tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76002282011-09-29T05:41:04.875-04:00Johnnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3411100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-52437105930163316612011-08-17T17:41:00.001-04:002011-08-17T17:43:52.809-04:00

This piece started as a commentary on the end of Gov Tim Pawlenty's campaign. But as I have discussed issues and opinions over the days subsequent to Pawlenty's decision, this "piece" has morphed into something bigger. . .and hopefully better. First, a hope: that deficit spending quickly goes the way of the do-do. We need to start paying for the government we have--period. Second, an

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-33355008026457135062011-07-31T10:52:00.005-04:002011-08-01T09:42:04.056-04:00

[UPDATED to add an thought I had originally but did not include in my first post]Welcome back, eh?I figure with the 2012 election about to hit stride, it was high time for me to return to my ever-so-slim space for political sanity. Of course, it doesn't hurt that "the deal of the century" is being debated right now in DC. In fact, it is this deal that brings me out of my hibernation.Word

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-56157414117028234542010-11-21T12:24:00.002-05:002010-11-21T13:49:13.272-05:00

The other night I posted on my facebook page about Brad Paisley's new song "This is Country Music." That I would post about country music must be a little surprising to anyone who knew me as a wee tot; in my youth (and despite the fact that the mullet I proudly sported looked like something out of a Billy Ray Cyrus video) I was always decidedly a "rocker." I even went so far as to develop an

Johnnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-89975741843922240502010-11-02T17:17:00.003-04:002010-11-02T17:40:09.259-04:00

Everybody is doing it, so I will, too. Net 51 seat GOP pickup in the House......and net 6 seats in the Senate. I won't get too specific in the House, but in general I have a hard time believing long-term reps will find their demise today, so folks like Sanchez (CA), Oberstar (MI), and Taylor (MS) are safe to me.In the Senate, easy GOP wins are on tap in IN, ND, WI, AR, and PA. I think fraud

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-64012654122784641532010-05-31T08:47:00.003-04:002010-05-31T10:13:08.908-04:00

Last night, Powerline co-co-author John Hinderaker wrote about the aid flotilla steaming towards Gaza. "Hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists have gathered in the Mediterranean and, after meeting up at sea, are proceeding toward Gaza in a "flotilla" of six ships. According to news accounts, the passengers aboard the ships include a co-Nobel Peace Prize winner from Northern Ireland--no surprise

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-30517866618927737822010-03-21T21:00:00.005-04:002010-03-21T21:40:22.784-04:00

. . .but especially appropriate for one Rep Stupak--an homage to Disney's Princess and the Frog (which, by the way, is well worth watching, especially for fans of old-school Disney animation). (drawing by RW)

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-52173668162757013552010-03-21T09:19:00.002-04:002010-03-21T10:16:35.642-04:00

* So "Deem and Pass" is off the table. This means one of two things: either Pelosi has the votes to pass the Senate bill (which would be an enormous victory for her--enormous!); or someone with a legal mind got her attention and told her about the pitfalls of that strategy, up to and including her removal from office. * Wavering Dems are leaning yes because of promises from the

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-35329627356891252622010-03-19T21:09:00.002-04:002010-03-19T23:21:10.398-04:00

About--what else?--the pending health care vote in the House:A) A lot of outlets (even HotAir, my most beloved hour-to-hour update machine) are making a big deal about a vote in the House on Thursday that purportedly "endorsed" the use of the Slaughter strategy for the Health Care bill. (The Slaughter strategy, or "deem and pass", is the mechanism wherein the majority party, if it can muster

Johnnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-81784468299643720912010-03-18T05:10:00.003-04:002010-03-18T05:38:33.586-04:00

I don't follow DC bloviating on a day-in, day-out basis, so it's entirely possible that the following words have already been spoken (or written). However, in case this is new territory, I humbly submit the following lines for your consideration:"Ladies and Gentlemen, we are quickly approaching a Constitutional crisis. Even if Madame Speaker does not use "Deem and Pass" on the Senate's Health

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-21713220647052942552010-02-25T21:40:00.003-05:002010-02-25T21:41:45.332-05:00

(Illustrated by RW--click to enlarge)

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-9437818658323918822010-02-24T19:58:00.000-05:002010-02-24T19:59:40.534-05:00

(Illustrated by RW--click image to enlarge)

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-16362256574123212442010-02-20T16:29:00.003-05:002010-02-20T16:37:46.814-05:00

(illustrated by RW--click to enlarge). . .when you ask Harry Reid to explain something to the crowd--ANY crowd! Is there any doubt about who's setting the agenda on Capitol Hill right now?

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-65137613062409623802010-02-15T17:17:00.000-05:002010-02-15T17:18:39.811-05:00

Illustrated by RW--click image to enlarge.

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-49692688473814498712010-02-15T15:53:00.001-05:002010-02-15T16:05:34.942-05:00

(illustration by RW--click to enlarge)

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-66904349424115025102010-02-13T10:04:00.002-05:002010-02-13T11:12:24.752-05:00

I remember a wise person--my brother--writing during the 2008 campaign that it is hard to tell what issues will happen in the next several months that will help shape the outcome of a November election.We are now less than 9 months away from the next "big" election, and again the question becomes: what will be the issues that get voters to the booth and help make up their minds?Unquestionably

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-25639697717239796272010-02-09T22:19:00.002-05:002010-02-09T23:24:13.927-05:00

So the President has invited Congressional GOP leaders to attend a summit in two weeks to help get health care back on track.There's a lot of hemming and hawing on the right about this. Let me give you my 45-second take:1. Go--but you better go prepared. Which includes. . .2. Expect the President to change the rules as the event unfolds. This is a trap, plain and simple. Which isn't to say

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-39963214827741166942009-11-30T07:31:00.002-05:002009-11-30T07:50:01.994-05:00

A new Vanity Fair/60 Minutes poll (January 2010) asks if "you could confidently explain what exactly the public option is to someone who didn't know?"Keep in mind that the public option is one of the 5 biggest issues in the country right now--and has been such for several months going.A whopping 66% of respondents said "no" to that question.One of my favorite movies has a fictional President

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-29408878801363475472009-11-29T08:27:00.003-05:002009-11-29T08:58:40.480-05:00

So it appears that President Obama is going to send more troops to Afghanistan. I applaud the decision...although I do reserve judgement on the "strategy" until I get a better chance to digest it.Anyhow, the point of this post is this: not too long ago several voices on the left bluntly stated that if Obama sends more troops, VP Biden should resign. Biden,of course, has not been supportive of

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-82999573749148219932009-11-16T21:22:00.011-05:002009-12-06T15:29:19.263-05:00

Earlier this week, I bought a Motorola Droid. For the uninitiated, that means I bought a new smartphone, or a combination phone and personal data device. I have spent the last couple days getting used to the device, and today I will finally post some thoughts on it.First of all, this is a fun gadget. I love being able to access YouTube and to watch all those videos on the go. Also, just

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-43976483711594600332009-11-05T22:26:00.003-05:002009-11-06T05:31:47.514-05:00

In the wake of the happenings in New York's 23rd district, there has been--and will continue to be--a lot of discussion about the GOP "tent". Surely there has got to be some common ideas that can unite the party going forward, right? So today, I present "John's tent", wherein I will write what I think should be the principles that unite the party that contains conservatives. . .and stands in

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-71395386786795131042009-10-02T19:25:00.002-04:002009-10-02T21:03:24.240-04:00

Two items of news to talk about today, one big and one not even close to important:1) So the Olympic Games are not coming to Chicago in 2016. President Obama went all the way to Copenhagen to put his stamp on a presentation that was, um, less than convincing. In the end, he was made a fool.All this week, I'd actually felt sympathy towards Obama's plight on this one, under the belief that

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-9134059034402191902009-09-28T20:37:00.002-04:002009-09-28T20:44:39.812-04:00

Please note that I do not say the following lightly:As reported here, yesterday Secretary of Defense "Bill" Gates (that's what the President calls him) said: "The strategy that the president put forward in late March is the first real strategy we have had for Afghanistan since the early 1980s".Ya know, as SECDEF I'm pretty sure that he was in a position to forward a "real" strategy for

Johnnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-17041080194591360252009-09-14T20:26:00.004-04:002009-09-14T21:43:10.916-04:00

Last night, at one of the endless, mindless awards shows that allow entertainment types to aggrandize themselves on a network's dime, a showboat of an artist took the stage uninvited and intimidated a much younger woman into yielding the floor to him despite that fact that the moment was, for all intents and purposes, entirely about the woman. This showboat then proceeded to tell the woman--who

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-60891632156384634782009-09-09T20:22:00.002-04:002009-09-09T20:33:57.241-04:00

I know, I know: He's already started talking as I write this. But I haven't listened to the speech, nor have I read any excerpts. I swear.But I can't help but think this speech, regardless of how it goes down, means quite a few things:a) the MSM's spin that the townhall protests were unauthentic, ineffective, whatever word they used--those reports are inoperative in the White House. Which

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-83147283376280326612009-09-06T15:36:00.006-04:002009-09-06T18:57:10.043-04:00

Big news of the day: Van Jones resigns from his czar position in the administration.THIS was a good way to wake up today! The Jones debacle got me thinking--actually, thinking AGAIN--about czars. What are they paid? HOW are they paid? (for example, Congressional staffers get paid by their sponsor member, who have a pretty tight budget for such things--is the same true for the President's

Johnnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-48998052696284905162009-09-05T20:22:00.005-04:002009-09-06T09:53:19.273-04:00

I very rarely read the newspaper. After this morning, I don't know if I'm going to hurry to change that habit at all--although I am darn glad that I now know the story of Amanda Kurowski.On the Washington Times front page today was an article, titled "Home schooler ordered to Attend Public School--Mom's religious views ripped by Court".Well how's that for a wake-up call?Now I'm all about source

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-75161991852507626132009-09-03T21:47:00.003-04:002009-09-04T07:43:04.002-04:00

. . .but this time, my scorn is not directed at a normal source.President Obama is going to invade a good number of schools early next week, with an address direct to the children of the country. In response, some on the right (such as vodkapundit) have advocated keeping our kids home from school that day.I disagree. For five reasons:a) the likelihood is that Obama's address will be very

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-86798561765648027622009-08-11T21:34:00.004-04:002009-08-11T22:55:22.199-04:00

. . .and actually, because of the topic at hand, EVERY Congressperson should have a knowledgeable answer to this question--but you shouldn't hold your breath:What is going to happen to the military's health program if ObamaCare becomes law?I ask this because as we speak, there's a large population of military members putting their lives on the line every day in some God-forsaken hellhole, far

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-60237506286384066972009-08-08T17:21:00.002-04:002009-08-08T17:24:10.797-04:00

I know there's a lot going on in this country right now, and it's hard to keep it all straight. Still, I think there ought to be room to make sure our Secretary of State's sympathies to dispel of U.S. sovereignty in the world's legal stage ought to merit SOME coverage.

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-20169318280793467572009-08-07T21:38:00.003-04:002009-08-07T23:15:24.093-04:00

Many a strategist has written that in order to defeat an enemy, you must first identify it.That is the most important "next step" to the anti-health insurance reform movement taking form in a good portion of this country.Because as I sit here watching and reading about these town halls, where intelligent questions are being asked in intelligent manners and where emotion is obviously present in

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-81308727421918434972009-08-02T15:19:00.003-04:002009-08-02T15:38:44.974-04:00

I'm sure that anybody that is a certain age has heard the "rules" regarding social interaction that tell you not to discuss politics and religion.Well, as I look at the landscape around me, where the left has grabbed control of political discussions (not out of merit, but because they have the termerity to "go there" time after time when those of us on the right won't) AND tried to make people

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-74605251014101640752009-08-02T10:58:00.002-04:002009-08-02T11:06:07.855-04:00

You know, for a candidate who ran in part on a message that America was seen as too arrogant to most of the world, I can't help but chuckle at the HUGE disconnect between those concerns and the visual takeaways from Cash 4 Clunkers.I'm here to tell you as a somewhat privileged traveler of this world for the last 2 decades: the vast majority of cars that are going to be rendered unuseable by this

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-87597563075832832042009-08-01T11:56:00.002-04:002009-08-01T12:29:01.927-04:00

This post from Hugh Hewitt's readership is the inspiration for this post.I urge everybody--EVERYBODY--to do the following in the next couple weeks:Talk to YOUR Doctor. If you have one.Talk to YOUR Health Care Insurer. If you have one.And if you lack those resources, I encourage you to read the bill yourself. Seriously, this is that important, and you can find it by clicking here.Ask that

Johnnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-7269384748931983972009-07-31T21:53:00.002-04:002009-07-31T22:17:40.942-04:00

There's a lot more qualified commentary on the Cash for Clunkers program out there than what you're about to read--but humor me, if you will. My big take on the thing: if you put stimulative programs in the hands of PEOPLE, they are likely to provide a kick to the economy.Now notice, that's not the same as saying that we need more programs like C4C. I am concerned that when you play with the

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-69367932351246211922009-07-22T22:05:00.002-04:002009-07-22T22:26:46.800-04:00

Simply put:"Make you Congressman take this pledge: If I vote for Obamacare, I will not run for re-election at the end of this term so I can live under the rules of that system for a couple years" And then watch the hemming and hawing as they dissemble.And such is the problem with our current system. There is no connection between DC and "us" except for the occasional gladhanding that our

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-80655895246693420582009-07-01T17:53:00.003-04:002009-07-01T20:18:35.084-04:00

What I would give for Senate GOP to do the following:1) Don't even mention "cap and trade" as the deliberations on Senate Resolution 2191 start (coming soon to a Senate near you). Rather, call it what it is: "limit or tax", as in "limit your industry's use of the CURRENT energy sources available to it--which will cost jobs and lead to lower supply of goods--or pay taxes on the use of that

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-28276812569969526232009-06-24T21:40:00.002-04:002009-06-24T22:46:41.350-04:00

I know, I know--even slower than our President on this one. Hopefully, however, I will be more coherent.First off, I will say that Obama has the potential to strike a major blow to democracy--literally a government of the people--on this one, and so far he hasn't. But I am not so sure that he won't. Imagine, if you will, a call to the Oval Office tomorrow from Khameini. "Mr. President," he

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-58866456241054489932009-05-30T15:54:00.002-04:002009-05-30T16:19:39.057-04:00

Honestly, I don't have much to say about the nomination of Judge Sotomayor to the Supreme Court. I am almost certain that she will be confirmed; I only hope that the Republicans that question her spend more time with good, well-researched questions that allow the nominee to show her judicial acumen (while also presenting the opportunity for great follow-up, which the Republicans NEED to do) than

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-22365449734345374242009-05-04T21:06:00.002-04:002009-05-04T23:22:17.537-04:00

Again, tonight, going off into a world that I have no business hangin' around in:The stock market.First, some background: I am stunned that anybody is playing in the market nowadays. I just don't understand how all the frightening indicators out there are being ignored as the market is back to pre-Inauguration Day levels. Unemployment is high and is expected to go higher; at least some of the

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-78663156522375992122009-05-02T07:36:00.004-04:002009-05-02T08:34:14.999-04:00

I am going to write about something that I have NEVER thought to write about before:The Miss USA pageant.By now, you might have heard about Carrie Prejean, a contestant in that event representing California. A beautiful gal with a good head on her shoulders, in the Q&A portion of the competition she was asked by Perez Hilton about gay marriage.Her answer, in which she said that she thought

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-59834664942477227122009-04-25T23:14:00.003-04:002009-04-26T00:38:54.513-04:00

Inspiration for this post: Mark Steyn's essay on how the world is now entering a "post-American era". Then Senator Obama ran on a platform that said, essentially, that America will no longer play leader to the world. He was adored overseas for that new angle on international relations, and I think there is little doubt that "average" Europeans were quite happy with the result of our election in

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-33019691054881676572009-04-24T21:04:00.002-04:002009-04-24T21:36:56.694-04:00

Remember the other day how I noted that Obama was being particularly bold lately?Today, TNR's health care blog reports that Senate Dems and the White House have come to an agreement to make the Senate a majority-rules legislative body in order to pass a bill featuring monumental health care reform later this year. Higher house, indeed. I'd say maybe higher in hypocrisy, but as long as Obama is

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-78237440852469053602009-04-23T21:36:00.002-04:002009-04-23T23:05:15.308-04:00

The Administration made headlines earlier this week by declassifying internal memos from the Office of Legal Counsel--ostensibly a nonpartisan body--to former President Bush regarding the use of "enhanced interrogation techniques" on certain detainees.I have two observations:-- First of all, I'd like to ask: does anybody doubt that the release of these memos has made us more susceptible to

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-22556660399205266552009-04-21T21:42:00.002-04:002009-04-21T22:30:19.009-04:00

The Obama administration in the last 3 days has:-- revisited nationalizing banks, this time through backdoor maneuvering (and gee, guess what happened in the market?);-- backtracked on itself regarding potential prosecutions of the prior administration for its legal opinions;-- allowed itself to play the stooge on another international stage, this time with our closest neighbors not named

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-22854169573836919262009-04-12T08:01:00.002-04:002009-04-12T08:26:12.461-04:00

Today, I tackle the issue of the Conservative Movement, and how it can compete with the Liberal Movement in order to gain the hearts and minds of current non-followers.This is an easy topic about which to write. Really, it is.Because Conservatives don't HAVE a movement.We have an ideology. We have a system of beliefs that, when spoken about passionately, actually make followers want to do "

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-66037004848795755902009-04-10T17:01:00.009-04:002009-04-10T20:32:24.265-04:00

. . .and I am shocked. Seriously, SHOCKED!Disclosure: I am not black. I don't live or work in an atmosphere where I can overhear/participate in frequent conversations with blacks about current events. In fact, I have not even talked to one black person about Obama's trip to the Middle East.But that doesn't mean I'm wrong:Today CNN ran a story that not only called Pres. Obama's gesture to the

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-86035473479528954172009-04-07T18:38:00.003-04:002009-04-08T05:45:23.351-04:00

Same-Sex Marriage.As reported on UPI.com, "Vermont legalized same-sex marriage Tuesday when both houses of the state legislature voted to override the governor's veto.The first state in the United States to adopt civil unions, Vermont is now the first to legalize marriage for homosexual couples by legislative action, The Burlington Free Press reported."It's that last sentence there that makes

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-73102242588252222722009-04-05T20:14:00.003-04:002009-04-05T21:45:56.483-04:00

All right, first a disclaimer: I am an optimist by nature. Perhaps to the point of being foolish at some things, I normally am a "things will work out" kind of a guy--and then I get around to the business of making them work out. I am conservative, after all--I know that everything I want takes work.So the tone of this post is going to be a little surprising, given that background. I am

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-27711551153258159792009-04-05T08:51:00.002-04:002009-04-05T09:12:35.375-04:00

There were too many gems from Pres. Obama's speech in Strasbourg the other day to do a full and honest vetting of just how horrible of a representative this guy is for the America that I love. But I'll focus in on just one line for now:Obama said "In America, there is a failure to appreciate Europe's leading role in the world."My question is: in what role does Europe lead THE WORLD?There may be

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-82349691136060544702009-03-29T12:48:00.002-04:002009-03-29T14:27:48.777-04:00

This week, those of us newshounds who have an ear in the conservative movement were informed that Pres. Obama is going to be a guest speaker--and receive an honorary degree--at this spring's graduation ceremony at Notre Dame University.Yes, that Notre Dame--the most visible Catholic school in the nation. Inviting a staunchly pro-choice (heck, I'll even go this far: decidedly and demonstrably

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-29166510468014514432009-03-28T11:05:00.003-04:002009-03-28T12:37:13.598-04:00

Since I solved the problem with Afghanistan yesterday, I figured I'd focus my attention to a domestic issue today. I don't by any stretch think it's the most pressing domestic issue, not by a long shot--but it's one that crossed my eyes this morning, and therefore it has me all irked and needing to get unbottled.Reference piece: Sen. Webb wrote "Why we must fix our Prisons", appearing in this

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-86385127668526950232009-03-27T20:02:00.003-04:002009-03-27T22:49:17.979-04:00

I believe I have said it before. Yes, in fact, I said it here: Afghanistan portends to continue to be a nasty little war.Now don't get me wrong: American troops in combat can do amazing things. Given a strategy to win, they will win. Every time.It took us a while to figure things out in Iraq, but eventually that puzzle was pieced together. And what was part of that puzzle? The surge--but

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-28592585142855755842009-03-20T04:51:00.004-04:002009-03-20T05:03:45.614-04:00

Quick, someone spot the irony:President Obama, on the AIG bonuses: "But what's just as important is that we make sure we don't find ourselves in this situation again, where . . .the wealth generated in good times goes to those who are at the very top of the income ladder."(Courtesy: CNN) . . .but ALL THE WAY BACK in January, then President-elect Obama got a $500,000 advance to allow the

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-82537337665172054382009-03-08T21:11:00.002-04:002009-03-08T22:35:12.840-04:00

Two observations to share today:1) I spent a lot of time today at a local garage getting my car worked on. A good portion of that time I was talking to a guy who was, in his own words, "just sick of all those damn politicians in DC." Commiserating with him was fun, although we approached solutions to those damned folks from very different directions. Anyhow, all the talk shows this morning

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-22791455776286195292009-03-02T21:59:00.002-05:002009-03-02T23:06:51.588-05:00

I've been wrestling for DAYS now about the single undefined event that happened that made this country turn in the direction that it did.Yes, I know Nov. 4th, a day that may someday live in infamy, is the standard benchmark.But that's just a figurehead. Something had to happen BEFORE then that allowed us to elect as President a man with as scant a record as Barack Obama. And it took a quick

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-86163487810809814802009-02-27T21:51:00.002-05:002009-02-27T22:24:13.991-05:00

You know, I was one of the people who actually thought that President Obama would move cautiously in his first 100 days in an effort to appear moderate. Once he hit a couple "middle-of-the-road" themes right off the bat, then he could go about a radical makeover in earnest, probably even with the overwhelming support of the country.I was wrong. And all the indications were there for him to do

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-2056829889872068652009-02-21T07:54:00.003-05:002009-02-21T08:52:30.155-05:00

Before I begin with this admittedly negative-toned article, let me first say that I have a great deal of respect for the men and women of our armed forces who have performed in any capacity to help bring about REAL "hope and change" in Iraq. Indeed, I think the remarkable turnaround there is proof that an invested, supported American fighting force can accomplish just about anything. Now, with

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-30945125991816365912009-02-10T21:55:00.002-05:002009-02-10T22:28:02.655-05:00

Two quick thoughts, both of which have probably been expressed better somewhere else but that won't keep me from writing:1) Given that a lot of "experts" (see Powerline, Yahoo, and Hugh Hewitt for interviews with real experts) are blaming today's 4% stock market drop squarely on Treasury Secretary's Geithner's "presentation" of the next TARP, I wonder when voices on the left are going to start

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-11205514918152557732009-02-09T08:59:00.003-05:002009-02-09T12:07:14.826-05:00

. . .at least for today.Headline on FoxNews this morning: "Obama holds town hall meeting to drum up support for stimulus".Yes, that's right: our President, who has an office in DC, when faced with legislative trouble FROM Senators in DC, decided he will fix the problem. . .. . .by going on the campaign trail.I guess when you elect someone who has never done anything other than campaign. . .well

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-60514366445137617752009-02-07T22:59:00.003-05:002009-02-07T23:34:56.620-05:00

It is going to happen at some point in the next 4 years, guaranteed. Those of us on the right who decry the folly of the Democrat's governance will be called unpatriotic. Heck, it may have already happened indirectly from no less of a place than the Oval Office (when Obama called some of the more pliable GOP Senators to thank them for saving his bacon, he acknowledged their efforts as patriotic

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-83215914434512767252009-01-29T23:19:00.002-05:002009-01-30T00:31:01.211-05:00

. . .or not to filibuster.Now that the House GOP has done all that they could do to stop the "crap sandwich" masquerading as a stimulus bill--which, unfortunately, is not that much--the next stop is the Senate.Wherein there is a good chance that the Dems don't have 60 votes to beat a filibuster. Or at least that's the case with the bill in its current form.So I ask you: should the Senate GOP

Johnnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-18646613126685777882009-01-28T11:04:00.002-05:002009-01-28T11:34:07.895-05:00

Lately, Rush Limbaugh has generated a ton of publicity for wishing that Pres. Obama fails as the leader of this country.And I hate to say this, but the left is correct for admonishing him from every microphone they can find on this one.Limbaugh should not wish for failure of the Obama administration. This is moonbat territory, and he should be as ridiculed for his comments by conservatives as we

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-45603254631456401162008-12-28T22:58:00.002-05:002008-12-28T23:20:06.524-05:00

I'm a Broncos fan from way back when, so I am very saddened at the predictable performance they put up tonight against San Diego. Predictable in that I figured the Broncs would get rocked. The Chargers are a much better team than are the B-men, and when the game matters. . .well, I think we know who isn't "quite" ready for the prime time. I'm also a current resident of the Dallas-Fort Worth

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-47692034595855486382008-12-23T23:43:00.001-05:002008-12-23T23:43:46.888-05:00

As probably just about everybody knows, we are fast approaching Christmas day.Now I'm not going to hit you with a lecture on the meaning of the day. You can get that in plenty of places from people more capable of relating the information to you than I am. But I will say this: even if you don't believe that Jesus Christ is our savior, you have every reason to celebrate this day.Because

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-59318526541446855702008-12-14T22:55:00.002-05:002008-12-15T00:02:29.697-05:00

All right, I'll give credit where credit is due: Senate Republicans, thank you!And I'll blast away when the situation deserves it: President Bush, if you use TARP funds to keep the UAW afloat, shame on you. Don't let the door hit you on the way out.To me, here's the operative question about any bailout activity: where's the market for recovery?In the auto industry, I don't think there is one

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-90597699376141692742008-12-11T09:38:00.002-05:002008-12-11T10:17:18.354-05:00

You know, ever since I became informed of how the government's dealings in 1999 effected the housing crash of this summer, I have been a big believer in the government keeping their hands off the economy. Of course, the government has done the exact opposite.SO now I'm in the business of predicting the fallout of the government's moves to bail out every Tom, Dick and Harry with a sad story--even

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-73961754975184528812008-12-05T21:57:00.005-05:002008-12-07T08:26:59.637-05:00

All right, let's get down to business.I don't pretend to know all things, but I do know one thing: the status quo isn't working. Looking for solutions from within the beltway has as much chance of working as does asking an addict to stop taking their poison while offering him those same drugs at half price. DC is a herd mentality, and its one of those herds that attack their own in order to

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-49211919663727275002008-11-30T22:40:00.002-05:002008-11-30T23:31:55.404-05:00

A little light reading for you all tonight.Today, the B-men put together a pretty good game, going on the road and beating the New York Jets, which had been one of the hottest teams in the league.Go figure.First, some things that are obvious: 1) our defense--as well as it played--was not populated by "normal" pro players, but rather was a hodge-podge of just about anybody we could get to put on

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-16452270871629515632008-11-20T22:07:00.003-05:002008-11-20T23:05:25.303-05:00

There have been many comments in the right-leaning blogosphere that President-Elect Obama's personnel decisions thus far (to the extent that they've been made public with something other than anonymous sourcing) have been something less than as bad as it could have been. Surrounding himself with advisors from the somewhat moderate Clinton era is probably seen as a move to the center by folks on

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-36164175221373106952008-11-18T22:57:00.002-05:002008-11-19T00:08:21.942-05:00

I'm really REALLY worried about the price of gas at some undetermined time in the not-too-distant future. My concern starts with a wariness of Obama's energy policies (more "McSame" than most of McCain's policies), it doesn't get any better as I think of the Congressional Dems and their debt to the environmental lobby, and it gets out of control when I think of Somali pirates and other crazoids

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-33730185800220646742008-11-08T00:54:00.002-05:002008-11-08T01:00:34.503-05:00

Complete and total inspiration for this story is supposedly David R. Kamerschen, Ph.D., Professor of Economics (at least that's who the e-mail I saw is attributed to), with no small shout-out to brother Tom for bringing the story to my attention.Suppose that every day in 1999, ten men go out for beer and the bill for all ten comes to $100. If they paid their bill the way we paid our taxes, it

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-20814454767827502622008-11-06T22:51:00.003-05:002008-11-07T23:44:40.186-05:00

No, I didn't.And yet, here I am, a non-economist, willing to venture an answer to the following question:What the heck is going on with the stock market?To me, it's pretty simple. It doesn't take pie charts, six-sigma projects or any of that nonsense. It just takes the willingness to look at some facts that were left remarkably uncovered during the campaign:-- Senator Obama ran as an anti-big

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-2063516502844714892008-11-05T05:49:00.002-05:002008-11-05T06:18:00.884-05:00

Quick round-up of thoughts:-- first and foremost, congratulations are in order for President-elect Obama. And regardless of your political leanings, I think a few prayers for good judgement during the time ahead are also in order.-- I wrote the other day that the election would serve as a referendum on the loser. I was wrong. (I'll give you a few seconds to recover from the shock of me

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-59371218659149837092008-11-03T04:53:00.002-05:002008-11-03T06:05:25.496-05:00

For all of us to do in these last two days:1. VOTE! If you didn't vote early, make sure your Tuesday starts off at a polling place. DO NOT BE SUCKERED INTO SITTING ON THE SIDELINES!2. Turn off the major news media. They aren't going to cover anything worthwhile, so invested are they in the outcome of the election. This could also be a handy tip for life over the next 5 years in this country

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-38939384752093303172008-11-01T17:01:00.002-04:002008-11-01T18:17:41.135-04:00

As I wrote earlier this week, I was busy working with my 5th grade son on an economic view of this year's Presidential election. I think I'll get a good grade on the project; my son, of course, will get the credit. (Parents of grade-school kids will probably get the humor in that comment)Anyhow, one of the features of the project was the explanation--on a fifth grade level--of trickle-down

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-67047742757662694552008-10-29T00:15:00.004-04:002008-10-29T07:28:50.492-04:00

. . .left mostly unanswered.Tonight on FoxNews, Brit Hume asked his panel if they thought that the main-stream media outlets that have performed almost criminally bad during this election would ever face repraisials from the public?In the way that the panel goes, the question was slightly modified as it moved from commentor to commentor, so the only one who got to answer that "simple" question

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-91969734435164593952008-10-28T22:12:00.004-04:002008-10-29T00:08:04.856-04:00

In my last post, I talked about the powerful coalition that Obama has built that may very well bring him victory next Tuesday.As an aside, I would also add in that this coalition is entirely legitimate; Obama can also count on quite an effort from a "coalition" of illegitimate sources. But that's a post for another day.But I also wrote that the game is not over yet. This coalition can be

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-3285046807422704772008-10-28T07:59:00.003-04:002008-10-28T23:27:51.381-04:00

. . .as applied to the economics argument of the 2008 election.You may recognize the quoted words in the title as being part of a 2001 interview given by Obama (more info here). While that interview is worth reading, it honestly has little to do with this article other than to provide the foundation.What I found striking about the interview was not his adherence to socialist economic dogma (

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-5209254304193285662008-10-27T00:01:00.002-04:002008-10-27T00:50:16.041-04:00

. . .not anymore, at least. But I'm telling you, strolling through Obama's website it absolutely confounds me that this man has a chance to be our next President.My son (5th grade) is doing a project wherein he has to compare the economic plans of the two major party candidates. I like projects like these, because they actually make me smarter, too (of course, reading the Sunday comics does

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-84277526315180018992008-10-26T09:28:00.003-04:002008-10-26T10:45:27.552-04:00

If only I could write stuff that McCain would actually use!"Sen. Obama is the Democrats' nominee for President in large part because he made the primaries a referendum on judgement. And that line may have played well with the leftist voters of the country, who were looking to cast aside Senators Clinton, Edwards--and even Joe Biden--for their initial support for the war in Iraq. But a man whose

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-38377381776844158582008-10-24T13:18:00.003-04:002008-10-24T17:15:15.329-04:00

You know, so much has been made of Biden's words on Sunday that I'm kinda surprised I haven't seen anybody just flat-out call him wrong. And would you believe that I'm the guy to do that?Well, I am. . .but don't sell me down the river just yet.Will Obama, if he wins, be tested in the first 6 months of his Presidency? I believe so. . .but I don't think it will be in the manner that Biden

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-12196296650472946832008-10-24T12:45:00.003-04:002008-10-24T13:18:34.143-04:00

1) Why hasn't John McCain used the following line:"I may have agreed with George Bush on 90% of the issues that were voted on the Senate floor. But that's a heckuva lot better than voting with Harry Reid 100% of the time"I was in FL last week, and the most effective TV ad for McCain that I saw was about 25 seconds of highlighting exactly who and what is going to be in charge of Congress for the

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-88384728191432041832008-10-22T22:22:00.002-04:002008-10-22T23:26:51.980-04:00

Sen. Obama talked today about his running mate's comments from yesterday--you know, when Biden said, "mark my words. It will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John Kennedy. The world is looking. We're about to elect a brilliant 47-year old senator president of the United States of America. Remember I said it standing here if you don't remember anything else I

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-1111976575351727142008-10-22T20:05:00.002-04:002008-10-22T20:36:49.000-04:00

Obama this afternoon in Richmond, VA, responding to criticism that he is a socialist:“Was John McCain a socialist back in 2000 when he opposed the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans? Cause all I’m trying to do is reverse those so that we can give relief to people who really need help. It’s not a very plausible argument that he’s making right now"Ummm. . .Senator, before you judge "

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-9417220217190335332008-10-21T22:28:00.004-04:002008-10-22T00:12:15.455-04:00

I've become a pretty big fan of Bill O'Reilly on Fox. Not the "set the Tivo" kind of fan, but if I happen to be in a room with a TV on during the right hour, I have no problem kicking my feet up and watching the man do his business.Tonight he hosted Newt Gingrich, who was laboring to make the case that Obama's ties to Ayers means that Obama is a socialist.THAT IS NOT WHAT AYERS MEANS TO THIS

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-61952695166354879912008-10-20T22:39:00.002-04:002008-10-20T22:59:32.849-04:00

Some variation of "I'd put as much faith in Obama's pledge to (insert random centrist mantra here) as much as I believe that he ever meant to use public financing."Of course, when he makes remarkably liberal or naive assertions (like "I will meet with all the bad guys in the world with preconditions")--well, we let that stand on its own.But lowering taxes? Education reform by fighting the

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-24187647288850144002008-10-19T21:45:00.002-04:002008-10-19T22:20:07.239-04:00

How about the following ad:"Joe Wurzelbacher asked a question of Barack Obama--on his own property, and only after Obama initiated the conversation while Wurzelbacher was going about his daily business. (transcript of Obama's words on the screen) Obama answered the question in his own words, candidly, honestly, and without the aid of a teleprompter. In response to this encounter and

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-74151141118994043642008-10-19T08:04:00.003-04:002008-10-19T08:51:22.463-04:00

Elections--especially general elections--take place over long periods of time. The issue at the forefront of the primary season, for example, is not necessarily the issue that is at the forefront when the general election nears.The key, then, is to be a candidate uniquely suited to deal with all the issues in an easy manner.Now it's hard to say what issue Americans are "most" conscientious of as

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-54164201926605691882008-10-17T14:43:00.002-04:002008-10-17T14:51:00.706-04:00

So today, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that OH SecState Brunner didn't have to do a darn thing about the 200k+ suspicious registrations she's received.Could the door to voter fraud be any more open?And THAT'S why I don't believe the polls. If there was an honest, one-vote-for-one-person standard in this upcoming election--like there are in the polls--then it would undoubtedly be pretty

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-55327409065662776002008-10-17T00:30:00.003-04:002008-10-17T14:43:49.227-04:00

And I don't think he's going to get many more softballs like these. Tonight on David Letterman, McCain was put through a pretty decent grilling. And I don't find it the least bit objectionable, because they were remarkably straight-forward questions. They just happened to be good, probing questions--the kinds of things that we'd LOVE someone to do to Obama. (Although so generous were the

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-43033078539475104132008-10-16T05:03:00.002-04:002008-10-16T05:36:48.445-04:00

. . .and must-hear radio and must-read periodical fodder.Team McCain MUST make an ad to bring the following fiscal truth to the mind of every single voter between now and Nov. 4th:A federal government that increases expenses by nearly a trillion dollars a year will drain the personal finances of its citizens.Period.Increasing taxes on just 5% of the population isn't going to cover the price of

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-8991595360253302282008-10-15T23:36:00.002-04:002008-10-15T23:44:38.762-04:00

I was able to tolerate about the last hour of tonight's Presidential debate. From what I'm reading at other sites, apparently I missed McCain's most impressive part of the debate.Which does not surprise me, because the part that I saw was pretty lame.Yes, he did get in some decent counters. But more often than not, somewhere along the path of his answer I became lost. Either he was wandering

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-32694768424831500732008-10-14T18:38:00.002-04:002008-10-14T18:56:35.206-04:00

In two separate debates now, Sen. Obama has mentioned a letter he wrote to Paulson and Bernanke about the need to "reign in" Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's practices that have now proven to have been too risky.Really? A letter?A man who is ONE OF 100 PEOPLE in the country who get to say "I'm a U.S. Senator", a man who already had established himself as telegenic and rather eloquent, and a man who,

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-47738796268226893742008-10-14T08:01:00.003-04:002008-10-14T12:02:13.872-04:00

If there is one great truth to this election cycle, I believe it is this:If McCain doesn't talk about it himself, it isn't "discovered" by the major media that is covering this election.Should Stanley Kurtz be the only person covering Obama's early years as a politician in Chicago? Probably not--but he is.Should William Ayers have been a relative unknown until the last couple weeks? Absolutely

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-73850567383511341622008-10-04T12:45:00.003-04:002008-10-19T08:54:19.065-04:00

As a matter of full disclosure: I didn't watch all of the debate. Again, I watched enough to get my blood boiling over the several openings that Palin left unexplored, but also enough to know that she was everything I hoped she'd be: real, honest, and capable. So who won? Well, that depends ENTIRELY on the McCain camp now.The best theme, I believe, for them to win on is "the Dem ticket is

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-49812033277131313912008-09-29T18:17:00.002-04:002008-09-29T18:55:38.285-04:00

If I was in the McCain camp, I'd have an informal message to the House GOP: thanks for just freeing up my calendar for the next 35 days, since now my candidate has got no need to campaign any further.Seriously--maybe this is why he normally saves his best jabs for conservatives. NOW DON'T GET ME WRONG: I don't think the markets are going to fall off the face of the planet. And I also think

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-75762566299296342192008-09-28T22:10:00.003-04:002008-09-28T22:34:38.083-04:00

All right, a little more about the upcoming VP debate.I know that there is a lot of concern about whether or not Palin can handle herself on the stage on Thursday. And although I didn't see the Couric interview, I have heard from some reliable sources that her performance there was. . .something short of inspiring.And that may be the case. And maybe Palin has had difficulty learning all the ins

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-23954327233971089562008-09-28T10:21:00.003-04:002008-09-28T11:43:02.734-04:00

The title of this article will be applied in two different areas today.First, more about the debate. Debates are tactical engagements, by and large, but in certain instances they CAN BE strategic in value. Think of Kerry's "global test", and how that sound bite became synonymous with his election meaning a loss of American sovereignty in foreign affairs. So the question is: was there such a

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-8799960044139655592008-09-26T22:45:00.002-04:002008-09-26T23:31:07.014-04:00

First, three disclaimers: one, I'm always overwhelmingly negative of conservatives in debates. I keep putting myself in the shoes of the Republican, and -- probably because I'm such an egotistical fool -- I keep being disappointed in what I see as opposed to what I wish would have been done; second, I actually left the room for the last 25 minutes of the debate out of frustration (see point

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7600228.post-55418980043657621652008-09-19T18:39:00.007-04:002008-09-20T09:42:01.530-04:00

As I wrote not too long ago, I'm not getting too excited about the polls just yet.Yes, we're starting to get polling on individual states, and those are more interesting to me. But with the debates ahead, and heaven only knows what kinds of issues still to arise to front-page stories, there's a LONG WAY to go to Tipperary.But here are some quick reminders:a) overall polling means almost nothing.

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0