I Got The Blue Screen Of Death Blues. Again.

It's been a dreary, rainy day, and not just the weather. First, my 'puter sucumbed to the dreaded 'blue screen of death'. Then, to rub salt in that wound, my CrackBerry has been unable to access the network all day. Oh, the angst!

I may not be able to post much for a day or two until this is resolved. Hopefully I'll at least be able to Tweet. See you ASAP, Crumb Crunchers!

Lincoln and Obama: Eerie Similarities

1. Lincoln placed his hand on the Bible for his inauguration. Obama used the same Bible.
2. Lincoln came from Illinois. Obama comes from Illinois.
3. Lincoln served in the Illinois Legislature. Obama served in the Illinois Legislature.
4. Lincoln had very little experience before becoming President. Obama had very little experience before becoming President.
5. Lincoln rode the train from Philadelphia to Washington for his inauguration. Obama rode the train from Philadelphia to Washington for his inauguration.
6. Lincoln was a skinny lawyer. Obama is a skinny lawyer.
7. Lincoln was a Republican. Obama is a skinny lawyer.
8. Lincoln was highly respected. Obama is a skinny lawyer.
9. Lincoln was born in the United States. Obama is a skinny lawyer.
10. Lincoln was called Honest Abe. Obama is a skinny lawyer.

Old Time Gospel Sunday

Late, I know...but this is SO good. At 2:07, Guy Penrod takes the lead and is amazing! I hope you like it, too.

Gaither Vocal Band, 'The King is Coming'

Official Seal of the TOTUS

I so dearly wish I could lay claim to this gem, but I can't. It was masterminded by Mike Moody. Thanks, Mike - this one's a classic!

Republicans Gone Wild: Michigan Congressional Delegation

Say it isn't so....

Michigan has seven Republican members of Congress. Six of them - SIX! - voted in favor of the unconstitutional, retroactive, ridiculous 90% tax on corporate bonuses paid by A.I.G. Only Rep. Thaddeus McCotter had the good sense to see it for what it is.

I wrote yesterday about Congress and the Administration knowing for A YEAR about these bonuses, and how Chris Dodd specifically exempted them from penalties in the SwindleUs bill because they were 'contractual obligations'. Congress has no power or authority to break private contracts.

So what is WRONG with these people? I know some of them personally and I know they are not ignorant. If there is a good excuse for this behavior, I'd love to hear it. Perhaps they're hoping for political cover, counting on the courts to toss this rubbish because it is - and it IS - unconstitutional? That's pretty spineless.

To say I am 'disappointed' in them doesn't begin to describe it. They're breaking my heart. If we can't count on Republicans to vote against this lunacy, we really have no hope of saving America. I'm sure this won't make me very popular with the GOP, but intellectual honesty demands I do more than serve as a cheerleader. My country comes before my party.

I will be contacting Representatives Camp, Ehlers, Hoekstra, Miller, Rogers and Upton to tell them what I just told you. Then I will contact Rep. McCotter's office to thank him for standing alone against the madness. Join me, won't you?

Friday Funnies: TOTUS (Teleprompter of the United States)

These are hilarious. What could be more romantic than a man and his teleprompter enjoying one another's company?

Hat tip: Michelle Malkin

Thursday Morning Jazz Interlude

Michel Legrand, 'You Must Believe In Spring'

Photo Credit: Grammy Cracker

If A.I.G. Stands For "Arrogance, Incompetence & Greed", What Does 'Congress' Stand For?

We now know that the Obamastration knew about A.I.G. bonuses all along. From the San Jose Mercury News:

"AIG disclosed its retention-payment program," bonuses, "more than a year ago, and the amount of the bonuses had been widely reported. But as the payments were coming due in recent days, the White House began to express its indignation."

We know that Sen. Chris Dodd added an amendment to the SwindleUs bill to specifically exempt payments such as retention bonuses from the limits on compensation:

(iii) The prohibition required under clause (i) shall not be construed to prohibit any bonus payment required to be paid pursuant to a written employment contract executed on or before February 11, 2009,

We know Rep. Paul Hodes, speaking at a hearing today, claimed the American people now define 'A.I.G.' to mean Arrogance, Incompetence and Greed.

The Democrat's outrage is pure sophistry, but it got me thinking about an acronym of my own to express what the American people might assume 'Congress' stands for. Here's my conclusion:

Craven
Odious
Narcissistic
Grandstanding
Reprehensible
Egregious
Sanctimonious
Scourge

What do you think, Crumb Crunchers? Have I nailed it?

Wise Guy: P.J. O'Rourke

In the spirit of St. Patrick's Day, here's a taste of the wit and wisdom of P.J. O'Rourke, America's leading political satirist. Formerly the editor of the National Lampoon, he has written for such publications as Car and Driver, Automobile, American Spectator, Playboy, Esquire, Vanity Fair, House and Garden, The New Republic, The New York Times Book Review, Parade, Smart, Harper's, and Rolling Stone. He is now a correspondent for the Atlantic and the H.L. Mencken Research Fellow at the Cato Institute.

"The Democrats are the party that says government will make you smarter, taller, richer, and remove the crabgrass on your lawn. The Republicans are the party that says government doesn't work and then they get elected and prove it."

"Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys."

"Every government is a parliament of whores. The trouble is, in a democracy, the whores are us."

"The mystery of government is not how Washington works but how to make it stop."

All good humor is based on truth. Mr. O'Rourke proves that axiom.

Obama to Vets: You're On Your Own

PrezO has announced a plan to reduce the costs of the Veteran's Administration: make combat-wounded veterans and their private insurance companies pay for the costs of their service-related injuries.

Words fail me here, Crumb Crunchers. Our brave men and women volunteer to protect this country. They endure hardships and deprivation we cannot imagine in the service of America. They are heros - every last one of them - and this is the thanks they get?

Do you grasp the implications here? Suppose you are a wounded vet. You come home, rehabilitate, and then try to find a job and get on with your life....except no one will hire you. Why? Well, because if they do, they will assume the liability for any and all medical bills you have going forward. It won't matter that your injuries were combat-related. No, the Obamastration will expect your employer and his insurance company to assume responsibility for your care.

Do you have a deducible on your health policy? Guess what...you - the honorable American veteran - will have to pay that out of your own pocket. This is beyond outrageous and cannot be tolerated.

Every veterans' group I know of is opposed to this 'plan'. The Disabled American Veterans website has a letter sent to PrezO from numerous veterans' groups opposing this ridiculous idea...see it here. From the letter:

This proposal ignores the solemn obligation that this country has to care for those men and women who have served this country with distinction and were left with the wounds and scars of that service. The blood spilled in service for this nation is the premium that service-connected veterans have paid for their earned care.

Please contact your Representatives, Senators and the White House to express your opposition and let the veterans' groups know you support them. God Bless the American Soldier! We are the Land of the Free BECAUSE of the Brave and we must not allow our country to fail them.



The American Legion
American Veterans (Amvets)
Blinded Veterans Association
Disabled American Veterans
Iraq & Afganistan Veterans of America
Jewish War Veterans of the USA
Military Officers Association of America
Military Order of the Purple Heart
Paralyzed Veterans of America
Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
Vietnam Veterans of America

Top O'the Mornin' To Ya

Here's a light-hearted post for St. Patrick's Day. We have traditional Celtic folk music, the very humorous Bricklayer's Song and the ethereal Celtic Woman version of Dulaman. Enjoy, you little leprechauns; everyone's Irish on St. Patrick's Day!

Celtique, Irish Folk Music

Noel Murphy, 'The Bricklayer's Song'

Celtic Woman, 'Dulaman'

Republicans Gone Wild, Michigan Edition

Americans for Prosperity-Michigan is urging action to stop Michigan Senate Bill SB 45 (text file). Introduced by four Republicans who ought to know better, SB 45 will create a new state bureaucracy for septic tanks and the new fees necessary to sustain it.

Can you believe it? Michigan is in the economic toilet and our politicians are busy with this crap. All puns intended, 'cause I just couldn't make this stuff up, Crumb Crunchers. From AFP's analysis:

Home and business owners would be responsible to pay the fee for these inspections. The cost of new construction would also increase as a result of the additional fee. The taxpayer would also be on the hook to pay for the newly created On-site Wastewater Treatment System Advisory Council and the Alternative System Technical Advisory Committee.

SB 45's sponsors are Sen. Patty Birkholz (R-24), Sen. Jason Allen (R-37), Sen. John Pappageorge (R-13) and Sen. Roger Kahn (R-32). It was referred to the Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee, which Sen. Birkholz chairs. The other members of the committee are Sen. Van Woerkom (VC), Sen. Patterson, Sen. Basham (MVC) and Sen. Gleason.

I will be telling these Senators that SB 45 (PDF file) is solid waste and should be flushed immediately. I hope you will do the same. For more analysis of this bill, see Michigan Votes.

Old Time Gospel Sunday

Wes Hampton & Gaither Homecoming, 'Great Is Thy Faithfulness'

Proof Obama Isn't Jesus?

Thursday Morning Musical Interlude

Usually you will find a jazz post in this time slot, but I'm deviating from that this week to bring you this gem instead...because I like it, it feels right today, and just because I can. Hope you enjoy it!

Joe Satriani, 'Revelation'

Smart Girl: Lady Margaret Thatcher

Lady Margaret Thatcher was the Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1979 to 1990. Her unwavering strength and alliance with the United States and President Reagan were instrumental in winning the Cold War. She is also a very smart 'girl' whose principles and ideas are as relevant today as ever.

"Of course it's the same old story. Truth usually is the same old story."

"To me, consensus seems to be the process of abandoning all beliefs, principles, values and policies. So it is something in which no one believes and to which no one objects."

"If you want to cut your own throat, don't come to me for a bandage."

And finally:

It's passionately interesting for me that the things that I learned in a small town, in a very modest home, are just the things that I believe have won the election.

Humm..now who else does that remind me of?

OmniPork Budget In Trouble?

Well, here I am...out of town, on business, blogging from the hotel instead. What can I say; I'm hooked.

The best news of the day has to be the rapidly failing OmniPork Budget Bill. I happened to hear Congresswoman Jackie Speier (CA-12), a Democrat, on Fox News this morning, expressing her opposition to the bill due to the earmark pork. From her website:

Congresswoman Jackie Speier has asked a prestigious panel of business, labor, community and government leaders to review all requests for funding received by her office for fiscal year 2010. The Citizens Oversight Panel will meet this month in public forums to review applications and hear from applicants before making recommendations to the congresswoman. Long a critic of the federal earmarking process, Speier has not requested any special funding in her ten months in office, instead choosing to study ways to “take the politics out of the appropriations process.”

Thank you, Rep. Speier, for being a voice of reason and defying party pressure to speak out against business as usual in Washington.

Republicans and Democrats are now calling the administration out on this issue. In the Senate, it appears Prince Harry will not get the votes needed for cloture.

This is a very good thing, Crumb Crunchers! Let Congress pass a continuing resolution, take a deep breath, and excise the pork and fat from the budget before passing it. In the meantime, keep planning those Taxpayer Tea Parties. Even if we win this battle, the war against taxpayer abuse will be long and hard-fought.

I'll be back tomorrow. See ya then.

Old Time Gospel Sunday

Ernie Hass and Signature Sound &
The Gaither Vocal Band, 'He Touched Me'

Saturday Morning Cartoon: Obama's Tweets

From our friends at Townhall.com

This Is Poverty In America?

The Los Angeles Times' 'Top of the Ticket' reported on yesterday's visit by First Lady Michelle Obama to a Washington soup kitchen:

First Lady Michelle Obama showed up Thursday as a surprise and welcome volunteer at Miriam's Kitchen, a soup kitchen for homeless poor people not far from the White House.

She brought with her some food donated by White House staff.

Say WHAT? Note to Michelle: If the food came from the White House, the American taxpayer donated it.

The first lady served up mushroom risotto and broccoli to a long line of homeless men and women during part of her lunch hour and in these photos poses for a picture by one homeless diner obviously excited to be in the first lady's presence.

Mushroom risotto? Uh, okay. It doesn't seem like an obvious choice to me and at least it wasn't Kobe beef, but whatever. The real kicker in this sentence is the next phrase. The man in the photo is described as a 'homeless diner' who, before noshing on his mushroom risotto and broccoli, whips out his CELL PHONE CAMERA to take a picture of Michelle O.

To the L.A. Times' credit, their reporter asked some of the same questions I did: If the man is too poor to feed himself, how can he afford a cell phone? If he is homeless, where does the service provider mail the bill? I would add one other question...is the American taxpayer providing him with this 'necessity', too?

Obama said she hoped her service would cause other Americans to volunteer to help the less fortunate in their own communities.

And, of course, such images of need might also help build support for her husband's economic and healthcare reform agenda, although a Miriam's spokeswoman said their average "guest" has been homeless since about the time Barack Obama was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2004.

Eh, images of need? Plump, healthy-looking people with cell phone cameras at the ready wouldn't represent images of poverty to most Americans, Michelle. Will someone get her a clue, please?

Different President, Different Reception

I guess our Marines know who has their backs and who doesn't, eh? Here's what happened when different Presidents met with Marines for a holiday party:

Now watch as each of them addresses a group of Marines:

Hat Tip: The Real Revo

Semper Fi, Ladies and Gentlemen. Obama may not think very highly of your service, but real Americans do. Thank you! Stay safe, and come home soon. God Bless!

Protect Workers' Rights. Stop 'Card Check'.

Please visit the American Solutions web site and sign their 'Freedom Not Fear' petition.
Let's help protect the rights of union workers to a secret ballot in union elections! The Employee Free Choice Act is really the Employee NO Choice Act. Nothing currently prevents people who want a union from organizing and voting for one. The big unions all want this legislation so they can know who votes against unionization. An analysis of the bill's true impact on the employee can be found at the Heritage Foundation.

Thursday Morning Jazz Interlude

A voice like melted buttah.... hope you enjoy this as much as I do.

Kenny Rankin, 'When Sunny Gets Blue'

Wise Guy: Friedrich August von Hayek

F.A. Hayek (1899-1992) was an Austrian political economist who spent much of his life in Britain. In 'The Road to Serfdom' (1944) he portrayed state intervention and collectivism, even in their moderate forms, as inevitably leading to an erosion of liberty. In both Britain and the United States, the book became a text for supporters of laissez-faire and opponents of Keynesian economics and the welfare state for more than three decades in which their views were largely unrepresented in government.

"'Emergencies' have always been the pretext on which the safeguards of individual liberty have been eroded."

"If we wish to preserve a free society, it is essential that we recognize that the desirability of a particular object is not sufficient justification for the use of coercion."

"Perhaps the fact that we have seen millions voting themselves into complete dependence on a tyrant has made our generation understand that to choose one's government is not necessarily to secure freedom.

Hoping Obama Fails

During a speech to CPAC on Saturday, Rush Limbaugh said he "hopes Obama fails", a sentiment he has expressed in the past on his radio show. The righteous indignation from the usual suspects on the political left has been laughable, while the cowed whimpering from some high-profile people on the 'conservative' right has been maddening. I will not apologize for what Rush said; on the contrary. I will agree with him. Unequivocally. Listen up, all you media types and spineless Republican leaders: I hope Obama fails, too.

It hardly requires mentioning that the left spent eight long years hoping, pining and working for George W. Bush to fail. It was patriotic then, remember? Dissent was the highest form of patriotism, but no more. We have the Obamessiah now and dissent will not be tolerated by his acolytes.

I can't speak for Rush (although I think he would agree), but my desire for Obama failures has nothing to do with political retribution or getting even. It's all about my philosophical base. I believe in free men and free markets. I believe that government governs best when it governs least. I believe in low taxes, American ingenuity and God. I believe in free speech, religious expression, bearing arms, states' rights and a Constitutionally limited Republic.

Barack Obama has shown no inclination to any of those principles but rather their ideological opposites. It seems quite natural to me that I should want him to fail. For instance, President Obama wants...

1. ... to cut funding for our military and homeland security. I hope he fails.
2. ... to nationalize our health care system. I hope he fails.
3. ... to silence voices of dissent with the 'Fairness Doctrine'. I hope he fails.
4. ... to fundamentally restructure the American government to Socialism. I hope he fails.
5. ... to fund abortions at any time for any reason anywhere in the world. I hope he fails.
6. ... to enact European-style gun bans and regulations. I hope he fails.

There is more - much more - but I think these few are illustrative. Where his policy initiatives diametrically conflict with my philosophy, I must hope he fails at their implementation.

None of Obama's aims are a surprise to me; I saw it during the campaign. By the way, just for the record, I hoped he would fail then, too. What has been distressing to me is the eager and swift denunciation of Rush Limbaugh by some in the (alleged) conservative ranks. You know who you are, Chairman Steele.

Come on, people...grow a spine. Stand for something other than reelection, will ya? If you really, sincerely hope Barack Obama succeeds at his stated objectives, you are neither conservative nor Republican and you need to change parties. Now.

What's That Smell? Pork.

Operation Twitter Tea Party Check

Operation Twitter Tea Party is urging all taxpayers to send in a faux check and tea bag photo with their tax returns to make a statement to the IRS. Well. Grammy took their suggestion as another reason to play with Photoshop. The result is this 'tea-stained' check from "Ima Taxpayer", payable to the IRS in the amount of 3,270,000,000,000.00 dollars - the Heritage Foundation estimate for the true cost of the SwindleUs Bill.

I left the signature and memo lines blank. Feel free to print this out, sign it and fill in your own memo to the Infernal Revenue Service. That's not a typo.

Old Time Gospel Sunday

Pacific Adventist University Choir, 'Because He Lives'