Friday, January 30, 2009

Bipartisan? Not if it means always capitulating.

I get so tired of the overused word "bipartisan" when people talk about what is happening in the government. True bipartisanship really does not happen very often. Given the fact that the two sides are so far apart on so much ideologically bipartisanship very seldom happens.

The question that should be asked is what exactly defines the word bipartisan or being bipartisan? When using the word in a sentence such as "President Obama was looking for bipartisan support for his stimulus package" it probably means that he gets support from both sides of the political isle when the aforementioned bill gets voted on in the house. So if one republican had voted for the bill, would this have constituted what one would call bipartisan? To be intellectually honest one would have to get at least a group of senators or congressmen in order for it to be true bipartisanship.

What is silly here is that while Obama and even some members of House gave lip service to the idea of bipartisanship, very little was done to build a coalition among House Republicans and Democrats. In fact, when the President met with the Republican leadership, his response to some very good ideas to include in the stimulus packgage included some real tax cuts (not the ones that give money back to people who don't pay any in the first place) was "I won." He was polite about it, but basically he was saying that he and the Dems won the election and therefore really don't have to listen to the Republicans on much of anything. That is not what I would call bipartisan.

This is obvious when one considers that not one House Republican voted for the Stimulus bill. 0, zip, nada. Why did this happen? I think the answer is more simple than one might realize. While I would like to believe that every Republican finally found their conservative principles, and grew a pair, I think there were some who just did not vote to yes, because they were not included in negotations when the bill was in committee. Surely some feel released from the shackles of a moderate President (Bush) and are learning what it means to be the "loyal opposition." But this is essentially the same group that voted for TARP, which was umpopular and did little to help the banking industry. I am happy nonetheless that this did happen, because this so called stimulus package will do nothing to stimulate the economy, but is a pork laden, socialistic piece of garbage.

Since the Democrats did not even listen to a single thing that the Republicans had to say when fashioning this bill, it is obvious that to a Democrat bipartisanship is when the Republicans abandoned their principles, and just capitulate and vote for whatever the Democrats want.

Which brings up the question. Why does Obama want or need Republican support? He as enough votes in the House and only needs a couple moderate senators to switch to get cloture on a bill, and put the bill up for a vote which would then be passed since the Dems have a majority in the Senate as well. If he is so sure that his so-called stimulus bill will work, then he should see this as an opportunity to score some huge political points and further entrench the Democrats power in Congress. Republicans opposing such a measure during such a horrible economic time that turns out to work is tanemount to political sucide. So again, why does he then need Republican support. The answer seems simple. He wants political cover if this doesn't work. If Republicans vote for this package and it fails and the economy worsens, he can spread the blame on the GOP and deflect the blame away from the Democrats. Essentialy Obama is gambling huge and he is trying to get GOP support to hedge his bet.

Back to the word bipartisan, the only thing that was bipartisan about this bill was that 11 Democrats voted against this bill. So one could argue that there was no bipartisan support for the bill and a little bipartisan opposition to the bill.

Here's hoping that the Senate stands strong and forces the pork out of this bill, or better yet stops it all together. If the Republican Senators stay unified they can. Moderates in the Senate need to know that they cannot give cover to the Obama as he takes our country down the road of Socialism. The conservative talk-show hosts are right. Put this on the dems. Let them ride this to their doom.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Obama's first words as President....

"My fellow citizens..." I got news for you, Mr. President. You are President of the United States, not Supreme Leader of the World.

His inaugural address was the most naive piece of garbage that I have ever heard. We are in trouble America. This country will most likely turn to socialism. This country will be less safe. We are in serous trouble. Mark my words.

Monday, January 12, 2009

A bit about the Arizona Cardinals

As I watch what has unfolded in the Valley of the Sun with regards to the Arizona Cardinals, the feeling of the fans and the play of the team, the events and fan enthusiasm seems to be very similar to the '02 Angels and their road to their World Series title.

I have been a life-long Angels fan. I grew up just 20 minutes from Anaheim Stadium, began going to Angels games when I was a little boy. I was in the stadium when the Angels clinched the division in 1986 (the year Dave Henderson ripped our hearts out). I saw Wally Joyner's first major league home run. I saw Jim Abbott's first shut-out (against Roger Clements and the Red Sox). I died with the Angels in 95 when they blew a 12 game lead. When the Angels finally made it to the World Series in 2002, I was awestruck by how rabid the Angel fans were. This is a fan base that often would arrive late to the game and leave early to beat traffic. Not this year. We all were nuts. It was 40 years of frustrations, that were bottled up. We had come so close in the past, but endured so many years of frustration. I cannot imagine what it will be like when the Cubbies finally break their draught.

Arizona fans are experiencing the same thing. I was able to attend the Wild Card game against the Atlanta Falcons. I was struck by the intensity and enthusiasm by Cardinal fans as they cheered their team to victory. On the way out as we walked down this multi-level ramp, the crowd spontaneously kept erupting into cheers, as they walked out to their cars. It was very cool to watch and listen to. I could feel the electricity in the air throughout the game. It was amazing.

I don't know if the Cardinals can win it all, but the fact that they get to play the NFC championship game at home in front of their demon exercising fans, I think they have a good chance. At the very least, the Arizona Cardinal fans will be screaming for their team and hopefully they will help the Cardinals to victory.

Friday, January 09, 2009

It's been a while!

It has been quite a while since I last posted. It is simple. There is so much to write about, I do not know where to start. I am sickened by the lack of fiscal responsibility within government these days. We have a faltering economy, states (including my home state of Arizona) are running out of money. The federal budget deficit for the year 2009 could be more than a trillion dollars. Let me write that out. $1,000,000,000,000. I think that number is so high that we just cannot comprehend it. Now this number is not accumulated debt. This number is the deficit for the year. This is so scary it is hard to describe. It sounds great. Spend money on public works. Build infrastructure. But there are serious downsides to this.

The notion that spending our way out of a recession is ridiculous. They happen whether government tries to avoid them or not. In fact they are necessary. A recession is a correction. Yes it is difficult for everyone, but it is necessary. The alternative is to live in the perpetual poverty of communism, or in other words to lower the standard of living for everyone.

One might argue that this is more fair, but one has to remember, the upper class will never be eliminated. Those at the top will simply move from wealth to the leaders of the bureaucracy. The genius of capitalism is that everyone can participate. The chief flaw of communism and socialism is that it inherently puts a very small group of people in charge of everyone else. These people at the top are deemed smarter, and more capable than the rest of us. What is worse is that these people really believe this and think that they are going to save us from ourselves.

We are in some serious trouble people. Many are willing to give up their liberty for a few bucks or free health care. Too many people are starting to think that the government's job is to eliminate all pain and suffering. Read the Constitution. Remember the Preamble.
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

It does not say provide general welfare. It says promote. But above all it says, "secure the blessings of Liberty." If we are not careful, we will be doing just the oposite. Wake up America.

No, there is no anti-Israel Bias at the NY Times.

Recently the New York Times published an Op-Ed of a Palestinian who describes the deplorable conditions that he says exist in Israeli prison...