Rep. Parker Griffith to Switch Parties to Become Republican
Rep. Parker Griffith, a freshman Democrat from Alabama, is switching parties to become a Republican, Fox News has confirmed. Griffith is expected to make a formal announcement in an afternoon press conference on Tuesday. Griffith succeeded former Democratic Rep. Bud Cramer of Alabama, who retired earlier this year in a hard-fought contest for his northern Alabama seat. Republicans thought that district would be hard for Democrats to hold without Cramer on the ballot, but Griffith defeated Republican Wayne Parker by four percentage points — even though Republican presidential nominee John McCain won every county in the district. [Looks like someone wants to keep his job come next year’s midterm elections and being a Democrat is probably not gonna play well with the voters in this particular Alabama district…ed]
Health Care Bill’s Individual Mandate Is Unconstitutional, Conservative Group Argues
Conservatives are discussing a constitutional challenge to the Democrats’ health care legislation, if and when it becomes law. Aside from constitutional questions about Sen. Ben Nelson’s deal with Democrats on behalf of Nebraskans, conservatives are eyeing the bill’s individual mandate – the requirement that every American citizen must purchase health insurance. “Mandating that individuals must obtain health insurance, and imposing any penalty—civil or criminal—on any private citizen for not purchasing health insurance is not authorized by any provision of the U.S. Constitution,” says The Conservative Action Project, a group of prominent conservative activists. “As such, [the bill] is unconstitutional, and should not survive a court challenge on that issue.” [Naturally this assumes that the courts will actually find in favor of the Constitution. One could feasibly argue that the Constitution has been on life support for decades…ed]
Reid Bill Says Future Congresses Cannot Repeal Parts of Reid Bill
Senator Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) pointed out some rather astounding language in the Senate health care bill during floor remarks tonight. First, he noted that there are a number of changes to Senate rules in the bill–and it’s supposed to take a 2/3 vote to change the rules. And then he pointed out that the Reid bill declares on page 1020 that the Independent Medicare Advisory Board cannot be repealed by future Congresses: [Now you know why these Democrat sleazebags want to ram this bill through quickly before anyone has a chance to read the thing. That way nobody knows what’s really in it such as the little nugget that part of the ObamaCare bill CANNOT be appealed by a future Congress…ed]
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s Christmas list should outrage all Americans
One reason that so many Americans hailed the 2008 election of President Barack Obama was because he promised a new way of governing: more transparency, more inclusiveness, more integrity. Some of us believed him. As the president’s first year in office draws to a close, we have to wonder what happened to those promises, especially as we consider the growing list of Christmas gifts allocated on the sly by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. These were offered as incentives — we call them bribes — to secure just enough votes to ram through the controversial $871 billion health care reform bill in the Senate. For instance, if you think Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., was standing on anti-abortion principles in initially refusing to line up with fellow Democrats, think again. [Other than words from someone nobody had heard of before the presidential campaign what had Obama ever done to make people think they could trust his integrity? After all he did come out of the slimy, corrupt and ruthless Chicago political machine and that alone should have been a red flag to everyone…ed]
Sebelius: Yes, you will pay for abortions under Nelson’s deal, like it or not.
At Hot Air, Captain Ed has a tape of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius discussing how the so-called “abortion premium” in the Senate health care reform bill will work. Is she suggesting that everyone will have to pay an abortion premium, and that accounting tricks will be used just to make it look like you’re not forced to pay for abortions? SEBELIUS: That would be an accounting procedure, but everybody in the exchange would do the same thing, whether you’re male or female, whether you’re 75 or 25, you would all set aside a portion of your premium that would go into a fund, and it would not be earmarked for anything, it would be a separate account that everyone in the exchange would pay. [It’s there, in the bill. You WILL be paying for abortions whether you like it or not. The Democrats running the show right now are some of the most devious evil scumbags to ever come along in American politics…ed]
Nelson Says More Senators Seeking Special Treatment in Light of Nebraska Deal
Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson, after securing a sweetheart deal for his state as part of the health insurance reform bill, said Tuesday that three other senators have told him they want to bargain for the same kind of special treatment. “Three senators came up to me just now on the (Senate) floor, and said, ‘Now we understand what you did. We’ll be seeking this funding too’,” Nelson said. [This article brought to us by the “gee-never-could-have-seen-this-one-coming” folks…ed]
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Gov. Paterson, Mayor Bloomberg and other NY pols: Health care bill is prescription for disaster
The Senate health reform bill is packed with lumps of coal for New York’s Christmas stocking. Gov. Paterson, Mayor Bloomberg and other officials warned the Senate plan would: – Force the city to close 100 health clinics. – Blow a $1 billion hole in the state’s budget. – Threaten struggling hospitals, nursing homes and other facilities. “It is really a disgrace and we’ve got to make sure that we fight before the bill is finally passed,” Bloomberg fumed. [New York’s liberal politicians have figured out the state is gonna get hosed big time if ObamaCare is rammed through Congress and signed by Barack Hussein Obama yet the residents continue to overwhelmingly support the Democrat party. Oh well…ed]
Mr. Obama: Tear Down Your Wall of Secrecy
Everyone has gotten the memo by this point: Do not question Barack Obama. Even conservatives have been warned by other conservatives about mentioning the secrecy issue: It’s pointless and can only harm conservatism. (SNIP) The real issue, however, is not about birthers or theories or racism or whatever else you want to add. The real issue is about the secrecy of Barack Obama, and it involves more than the release of his complete birth records. Hospital records; high school, college and law school records; transcripts; writings; and passport info have been requested, and all are being withheld by Obama. Mr. Obama is presented as the smartest man in the country, yet we have not seen his college course list or grades. Hmm, hmm, hmm. A normative democratic society cannot allow a president to continue to speak disingenuously about transparency while withholding basic information. [This guy is president of the United States yet the citizens have never been able to see his REAL birth or any school records. What’s up with that? Imagine trying to get a job at Wal Mart and refusing to provide even basic information about your background…ed]
Obama Defends Self Against Black Critics
President Barack Obama is defending himself against criticism from some black leaders who say he isn’t showing enough compassion for the plight of regular blacks. Obama said Monday that polls show overwhelming support for what his administration is trying to do. The president said the healthcare bill moving closer to final passage in the Senate will help the one in five blacks who don’t have health insurance. He says it will make coverage more affordable for them. [Obama says polling shows there is an overwhelming amount of support for his agenda from the American people? You mean like THIS poll mister?…ed]
Obama says he has unemployed relatives
President Barack Obama says he and the first lady have relatives who are unemployed and suffering because of the economic crisis, but he’s confident that 2010 will be a better year for the American people. During an interview on the Tom Joyner Morning Show, Obama said being part of the African-American community means that no matter how well you do, there is likely someone in your family who is hurting. [The Obama’s, who have never held real jobs in their adult lives and skated through life chiefly due to the color of their skin, are multi millionaires so why aren’t they helping their “unemployed” family members out in their time of need instead of forcing them to have to depend upon public assistance?…ed]
Air businesses object to Obama no-fly zone
Air tour operators and flight training schools say a no-fly zone established over much of Windward Oahu during President Barack Obama’s upcoming visit will hurt their businesses. Starting tomorrow through Jan. 4, several general aviation activities, such as air tours, hang gliding and flight training, are prohibited within a 10-mile radius of where Obama is staying. The no-fly zone stretches from Kaaawa almost to Makapuu Point on the windward side and over much of the Honolulu side of the Koolau mountains. [It was five miles when prez elect Obama visited the area last year so apparently the protected radius will be expanding as his poll numbers continue to plummet…ed]
Woman held in Hawaii after Michelle Obama threat
Authorities say a woman accused of threatening to kill first lady Michelle Obama is in federal custody in Honolulu as the Obama family plans to travel to Hawaii. The Secret Service says Kristy Lee Roshia called its Boston office last month and told a receptionist, “I will kill Michelle Obama” and “I will kill Marines.” [Due to the size of M.O.’s massive ass the Secret Service may very well have to bump that protective radius out to 20 miles when she lands in Hawaii…ed]
Osama bin Laden came within minutes of killing Bill Clinton
The US leader was saved shortly before his car was due to drive over a bridge in Manila where a bomb had been planted. The foiled attack came during Mr Clinton’s visit to the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in the city in 1996. At one point during his stay, he was scheduled to visit a local politician, his route taking him across a bridge in central Manila. But as the presidential motorcade was about to set off, secret service officers received a “crackly message in one earpiece” saying intelligence agents had picked up a message suggesting an attack was imminent. The transmission used the words “bridge” and “wedding” – a terrorists code word for assassination. The motorcade was quickly re-routed and American agents later discovered a bomb had been planted under the bridge. [One can plausibly wonder if perhaps Osama was in cahoots with Hillary on this failed hit?…ed]
2 officers shot in Pierce County; suspect killed
Two Pierce County sheriff’s deputies were seriously wounded late Monday after they were “ambushed” while responding to a domestic-violence call, according to the Sheriff’s Department. The shooting suspect, identified as 35-year-old David E. Crable, was shot and killed in the Monday night shootout near Eatonville, sheriff’s spokesman Ed Troyer said. A deputy, shot multiple times, was in critical condition early Tuesday morning after being flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. He was undergoing surgery, Troyer said. A sergeant, a longtime veteran, was shot once and was in stable condition at Madigan Army Medical Center at Fort Lewis. He has spoken with investigators, according to a law-enforcement source. [Thankfully the officers were able to save Oregon taxpayers a pile of money by killing this heaping pile of human debris. Fortunately it appears both officers will survive their wounds…ed]
Mom of dead pregnant woman: EMTs were ‘inhuman’ not to help
The Fire Department has suspended the two EMTs accused of callously refusing to help a dying, pregnant mom during their coffee break. The mother of the woman who died after collapsing in a Brooklyn eatery says Jason Green, 32 and Melissa Jackson, 23 are “inhuman” and shouldn’t have taken those jobs if they weren’t willing to get involved. “These are people who are supposed to take a minute to be concerned,” Cynthia Rennix told The Associated Press. Green, a six-year veteran, and Jackson, a four-year veteran, have been suspended without pay as prosecutors are investigating the Dec. 9 death of Eutisha Revee Rennix. [Sure seems to me these two passed up an excellent opportunity to possibly save this now dead woman but since the whole story isn’t out yet I’ll withhold judgment for now…ed]
HP Probes ‘Racist’ Webcam Claim
Hewlett-Packard is investigating a claim that Webcams built into its PCs are incapable of tracking the facial movements of black individuals and only function properly when Caucasians or people of other lighter-skinned races are in the frame. The probe was prompted by a YouTube video in which a black man named Desi demonstrates the problem. The camera, which is designed to follow individuals’ head movements, fails to track Desi as he moves in and out of the picture. But when Desi’s white co-worker, Wanda, enters the scene the camera follows her. “As soon as my blackness enters the frame, it stopped,” says Desi. “Black Desi gets in there, no face recognition anymore buddy,” says Desi. “I’m going on the record and I’m saying it, Hewlett-Packard computers are racist,” adds Desi, who says he’s using an HP Media Smart PC. [Wait a minute, isn’t this situation more accurately described as racist against Caucasians? After all it’s the white folks who can be tracked and profiled by these inanimate cameras and computer software while black people cannot…ed]
The 911 on video game obsession
It’s game over for a 14-year-old Roxbury boy, whose overwhelmed mother was so exasperated with his incessant video game playing that she called the cops on him. The final straw for Angela Mejia snapped at 2:30 a.m. Saturday when, “I woke up in the middle of the night and saw the light on in his bedroom,” hours after she had told him to go to sleep. “Sometimes I want to run away, too,” Mejia said, breaking down in tears in her immaculate apartment. “I have support from my church, but I’m alone. I want to help my son, but I can’t find a way.” [I know most everyone reading this realizes just how easy the solution to this “problem” is but really lady, calling 911 because you can’t control your kid’s video game habits?…ed]
Quote of the day.
We have long had death and taxes as the two standards of inevitability. But there are those who believe that death is the preferable of the two. At least there’s one advantage about death, it doesn’t get worse every time Congress meets.
-Erwin Griswold
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