Erick Erickson's Blog, page 151

Morning Briefing for May 31, 2011

RedState Morning Briefing

For May 31, 2011

Go to www.RedStateMB.com to get
the Morning Briefing every morning at no charge.

1. Thank Speaker Boehner for Blocking Obama Recess Appointments

2. Washington is Broken, and Needs Leadership. Where is President Obama?

3. The Foreseeable Consequence of the "Arab Spring"

4. Everything you need to know about #Weinergate

5. Cut, Cap, and Balance

6. George Soros wants your Internet, and the Democrats are peddling online censorship, and Ryan Giggs is still an adulterer

7. Mitt Romney Still Loves His Ethanol, Especially in Iowa

8. Chris Christie's Time to Run

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1. Thank Speaker Boehner for Blocking Obama Recess Appointments

You need to call Speaker Boehner's office right now at 202-225-0600 and thank him for the extraordinary step he took this week to slow down President Obama's radical agenda.

With the Obama legislative agenda stalled, the left has turned its attention toward using the Executive power to accomplish their socialist goals. The key to this strategy is to the pack agencies, boards, and commissions such as the National Labor Relations Board and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, with leftists like Craig Becker and Elizabeth Warren who will advance the collectivist agenda, regardless of whether there is any legal authority to do so.

The Senate has blocked several of the more radical nominees, but under the Constitution, President Obama has the power to appoint them during a Congressional recess.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

2. Washington is Broken, and Needs Leadership. Where is President Obama?

From Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI)

Last week Treasury Secretary Geithner said: "Our plan is for Congress to pass the debt limit. Our fallback plan is for Congress to pass the debt limit, and our fallback to the fallback plan is for Congress to pass the debt limit." Is he in a state of denial?

Based on what I've seen in Washington, it is extremely dangerous to assume the debt ceiling will get raised without first passing significant debt and deficit controls. America just might need a REAL Plan B. Is the Administration preparing one?

For over 31 years, I've been building a manufacturing business in Oshkosh, Wisconsin with hundreds of good, hardworking, taxpaying Americans. During that entire time, I have watched government steadily grow, increasing its control over our lives, heaping trillions of dollars of regulations on our businesses, fostering a culture of entitlement and dependency, mortgaging the future of our children and grandchildren, and driving America toward national bankruptcy.

I've been here in Washington for 5 months now, and I am more convinced than ever that our political and budget process is horribly broken.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

3. The Foreseeable Consequence of the "Arab Spring"

We've been skeptical of the so-called Arab Spring since the very beginning. Months ago we pointed out that the Muslim Brotherhood was assuming a leadership role in the demonstrations and the follow on ruling claque. Given the general state of political development in the Arab we were doubtful that anything favorable, or even desirable, would emerge from street demonstrations taking place in societies where there is no legal political opposition.

Now we have an idea of what the Arab Spring will look like.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

4. Everything you need to know about #Weinergate

Congressman Anthony Weiner sent a picture of his . . . well . . . his eponymous male member of his body . . . to a college coed in Seattle. He was, at least, wearing underwear. The girl he sent the pic to had said online a while back they were dating, though the Congressman is married.

Only after Andrew Breitbart and friends pointed out that a married Democrat member of congress named Weiner had sent a picture of his . . . well . . . his weiner to a college coed in Seattle, the congressman claimed his account had been hacked. But then when asked why he deleted all the evidence in a hurry and has not reported the matter to either the FBI or Capitol Police, he decided it was a "prank" not a "hack" and he would get a lawyer instead.

He and the coed have been busily deleting everything they possibly could about themselves online ever since. The congressman's wife works for Hillary Clinton.

Neil Stevens has a take down of the affair and a good overview of why it was not a hack. Moe Lane has more.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

5. Cut, Cap, and Balance

As you probably have heard by now, the United States has reached its statutory debt limit, and the Treasury Department each day performs "extraordinary measures" to prevent the federal government from having to make any real choices to reduce debt or prioritize spending.

As of right now, only one entity on Capitol Hill has put forward a serious, robust plan to truly reform the way Washington budgets and spends taxpayer dollars, so that we never again hit the debt ceiling. It's the U.S. House Republican Study Committee (RSC)—and the plan is called "Cut, Cap, and Balance."

Please click here for the rest of the post.

6. George Soros wants your Internet, and the Democrats are peddling online censorship, and Ryan Giggs is still an adulterer

Have you ever noticed that the Soros-funded left never refers to Sprint Nextel by the firm's full name? They only talk about Sprint. You know why? If they say Sprint Nextel, it'll remind everyone that when #3 Sprint and #4 Nextel merged, wireless competition, prices, and service all improved. If you remember that fact, they think you might make the "wrong" predictions about #2 AT&T and #4 T-Mobile merging, creating a better threat to Verizon, improving competition, service, and prices.

But the whole Sprint/George Soros Unholy Alliance is all about deception. Soros-funded groups like Public Knowledge know nothing else. So says Mike Wendy: "they do great damage to the integrity of the review process, which ultimately harms the American consumer." And so says Seton Motley: "The "public interest" is best served by what the public is interested in. And the public – the consumers, the people – aren't at all interested in what Free Press, Public Knowledge and Media Access Project have to offer."

Please click here for the rest of the post.

7. Mitt Romney Still Loves His Ethanol, Especially in Iowa

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.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

8. Chris Christie's Time to Run

Let me put an editorial note here that this is not in any way, shape, or form an endorsement of Chris Christie. It is, rather, my assessment of his chances for the Presidency should he choose to pass on 2012.

The governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie, claims he has no intention of running for president in 2012. I believe that 2012 is the only time Chris Christie will be a highly viable candidate. Should Chris Christie not run in this presidential cycle, I believe this will be the last we will hear of Chris Christie for President.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

Memorial Day 2011

HEADQUARTERS GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC

General Orders No.11, WASHINGTON, D.C., May 5, 1868

The 30th day of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet church-yard in the land. In this observance no form of ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit.

We are organized, comrades, as our regulations tell us, for the purpose among other things, "of preserving and strengthening those kind and fraternal feelings which have bound together the soldiers, sailors, and marines who united to suppress the late rebellion." What can aid more to assure this result than cherishing tenderly the memory of our heroic dead, who made their breasts a barricade between our country and its foes? Their soldier lives were the reveille of freedom to a race in chains, and their deaths the tattoo of rebellious tyranny in arms. We should guard their graves with sacred vigilance. All that the consecrated wealth and taste of the nation can add to their adornment and security is but a fitting tribute to the memory of her slain defenders. Let no wanton foot tread rudely on such hallowed grounds. Let pleasant paths invite the coming and going of reverent visitors and fond mourners. Let no vandalism of avarice or neglect, no ravages of time testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten as a people the cost of a free and undivided republic.

If other eyes grow dull, other hands slack, and other hearts cold in the solemn trust, ours shall keep it well as long as the light and warmth of life remain to us.

Let us, then, at the time appointed gather around their sacred remains and garland the passionless mounds above them with the choicest flowers of spring-time; let us raise above them the dear old flag they saved from hishonor; let us in this solemn presence renew our pledges to aid and assist those whom they have left among us a sacred charge upon a nation's gratitude, the soldier's and sailor's widow and orphan.

It is the purpose of the Commander-in-Chief to inaugurate this observance with the hope that it will be kept up from year to year, while a survivor of the war remains to honor the memory of his departed comrades. He earnestly desires the public press to lend its friendly aid in bringing to the notice of comrades in all parts of the country in time for simultaneous compliance therewith.

Department commanders will use efforts to make this order effective.

By order of

JOHN A. LOGAN,

Commander-in-Chief

N.P. CHIPMAN,

Adjutant General

Official:

WM. T. COLLINS, A.A.G.

The Autopen and More #EERS

Tonight on the Erick Erickson Show — the autopen and the absent President. It is a fitting metaphor for the President of the United States who seems to view himself as an extraordinary man in charge of an ordinary nation.

We'll hash that out and more tonight on the show beginning at 7:05 p.m.

Also, tonight is a free for all Friday night and you can call in about anything. RedState readers are more than welcome to call in particularly on Friday nights. The phone number is 1-800-WSB-TALK and you can listen live at http://wsbradio.com.

Consider this an open thread.

Cut, Cap, and Balance

As you probably have heard by now, the United States has reached its statutory debt limit, and the Treasury Department each day performs "extraordinary measures" to prevent the federal government from having to make any real choices to reduce debt or prioritize spending.

As of right now, only one entity on Capitol Hill has put forward a serious, robust plan to truly reform the way Washington budgets and spends taxpayer dollars, so that we never again hit the debt ceiling.  It's the U.S. House Republican Study Committee (RSC)—and the plan is called "Cut, Cap, and Balance."

The RSC, led by Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), articulates its Cut, Cap, and Balance plan in a letter, soon to be sent to House leadership (I'm told they have 90 signatures on the letter so far but are still gathering more). In the letter, they first state unequivocally that they will not vote for a debt-ceiling increase without accompanying cuts and reforms, saying, "…if we do not reverse the out-of-control spending that has led us here, it would be grossly irresponsible for us to extend the limit on the national credit card."

Exactly right.

Then the RSC makes its demands:

Americans deserve immediate spending cuts that demonstrate that we are charting a swift path toward a balanced budget.  We must implement discretionary and mandatory spending reductions that would cut the deficit in half next year.
To ensure that spending cuts continue, we need statutory, enforceable total-spending caps to reduce federal spending to 18% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), with automatic spending reductions if the caps are breached–an approach taken in a bill by Rep. Mack and in another bill by Reps. Kingston, Flake, and Graves.
To fundamentally and permanently reform the way that Washington budgets and spends, we must send to the states a Balanced Budget Amendment (BBA) with strong protections against federal tax increases and including a Spending Limitation Amendment (SLA) like the statutory spending caps described above.  Rep. Joe Walsh has introduced a BBA with a spending limit provision (H.J.Res. 56) that has already earned the support of 47 Republican senators.

In short: Cut, Cap, and Balance.

Learn more about this plan at the website http://www.cutcapbalance.com/, and let's help our friends at the RSC build more support for it.

Chris Christie's Time to Run

Let me put an editorial note here that this is not in any way, shape, or form an endorsement of Chris Christie. It is, rather, my assessment of his chances for the Presidency should he choose to pass on 2012.

The governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie, claims he has no intention of running for president in 2012. I believe that 2012 is the only time Chris Christie will be a highly viable candidate. Should Chris Christie not run in this presidential cycle, I believe this will be the last we will hear of Chris Christie for President.

I think Chris Christie is going to all have a very difficult time winning reelection in New Jersey in 2013. By then, New Jersey's debt and economic problems will still be large, even if Chris Christie is successful in this term. Likewise, we can expect a more concerted and unified effort among Democrats and allies like unions than we saw even in 2009. Given New Jersey's nature as a Democrat leaning state, I think Christie will have a hard time getting reelected. Were he to lose, it would be three years before the next presidential election making it even harder for Chris Christie to be seen as a viable presidential candidate.

But let's assume that Chris Christie does win reelection. The buzz surrounding Chris Christie right now largely exists in the vacuum of another high-profile governor who could run for office. Should Sarah Palin or Rick Perry enter the race, the Christie buzz would be significantly tapped down.

Remember as well that the viability of a Chris Christie candidacy in 2016 is premised on the fact that the Republicans do not win the White House in 2012. I actually think Republicans will win in 2012, and should they, Chris Christie will not be a viable candidate against an incumbent Republican president in 2016.

To continue the argument about Chris Christie's future viability, we must assume that a Republican does not win in 2012 and Barack Obama is reelected. Assuming that, we must first take out the major Chris Christie buzz of this year which is largely premised on the perceived lack of a high-profile, stellar candidate. Push Chris Christie into the 2016 cycle and he is confronted with a field of candidates including potentially governors from New Mexico, Nevada, Louisiana, South Carolina, Texas, and, should their popularity recover, Florida and Ohio.

In that list of potential candidates for 2016, Chris Christie's record in New Jersey may not stack up as well. Likewise, we should not dismiss the fact that much of Chris Christie's popularity comes from YouTube videos done rather well by his staff. Very few have done a detailed examination of Chris Christie's record and how it matches up to his rhetoric. Should he be found wanting on the rhetoric to record ratio, it would be another dent in his armor.

Notwithstanding that, looking at his potential rivals in 2016, Christie is by no means a sure win and, will in fact, be not nearly as fresh a face on the scene as many of the other governors on the list. Additionally, should the Democrats really perceive Chris Christie to be a threat, they can spend the next several years working to undermine his credibility in New Jersey to negatively affect with Republican primary voters nationwide.

I have always thought the greatest incentive for Chris Christie to run for president is the lack of a high-profile, stellar Republican candidate in 2012. Had we a rock star this time, the Christie buzz would largely dissipate because he's not even a one term governor. If the Republicans win in 2012, his viability in 2016 goes away entirely and if the Republicans lose in 2012, he still must winning reelection in New Jersey and then enter into a potentially crowded Republican field in 2016 with much fresher faces who will arguably have much better records as governors simply because they were not governor of a state like New Jersey.

Therefore, should Chris Christie wish to run for president ever, I believe he better reconsider 2012 rather quickly.

Morning Briefing for May 27, 2011

RedState Morning Briefing

For May 27, 2011

Go to www.RedStateMB.com to get
the Morning Briefing every morning at no charge.

1. Why Conservatives should oppose The NAT GAS Act

2. Did Union Bosses Lie To Their Members About Obama's Gun Control Ambitions?

3. The Medicare Crisis is Here

4. Obama Calls for 'Patience and Persistence' on his Unapproved, Directionless War in Libya

5. Good News / Bad News for Debbie Wasserman Schultz!

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1. Why Conservatives should oppose The NAT GAS Act

HR 1380, otherwise known as the "NAT GAS Act", is bipartisan legislation (sponsored by 105 Democrats, 83 Republicans) supported by billionaire T. Boone Pickens that would provide billions of dollars in tax incentives for the production and use of natural gas vehicles. Several fiscal conservatives in the House have been duped into thinking this is a good bill but I hope that they immediately withdraw their names as co-sponsors. Putting aside the fact that market-distorting tax credits destroy the system of free enterprise, and are opposed by the Club for Growth, I wanted to highlight one specific part of the bill.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

2. Did Union Bosses Lie To Their Members About Obama's Gun Control Ambitions?

In 2008, most union bosses had to work hard to convince their union members to vote for Barack Hussein Obama. Despite the fact that the Machinists' union boss Tom Buffenbarger considered Obama a "thespian" and "Janus, the two-faced Roman god of ancient times," others union bosses like the SEIU's Andy Stern were wholly on board the Obama bandwagon early on. Another of Obama's major supporters was the AFL-CIO's Richard Trumka, who told union members that they were racists if they did not vote for Obama.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

3. The Medicare Crisis is Here

For years now, the American people have been treated to a single response from Democrat lawmakers and executives when it comes to reforming our bloated, foundering retirement programs: There Is No Crisis. That's been the mantra of Barack Obama, Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, and many other Democrats since George W. Bush attempted to stave off the collapse of the taxpayer-funded retiree safety net - the crisis isn't here yet, so it's certainly no time to act! Heaven forbid that action would be taken in advance, so as to avert an impending crisis; after all, we all know that the truly wise build their ark after the rains begin, rather than before.

The fact is, the crisis is here - particularly for Medicare, which is so far underwater it would take several United States' to pay off just what is owed right now to those who have already paid into the system (and who are therefore owed benefits at some point). As usual, though, the Democrats - who, as the owners of the Senate and the White House have the responsibility to act or to accept the justified blame for system collapse - are not only covering their ears and eyes and declaring that no crisis exists, but are attempting to demonize any who dare point out fiscal and medical reality while scaring seniors into voting Democrat lest they be thrown off cliffs by evil, murderous Republicans (yes, the same evil, murderous Republicans who "want you dead" so they can "make money off your corpse," and whose "health care plan is [for people to] die quickly").

Please click here for the rest of the post.

4. Obama Calls for 'Patience and Persistence' on his Unapproved, Directionless War in Libya

Let me begin with a moment of candor: I'd honestly be surprised if a majority of the American people even know that America is at war in Libya. I'd be far more surprised if any significant number of Americans know that our self-declared unitary executive has disregarded his legal requirement to secure approval from Congress in order to continue his war beyond the already-passed 60 day mark, which passed by a week ago.

That's right: Obama's "kinetic military action" in Libya (which you may or may not have heard of; he finally broke several weeks' silence on the topic in the last few days) is now in its third month, with no end or clear goal in sight. This isn't much of a surprise to anybody whose been paying attention, of course — save for the President and his inner circle, who apparently believed that a few Tomahawks and F-15E sorties would have a 42-year dictator running for the hills in abdication within mere days, and who seem stunned that the NATO airstrikes being carried out on behalf of…well, of the not-Qaddafi side haven't yet resulted in an end to this civil war.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

5. Good News / Bad News for Debbie Wasserman Schultz!

The bad news: she didn't realize that she was calling members of her own party 'anti-woman' before she started screaming to The Weekly Standard's John McCormack about how people who voted to defund Planned Parenthood are anti-woman!

Please click here for the rest of the post.

Jon Kyl and Mitch McConnell Are Whipping Colleagues to Oppose Gun Protections

I just received an email that Senator Jon Kyl sent out the below email to colleagues urging them to oppose a Rand Paul amendment to the PATRIOT Act that would protect gun rights.

The GOP in the Senate is encouraging colleagues to oppose this and, humorously, is doing nothing to take a stand on Paul Ryan's budget other than encouraging moderates to oppose it.

With friends like these . . .

The email is below. Note that the NRA has decided to, yet again on a matter involving the second amendment, sit on the fence.

"Senator Kyl wanted your boss to be aware of a possible firearms amendment that could be voted on today as part of an amendment agreement on the PATRIOT Act. Senator Kyl urges your boss to vote NO on the amendment (or YES on a tabling motion, if that is how the vote is structured). It is expected that the vote will be a 60-vote threshold.

Section 215 of the Patriot Act allows the government to obtain a court order for a subpoena of business records and other tangible things in the possession of third parties if the government proves to the court that there is: (1) probable cause that the target of its investigation is involved in international terrorism; and (2) the requested records are relevant to an international terrorism investigation. In addition, to protect records of firearms sales and other sensitive records, the Patriot Act requires that any request to the court for such records must first be approved by either the Director of the FBI himself or one of two other high-level officials. In light of these protections – judicial review, relevance to a legitimate investigation of a person who appears to be involved in terrorism, and high-level approval of any request for such information – it is extremely unlikely that this authority will ever be used to harass lawful gun owners, and, indeed, there is no evidence whatsoever that this authority has ever been abused in any way.

On the other hand, law enforcement has a legitimate need to know if a suspected foreign terrorist operating in this country has sought to or has successfully purchased a firearm. And, in order to protect the secrecy of such investigations and avoid disclosing the fact of the investigation to a suspected terrorist and his confederates, it is often necessary to use Patriot Act authorities, rather than other authorities, to conduct such investigations. Yet under the Paul amendment, for example, had the FBI been investigating Nidal Hasan, who murdered 13 U.S. servicemen at Fort Hood, Texas in 2009, federal agents would have been barred from using section 215 to learn whether Hasan had purchased the guns that he later used to commit that atrocity. The Paul amendment would prevent the United States from ever using Patriot Act authority to determine whether a suspected terrorist has sought to or has purchased a firearm."

If you read that, it sounds reasonable, except that there are procedures in place for the FBI to obtain records that involve judicial review. The PATRIOT Act provision allows the FBI to obtain information on American citizens without any judicial oversight.

Below is Senator Rand Paul's point by point briefing on what his amendment actually does without the heavy does of fear:

Sen. Paul USA Patriot Act Gun Records Amendment?05/25/11

Amendment provides that nothing in the USA Patriot Act overrides the McClure-Volkmer Firearm Owners Protection Act.

• In 1986, Congress enacted the McClure-Volkmer Firearm Owners Protection Act to limit BATFE access to 4473s and other gun records. Such records can only be viewed as part of a "bona fide criminal investigation," in connection with a trace, or pursuant to an annual inspection.?

• Under McClure-Volkmer, the BATFE clearly could not seize every 4473 in the country because of a generalized terrorism investigation.?

• Amendment would make it clear that McClure-Volkmer is still applicable law and was not overturned by USA Patriot Act legislation.

• McClure-Volkmer Firearm Owners Protection Act created a finely balanced system setting out the circumstances under which BATF can have access to gun records, and those circumstances where they are denied access.?

• Gun records can be investigated in connection with a bona fide criminal investigation, a trace, or a routine annual inspection. Negotiations with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms in 1984 went through session after excruciating session in order to arrive at this finely tuned balance -– which post-9/11 legislation inadvertently upset.

Hypothetical: Consider a situation in which Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) goes to the "secret court" (the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or "FISA" court) and argues, without anyone else in the room, that ALL 4473's should be seized as "business records" because they are relevant to a terrorism investigation. Paul amendment prevents this hypothetical scenario from becoming reality.

• How the Patriot Act Inadvertently Changed the Standard for Obtaining Gun Records: Under the Patriot Act, the Government must show that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the records sought are relevant to a terrorism or foreign intelligence investigation.

• This is an extremely low hurdle, and could potentially encompass any and all gun records belonging to most U.S. citizens.

Paul Amendment ensures that this much lower "relevance" standard will not trump the McClure-Volkmer standard for obtaining gun records.

Returning Fire

Given the Democrats' latest ad campaign showing someone throwing grandma off a cliff as the Republican solution to Medicare, I think the Republicans need to respond in kind.

It is clear the Democrats have no plans other than to let Medicare go bankrupt.

I think the Republicans should show a grandmother lying in bed with her son coming home with an oversized prescription bottle that has a pillow in it. "Grandma," he says, "it say to place this over your head."

That amounts to the Democrats solution to healthcare. Instead of saving Medicare, they are happy to let senior citizens' coverage deteriorate to bankruptcy so they canter again impose radical socialist solutions as a fix.

What America Needs NOW

Heh.

Consider this an open thread.

Morning Briefing for May 26, 2011

RedState Morning Briefing

For May 26, 2011

Go to www.RedStateMB.com to get
the Morning Briefing every morning at no charge.

1. The Washington Post Goes All-In On Left Crazy: Welcome Think Tanked!

2. On Zealots and Zealotry

3. The Fight of the Century

4. The Willingness of the Press to Believe Democrat Spin

5. Lee Fang: Math is Hard

6. "Dirty Harry" Moves To Shut Out Pro-Gun Rand Paul Amendment

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1. The Washington Post Goes All-In On Left Crazy: Welcome Think Tanked!

Many of us received a spam email this morning from the Washington Post, announcing they'd hired yet another left-wing thug cheerleader (snazzy uniform optional) for yet another made-up reporting gig that will inevitably degenerate into yet another look-at-the-dirty-racist-conservatives event. After adding Greg "I Think Union Violence Is Progressive" Sargent and Ezra "The Constitution Is, Like, Really Old and Stuff" Klein, and the late Dave "Kyle MacLachlan After Floating Face Down in a Pool for a Day" Weigel, there is simply no way that the Post thinks anyone is buying the act, and is instead catering to a dwindling audience of baby boomers and Gen-Xers who still don't get all this internet stuff, but want to be reassured that Republicans are icky. Hey, with the for-profit college goldmine running dry, the Graham family needs to keep from being roasted alive by the shareholders. If you can sell worthless degrees to poor kids, you can cater to left-wing geezers.

So, a big welcome to Think Tanked! If we're lucky, we'll hardly know you.

The ridiculous part is that, as with the Post's prior additions to its cutting-edge online site — now redesigned to look more like a failing newspaper, but I repeat myself — there is simply no way to disguise the fairly clear left-wing advocacy at work here. Let's start with the press release

Please click here for the rest of the post.

2. On Zealots and Zealotry

I want to spend some time talking about zealots and zealotry. Already, the situation is growing out of hand, and I expect it to get even worse as we head further into campaign season. The Rebecca Mansour situation yesterday was a case in point. I cannot tell you the number of people who read the Daily Caller article and still emailed me under the belief that Ms. Mansour's email account had been hacked. Never mind her admission.

You know what I'm talking about.

Should any of you dare say anything in the slightest way critical of Sarah Palin, you will be savaged, attacked, and bloodied. The same holds true should you say anything critical of Herman Cain, Tim Pawlenty, Mitt Romney, Ron Paul, Mike Huckabee, or any of the other candidates, potential candidates, or also-rans.

This is not unusual, but I think this campaign season is going to be the worst we have seen in a very long time.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

3. The Fight of the Century

Much of the rhetoric coming out of Washington today is, not surprisingly, related to medicare and the impact it had on the special election in New York.

I am of the opinion that it did not have as much impact as other issues, but there is no denying it had some impact. It just wasn't, despite left-wing spin, the foundation of the GOP's disaster.

But, coming out of Washington today, the GOP is wringing its hands saying the public just doesn't understand, the Democrats are demagoguing the issue, and lying.

This, friends, is exactly what the Democrats said about the GOP on healthcare in 2010. The GOP should not reduce itself to repeating the Democrats mistakes or defensive rhetoric.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

4. The Willingness of the Press to Believe Democrat Spin

The press's ready willingness to believe Democrat spin is yet again driven home this morning by the Republican loss in New York last night. Immediately, the press was adopting Democrat spin that this was all about medicare. The press has a history of doing this.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

5. Lee Fang: Math is Hard

Lee Fang's job title at the Center for American Progress is "Researcher". Heh.

Honestly, I'd never heard of this guy until about a month ago, when he made the mistake of thinking he knew something about oil trading, accusing the Koch Brothers of rigging the markets for easy gains. His evidence was, you know, contango. Koch Brothers.

Today Fang attacked the freshman Republican from Arizona's First Congressional District, Paul Gosar. Gosar was at a town hall in his district, discussing, among other things, the Democratic proposal to raise tax rates on the wealthiest Americans.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

6. "Dirty Harry" Moves To Shut Out Pro-Gun Rand Paul Amendment

Remember the sleazy tactics used by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to pass ObamaCare? The secret meetings? The refusal to let the American people see the language? The "amendment tree" used to block Republicans from offering amendments on the floor? The use of a House-passed bill as a vehicle to circumvent Senate procedures?

Well, all of that sleaziness is back in connection with efforts to extend three anti-gun provisions of post-9/11 legislation.

In order to circumvent Kentucky Senator Rand Paul's pro-gun amendment to the bill, Reid has now scuttled the Senate version of the 9/11 extension, tacked everything onto a motion to concur with a House-passed small business bill, and employed a procedure to lock out ALL Republican amendments, including Paul's pro-gun amendment.

Please click here for the rest of the post.