The Fierce Fury of the Angry Mob of Impassioned Bipartisan Moderates

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Few things are more predictable than this: Whenever Republicans are on the upswing — whenever conservatives are on fire with enthusiasm, proclaiming their core principles and clearly on the winning side of important issues — the mainstream media will devote enormous coverage to an alleged groundswell of discontented moderates whose demands for “bipartisanship” and “civility” are accompanied by condemnation of “divisiveness” and complaints that “extremists” are ignoring the vast majority of independent “centrist” voters.

Let the reader note that we never heard any such complaints about “divisiveness” and “extremism” after Obama was elected and Democrats were ramming their partisan agenda through Congress.

If you’ve been paying attention to politics for the past 20 or 30 years, this kind of stuff is as predictable as critical acclaim for a ballet movie with lesbian themes. (The Black Swan is this year’s Brokeback Mountain, and lesbian ballerinas, like gay cowboys, exist mainly in the imaginations of screenwriters seeking the kind of épater les bourgeois symbolism that makes Oscar voters feel good about rewarding “art.” But I digress . . .)

All of this is to explain what notorious candy-ass Allahpundit calls the RINO/DINO Alliance, an alleged “movement” with a manifesto co-authored by David Frum:

On Dec. 13, more than 1,000 citizens from the 50 states will convene in New York to change the odds. They are founding a movement – No Labels. Among them will be Democrats, Republicans and independents who are proud of their political affiliations and have no intention of abandoning them. A single concern brings them together: the hyper-polarization of our politics that thwarts an adult conversation about our common future. A single goal unites them: to expand the space within which citizens and elected officials can conduct that conversation without fear of social or political retribution.

The purpose of No Labels, of course, is to give the most irredeemably stupid “independent” voters an excuse to keep voting for Democrats. The mere fact that “No Labels” gets an 808-word free advertisement on the op-ed page of the Washington Post should tell you all you need to know about this alleged movement: It’s a ginned-up Establishment scam with no real activist constituency. Continue reading The Fierce Fury of the Angry Mob of Impassioned Bipartisan Moderates →

Bernie Sanders Be Damned: Tax Bill Wins Senate Cloture Vote by Huge 83-15 Margin

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Late yesterday afternoon, the Senate held its cloture vote on the compromise deal that would extend the Bush tax cuts for another two years. Despite weeks of shameless demagoguery about tax cuts for “millionaires, billionaires and these big CEOs who ship jobs overseas” (to quote Harry Reid)  and the filibuster by Vermont’s socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders, the vote to end debate was a lopsided cakewalk:

In a 83-15 vote, the Senate quashed a filibuster by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Va.).
Fifteen lawmakers voted against it, including five Republicans: Sens. Tom Coburn (Okla.), Jim DeMint (S.C.), Jeff Sessions (Ala.), John Ensign (Nev.) and George Voinovich (Ohio).
Nine Democrats and one independent voted against the bill: Sens. Jeff Bingaman (N.M.), Sherrod Brown (Ohio), Russ Feingold (Wis.), Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.), Kay Hagan (N.C.), Frank Lautenberg (N.J.), Pat Leahy (Vt.), Carl Levin (Mich.), Mark Udall (Colo.) and Sanders.

How did they get 80+ votes for cloture? Pork. This bill contains more pork than a Carolina barbecue shack. Jimmie Bise sees it as a major defeat for Republicans, who “gave away hundreds of billions of dollars in pork for a few magic beans.”

Nevertheless, a poll found that 69 percent of the public supports the compromise bill, and Ed Morrissey at Hot Air has video of John McCain “passionately arguing that the new porkier version of the bill is a total betrayal of last month’s election. And that he’ll be voting for it anyway.”

Despair not. There is still a glimmer of hope that the House Democrats will listen to their grassroots and reject the bill, or add a bunch of obnoxious amendments so heinous that Senate Republicans will have an excuse to reject it. While I’m generally in favor of Democrats screwing over their base by selling out to corporate lobbyists — anything that demoralizes the Democrat grassroots is a good thing — in this case, I’d like to see them stand up for their misguided socialist principles, which is the only way we’ll avoid this godawful bipartisan compromise.

But what are the real prospects for Courageous Principled Democrats wrecking this shoddy deal? Not good, my friends. Not good at all. 

The WaPo’s Greg Sargent expects Pelosi to give House Democrats a chance to huff and puff — put on a C-SPAN show of opposition for the benefit of their gullible constituents — and in the end, a majority will vote “yea” on this legislative gang-rape of the American people.

Because, let’s face it, we were askin’ for it, running around in short skirts and lipstick and telling pollsters we want to keep our tax cuts and get 99 weeks of unemployment benefits, too. Continue reading Bernie Sanders Be Damned: Tax Bill Wins Senate Cloture Vote by Huge 83-15 Margin →

LIVE AT FIVE – 12.14.10

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TOP NEWS
Veteran Diplomat Richard Holbrooke Dies, 69

"America's Troubleshooter" Richard Holbrooke, 1941-2010

Died from ruptured aorta; surgery proved fruitless

Judge Hudson Strikes Down Obamacare Mandate
Virginia’a argument that mandate not permitted under the Commerce Clause prevails

Steele Hardens Up, Will Run Again For RNC Chairman
Criticized for fund raising, financial missteps; several challengers appear

POLITICS
Senate Approves Tax Compromise 83-15

Obama advisor David Axelrod rules out changes in the tax deal

The heat is on for snarling, uncooperative House Democrats

Prosecutors Recommend 57 Months For Ex-Lobbyist
Magliochetti pleads guilty; oddly, no mention of Jim Moran

Miller Appeals Ballot Decision To Alaska Supreme Court

Supremes Reject Appeal Calling For Larger House of Representatives

New Mexico Residents Want 3-Mile Setback For Wind Power Turbines

THE ECONOMY, STUPID
NASDAQ Snaps Eight-Day Winning Streak
Dow up slightly, S&P flat at close
Dell Plans More Data-Storage Acquisitions After Purchase Of Compellant
Offshore Trading In Yuan Picks Up
What You Need To Know About The Gawker Breach
tl;dr: Stay off those sites. No traffic for the suckas.
Microsoft To Roll Out Windows Tablets At CES
Booming Asia Drives Android Sales

Continue reading LIVE AT FIVE – 12.14.10 →

When Bunnies Go Bad: 1968 Playmate of the Year Faces Prison for Shooting

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She was known as Angela Dorian, but her real name was Victoria Vetri and she was what you’d call a starlet. Beginning at age 19, she appeared in a number of small roles on TV series — Cheyenne, Wagon Train, McHale’s Navy, Bonanza, Perry Mason, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. — prior to becoming the 1967 Miss September in Playboy magazine. She was subsequently named 1968 Playmate of the Year.

After her Playboy appeareance, she had a part in Rosemary’s Baby (1968), and also appeared in other TV series, including Hogan’s Heroes, Star Trek and Batman. Her biggest part, it seems, was in the genuinely wretched 1970 movie When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth, where the director apparently contrived to have Vetri as naked as possible as often as possible. Here is a video clip from that movie, parts of which are NSFW and all of which is incredibly stupid:

As bad as that was, it was nonetheless the pinnacle of Vetri’s acting career. Her last film credit was in an unspeakably bad 1973 movie called Invasion of the Bee Girls. But she resurfaced in October when, at age 68 and now known as Victoria Rathgeb, she was arrested and charged with attempted murder after shooting her husband, Bruce Rathgeb:

68-year-old Angela Dorian is still in custody for attempting to murder her husband Bruce after an intense argument in their Hollywood apartment on October 16. Bruce tells us . . . he had packed up his stuff and was heading for the elevator when she opened fire from behind.
Bruce tells us, “When she shot me, she walked away with no emotion … she didn’t give a s**t.”
Bruce . . . explains, “I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve this … I loved her for nearly 25 years.”
He adds, “A divorce would have been sufficient, not a bullet.”

Bruce Rathgeb developed an infection and was rushed to the hospital today. Meanwhile, TMZ reports today that the gun Victoria allegedly used to shoot her husband was a .380 Walther PPK which had been given to her by Roman Polanski. Continue reading When Bunnies Go Bad: 1968 Playmate of the Year Faces Prison for Shooting →

Steele to Step Aside at RNC
UPDATE: New Report Says Steele Will Seek Another Term as RNC Chair

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UPDATE 5:38 p.m.: Guess somebody guessed wrong:

Controversial Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele, who last month presided over the GOP’s biggest electoral gains since 1938, will announce tonight that he is running for re-election, Fox News has learned from two RNC members.
Ending weeks of rumors that he would not seek a second term, Steele plans to throw his hat into the ring during a conference call with RNC members at 7:30 p.m. ET, the sources said. Steele is said to be amused by false reports of his retirement and intentionally kept his plans secret for the last month in order to flush out competitors for the post, Fox has learned.

PREVIOUSLY: Creating an open contest for the chairmanship:

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele is expected to announce he will drop out of the highly contested race to keep his post, multiple RNC sources told FoxNews.com on Sunday. . . .
Critics have described the chairman as gaffe-prone and said he hasn’t raised enough money. The criticism has resulted in an array of challenges for Steele’s job from Wisconsin Republican Party Chairman Reince Priebus, former RNC Co-Chairwoman Ann Wagner, longtime Republican official Maria Cino, former Michigan Republican Party Chairman Saul Anuzis and former RNC Political Director Gentry Collins.

Via Memeorandum.

Federal District Judge in Virginia Strikes Down Part of ObamaCare

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Perhaps the first step toward repeal:

A federal judge in Virginia ruled Monday that a key provision of the nation’s sweeping health-care overhaul is unconstitutional, the most significant legal setback so far for President Obama’s signature domestic initiative.
U.S. District Court Judge Henry E. Hudson found that Congress could not order individuals to buy health insurance.
In a 42-page opinion, Hudson said the provision of the law that requires most individuals to get insurance or pay a fine by 2014 is an unprecedented expansion of federal power that cannot be supported by Congress’s power to regulate interstate trade.

Without the indvidual mandate, the projected “savings” calculations don’t work, and so you might as well repeal the whole damn thing. Big first-round win for Virginia attorney general Ken Cuccinelli (who is my favorite GOP candidate to challenge Jim Webb in 2012, FWIW).

The Virginia decision will be appealed all the way to the Supreme Court, of course. More at Ace of Spades HQ, Michelle Malkin, Hot Air, Instapundit and Memeorandum.

Maria Cino Unacceptable at RNC

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After the news today that Michael Steele will step aside as RNC chairman, a friend called to warn me about Maria Cino, the GOP Establishment’s choice to replace Steele. My friend says Cino has ties to pro-abortion groups. Dan Riehl has documented Cino’s other problems:

Her lobbying for Obamacare on behalf of Pfizer and a $1,000 donation to Mike Castle during Delaware’s contentious GOP primary may prove to be deal breakers for members of the GOP grassroots . . .

Read the whole thing. BTW, does “Cino” rhyme with “RINO”?

Brittany Smith Found Alive, Police Say Jeffrey Scott Easley ‘Very Good Suspect’ in Death of 12-Year Old Girl’s Mother

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Let’s begin at the beginning:

She was 41. He was 32.
They flirted over the Internet. He sent online kisses and declared her “hot.” She thanked him for his patience with her.
Jeff Easley moved into Tina Smith’s house . . . a few months ago, a neighbor said.
Their love story dissolved [Dec. 6] with a terrible discovery. A co-worker found Tina Smith slain in her home . . . Her 12-year-old daughter, Brittany Mae Smith, was gone, presumed abducted by Easley and “in extreme danger,” according to a state police Amber Alert.
Mother and daughter were last seen alive [Dec. 3], police said.

The lonely single mother meets the online boyfriend, and doesn’t spot the warning signs:

One neighbor said she’d seen Easley with Brittany, and it made her uneasy.
“This guy gives me the creeps,” said Roxann Pille. “Just the way he touches her, just the way he looks at her, gives me a very uneasy feeling.”
Easley’s MySpace page . . . pictures him with Brittany. Both are grinning broadly.
Brittany’s MySpace page lists her age as 18. Her MySpace and Facebook pages use the last name Easley.
Brittany is a seventh-grader at Glenvar Middle School.

There were other clues:

Brittany, her mother and Easley were active users of Facebook and MySpace, commenting on one another’s postings and noting the ups and downs of life almost every day to their circle of online friends. . . .
Tina Smith’s Facebook had this ominous message the day she died:
“God please protect us from the evils of this world.”
The next day, Easley’s MySpace status was updated, saying, “Got a lot on my mind.”
One of Brittany’s friends, Nicki Mullins, said Brittany didn’t feel comfortable around Easley. Another said she was scared of him. . . .
Brittany’s grandmother, Liz Dyer, wouldn’t discuss what she thought of Easley when she met him at Thanksgiving dinner. Ask social services, she told a reporter.
“They know what I think of him,” she said before hanging up abruptly.

A seventh-grade girl’s mother was killed, presumably by the man who abducted the girl and took her to California, where Brittany was found alive after a five-day national manhunt:

Virginia police detectives talked Sunday for the first time with a 12-year-old Virginia girl and the man who allegedly kidnapped her and has been deemed a prime suspect in her mother’s death.
Roanoke County police Detective John McPhail said that Sunday morning he and three colleagues discussed the death of 41-year-old Tina Smith with Jeffrey Scott Easley, currently in police custody in San Francisco, California, on warrants for abduction, credit card theft and credit card fraud.
While police are investigating Tina Smith’s death as a homicide, they have not said how she died.
They also talked with Brittany Mae Smith, Tina’s daughter, who police had been searching for since Monday. McPhail said the girl “will be heading back to Roanoke soon,” but did not disclose when exactly that might happen. . . .
Roanoke County Police Chief Ray Lavinder said Saturday that Easley is a “very good suspect” in the death of Tina Smith — his girlfriend and Brittany’s mother — who was found dead inside her Salem, Virginia, home last Monday.

Tina Smith and her daughter were evidently victims of one vicious man, but they were also victims of a trend. I’ve often said that the most dangerous man in the world is “mom’s boyfriend.” This is a fact abundantly evident from research. The epidemic of divorce and out-of-wedlock births has exponentially increased the risk to children, especially girls. Continue reading Brittany Smith Found Alive, Police Say Jeffrey Scott Easley ‘Very Good Suspect’ in Death of 12-Year Old Girl’s Mother →