NebraskaPatriot

The Real Hope and Change

solutions exist to help create jobs but Democrats won't like them because Govt isn't in control . . .

Excellent piece at the Heritage Foundation entitled, "Heritage Employment Report: 2009 Ends with More Job Losses". It gives solid detail on what's been going on and better yet, provides solutions that would help create jobs. They have a graph that should send chills down Democrats backs which shows that fewer small businesses plan to hire and make investment in 2010. We all know that small businesses have been in recent history the largest the job creators in our economy.

The authors Rea Hederman and James Sherk have a must read conclusion. It's so spot on, I've included it below:

"Businesses are not increasing hiring in part due to the fears of an activist government agenda that makes labor costs uncertain. Right now, businesses cannot project their labor costs due to the hidden discussion of the health care bill.

Businesses like predictability, and they are unlikely to increase hiring in the current economic climate. Congress should attempt to spur hiring instead of increasing costs through new regulations and legislation."

Obama Job Losses Mount for American Families

 
this is not something you wish any family to go through . . .

As FOXNEWS reported this morning on its website, "December saw losses of an additional 53,000 construction jobs and 27,000 manufacturing jobs. The number of workers unemployed for 27 weeks or more reached a record 6.1 million, or four out of every 10 unemployed workers."

Remember, this President and his fellow Democrats including our very own Ben Nelson laid their hands on the economy last February and passed the $787-billion "Stimulus" bill. Below is what got stimulated as a result:

 "Hope and Change" courtesy of Barack Obama, Ben Nelson and the Democrat Party . . .

The Deep Abyss Senator Nelson Now Faces In Nebraska

it would be best if Mr. Nelson just shut up . . .

The more Ben Nelson speaks the deeper the hole he digs with Nebraskans. I guess he figures that we are the dumbest people that God ever put on earth. Consider the following:

• "My vote is not for sale. Period." - Ben Nelson quoted in Lincoln Journal Star December 16, 2009

Reality: The now famous Cornhusker Kickback 

• "I stuck to my guns and stood for my pro-life principles"- Ben Nelson on the floor of the Senate December 24, 2009

Reality: U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops; Julie Schmit-Albin, Executive Director of Nebraska's Right to Life and Bart Stupak, the Democrat House member behind tough pro-life language in House's version of Obamacare, all highly critical of Nelson's compromise.

Albin, a long-time Nelson supporter, went so far as to describe Senator Nelson's compromise on abortion as devastating and "it obliterated the hope of pro-life Americans".

• "Regardless of the language of the bill, my intent has been and remains absolutely clear - every state should be treated the same" - Ben Nelson quoted in Omaha World-Herald January 7, 2010

Reality: "I took the Governor's [Heineman] concerns to the Senator majority leader, and he added a provision extending federal payment for Nebraska's new Medicaid enrollees beyond 2017, when the federal share is set to begin to decline" - words written by Ben Nelson in his own Op-Ed in the Omaha World-Herald December 27, 2009

• "I listened to you" - said by Ben Nelson while looking straight into the camera from his new TV ad running throughout Nebraska defending his vote for the Senate version of Obamacare  

Reality: Poll after poll prior to Nelson's vote showed the majority of Nebraskans opposed to Senate bill. The Weekly Standard poll on December 16th is an example where 67% opposed and 26% favored the Senate bill. In addition, Nelson's office was getting flooded by calls. Of course, the Senator claimed it was from special interest groups.

I believe you could consider Nebraska residents as such since we did have a special interest in this vote.

Senator Nelson can "parse" and try and spin this however but the fact remains for those of us in Nebraska

YOU SOLD YOUR VOTE and consequently your soul

You can't blame Gov. Heineman or Harry Reid. You, Senator Ben Nelson voted for Obamacare and future rationing of healthcare for older Nebraskans.

Senator Nelson, I leave you with some thoughts about what you did from someone whom you have shown great admiration for in recent weeks - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid:

"Reid was unapologetic. He argued that, by definition, legislating means deal making and defended the special treatment for Nelson’s home state of Nebraska.

“You’ll find a number of states that are treated differently than other states. That’s what legislating is all about. It's compromise," he said." article by Chris Frates, Politico December 19, 2009 after Cornhusker Kickback was announced

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

How Long Does It Take for a Global Warmist To Freeze Solid?

ok, even we are getting tired of this . . . 

High today: 0

Windchill in eastern Nebraska: -22

Winds out of the North: 35 - 50 mph ALL DAY

Low tonight: -15

High on Friday: below zero

Low Friday night: -25

WANTED: Global Warmist and tree hunging types

EXPERIMENT: See how long these yahoos are willing to stand outside today on the principle that Global Warming is settled science

Here's an article you will want to read that is in the Omaha World-Herald this morning entitled, "A Persistent Polar Pattern". 

A couple highlights:

A little-understood Arctic phenomenon may be behind the worst winter conditions in a quarter-century across much of the United States, near record lows in Omaha and misery from northern Europe to Asia.

There is more snow on the ground, 21 inches, than in any January since 1948 — the earliest date for which reliable snow records are available.

The average temperature in Omaha for the first five days of the year has been 3.1 degrees, the third-lowest on record dating to the late 1800s.

And on Friday, Omaha's daytime high isn't expected to climb above zero. That hasn't happened since 1997, said Ken Dewey, an applied climatologist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's School of Natural Resources.

But as bad as the Midlands weather has been, the southern United States might be faring worse because that region is less accustomed to the cold, said Eric Wilhelm, a meteorologist for AccuWeather Inc., The World-Herald's consultant.

The Arctic Oscillation involves atmospheric circulation over the polar region, and its intensity is the strongest in decades, meteorologists say.

And then let me throw this last one at you: "Michelle L'Heureux, a meteorologist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center, said the Arctic Oscillation is one of the least understood weather patterns and is difficult to predict."

Really? In 2010, we can not predict the weather? Hmmm, could it be that Global Warming ISN'T settled science after all?

Say it ain't so Al . . .

Nelson Bewildered by Nebraskans' Anger

is the reality of his actions setting in yet . . .

Nebraska Democrat Senator Ben Nelson said in an interview today with the Fremont, NE Tribune, “I  think it was a mistake to take health care on as opposed to continuing to spend the time on the economy,”

He went on to say, “I would have preferred not to be dealing with health care in the midst of everything else, and I think working on the economy would have been a wiser move.”

While it appears that Nelson is trying to find some solid ground on which to step back onto with Nebraska voters, the Democrat still is living in a fantasy land when he claims that by holding out, he, Ben Nelson was able to get changes in the bill that “took a bad bill and made it better.”

He added, "I cannot understand the level of anger and frustration aimed at me because this language that I put together does ban (federally funded abortions). It absolutely bans it,” he said.  

Really? Well Senator, let's look at this reality:

Rep. Bart Stupak, a Democrat and leader in the House in getting tough pro-life language in the House's version of Obamacare described Nelson's self-proclaimed victory for pro-life in the Senate version this way:

"What the Nelson compromise does is recognize abortion for the first time as a benefit in a federal health plan. It mandates that at least one plan has abortion coverage. Those are drastic changes to the current law.” -National Review Online 12-24-09

Meanwhile, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued the following statement on 12-23-09 after Ben Nelson performed his supposed magic on the Obamacare bill in the Senate:

"Federal funds will help subsidize, and in some cases a federal agency will facilitate and promote, health plans that cover elective abortions."

And finally there is Julie Schmit-Albin, Executive Director of Nebraska's Right to Life and a long time vocal supporter of Senator Nelson. Schmit-Albin writes the following on NRL's blog:

"Senator Nelson had a chance to ensure that the longstanding principle of the Hyde Amendment against federal funding of abortion with narrow exceptions, would be placed in the Senate healthcare legislation. He dashed any hope of that with his late-night agreement with Senators Reid, Boxer and Schumer on unacceptable language that he claimed would address pro-life concerns."

She went on to write:

"There is no pro-life Nebraskan more devastated by Senator Nelson's actions than myself. It's a very sobering day for myself personally and for pro-lifers across Nebraska and the nation. Senator Nelson obliterated the hope of pro-life Americans who saw him as the last man standing between expansion of government funding of abortion and the Hyde amendment."

Senator Nelson still is not living in the reality that is now on the ground in Nebraska. As sure as we have snow on the ground and sub-zero wind chills, the great majority of Nebraskans are pissed off at Senator Nelson. And he is only compounding the issue with his insulting ad  that  is running day and night where he looks in the camera and says "I listened to you". As my father would say , "The hell you did."

It is becoming very clear to everyone but Ben Nelson. As I said in an earlier blog entry, the recent decision by Byron Dorgan, Democrat Senator of North Dakota not to run for re-election is the fate that is awaiting one Ben Nelson unless he does something very dramatic to change the dynamic. Such an opportunity will present itself in the next few weeks in U.S. Senate . . . 

Subzero & Blizzard In Eastern Nebraska But Heating Up In DC

it warms the heart on these bitter cold days . . .

We are now in the midst of our third blizzard of the winter season in Eastern Nebraska. Gore is right, this Global Warming is hell. Sub zero wind chills and 40 mph winds and snow. Meanwhile in Washington, the Democrats are apparently bound and determined to stoke the anger of their constituents across the country.

I continue to be amazed how tin-eared these folks are or they figure they've gone this far and are taking the Kamikaze approach. The latest is this closed door, secret meeting at the White House to reconcile the two version of Obamacare into one bill. The President's own words from the campaign trail just one year ago that he would hold these meeting with C-SPAN cameras present, are being played over and over again on television.

Meanwhile, Republican House member Eric Cantor of Virginia is doing his best to throw more gasoline on the fires in each of the Democrat House members home states. The blog Hot Air has an article on a memo just released in which Cantor explains how the Reid/Pelosi/Obama behind-closed-doors meeting on Obamacare will make Democrats lives even more difficult at home. It's a must read.

New Numbers from Federal Agency Depressing

this really shouldn't surprise anyone . . .

Democrats and President Obama have to be jumping for joy with the latest news from the Bureau of Labor. The Federal Agency says all those lost jobs over the past year have been made up for with a large increase in jobs in government. Gosh, this ought to make those standing in  unemployment lines feel better. Instead of standing there, they should head up to the White House because Obama "will provide".  As Rush says, "How's all this hope and change working out for you?" 

Here is the graph as provided by the Bureau of Labor:

This Is Just Too Much Fun . . .

but Republicans have a lot of work to do . . .

2010 is starting off with the House of Cards know as the Democrat Party, starting to see some cards fall by the wayside. Yesterday it was Senator Dorgan of North Dakota and today it appears that Dodd of Connecticut will announce he is not running for re-election. In reality, that should help keep that seat in Democrat hands since Connecticut is one of those leftist-head-in-the-sand states in the Northeast.

For a broader look, Larry Sabato, a professor at the University of Virginia and someone who gets a lot of face time on TV made these comments this morning in Politico:

"What a difference a day makes. Two Democratic senators, both likely reelection losers, throw in the towel. The incumbent Democratic governor of key swing state Colorado shocks everyone by declining to run for a second term. And the all-but-certain Democratic nominee for governor of Michigan, Lt. Gov. John Cherry, drops out because he can’t raise money. Maybe it’s just a series of coincidental announcements but it sure looks like a January panic by Democrats.

These are my preliminary conclusions:

(1) Since last summer we’ve all been saying that 2010 would be a good year for Republicans. It’s turning out that way. January is a big retirement month, and it is often the time when speculation becomes reality.

(2) Looking just at the Senate, Democrats can now be fairly certain they aren’t going to have 60 seats anymore come 2011. Actually, Dodd’s drop-out may save a seat for them, if state AG Richard Blumenthal steps into Dodd’s shoes as the party nominee. But Dorgan’s seat is a goner as long as Gov. John Hoeven (R) runs. Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) is very shaky. Also in serious to deep trouble: Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV), Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA), and the Democratic open seats in Delaware and Illinois. Democrats may not lose all of these seats, but some defeats are probable. Republicans now seem likely to keep most, but not necessarily all, of their open seats (Kentucky, Missouri, New Hampshire, and Ohio), plus their two endangered incumbents, Richard Burr (R-NC) and David Vitter (R-LA). A multi-seat gain for the GOP in the Senate is now the best bet.

(3) The gubernatorial picture is much more mixed, with Democrats likely to gain in some places and Republicans in others. And all pigs are equal but some are more equal than others. A Democratic pick-up in California will be worth four or five other medium-sized states. Nonetheless, I would expect Republicans to net several governorships in November, and you’ve just seen two likely prospects. Last summer the Crystal Ball put Michigan in the GOP column; Cherry’s exit just confirms it. Colorado, like Nevada and some other swing states that voted Democratic in 2008, may well swing back to the Republicans in 2010. The gubernatorial picture is complicated by 21 open seats among the 37 races, and the fields haven’t shaken out in many places. Still, with 21 open seats so far and a number of incumbents quite insecure, there’s a good chance that a majority of the fifty states will have new governors come 2011—with dramatic implications for redistricting.

(4) Now we can all see clearly why President Obama is pushing so hard for his agenda in his first two years. He’s unlikely ever again to have anything approaching his current 20-seat margin in the Senate and 40-seat margin in the House. With almost no GOP votes for his bills in either house, Obama’s programs are barely scraping by as it is, especially in the Senate. The key question: Will the January panic by Democrats shake any Senate vote loose on health care reform? Probably not, but everybody will be watching closely. It may also be difficult for the President to get his other controversial items (climate change, immigration reform, etc.) passed. As one semi-threatened Democrat said to me just before Christmas, “I’ve taken all the tough votes for Obama that I intend to take this term.” That sentiment may well spread and harden in the Democratic caucus."

But Republicans must keep their eye on the ball and it appears that National Republican Chair Michael Steele acknowledges that fact.

I believe that no matter what state, the Republican needs to first acknowledge Republican's past errors on spending that took place and then focus on the deficit and out of control spending; Obama's grasp for power with Washington controlling all aspects of our lives and the Democrats continued belief that if we talk nice to the bad guys that they will leave us alone and there will be no more "man-made disasters". We need to be respectively aggressive yet challenge the Democrat that each is running against to defend his or her votes and support for Obama/Reid/Pelosi policies and practices. God knows there is enough out there to keep Democrats floundering around as Obama's team keeps shoveling out more new policies and proposed legislation by the day.

See below, this should make you all warm and cozy in your homes at night. It's funny but sadly true:

Is This A Preview of Ben Nelson's Fate?

reality is starting to sink in within the ranks of Democrats . . .

Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) read the tea leaves or more precisely the internal polling and announced Tuesday night that he would retire rather than run for re-election this year. Dorgan was polling badly after tying himself to President Obama and Harry Reid over the past year.

In Nebraska meanwhile, our fine Democrat Senator Ben Nelson got a good look at what will probably also be his fate at about this time next year. Nelson has transformed himself into a cartoon character of late with his bizarre statements since selling his vote on Obamacare. 

Two peas in a pod: