Michele Bachmann: Don't Forget Obamacare

The clock is ticking and our options are shrinking

The most effective proposal for dealing with the debt ceiling vote that has the backing of conservatives is the Cut, Cap, and Balance plan brought forth by the RSC.  Accordingly, virtually every major conservative organization has coalesced around a pledge forcing all members of Congress to support the plan as a condition to raising the debt ceiling.  The presidential candidates are also being recruited to sign the pledge, with Jim DeMint promising to support only those who sign to it.

Yesterday, Mitt Romney announced his support for the pledge, joining every other announced Republican candidate except Jon Huntsman and ….Michele Bachmann?

While Bachmann is a strong supporter of the RSC plan, she is still tepid about signing the pledge.  CNN is reporting that Bachmann told DeMint she is still contemplating her support for the pledge because she wants it “to go a little further.”  Bachmann said at a town hall in South Carolina that she would like to add the defunding of Obamacare to the pledge as another precondition to raising the debt ceiling.

While it is probably a good idea for Bachmann to sign the pledge despite her reservation, she should be applauded for refocusing attention on Obamacare.  We all agree that our long-term budget crisis, including reform of the existing entitlements, should be our paramount concern.  However, we must not lose focus of the urgent need to defund the newest entitlement, Obamacare, precluding it from being enshrined as the entitlement to end all entitlements.

Dick Durbin Invites Illegal Aliens to Senate Hearing

It's a sad day in America when the "lawmakers" have such disregard for our immigration laws that they openly invite illegals to take part in a Senate hearing.  Yesterday, Senator Dick Durbin invited a bunch of illegals to a Judiciary subcommittee hearing about the so-called Dream Act.  He referred to them as the future of America, suggesting that one of them could be a future president!

While it is clear that there is nothing we can do about the current crop of children from illegal aliens, we must prevent future chain migration by ending birthright citizenship once and for all.  The 14th amendment has been erroneously interpreted to include illegals who are born in the country among our citizens.  The clarification of the law cannot be changed retroactively, but we must do it as expeditiously as possible.  Otherwise we will be stuck with a permanent Democrat majority.  What Dick Durbin really meant to say is that these people are the future of the Democrat Party.

Say No to Baucus Trade Deal

 Didn't we all play mock Senate in middle school?

While Obama has spent the past two years pandering to leftist dictators in Latin America, he has also impeded ratification of free trade agreements with our allies.  Along with Democrat leaders in Congress, Obama has refused to approve the 5-year-old trade pacts with Columbia, Panama, and South Korea unless Republicans agree to renew a trade subsidy program known as Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA).  Yesterday, Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) announced that he had secured a novel compromise with House Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp (R-Mich.) and the president.  Drum roll.... He will agree to fast track the trade agreements if ...Republicans agree to renew the TAA program!  Wow, who needed two years' worth of negotiations?

The Trade Adjustment Assistance, which expired in February, is nothing more than a welfare program that is subjectively doled out to anyone who offers a dubious claim that they lost a job due to trade agreements.  Like many other programs, the TAA was drastically expanded under the stimulus bill to include all sorts of workers at a cost of over $1 billion, and has been used as a slush fund for special interests.  Keep in mind that this program is totally independent from the unemployment benefits that are already being offered for an unprecedented 99-week period.  The TAA grants some unemployed workers assistance for up to three years.  The continuation of this program until 2013, as proposed by Baucus, would only serve to perpetuate unemployment the same way that hyper long-term unemployment benefits do.  Besides, like all federal jobs programs, studies show that TAA has failed to boost long-term success for the unemployed.

Baucus plans to pair the TAA reauthorization with the South Korean trade implementation bill and hold a "mock markup" of all three bills at the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday to hash out the details of the compromise.  Under the Trade Act of 1974, in order to fast-track trade agreements, Congress cannot amend or filibuster the implementation law for the agreement, even in committee.  The whole point was to preempt poison pills from protectionists by forcing an up or down vote on the final trade agreement.

Consequently, Baucus cannot hold a real markup to work out amendments and compromises.  Instead, he is scheduling a backdoor wheeling and dealing session being dubbed as a mock markup.  Presumably, a mock markup is the most productive thing this Senate can do, being that they failed to produce a budget for almost 800 days, have not passed a single important piece of legislation this session, and plan to lighten their "burden" of 'advise and consent' on presidential appointees.

Democrat Congressmen in Love with Hamas Love Boat

The western organizations that agitate for Hamas are preparing for the next Flotilla circus, in which they plan to breach Israel's blockade of Hamasistan (aka Gaza).  This 15-ship fleet includes a vessel that will carry 36 American leftists.  The ship is appropriately named The Audacity of Hope, as a tribute to the most pro-Palestinian leader of the free world.  No, they are not bringing hope and change to the region; they are bringing deadly chemicals to throw on the Israeli soldiers who will inevitably board the ship.  Now, six Democrats are asking the State Department to protect the American leftists while they offer aid and comfort to our enemies.  This from the Jerusalem Post:

The six members of Congress to sign the letter regarding the American presence are Ohio Representative Dennis Kucinich, Missouri Representative William Lacy Clay, California Representatives Sam Farr, Bob Filner and Barbara Lee, and District of Columbia Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton. Kucinich initiated the letter.

“We request that you do everything in your power to work with the Israeli government to ensure the safety of the US citizens on board,” the letter reads, saying that the signatories “urge all parties to practice maximum restraint and avoid violence.”

Yes, we all remember the absence of violence from last years' flotilla.

The irony about the disquiet directed toward the Israeli blockade is that there is no longer a need to challenge the blockade. There essentially is no blockade ever since the Egyptian provisional government, the wonderful product of the cherished Arab Spring, promised to open the Rafah border crossing at the Egyptian border with Gaza.  Yes, it wasn't only the Israelis who didn't want the Hamas lunatics running amok in their country; Egypt didn't want them either – at least not until they threw out our ally, Mubarak.

The Immigration Policy of Absurdistan: Legal is Illegal; Illegal is Legal

The ACLU and Obama are doing the jobs that Americans won't do.

Imagine for a moment that a pack of strangers – ranging from hooligans to plain homeless - illegally entered your home and started raiding the pantry, stealing your possessions, stuffing up the toilets, and sleeping on your bed.  When you call the police to come down and remove them, you are told they cannot assist you because they lack the power to profile the unwanted guests from other members of the household.  As desperation sets in, you join with your neighbors to chase them out.  Much to your chagrin, lawyers for the intruders impel the courts to issue a 'cease and desist order,' obstructing efforts to deny the intruders anything, including the twinkies in the pantry.  Moreover, teams of advocates for these brazen burglars begin to record the contact information of those locals who desire to stop the illegal entries.

Sound absurd and perverse?  Does it remind you of Sodom and Gomorrah?

Welcome to the reality of our immigration system.

There is something fundamentally wrong with a legal system that allows any affluent organization to immediately halt efforts of state governments to deal with their illegal immigration problem; encumbering those laws in years' worth of frivolous legal proceedings.  There is something fundamentally perverse when the man entrusted with enforcing those laws can malevolently supplant the core laws governing our sovereignty - and face no threat of legal action.

Here are just a few recent news tidbits that exemplify the reprehensible and dyslexic actions of various branches of government toward our vital immigration laws:

Rep. Akin: 'At the Heart of Liberalism is a Hatred of God'

We need more people like Congressman Todd Akin in office.  The Missouri Congressman and Senate candidate recently said the following in an interview with Family Research Council director Tony Perkins regarding NBC's omission of "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance:

Well, I think NBC has a long record of being very liberal and at the heart of liberalism really is a hatred for God and a belief that government should replace God. And so they’ve had a long history of not being at all favorable toward many of things that have been such a blessing to our country.These powerful works have liberals enraged. (HT: The Blaze) 

The Missouri Senate race is still under the radar of most politicos, as it is being overshadowed by some of the bigger contests.  However, we must begin choosing sides in some of the Senate primaries.  It was already becoming clear to me that Akin is the tested conservative in the race.  His perspicuous understanding of liberalism seals the deal with me.

Maryland Gov't Complicit in CASA's Illegal Intimidation Tactics

 Call the Maryland Board of Elections and tell them to stop collaborating with a criminal organization to intimidate those who are exercising their civic duties.  Politely request that they keep the petition records away from CASA de Maryland.

410-269-2840

There is something fundamentally wrong when an organization, whose sole purpose is to subvert the law, is granted resources by government to intimidate those who desire to restore the law.  Unfortunately, that is exactly what is occurring in Maryland, as the state Board of Elections is turning over the names of the petitioners to CASA de Maryland.  In a sane world, any organization that advocates for illegal aliens should be shut down.  In Maryland, CASA is funded with taxpayer dollars, and now they are being provided with the names of those who signed the petition against the Maryland Nightmare act.

Here is the latest from Deleage Mike Smigiel:

I just realized that there is no longer an issue of what CASA is going to do if they get the names and addresses of all those who signed petitions, CASA, who also received the disk, already has the information on all those who signed the petition.

I have heard from dozens of people this last weekend who had two concerns:

“Do I have to worry about someone calling to harass me about signing the petition?”  and
“How do I find out if my name is one of the more than 7,000 that was rejected and why it was rejected?”

It is my opinion that the actions of CASA to date would give petition signers legitimate reason to be concerned about what CASA may do with the lists of names.  We know that CASA has been posting phone numbers to call if you see people out exercising their Constitutional duties per Article 16 of the State Constitution, collection signatures. CASA would then send people out to the location to intimidate and harass people coming to sign as well as those collecting signatures.

Nothing Evinces Hypocrisy More than Obama's Oil Policy

President Obama has asserted ad nauseam that expanding oil drilling would not affect the price of oil and generate price relief at the gas pump.  He has scoffed at the 'drill, baby, drill' plan, denouncing it as insufficient in dealing with our "long-term" energy needs.  Now that his reelection prospects are beginning to wither, Obama is undergoing a foxhole conversion and easing his aversion to that "addictive" black substance.  Or, so it seems.

Last Thursday, after several weeks of steady decline in the price of oil, and following secret meetings with the Saudis, Obama had an epiphany.  Did he suddenly accede to calls for expediting drilling in the Gulf and in Alaska?  Did he agree to lift the permitorium on drilling in 97% of the Outer Continental Shelf?  Not a chance.  Instead, his Energy Secretary announced the release of 30 million barrels of oil from our Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR), in conjunction with a 30-million-barrel release from other countries within the International Energy Agency (IEA).  The total release will be 60 million barrels, proceeding at a rate of 2 million barrels per day (bpd) for a month.

The administration cited the loss of 1.5 million bpd from cessation of production in Libya as rationale for this unprecedented move.  The problem is that the Libyan disruption occurred four months ago, inducing a sharp spike in the price of oil at the time.  Obama categorically rejected the idea of tapping the SPR to mitigate the upward trajectory in oil prices, even as the price of gasoline soared over the dreaded $4 mark.  Now that gas prices have declined over 40 cents and are trending down, due in part to the end of QE2, Obama decided that we are in an energy crisis to the degree that it warrants a release of the SPR!

While the steady drop in oil prices should clearly preclude any justification for the release, Obama felt that the precipitous drop in his approval ratings is tantamount to a national emergency.  What he lacks in perspicacity of judgment regarding economics, he compensates with cognizance of polling reports.

New York Recognizes Gay "Marriage" with Help from Republicans

The universally excepted legal and moral definition of the term "marriage" has been the same for thousands of years.  Marriage is a special relationship that can only be consummated between one man and one woman.  The notion that a marriage can occur between two men is as fatuous as the idea that it can take place between multiple people or between humans and dogs.  It is the most radical perversion of liberalism, yet gay marriage passed the New York state legislature late Friday night with the help of Republicans!

How ironic that here in Maryland, where the Democrats enjoy a 3-1 majority in both houses, gay marriage failed.  But in New York, where Republicans control the Senate, it passed.  Four Republicans supported the measure, enabling it to pass the upper chamber 33-29, despite the GOP majority.  It is truly a tragic day when such radical imprecations to our country's moral founding are propagated by the supposed moral party.

Here are the four Republicans who will bear the shame for eternity.  They need to be defeated at all costs, even at the expense of handing the seats to Democrats.

Mark J. Grisanti
James S. Alesi
Stephen M. Saland
Roy J. McDonald

The most repugnant player of all is Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos.  Even though he voted against the bill, Skelos was instrumental in bringing the bill to the floor and enabling it to pass.  As Majority Leader he could have easily blocked the bill from ever reaching the floor.  Worse, Republicans in the Senate agreed to waive the requirement that the bill be available to the public for 72 hours prior to the vote.  I guess they felt gay marriage was such a national emergency that is couldn't wait another two days.

In the same vane, we should also applaud Senator Ruben Diaz, the sole Democrat to vocally and vigorously oppose the bill.

Here's a parting question for you run-of-the-mill, banal Republicans who scoff upon the importance of social issues.  How far does this nation have to degenerate before you stand on principle? 

Democrat Rep. Woolsey Chants Anti-Israel Slogans with Code Pink

Remember that shrill code pink activist who "somehow" got into the House chamber and disrupted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech?  Well, we might know who let her in.  Last week, Congresswomen Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) was caught on tape chanting anti-Israel slogans at a code pink rally for the Palestinian terrorists.  Here's the catch.  The woman speaking at the rally is the same piece of human debris that disrupted Netanyahu's speech.  At the end of the video, Woolsey takes the stage and lauds the code pink activist for disturbing the decorum of the government body in which she serves.

(H.T. The Blaze)

The sad thing is that she represents a radical suburban San Francisco district, rated D+23 by Charlie Cook.  It says a lot about the state of our nation that such a detestable person can repeatedly be reelected to Congress.

Repeal Dodd-Frank

While most people focus on the Obamacare behemoth, conservatives need to expend more effort into repealing the other monstrosity of the 111th Congress; the Dodd-Frank Financial takeover.  This bill will do to the financial services sector what Obamacare will do to the healthcare sector.  It will also enshrine a permanent bailout culture into law.  As such, we need to push harder for Republicans to repeal the bill.  Later today, the House appropriations committee is planning to mark up the annual appropriations bill dealing with financial issues.

Congressman Joe Walsh has been advocating that we defund the provisions from Dodd-Frank in the annual approps bill.  Here is a summary video that was put out by his office:

It's Official: You Must be an Eco-Socialist to Graduate in Maryland

Getting control of school boards before they groom the next generation of Democrats and green parasites

It's not like Maryland Democrats haven't worked assiduously to earn the distinction of 'least free state in the country' for their beloved Free State.

Maryland high school students will now be required to pass green proficiency requirements in order to graduate.  The Maryland state board of education will  require public schools within the state to weave in eco-socialist propaganda to the general science curriculum.  Sadly, due to flaccid opposition and complacency on the part of all of us, public schools across the country have already been doing this for quite some time.  Maryland is merely the first state to consummate those requirements as part of the "official curriculum."  The Baltimore Sun reports:

State officials and environmental activists called the vote "historic" and said Maryland has become the first state in the nation to require environmental literacy to graduate from high school. Under the rule, public schools will be required to work lessons about conservation, smart growth and the health of our natural world into their core subjects like science and social studies.

The requirement applies to students entering high school this fall.  Local school systems will be able to shape those lessons to be relevant to their communities, but all will have to meet standards set by the state. School systems will have to report to the state every five years on what they're doing to meet the requirements. 

Somehow I don't think the 'environmental literacy' science courses will include the best hits from Climategate.  Will they present these impressionable minds with dissenting opinions within the meteorological field?  Does anyone think the social studies courses will teach them about the trail of green corporate cronyism between the government and the likes of Jeff Immelt or Al Gore?  Or, will they teach Al Gore's science of population control instead?

Elimination of a Handout Program is not a Tax Increase

There is much debate within the conservative movement regarding the future of many government tax credits that are nothing more than handouts to specific individuals or industries.  The 45-cent per gallon ethanol tax credit is at the center of the debate in Congress.  Most conservatives view it as a gratuitous handout used to prop up a favored industry by the federal government.  Americans for Tax Reform views the elimination of this credit as tantamount to increasing taxes.  They assert that any chance in the tax codes that nets revenue for the government is considered a tax increase.

The problem with such a rationale is that there is no end-game for government programs that are ensconced in the tax code.  What if the government offers a tax credit for those who buy products of Democrat corporate cronies and then proceeds to repeal that credit?  Would it be deemed as a tax increase by ATR?  That question is already a reality due to the plethora of green tax credits.

Another dubious point about such a broad view of tax increases is its aversion to raising revenue.  As supply-siders, don't we all believe in the Laffer Curve - that certain tax deductions could actually spawn economic growth to the point that federal revenues go up?  Undoubtedly, we all desire to starve the federal behemoth, but should we oppose tax cuts on the counterintuitive assumption that such a move will increase federal revenues?

Investors Business Daily has a succinct article addressing this point in today's paper:

Senate Plans to Abdicate its Confirmation Duties

The Obama Czars will trump the constitution.

In recent years, the job of United States Senator has evidently been added to the list of 'jobs that Americans won't do.'  Harry Reid's Senate has categorically shirked its core constitutional responsibility by refusing to pass a budget for over two years.  Concurrently, the Senate has been preoccupied with feckless, unconstitutional legislation that fails to deal with any of the paramount public policy problems facing the nation.

Today, Chuck Schumer, with the help of Mitch McConnell and Lamar Alexander, plans to vitiate one of the Senate's few remaining constitutional duties; advising and consenting to presidential appointees.  The Presidential Appointment Efficiency and Streamlining Act (S.679), which was never reported out of a committee, would eliminate the confirmation requirement for 200 presidential appointees.  This bill would completely abrogate the safeguards against tyranny that were established in the "Appointments Clause" of the constitution.  [The Heritage Foundation has a useful primer on the bill.]

The bill has seven Republican co-sponsors:  Lamar Alexander, Scott Brown, Susan Collins, Mike Johanns, Jon Kyl, Richard Lugar, and Mitch McConnell.

One would think that without the inconvenient burden of dealing with the budget process, the Senate would have plenty of time to execute its 'advise and consent' duties.  They are claiming that the confirmation process is too cumbersome and time-consuming, and as such, is precluding other more important legislation.  The reality is just the opposite.  Their abdication of their core responsibilities has left them with nothing other than executive confirmations on their plate.  Senator Marco Rubio succinctly observes the priorities of the Senate in a piece for the Daily Caller today:

Daniel Bongino Makes his Debut as Senate Candidate

The Maryland Senate seat currently being warmed by Ben Cardin is up for election next November.  It was widely believed that Cardin would face token opposition and cruise to reelection, in the great tradition of virtually every socialist senator in Maryland.  Well, ever since former Secret Service agent Daniel Bongino announced his bid for Senate, there has been unexpected excitement surrounding the upcoming Senate race.

Let's be clear; most of us are still convinced that due to demographic realities in Maryland, Cardin will still win reelection.  However, it is heartwarming that a nuanced candidate, with a compelling life story, is planning to run a spirited, conservative-based campaign against avowed socialist, Ben Cardin.

Yesterday, Bongino penned an op-ed in the Baltimore Sun announcing his intention to challenge Cardin and the rationale behind his candidacy.  Although his campaign is still in the incipient stages, I like what I see.  Here are some highlights of his piece:

Maryland's Shameful Distinction of Unemployment

You would think the state with the most government workers would be able to pad its employment numbers forever.  Alas, we see that as soon as government growth slows down, job growth in Maryland becomes extinct.

According to a Labor Department report, which became public over the weekend, Maryland ranks dead last - #50- in job creation.  While 22 states added jobs last year, Maryland shed 20,000 jobs, almost 1% of its workforce.  The report reveals that the abeyance of Maryland's job growth began to precipitate in recent months, as government agencies have incurred historic cuts (thanks to the Republican-held House).  This is truly pathetic because it shows that Maryland is impotent in job creation without the federal government.

It is also telling that Maryland's job market is so dismal, despite the fact that the state received adisproportionate amount of stimulus funds.  Don't expect Senators Cardin and Mikulski to admit to this stunning failure of Keynesian economics.  In fact, has anyone heard a statement from Maryland's most prominent federal office holders on the latest job numbers?

Even Governor O'Malley was largely silent about the jobs report until he put out a meaningless statement admitting that “May was a tough month for job creation in Maryland.”  However, he continued with the following subterfuge: (H.T. Daily Record) 

“other trends suggest that we continue to move in the right direction. On the year, Maryland has achieved the largest reduction in unemployment in nearly three decades.”

McCain and Graham Claim to Speak for Conservatives on Libya

The Brokeback tag team attacks GOP field

Whenever we attempt to evince bold distinctions between ourselves and the Democrats, Lindsey Graham and John McCain can always be counted upon to muddle those distinctions.  Foreign policy, in particular, is a subject in which voters struggle to perceive clear differences between the parties.  Consequently, we must repel the rapturous support for the so-called Arab Spring emanating from Obama's tag team of favorite Republicans.

Back in the 70s, our most consequential and enduring mistake was supporting the Iranian revolution against the Shah.  Jimmy Carter and his allies failed to comprehend that the problem with the Middle East was not autocracy per se; it was Islamofascism.  Tragically, the Obama administration, along with the Bill Kristol/John McCain Republicans, is helping to consummate the state-level Islamofascist takeover of the entire region.  We have ostensibly handed Egypt over to the Muslim Brotherhood/Iran and are on the cusp of delivering Yemen to Al-Qaeda.  Our encouragement of the Arab Spring is also emboldening the Palestinian majority in Jordan to overthrow our strongest Arab ally, King Abdullah.  We are doing nothing to prevent Bahrain from transforming into an Iranian proxy, instead of a vital ally.  Meanwhile, Bashar Assad, a dictator who truly deserves a timely demise, is still enjoying diplomatic relations with the U.S., even as he murders his own people in cold blood.

In light of all the upheaval in the Middle East, where was Obama's hill to die on in the Middle East?  Libya.  Yes, Muammar Gaddafi is an evil man; nonetheless, he is an evil man who has fought against Al-Qaeda.  Should we remove every brutal tyrant in the world?  Robert Mugabe is the ruthless leader of Zimbabwe, and has not been fighting Al-Qaeda, yet we are not prosecuting an aimless, impotent war against his regime.  But somehow John McCain and Lindsey Graham believe that the Al-Qaeda-backed Libyan rebels are sacrosanct, the city of Benghazi stands on hallowed ground, and that anyone who believes their plight runs counter to our national security interests ought to shut up.

This is what Lindsey Graham had to say on Meet the Press:

60 Plus Association TV Ad Defending Ryan's Medicare Reform Plan

It's quite arduous to articulate the problems and solutions for medicare in a 30-second TV ad.  It is much easier to demagogue the issue with fallacious bromides about throwing granny off the cliff.  Nonetheless, the good folks at 60 Plus are trying:

Time to Opt Out of the Social Security Ponzi Scheme

The Mediscare demagogues should heed their own advice for Social Security.
The Social Security Ponzi scheme is perhaps the most consequential government infringement upon our lives.  Conservatives are justifiably outraged that Obama egregiously mandated that we purchase health insurance.  However, the individual mandate is not nearly as meddlesome and tyrannical as the government's complete control over our retirement security.  The only reason why these two programs are regarded differently by the public, is because Social Security has been around for 75 years.  Consequently, most Americans are conditioned to believe that a person's retirement is indissolubly tied to government-run Social Security.

Now that Social Security is running a perennial deficit and is facing insolvency, conservatives have an opportunity to reverse one of the most flagrant violations of our property rights, by offering workers the option to opt out of the Madoff-style program.

As the unfunded liability for Social Security balloons to $21.4 trillion over the next 20 years, it is painfully obvious to young workers that they will not enjoy much retirement security, if any, from the government program.  Democrats are totally apathetic to their grim future; they will be long retired by then, enjoying the full array of government benefits that they secured for themselves.  Meanwhile, they would rather demagogue the issue, using fallacious scare tactics to stir up current retirees.  Accordingly, we should harness the Democrats' Mediscare demagoguery towards seniors, and direct it towards younger Americans.  If Paul Ryan's Medicare plan will push granny over the hill, the status quo of the Democrats' Ponzi scheme will prevent the grandchild from making it up the hill.

Ben Cardin's Ethanol Treachery

The unique characteristic of Ben Cardin is not his pertinacious liberalism; it is his slavish devotion to Democrat leadership.  And yes, there is a distinction.

Although Cardin is one of the most liberal members of the Senate, he actually co-sponsored a good piece of legislation for the first time in his career.  Several months ago, Cardin co-sponsored Senator Coburn's bill (S. 520) to repeal the ethanol subsidies and tariffs.  After years of ethanol wreaking havoc on our economy and consumers, even Al Gore and Bill Clinton conceded that the ethanol revolution was a lousy idea.  Accordingly, although I was quite befuddled over Cardin's newfound appreciation for the free market, opposition to ethanol had become almost universal.

Well, on Tuesday, Cardin had an opportunity to vouch for his unaccountable behavior by voting for Senator Tom Coburn's amendment to repeal ethanol subsidies and tariffs.  Coburn's amendment (attached to a spending bill) was identical to the bill which Cardin co-sponsored last March.  Yet, he voted against it!

Why the change of heart?

In the Senate, any member can offer an amendment to all non-budgetary bills even if it is not germane to the underlying bill.  The catch is that if the Majority Leader doesn't agree to hold a vote, the member must call for a suspension vote, requiring 67 affirmative votes to pass the bill.  Coburn used the Cloture process to bring up the amendment instead of asking King Harry Reid permission to schedule a vote.  As such, he secured the requisite 16 signatures to petition a cloture vote; a procedure which requires only 60 votes to pass the bill.  Democrat leadership was livid that Coburn circumvented them because they wanted the higher threshold so they could defeat the bill.  Consequently, Ben Cardin voted down the amendment, even though he purported to support, and even co-sponsored, a similar bill.

Cardin put out the following statement after voting down the exact bill that he supported three months ago:

"We voted against the Coburn amendment today because of the manner this issue was brought to the Senate floor. We have been assured by the Democratic Leadership that the Senate will vote on this issue later this week, allowing us to consider and debate the substance of this important policy decision." (emphasis added)

This is yet another example that Cardin is an unprincipled shill for his party leadership.  He will genuflect before his masters, even if that means opposing something that he intuitively views as the right thing to do.

Agriculture Appropriations Bill Update

There are some jobs that should be eliminated, even without the help of Obama's ATM.

Today, the House is debating the annual Agriculture Appropriations bill, which appropriates funds for the Department of Agriculture and similar agencies.  The committee-passed bill provides a spending level of $17.25 billion, which is $2.7 billion less than FY 2011 appropriations.

While $2.7 billion is a good start -enough to invoke the most vile class warfare from Democrats - there is still more to cut.  This is part of a growing pattern with all of the appropriations bills.  The Republican-led committees have offered some solid cuts around the edges, but fail to strike deeper, more consequential cuts.  Keep in mind that while these cuts might appear significant, when compared against the profligate baseline of recent budgeting, they will not reverse the tide of the debt insolvency that awaits us.  That's one job that Obama's ATM will not execute successfully.  To that end, the RSC is offering an amendment today which would cut an additional $1.8 billion from the USDA.

It is also important to remember that our consummate political battle is not only about a budget figure or crushing debt; it is about unconstitutional and officious government.  We need to eliminate every government program we can, even if the percentage in savings is relatively small.  Most of these agencies oversee programs that create dependency schemes and Democrat rent-seekers in government, and as such, serve no public interest.   19% of all federal subsidies and welfare programs are under the auspices of the USDA, most of which lack constitutional authority.

Michelle Bachmann on Israel and the Arab Spring

As Michelle Bachmann's star rises, I figured I'd post this video message about Israel and the wider implications of the tenuous Arab Spring.  Decide for yourself if this woman is qualified to be president:

Debate Musings and Commentary

And the winner of the debate was.... The Tea Party!

While each candidate's supporters will invariably think their candidate excelled during the debate, it is important to also focus on the general 2012 field.  I think many people were proud to see the 2012 field articulate conservative principles with more passion and consistency than the '08 crop of candidates.  For all of the talk about the lackluster field, those of us in the Tea Party should be proud that we have successfully changed the narrative.

In 2008, Republicans were in an awkward position following 8 years of an unpopular Republican president, who for the most part, was not conservative.  Most of the candidates merely gave lip service to low taxes and "staying the course" in Iraq.  Fast-forward four years and we have a presidential field in which the narrative revolves around the proper role of government, and to some extent, the prudent use of military intervention.  Again, putting aside each candidate's strengths and weaknesses, we are at least focusing on the proper role of government, thanks to the Tea Party (and Obama).  For that, we are all winners.

Dozens of Republicans Vote for Handouts to Big Labor

Big Labor GOPers supporting Obama's administrative power grabs, crony capitalism, wage controls, and fleecing of taxpayer.

Yesterday, the House passed the largely non-controversial Military Construction/Veterans Affairs Appropriations (MilCon) bill for FY 2012.  Unfortunately, it is these non-controversial bills which provide a safe haven for meretricious policy initiatives through the rapid fire amendment process.  While everyone was focused on presidential politics, the House passed an amendment forcing government contractors to use labor unions on federal construction projects.  Oh, and like most bad legislation, this amendment passed by one vote, with the help of 27 Republicans.

In 2009, Obama used his signature power grab tool; an Executive Order, forcing all private companies to sign a project labor agreement (PLA) in order to bid on federal construction projects.  PLA's compel the private contractor to use only unionized workers for the perspective project.  This executive power grab is nothing more than an election payback to big labor, which would ostensibly purloin the taxpayer with forced collective bargaining for all public construction projects.

This malevolent executive order would also discriminate against non-union workers.  Keep in mind that only a small percentage of private sector construction workers are unionized.  As Congressman John Culberson (R-TX) said on the House floor, "So the Obama administration through this executive order is attempting to unionize any private company in America that wants to do business with the federal government."  Then again, Democrats have been paying out their union cronies with the blood and sweat of American taxpayers for years.

Last month, Republicans on the Appropriations Committee inserted language in the MilCon bill to nullify any executive mandate for project labor agreements.  Ironically, it was a Republican, union shill Rep. Steve LaTourette, who proposed an amendment to strike out the anti PLA section from the bill.  He rounded up 26 other Republicans and helped Democrats preserve Obama's pro-union discrimination by 204-203!

An Early Morning Laugh from the One

"If you were looking for a bunch of partisan rhetoric, I'm probably not your guy." -President Obama at a fundraiser in Florida (HT RCP Politics for video)

Compare that to this clip of Obama during the '08 campaign.

 This man's teleprompter says the darndest things.  Then again, three years of utter repudiation of ones policies can take the fight out of a man.

It's Game Time for Farm Subsidies and Ethanol in Washington

 Another opportunity for bold-colored distinctions.

This week's legislative schedule in both houses of Congress will provide Republicans (and faux moderate Democrats) a unique opportunity to efface farm welfare by eliminating ethanol credits/tariffs and direct farm subsidies.

On the House side, the annual Agriculture Appropriations bill is expected to hit the floor as early as Tuesday.  Earlier this month, the Appropriations Committee passed the FY 2012 Ag bill, cutting $2.6 billion from 2011 spending levels, and most notably, $686 million from the WIC program.  The committee also approved an amendment by Jeff Flake to cut off direct subsidies for farms owned by those with more than $250,000 in gross adjusted income.

The bill is a good start, however, there are still more cuts that need to be introduced during the floor amendment process.  The committee-passed bill appropriates $17.25 billion in discretionary spending, while providing an additional $116.9 billion in "mandatory spending", for a total of $134.15 billion.  The USDA is one of the most profligate departments, surpassed only by HHS and DOD as the largest recipient of taxpayer dollars.  19% of all federal subsidies and welfare programs are promulgated from the USDA.  Most of the appropriations come from mandatory food subsidies and will need to be cut through welfare reform bills, but there is no reason why we should reauthorize so much spending in this bill.

In addition to the $5 billion in annual direct payments to farmers - predominantly those who grow corn, soybeans, wheat, rice, and cotton - the federal government spends billions more for crop insurance, conservation and export programs, and marketing loans.  The $5 billion in direct subsidizes should be completely eliminated for all income levels, while the other programs should be seriously curtailed.  

Ethanol will get its day of judgement in the Senate.

The ACLU Parasites are Focusing on Maryland Petition Drive

It is easy to discern that our petition drive has been a smashing success, as the ACLU is now meddling into our legal right to referendum in Maryland.  At present, over 44,000 signatures have been certified, much of them coming from the online filing at MDPetitions.com.  The ACLU is claiming that online filing is not admissible for a referendum petition.

The problem is that not a single signature was filed online.  The website merely filled out the voter information of the applicant in order to make the information appear legible.  The activist still had to manually sign his name and mail a live copy to the Board of Elections or to a coordinator.  Consequently, it appears that the ACLU is trying to disfranchise voters simply because Delegate Neil Parrott and other petition organizers made it easier for people to access their voter information.

How ironic that an organization which has a penchant to promote more voter registration and easier access to the democratic process, is now attempting to quash civic participation against illegal immigration.  They have once again exposed themselves as a criminal liberties organization, with no regard for civil liberties.  The sad thing is that these affluent lawyers have nothing to lose and will force us to spend money we don't have in order to defend the law.

You can help by donating money to MD Petitions today.  Let's help stop the Criminal Liberties Union from supplanting democracy and promoting the interests of lawbreakers over Maryland voters.

Bi-Partisan Support for Petition Drive from Baltimore Council

As the number of certified signatures for the anti-illegal immigration tuition drive surges towards 40,000, proponents of the petition drive are getting an unexpected boost.  The Baltimore County Council, controlled by Democrats 5-2, is issuing a statement in support of the tuition drive.  Remember that Baltimore County was the key to success during the first round of the drive, as over 20,000 signatures came from that jurisdiction.  The newfound bi-partisan support from the council will help put us over the top.  Bryan Sears of the Towson Patch reports:

At least five of the seven members of the Baltimore County Council will sign onto a letter encouraging county residents to support an effort to overturn a new state law that grants in-state tuition to illegal immigrants.Councilman Todd Huff said Wednesday evening that Democratic Councilwoman Vicki Almond and Cathy Bevins will join with him, Council Chairman John A. Olszewski Sr. and David Marks in signing a letter of support as early as this week.

"This is a means of showing support as individuals," said Olszewski, a Dundalk Democrat. All three said the letter of support will serve in place of a resolution. The council historically has avoided approving resolutions taking stands on state and federal issues.

By signing the letter, the council members are backing a statewide movement to overturn the Maryland Dream Act by placing the in-state tuition law on the 2012 ballot as a referendum that voters will vote up or down.

The amazing thing is that we will come close to obtaining the full 55,000 signatures just from the first round.  Let's keep up the momentum and send an overwhelming message to the criminal politicians in Annapolis.  If you haven't signed the petition yet, go to MDPetitions.com and volunteer to circulate the petition in your community.

7 Dem Congressmen on Board of Hamas Flotilla Organization

Remember last year's Turkish flotilla incident?  Well, they had such a good time last year that they are seeking a repeat performance later this month.  This time, leftists groups across the country plan to support another blockade running ship to deliver "vital services" to Hamas.  One of the supporters of this terror ship is Progressive Democrats of America.  The following 7 members of Congress, all Democrats, sit on the board of this morally reprehensible organization.

John Conyers
Donna Edwards
Raul Grijalva
Barbara Lee
Jim McGovern
Lynn Woolsey
Dennis Kucinich

Code Pink is another organizer of the flotilla and also sits on the board of PDA.  So, what happened to all of the "pro-Israel Democrats?"  Have you heard any outrage or censure of their 7 colleagues?  One of the members,Donna Edwards, is a Congresswoman from Maryland.  Hey Ben Cardin, do you have anything to say about your fellow congressional delegation member?  Or are you so obsequious to the Democrat party and liberal orthodoxy that you will not even defend your own people against fellow Democrats?

Supreme Court Voids Ruling Against Hazleton's Immigration Law

The tide is turning in the battle over illegal immigration.

It appears that last month's Supreme Court ruling upholding Arizona's E-Verify law will precipitate a potent counteroffensive against the illegal immigration judicial defense industry.

In light of the Court's 5-3 decision validating the right of state and local governments to impose penalties on employers who hire illegal aliens, the high court vitiated a ruling against a similar ordinance passed by government officials in Hazleton, Pennsylvania. 

In 2006, following a sharp spike in violent crime perpetrated by illegal aliens, Mayor Lou Barletta (now a Republican congressman) signed an ordinance prohibiting landlords from renting to illegals and employers from hiring them.  Under the Hazleton Immigration Relief Act, renters and employers who failed to verify the  immigration status of renters and employees would face fines or suspension of business and rental licenses.  This law was the impetus for dozens of subsequent efforts by states and municipalities to curb their growing illegal immigration problem.

Hazleton was challenged with well funded legal action by an unholy alliance of the ACLU, special interest legal defense groups, and the Chamber of Commerce.  In 2007, the law was struck down by a federal district judge on the premise that the law was preempted by federal immigration law (Hazleton v. Lozano (10-772)).  Last September, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the lower court's preemption argument against Hazleton.  Today, the Supreme Court voided the Appellate Court's ruling and remanded the case to the Philadelphia-based court for further review.  This from Fox News:

Jed Babbin on the Libya Disaster

Last week, two competing resolutions were brought to the House floor in an attempt to reign in Obama's disastrous intervention on behalf of the Al-Qaeda backed rebels in Libya.  Ironically, the prudent resolution-the one which would have brought an end to this madness-was offered by far-leftist Dennis Kucinich.

The other resolution, a mere rebuke of the President's callous disregard of congressional council, was offered by John Boehner.  This resolution was a banal attempt to oppose Obama without offering a bold and categorical rejection of the entire Libyan folly.  87 Republicans, mainly conservatives, supported Kucinich's robust resolution.  Yesterday, the Wall Street Journal excoriated these conservative by tainting them with the epithet, "Dennis Kucinich Republicans".

Today, in our series of must read articles, Jed Babbin offered a sagacious rebuttal of the WSJ critque, arguing that Boehner's alternative resolution was vapid political theater, and the 87 Republican dissenters are on the right side of history:

Mitt Romney: Running for Green Party Nomination?

First it was Romeycare, then it was cap and trade and ethanol subsidies; now it's global warming. 

“I believe the world is getting warmer, and I believe that humans have contributed to that,” he told a crowd of about 200 at a town hall meeting in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Romney proceeded to extol the virtues of solar and wind power as the next coming of our energy paradise.  As much as I fervently hope Obama is defeated, I seriously wonder if it would be counterintuitive to elect a Republican like Romney.  Either way, nobody who considers themselves conservative should even give him a second look.  Watch the RINO-in-Chief in his on words:

Bottom line:  In 2012, we need a choice, not an echo.

Congressman Walsh Responds to Obama's Debt Ceiling Demand

Congressman Joe Walsh (R-IL), sponsor of the House Balanced Budget Amendment bill, is drawing a line in the sand and refusing to raise the debt limit.  He has sent out another video message to Obama evincing his unequivocal rejection of Tim Geithner's fallacious fear-mongering .  As some members of leadership go wobbly on the Balanced Budget Amendment, we must remind them why they obtained their leadership positions last November.  Today, the RSC hand delivered a letter to John Boehner essentially saying Cut, Cap, Balance - or bust.

Obama Administration Continues its Anti-Drilling Chicanery in Alaska

A case of good cop/bad cop between unaccountable bureaucrats.

Last month, during his weekly radio address, Barack Obama announced his plans to drill in NPR-A.  No-he wasn't planning to eviscerate his genuflecting media outlet; he was promising to issue more land leases in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.

Like most of his capricious gestures to conservative policy initiatives, this promise was vapid of substance and lacking accountability.  He knew all along that his unelected bureaucrats at the DOI and EPA would filibuster every step of the leasing process indefinitely.  It was essentially an administrative pocket veto to preempt any drilling proposals in Alaska.  As such, it is not surprising to hear that his cohorts in these departments are bailing him out of his duplicitous promise. 

This 23-million-acre reserve lies to the west of the smaller Arctic National Wildlife Reserve (ANWR) on the Alaska North Slope.  Although this wilderness, owned by the Interior Department's Bureau of Land Management, was designated in 1976 for the expressed purpose of exploring for oil and gas, it was ostensibly closed to drilling until 1998.  Moreover, environmental lawsuits and bureaucratic obduracy have prevented a single oil well from being developed for the past 13 years.

Accordingly, there was no reason to believe that Obama, the most anti-energy president of all time, would turn NPR-A into a catalyst for drill, baby, drill.  When Obama announced his new leasing policies, I noted that Obama's promise to drill in Alaska was yet "another attempt at subterfuge for the purpose of tamping down the outrage toward his job-killing, anti-growth policies", and that he would rely on his minions at the EPA to "encumber any meaningful drilling policies with endless environmental impact studies."

Well, the Wall Street Journal is reporting that this is exactly what is now occurring in the NPR-A.  The EPA and the Army Corp of Engineers are denying ConocoPhilips a permit to build a bridge, a gravel road, and a pipeline from their proposed drilling sight in the NPR.  To make matters worse, any drilling project in the Arctic requires approval by the EPA.  This has created bureaucratic friction, impelling multiple agencies to impose competing mandates on the drilling applicants:

The One State Solution

Here is a great parody of the maniacal assumptions that are made about a Palestinian state.  The One State Solution, by Andrew Clavan:

Update on In-State Tuition Petition Drive

It turns out that the first round of the petition drive was even more auspicious that previously reported.  Yesterday, it was announced that over 40,000 signatures had been collected, well over the 18,500 needed by the May 30 deadline.  The final number of signatures that were turned in to the Maryland Board of Elections was 62,496!  That is more than the 55,736 needed for the total submission due on June 30.  Delegate Neil Parrott reported that almost 14,000 came from Baltimore County alone.

Despite the early success of the petition drive, we must continue to collect signatures so we can send the criminal politicians an unequivocal message.  Moreover, we need to ensure that there are many more signatures over and beyond the requisite 55,000 in order to compensate for the petitions that will invariably be disqualified.

Please continue circulating the petition in your community.  If you experience any harassment from unsavory community agitators like CASA de Maryland, please contact mdpetitions.com.

Let's evince a strong and mobilized opposition to the oligarchy in Annapolis so they will think twice before they pass more malevolent legislation.

Tea Party Victory Against Illegals in Maryland

Immigration enforcement is a winner even in Maryland

Liberal politicians incessantly demagogue the issue of illegal immigration by offering a false choice between amnesty and a police style roundup of 12 million aliens.  Obama believes that without a pathway to citizenship, even a moat with alligators can't preempt illegal immigration.   They always forget the third option; enforcing the laws on the books and not offering them hospitality that isn't afforded to legal Americans.  

Last month, Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley offered such a taxpayer funded courtesy by signing a bill granting in-state tuition benefits at state universities to illegal aliens residing in Maryland.  Maryland taxpayers already spend $1.7 billion annually on illegal aliens, one of the highest per capita costs in the country.  It is no wonder why Maryland has become a magnet for those whom O'Malley affectionately calls "new Americans."

While such cloddish policy decisions are par for the course in wacko Maryland, the Tea Party response was quite anomalous.  Maryland is not known for its strong Tea Party presence.  But against all odds, Maryland conservatives have successfully passed the first hurdle in securing a ballot referendum to strike down the tuition law.

When conservative state delegates Neil Parrott and Pat McDonough announced their inchoate plans for a petition drive against the tuition bill, the opposition and the local media dismissed the effort as futile.  After all, how could a few right wing delegates with no money or formal organization obtain the requisite 55,736 signatures (with properly spelled middle names) in the bluest of blue states?  This attitude from liberals, and too many Republicans, is a quintessential example of the dissonance between the elites and 'we the people' regarding illegal immigration.