NebraskaPatriot

Closing Gitmo Changes Nothing

leftists and anti-American voices will be emboldened if we close Gitmo . . .

So tell me how closing Gitmo and moving these low-life slugs onto U.S. soil in Illinois solves anything?

The argument of the Left and soft Republicans like Lindsey Graham of South Carolina is that Gitmo is a recruiting tool for terrorists.

So how exactly is moving these folks inside the U.S. going to make a difference Mr. Graham? Hello, they will actually be on U.S. soil, common sense says if Gitmo is a recruiting tool than Gitmo-north in Illinois will be too. 

The stupidity of all this is just astounding. This isn't taking the moral high ground Mr. Graham, it's a moral house of cards.

Tree Huggers Reduce Tax Revenues Across The Country

who'd of thunk it . . .

It's finally happening, Americans are driving less and do so in more fuel efficient cars and we have our friends in the Environmentalist Wacko movement to thank. Yes, they have finally gotten what they have dreamed of for years, heck generations.

I think we can all agree that it's good that we are improving our fuel efficiency, I don't think anyone quibbles with that goal.

Now, I'm sure what is coming as quite a shock to our friends on the Left is that they also are responsible for cutting tax receipts through their efforts! Yes, let that one sink in for a second. The Left who worship at the alter of the almighty Tax Increase reduced tax receipts? 

You see automobiles are more fuel-efficient, people are driving less and, increasingly in many parts of the country, they are driving automobiles that aren’t powered by petroleum at all. The result is less fuel being used consequently less tax being paid. Add in the Obama-economic-malaise that we are still in and you will find states across the country and Mr. Obama's and his Democrats in Congress scrambling in the wake of large revenue shortfalls into the various state and federal highway coffers.

So what an interesting web we weave. The Left pushes for efficiency never realizing that in doing so it reduces the mother's milk of it's movement - TAX RECEIPTS.

So it will be interesting to watch the Left's allies in Washington and throughout the state legislatures try to find a solution to this revenue shortfall. In Washington, they might want to start by ending the current diversion of 25% of the gas-tax funds to non-highway building projects such as Amtrak and metro busing; streetcar and subway budgets. These are all local responsibilities not federal but then again, Obama and the Dems think everything is Federal because they are smarter than the rest of local folk.

How ironic this all is.

The map below is from last fall. I would imagine that some of these numbers have increased as state legislatures try to find ways to close the fiscal deficits that each is facing.

"Change" by barack obama, ceo u.s. govt

In The Northwest the Past Week And . . .

even in the liberal northwest the natives are getting restless . . .

Oh my, Governors in Oregon and Washington apparently find tax increases of all kinds just the medicine that is needed for an area already struggling economically.

I was amazed that Democrats which control everything in both states simply see no way out of their fiscal mess except to increase taxes. And when I say increase taxes, I mean increase taxes on anything and everything that moves.

The businesses that I met with last week are just up in arms as they are being taxed out of existence.

I do not talk politics when I'm on business, but these folks seemed so anxious to vent to someone and I think since I'm not from the area, they felt I was a great release for their collective frustrations. So I spent a lot of time listening.

It will be interesting to watch because I'm afraid that both Oregon and Washington are heading down the same path that California is now spiraling down.

So folks, get ready, because I'm sure that Mr. Obama will be sending more of our tax dollars out west to rescue these fiscal disaster areas.

Their Heads Really are in the Sand

you think at some point someone will get a clue in the White House . . .

The big announcement today is that the White House has a new communications strategy. Yup, apparently they have come to the conclusion that they just haven't done a good enough job explaining Obama's vision for the country . . . (stop laughing, these guys really believe this!!! I know,  I don't think they can squeeze their eyes closed any tighter)

FOXNEWS reports on it's web site:

"Dan Pfeiffer, the new White House communications director, vows to do a better job of delivering the Obama's message and says the strategy in 2010 will include a sharper focus on the president's signature issues and a faster and more aggressive response to Republican attacks."

Ok, so are they saying that President Obama wasn't out there talking last year? According to the CBSNews website, in the first year of his Presidency, Obama had:

411 speeches, comments or remarks

• this included 52 addresses or statements on health care
• he used a teleprompter 178 times

52 news conferences

158 interviews

• far more than any other President in his first year

23 town hall meetings

And yet, according to the FOXNEWS story, "Obama will spend more time reminding Americans he's the candidate who promised to change Washington's toxic ways".

These folks just refuse to open their eyes to the reality on the ground.

We HEAR you loud and clean Mr. President. It's the MESSAGE that is your problem not the amount of times we hear it. 

Until someone in the White House has the guts to tell the President that exact message, these guys will continue to flop around. Amazing . . .

Joe Biden Shows Again That Anyone Can Be V.P.

these endless idiotic statements by this man just keep on coming . . .

So now it appears that our Vice President, the man a heart-beat-away from the Presidency, is accusing the National Guard's top defense attorney in New England of not knowing the legal procedures for military tribunals. 

That top defense attorney in New England just happens to be newly elected U.S. Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts and Mr. Brown is none to happy with old Joe over his charge.

POLITICO reports that on CBS' Face-The-Nation on Sunday, Biden said he doesn't "know whether the  new senator from Massachusetts understands: When you get tried in a military tribunal, you get a lawyer, too."

Brown responded:

“He’s trying to give me a lesson on military law, and I didn’t think it was appropriate,” Brown told POLITICO. “And I thought he was off base when it comes to explaining to the American people that somehow I need a lesson on whether people get attorneys — of course they get attorneys. There’s a difference as to what type of attorney they’re going to get and when they’re going to get that attorney, and how are they treated, and what rights do they, in fact, get.”

“I know the military rules and regulations and procedures from A to Z,” Brown said."

POLITICO went on to say:

"Brown pushed back Monday on one of the White House's talking points about the handling of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab: that the Bush administration handled Richard Reid, the so-called shoe bomber, in the same way.

“I’ve always felt that suspected terrorists should be tried in military tribunals and not civilian court, and as a matter of fact so do the majority of Americans,” Brown said. “The big difference is are we going to pay $1,000 an hour for a private attorney and treat him as a civilian or ordinary criminal in a criminal court, or are we going give him a military attorney who’s going to be paid as a captain, major or lieutenant colonel, and obviously go through the military tribunal process?”

Scott, don't worry. Old Joe has no credibility with the American people, just consider the following QUOTES from Joe Biden:

I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that's a storybook, man. --Joe Biden on Barack Obama

In Delaware, the largest growth of population is Indian Americans, moving from India. You cannot go to a 7/11 or a Dunkin’ Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent. I’m not joking.

When the stock market crashed, Franklin Roosevelt got on the television and didn't just talk about the princes of greed. He said, "look, here's what happened." slight problem is that FDR wasn't President in 1929 and TV was still experimental

Uh, uh, Chuck Graham, state senator, is here. Stand up, Chuck, let ‘em see you. Oh, God love you. What am I talking about. Biden to a wheel-chair bound Missouri state senator

We're doing things that we know are going to save you, your children and your grand children billions of dollars over the next years. But we're not able to prove it. Biden to members of the AARP last summer

It's a bad idea and should be shut down and dismantled - Biden in 1973 on the Alaska Oil Pipeline

He's a beauty isn't he . . .

Nelson Next Redemption Step is Obamacare SAY WHAT!!!

Nelson afforded prime opportunity to show Nebraskans he hears us . . .

It now appears that Obama, Pelosi and Reid have a new plan to get Obamacare passed and signed into law. And according to WashingtonExaminer.com Pelosi's own staff isn't being very quiet about it. 

And folks, this is where our Democrat Senator Ben Nelson comes into play. On first blush, I have a feeling that this is Nelson's worst nightmare. Obamacare, his Waterloo. Cornhusker Kickback, folks are still mad as hell about that and now Obama-Reid-Pelosi are bring that all back up again. Not good especially after Nelson just started down the redemption path with his recent support of the Republican filibuster against Obama's leftist wacko nominee for the National Labor Relation's Board.

So I'm sure that he is peaking around the corner right now and can't believe what he is reading and hearing that Obamacare is ALIVE!!!

So after Mr. Nelson stops shrieking, there is an opportunity that is presenting itself to him, but will he take it?

Nelson can take another step down the redemption path by playing hardball with Obama, Pelosi and Reid. He can gather other nervous Democrats(you can't turn around in a Democrat caucus meeting without running into one of those!) in the Senate and they should march up to the White House and let Obama know that if they try this "trick" as Pelosi's own staff member called it, to get Obamacare passed, then Nelson and his group will hold up every nomination that comes down to the Senate. They will join the Republicans and filibuster every Obama agenda item and they will be out in front of television cameras blasting Obama, Pelosi and Reid for bastardizing the legislative process. 

Bottom line, they should make it very clear, they will bring the Capitol to a complete and utter standstill if Obama-Pelosi-Reid forge ahead on Obamacare.

Now, the question is, how bad does Ben Nelson want to get back in the good graces of Nebraska voters?

I guess time will tell. 

Is That A Dose of Reality We Are Seeing Mr. Nelson?

is this an honest position or just political posturing . . .

Nebraska Democrat Senator Ben Nelson has stunned his fellow Democrats by announcing he will support the Republican filibuster against a radical, far left wing labor zealot from being approved for the National Relations Labor Board.

All of us in Nebraska and across the country should be pleased with Mr. Nelson's announcement because Craig Becker is NOT what American stands for. As the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation points out, Becker “has radical views on the extent of union coercive power, and he comes directly out of the all-powerful Service Employees International Union (SEIU) whose bosses have been as thick as thieves with the notoriously corrupt Big Labor front group ACORN.”

So let me be the first to the thank Ben Nelson. Now, let me add that this better be an honest and sincere position by Mr. Nelson that represents the views of Nebraskans and not an attempt by Mr. Nelson to pull the wool over the eyes of those of us in Nebraska after his outrageous actions on Obamacare and the now worldwide famous "Cornhusker Kickback".

Time will tell and we will all be watching. 

New Unemployment Numbers Re-enforce Business Unease

the uncertainty is for real and Obama and team better wake up . . .

It's always good news when you see the unemployment rate decrease and that's what the latest figures  show that came out today. The drop from 10% to 9.7% is good news for families across the country. Ed Morrissey over at HotAir has written a concise, easy to understand article on what's all in this latest drop. 

The bottom line on unemployment is that it will not start showing marked improvement until:

1. Obama and the Dems cut taxes on the job creators

2. Obama and the Dems stop all the regulations and new leftist programs

Business does not like uncertainty and right now Obama and the Dems are doing nothing but providing uncertainty-on-steroids to the business community. Consequently, companies of all sizes, but particularly the small businesses which are the backbone of our economy, can not do any long range planning.

It's become very clear how ill-prepared these folks are in leading this country when this White House has so few of its staff and cabinet leaders who have ever run a business or been involved with the daily operation of a business.

I believe that we will not see any marked improvement in the unemployment level until after November and that's only IF Republicans retake the House and Senate and they actually legislate like Conservatives this time around. It would be the balancing act that I think would provide business with some calmness and allow them to at least realize that nothing to much was going to happen with a Conservative Congress and a Leftist President fixed in a stalemate.

Until then, well, I hope it gets better but the environment is just not business friendly right now. 

Obama 2011 Budget-Is This A Joke?

Obama and Congressional Democrats can't be serious . . .

Did Massachusetts not happen? Did Virginia and New Jersey not happen? Are the Democrats in Congress and in the White House living in a dream world?

The President just released his proposed 2011 budget and folks around the country have to be shaking their collective heads in disbelief.

Here's just a couple of the mind boggling numbers:

• Establishes a new single year record for spending of $3.8 trillion
• Establishes a new single year record for a deficit of $1.6 trillion
• Establishes a new overall record of total debt of $9.3 trillion

The so-called spending freeze that Obama so loudly proclaimed in his State of the Union address is at  best a reduction of $20-billion over last year coming from about 14% of the overall budget. Now some may say that's progress but consider that Obama and Democrats injected over $260-billion in so-called stimulus dollars last year plus increased their overall budgets by an additional 14% last spring in the Omnibus spending bill. You end up with each of these agency starting it's budgeting at an overall 84% higher level than the prior year. I would hope they could find a few bucks to reduce.

How many households got an 84% increase in their budget last year? This doesn't sound like much of a freeze to me. 

One final thought on this so-called freeze. Last year, Democrats in Congress and Obama agreed on $6.9 billion in spending cuts mostly in defense. They then took that "savings" and spent it and much, much more in non-defense spending which I outlined above. So don't hold your breath on this freeze happening either.

The end game is this. President Obama is showing early in year two that what happened in year one was not inexperience, it was who he is, i.e. a big time Liberal who fully believes that more Government not less is the answer.

In the end, as Brian Riedl of the Heritage Foundation points out this F.Y. 2011 budget will "over the next decade, pass $75,000 per household in additional debt into the laps of our children and grandchildren".

Voters now have a clear picture of who Obama is and who the Democrats are. Apparently Massachusetts wasn't enough of a slap in the face for Mr. Obama and his party, I guess it now goes to Colorado, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois, Arkansas, New York and even California . . .