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March 31, 2010

More Videos

For a couple laughs, check out the videos 1) Sandra-Lee-Induced-Seizure and 2) Lady Gaga - Pokerface by Applegirl at American Digest. They will brighten your day.

Posted by Rick | March 31, 2010 04:16 PM | Just A Thought

In Obama's Perfect World

We are pleased to introduce a new feature to our web site - a brand spanking new video player from CoffeeCup software. Click on the playlist and chose the video you would like to watch.

Posted by Rick | March 31, 2010 01:47 AM | Social Studies

March 28, 2010

John And Sarah Sitting A Tree, K I S S I N G

I admire Sarah Palin for her support of John McCain, even though I don't believe she should support him. It was, after all, John McCain who brought her to national prominence when he asked her to be the vice-presidential candidate on the Republican ticket in 2008.

Unfortunately, Senator McCain (RINO-AZ) is on the wrong side of too many issues, especially in the current political environment, and cannot be trusted to vote against Obama's socialist agenda, especially cap-and-trade (see Senate bill S.139 introduced by McCain-Lieberman in 2003) and illegal immigration (see Senate bill S.1033 introduced by McCain-Kennedy in 2005).

See a complete summary of McCain's cap-and-trade bill from Resources Magazine here. The overview of the summary is posted below.

Summary and Analysis of McCain-Lieberman – “Climate Stewardship Act of 2003” S.139, introduced 01/09/03 (January 28, 2003) By William A. Pizer, RFF Fellow, and Raymond J. Kopp, RFF Senior Fellow Summary

The legislation proposed by Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) suggests an alternative to the existing approaches to address climate change in the United States based on a new broad, flexible, and domestic framework. Previous approaches include the Clinton administration’s 1997 negotiation of the Kyoto Protocol, an international agreement now ratified by 100 countries, which called for significant greenhouse gas emissions reductions by the United States. President Bush rejected the Kyoto Protocol as too costly and unfounded in science and, in February 2002, called for new voluntary measures to curb greenhouse gas emissions. In the fall of 2001, Senators James Jeffords (I-VT) and Lieberman put forward their approach in a so-called four-pollutant bill, which would limit power-plant emissions of carbon dioxide, as well as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and mercury.

In contrast to these international, voluntary, and sector-based approaches, McCain-Lieberman requires domestic, mandatory, and economy wide emissions reductions. While the specific emissions limits will likely be the subject of lengthy debate, we view the architecture of the emissions-trading program in this bipartisan bill to be a significant step forward. The broad coverage and flexibility of the trading program make this bill one of the most cost-effective domestic proposals to date. The bill also features a climate research program and an emissions registry. However, it is the trading program (Title III) that represents the most significant change in the debate over climate change and is the subject of this summary and analysis.

McCain's position on immigration which included "a mechanism for subsequent adjustment of status" (read: path to citizenship for people who entered our country illegally) can be found in a bill (S.1033) he co-sponsored with the late Teddy Kennedy (D-MA) in 2005. The summary of the bill from the Library of Congress is below.

S.1033 Title: Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act Sponsor: Sen McCain, John [AZ] (introduced 5/12/2005) Cosponsors (9) Related Bills: H.R.2330 Latest Major Action: 5/12/2005 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY AS OF: 5/12/2005--Introduced.

Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act - Requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to develop and implement a National Strategy for Border Security and other specified border security programs.

Authorizes the Secretary to establish a Border Security Advisory Committee.

Requires the Secretary of State to provide a framework for security coordination between the governments of North America.

Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to: (1) authorize appropriations through FY2011 for the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program; and (2) reimburse states for pre-conviction costs.

Amends the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 to authorize additional funding through FY2011 to reimburse states for indirect costs of incarcerating undocumented aliens.

Establishes: (1) an H-5A essential worker visa program for low-skilled workers; (2) a mechanism for subsequent adjustment of status; and (3) an Essential Worker Visa Program Task Force.

Addresses document security. Requires the Commissioner of Social Security to create a new Employment Eligibility Confirmation System.

Amends the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to address the collection of arrival and departure information.

Broadens the Department of Labor's investigative authority under INA.

Authorizes the Secretary of State to enter into an agreement with foreign governments whose citizens participate in the H-5A program to establish a labor migration facilitation program.

Exempts immediate relatives of U.S. citizens from the annual cap on family-sponsored immigrant visas. Increases numerical limits for specified visas.

Authorizes H-5B nonimmigrant status for undocumented aliens present in the United States on the date of this Act's introduction who meet specified requirements and pay a fine. Provides a mechanism for subsequent adjustment of status.

Defines "authorized representative" for immigration purposes. Makes alien victims of fraud perpetrated by unauthorized representatives eligible for U (victims of certain crimes) nonimmigrant status.

Authorizes the Secretary to establish the U.S. Citizenship Foundation. Requires the Secretary to establish a competitive grant program to address civic integration.

Amends the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 to extend authorization of Federal reimbursement for hospitals that provide emergency care to undocumented immigrants.

I wonder if McCain's contemptible, despicable campaign staffers who threw Sarah under the bus after the election are still hanging around. If they are, they would have been the only ones at the rallies without Ms. Palin showing up. McCain forgot her name when Leno asked about Republican presidential candidates for 2012, but he obviously knows all about her star power now that he's in trouble.

Posted by Rick | March 28, 2010 06:15 PM | Political Science

March 23, 2010

Health Care Reform Is Really Welfare Reform

Obamacare claims that by forcing insurance companies to give insurance to people with preexisting conditions it is reforming the health care system. Of course, this is technically true, but it is really reforming the welfare system and redefining the insurance industry.

Dictionary.com defines insurance as "the act, system, or business of insuring property, life, one's person, etc., against loss or harm arising in specified contingencies, as fire, accident, death, disablement, or the like, in consideration of a payment proportionate to the risk involved."

Can you imagine an insurance company insuring your house after it burned down? Of course not!

Can you imagine an insurance company insuring your automobile after you totaled it? Of course not!!

Can you imagine an insurance company insuring your boat after it sank? Of course not!!!

Can you imagine an insurance company insuring your life after you died? Of course not!!!!

There are no insurance companies in their right mind that would insure you for anything after the fact. Barack Hussein Obama and the Democrats in Congress are merely forcing the insurance companies to dole out welfare under the guise of health insurance.

Posted by Rick | March 23, 2010 02:48 PM | Social Studies

Not-So-New Anti-Semitism

As I write this, Barack Hussein Obama is meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu. Today's meeting is certain to be less than fruitful, and because of that there will be no public statements or photo opportunities. The diplomatic problems between Israel and the Obama administration don't require a lot of analyzation.

In the Middle East, Obama has come to the realization that he is impotent except for the power he wields over Israel.

The Palestinians are not about to stop terrorizing Israel, and they won't negotiate in good faith. They believe that Israel should be wiped from the face of the earth. Obama knows this and there is absolutely nothing he can do about it.

Obama also knows that there is nothing he can do to stop Iran from getting nuclear weapons short of war and he is unwilling to go to war with them. He would just as soon they take care of Israel and all the problems in the Middle East would be solved.

Barack Hussein Obama and his administration have decided that the root cause of all the problems in the Middle East stem from Israel's desire to survive. He has determined that the only way to gain peace in the region is to put his boot firmly on the neck of the Israelis. Obama believes they will submit to his demands because they value their friendship with the United States, and because Obama believes that they will eventually see the halo over his head.

I hope that Netanyahu has the courage to tell Obama and Company to take a hike just as the Palestinians and Iranians have.

The Jewish community in the United States may finally realize the simple truth in the Obama approach to peace in the Middle East, but they seem to hold out hope that Obama will soften his position on Israel.

From an interview with the head of the Anti-Defamation League, Abraham Foxman, on March 13, 2010, following Vice-President Biden's visit to Israel comes this:

I am also disturbed that in this whole year there hasn't been one specific condemnation by the American administration about anything that the Palestinian Authority leadership has done or said. Not once! And how many times was Israel publicly criticized, condemned, in all kinds of places? I found this very troubling, the prime minister of the Palestinian Authority goes with the torch to burn Israeli food products, and the American administration doesn't say boo? The president of the Palestinian Authority threatens with religious war - and the states doesn't say boo. They dedicate a stage to the suicide bomber - and the U.S. doesn't say boo, because they believe placating will work - but it doesn't work. They wait for Israel to compromise, to take risks - but the U.S. continues to be the closest friend and ally. And what happened in the last 48 hours put it in a big question."

So do you think Biden is a true friend of Israel?

Yes. I think President Obama is a friend of Israel too. But I think it's a mistaken and counterproductive strategy and flawed analysis of what is in the best interest of the U.S. Support of Israel has served the U.S. interests more than supporting anyone else in the world.

You can read more of the Foxman interview by Haaretz correspondent, Natasha Mozgovaya, here.

Posted by Rick | March 23, 2010 02:29 PM | Political Science

March 14, 2010

Winter Wonderland

    

Posted by Rick | March 14, 2010 06:36 AM | Just A Thought

Japanese Earthquake A 6.6 On The Richter Scale

An powerful earthquake struck Japan today, following in the wake of earthquakes in Haiti and Chile. You can read more about it here.

TOKYO – A strong magnitude 6.6 earthquake hit off the eastern coast of Japan on Sunday, rattling buildings across a broad swath of the country, including the crowded capital.

Al Gore will be holding a news conference this morning and is expected to blame the spate of earthquakes on global warming.

Posted by Rick | March 14, 2010 06:16 AM | Social Studies

March 7, 2010

The Music Is Back!

Don't forget to check out the jukebox in the right column!

My favorite Judy Garland song leads off. When you listen to her, remember she was only 17 years old when she recorded it!

Posted by Rick | March 7, 2010 05:32 PM | Just A Thought