Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Sarah Palin Opposes All Energy Subsidies

Another vote against corporate 'cornyism'

As the presidential election heats up, we will continue to track where the candidates stand on ethanol and energy subsidies.  The issue of ethanol subsidies is vital to conservatives for several reasons.  First, ethanol epitomizes everything that is wrong with onerous government interventions; corporate cronyism, market distortions, higher prices for vital goods and services, and government dependency.  Also, with food and energy prices at an all time high, ethanol subsidies will provide the eventual Republican nominee with a unique opportunity to use bread and butter issues to educate voters about the virtues of the free market.

Finally, and most importantly, if the Republican nominee lacks the temerity to rebuff a handful of corn welfare recipients in Iowa, he/she will certainly lack the moxie to cut trillions from the millions of dependents on the welfare state.

Last week, Mitt Romney embraced ethanol, Tim Pawlenty disavowed his support for ethanol (while speaking in Iowa), and Newt Gingrich....well, he is Professor Cornpone.  Today, Sarah Palin rejected all energy subsidies in a brief interview with reporters in Gettysburg.  Scott Conroy of Real Clear Politics reports from Gettysburg:

Monday, May 30, 2011

Shale Boom in Texas Providing Thousands of Jobs

Everything is bigger in Texas, including job growth and energy production.  Unlike in Maryland, where the liberal politicians capriciously impound our natural resources, Texans embrace their shale reserves.  Over the past year, oil exploration has discovered gargantuan reserves of oil shale in the south Texas formation known as Eagle Ford.  Drilling experts believe that hydraulic fracturing will allow the oil companies to drill up to 3,000 wells this year, unleashing enough oil flow to raise our national output in a meaningful way.  Additionally, the Houston Chronicle reports that last year, the Eagle Ford shale generated 6,800 jobs and paid $311 million in jobs and salaries.  That's real job creation; Texas style.

Unfortunately, we must be vigilante of the ever intrusive eco-marxists at the EPA.  They already have a vendetta against Texas and would certainly jump at the opportunity to find fault in the drilling technology.  The New York Times is already peddling the unfounded allegations that shale fracking causes water pollution:

"As evidence mounts that fracking poses risks to water supplies, the federal government and regulators in various states are considering tighter regulations on it." 

There is only one problem with this supposition; evidence of water pollution simply doesn't exist.  The writers at the NYT ought to watch this video of the EPA Director admitting at a congressional hearing that there is no evidence that hydraulic fracking is inimical to our water supplies:

Friday, May 27, 2011

Mitt Romney Still Loves His Ethanol, Especially in Iowa

Corporate cronyism/welfare is not the recipe for success in 2012.

Say anything you want about Mitt Romney, but at least he isn't flip flopping this time around.  Instead of disavowing his support for Romneycare, he fully embraced the monstrosity, albeit on a state level.  Now, amidst the growing disquiet over the outrageous ethanol subsidies, and following Tim Pawlenty's mea culpa on the issue, Mitt Romney is doubling down on his support for this odious subsidy.  Jonathan Weisman of the Wall Street Journal reports:

It was an odd setting for a policy pronouncement, but on the sidewalk outside the Historical Building here, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney embraced ethanol subsidies. It came just days after and blocks from where his rival for the Republican presidential nomination, Tim Pawlenty, said the subsidies should be phased out.

“I support the subsidy of ethanol,” he told an Iowa voter. “I believe ethanol is an important part of our energy solution for this country.” Iowa leads the nation in the production of corn, a main source of  ethanol.

Iowa is certainly the leader in fleecing the rest of the nation with their corn welfare.  Romney definitely gets points for honesty and for his cognizance of the political climate in Iowa.  However, he would be better suited to take his corn show on the road and embark on challenging Barack Obama for the Democrat nomination.  That way, his political calculations would coincide with the policies that he is seeking to represent.

Jon Huntsman's Announcement Video

Erick Erickson posted a great parody of Jon Huntsman's impending presidential announcement:

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Pollution Claims About Fracking False, Says ...EPA!

One of the most effective and revolutionary ways of meeting our energy needs is the extraction of oil from shale rocks through a process called hydraulic fracking.  A massive landmass cutting through western Pennsylvania, Maryland, and West Virginia, called the Marcellus Formation, is home to one of the riches reserves of oil shale in the country.  Unfortunately, the Maryland Democrat politicians have done everything in their power to scuttle attempts to extract oil through shale fracturing in western Maryland.

To make matters worse, Attorney General Doug Gansler filed a lawsuit against a shale company in Pennsylvania, accusing the oil exploration company of polluting Maryland's waterways through the use of chemicals during the fracking procedure.  The allegation of water pollution has been used throughout the country in order to preclude any chance that shale will succeed as a viable energy source.

Well, it turns out that even the consummate eco-fascist, EPA Director Lisa Jackson, agrees that the environmental perils of shale fracking are completely contrived.  At a Government Oversight Committee hearing, Jackson said, “I’m not aware of any proven case where the fracking process itself has affected water, although there are investigations ongoing.” (Hat Tip: Hot Air)

Keep destroying our energy, prosperity, and liberty-liberals!

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Key votes on Abortion, DADT, START, and Gitmo This Week

Today's House Action Alerts.

Today, the House will consider two bills with some amendments that are important to conservatives.

 Abortion

After a period of morning speeches, the House will finish work on H.R. 1216- the fourth bill brought to the floor that defunds mandatory appropriations for an Obamacare program.  This bill rescinds all unobligated funds for graduate medical training programs created under Obamacare.  It also subjects the remaining appropriations to the annual discretionary spending process.  This will prevent the program from becoming a mandatory slush fund for Democrat special interests.

The critical vote on this bill is the Foxx Amendment (H. AMDT. 298, which prohibits funding for graduate medical institutions to be used for the purpose of training medical residents in abortion procedures.  Please call you member of Congress and request a yes vote on the Foxx anti-abortion Amendment

Defense

After work on H.R. 1216 is complete, the House will begin debating the FY 2012 Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 1540); along with a marathon amendment process which calls for votes on 152 amendments.  That means that we must watch the floor vigilantly.

The Baltimore Sun Calls for a Nanny State, Literally

Anyone who lives near one of Maryland's bustling urban centers is keenly and painfully aware of the debilitating crime problems.  The heavy handed tyranny of the Maryland government that brazenly regulates and governs every aspect of our lives is suddenly rendered impotent in executing the core function of crime prevention.  Yet, the Baltimore Sun feels that the most pressing issue for state government is to eradicate those evil....crib bumpers.  Talk about cradle to grave socialism!
"Finally, the description of Maryland as a "nanny state" could actually apply — and it's a good thing.

Late last week, a state task force recommended that crib bumpers, the padded liners used on the inside of baby cribs, be declared a hazard. They have been associated with cases of asphyxiation where infants may have accidentally wedged their faces between the soft liner and crib mattress or become tangled with the strings that attach the bumpers to the crib slats.

If Maryland Health and Mental Hygiene Secretary Joshua M. Sharfstein accepts the proposed regulations, Maryland could be the first state in the nation to ban their sale. That is the sort of leadership role that Dr. Sharfstein, a former city health commissioner and FDA deputy commissioner — not to mention a pediatrician — ought to embrace.

Manufacturers have often disputed the claim that the bumpers are a hazard. They believe the scientific evidence is less than conclusive and have argued that liners serve a good purpose by preventing babies from striking their heads against crib frames. But the risk of a bruised head (if babies can even hit the slats with enough force for that to happen) pales in comparison to what has happened to some children across the country.
To begin with, this is not the first time the Sun is pushing nanny-statisim; they've been doing that for nearly a century.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Obama Lied, AIPAC Died

AIPAC and other pro-Israel Democrats are at a crossroads.

At the AIPAC conference on Sunday, Obama continued to propagate his lies and ignorance regarding the history of U.S. foreign policy towards Israel.  Undaunted by recent criticism, Obama doubled down on his demand that Israel return to indefensible borders by creating a contiguous Palestinian state.  As such, he continued to display his ignorance of the geographical reality that a contiguous Hamas-Fatah state bordering Jordan and Egypt, as stipulated in both speeches, means a noncontiguous Israel.  I guess he can see a Palestinian state (and unicorns) from the White House.

He also regurgitated his cloddish platitude that Hamas must "accept the basic responsibilities of peace."  I could only imagine FDR declaring that the Nazis must change their ways and accept responsibility for peace.  Moreover, Obama's teleprompter continued to lie about the dangers of the "Arab Spring", especially in Egypt, to Israel's (and America's) security.  He even castigated them by saying, "If there is a controversy, then, it’s not based in substance."  Concurrently, he made sure to mention the names of his token liberal Jews like Rahm Emanuel, David Axelrod, and Debbie Wasserman-Schultz so that everything would appear kosher.  It was also helpful that Imam Magid, an unindicted co-conspirator with Hamas, wasn't in attendance this time, as he was last Thursday.

As vacuous as Obama's intellect really is, he is not that ignorant of geography, nor is he credulous enough to believe that Hamas will put away its jihadi toys some day and accept Israel.  He knows exactly what his Palestinian fantasy will bring forth; he knows precisely how Israel will appear on a map with a contiguous terror state that borders Egypt and Jordan.  Nonetheless, his speech was warmly received (at least from AIPAC's leaders, if not some grassroots activists).  After all, AIPAC's leader, former Obama adviser and prolific fundraiser Lee Rosenberg, admonished them to behave.

Unfortunately, AIPAC has been run by hard-core Democrats for years.  Recently, as support for Israel among Democrats has taken a nosedive, AIPAC leaders have taken it upon themselves to ensconce this inconvenient truth by providing cover for Democrats.  It's time for AIPAC to confront the inconvenience and reveal that it is the moral and intellectual clarity of conservatism-the very ideology that they reject-that will save Israel.  Republicans should also blow the cover off the notion of bi-partisan support for Israel and expose the duplicity of AIPAC and the Democrats by proposing tough anti-PLO/Hamas legislation.

Monday, May 23, 2011

Tim Pawlenty Gets Points on Ethanol, Subsidies

Tim Pawlenty announced his quest for the presidency today in Iowa and offered some real mature conservative policy initiatives.  Unfortunately, all of the presidential candidates have some serious infractions in their collective records of past public service.  Pawlenty is no different.  He was a big supporter of odious ethanol subsidies while he was Governor of Minnesota.

However, he is now coming clean and disavowing his support for subsidies.  While it is easy for a Republican presidential aspirant to become a born-again conservative when facing an ever more conservative primary electorate, however, it took guts for Pawlenty to go after ethanol while in the belly of the beast; Iowa.  Ethanol is not a high profile issue at this point (although it should be) and Pawlenty could have easily avoided the political risk of mentioning it during his announcement.

Here is what he had to say regarding ethanol and political courage:

"The truth about federal energy subsidies, including federal subsidies for ethanol, is that they have to be phased out.  We need to do it gradually.  We need to do it fairly.  But we need to do it.  

Now, I'm not some out-of-touch politician.  I served two terms as Governor of an ag state.  I fully understand and respect the critical role farming plays in our economy and our society.  I've strongly supported ethanol in various ways over the years, and I still believe in the promise of renewable fuels - both for our economy and our national security.

But even in Minnesota, when faced with fiscal challenges, we reduced ethanol subsidies.  That's where we are now in Washington, but on a much, much larger scale.

It's not only ethanol.  We need to change our approach to subsidies in all industries. 

It can't be done overnight.  The industry has made large investments, and it wouldn't be fair to pull the rug out from under it immediately.  But we must face the truth that if we want to invite more competition, more investment, and more innovation into an industry - we need to get government out.  We also need the government out of the business of handing out favors and special deals.  The free market, not freebies from politicians, should decide a company's success.  So, as part of a larger reform, we need to phase out subsidies across all sources of energy and all industries, including ethanol.  We simply can't afford them anymore.

Some people will be upset by what I'm saying.

Conventional wisdom says you can't talk about ethanol in Iowa or Social Security in Florida or financial reform on Wall Street.

But someone has to say it.  Someone has to finally stand up and level with the American people.  Someone has to lead."
Read the full text of his speech here.

Paul Ryan Shows Real Leadership

Paul Ryan educates Meet the Press's David Gregory on real leadership.  He turned a gotcha moment right back at him.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Zingers and Musings of a Crazy Week

-Obama's domestic stimulus failed so badly in creating job, so he is taking his circus show on the road.  He is proposing job stimulus for Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, and the Al-Qaeda backed rebels in Libya.  Talk about Keynesian economics!

- Obama doesn't care if we crack the debt ceiling.  He just wants to ensure that Egypt doesn't breach their debt ceiling.  Consequently, he has agreed to forgive $1 billion in debt.  If only China would be so charitable!

- There are no more homes left to foreclose upon, so Obama is going to kick Israel out of their land and foreclose on their homes.  Who will buy up the mortgages?  Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, of course!

-For all of those who were apprehensive about the Patriot Act, fear not.  Obama has instructed his Housing Czar to divert all satellite surveillance technology to Israel so he can monitor housing construction.  He will also instruct his Labor and Health Czars to certify that the construction workers receive health insurance and are paid minimum wage.

- Obama has done such a good job securing our borders from the 12 million illegal aliens that he is teaching Israel the ropes about border security.  And, no alligators allowed.  Some have suggested that Netanyahu should tell Obama to recede to the 1848 borders and cede the Southwest to Mexico.  Given Obama's track record, I'm worried that he will take him up on the challenge.  After all, he will have a chance to rid himself of his biggest enemy states; Arizona and Texas!  I'm wondering if Obama is aware of Israel's 967 B.C. borders?  That would really teach Bashar Assad a lesson.  Then again, Obama thinks he is too big to fail.

- Obama threatened Syrian President Bashar Assad that if he doesn't shape up, he will really regret it.  Obama will really stick it to him by....forcing Israel to hand him the Golan Heights!

Thursday, May 19, 2011

American Spring: Time to Stop Funding Terror Around the World

Job stimulus for terrorists, a housing crisis for Israel, moral relativism, oh my!
Barack Obama has many sinister friends who are egregiously subsidized by taxpayers, but at least they aren't terrorists. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for his foreign patrons. At a time when Congress is searching for any morsel to cut from our domestic budget, Obama wants to expand foreign aid..to terrorists and terror filled nations. His push for expanded foreign aid comes as part of a broader endorsement of the "Arab Spring" uprisings in his latest foreign policy speech. Bin Laden is also endorsing them from the grave. Republicans need to call for an American Spring and categorically oppose all aid to enemy nations and entities in the 2012 budget.

Over the past few months, Obama has helped blow up the Middle East by supporting radical Muslim uprisings in Egypt, Libya, and Yemen. Simultaneously, he has hypocritically remained silent on Bashar Assad's violent repression in Syria until this week when he announced vapid sanctions on the Syrian dictator. He is still refusing to recall his ambassador from Damascus that he sent in 2009 as a gesture to Assad. He didn't even call for tough measures against Syria's puppet master; Iran, while claiming to support the Iranian protesters, despite his indifference when it really mattered in 2009.

However, upon further cogitation, Obama's actions are actually quite consistent. In both Egypt and Syria, Obama has strengthened the hand of terrorist organizations, placing Israel in great peril.

His support of Mubabrak's demise in Egypt, has led to a popular groundswell for war against Israel fomented by the Muslim Brotherhood. His continued support for Hamas and Fatah in Israel (with the proviso that they denounce "violence", of course) has emboldened the Palestinian terrorists and jeopardized the besieged state from within. Finally, his calculated tepid response to Syria's aggression, despite his tough rhetoric, and refusal to break diplomatic relations, has emboldened arch terrorist Assad to incite a breach of the Israeli border. State Department officials told the New York Times that Obama is worried about undermining the Syrian murderer because he views him as an indispensable partner in final negotiations for an Israeli peace deal, a.k.a. forcing Israel to hand over the Golan Heights. Hence, Obama views Assad as to big to fail.

Obama has successfully imperiled Israel on all fronts, while using American money and diplomacy to undermine the prestige of both nations. As the ever prescient Caroline Glick succinctly opined last week, "Unlike his predecessors, Obama's interest in the Palestinians is not opportunistic. He is a true believer."

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Let's Nail Democrats on Their Duplicity with Energy Subsidies

Close down the DOE and eliminate all energy 'tax cuts' for the (green) rich in one great big compromise.
"Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it."~ President Ronald Reagan
Democrats (and the Maine Republicans ladies) are agog to demonize oil companies and punish them with punitive tax increases.  Their effort was defeat yesterday 52-48, but they plan to continue wasting time on it today.  Aside for the fact that a punitive tax is unconstitutional, and a tax originating in the Senate is...also unconstitutional, the Democrats are providing Republicans with the ammo to eradicate their green empire of corporate cronyism once and for all.

Harry Reid and Bob Menendez are claiming that profitable oil companies don't need subsidies, and the repeal of those tax credits, which they call subsidies, will save us $20 billion over 10 years.  Let's ignore the fact that the $4 billion annual tax credits are near universal deductions which are afforded to almost every other industry.  We'll agree to use the spurious "oil subsidies" label for the purpose of comparing similar terms.  But if they want to discuss the repeal of energy subsidies, that is a dialogue we should embrace. 

If logic dictates that we should cut subsidies to a profitable industry which delivers a product that is the lifeblood of our prosperity, shouldn't we cut the billions in subsidies to industries that produce ineffectual energy that barely registers on our energy consumption map?  If it is condign to eliminate $4 billion in tax credits for an industry that brings in hundreds of billions in taxes and royalties, shouldn't we eliminate the subsidies for wind, solar, and ethanol, which are a net loss for the treasury and consumer alike?

Instead of Senate Republicans introducing harmful amendments which accept the Democrats' premise and mandate onerous drilling regulations and liabilities, they should utilize Democrats' hypocrisy and offer real consequential amendments.  In that spirit,  I propose a quintessential Washington style compromise and call for the Bipartisan Comprehensive Energy Reform Act of 2011.  It would end all tax credits for the oil and gas industry.  But, you know what?  It would eliminate all subsidies, mandates, and (or) tariffs for wind, solar, and ethanol (incorporating the goals of Mike Pompeo's H.Res. 267).  In addition, it would completely abolish the Department of Energy (DOE), along with the ethanol programs at the USDA.  How's that for a compromise?

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Jon Huntsman for Mike Bloomberg's Vice President!

Around election time, conservatives are always confronted with the arduous task of sifting through candidates who propagate meretricious right wing talking points in an effort to conceal their faux conservative record.  Thankfully, this election cycle, to a certain extent, has given rise to an anomalous level of veracity.  Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich are unambiguously communicating to conservatives that they are not 'one of the guys'.  There is simply no mystery how they would govern or negotiate with Democrats if elected President in 2012.  Thanks for the candor, guys.

Former Utah Governor and Obama-embracing, yet, backstabbing Ambassador Jon Huntsman is taking this approach to a new level-a level of candor that can only mean that he is seeking the VP nomination for a Mike Bloomberg ticket.

Time magazine is running a profile on Huntsman for next week's edition of the paper.  They offer some bold quotes from the former Obama administration official that show he is not backing down from his progressiveism at all.  Let his words stand on their own demerits:

O'Malley Continues his War on Motorists

Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley has a real animus for our American freedom and tradition of driving cars.

He has scuttled efforts to drill for shale oil in western Maryland, thereby blocking more domestic supply for oil; he has proposed a massive increase in the state gasoline tax; he has planted speed cameras all over the state (brought to you by his corporate cronies); he has impeded traffic by securing federal funds for superfluous and ineffectual construction projects (with road signs that promote his name); he has signed laws requiring tougher emissions standards for cars, raising the cost of each vehicle by over $1,000, all the while, forcing taxpayers to subsidize his paramount agenda of forcing us all on public transportation.

In case the politically tone deaf voters of Maryland haven't gotten the message, O'Malley is now proposing massive toll increases on Maryland's highways.  They plan to use the funds to support the profligate and unnecessary fiscal burden the state will incur from the Intercounty Connecter between Montgomery and PG counties.

Imagine for a moment how much money we could save by cutting funding for illegal aliens?  We could use those funds for O'Malley's pet construction projects instead of sticking it to Maryland motorists and commuters.  But in O'Malley's worldview-one without cars and the freedom of mobility-this is just par for the course.

Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do in this one-party oligarchy to directly prevent tax hikes.  However, by signing the petition against in-state tuition for illegals, we will show Maryland Democrats that there is a mobilized opposition and we will expand that mobilization to other legislative issues.

Fight back against O'Malley and sign the petition today.

Monday, May 16, 2011

Obama's Oil Drilling Subterfuge

We've been here before.

Many liberals in the media are expressing shock over Obama's apparent willingness to increase oil production.  We all know that he is full of ..., I mean ethanol, and they do too.

Those of you who were befuddled at the news that Obama will 'expand drilling' in Alaska are not missing anything.  Obama has pulled this political chicanery a number of times.  Whenever a specific proposal that he so adamantly opposes becomes too popular to ignore, he announces his support for it by promising to implement inconsequential reforms.  To that end, he declared during his Saturday radio address that he is "directing the Department of Interior to conduct annual lease sales in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve, while respecting sensitive areas, and to speed up the evaluation of oil and gas resources in the mid and south Atlantic".

So we are to believe that the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas and ANWR, all of which are impounded from drilling leases by the administration, are more sensitive than Alaska's National Petroleum Reserve?  Caribou, baby, Caribou in ANWR; drill, baby, drill in ANPR?  Think again.

Here is the report from The Hill:

Sunday, May 15, 2011

House GOP Invites Diversity Mandates to Intel Agencies

Aside for oil drilling-related legislation, there weren't any high profile partisan legislative fights on Capitol Hill last week.  The major piece of legislation that was brought to the floor and ultimately passed the House last week was the highly bi-partisan reauthorization of appropriations for our intelligence agencies (H.R. 754).  The bill passed 392-15.  Unfortunately, it is these "non-controversial" bills that are prone to insertions of reckless amendments.  After all, who is watching the banal congressional proceedings of consensus legislation?

On Thursday, Republicans allowed Democrats to offer two amendments that would mandate pilot programs and studies to facilitate diversity within the intelligence agencies.  I don't begrudge the GOP leaders for running an open process and allowing Democrats to offer amendments.  The problem is that they adopted the amendments by voice vote, instead of voting them down.  Well, if the timeworn bromide that "Republicans only control one-half of one-third of government" is sufficient justification for failure to pass prudent legislation, it should certainly justify their scuttling of multicultural amendments.

Here are the two amendments:

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Joe Walsh’s Smackdown of Obama on Immigration

It's better alligators than Hollywood celebrities.



Like no other president in American history, President Obama supports the domineering use of government over every facet of our lives.  Yet, when it comes to one of the few core functions of government, like border security and the regulation of immigration, he is suddenly tepid about asserting power.  Worse, he uses the power of executive agencies to disregard and subvert immigration laws that were duly passed by Congress.  Now he is denigrating those who suffer from gang violence along the border and those who seek to fulfill our core constitutional responsibilities.

Earlier this week, Obama thought that he would interject his “White House Correspondents’ Dinner level of intellect” into our national security, by accusing Republicans of desiring an alligator-filled moat along the southern border.  Today, Congressman Joe Walsh (R-IL) offered a superlative smackdown of Obama’s immigration speech in El Paso through an open letter to the President:

RSC Debt Limit Plan: Cut, Cap, and Balance

Here is a cap and trade plan we can support. 

The political world has been waiting with alacrity to hear the details of the GOP demand for raising the debt ceiling. The Republican Study Committee is wasting no time in publicizing their overarching condition for raising the debt ceiling; lowering the spending floor.  You might think of it as the preeminent ‘cap and trade’ program.

We have long railed against an incremental approach to the battle for limited government and spending cuts. The reality is that Republicans don’t have the requisite political power to statutorily roll back big government policies through the front door. They probably won’t for some time. Consequently, their only recourse to impel meaningful and perennial change is to use the budget process to force the issue.

Republicans will have the opportunity to deny the issuance of any more debt as the debt limit fight reaches its crescendo towards the end of the spring. In September, they will have another opportunity to force the Democrats’ hand by refusing to budge from the fundamentals of their FY 2012 budget, even if the Democrats threaten to shut down the government. Yes, even with control of “just one half of one third of government,” the GOP can prevail in a budget fight with the support of the public.

The RSC is proposing a three-pronged plan that would attack all of the pressure points of the big government beast.

1. Implement immediate spending cuts for FY 2012 that would reduce the deficit by 50%, roughly $700 billion from this year’s estimated $1.4 trillion deficit. Accounting for roughly $320 billion in expected revenue gains from growing tax receipts, they would propose roughly $380 billion in spending cuts to achieve that goal.
2. Impose permanent statutory spending caps to reduce federal spending to 18% of GDP, providing for automatic spending reductions if caps are breached.

3. Demand the passage of the Balanced Budget Amendment sponsored by Senator Mike Lee and Congressman Joe Walsh (H.J.Res. 56/S.J.Res. 10).

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

More Residual Effects of Obama's Anti-Oil Policies

The depletion of our oil production is corroding the Alaska pipeline and widening the trade deficit.

Obama's oil free utopia is precipitating yet more mayhem on our economy.  Today, two major news stories concerning our lack of oil production highlight just how profoundly oil affects our economy.

The first story concerns the Trans Alaska Pipeline.  The pipeline employs 2,000 workers and delivers 11% of our domestically produced oil to the other states.  During its early years, when we weren't impounding the oil in Alaska, the pipeline transported 2 million barrels of oil per day.  Now, less than a third of that volume flows through the pipeline, with the trajectory spiraling sharply downward.  The Wall Street Journal reported today that there is growing concern about the adverse effects of decreasing oil flow on the pipeline itself:

Now, dwindling oil production along Alaska's northern edge means the pipeline carries less than one-third the volume it once did—and the crude takes five times as long to get to its destination.
That leisurely flow means the oil is above ground longer and more exposed to Alaska's frigid weather; the crude sometimes arrives chilled to 40 degrees. As the flow and temperature continue to drop, experts say the risks of a clog or corrosion increase, as do the odds of ruptures and spills.

Unless a technological solution can be found, the arcane physics of crude flow may force the multibillion dollar, 48-inch-wide steel pipeline to shut down—and determine the fate of the largest oil field ever found in the U.S.
There's one other, seemingly simple fix: Add more oil.

Time to Focus on the Fed: Oppose Peter Diamond's Nomination

Say no to the advocates of failed Interventionist policies.

The Democrats have a penchant for advancing their big government dreams through the insidious use of unelected members of government.  To that end, Obama has nominated radical ideologues to judgeships and executive agencies since the beginning of his presidency. 

Another unelected body of the federal government that is rapidly becoming a fourth branch is the Federal Reserve.  Due to the vitality of their creeping economic interventions, Obama is seeking to pack the Board of Governors with radical Keynesian stimulus supporters.  His latest nominee, Peter Diamond, will be voted on by the Senate Banking Committee on Thursday.

While our fiscal policy is formulated by 535 members of Congress, our monetary policy is set by 7 unelected members of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.  In recent years, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, with the support of Obama, has used the power of the Fed to implement destructive monetary stimulus policies that have benefited Obama's Wall Street donors at the expense of the American consumer.  The Fed has weakened the dollar to the extent that import price inflation has spiked 11% since last year.  Obama might ramble about not raising taxes on the middle class, but he has used the unbridled power of the Fed to induce the most deleterious tax of all; inflation.

Last week, we advocated that Congress reign in the Fed's rouge policies by repealing their mandate to intervene in economic policy.  The most immediate concern, however, is to ensure that radical Keynesian stimulus supporters like Peter Diamond are blocked from becoming Governors.

Diamond, an economics professor at MIT, has long advocated for the very big government fiscal and monetary interventionist policies that are so inimical to our economic recovery.  He has even called for a second stimulus.  If confirmed to the Fed, he would undoubtedly seek to accomplish that through monetary policy, even though he has little experience in that realm.  We don't need a second fiscal stimulus to exacerbate our debt and we certainly don't need a third monetary stimulus (QEIII) to service that debt with printed money.

This is where Senate Republicans come into play.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Strike Back at Obama and O'Malley-Sign Petition Against Tuition for Illegals

Earlier today, both President Obama and Governor O'Malley launched an assault on the very essence of our nation; our immigration system.  Obama called for full blown amnesty, even though he has already granted defacto amnesty through administrative fiat.  Governor O'Malley, seeking to take advantage of the media surrounding Obama's immigration speech, signed the the bill granting in-state tuition for illegals in Maryland.

Such disregard for our borders and sovereignty is inexcusable.  This is an issue that should resonate even with supporters of big government.  A nation without border is not a nation at all.  Please show Obama and O'Malley that we will not tolerate their repudiation of our fundamental laws.



Remember to sign your name exactly as its written on you voter registration card.  Also, you must print the bill on the back of each petition.

An Absurd Bag Tax is Still a Threat in Maryland

For those of you who were wondering why we were let off the hook from crushing tax increases during this past legislative session (the alcohol tax hike not withstanding), beware the special session in September.  Not only is a gas tax hike on the table, a plastic bag tax is also in the works.

Last week, Montgomery County became the first jurisdiction in Maryland to impose a 5-cent tax on the use of plastic bags in stores.  Julie Bykowicz of the Baltimore Sun is reporting that Montgomery County state legislators are trying to propagate their puerile policies to across the rest of the state:

Bag taxes at the local level are spreading across the country, though the National Conference of State Legislatures noted in February that no state had instituted a statewide tax.

The Gazette reported that Del. Alfred C. Carr Jr., a Montgomery County Democrat who championed a bag tax this session, thinks Montgomery's bag tax "continues the momentum."

Carr's statewide plan would have required stores to charge 5 cents for each disposable bag. Stores would be able to keep one cent -- two if they offered a "customer bag credit program."

Most of the revenue raised would have gone to the Chesapeake Bay Trust. The fiscal note doesn't provide a solid estimate of how much money the tax would generate.

Monday, May 09, 2011

Promoters of Tuition Breaks for Illegals in MD Scared of Petition

They are resorting to incoherent and absurd arguments.

We have really reached a nadir in Maryland politics when a legislator advocates against the anti-illegal immigration petition because it will cost too much money.  You read that correctly.  Sen. Victor Ramirez, the lead sponsor of in-state tuition for illegals, is claiming that the petition drive against his bill will cost the state millions.  This from Maryland Reporter:
The lead sponsor who objects to efforts to overturn his bill granting in-state college tuition to illegal immigrants said referendum efforts by opponents could cost the state millions and the drive is being funded by outside Tea Party interests.
“It costs the state a lot of money, and these guys are supposed to be fiscally conservative?”  Sen. Victor Ramirez, D-Prince Georges, said last Friday. “We’re going to spend millions of dollars potentially for a referendum.  It’s going to be more expensive to run the referendum than it is to fund the policy.”
“It’s definitely being driven by the Tea Party, not locally, but nationally,” Ramirez said.  “It’s people from the outside trying to tell Maryland what policy they should pass.”

So let's get this straight.  He is concerned about the minimal cost of the petition drive, but not about the billions that we spend on education for illegals.  And the last time I checked, we, the people of this state, have a constitutional right to a referendum petition; illegal aliens don't even belong in the country, much less enjoy the right to subsidized services.

Also, he incoherently and fallaciously accuses his opposition of being initiated from other states and dictating policy to Marylanders.  I've got news for you Ramirez.  You are the one who is stealing in-state money to give to the consummate foreigner; the illegal alien.  You are the one who is obdurately blocking any effort to let the people of Maryland decide next November.  We are organizing this petition so that Marylanders can have a say at the ballot box.  If they agree with your pernicious policy, then they will vote the referendum down.  So what are you scared of, a good old fashioned election?
Please sign the petition and let Senator Ramirez know what Marylanders think of his effort to purloin our tax money for the purpose of out-of-country interests.

Friday, May 06, 2011

Support Bob Latta's Comprehensive Energy Production Bill

The Republican Study Committee has struck again.  While Republican House leaders are tepidly tiptoeing around energy policy with an incremental approach, RSC Energy Task Force Chairman Bob Latta (R-OH) is pushing a comprehensive energy production bill.  The Consumer Relief for Pain at the Pump Act, H.R. 1777, would open up thousands of acres worth of drilling fields, extirpate onerous regulations from the backs of our energy producers, strike out at the heart of the domestic environmental legal defense fiscal terrorist community, expedite the oil refinery application process, and streamline the land leasing process.

This bill directly addresses all of the obstacles to oil, gas, and shale exploration; it would create thousands of real jobs, and reduce the cost of energy to consumers.  Being that oil is the lifeblood of the economy and is used for so many vital products and services, this bill would help reduce production and delivery costs of virtually every durable good, spawning unprecedented economic growth.  As an added bonus, it would eliminate many jobs of Democrat environmental agitators and oil rig-chasing attorneys.

Most importantly, this legislation would open up 2,000 acres of ANWR for development of its estimated 10 billion barrels of oil and 35 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.  This is something that other Republican leaders have abdicated in the face of visceral opposition from the left.  In light of record gas prices and other residual inflationary pains to consumers, this is not a time to go wobbly on ANWR.

Here are some of the key proposals in H.R. 1777 from Congressman Latta's press release:

Thursday, May 05, 2011

MD General Assembly Website is Antiquated and Arduous to Navigate

Have you ever wondered why the Maryland General Assembly website is so tedious to navigate?  I am experienced at legislative research, yet I have a hard time doing in-depth research on legislation in Annapolis unless I know the bill number.  Well, it turns out that the website is 15 years old!  Marylandreporter.com has an excellent write-up on the treacherous navigation problems with the website of the MD legislature.
Mike Gaudiello, the director of the General Assembly’s Office of Legislative Information Systems, said that the site right now is organized by bill number. If someone knows the bill number that he or she wants information on, information is readily available.

However, the site has few graphics, and is on a largely monochrome purple background. The menus aren’t clearly marked, and menu choices tend to be in small text. Bills are organized by numbers, making it easy for legislative staff and legislators to find, but more difficult to locate for those who may only be familiar with a bill’s topic or sponsors.

Videos or audio of committee hearings are organized only by date, not by topics discussed or hearing types. And the full-text search of legislation brings up all bill versions and amendments, making it difficult to for a user to know what he or she is looking at.

“If you understand it’s a bill-centric website, it is easy to find things,” Gaudiello said.

According to screenshots from the Internet Archive Project, the General Assembly’s site design has changed very little since its inception in 1996. The site organization has stayed the same: links on the top of a dappled purple background, which either take users to different spots in the page, or to navigational portals.

Wednesday, May 04, 2011

The Palin Foreign Policy Doctrine

What is a conservative foreign policy?

In light of Obama’s morally indefensible and dyslexic policies regarding Egypt, Iran, Israel, Libya, and Syria, it is important that our eventual presidential nominee articulate a bold distinction in the realm of foreign policy.

Conservative domestic policy doctrine is quite indubitable and lucid (except among many elected Republicans); limited government, free enterprise, protection of individual liberties, limitation of criminal liberties, secure borders, and a robust civil society.  Foreign policy is more ambiguous because it is governed more by prudence than by doctrine.  Even though the overarching principle of any foreign policy initiative is American exceptionalism, the murkiness of America’s security interests has long blurred the distinction between divergent foreign policies.

During the Bush years, the distinction between “liberal” and “conservative” foreign policy was obfuscated even further due to President Bush’s embrace of neoconservative principles such as democratization and human rights interventions.  Also, the only opposition from the right which percolated into the media was the voices of those like Ron Paul and Pat Buchanan, who believed that our involvement in the Middle East and support of Israel served as the impetus for Islamic terror.

As such, the average political observer was presented with a false choice of conservative foreign policy between the so-called neoconservatives like Bill Kristol and so-called paleoconservatives like Pat Buchanan.  Moreover, many conservatives, desiring to emphatically repudiate the detestable behavior of the anti-war movement, became inclined to reflexively support foreign intervention at any cost simply to “stay the course” and oppose the anti-war left.  These conservatives continue to injudiciously support an open ended commitment in Afghanistan and Libya, despite serious concerns to our national interests.

Earlier this week, Sarah Palin articulated the principles of a foreign policy that are neither neoconservative nor paleoconservative; rather plain old conservative.  Speaking at the Colorado Christian University for a military charity fundraiser, Governor Palin outlined the following commonsense principles for foreign intervention:

Monday, May 02, 2011

Osama is Dead; Obama's Foreign Policy is Still Dangerous and Perverse

Obama authorized Bin Ladin's demise even as he continues to support terrorists as part of his broader foreign policy.

The big news of the day is that Osama is dead as a result of the brave work of our Special Forces and intelligence teams, as well as the Bush administration policies of terrorists interrogations and targeted assassinations.  Yes, the very policies that Obama so vociferously opposed for political benefit.  President Obama is to be congratulated for disavowing his campaign pledge and continuing those George Bush policies that he had previously repudiated.

The other big news of the day is that the Palestinian terrorists were the first to condemn the assassination, even before Al-Qaeda itself.  Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh denounced the murder of the "Arab holy warrior."

As the left goes agog with excitement over Obama's victory in the war on terror, they might want to ponder about his broader foreign policy, which is not only insouciant to Islamic terror, but actively supportive of it.

Just last week, the Obama-backed Palestinian Authority joined a unity government with Hamas in the anticipation of the formulation of a Palestinian terror state.  Obama, along with his European counterparts, has launched an pertinacious campaign to support the Palestinians and promote statehood at all costs.  Israel has incurred the brunt of those costs, however, we have also been adversely affected from the invariable advancement of Iranian control over the Middle East.  So not only is Obama uncooperative of an Israeli strike (targeted assassination) on Hamas or Iran, he is actively enabling their consummate dream; Palestinian statehood and the destruction of Israel.

So committed is he to create an Iranian-proxy terrorist state, that according to State Department officials, he is actively opposing efforts to bring down Syrian terrorist Bashar Assad.  He views Assad as a stabilizing force and a strategic partner in the establishment of a terrorist state.

O'Malley Plans a Special Session Ambush, Gas Tax Hike

In case you were wondering how we survived this year's legislative session with only one major tax increase (although there were a bunch of increases in fines), be forewarned of two words; special session.  In September, the General Assembly will meet in a special session to finalize the decennial redistricting plans.  Unfortunately, special sessions also provide Maryland Democrats with extra opportunities to saddle us with more tax hikes and odious legislative proposals.  As such, they blithely anticipated this opportunity as they let us off the hook from further tax increases in the primary legislative session.

So, which tax are they planning to increase?  The gas tax, of course!  Only in Maryland can the politicians suggest such a pernicious plan and not fear electoral reprisal.

A plan to raise the state gas tax to cover road construction and repair was shot down in the General Assembly this session. As voters watched the price of gasoline go up and up, lawmakers backed off a plan to add their 12 cents to the existing 23.5 cents Marylanders already pay.
But that may not be the end of it. A special session in the fall could give the General Assembly another chance to pass it. (WTOP)
So let's get this straight.  O'Malley blocks efficacious means of increasing fuel supplies via shale fracking; proposes a statewide energy tax to fund the impotent and inefficacious green energy projects of his corporate cronies; now he is plotting a direct increase of our cost at the pump!

What is the rationale for such an inane and ill-timed tax increase?  They claim that the state highway trust fund is going bankrupt and the roads need to be repaired.  However, the truth is that the Democrats purloined the trust fund and placed that money in the general fund so they could spend it on their pet special interest projects.  In addition, Maryland received a disproportionate amount of stimulus money for that very purpose.  The reality is that no amount of tax increases will ever satiate their unbridled and profligate spending habits.

The bottom line for Maryland consumers and tax payers is that we must ensure that our politicians fear political reprisal from their actions.  Consequently, there is no better deterrent than contributing to the petition drive to strike down the in-state tuition for illegal aliens on a ballot referendum.

Please click here to use the electronic petition filing, or here if you would like to volenteer to circulate the petition to all of your friends.

If the insidious hooligans in Annapolis see our fruitful efforts against other inimical legislative ideas, they might think twice before increasing the gas tax.