Boehner and Obama Debt Limit Negotiations

Posted on July 22, 2011 | 18 comments

The Hill is reporting that Boehner has ended negotiations with the White House over raising the debt limit ceiling:

House Republican leaders have called off negotiations with the White House over a broad deficit-reduction deal tied to an increase in the federal debt limit and will begin exclusive talks with Senate leaders to avert a government default on Aug. 2, Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) announced Friday.

Boehner told House Republicans in a letter that President Obama is “adamant” about raising taxes and would not agree to “fundamental changes” to entitlement programs.

This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone.  Obama’s time in the Oval office to date is nothing but speeches that say one thing followed by policy that does another.  To have thought that Obama was serious when he claimed he was willing to cut spending, reform medicare and social security is wishful thinking at best

There isn’t a bone in Barack’s body that’s willing to reduce government spending.  The whole of his life has been spent enlarging government for the benefit of the “less fortunate”.  I’m convinced Obama can’t envision a world where government shrinks.  And reforming the entitlement programs?  HA!  If he speaks about reforming ’em, he isn’t talking about it in the way that you and I would reform ’em.  In his mind those reforms take the shape of ADDING to the revenue side to reduce the deficit of the programs.  Again, there is simply no way this man will shrink that aspect of government either.

There is no way that Obama means “spending cut” in any way that resembles reality as it relates to the common everyday American.

So, the fact that Boehner walked on him is the most positive thing that’s happened in a week.  Or weeks, for that matter.

With only 1 week before the government shuts down, it looks like we’re facing exactly that; a shutdown.  And judging by the reaction in Minnesota, namely — who cares? — and the fact that the Democrat gave in and accepted the Republican’s deal, I say let ‘er go.

America is fed up with the spending and it’s time we address it.

18 Comments

Posted in Economy, Government, Politics: National

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Two For One

Posted on July 22, 2011 | 2 comments

I posted on an earlier story about media bias.  However the main point of the story was missed in the bias stuff; the fact that the US government lost $1.3 billion.

THAT is a lot of money.

Gone.

Flushed.

Never to be seen again.

But the government bailing out the auto industry was a good idea, right?

2 Comments

Posted in Economy, Politics: National

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Two ‘Fer

Posted on July 22, 2011 | 5 comments

Media bias.

I don’t like getting caught up in what is and what isn’t “bias”.  For one, I don’t like the partisan sniping.  And two, I think that journalists think they are being honest.  So whatch’a gonna do?

So, I don’t usually put much merit in the idea that Fox is biased right [no shit] or that MSNBC is biased Left [ again, no shit ].  But what I DO find interesting is where news is buried.

Check this out:

Continue reading →

5 Comments

Posted in Government, Politics: National

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Good Intentions: Where They Lead

Posted on July 21, 2011 | 1 comment

Immigration.

Boy, talk about a word that conjurers up a ton of emotions.

On the one hand, we have stories of “Irish Need Not Apply”.  On the other, heroic remembrances of a time gone by when determined folks would walk off a ship with barely a nickel to their name.  And die rich.

And now…well, now we have newscasts of drug runners, cartels and coyotes.  Fences and tunnels, arms deals and drug wars.

Ugly stuff this.  To be sure.

But when the drama and the histrionics have past and we have boiled away all that isn’t really truly important, what are we left with?  To me, in it’s simplest form, we are left with one single human being wanting to make a better life for himself.  His family.

We are left with that most American story of boots and straps and pull.  We cheer for the individualist.  We build a culture that applauds that individual.  And rewards him with adoration and, perhaps, wealth.

To me, that’s the American Dream.

Continue reading →

1 Comment

Posted in Immigration, Liberty, Politics: International, Politics: National, Raising Men

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A Win Win

Posted on July 20, 2011 | 9 comments

Geese are dirty animals.  And they breed like rabbits.  And where they intersect with humans, they are a nuisance.

And they are protected by the Federal Government [which means, by the way, that a goose has more federal protection than an unborn child.  But I digress.]  And because they are protected by the Federal Government, you can’t just shoot ’em like you can shoot a raccoon or a skunk or a rabbit.

So, only by complaining to said Federal Government can action be taken:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Tuesday euthanized 20 of the approximately 100 animals in the Woodlake subdivision in southwest Durham after residents complained their neighborhood had become overpopulated.

The Canada geese were a nuisance, residents say, leaving feces in yards, walking trails, lakes and other public areas, including the neighborhood pool.

Now, to be sure, we are not talking about threatening the population of the geese:

The USDA says that as of 2006, there were 97,000 Canada geese in the state.

The population has increased exponentially over the past 40 years. In 1970, there were approximately 250,000 resident Canada geese in the U.S. By 2010, that number jumped to 3.5 million.

We’re just talking about too many geese.  Perhaps to the point that the population is a threat to itself.

Anyway, I promised a win win.

How about instead of protecting the geese to the point of over population, we do what other people who are hungry do–and hunt the geese for food?

9 Comments

Posted in Government, Politics: North Carolina

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Dear Valued Employee, Thank You For “X” Years Of Service

Posted on July 20, 2011 | 2 comments

We’ve all been on the receiving end of that letter.  The CEO of the company “sends” you the letter that officially congratulates you on the number of years of service to the company.  The big years fall on the “Fives”; 10-15-20 etc.

The whole idea of this is that of reward.  Recognition that you have been able to contribute to the viability of the company for those 15 or so years.  And the further up you go, the larger the recognition that you actually “survive”.  And, further, that the company “survived” as well.

See, each of us has a relationship with our employer.  We stay employed as long as these conditions are met:

  1. The burden of going to the office and giving up 40 hours a week is overcome by the amount of money and other benefits I get from the firm.
  2. The burden of compensating the employee is overcome by the productivity they give the firm.

That is, it has to be worth it to both the employee AND the employer.  When it no longer satisfies those criteria; separation occurs.

Continue reading →

2 Comments

Posted in Government, Idiots on Parade, Politics: National

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Minnesota Vikings Fail

Posted on July 20, 2011 | 4 comments

I recently posted about the fact that just because a person or group of persons are horrible at a thing doesn’t mean that they aren’t that thing.  My context was, of course, the Leftist President Obama, but I used the Pittsburgh Pirates to illustrate my point.

Just because the Pittsburgh Pirates haven’t had a winning season in 18 years doesn’t mean they not a baseball team.  It means that they are a SHITTY baseball team.

Not surprisingly, this rankled long time [?] reader [actually I’m surprised ANYONE reads this 😉 ] and friend of mine who correctly pointed out in the comment section:

just because the Vikings havent won a super bowl doesn’t mean they aren’t a football team, just means they’re a shitty one.

Turns out she’s right:

Science validates experience: Vikings are hardest local team for fans to root for, says study

The numbers on this one probably didn’t need crunching, but a business publication went ahead and did it anyway: Your Minnesota Vikings are the most difficult of the four major pro teams in the Twin Cities for which to cheer.

It appears as though the criteria was based primarily on wins and losses in the past decade — not heartbreak, off-field shenanigans or the emotional wringer of QBs who just like to have fun out there — which makes the Vikings’ victory more impressive.

From the Business Journal:

The Vikings ranked as the 30th most difficult team to cheer for among all of the 122 teams in the four major professional sports after finishing seventh among the NFL’s 32 teams. That was the highest mark among local teams, and this is one list where you don’t want to be at the top. On Numbers based its rankings on the principle that a perennial loser is harder to root for than team that consistently wins.

Ouch!

Truly, the Vikings are AWESOME at sucking.

However, I do feel better:

The Wolves ranked 37th overall, the Wild 56th and the Twins 76th. The Washington Nationals were the hardest team to root for — finishing slightly ahead of the Detroit Lions.

It makes me feel a little bit better about the prospect of sending the “Christian” to the “Lions”!

Groan.

4 Comments

Posted in Fun

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On All Things Redistributive

Posted on July 20, 2011 | 5 comments

This is good stuff.

Call ’em what ya want, but businessmen are good at business.  Usually that is.  See, the system tends to flush the poor ones out.  Now, to be sure, there are exceptions, even notable ones.  And there are even cases where men and women have done well for a very long time only to stumble later on.

Say what’cha will.  But one thing is for sure.  Business is in the business of making money.  And for all of us, that is a most wonderful thing.

That is the thing that brings us I-Pods, Phones and Pads.

This is what gives us blueberries in January and corn on the cob in April.  French wine, Swiss chocolate and German sausage all in one safe well lit air conditioned warehouse.

But I digress.  These people are in it to win it.  And God help the man that gets in the way of that.

Continue reading →

5 Comments

Posted in Economy, Politics: National

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Wherein Barack Obama Channels George Dubya Bush

Posted on July 19, 2011 | 6 comments

Remember when Barack Obama was against all that Bush was for?

Debt limit being raised?  Against it.  [Though to be fair, every single Democrat in the Senate, every single one, voted against it.  And I suspect now that each and every one will vote FOR it.  Again, in the spirit of fairness, every single Republican also voted FOR it.  Sill y business hits.]

War in Iraq?  Against it.

Gitmo?  Against it.

Rendition?  Against it.

And now this one.  Libya.

Continue reading →

6 Comments

Posted in Diplomacy, Liberty, Politics: International

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Banks Report Loss: Barack Obama at 11:00

Posted on July 19, 2011 | 7 comments

Barack Obama has refined the art of turned profit making into an evil horrible endeavor.

If you are a bank that makes money, you are the evil rich taking advantage of middle class America, who is suffering through the worst recession since the flood.

Oil company?  Corporate greed destroying the planet all the while taking billions in tax payer money to fund their record breaking profits*.

It never ends.  Well, actually, it does.  It ends when Obama actually LIKE a company and would enjoy that company to reap profits.  Like windmill farms, battery corporations and other green firms that go bankrupt in months after Obama comes calling.

After the recession ended and the banks began to report their earnings, Obama was on the news reporting their profits.  “Record breaking and excessive.”

I expect that he’ll be on the same bully pulpit expressing concern for our brothers on Wall Street:

Bank of America reported a second-quarter net loss of $8.8 billion, or 90 cents a share, against a profit of $3.1 billion, or 27 cents a year ago. Economists had forecast a loss of 85 cents a share.

$8.8 billion.  That’s “illion” with a “B”!

I don’t expect Obama to announce this or perhaps even notice this.  But I find it interesting and even irritating that he continues class warfare even as that class he hates drives, or tries to drive, our economy.

7 Comments

Posted in Economics, Economy, Politics: National

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