Erick Erickson's Blog, page 164

Paul Clement Resigns From King & Spalding

Paul Clement, former Solicitor General of the United States, is resigning from King & Spalding today. The Atlanta based law firm, which made news a few years ago by representing terrorists in Guantanamo Bay is bailing on representing the United States House of Representatives in defending the Defense of Marriage Act.

Gay-rights agitators attacked the law firm, pledged boycotts of the law firm, etc. and have been successful in driving King & Spalding away from the representation. This, of course, will inspire and embolden gay rights groups that have made a habit of attacking the people and businesses opposed to gay marriage all with the blind eye of the Obama and silence of a sympathetic media.

Clement's letter can be read here.

King & Spalding itself, as Paul Clement notes in his resignation, is betraying the legacy of former U.S. Attorney General Griffin Bell who, in his law school commencement address to his and my alma mater, Mercer University, said, "You are not required to take every matter that is presented to you, but having assumed a representation, it becomes your duty to finish the representation. Sometimes you will make a bad bargain, but as professionals, you are still obligated to carry out that representation."

It is a truly sad day when a firm with a reputation like King & Spaudling's would find it more noble to represent pro bono terrorists out to kill you, me, and them than the United States House of Representatives in defense of a law.

The Media Skirts Past Sarah Palin's Uterus and Truthers in Search of Birthers

There is no need to write ten thousand words to highlight what is perhaps the very best example these days of profound liberal bias in the media.

Andrew Sullivan is now working for the Daily Beast and Newsweek after spending a great deal of time at the Atlantic. No one in the media cares to note that Andrew Sullivan is obsessed with Sarah Palin's uterus and whether Trig Palin once resided there. His obsession amounts to Tourettes on a keyboard coupled with some form of mental illness.

But the media embraces Andrew Sullivan. Harvard Magazine just named him the world's best blogger. Wonkette, the site that used to be slightly funny, followed up on Andrew Sullivan's obsession last week and suggested that Trig Palin is actually the incestuous love child of Todd Palin and his daughter. They also howled with laughter about his Downs Syndrome.

The media yawned.

In 2006, Scripps Howard found that more than half of all Democrats believe George W. Bush was complicit in the September 11th attacks.

The media yawned.

But by God, you suggest Barack Obama might have a problem with his birth certificate and maybe was not born in the United States, and you are liable to have a television news crew on your lawn with a TV shrink explaining how you are nuts and cannot be taken seriously in American society.

We here at RedState have a pretty aggressive zero tolerance policy on birthers, truthers, and Trig Palin haters. Any of them can get banned pretty quickly.

The media? They don't care when it is an attack or ill founded belief by Democrats on Republicans — they just don't want anyone to dare think anything less than Messiah about Barack Obama.

Liars and Lies

Reporters, Democrats, and even some Republicans have begun repeating an infectious lie in the prelude to the debt ceiling debate. Secretary of Treasury Tim Geithner started it off and it has been repeated by reporters in print, on radio, and on television, including Fox News.

The lie is very simple: a failure to raise the debt ceiling will cause a default on American debt.

This is utterly and categorically a lie. Anyone who says otherwise is a liar.

As Senator Pat Toomey noted the other day,

Next year, about 7 percent of all projected federal government expenditures will go to interest on our debt. Tax revenue is projected to cover at least 70 percent of all government expenditures. So, under any circumstances, there will be plenty of money to pay our creditors.

Moreover, as the Congressional Research Service has noted, the Treasury secretary himself has the discretion to decide which bills to pay first in the event that a cash flow shortage occurs.

Nonetheless, the media and Democrats keep repeating the lie. And it is a lie.

Veronique de Rugy and Jason Fichtner chronicled debt ceiling fights in the Washington Times and, from their writing, we can categorically show it to be a lie to claim a failure to raise the debt ceiling will cause a default on American debt obligations.

In 1985, Congress waited nearly three months after the debt limit was reached before authorizing a permanent increase. In 1995, 4 1/2 months passed between hitting the ceiling and congressional action. And in 2002, Congress delayed raising the debt ceiling for three months. In each case, the U.S. and the economy survived.

Not only did the economy survive, but the United States did not default on its debt obligations, the United States did not lose its credit rating, and interest rates did not go up as a result of the default.

To say that failing to raise the debt ceiling will cause a default is a lie and anyone who says it is a liar.

If we fail to raise the debt ceiling and do default, it will not because because of a failure to raise the debt ceiling. It will be because Barack Obama and Tim Geithner chose to default for political gain.

Again, as Senator Toomey points out

[A]s the Congressional Research Service has noted, the Treasury secretary himself has the discretion to decide which bills to pay first in the event that a cash flow shortage occurs. Thus, it is he who would have to consciously, and needlessly, choose to default on our debt if the debt ceiling is not promptly raised upon reaching it. It takes a lot of chutzpah to preemptively blame congressional Republicans for a default only he could cause.

Morning Briefing for April 25, 2011

RedState Morning Briefing

For April 25, 2011

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

1. Liars and Lies

2. Texas Redistricting Plan Punishes Texas Conservatives

3. Behind the Obama Labor Board's Bashing of Boeing is a Case Full of Irony & Union Failure

4. SEIU's populist Cargo Cult plans.

———————————————————————-

1. Liars and Lies

Reporters, Democrats, and even some Republicans have begun repeating an infectious lie in the prelude to the debt ceiling debate. Secretary of Treasury Tim Geithner started it off and it has been repeated by reporters in print, on radio, and on television, including Fox News.

The lie is very simple: a failure to raise the debt ceiling will cause a default on American debt.

This is utterly and categorically a lie. Anyone who says otherwise is a liar.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

2. Texas Redistricting Plan Punishes Texas Conservatives

Texas Redistricting is underway, and a shocking blunder is about to happen in Texas. The Republican majority is about to pass, at the behest of the supposedly Republican Speaker, a redistricting plan that punishes conservative Republicans so badly, it might as well have been a Democratic gerrymander. Coming off the heels of an amazing Republican victory last November, the plan forces Republican incumbents in 8 districts to be paired off, and curiously, many of them are conservatives and freshmen Reps who opposed Speaker Straus.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

3. Behind the Obama Labor Board's Bashing of Boeing is a Case Full of Irony & Union Failure

On Wednesday, when President Obama's union-controlled National Labor Relations Board issued a complaint against the Boeing Company for making a sound business decision to "dual source" its 787 production, it was another blatant example of a government agency run amok. However, while most of the nuts and bolts behind the dispute were detailed here, there are several other, more intricate details behind the NLRB's legally tenuous prosecution of Boeing that are deserving of closer examination—most notably, the union's own culpability behind the decision.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

4. SEIU's populist Cargo Cult plans.

Ben Smith reports that "the Service Employees International Union plans to use its giant political operation to try to build a grass-roots movement of public protest and organization" - which is pretty much all that you have to read of that article, frankly. This is not a slam on Ben; Politico probably doesn't look kindly on one-sentence articles, and writers need to eat. If your employer wants multiple paragraphs, you give your employer multiple paragraphs.

Still, the use of the phrase "plans to use" and "try to build" gives the whole game away. The tacit admission here is that the SEIU (and the rest of Big Labor) doesn't actually have the populist support that the Left routinely plans to have; something that was glaringly put on display in the last few months in Wisconsin. While groups like these do have the ability to dump large numbers of its members into various anti-reform demonstrations (and near-riots), the results were neither successful in accomplishing any sort of meaningful change, nor in becoming self-perpetuating. For an example of the failures in the first category, note the Prosser/Kloppenburg election - particularly, the interesting fact that Kloppenburg received both less outside money than Prosser did, but more big-donor outside money in proportion. For an example of the latter, note the drastically-reduced protester footprint in Madison, now that they are no longer being artificially stimulated.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

The Third Day: Easter 2011

In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.

His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.

He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.

And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.

Matthew 28:1-9

Happy Easter to each and every one of you.

Good Friday on the Radio #EERS

I do not work on Good Friday generally, except RedState, which is much more of a passion than a job.

I made my mind up that, if given the opportunity to have a platform like a radio show, I'd carry over our RedState tradition on Good Friday of having something to fix the mind on what is really important.

Here we use an old, beautiful piece of art and scripture. On the radio, I have something much more. It's not a night for deep theology. But it is a night for big topics and why the world works the way it works.

I highly, highly encourage you to listen to my radio show tonight on WSB Atlanta. In a lot of places you can get it on 750 AM. In metro Atlanta you can also get it on 95.5 FM. If you can't hear it on the radio, you can hear it at http://wsbradio.com.

You can also call in tonight at 1-800-WSB-TALK.

Consider this an open thread.

CBS News' Brian Montopoli is Either Wrong or Lying About the Debt Ceiling

There is a fascinating new poll out about the debt ceiling that Washington politicians should pay attention to.

Just 27 percent of Americans support raising the debt limit, while 63 percent oppose raising it.

Eighty-three percent of Republicans oppose raising the limit, along with 64 percent of independents and 48 percent of Democrats. Support for raising the debt limit is just 36 percent among Democrats, and only 14 percent among Republicans.

Seven in ten who oppose raising the debt limit stand by that position even if it means that interest rates will go up.

But along the way, Brian Montopoli, the reporter, gets something amazingly wrong — so amazing he either does not know what he is talking about or he is lying. In the write up of the poll, Montopoli writes, "If the debt limit is not raised, the United States will default on its bonds for the first time in history."

That simply is not true. In fact it is only true if Barack Obama instructs Tim Geithner to default.

In fact, back in January Pat Toomey pointed out that

The debt service, interest on our debt is about 6 percent of everything the federal government has to pay. So, we would be taking in enough revenue to cover more than 10 times all the interest that we owe. There is no reason we would have to default on our interest obligations.

We will not default on our debt. To say otherwise is a lie or monumental case of bad and lazy reporting.

Good Friday 2011

This year, the anniversary of our Lord's crucifixion falls on the anniversary of Vladimir Lenin's birthday, which is also Earth Day. Some will choose to worship creation today. We choose to worship our Creator.

— Erick, for all of us here on the front page at RedState.

And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.  And sitting down they watched him there;  And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

. . . .

Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.  And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?  Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias.  And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink.

The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.  Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.  And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

The Gospel of Matthew 27:35-37, 45-53

Barack Obama to Round Up the Usual Suspects #EERS

Barack Obama has Eric Holder working on a price gouging panel. I'm sure they'll round up a few businessmen and throw them in jail to show they are doing something about gas prices.

Not that it will lower gas prices.

We'll get into that and the Libya SNAFU tonight on the Erick Erickson Show tonight at 7:05 p.m. You can listen live at http://wsbradio.com and call in at 1-800-WSB-TALK.

Consider this an open thread.

Tomorrow Night

Be sure to tune in tomorrow night for a very special program on the Erick Erickson Show. You won't want to miss it.

Barack Obama's Re-Election Campaign Theme Won't Be Hope and Change, Just Scorched Earth and Fear

Gas prices have more than doubled since Barack Obama took office. His deficit spending makes George Bush look like a rank amateur. 78% of Americans recognize inflation is on the rise. One dollar bill buys less and less. We're a little bit more pregnant in Libya, but just barely. Our foreign policy is rudderless and often against our best interests.

Today comes news that for the first time since the Great Depression, more Americans get government money than give the government money. Americans are dependent on Washington for the livelihoods.

Also out late yesterday, CNS News reports that we will hit the legal limit on the national debt in less than a week. This is surprising news to pretty much everyone. But the data comes from the Treasury Department itself.

This is no way to enter a re-election campaign. Barack Obama cannot run on hope or change. Instead, he is going to run on fear. It is abundantly apparent and confirmed to me by several Democrats who'd know. Barack Obama's re-election strategy will be a scorched earth campaign.

Over the next few months, Barack Obama will seek to define the Republicans as willing to kill the old and young, pass radical legislation, and send us into the league of the third world. "But wait," you say. "Barack Obama has already done that."

In essence, yes. So Obama is not going to run on defending his record. He's going to run on saying that Republicans will be even worse than him and, oh by the way, none of it is his fault.

Barack Obama has largely gotten a pass his whole life. He's never been in a real executive role. By his own admission in his book he was largely a failed community organizer. And now he is failed President.

The only way to hang on to his job is to peddle fear and intimidation of those who'd stand in his way. This is also one reason so many Republicans are waiting to announce their runs. They all know the moment they come out swinging, Obama's union goons and money will savage them.

At the same time, the GOP has yet to mount a successful attack on Obama to make him own high gas, high inflation, declining dollars, and our declining standing in the world. If they don't get out there soon, the hill they have to climb will be even higher.