Read the Bills? How about Reading the Constitution? | Gene Healy | Cato Institute: Commentary
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Thursday, November 5, 2009
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Condescension
This is the kind of attitude leftists (or statists) bring to government; you're the teenager, they're the parent. They're smarter, and better-intentioned, than you. You're selfish, they're wise.
Now apply this thinking to vast areas of our society where government doesn't have any constitutional mandate - but could make the world "better" - and you have the administration's "change" agenda in a nutshell.
Now apply this thinking to vast areas of our society where government doesn't have any constitutional mandate - but could make the world "better" - and you have the administration's "change" agenda in a nutshell.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Barack Obama, Myth-Buster
From 2007. Then, he spoke the truth about the costs of universal health care. Now, his story is a different one. Why?
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Posted without comment
“There is a class of colored people who make a business of keeping the troubles, the wrongs, and the hardships of the Negro race before the public. Having learned that they are able to make a living out of their troubles, they have grown into the settled habit of advertising their wrongs-partly because they want sympathy and partly because it pays. Some of these people do not want the Negro to lose his grievances, because they do not want to lose their jobs.”
- Booker T. Washington (1856-1915.)
(This sounds like something he'd say, but I haven't fact-checked it myself.)
- Booker T. Washington (1856-1915.)
(This sounds like something he'd say, but I haven't fact-checked it myself.)
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Charlie Bought the Jury
Rangel gave money to 3 of 5 Democrats on Ethics Panel
Maybe that's why he's been so nonchalant about this investigation?
Maybe that's why he's been so nonchalant about this investigation?
Hard to Disagree with the Conclusions
A deliberate attempt to move America in a statist direction? Maybe the only explanation for what we're seeing from the Administration so far.
http://www.victorhanson.com/articles/hanson082909.html
http://www.victorhanson.com/articles/hanson082909.html
Friday, August 28, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
From 1799 - The Fate of Our Constitution
http://volokh.com/posts/1251230221.shtml
1st. As the rights reserved by the State Governments and the bounds and limits set by the Constitution of the Union, are the declared barriers against the encroachments of entrusted power, my first business would be to undermine that Constitution, and render it useless, by claiming authority which, though not given by the express words of it, might be edged in under the cover of general expressions or implied powers — by stretching the meaning of the words used to their utmost latitude, — by taking advantage of every ambiguity — and by quibbling upon distinctions to explain away the plain and obvious meaning. It would be my business to extend the powers of the Federal Courts and of Federal Officers — to encroach upon the State jurisdictions — to throw obloquy on the State Governments as clogs upon the wheel of the General Government — for that purpose to promote a spirit of party among them, and subject to accusations of disaffection those who were opposed to the measures I would pursue. In addition to this I would now and then exercise trifling acts of authority not granted by the Constitution, under some undefined notion of prerogative. If by such means one encroachment should be made good, it would be a precedent for another, until the public by degrees would become accustomed and callous to them.
1st. As the rights reserved by the State Governments and the bounds and limits set by the Constitution of the Union, are the declared barriers against the encroachments of entrusted power, my first business would be to undermine that Constitution, and render it useless, by claiming authority which, though not given by the express words of it, might be edged in under the cover of general expressions or implied powers — by stretching the meaning of the words used to their utmost latitude, — by taking advantage of every ambiguity — and by quibbling upon distinctions to explain away the plain and obvious meaning. It would be my business to extend the powers of the Federal Courts and of Federal Officers — to encroach upon the State jurisdictions — to throw obloquy on the State Governments as clogs upon the wheel of the General Government — for that purpose to promote a spirit of party among them, and subject to accusations of disaffection those who were opposed to the measures I would pursue. In addition to this I would now and then exercise trifling acts of authority not granted by the Constitution, under some undefined notion of prerogative. If by such means one encroachment should be made good, it would be a precedent for another, until the public by degrees would become accustomed and callous to them.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
BREITBART: Boycotting the boycotters - Washington Times
BREITBART: Boycotting the boycotters - Washington Times
"To call these people hypocrites would be a grave insult to those who fail to live up to their own standards. Liberalism has never been about establishing a universal standard. Liberalism is simply intellectual cover for those wanting to gain political power and increase the size of the state. "
Read the whole thing (then buy something at Whole Foods)
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"To call these people hypocrites would be a grave insult to those who fail to live up to their own standards. Liberalism has never been about establishing a universal standard. Liberalism is simply intellectual cover for those wanting to gain political power and increase the size of the state. "
Read the whole thing (then buy something at Whole Foods)
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Sunday, August 23, 2009
The Real Reason...
Fantastic opinion piece - please read it
Money quote (one of many):
This isn't about liberal or conservative, Democrat or Republican. A majority oppose Obama's policies because they fly in the face of this country's bedrock values of personal liberty and limited government. Robbing Peter to pay Goldman Sachs does violence to that fundamentally American ethos.
And increasingly, Obama administration policy does violence to European values, as well. The continent has for the last two decades been systematically disengaging national governments from domestic industries. Top officials from Sweden, of all places, complained about Washington's auto bailout, tersely announcing that "The Swedish state is not prepared to own car factories."
(Thanks to Instapundit)
Money quote (one of many):
This isn't about liberal or conservative, Democrat or Republican. A majority oppose Obama's policies because they fly in the face of this country's bedrock values of personal liberty and limited government. Robbing Peter to pay Goldman Sachs does violence to that fundamentally American ethos.
And increasingly, Obama administration policy does violence to European values, as well. The continent has for the last two decades been systematically disengaging national governments from domestic industries. Top officials from Sweden, of all places, complained about Washington's auto bailout, tersely announcing that "The Swedish state is not prepared to own car factories."
(Thanks to Instapundit)
Friday, August 21, 2009
From Peggy Noonan
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204884404574362971349563340.html#
Another insightful overview of the situation we find ourselves in. She makes a particularly interesting point here:
"A final factor contributed to the mess of the health-care debate, and that the White House might ponder it. Looking back, what a lucky man President Clinton was to have—to help bring about after his own health-care fiasco—a Congress controlled by the opposite party. What a great and historic team Mr. Clinton and Newt Gingrich were, a popular Democratic president and a determined GOP leader with a solid majority. Welfare reform, a balanced budget, and a sense the public could have that not much crazy would happen and some serious progress might be made. If Mr. Clinton pressed too hard, Mr. Gingrich would push back. If Mr. Gingrich pressed too hard Mr. Clinton pushed back. Two gifted, often perplexing and always controversial Boomers who didn't even like each other, and yet you look back now and realize: Good things happened there. "
Another insightful overview of the situation we find ourselves in. She makes a particularly interesting point here:
"A final factor contributed to the mess of the health-care debate, and that the White House might ponder it. Looking back, what a lucky man President Clinton was to have—to help bring about after his own health-care fiasco—a Congress controlled by the opposite party. What a great and historic team Mr. Clinton and Newt Gingrich were, a popular Democratic president and a determined GOP leader with a solid majority. Welfare reform, a balanced budget, and a sense the public could have that not much crazy would happen and some serious progress might be made. If Mr. Clinton pressed too hard, Mr. Gingrich would push back. If Mr. Gingrich pressed too hard Mr. Clinton pushed back. Two gifted, often perplexing and always controversial Boomers who didn't even like each other, and yet you look back now and realize: Good things happened there. "
Great Analysis of Mr. Obama's Blame Game
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601039&sid=aNjLN73fQVj8
Here's one good point, among many:
"Rather than examine the public’s concerns, the plans’ inconsistencies or the sheer irresponsibility of trying to ram something this big and complicated through Congress without a small-scale trial, the Obama administration is pointing fingers. Lots of them. Most of the targets are just plain silly.
1. Conservative groups
When liberal activists, including trade unions, Acorn and MoveOn.org, protested against anything and everything President George W. Bush said or did, it was called grassroots democracy.
When conservative groups encourage supporters to attend town hall meetings and make their sentiments known to their congressmen, it’s un-American, disruptive and the work of right- wing extremists. "
Here's one good point, among many:
"Rather than examine the public’s concerns, the plans’ inconsistencies or the sheer irresponsibility of trying to ram something this big and complicated through Congress without a small-scale trial, the Obama administration is pointing fingers. Lots of them. Most of the targets are just plain silly.
1. Conservative groups
When liberal activists, including trade unions, Acorn and MoveOn.org, protested against anything and everything President George W. Bush said or did, it was called grassroots democracy.
When conservative groups encourage supporters to attend town hall meetings and make their sentiments known to their congressmen, it’s un-American, disruptive and the work of right- wing extremists. "
Saturday, August 15, 2009
From Our Dear Leader, M.D.
"And finally — this is important — we will require insurance companies to cover routine checkups and preventive care, like mammograms and colonoscopies — (applause) — because there’s no reason we shouldn’t be catching diseases like breast cancer and prostate cancer on the front end. That makes sense, it saves lives; it also saves money — and we need to save money in this health care system."
(If he thinks his colonoscopy is helping detect prostate cancer, he needs to change doctors.)
Even if one overlooks that amateurish fumble, his argument still doesn’t make sense. The current system does better at providing those screening tests than the Canadian and British systems Obama admires so much. The Hoover Institute had the numbers almost two weeks ago:
(If he thinks his colonoscopy is helping detect prostate cancer, he needs to change doctors.)
Even if one overlooks that amateurish fumble, his argument still doesn’t make sense. The current system does better at providing those screening tests than the Canadian and British systems Obama admires so much. The Hoover Institute had the numbers almost two weeks ago:
Nine out of ten middle-aged American women (89 percent) have had a mammogram, compared to fewer than three-fourths of Canadians (72 percent).
Nearly all American women (96 percent) have had a Pap smear, compared to fewer than 90 percent of Canadians.
More than half of American men (54 percent) have had a prostatespecific antigen (PSA) test, compared to fewer than one in six Canadians (16 percent).
http://hotair.com/archives/2009/08/14/obamateurism-of-the-day-97/
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
http://community.detnews.com/apps/blogs/henrypayneblog/index.php?blogid=2041
http://community.detnews.com/apps/blogs/henrypayneblog/index.php?blogid=2041
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Sen. Debbie Stabenow, Energy Leader (National Review, 08.10.09)
Detroit, Mich. - Michigan just experienced its coldest July on record; global temperatures haven't risen in more than a decade; Great Lakes water levels have resumed their 30-year cyclical rise (contrary to a decade of media scare stories that they were drying up due to global warming), and polls show that climate change doesn't even make a list of Michigan voters' top-ten concerns.
Yet in an interview with the Detroit News Monday, Senator Debbie Stabenow (D., Mich.) - recently appointed to the Senate Energy Committee - made clear that fighting the climate crisis is her top priority.
"Climate change is very real," she confessed as she embraced cap and trade's massive tax increase on Michigan industry - at the same time claiming, against all the evidence, that it would not lead to an increase in manufacturing costs or energy prices. "Global warming creates volatility. I feel it when I'm flying. The storms are more volatile. We are paying the price in more hurricanes and tornadoes."
And there are sea monsters in Lake Michigan. I can feel them when I'm boating.
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Sen. Debbie Stabenow, Energy Leader (National Review, 08.10.09)
Detroit, Mich. - Michigan just experienced its coldest July on record; global temperatures haven't risen in more than a decade; Great Lakes water levels have resumed their 30-year cyclical rise (contrary to a decade of media scare stories that they were drying up due to global warming), and polls show that climate change doesn't even make a list of Michigan voters' top-ten concerns.
Yet in an interview with the Detroit News Monday, Senator Debbie Stabenow (D., Mich.) - recently appointed to the Senate Energy Committee - made clear that fighting the climate crisis is her top priority.
"Climate change is very real," she confessed as she embraced cap and trade's massive tax increase on Michigan industry - at the same time claiming, against all the evidence, that it would not lead to an increase in manufacturing costs or energy prices. "Global warming creates volatility. I feel it when I'm flying. The storms are more volatile. We are paying the price in more hurricanes and tornadoes."
And there are sea monsters in Lake Michigan. I can feel them when I'm boating.
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