The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

Campaigner In Chief Visits Newport News Naval Shipyard

Posted on | February 27, 2013 | 15 Comments

by Smitty

One of the big constituencies that has not yet been turned into a Democrat victim constituency is the military. There are a few reasons for this:

  • The military is still sworn to support and defend the that 100+ year old document called ‘The Constitution’, as though the Dead White Dudes somehow knew that giving place to demagogues was a Bad Thing.
  • Veterans are not sufficiently obsequious in their obedience to orders from officials once beyond the UCMJ.
  • Veterans, while reliant on their buddies in the field, haven’t glommed onto the whole Life of Julia narrative of cradle-to-grave state dependency. Instead, they cling bitterly to the liberty that their oaths defend.
  • Veterans fetish the notion of national sovereignty, strangely rejecting the acceptance of a cosmopolitan Ruling Class.
  • Veterans have this weird notion that, the further up the chain of command you are, the greater the responsibility. Firings of McChrystal on active duty, and Petraeus afterward, make sense. But seeing higher ranking, elected officials held to lower standards of scrutiny is corrosive.
  • Veterans cling to traditional ????? (arete), and have violent, gagging reactions to the Socialist commitment to mediocrity, culminating in the craven abandonment of Americans under fire at Benghazi.

Certainly other facets to the problem may exist. Heritage notes the visit to Newport News, and offers the following:

Make no mistake: President Obama’s sudden interest in military readiness is too little too late. He has been cheerleading the hollowing out of our military for the past four years, and his renewed interest comes with a dangerous caveat: He wants to raise taxes.
We agree that the sequester is far from perfect, which is why the House of Representatives voted and twice passed cuts to reprogram the sequester to avoid these kinds of cuts to the military. They presented alternatives that would restore America’s commitment to national defense—without raising taxes—and address national debt in a responsible manner. Neither the President nor the U.S. Senate gave these proposals serious consideration.
The Navy and other services are already suffering serious readiness concerns. With the world certainly not safer than a few years ago, the President should not hold the defense budget hostage. The ship has already sailed on $800 billion in cuts to defense while entitlement spending continues to grow. The Administration must work with Congress to make a commitment to national security as well as fiscal responsibility before it is too late.

President Obama knows campaigning, elections, and power. Thus, his appearance in Newport News should be seen as a wink to the Tidewater area that, hey, as long as Virginia stays on the plantation, the pain will fall elsewhere. This will be important both for House races next year, and for Mark Warner’s re-election campaign.

I hope his audiences understood that the President is fundamentally mendacious, and the precise opposite of his remarks at any given time has a higher probability of approximating the truth.

via Heritage

Category: Virginia

#DonnaBrazileMysteries Trains Depart L.A. & Boston For Chicago Going 90mph & 100mph @1800 Zulu. Is Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) Racist?

Posted on | February 27, 2013 | 15 Comments

by Smitty

Hat tip: Instapundit

Category: humor

Could Sequestration Be The Tipping Point In The Farce Parade?

Posted on | February 27, 2013 | 34 Comments

by Smitty

I, for one, have been wondering just how much more jacked up our government could get before a total sieze-up. Over at Red State, Rep. Tom Graves points out:

Frankly, the sequester doesn’t do much to stop the growth of spending and government. Let’s say you gain 10 pounds per year, but your 2013 resolution is to only gain 9.8 pounds. You’re not getting smaller; you’re just growing a little slower. The president has chosen to make a mini diet sound apocalyptic, even as our country is nearly $17 trillion in debt.

Nick Gillespie, via Instapundit, expounds:
So, the President is crying Wolf and going on a fear-mongering Blitzer here. *Yawn*. If you noticed the point about the Pentagon, there is still “emergency” spending. I’ll bet you a number of sodas equal to the personal pronoun count in #OccupyResoluteDesk’s next speech that DoD “emergency” spending grows to encompass whatever is removed via sequestration.

George Will noted a few days back:

“Forced”? The Navy did indeed cite the sequester when delaying deployment of the USS Truman. In the high-stakes pressure campaign against Iran’s nuclear weapons program, U.S. policy has been to have two carriers in nearby waters. Yet the Navy is saying it cannot find cuts to programs or deployments less essential than the Truman deployment. The Navy’s participation in the political campaign to pressure Congress into unraveling the sequester is crude, obvious and shameful, and it should earn the Navy’s budget especially skeptical scrutiny by Congress.

Having served in that Navy, I can tell you that Congress is going over that budget, continuously, with a fine-toothed comb and a magnet. Defense is the original federal pork program. I left the Navy, inter alia, because it’s really no fun trying to go to sea when the people aren’t trained and the gear ain’t maintained for want of funding.

The mighty Trifecta, with Tammy Bruce in for Stephen Green:

To get at Whittle’s question starting at ~2:00 the reason BHO threatens safety in lieu of salaries for his bureaucrats is that safety doesn’t buy votes until after the disaster. And in this case, the disaster will be blamed on the Republicans. From BHO’s perspective, what’s not to like? But do watch the whole thing, as Ott finishes beautifully.

Our government is fundamentally unserious. So, no, I don’t think we’ve yet reached the tipping point. But this is a measurable step in that direction. Hence BHO out there on the permanent campaign, wetting himself.

Update: linked at The Lonely Conservative

Category: Uncategorized

LIVE AT FIVESIX: 02.27.13

Posted on | February 27, 2013 | 1 Comment

— compiled by Wombat-socho


TOP NEWS
Huge Crowd In St. Peter’s Square For Benedict XVI’s Final Address

A packed Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican where Pope Benedict XVI holds his last general audience,

A packed Saint Peter’s Square at the Vatican where Pope Benedict XVI holds his last general audience,

Crowd gathers to say goodbye to the Pope

White House Not Expecting Sequester To Be Averted
Administration remains committed to tax hikes, hopeful GOP will split

Major Nuke Powers End Talks With Iran
Interfax says no progress; sides agree to meet again



POLITICS
Hagel Confirmed As SecDef In Mostly Party-Line Vote

Your new Secretary of Defense, Forrest Gump

Your new Secretary of Defense, Forrest Gump

Four Republicans join Democrats in voting to confirm: Cochran, Johanns, Paul and Shelby

Anti-Gun Kelly Wins Democratic Primary For IL-2 In Chicago

Feds Free Illegal Immigrants In Cost-Cutting Measure

Gov. Christie Signs Bill Legalizing Online Gambling

Supremes Dismiss Challenge To Surveillance Law

Gay Marriage Moves To Illinois House On 6-5 Vote

City Councillor John Connolly To Run For Mayor Of Boston, Says City’s Salaries “Unsustainable”

Florida Foils Web-Based Voter Fraud Plot



THE ECONOMY, STUPID
Oil Mixed As Italian Political Deadlock Continues: NYMEX $92.81, Brent $112.89
Stock Futures Up; Bernanke, Italy In Focus
India Posts Optimistic Economic Projections Despite Slowdown
Euro Inches Higher, But Vulnerable To Italian Bond Auction
JP Morgan Chase To Slash $1 Billion In Costs, 4000 Jobs
Priceline’s Earnings Rise Along With Bookings
Wall Street Pay Rises – For Those Who Still Have Jobs
First Solar Seeks To Avoid Losing Ground After Backlog Slips 15%
Yahoo Edict On Working From Home Fires Debate
ISPs To Launch Anti-Piracy System Next Week
DoD Opens Mobile Networks To Apple, Google; Ends Blackberry Exclusivity
Gates, Zuckerberg Appear In Video Encouraging Kids To Code
Google’s Rubin Says Company Not Opening Retail Stores
Android Quitters Fuel UK WinPhone Growth
Tizen 2.0 Is Three Parts Android, One Part WebOS
Adobe Springs Emergency Flash Update, Says Hackers Hitting Firefox



SPORTS
Heat Cap Historic Month With Double-OT Thriller

Heat coach Spoelstra: "Those are video game numbers"

Heat coach Spoelstra: “Those are video game numbers”

End March with tough 141-129 win over Kings

Details Emerge On NHL Realignment Proposal

Hibbert Ejected After Warriors, Pacers Brawl

Kane Stays Hot As Jets Beat Rangers At Home

Hornets’ Late Push Not Enough To Avoid Loss To Nyets

Caps Blank Hurricanes 3-0

Clippers Rout Bobcats 106-84

Blue Jackets Fall To Stars In OT

Sliding Is Final Hurdle In Wilson Ramos’ Return



FAMOUS FOR BEING FAMOUS
Juliette Binoche Eyes “Godzilla”

Lots of love for the big lizard

Lots of love for the big lizard

French actress to join Legendary Pictures’ reboot

“Dancing With The Stars” Season 16 Cast Revealed

Seth McFarlane Says He’ll Never Host Oscars Again

Jennifer Aniston’s Diva Behavior On The Set

Miss Delaware Teen USA Resigns After Pr0n Tape Surfaces

Carrie Fisher Hospitalized After Bipolar Episode On Cruise Ship

Julianne And Derek Hough Prep Starz Ballroom Dancing Movie



FOREIGNERS
Spanish PM Rajoy Rejects Calls For Resignation Over Allegations Of Corruption
Kerry, Lavrov Discuss Syria And Other Issues In First Meeting
Egyptian Hot Air Balloon Flight Ends In Tragedy Near Luxor
Italy Confronts Political Vacuum As Leaders Seek To Avoid Election
Human Rights Watch Accuses Sri Lanka Security Of Rape, Torture Of Tamil Detainees
Egypt’s Main Opposition To Boycott Vote
Fire In Kolkata Market Kills 19, 50 Injured; Trinamool Blames Left For Tragedy
France Rules Out Talks With Kidnappers
Tensions Rising With Norks, But Dennis Rodman Is There On Mission Of Peace



BLOGS & STUFF
Michelle Malkin: Have You Forgotten? World Trade Center Bombing, Twenty Years Later
American Conservative: Rand Paul Votes To Confirm Hagel
Atlas Shrugs: Betrayal – Names Of GOP Traitors On Hagel Vote
Andrew McCarthy: GOP Folderoo On Hagel Nomination
Bryan Preston: Democrat Super PAC Tweets Racist Attack
NRO Corner: Liberal Kentucky Super PAC Attacks Mitch McConnell’s “Chinese” Wife
Post Politics: Democratic Group Tweets About McConnell’s “Chinese” Wife, Sexual Orientation
Eliana Johnson: No CPAC Invite For Chris Christie Because Of “Limited Future” In GOP
Ed Morrissey: WaPo/Pew Sequestration Poll Question Oddly Missing An Option
AmSpecBlog: Boehner Tells Senate Dems To Get Off Their Ass
Marginal Revolution: What Republicans Are Thinking On The Sequester (One Man’s Guess)
Washington EXaminer: NAACP Sees No Foreseeable Future In Which Voting Rights Act Should Be Altered
James Taranto: Journalism That Dare Not Speak Its Name
Weasel Zippers: GAO report Finds Obamacare Will Add $6.2 Trillion To Deficit
Joel Kotkin: America’s Red State Growth Corridors
Michael Walsh: Welcome Wagon
Lonely Conservative: Bernanke Defends QE Forever


Category: Live at Five

One Million Moms, Combined, Doesn’t Add Up To A Single Sense Of Humor

Posted on | February 26, 2013 | 19 Comments

by Smitty

This GEICO ad is nowhere near as vulgar as the recent Onion dustup:

The joke, like good saucy humor, is served up incomplete. You have to want to view the actress as doing more than serving a stereotype for there to be substantial naughtiness going on here.

Furthermore, it’s a good teaching opportunity. A really good SoCon parent is going to say to his son: “Hey, getting yourself alone with Yolanda Be Cool, while not without testosterone appeal, is a sure ticket to misery.”

Then again, One Million Moms is a part of the American Family Association, which has been labeled a hate group by the Southern (Intellectual) Poverty Law Center, which means that OMM can’t be all bad.

via The Daley Gator and The Lonely Conservative

Category: Blogging

By Any Means Necessary

Posted on | February 26, 2013 | 41 Comments

The important thing to understand about the Democrat Party is that they have no moral or philosophical principles of any kind. The Democrat Party is about power for its own sake, and everything that Democrats claim to stand for is negotiable, subject to change if necessary to win elections. For example, if racism will win election for Democrats, then they will use racism to win elections:

A Democratic group is under sharp criticism for controversial online messages about Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell’s wife.
For months, the liberal super PAC Progress Kentucky has attacked McConnell and held demonstrations at his offices and home.
Recently, the group turned its attention to McConnell’s wife, former Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao, with a focus on her race.
In a Feb. 14 Twitter message, Progress says: “This woman has the ear of (Sen. McConnell) — she’s his wife. May explain why your job moved to China!”
The Tweet links to a website run by conspiracy theorist and radio host Jeff Rense, alleging Chao, who was born in Taiwan, discriminated against American workers during her tenure.

(Via Memeorandum.)

Update (Smitty): welcome, Instapundit readers!

Category: Democrats, Kentucky, Mitch McConnell, Racism

Tony Katz Dangles $3K To Gov. Christie For A CPAC Appearance

Posted on | February 26, 2013 | 12 Comments

by Smitty

Katz scratch fever:

Category: Chris Christie

QOTD: “A party that stands for nothing, a party that becomes synonymous with weakness, will not attract support.”

Posted on | February 26, 2013 | 37 Comments

by Smitty

It looks as though, like it or not, Sequestration could evolve into political Armageddon. After four years of Democrats blocking budget legislation in the Senate, of Quantitative Easing, of the same SOTU speech and behavior over and over, we have an artificial crisis upon us. The merest hint of an attempt to control spending (knowing that the government would just spend more anyway) is going to be used by President Obama to cause suffering on the people, so that he can blame it on Republicans.

The whole situation is as decadent as it is predictable.

What this means is that it will take courage for the Republicans to stand their ground. They and everyone who supports their stand must speak up or much will be lost. The common thread should be simple: “The sequester cuts nothing from last year’s budget. It cuts very little from the projected budget for 2013. The President has it in his power to keep things running smoothly, and the misery being inflicted on our fellow citizens is entirely his doing.”
If the Republicans can weather the crisis that Barack Obama has manufactured, if they can stand their ground, Barack Obama’s second term will be like most Presidents’ second terms — dreary. Step by step, the malfeasance of his first term will become visible, and he will twist slowly, slowly in the wind.
If, on the other hand, the Republicans cave, conservatives may well lose heart and sit on their hands or vote Libertarian in November, 2014; and our side may even lose the House of Representatives.

After every other defeat, humiliation, and disaster the Republicans have seen, this is close to it.

Show some pluck,
2014 may not suck.
Try to duck,
Be named a useless. . .puck.

via Insty

Category: Uncategorized
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