Erick Erickson's Blog, page 56

Morning Briefing for April 4, 2012

RedState Morning Briefing

For April 4, 2012

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

1. Maybe Paul Ryan Should Have Called It a Trojan Condom Budget

2. Does Obama Know How the Supreme Court Voted?

3. Sherrod Brown Compares GOP Governors to Hitler, Stalin

4. Earmarxists Make Best Case Against Earmarks

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1. Maybe Paul Ryan Should Have Called It a Trojan Condom Budget

Barack Obama spoke to the American press yesterday to demagogue Republicans, Paul Ryan's budget, cite Ronald Reagan as proof that raising taxes is okay, and damn with faint praise American exceptionalism.

The President called Paul Ryan's budget a "trojan horse." Given the President's predilection for forcing all Americans, through regulatory fiat, to adhere to his view of contraception, I suspect that had Paul Ryan preemptively called his budget a 'trojan condom," the President of the United States would be campaigning trying to make us all adhere to it.

One thing that really stuck out at me in his speech yesterday was his statement that his very life and career were made possible because of American exceptionalism. He's right. It's also what makes his public policy choices so maddening.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

2. Does Obama Know How the Supreme Court Voted?

The storm that erupted yesterday when Barack Obama woke up and discovered the Supreme Court of the United States was not only not elected but it could overturn "duly passed" laws, even those passed in the dead of the night by the barest of purchased majorities, has been more than adequately covered on these pages and others by actual lawyers and those who think they are.

I'm pretty sure Obama knows what Marbury v. Madison is, even though yesterday he gave a darned good impression of being a total goober in regards to our Constitution. The simplest explanation is that he knows how the vote went on Friday and is working to change that vote, failing that he is setting the predicate for running against the Supreme Court in November.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

3. Sherrod Brown Compares GOP Governors to Hitler, Stalin

Last year while governors across the Midwest worked to reform broken public union laws, Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) slandered them in a speech that could have easily been written by one of the millionaire "leaders" at SEIU, NEA, or AFSCME.

During one of his stemwinders about the wondrous things unions do, Sherrod dropped a reductio ad Hitlerum on Governor Kasich (OH), Governor Walker (WI), and Governor Christie (NJ).

Please click here for the rest of the post.

4. Earmarxists Make Best Case Against Earmarks

The Republican-controlled House is currently operating under a moratorium on earmarking. But if several GOP earmarxists have their say, this will change in the near future.

Throughout the past decade, most of the arguments against earmarks have been focused on wasteful spending, corruption, cronyism, and self-ingratiating monuments. Robert Byrd's monuments and the Bridge to Nowhere became symbols for such bad behavior. To that end, even some conservative advocates of earmarks have lodged a counterargument. They contend that earmarks are only "pocket change," and that by declining to earmark specific funding bills, we are ceding more power to the Obama administration. In order to preclude any extravagant earmarks and cronyism, they are proposing reforms and limitations to the process that will supposedly put an end to things like the Bridge to Nowhere.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

Hate Mail From a PBS/LA School District Employee

He's a Producer/Director for KLCS-TV/DT, The Education Station. We know because he used his work address.

From: brian.heffron@lausd.net

Subject: Congratulations!

Date: April 3, 2012 4:18:44 PM EDT

To: contact@redstate.com

Congratulations, Gentlemen! (We know that no decent woman would be caught dead in your offices. Right on!) Your site has won the coveted Most Bigoted , Misogynist & Racist Website on the Entire Internet Award!

What a tremendous accomplishment! And you certainly could not have done it without all the many dark and vicious comments from knucklehead commenters on your site who hail from over the southern, former slave state, portion of this great nation!

This singular recognition means you will go down in history as the most intolerant, evil, and backward website ever run by wing nuts who could speak in complete sentences! Keep up the bad work and you will definitely wind up never having any effect at all, none at all, on any issue in our wonderful country! Why? Because as us regular Americans learn more about just how base and moronic your 1% ideas and greedy plans truly are, they will continue to turn their backs on you "republics" in droves!~ Wave bye-bye to the Independent vote and the Hispanic vote, although they may bow to your blustery hatred of emigrants, they will most certainly not vote for your candidate! Even if you pick a Hispanic VP. They'll see right through that, plus Cubans are different from the rest of the Hispanic world, but you would not know any thing at all about a subtlety like that or you wouldn't win this wonderful award!!

No way, Jose! : )

Please send $2000 for your trophy and certificate which depicts a lynching from the good old days!

The Federal Courts Strike Out and NBC Strikes Out #EERS

The 5th Circuit laid the smack down on President Obama today. And NBC doctored 911 tapes in the Trayvon Martin shooting.

I'll delve into it all tonight.

Listen live right here and call in at 1-800-WSB-TALK.

Consider this an open thread.

Attention Members of the Gang of 500

I really continue to be stunned by the number of reporters I interact with on a daily basis who really have no idea what conservatives are thinking, reading, etc.

I'm always happy to answer those questions. Many of those questions, particularly from print reporters (sorry guys), really seem to start from the premise that conservatives are not thinking about particular topics. Even worse, many reporters regardless of media, seem to think conservatives only thing about things in one way.

One of the great things about the Morning Briefing is that it is not just directed at conservative activists and talk radio, but also at the large number of reporters who read it to get a sense of what conservatives are talking about. But the Morning Briefing really is from the viewpoint of conservative activists.

Reporters also need a conservative public policy perspective.

And for that, I really do encourage reporters out there to get The Transom by Ben Domenech. It's $20.00 well spent to give you a greater perspective on conservative views.

I was talking to a reporter the other day about Republican tax policy. He's a brilliant reporter frequently on the news and in print publications. I was stunned by how shallow his understanding of Republican tax policy is. "You can't cut taxes forever," he said as if his singular understanding of Republican tax policy came from reading right-wing stereotypes on left-wing blogs.

I paid for his subscription to The Transom. I can't afford to do it for everyone. But you guys really need to read it if you want an accurate "whole health" view of what conservatives are thinking and talking about from a policy perspective.

Testing the Media's Testicular Fortitude

According to America's top Constitutional Law Professor turned President of the United States, the Supreme Court should not overturn "a law that was passed by a strong majority of a democratically elected congress."

What about the people, acting through the democratic process, to amend their own constitution?

I ask because in California, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled it unconstitutional for the people of California to amend their constitution to prohibit gay marriage. Most damning, the Ninth Circuit's opinion pretty clearly says that when judges act and the people choose to amend their constitution in response, such an amendment is unconstitutional.

Will anyone in the media ask the President if, based on his logic about the Supreme Court, he supports the voters in California who sought to pass Proposition 8?

"No, no," he might try to retreat. "I'm talking about when the Supreme Court tries to rein in rights."

Well then, does the President believe government funded health care is a right?

Likewise, does the President support the legislatures of the several states enacting Voter ID laws through a democratically elected legislature?

But wait . . . there are more questions the media should ask the President if we're going to hold everyone accountable for their words and not just Republicans.

Does the President believe the Supreme Court should overturn Roe v. Wade as the law declared unconstitutional a law passed by a strong majority in a democratically elected state legislature?

Hey, what about the immigration laws in Arizona and Alabama?

"I said 'Congress'," the President might reply.

Okay. Well in 2003 the United States Congress passed the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003 by a larger margin that the previous Congress passed Obamacare and that majority was bipartisan.

Does the President now believe the Supreme Court was correct to uphold the constitutionality of "a law that was passed by a strong majority of a democratically elected congress"? If so, does the President now retract his statement from 2007 where he attacked the Supreme Court for upholding "a law that was passed by a strong majority of a democratically elected congress"?

Surely some member of the media has the testicular fortitude to ask just the last one.

But again, what of Proposition 8? Does the President believe the courts should listen to the will of the people?

Morning Briefing for April 3, 2012

RedState Morning Briefing

For April 3, 2012

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

1. Testing the Media's Testicular Fortitude

2. President Obama Goes on Record Opposing Marbury v. Madison

3. Trayvon Martin Story Destroys Last of Media's Credibility

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1. Testing the Media's Testicular Fortitude

According to America's top Constitutional Law Professor turned President of the United States, the Supreme Court should not overturn "a law that was passed by a strong majority of a democratically elected congress."

What about the people, acting through the democratic process, to amend their own constitution?

I ask because in California, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled it unconstitutional for the people of California to amend their constitution to prohibit gay marriage. Most damning, the Ninth Circuit's opinion pretty clearly says that when judges act and the people choose to amend their constitution in response, such an amendment is unconstitutional.

Will anyone in the media ask the President if, based on his logic about the Supreme Court, he supports the voters in California who sought to pass Proposition 8?

"No, no," he might try to retreat. "I'm talking about when the Supreme Court tries to rein in rights."

Well then, does the President believe government funded health care is a right?

Likewise, does the President support the legislatures of the several states enacting Voter ID laws through a democratically elected legislature?

But wait . . . there are more questions the media should ask the President if we're going to hold everyone accountable for their words and not just Republicans.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

2. President Obama Goes on Record Opposing Marbury v. Madison

For a guy who graduated from Harvard Law, Barack Obama is not really very well versed on his law or his legal history. Speaking out today about the Supreme Court's review of Obamacare, Obama offered this stunning and completely ahistorical nugget:

"Ultimately, I'm confident that the Supreme Court will not take what would be an unprecedented extraordinary step of overturning a law that was passed by a strong majority of a democratically elected congress."

Look, I'm not here to debate the finer points of Marbury v. Madison with anyone, but the fact remains that since that decision was handed down over 200 years ago, it has not exactly been "unprecedented and extraordinary" for the Supreme Court to overturn laws passed by Congress (no matter the size of the majority). In fact, it happens all the time. That is the entire point of the doctrine of judicial review, first announced in Marbury and affirmed without serious challenge ever since.

I would seriously like to know, and I hope the press gets Obama on the record on this – is it President Obama's contention that the Supreme Court's only role in reviewing legislation is to double-check the count on the roll call vote to make sure that a majority in fact voted for the law and to check the President's signature for possible forgery? Because, I mean, if that's what we're going to go back to, I'm open to having that discussion but we are going to have to figure out what to do with several hundred SCOTUS decisions that have taken a decidedly different view.

Of course, in making these comments Obama is exposing himself yet again as a cynical hack who is devoid of anything resembling shame. In 2003, the United States Congress passed the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003 by substantially larger margins than Obamacare. When the Supreme Court refused to strike down this law, which was passed by a "democratically elected Congress," then-Senator Obama threw an absolute hissy fit about the fact that the Supreme Court had upheld the clear will of Congress (and the vast majority of the American people).

Please click here for the rest of the post.

3. Trayvon Martin Story Destroys Last of Media's Credibility

I don't really know what happened between George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin. What I do know is that this story has resulted in at least one homicide – the self-inflicted homicide of the media's last shreds of credibility. And it isn't just conservative blogs that are noticing – even straight news sources have begun to notice the shame with which the media has covered itself during this entire sad saga. The Washington Post reported Friday that NBC's egregious editing of Zimmerman's 911 call will be "internally reviewed," which is as close as you will ever get to an admission of a very serious screw up from a major news organization.

The most stunning admission yet came from something called a Touré, which is apparently an MSNBC contributor. Touré apparently got tired of being on a television channel no one watches so he went on Piers Morgan last week to take Piers to task for the journalistic crime of getting both sides of the story.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

Obama Takes on the Supremes #EERS

Tonight, President Obama decides to take on the United States Supreme Court. We'll delve into it and more on the Erick Erickson Show.

Listen live right here and call in at 1-800-WSB-TALK.

We're live 6 to 9pm ET tonight.

Consider this an open thread.

Every Man Has a God

It is the start of Holy Week. Two Thousand years ago, Christ entered Jerusalem on his way to Calvary.

As we start the week, our nation finds itself in an interesting position. Unlike our cousins in Europe, we remain a church going nation with a majority who believe in God, or at least claim to. At the same time, it has become trendy to demagogue the Church.

ABC runs a show called "Good Christian Bitches" and the President of the United States declares war on faith trying to force secular beliefs into sectarian Christian faith.

We are still a mostly religious nation, but it has become cool to reject Christ or even to come out as an atheist. Atheists are routinely feted by our celebrity culture, appear on news shows mouthing off on the topics of the day, and are heralded as courageous for rejecting several thousand years of considered thought while mocking that considered thought as mythology.

The stupid are always the wise in this world.

Let's start this week with one particular thought that so many of the so called wise will reject as stupid, but which is absolute fact.

Every man, woman, and child in this world has a god. Even atheists have gods. It may not be the actual risen Lord, but everyone has a god.

People need gods. It may be a job. It may be a drug. It may be family. It may be a hobby. Each person's god may be different and it may even be yourself. But everyone puts their faith in something and it becomes their god whether they believe it or not.

In this day and age, many secularists have converted creation itself into their god and they worship God's creation in place of God himself.

Where do you give your time, your talent, and your treasure? Where is your focus?

Where ever that might be, it most likely is your god.

This week, fix your focus, your time, your talent, and your treasure on Calvary. There the real God was nailed to a cross against his will, was crucified, died, and was buried. What some ridicule and mock as outmoded myth set off, three days later, the most significant event all of human history — one that shaped the world in a way no other before or after could.

As you start your Monday and focus on work, family, friends, holidays, and travel, keep some perspective about you. There are bigger things at work around us and one bigger than all of us at work for us.

Morning Briefing for April 2, 2012

RedState Morning Briefing

April 2, 2012

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

1. Every Man Has a God

2. The IRS is NOT investigating Gov. Nikki Haley (R, SC).

3. FROM RICK SANTORUM: A Legacy for my Children

4. David McIntosh for Congress in IN-5

5. By Even Academic Standards, David Dewhurst is "centrist"

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1. Every Man Has a God

It is the start of Holy Week. Two Thousand years ago, Christ entered Jerusalem on his way to Calvary.

As we start the week, our nation finds itself in an interesting position. Unlike our cousins in Europe, we remain a church going nation with a majority who believe in God, or at least claim to. At the same time, it has become trendy to demagogue the Church.

ABC runs a show called "Good Christian Bitches" and the President of the United States declares war on faith trying to force secular beliefs into sectarian Christian faith.

We are still a mostly religious nation, but it has become cool to reject Christ or even to come out as an atheist. Atheists are routinely feted by our celebrity culture, appear on news shows mouthing off on the topics of the day, and are heralded as courageous for rejecting several thousand years of considered thought while mocking that considered thought as mythology.

The stupid are always the wise in this world.

Let's start this week with one particular thought that so many of the so called wise will reject as stupid, but which is absolute fact.

Every man, woman, and child in this world has a god. Even atheists have gods. It may not be the actual risen Lord, but everyone has a god.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

2. The IRS is NOT investigating Gov. Nikki Haley (R, SC).

You may remember that a few days ago a minor South Carolinian political blog tossed out the very serious allegation that South Carolina governor Nikki Haley was about to be indicted by the Justice Department for alleged tax fraud involving her parents' temple*. The keyword? "Imminent." Well, it turns out that the IRS is not actually investigating either the Governor or the temple (H/T @RBPundit) in fact, if I'm reading this correctly the entire thing was more or less based off of the usual bureaucratic paperwork (H/T Hot Air Headlines). The goofball progressive blogger n00b (some guy named Logan Smith) that put up the article in the first place at first tried to stand by his anonymously-sourced allegations, but has since more or less given up and done one of the more grudging and passive-aggressive retractions that it's been my pleasure to read lately. I don't even think that Smith is going to get fifteen minutes out of this; and, of course, he'll never get another shot.

Tragic.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

3. FROM RICK SANTORUM: A Legacy for my Children

What type of future do I want for my children and future grandchildren? I do not wish for them a future with a financially unsustainable, cradle-to-grave dependency on the federal government. Rather, I wish for those I love so much a future where the federal government encourages and empowers success, personal responsibility, and financial independence. I also want a future where state governments, or the federal government, can provide fiscally sound, dependable safety-net programs to protect our most vulnerable citizens from a life of poverty. We have a choice – government dependency, or a dependable, fiscally-sound federal government. We cannot have both. I ask America to join me in the fight to end the ever-growing cycle of government dependency – for our children and grandchildren – the fight for freedom and opportunity.

Liberals have continuously expanded entitlement programs far beyond stability. They have created generation after generation of citizens more and more dependent on the federal government. This has resulted in greater power for the federal government. We need to do what is necessary to keep these programs from collapsing under a mountain of deficit spending. It is a choice between saving and strengthening these programs, or further weakening and destroying the safety net programs that provide security and poverty protection to those most in need.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

4. David McIntosh for Congress in IN-5

It's not too often that we have the opportunity to elect a conservative fighter who retired early from Congress and is seeking a second run. But with Dan Burton's retirement in Indiana's 5th district, we have the prospect to elect a battle-tested fighter in former Congressman David McIntosh.

David McIntosh was elected to Congress as part of the Republican Revolution in 1994. Unlike many of his colleagues, McIntosh never abandoned his commitment to fighting for limited government. Nor was he just a bench-warmer. After just a few years in the House, David was recognized as a full spectrum conservative leader, and in 1998, he became chairman of the Republican Study Committee. When Gingrich butted heads with conservatives at the RSC, McIntosh helped lead the coup against him. In 2000, McIntosh retired early to run for governor in Indiana, a race he unfortunately lost.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

5. By Even Academic Standards, David Dewhurst is "centrist"

In the race for U.S. Senate in Texas, the conservative candidate clearly is Ted Cruz. His record of fighting for conservative ideals is clear, as I have noted before. Senator DeMint has endorsed him, as has Senator Mike Lee, the Club for Growth and a number of other important conservative voices.

But the establishment and conventional wisdom remains behind Lt. Gov Dewhurst as the favorite – despite the fact he has shown relatively poor polling, mediocre fundraising and is relying on his personal wealth to try to persuade Texans he is actually conservative. But the truth is hard to hide. I have pointed out before that Dewhurst is a moderate in the mold of Florida Governor Charlie Crist. Thus, we affectionately refer to him as Dewcrist.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

Time for the Show #EERS

You can listen live tonight on the WSB live stream and call in at 1-800-WSB-TALK.

I'm on till 9pm.

Consider this an open thread.