Tag Archives: politics

Communications Theory, Culture War, True Talking Points

Altruism and Totalitarianism

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[Editor’s Note – With this column we are very excited to welcome a truly wonderful mind in the form of Kate Dalzell to Political Arena. In this column Dalzell takes apart an all to common false narrative, a subject that is on our mind as of late.]

 

by Kate Dalzell

I have recently heard altruism defined as: a selfless and benevolent service to others and simply the rent we pay for living on this planet. While I am sure Joel Osteen and several other milquetoast pastors would nod their heads in mutual agreement the truth is it is an evil that I’ve personally witnessed creeping it’s way into the church and planting itself deeply into the spiritual lives of most Christians I interact with these days.

The problem is this altruist root of selflessness that lies at the core of all totalitarian systems, past, present, and future is that it is nothing more than a spiritual supplement. It offers outward reflection, a false humility, without the benefit of renewal or change that comes from a transformed life found in Christ. It is the religion of cults, atheists, Marxists, and all other totalitarian forms of worship. Altruism is the moral code at the base of all of these false religions, political systems and economies that have infiltrated not just our nation but, sadly, our church. It views human beings as objects of sacrifice, having no right to exist apart from service to others.

This is a lie from the pit of hell.

The truth is that the healthiest and most thriving nations are those made up of selfish, high regard for self, exceptional individuals that give and serve out of a charitable and humble heart, whereas the most stressed, and sometimes deadly, societies are founded on brutal and oppressive altruist premises. It is creating a disease so profuse in our culture that if not uprooted and destroyed, make no mistake, it will reduce Americans into second class citizens. Not only will blind atheists and evil Marxists be guilty of allowing this but so will the ignorant Christian.

Nathaniel Branden on altruism:

“Instead of the goodwill and mutual respect engendered by recognition of individual rights, altruism as a moral commandment produces only fear and hostility among human beings. It forces them to accept the role of victim or executioner and leaves them no standard of justice, no way to know what they can demand and what they must surrender. In order for human beings to accept self-sacrifice as a moral ideal, they have to remain ignorant of the concept of rational selfishness. Moralists have commonly declared or implied that our basic alternative is to sacrifice others to ourselves (which they call “egoism”) or to sacrifice ourselves to others (“altruism”). This is equivalent to declaring that our basic choice is between being a sadist or a masochist. Just as healthy sex consists of the exchange of pleasure, not pain, so healthy relationships of any kind consist of the exchange of values, not sacrifices.”

We must agree to put this out of our camp now!

Communications Theory, Culture War, Dirty Tricks, Elite Media, Israel, Jihad, Lies, True Talking Points

You will never see this picture in the press

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This is what happens frequently to Israeli soldiers:

Notice the certainty in the provocation and how secure the provocateur feels because he knows that Tsahal (IDF) will not touch him. Surroun

Filming the scene are journalists and left-wing activists eagerly waiting for the soldier to act, ready to capture any perceived misstep in order to use it to damn the IDF. Powerless but resolute, the soldier stands in the face of this provocation with restraint and dignity.

 

2012 Primary, Civility, Dirty Tricks, Editorial, Libya, Lies, Mitt Romney, Obama, Treason, True Talking Points

Romney Campaign Gloves Come Off: Obama Lies

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Political Arena Editor Chuck Norton – No one wants to have to call out their president as a liar, even if one didn’t vote for him, but after last night’s performance filled with instance after instance where he doubled down on untruths that anyone could unravel in minutes using an internet search engine or looking up facts at government web sites, President Obama left no room for continued benefit of a doubt. If anyone doubted Rudy Giuliani and Phyllis Schlafley when they called out Barack Obama as a Saul Alinsky inspired Chicago style politician all remaining doubts should have evaporated after last night. Not so long ago under President Clinton we were uncomfortable with lies even about sex, now we see lies laid out as a tool for calculated aggression and no one in the elite media bats an eye.

UPDATE – White House Libya lies timeline – LINK

While most elite media outlets did not bother to take the time to fact check most of Obama’s statements in the debate, they did check a few and what we have below from the Romney Campaign is just the tip of the iceberg of the lies that were told last night.

President Obama’s Five Worst Lies & Exaggerations From The Second Presidential Debate

NUMBER 1: President Obama Falsely Claimed He Immediately Characterized The Attacks In Benghazi As Terrorism:

President Obama: “The Day After The Attack, Governor, I Stood In The Rose Garden, And I Told The American People And The World That We Are Going To Find Out Exactly What Happened, That This Was An Act Of Terror.” (President Barack Obama, Second Presidential Debate, Hempstead, NY, 10/16/12)

The Washington Post’s Fact Checker: “What Did Obama Say In The Rose Garden A Day After The Attack In Libya? … He Did Not Say ‘Terrorism’…” “What did Obama say in the Rose Garden a day after the attack in Libya? ‘No acts of terror will ever shake the resolve of this nation,’ he said. But he did not say ‘terrorism’—and it took the administration days to concede that that it an ‘act of terrorism’ that appears unrelated to initial reports of anger at a video that defamed the prophet Muhammad.” (Glenn Kessler, “Fact Check: Libya Attack,” The Washington Post, 10/16/12)

Politico’s Mike Allen, On President Obama’s Rose Garden Remarks: “He Makes A Reference To 9/11 And He Says, Very Generally, We Will Not Let Acts Of Terror Go Unpunished.” ALLEN: “There’s going to be a bunch of fact checks, but just to do a fact check here. … And I’m looking at the transcript of that White House event the day after and he started by referring to them as selfless acts, which is casted very differently than the sort of very planned action that we now have. Later toward the end, he makes a reference to 9/11 and he says, very generally, we will not let acts of terror go unpunished. So that’s going to be an arguable point.” (Presidential Debate Wrap-Up, Politico Live, 10/16/12)

CNN’s Candy Crowley Admitted Mitt Romney “Was Right In The Main.” CROWLEY: “And I think actually, because right after that, I did turn around and say but you are totally correct that they spent two weeks telling us that this was about a tape and that there was this riot outside the Benghazi consulate, which there wasn’t. So he was right in the main, I just think he picked the wrong word. They’re going to parse and we all know what the definition of ‘is’ is, but, you know, in the end, I think John’s probably right.” (CNN’s “Debate Night In America,” 10/16/12)

NUMBER 2: President Obama Repeated His False Attack About A $5 Trillion Tax Cut:

President Obama: “It Costs About $5 Trillion.” OBAMA: “Look, the cost of lowering rates for everybody across the board 20 percent, along with what he also wants to do in terms of eliminating the estate tax, along what he wants to do in terms of corporates changes in the tax code — it costs about $5 trillion.” (President Barack Obama, Second Presidential Debate, Hempstead, NY, 10/16/12)

Obama Deputy Campaign Manager Stephanie Cutter: “Okay, Stipulated, It Won’t Be Near $5 Trillion…” BURNETT: “Right. So you’re saying if you lower them by 20% you get a $5 trillion tab, right?” CUTTER: “It’s a $5 trillion tab.”  BURNETT: “But then when you close deductions it’s not going to be anywhere near $5 trillion. That’s our analysis.” CUTTER: “Well, okay, stipulated, it won’t be near $5 trillion, but it’s also not going to be the sum of $5 trillion in the loopholes that he’s going to close.” (CNN, 10/4/12)

FactCheck.org: “Obama Accused Romney Of Proposing A $5 Trillion Tax Cut. Not True.” “Obama accused Romney of proposing a $5 trillion tax cut. Not true. Romney proposes to offset his rate cuts and promises he won’t add to the deficit.” (Brooks Jackson, “Dubious Denver Debate Declarations.” FactCheck.org, 10/4/12)

ABC’s Jon Karl, On President Obama’s $5 Trillion Claim: “Mostly Fiction.” KARL: “Okay, so, the big thing there, and he came back to it several times, is Governor Romney has a $5 trillion tax cut plan. I rate that mostly fiction.” (ABC’s “Your Voice: 2012Presidential Debates,” 10/3/12)

The Associated Press: “Obama’s Claim That Romney Wants To Cut Taxes By $5 Trillion Doesn’t Add Up.” “Obama’s claim that Romney wants to cut taxes by $5 trillion doesn’t add up. Presumably, Obama was talking about the effect of Romney’s tax plan over 10 years, which is common in Washington. But Obama’s math doesn’t take into account Romney’s entire plan.” (Calvin Woodward, “FACT CHECK: Presidential Debate Missteps,” The Associated Press, 10/3/12)

NUMBER 3: President Obama Claimed Mitt Romney’s Private Sector Experience Involved Outsourcing – A Claim Repeatedly Debunked By Fact Checkers:

President Obama: “As I Already Indicated, In The Private Sector, Governor Romney’s Company Invested In What Were Called Pioneers Of Outsourcing.” (President Barack Obama, Second Presidential Debate, Hempstead, NY, 10/16/12)

FactCheck.org: “We Found No Evidence To Support The Claim That Romney — While He Was Still Running Bain Capital — Shipped American Jobs Overseas.” “But after reviewing numerous corporate filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, contemporary news accounts, company histories and press releases, and the evidence offered by both the Obama and Romney campaigns, we found no evidence to support the claim that Romney — while he was still running Bain Capital — shipped American jobs overseas.” (Robert Farley and Eugene Kiely, “Obama’s ‘Outsourcer’ Overreach,” FactCheck.org, 6/29/12)

The Washington Post, On An Obama Outsourcing Ad: “On Just About Every Level, This Ad Is Misleading, Unfair And Untrue…” “The Obama campaign fails to make its case. On just about every level, this ad is misleading, unfair and untrue, from the use of ‘corporate raider’ to its examples of alleged outsourcing.  Simply repeating the same debunked claims won’t make them any more correct.” (Glenn Kessler, “4 Pinocchios For Obama’s Newest Anti-Romney Ad,” The Washington Post, 6/21/12)

The Washington Post: “Obama Never Mentions Another Washington Post Article, One That Detailed How He Has Not Been Able To Fulfill Many Of His Campaign Promises In 2008 To Stem The Outflow Of American Jobs…” (Glenn Kessler, “Fact Check: Pioneers Of Outsourcing,” The Washington Post, 10/16/12)

NUMBER 4: President Obama Claimed He Cut Taxes For The Middle Class – But Didn’t Mention His Policies Are Threatening To Hike Taxes By $4,000:

President Obama: “My Philosophy On Taxes Has Been Simple, And That Is, I Want To Give Middle-Class Families, And Folks Who Are Striving To Get In The Middle Class, Some Relief…” OBAMA: “My philosophy on taxes has been simple, and that is, I want to give middle-class families, and folks who are striving to get in the middle class, some relief, because they have been hit hard over the last decade, over the last 15, over the last 20 years.” (President Barack Obama, Second Presidential Debate, Hempstead, NY, 10/16/12)

President Obama Has Already Raised Taxes On Nearly 5 Million Middle-Class Americans In Obamacare. (“Payments Of Penalties For Being Uninsured Under The Affordable Care Act,” Congressional Budget Office, 9/12)

  • An Analysis By The Congressional Budget Office Found That “Nearly 80 Percent Of Those Who’ll Face” Obamacare’s Mandate Tax Are In The Middle Class. “Nonetheless, in his first campaign for the White House, Obama pledged not to raise taxes on individuals making less than $200,000 a year and couples making less than $250,000. And the budget office analysis found that nearly 80 percent of those who’ll face the penalty would be making up to or less than five times the federal poverty level.” (“Tax Penalty To Hit Nearly 6M Uninsured People,” The Associated Press, 9/19/12)

American Enterprise Institute Has Calculated That The Annual Cost Of President Obama’s Current And Looming Debt Burden Amounts To $4,000 Per Year In Higher Taxes On The Middle Class. “In a new paper, AEI’s Matt Jensen looks at the real annual cost of servicing the debt for households at various levels of income — including a potentially higher tax burden. As the table below illustrates, a household making between $100,000 and $200,000 a year could find its tax liability higher by roughly $2,400 every year. Over ten years, that works out to $24,000. And when you add in the debt already accrued the past four years under President Obama (the second table), that’s another $1,600 a year. So now we are now talking about $4,000 a year, $40,000 over ten years.” (James Pethokoukis, “Study: Obama’s Big Budget Deficits Could Mean A $4,000 A Year Middle-Class Tax Hike,” American Enterprise Institute, 10/2/12)

NUMBER 5: President Obama Falsely Claimed He Has Increased Energy Production On Public Lands:

President Obama: “We Have Increased Oil Production To The Highest Levels In 16 Years. Natural Gas Production Is The Highest It Has Been In Decades.” OBAMA: “The most important thing we can do is to make sure we control our own energy. Here is what I have done since I was president, we have increased oil production to the highest levels in 16 years. Natural gas production is the highest it has been in decades.” (President Barack Obama, Second Presidential Debate, Hempstead, NY, 10/16/12)

  • President Obama: “We’ve Opened Up Public Lands. We’re Actually Drilling More On Public Lands Than In The Previous Administration.” ROMNEY: “As a matter of fact, oil production is down 14 percent this year on federal land, and gas production is down 9 percent. Why? Because the president cut in half the number of licenses and permits for drilling on federal lands and in federal waters.” OBAMA: “Candy, there’s no doubt that world demand’s gone up. But our production is going up, and we’re using oil more efficiently. And very little of what Governor Romney just said is true. We’ve opened up public lands. We’re actually drilling more on public lands than in the previous administration.” (President Barack Obama, Second Presidential Debate, Hempstead, NY, 10/16/12)

The Washington Post: “Contrary To President Obama’s Assertions,” Oil Production “On Public Land Is Down 14 Percent And Production Of Gas On Public Land Is Down 9 Percent.” “Is Gov. Mitt Romney telling the truth when he says oil and gas production is down on public land? Contrary to President Obama’s assertions, Romney’s telling the truth when he says, ‘Production of oil on public land is down 14 percent and production of gas on public land is down 9 percent.’ That’s because energy production on federal lands is down compared to 2010, according to the Energy Information Administration.” (Juliet Eilperin, “The Truth About Oil And Gas Production On Public Land,” The Washington Post, 10/16/12)

ABC’s Jonathan Karl: “It Is True That Those Drilling Leases And Permits Are Down Under President Obama.” KARL: “But on this issue of oil and gas drilling, Governor Romney said that oil and gas drilling is down by 50% on public lands. That is not exactly true but it’s not far off. In fact, we looked at the numbers and oil drilling permits on public land dropped by 37% in the first two years of the Obama administration, 42% in terms of leases for natural gas. So the numbers weren’t exactly right, but it is true that those drilling leases and permits are down under President Obama.” (ABC’s Presidential Debate Coverage, 10/16/12)

2012 Primary, Energy Policy, Health Law, Lies, Mitt Romney, Obama, True Talking Points

Editor – So many lies and misrepresentations in the debate we couldn’t keep up with them…

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UPDATE – Romney was right and Candy Crawley and Obama were both wrong, Obama did NOT call it a terror attack in his Rose Garden statement. Obama’s full statement is in the first comment below. Here is CNN almost sorda kinda apologizing:

Romney got the better of Obama performance wise for about the first hour, but Obama made a comeback in the last 30 minutes or so. Obama was playing a nasty class warfare card that just wasn’t sincere and didn’t fly.

Romney reversed his position on Comprehensive Immigration Reform (remember how he demagogued and misrepresented Rick Perry on this issue?) which I predicted he would do long ago and his answer on Syria was almost a joke.

Obama engaged in a systematic, Alinsky inspired and very deliberate misrepresentation of the facts, especially when it comes to energy policy, healthcare and taxes. Of course Romney was correct on the general idea on Libya but fell into a trap on semantics instead of focusing on how the administration lied about this issue for two weeks and was as caught as caught could be. Obama’s campaign already admitted on national television that the $5 billion dollar tax cut talking point Obama used in the debate really isn’t accurate, but again they used it tonight.

The lies (and misrepresentations with a tiny kernel of truth) were so voluminous that it would take this writer all night long to catalog them and I have to be out the door in seven hours….so no point by point fact check will be posted tonight. If any reader has a specific question I will be happy to answer it. The documentation to demonstrate President Obama’s flamboyant dishonesty is cataloged on this very web site.

Obama debate approved drilling permits
Hey President Obama – What was that you said about how you approved more drilling permits than Bush?

 

Obama Pays Women Less –  via yours truly in my old college blog in 2008:

http://iusbvision.wordpress.com/2008/07/02/profiles-in-hypocrisy-obama-speeches-say-he-supports-equal-pay-for-women-and-mccain-doesnt-but-obama-pays-women-in-his-campaign-less-mccain-pays-women-more/

and

http://iusbvision.wordpress.com/2008/09/16/obama-ad-says-mccain-opposes-equal-pay-for-women-but-guess-who-paid-women-less-than-men/

and just now in The Daily Caller:

http://dailycaller.com/2012/10/16/obama-touts-fair-pay-for-women-despite-records-showing-women-paid-less-in-his-own-white-house/

The most powerful moment in the debate was Romney going large in his description of the last four years:

Below is my live blog:

Chuck Norton – I have to say that Romney’s college job answer is a total home run. He looks in charge, calm, confident and ready.

Chuck Norton – Obama looks good, he sounds assertive, but wow the misrepresentation starts already. The fact checkers have dinged Obama on his “Mitt Wants Detroit to go bankrupt” line before.

Chuck Norton –  Taxing the wealthy doesn’t give anyone a job, it chases wealth away when they try to avoid the tax.

Chuck Norton – Romney, including those who dropped out of the workforce the U3 would be 10.7%. Romney explains bankruptcy reorganization.

Chuck Norton – Jobs are created and lost all the time, but adding 5 million jobs when 10 million are what is needed to break even with people losing jobs and coming into the workforce puts the number into perspective.

Chuck Norton – They doubled fuel standards on cars… and now we see these tiny FIAT’s on the road and the emissions devices have raised car prices to out of the world. Chevy Volts cost over $100,000 more than GM is selling them for.

Chuck Norton – Romney explains the difference between private land energy production and production on federal land which Obama has been trying to bring to a screeching halt.

Chuck Norton – Wow, who looks presidential folks. I expected Obama to come back hard but this is so one sided it is unbelievable. (But Obama made a comeback in this area near the end).

Chuck Norton – We are drilling more now because of oil permits approved under Bush that are now coming online that Obama couldn’t stop…. but look at what Obama did stop.

Oil imports are down because the economy has slowed overall demand.

Chuck Norton – The oil leases were yanked because when they looked at what it would take to get through the EPA to actually drill and concluded it would not be profitable so they paid for the lease and concluded with today’s EPA it would be a money loser or too much of a risk to actually try and drill.

Chuck Norton – Wow, if the fact checkers are honest Obama is going to get hammered.

Chuck Norton – Food prices up, gas prices up, insurance prices up family income down $4,000

Chuck Norton – Romney, NO TAX on your savings. Wow that is smart, that is very smart and it encourages middle and low income people to get involved in saving and investing which would be great to help recapitalize the country.

Chuck Norton – Obama want to continue the Bush tax cuts for small businesses??? Since when?

Chuck Norton – Obama’s 97% of small businesses number includes small businesses on paper and ones that do not have more than 1 employee. The vast majority of small businesses that actually employ ten or more people are going to get whacked by the $200k number.

Chuck Norton Wow, Obama’s campaign already admitted that the $5 trillion dollar number he just spouted wasn’t true. Folks this is surreal.

Chuck Norton – Fact checkers are going to cream Obama’s earlier coal and oil production claims. Coal workers are blasting Obama already – Miners Fight Back Against Obama TV Ad: “Absolute Lies”

Chuck Norton – Of course the numbers adds up – Romney

Chuck Norton – Well Obama, first of all your campaign pays women less and so do Democrats in congress when it comes to their staffs….. big opportunity here for Romney.

Chuck Norton – Romney is getting upset and needs to calm don a bit.

Chuck Norton – Obama says that it is ROMNEY who wants people in Washington deciding women’s health decisions.. WHAT –
ObamaCare Panel Targeting Women’s Health Screenings…Again – LINK

Chuck Norton – Great answer on how Romney differentiates himself from GW Bush.

Chuck Norton – Romney pounds on the broken promises….

Chuck Norton – I have to admit, the BS Obama is putting out sounds good…. …. wow I really hope the fact checkers pay close attention.

Chuck Norton – Romney just reversed himself on “Comprehensive Immigration Reform” that he blasted Rick Perry on in the primary.

Chuck Norton – Libya question – Obama pivots to general national security and the specific question asked to him was not answered.

Chuck Norton – Romney hits Obama for skipping the intelligence briefing the next day and going to a Las Vegas fund raiser.

Chuck Norton – Second Amendment question – Who will tackle it and who will dance.

Chuck Norton – Romney hits Obama on Fast & Furious – about time.

Chuck Norton – Romney was not bold enough on the second amendment follow up

Chuck Norton – Romney: Canada tax rate 15% America 35% where would you rather start a business. Regulations up four times.

Chuck Norton-  Obama’s advanced manufacturing answer was a good one. He doesn’t mean any of this because his regulatory war on business is a huge job killer.

Chuck Norton-  Wow it was surreal; the misrepresentation of facts has been stunning. While both sides had factual deficits Obama was so dishonest it was amazing.

2012 Primary, Civility, Communications Theory, Culture War, Obama, True Talking Points

Mocking Obama Ads Taking Toll

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Saul Alinsky, the greatest smear artist of the modern age, said that nothing beats ridicule when it comes to political slander, but in truth, informed ridicule is far more effective. When you can ridicule someone and the mockery is based in truths that are at least directionally accurate, it can be enough to turn any brand into a sour note for many people.

2012 Primary, Budget, Econ, Jobs, Obama

10 Leave the Labor Force for Every One added

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This situation makes the U3 unemployment number look better than the actual unemployment problem is. Using the U3 number those who get part time jobs and those who give up on looking for gainful employment are not counted among the unemployed.

Weekly Standard:

“For Every 1 Person Added To Labor Force Since January 2009,” the chart reads, “10 People Added To Those Not In Labor Force.”

That is, in nearly the four years, since President Obama took office in January 2009, only 827,000 people have been added to the labor force, while during that same time period, 8,208,000 have been added to those not in the labor force.

The chart relies on data available from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“The numbers represented in the chart are a measure of growth from January 2009 through September 2012,” the Republican side of the Senate Budget Committee explains. “The data is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Current Population Survey, a sample of 60,000 households conducted by personal and telephone interviews. Basic labor force data are gathered monthly. The labor force consists of all people aged 16 and over either employed or actively seeking work. It does not include discouraged workers, people who have retired, or those on welfare or disability who are no longer looking for work. The ‘not in the labor force’ group is defined as the total civilian non-institutional population minus the labor force.”

Since January 2009, the labor force has grown by 0.54 percent, or 827,000 people (from 154,236,000 to 155,063,000). Those not in the labor force grew by 10.2 percent during the same period (8,208,000 people), from 80,502,000 to 88,710,000. In other words, for every one person added to the labor force of the United States since January 2009, the size of the U.S. population not in the labor force grew by 10 people.

2012 Primary, Dirty Tricks, Editorial

Clinton: “I Take Responsiblity” For Benghazi. Political Arena Editor Comments

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UPDATE – Clinton now says that the blame lies in “The Fog of War“. The circumstances and reasons below show that to be just plain false. In the comments below several US Senators are calling foul as well.

Political Arena Editor:

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but Dan Rather gets it spot on. Here is why. When we look at the decisions down the line:

1 – The decision to not use Marines or Blackwater private mercenaries (who the administration shuns) for security and use locals (who sold them out) was a political decision not a security one.

2 – The building did not meet the minimum standards for physical security for an embassy was a political decision, because there are standard procedures that the State Department follows for the kinds of physical security all our embassies and consulates have and it takes a political decision to over ride them. Our building was penetrated by Al-Qaeda in 10 minutes and our sensitive documents were taken because the staff had no time to destroy them.

3 – The embassy was not fortified for the anniversary of 9/11. It should have been, In fact when the people on the ground asked for more security repeatedly the answer was no, when it was a no brainer that more security was needed. Our State Department Security is not capable of this level of incompetence so a political decision is almost certainly responsible.

4 – Embassy staff requested more security both physical and muscle and the answer was to have some security taken away, but the remaining security did have their danger pay increased as the Administration was aware that they were in more danger. Their efforts to get more security been going on for months so the odds of the problem being a mere security oversight is near impossible.

5 – The use of embassy funds to buy Chevy Volts. Would anyone like to argue that this was not a political decision?

6. Sending Ambassador Susan Rice out on the Sunday Shows to lie about the nature of the attack four days after the attack when people already knew better was a political decision certainly hand picked by the White House.

2012 Primary, Elite Media, Mitt Romney, True Talking Points

Romney Pays 57.9% in Charity Contributions & Taxes

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Almost 60% of his income goes to charity and government. Democrats went on for weeks that they wanted to see the returns with some of them accusing him of being a tax cheat and a felon…. well there you go.

Washington Examiner:

With President Obama expected to use his second-chance debate this week to portray Mitt Romney as an uncaring rich guy, a new analysis of the GOP candidate’s wealth shows that the millionaire was so generous that he kept just 42 percent of his income.

Obama’s team has mocked the 14.1 percent tax rate that Romney is in as shirking his responsibility. But Charlottesville, Va.-based Marotta Wealth Management, which pens a widely-followed research blog, found that when Romney’s tax burden and charitable gifts are included, he paid out 57.9 percent of his income.

“Giving $2.3 million to charity certainly should not be the basis of any criticism,” said David Marotta. “It is money the Romney’s did not keep for themselves, so I am counting it with the money lost to taxes.”

His basic math for Romney’s 2011 return: $18.6 million in income minus $10.8 million in taxes and charity results in a net of $7.8 million, 42.1 percent of gross. Ditto for 2010, said Marotta.

2012 Primary, Communications Theory, Dirty Tricks, Elite Media, Obama, True Talking Points

Federal News Service Edits Debate Trascript to Help Biden….and Gets Caught…

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…by Breitbart News:

Yes, Virginia, there is something fishy about media coverage of the debates, but it’s deeper than you think. As was reported here on Friday, the New York Times elided Paul Ryan’s terrific line “And we will not blame others for the next four years” in their “complete” transcript of the vice-presidential debate.

Guess who else cut the line out of their transcript? National Public Radio (NPR).  And here’s where it gets truly nefarious; the New York Times, NPR, the Chicago Sun Times and other news outlets used the same news source for the transcript: the Federal News Service (FNS). How many media outlets did the FNS use to mislead readers around the nation?

The Federal News Service was bought in 2010 by the Dolan Company, which published business journals, court and commercial newspapers and other publications, and then bought FNS, which, among other things, publishes transcripts of events like the debates.

Would a supposedly reputable company like FNS try to twist the truth in order to help one political party? You decide.

The CEO of the Dolan Company is James P. Dolan. Here is a list of his political contributions for 2009- 2010.

2009:

$10,000 for the Follow the North Star Fund, a Minnesota Democratic PAC

$2400 for Tim Walz for Congress. Walz is a Democrat.

2010:

$10,000 Follow the North Star Fund

$5000 Minnesota Democratic Farmer Labor Party

$2400 Friends for Harry Reid

$1400 Tim Walz for Congress

$1000 Klobachar for Minnesota. Klobachar is a Democrat.

$1000 Giffords for Congress. Giffords is a Democrat.

When Dolan bought FNS in 2010, he uttered these deathless words:

“Fed News plays an important role in public affairs, reporting exactly what was said, rather than official transcripts that often show only what was supposed to have been said.”

Why is it hard to believe him now?

UPDATE: The Federal news Service has corrected itself, but few of the outlets have, including the New York Times. The damage has been done.

2012 Primary, Budget, Culture War, Econ, Mitt Romney, Obama, True Talking Points

79% say all Americans should pay income taxes

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Fox News:

A large majority of likely voters believes all Americans should pay some federal income tax — even if it is as little as one percent of what they make.

Seventy-nine percent say everyone should pay something, according to a Fox News poll released Thursday.  That includes 85 percent of Republicans, 83 percent of independents and 71 percent of Democrats.

According to the IRS, last year approximately 41 percent of tax filers did not pay federal income tax.  The Tax Policy Center estimates that will increase to 46 percent this year.

Most voters (73 percent) are at least somewhat familiar with the widely-broadcast videotape of Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney talking about “47 percent of Americans” and the number of people paying no federal income tax.  Romney also talks about his concern that the country is becoming an entitlement society and that many are too dependent on government.  Journalists and pundits speculated the tape would damage Romney’s campaign.  Yet a 63-percent majority thinks the substance of Romney’s comment about dependence on government is mostly (36 percent) or somewhat true (27 percent).

Three out of four voters believes the “average American” is at least somewhat dependent on government (76 percent), while less than a third says they personally are (31 percent).

The poll also shows nearly half of voters — 46 percent — think the federal government is “trying to do too much” these days.  That’s more than twice as many as say it’s doing “too little” (22 percent).  Just over a quarter says the government is doing “about the right amount” (28 percent).

2012 Primary, Firearms, Gangsta Govt, Obama, True Talking Points

White House Aide Involved in ‘Fast and Furious’ Suddenly’ Transferred to Iraq; Issa Threatens Subpoena

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Related: Obama Administration Illegally Fires ATF “Fast & Furious” Whistleblower – LINK

CNS News:

Kevin O’Reilly, a member of the White House National Security Staff who regularly communicated about Operation Fast and Furious with the Arizona-based ATF agent responsible for running the operation that allowed guns to flow to Mexican drug cartels, was suddenly transferred out of the White House and into Iraq in July 2011.

The transfer took place shortly after the ATF agent had testified in the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and the White House had provided the committee with a series of emails that O’Reilly and the agent had exchanged while Fast and Furious was underway.

Since then, the White House has declined to allow O’Reilly to be interviewed either by the committee or by Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz, who conducted the administration’s internal investigation of Fast and Furious. The White House also refused to give the inspector general access to internal White House communications relating to Fast and Furious.

Under Fast and Furious, the ATF and the Justice Department deliberately allowed known straw purchasers for Mexican drug cartels to buy about 2,000 guns at U.S. gun stores. In December 2010, two of these guns were found at the scene of the murder of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry. Many more of the guns were found at crime scenes in Mexico.

In Sept. 20 testimony before the Oversight Committee, Horowitz said that the White House’s refusal to let O’Reilly speak and to provide the IG’s office with access to relevant internal White House communications “made it impossible” to “pursue that aspect of the case.”

In a letter they sent to O’Reilly’s attorney last Thursday, House Oversight Chairman Darrell Issa and Sen. Charles Grassley, the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, warned that Issa would subpoena O’Reilly if he did not agree to testify.

“We have been trying to arrange to speak with your client, Kevin O’Reilly, for nearly a year now,” Issa and Grassley wrote. “Earlier this year, you agreed to make O’Reilly available for an interview if the White House authorized his participation. The White House, where O’Reilly worked during the pendency of Operation Fast and Furious, refused to make him available, citing ‘an insufficient basis to support the request.”

“If O’Reilly chooses to continue to make himself unavailable, Chairman Issa will have no further alternative but to use compulsory process to require his testimony before the committee,” they wrote.

Continue reading HERE.

2012 Primary, Econ, Jobs, Obama, Taxes, True Talking Points

Illinois Raises Business Taxes: Jimmy Johns Corporation Leaves the State

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Wealth goes where it is treated well. It should be the first rule of economics. When a bunch of radicalized leftists in Illinois demonize you for daring to start a good business and create jobs why stay?

jimmy johns

News Gazette:

CHAMPAIGN – The founder of Jimmy John’s said he has applied for Florida residency and may recommend that his corporate headquarters move out-of-state as a result of the Illinois tax increases enacted last week.

Jimmy John Liautaud told The News-Gazette on Tuesday that he is angry about the moves, which boosted the individual income tax from 3 percent to 5 percent and the corporate income tax from 7.3 percent to 9.5 percent.

“All they do is stick it to us,” he said, adding that the Legislature and governor showed “a clear lack of understanding.”

“I could absorb this and adapt, but it doesn’t feel good in my soul to make it happen,” Liautaud said.

Jimmy John’s, which has its corporate headquarters on Fox Drive in Champaign, has more than 1,000 sandwich shops nationwide, many of them franchise operations.

Champaign has been its corporate base, but Liautaud said it will not necessarily continue that way.

Liautaud said he has been contacted by “multiple pro-business states” that made him feel “wanted and important.”

“I enjoy being courted and the process,” he said.

Once he collects information on alternative sites, he will present it to the company’s board of directors and ask the board to decide.

As for himself, “my family and I are out of here,” he said.

2012 Primary, Dirty Tricks, Obama, True Talking Points, Unhinged, Unions

Elizabeth Warren freaks when questioned about union members forced to campaign for her (video)

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Union members are told that they will be fined if they do not campaign for Massachusetts Senate Candidate Elizabeth Warren. All she has is this class envy nonsense she spews all while the big money interests and far left academics are the ones that are funding her.

2012 Primary, Culture War, Mitt Romney, Obama

Star Trek’s Gary Graham Endorses Romney

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Gary Graham
Gary Graham in Star Trek

More and more Hollywood Celebs including “A Listers” like Gary Graham are coming out for Mitt Romney.

Perhaps this is because Hollywood box office receipts are in decline and the reason for it is obvious – movie tickets are bough with discretionary income. A long double dip recession impacts Hollywood in a big way and the numbers speak for themselves.

Gary Graham at Big Hollywood:

Barack Obama has governed so far left that even some of my lefty friends in Tinseltown are throwing flags-on-the-play. Gone is the excited buzz from four years ago. Democrats talk only about their disgust and hatred for Romney, or Limbaugh or Hannity … or Bush. But oddly, unless it’s to brag about “their guy got bin Laden” … not a word about the Prez. And if Obama is mentioned at all, it’s in muted tones and short, general references. These days a patina of vague embarrassment colors liberal obstinancy in Hollywood.

I don’t know why they’re surprised – all he’s ever espoused has been neo-socialist rhetoric, anti-imperialism, and Saul-Alinsky-esque diatribes attacking capitalism, traditional American values and supply-side economics. So, nearly four years since taking office, why are so many of them shocked that he actually governed as the ultra-left radical he always swore he was?

As a former lefty myself, I’m familiar with the left’s propensity to court reality with no real intention to marry.

I, for one, believed Obama. That’s why I never supported him. As an ardent student of history, I’ve seen the ravages that socialism has inflicted upon the world. Hundreds of millions of lives lost needlessly and untold human suffering. The arrogance to think that it wasn’t the system to blame … that socialism could work if the right people were in charge, with the right leadership; then the unwieldy, overstuffed, non-aeronautic abomination could actually fly … and that all it took was good intentions, vague dreams of Utopian hopes and dreams to lift it off … and the physics of economics be damned. It’s beyond comprehension.

So, predictably, President Obama’s policies … all of them … have failed completely. On every score, they fail to do as promised. Rather than uplift and unite, they depress and divide. Rather than stimulate the economy, they slide us deeper into debt, stagnant economic growth and development and slip us deeper into recession. Rather than build up our image globally and foster love and appreciation, they alienate our allies and embolden our enemies and make us not only hated, but disrespected.

At the Emmys recently, host Jimmy Kimmel sniped, “Yeah who here is voting for Romney?” Expecting a groan and a laugh … he was mildly shocked to hear the positive response. It sounded like a third of the people present were cheering. Cheering – for a Republican challenger. At a Hollywood event!

Continue reading HERE.

2012 Primary, Dirty Tricks, Firearms, Gangsta Govt, Obama, Treason, True Talking Points

Obama Administration Illegally Fires ATF “Fast & Furious” Whistleblower

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….in a Denny’s parking lot.

You just can’t make this stuff up folks… Lawsuit sure to come….

RELATED: White House Aide Involved in ‘Fast and Furious’ Suddenly’ Transferred to Iraq – LINK

Kate Pavlich:

Special Agent Vince Cefalu has worked for the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms for more than 25 years. On top of successfully placing dozens of hard criminals behind bars throughout his career, Cefalu has received promotions and consistently positive evaluations. When he started raising his voice about ATF corruption and illegal wiretapping in 2005, things changed.  Tuesday evening, Cefalu was asked to meet Special Agent in Charge of the San Francisco Field Division Joseph Riehl at a Denny’s Restaurant near Lake Tahoe. When he arrived, he was served termination papers in the parking lot. Classy move. The exchange was secretly recorded by a confidential source. David Codrea has more:

The video, shaky at times from being handheld, and with color imbalance streaking happening inadvertently in the uploading to YouTube, was recorded by a confidential source and shows Cefalu approached by two ATF management representatives including Joseph M. Riehl, Special Agent in Charge of the San Francisco Field Division, which encompasses Northern California and Nevada field offices.

Riehl, seen talking to Cefalu through his Jeep window and reportedly telling him he couldn’t leave because he had to sign papers, had been criticized on the CUATF forum, and Gun Rights Examiner is attempting to track down audit reports to determine what an independent assessment reveals about the allegations there. But the bottom line is, an employee with over 25 years of service who has been a leading spokesman for whistleblowers was unceremoniously canned in a public parking lot by senior division management.

Cefalu was placed on administrative leave a year and a half ago after speaking out about Operation Fast and Furious. In 2009, he launched the website CleanUpATF.org in order for agents within ATF to blow the whistle on corrupt behavior anonymously due to the agency’s history of retaliation against those who “jump their chain of command.” His website is where bloggers and news reporters first saw allegations of gunwalking. The site is heavily monitored by the Department of Justice.

In the February 2012 issue of Townhall Magazine, Cefalu detailed the ATF corruption leading up to Fast and Furious and his retaliation case coming from inside the bureau that led to his firing this week.

Continue reading HERE.

2012 Primary, Dirty Tricks, Elite Media, Gangsta Govt, Lies, Obama, Thugs, Treason, True Talking Points, Unhinged

Emails Reveal Justice Department Enlists Media Matters to Attack Reporters Reporting Obama Admin Scandals

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Friends, this is absolutely Stalisnist and that is not a term we use lightly. This administration has threatened and targeted reporters again and again and is now using underhanded tactics like this to keep the elite media, who is already mostly in the tank for them, in line.

The Daily Caller:

Internal Department of Justice emails obtained by The Daily Caller show Attorney General Eric Holder’s communications staff has collaborated with the left-wing advocacy group Media Matters for America in an attempt to quell news stories about scandals plaguing Holder and America’s top law enforcement agency.

Dozens of pages of emails between DOJ Office of Public Affairs Director Tracy Schmaler and Media Matters staffers show Schmaler, Holder’s top press defender, working with Media Matters to attack reporters covering DOJ scandals. TheDC obtained the emails through a Freedom of Information Act request. (RELATED: TheDC’s complete coverage of Media Matters)

Emails sent in September and November 2010 show Schmaler working with Media Matters staffer Jeremy Holden on attacking news coverage of the New Black Panther Party voter intimidation scandal.

Holden attacked former DOJ Civil Rights Division attorneys J. Christian Adams and Hans von Spakovsky on Sept. 20, 2010 for what he called an attempt “to reignite the phony New Black Panther Party scandal.”

Before Holden posted his article at 7:52 p.m., Schmaler sent him several emails with information helping him attack both former DOJ oficials.

“Here’s one Wolf letter,” read the subject of one email Schmaler sent Holden that contained no text. The email was likely a reference to Virginia Republican Rep. Frank Wolf, a member of Congress who led the Republican charge on the New Black Panther Party scandal involving alleged voter intimidation at a November 2008 polling place in Philadelphia.

In response, Holden told Schmaler that “The response to interog 38 is particularly helpful. Thanks!”

Interrogatory 38 was a reference to a question from Congress that the Justice Department answered, concerning the role of several senior officials in discussing litigation related to that voter intimidation case.

A follow-up email shows Schmaler sending Holden more information.

“[H]ere’s another one to Smith,” Schmaler wrote. “[I]t’s about perrelli contact with w. WH. helpful in that it makes clear perrelli didn’t have discussions w/ WH on the case (obviously confirming he knew of it) … but also illustrates [REDACTED] they’ve tried to throw up that won’t stick[.]”

Holden responded at 8:34 p.m. — three hours after Schmaler sent her first email at 5:34 — to say, “Post is live, FWIW [for what it’s worth]. Thanks again.”

Nearly two months later, on Nov. 18, 2010, Holden wrote a new blog post he described as an “EXCLUSIVE,” titled “Right-wing commission to vote on flawed New Black Panthers report.”

“The conservative-dominated U.S. Commission on Civil Rights will vote Friday on an interim report that omits critical evidence disproving allegations that the Obama administration refuses to enforce voting-rights laws against racial minorities, according to Media Matters’ analysis of a copy of the report we obtained,” Holden wrote in the Nov. 18 article.

Holden attacked Adams again, and Christopher Coates — another now-former DOJ attorney.

After Holden published that piece, Schmaler sent him an email titled “Great piece…” and continuing in the body of the message, “On USCCR investigation.’” One minute later, Holden responded, writing, “Thanks!”

Continue reading HERE.

2012 Primary, Culture War, Jihad, Libya, Lies, Obama, Treason, True Talking Points, War

Bob Beckel and The Five Blast Obama Admin for Lying About Embassy Attacks (video)

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Bob Beckel is as partisan a Democrat hired gun as they come, but one thing I will say for him is that if you lie to him he does not like it one bit and the Administration has lied and while he tries to give them some benefit of the doubt he all but admits that the Obama Administration is just caught, should fess and “should get out from under this thing”.

2012 Primary, Econ, Health Law, Jobs, Obama, True Talking Points

CEO Steve Wynn: Obamacare and Other Policies Killing Jobs (video)

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“That can probably explain to you why I’ve become so concerned about what’s happening in Washington, because it’s affecting the living standards of my employees,” he said. “They’re all filled with anxieties these days.”

“They’re noticing in their homes…that their paychecks are shrinking in real time because of government irresponsibility and the management of this deficit,” Wynn added. “It’s killing the living standard of my employees, and that immediately affects their attitude at work.”

The policies from Washington are “Outrageously bad government by any standard, it doesn’t make any sense.”

2012 Primary, Treason, True Talking Points

John Fund discusses Voter fraud with Accuracy in Media’s Don Irvine (video)

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The talking point from the left this year has been “There is no vote fraud”. Remember ACORN? Remember “Vote Scam” by Ken Collier about vote fraud in Florida? Remember how we now know that Obama got on the ballot illegally by fraud? And of course the Al Franken fiasco.

John Fund discusses Voter fraud with Accuracy in Media’s Don Irvine

2012 Primary, Communications Theory, Editorial

Editor’s Live Blog of VP Debate

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Editor: Biden’s Performance the Most Dishonest I Have Ever Witnessed – LINK

Chuck Norton – Joe is a very likable fellow. He always has been. Look at how fast he changed the subject to Bin Laden.

Chuck Norton – Ryan has good points, but he is being a tad scripted. But granted any normal human would be nervous.

Chuck Norton – Oh come on Joe, the Obama Admin was using the Embassy Budget to buy Chevy Volts for diplomatic staff… and its Ryan’s fault that the Obama Admin cut security in Banghazi? Gimme an effing break….

Laurie Blackert Harris – ONLY good point…he has to stick with the only thing they have..

Chuck Norton – Look this is the anniversary of 9/11…. and – Go Paul Ryan – totally correct.

Laurie Blackert Harris – I MEAN Bin laden dead… is the ONLY thing they have… then got our seals killed when they bragged about it… STUPID

Chuck Norton – OK the administration counted on watered down sanctions…. but to be fair, oil rich countries are VERY good at getting around such sanctions…. Saddam Hussien was getting around the sanctions and the UN was helping Iraq get around them with bribes all the way up to Kofi Annon’s son.

Chuck Norton – Paul Ryan is talking too much. Let Joe talk so he can gaff… because he always does….

Chuck Norton – Joe says that “we will not let Iran get a nuclear weapon and they don’t have a weapon to put uranium into” – OH COME ON – once they have the uranium making the weapons is so easy it is silly. I know as I have expertise on WMD’s.

Chuck Norton – Sanctions just give the illusion of doing something while Iran gets time to enrich uranium.

Chuck Norton – Joe says – Romney says “let foreclosures hit the bottom” the market needs to bottom out before it can recover. The problem came about and lingers because government is trying to prop up housing prices… and they are failing miserably in the process.

Kimberly Eason Saunders – Why the hell is Biden laughing all the time?

Chuck Norton – Joe pulls the old BS class envy card – so Ryan pulls out “This is not what a real recovery looks like” card and goes right into the “Five Point Plan” which are solid and simple talking points.

Chuck Norton – Wow – Paul Ryan did his “Mitt Romney is a good man” speech which was devastatingly effective. A YouTube moment that we are going to see for a long time.

Kimberly Eason Saunders – Ryan better come back on this one — show me something? Where’s your budget?

Chuck Norton – Wow the war and the prescription drug benefit caused the collapse Joe??? WTF – Wow such lies. Wow, even for a politician that is a whopper.

Chuck Norton – Wait a minute – so when Ryan’s office helps a constituent apply for stimulus dollars that is a policy position?? Joe knows better than that. It is the duty of every Member of Congress to help with such requests once the law is enacted. – This is terribly dishonest.

Kimberly Eason Saunders – Moderator sucks — she keeps changing topic and not let Ryan answer

Chuck Norton – Yes when Ryan is moving in for the kill she wants to change.

Chuck Norton – Wow the dishonesty is really getting thick. The fact checkers are going to cream Biden tomorrow.

Kimberly Eason Saunders –  interrupting again! UGH! I want to slap him

Kimberly Eason Saunders –  How many times has he said Martha? Good thing this isn’t a drinking game!

Chuck Norton – Biden is denying what his own Medicare Actuary is on the record saying.

Chuck Norton  – 28% of small business income vs 44% of that income Obama wants to take – that one hit home.

Chuck Norton  – Ohh these taxes on small business speech Ryan is going is devastating – another youtube moment.

Chuck Norton  – Reagan and Tip O’Neill – lets do what they did – smart

Chuck Norton  – Arguing statistics against Paul Ryan – Ryan will win every time.

Chuck Norton  – Getting in the weeds vs Paul Ryan is a losing strat Joe – Hit Paul Ryan on specifics ….Ryan can give them to you.

Chuck Norton  – Joe is right about the budget deal – Boehner got totally out foxed.

Kimberly Eason Saunders  – Gotta give Ryan credit for keeping his cool against this dimwit

Chuck Norton  – Joe Biden: Afghan security is THEIR responsibility not ours. A good point, but unless the Taliban is whipped they will own Afghanistan again and we will be right at square one. We are being too restrained in fighting the Taliban.

Kimberly Eason Saunders  – it is almost unbearable to watch Biden’s smug  face

Chuck Norton  – Let me be clear, either go ape on the Taliban and wipe them out whatever it takes, or take all our allies and those who want to leave (like all the women who hate the taliban) and we leave. We must NOT leave the innocent to twist in the wind.

Kimberly Eason Saunders  – Why is Biden yelling?

Rey Brandt  – Because he is losing?

Rey Brandt  – Just talk over the top Joe it’s not like the moderator will call you on it.

Chuck Norton – Joe knows how to sound assertive – even when he is just so full of it.

Chuck Norton – I think people tuned out after the medicare part of the debate – now only the politiwonks are watching.

Chuck Norton  – Both of them are wrong on this Syria thing……..

Chuck Norton  – LOL, Biden can take a pile of nonsense and make it sound like a good answer, but like I said, wow are the fact checkers going to skewer Biden tomorrow.

Kimberly Eason Saunders  – I am totally against forcing religious hospitals to cover abortions as it’s against their religious beliefs

Chuck Norton  – Ryan nailing them on the abortion mandate against catholic institutions hit home.

Chuck Norton – Oh wow, Biden is going to get hammered tomorrow – “That is a fact” Yes, it is today – BUT next year when the MANDATE KICKS IN then the mandate is the fact Joe. Then Catholic institutions will be forced to pay for abortions services and drugs etc.

Kimberly Eason Saunders  – LOL! Yeah, like Kagan had no hidden agenda? gimme a flipping break?

Chuck Norton  – I read Kagen’s law review article that argued against the First Amendment – it was scarey.

Chuck Norton  – OK all they are closing up – While both sides had a few factual deficits, Joe Biden was repeatedly and fantastically dishonest on several points. So much so that even I am a bit surprised. Ryan’s closing is devastating.

Rey Brandt Closing time to blame Bush!

Chuck Norton  – Joe was on an emotional roller-coaster and that is the ad to make against him – it comes across as insincere… as slick. Ryan had a few times where he was not asserting himself well.

Rey Brandt  – Best line? “If you can’t run on your record paint your opponent as someone to run from.”