ryan presented a budget, a serious, real budget with real cuts.

Obama was supposed to give a speech in which he would respond with a counter offer. And what did he do? He gave a speech where he had Ryan sitting in the front row. He called the Ryan proposal un-American, insulted him, offered nothing, and ran on Medi-scare in the next 18 months. And they expect Republicans are going to do this again?

The Republicans are going to walk on this, and I think they have leverage. Yes, for Congressional Democrats, it will help them in the future if Republicans absorb the blame, because we're going to have a recession.

But Obama's not running again, unlike the Congressional Democrats. He's going to have a recession, 9 percent unemployment, 2 million more unemployed, and a second term that's going to be a ruin.

I do find Obama's cockiness and arrogance and flat-out incompetence to be stunning.

I can't help but think of what might have been.

Everything would be so different right now if Romney and Ryan had won.

Chris Larson - Shoplifter, Dem Senate Minority Leader

Chris Larson of Milwaukee is now the leader of the Democrats in the Wisconsin State Senate.

CHRIS LARSON!

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Democrats in the state Senate elected 32-year-old freshman Sen. Chris Larson of Milwaukee as minority leader on Tuesday -- a surprise decision that Republicans instantly cheered.

Larson was first elected to the Senate in 2010 after beating a more conservative Democrat in a primary and since then has been a reliable part of the caucus's liberal wing. With his relative youth and inexperience, some Republicans immediately signalled Tuesday that they thought he would be ineffective as a leader.

"Obviously, I'm new," Larson said in a brief interview after the caucus vote. "But I think I've made that up in the work that I've done over the last two years speaking up and speaking to the issues that matter to our constituency, the middle class, the people who are blue-collar workers."

Larson was elected on November 2, 2010, when Wisconsin elected Gov. Scott Walker and U.S. Sen. Ron Johson and a slew of other Republicans. He's only been in the State Senate for two years, and much of that time was spent doing interviews on MSNBC. Larson runs to cameras, whether national or local. He had the audacity to consider himself a hero for going AWOL, running away to Illinois.

Without question, Larson has a massive ego.

Almost nothing surprises me anymore when it comes to the Democrats, but the choice of Larson is surprising.

He's inexperienced. He's an extremely extreme liberal, which is probably why Larson is so loved by the likes of the foul-mouthed, misogynistic Ed Schultz and other MSNBC/NBC wingnuts.

Larson is also a crook. Literally.

Larson's illegal activities didn't bother voters when he successfully ran in 2008, to become Milwaukee County supervisor for the 14th District.

Larson's criminal past didn't bother Milwaukee voters two years later when he challenged incumbent Jeff Plale, vying for the 7th District seat. Milwaukee voters chose Larson to represent them in the State Senate.

Now, the crook, darling of the radical Left media, has been chosen to be the Democrat minority leader in the Wisconsin State Senate.

I can understand why Senate Republicans are pleased.

Let's dip into Larson's larcenous past.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, March 2008:

Christopher Larson is a 27-year-old business manager for a series of sports stores who is the favorite to win a seat on the County Board.

But things were much different in March 2000.

Larson was a freshman at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and, by his own description, struggling to make ends meet.

That's when he was busted for retail theft.

"I made a dumb mistake," Larson said Friday.

The details of the case are fuzzy. He said he was caught stealing food from a Milwaukee grocery store. He said he can't remember exactly which items he tried to obtain with a five-finger discount. A copy of the city ticket, which carried a $331 fine, and the court file were not available late Friday.

As part of a deal reached with a Municipal Court judge, Larson agreed to take a course in exchange for having the ordinance violation dropped, he said. Asserting that he has not stolen anything since, he credited the situation with "completely turning me around."

Asked if voters should take this matter into consideration when voting April 1, Larson said he didn't think so because he has changed so much in the past eight years. Larson, a political liberal, scored a surprisingly easy victory in the five-way primary contest to replace longtime Supervisor Richard Nyklewicz Jr. in the south-side district.

"Everybody makes dumb mistakes," Larson said. "It happened so long ago."

His opponent, Steven Kraeger, said he was shocked to hear about Larson's run-in with the law. He said he was not the source of an anonymous letter to No Quarter containing an official summary of the case.

Kraeger, a 50-year-old conservative, said he thought the matter should be made public. But he would leave it to the voters to decide its relevance and importance.

So Larson is a crook. He doesn't think it's a big deal. He minimizes it. "Everybody makes dumb mistakes." True, we all make mistakes, but we all most definitely do NOT commit crimes like Larson.

He's also a flamethrower, regularly spewing incendiary rhetoric. Larson is not someone likely to work well with the Republicans.

He's childish and disrespectful. He would take to Twitter to rant and rave.

For example, from March 3, 2011, when Larson and his Dem comrades fled the state to avoid doing their jobs:

How does the guy thwarting the democratic process respond to the Republicans' resolution to hold him and his colleagues in contempt of the Senate?

He vilifies and denigrates Republicans.

Larson tweets:

...and Senate Republicans have officially gone 'round the bend. Next up, dropping puppies from the top of the Capitol onto protestors.

Expecting elected officials to remain in the state to do what they were elected to do, serve as legislators, is NOT akin to "dropping puppies from the top of the Capitol."

What a sick thing to imagine!

Yes, that's Chris Larson, the Senate Democrats' chosen leader.

Their selection of Larson tells you all you need to know about the mindset of the Dems and the path they intend to take.
____________________

More lunacy from the deviant Larson, on TV and Twitter.