Our # 1 tells us that apparently the rich do better with Democrats in office than they do with Republicans. Perhaps that explains why Wall Street supports Obama so much. #2 tells us that Colorado has rejected more taxes and looks to see what that might mean. #3 relates that while most of us are aware of Solyndra and the investigation there, it is only one of 100 investigations into the DOE’s loans program. #4 has Ann Coulter comparing being charged with sexual harassment in the 1990s to being charged with witchcraft in the 1690s. Story #5 questions whether Obama is the worst president since before the Civil War. #6 is an obituary for Barack Obama’s chances in 2012. Nothing is there that gives him a fighting chance. Article #7 is the Herman Cain scandal, if you can call it a scandal. #8 relates the degeneration of Occupy Oakland. The Occupy movement has been taken over by radical anarchist and unions. #9 wonders if the Occupy movement doesn’t expose the bankruptcy of our institutions of higher learning. #10 is an update on Fast and Furious.
1. Wealthy Prosper Under Democrats
…During the 2008 campaign, Obama said, "THE PROJECT OF THE NEXT PRESIDENT IS FIGURING OUT HOW DO YOU CREATE BOTTOM-UP ECONOMIC GROWTH, AS OPPOSED TO THE TRICKLE-DOWN ECONOMIC GROWTH THAT GEORGE BUSH HAS BEEN SO ENAMORED WITH."
But it turns out that THE RICH ACTUALLY GOT POORER UNDER PRESIDENT BUSH, and THE INCOME GAP HAS BEEN CLIMBING UNDER OBAMA.
What's more, the biggest increase in income inequality over the past three decades took place when Democrat Bill Clinton was in the White House.
THE WEALTHIEST 5% OF U.S. HOUSEHOLDS SAW INCOMES FALL 7% AFTER INFLATION IN BUSH'S EIGHT YEARS in office, according to an IBD analysis of Census Bureau data. A widely used household income inequality measure, the Gini index, was essentially flat over that span. Another inequality gauge, the Theil index, showed a decline.
In contrast, the Gini index rose — slightly — in Obama's first two years. Another Census measure of inequality shows its climbed 5.7% since he took office.
Meanwhile, DURING CLINTON'S EIGHT YEARS, THE WEALTHIEST 5% OF AMERICAN HOUSEHOLDS SAW THEIR INCOMES JUMP 45% VS. 26% UNDER REAGAN. The Gini index shot up 6.7% under Clinton, more than any other president since 1980.
http://news.investors.com/Article/590383/201111030805/Income-Inequality-Rose-Under-Clinton-Obama.htm
Now the first excuse I would expect to come out of the left is that it has risen under Obama because he left the Bush Tax cuts in place. But that doesn’t work since the rich actually saw their income decline under Bush. I think Obama’s Crony Capitalism is the cause.
2. Colorado: Bell Weather or a Fluke?
In the only state-wide tax increase on any state’s ballot this year, Colorado voters yesterday offered a resounding “No!".
Proposition 103 would have raised the state income tax rate from 4.63 percent to 5 percent, and the state sales tax from 2.9 percent to 3 percent, expecting to extract about $3 billion from Coloradoans over five years with the money earmarked for public education. THE MEASURE’S SUPPORTERS – PRIMARILY TEACHERS’ UNIONS – OUTRAISED (AND PRESUMABLY OUTSPENT) ITS OPPONENTS BY ABOUT 20-TO-1.
NEVERTHELESS, PROP 103 LOST BY A STUNNING MARGIN OF ALMOST 28 PERCENT, ROUGHLY 64 PERCENT AGAINST TO 36 PERCENT FOR, WITH ONLY TWO PERCENT OF THE BALLOTS LEFT TO BE COUNTED.
Although several small counties have not yet reported, at this point the measure has passed in only three of Colorado’s 64 counties, and they are exactly the three one might expect: Boulder (the center for tax-hiking liberals in the state and the home of the state senator whose baby Prop 103 was), Pitkin (location of Aspen), and San Miguel (location of Telluride.) Even in the perennially Democratic Denver, Prop 103 failed by seven percent.
The wide margin of defeat for Proposition 103 COULD ONLY HAPPEN WITH A SUBSTANTIAL MAJORITY – SOMETHING ON THE ORDER OF TWO-THIRDS – OF UNAFFILIATED (INDEPENDENT) VOTERS OPPOSING THE MEASURE, SOMETHING WHICH PORTENDS WELL FOR REPUBLICAN HOPES IN 2012 ELECTIONS….
Living in Colorado you hear a lot from the lefties, but the numbers don’t look good for them. This to me is a strong indication that the people are not happy with the economy and blame it on the current administration. It also bodes ill for tax increasing democrats.
3. Solyndra isn’t alone
Solyndra is being investigated by the FBI, but that may just be the tip of the shovel-ready iceberg.
THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY IS INVESTIGATING MORE THAN 100 POTENTIAL INSTANCES OF CRIMINAL ABUSE OF STIMULUS LOAN MONIES, ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT’S OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL.
In prepared testimony before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Wednesday, Energy Department Inspector General Gregory Friedman said his office has launched more than 100 probes into possible criminal activities related to the 2009 stimulus funds behind the loans. …
Now this isn’t something that will let you sleep well tonight.
4. Ann Coulter on Herman Cain and the Charge of Sexual Harassment
….This is why the liberal website Politico ran with A STORY ON CAIN THAT HAD EVERYTHING -- a powerful black man, a Republican presidential candidate, the hint of sexuality -- EXCEPT FACTS.
All we learned was: About a decade ago, as many as two anonymous women accused Cain of making unspecified "inappropriate" remarks and one "inappropriate" gesture in the workplace. (We had more than that on John Edwards' mistress a year into the media's refusal to report that story.)
If the details helped liberals, we'd have the details.
TO HAVE BEEN ACCUSED OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN THE 1990S IS LIKE HAVING BEEN ACCUSED OF MOLESTING CHILDREN AT PRESCHOOLS IN THE 1980S OR ACCUSED OF BEING A WITCH IN MASSACHUSETTS IN THE 1690S.
In the 1990s, one plaintiff won a $50 million jury verdict against Wal-Mart on the grounds that a "hostile environment" was created by her supervisor's yelling at both male and female employees. In another case, a plaintiff won a $250,000 award for sexual harassment based on her complaint that a male colleague had reached for a pastry saying, "Nothing I like more in the morning than sticky buns," while "wriggl(ing)" his eyebrows.
It got so crazy that a 6-year-old boy was suspended from class for a day for kissing a classmate on the cheek, and a Goya painting had to be removed from a Penn State classroom because a professor complained that it constituted sexual harassment.
WITH NO STANDARD OTHER THAN THE SUBJECTIVE OFFENSE TAKEN BY THE ACCUSER, ABSOLUTELY ANYONE COULD BE CALLED A WITCH, I.E., A SEXUAL HARASSER. So it's striking that the only two conservative public figures accused of being witches both happened to be conservative blacks: Clarence Thomas and Herman Cain….
What I find most offensive is that it appears the left who claims to be supporters of minorities seems to pull out what is likely the MOST racists of charges, that is, that black men are intimidating white women. In the past, Democrats would have lynched a black man for such a charge. Today as Clarence Thomas said, we have a high tech lynching instead, but it’s still Democrats who are doing it.
5. Worst President Since Before the Civil War
Three years ago, the people of the United States elected someone who has turned out to be the worst president since the pre-Civil War era. BARACK OBAMA, whether in economic matters, domestic affairs or international relations, HAS BEEN AN ABJECT FAILURE AND HAS SEVERELY JEOPARDIZED THE FUTURE OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
This must be the focus and message of those seeking the Republican presidential nomination, who must not allow themselves to be focused on demeaning each other and sidetracked by falling for the usual tactics of the Democrat and media smear machines (epitomized by the latest specious attack on Herman Cain).
A cursory examination of Obama's overall record compared with other presidents reveals SOMEONE DRIVEN PURELY BY STATIST IDEOLOGY, WHOSE NARCISSISM RENDERS HIM INCAPABLE OF CHANGE REGARDLESS OF THE LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES. He does not seem to care what happens to the American people…..
An excellent article that gives you a number of factual comparisons between Obama, Reagan and FDR. O doesn’t fare to well in the comparison.
6. Obama fails all viability tests
LAST WEEK’S COLUMN ASSERTING THAT THE PRESIDENT IS UNELECTABLE HAS TRIGGERED STRONG RESPONSES. Democrats, in particular, seem to think my judgment is premature. It strikes them as ridiculous that anyone could make such a “bold prediction” so far in advance of the 2012 election. Hey, that’s what we do, as seasoned political professionals, as pollsters. But I must stress that I am not so much making a personal prediction as DRAWING AN INFORMED CONCLUSION BASED ON ALL THE NUMBERS AVAILABLE. I do this in each election cycle for other candidates, and it’s time to make the call on President Obama.
Whenever I have an incumbent client running for reelection, I insist on a viability study about a year out from the election — so, in the case of the presidential race, right about now. Anything that I do for my own, I should do for the opposition. So here goes. First, I look at THE POLLING RESULTS FROM TRADITIONAL “DESERVES REELECTION” QUESTIONS, the gold standard of viability testing. The most recent nationwide public poll I could find was one conducted by Quinnipiac University early last month. It showed 42 percent saying the president deserves reelection while 54 percent say he doesn’t. While this reelect number by itself is not necessarily a doomsday figure, IT’S THE 54 PERCENT ON THE CON SIDE THAT’S A KILLER. MOST OFTEN, THERE IS A LARGE UNDECIDED PERCENTAGE, BUT HERE IT’S ONLY 4 POINTS. VOTERS HAVE CLOSED THEIR MINDS — and the book on this president. It ensures that when Obama faces a Republican nominee, the undecided voters in early polling will eventually vote against an undeserved reelection….
This to me is a no brainer. Right now Donald Duck could beat BHO. He’s shown himself to be completely out of his league.
7. The Case Against Cain
… Let’s sum up the “facts” as they are known right now. MOSTLY UNNAMED PEOPLE accused Herman Cain OF UNSPECIFIED CONDUCT which some people who will not specify the people or the conduct have DEEMED “INAPPROPRIATE.” And one of the unnamed people received a piddly $35,000 SEVERANCE PACKAGE ALMOST 15 YEARS AGO FOR UNSPECIFIED CONDUCT WHICH INCLUDED CONDUCT UNRELATED TO CAIN.
That’s what’s known now. Maybe actual facts will come out proving that Cain did something wrong, but those facts are not out now…
This is a cotton candy accusation. There’s a lot less there than meets the eye.
8. Occupy Update: Occupy Oakland acts up again
It was not exactly insurrection, but the rowdies gathered in Oakland for a grandiosely-named "general strike" Wednesday, FINALLY GOT THE STREET ACTION THEY WANTED AFTER NIGHTFALL, building a bonfire in a downtown street with flames 15 feet high requiring police action to prevent damage and injury to property and buildings nearby. WHEN MISSILES WERE THROWN AT POLICE AND HIT SOME, THE POLICE MOVED IN WITH TEAR GAS AND PERCUSSION GRENADES. At about 1 AM, on a street adjacent to Frank Ogawa Plaza, a group of 200 to 300 officers faced off against 150 protesters, many of whom were carrying makeshift shields and taunting officers. At one point, the officers split into two groups. Protesters followed the officers, who ordered them to disperse.
Police then went around a building, surrounded the demonstrators and began firing tear gas….
…The local Bay Area media are bending over backwards in order to find positive things to say about these miscreants. "Mostly peaceful” -- which in my book means that it was it was violent, "the feces quotient is minimal” -- how much feces is acceptable to you?, and the like. This sort of propaganda brings to mind the old joke, "Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?"…
When I look at the comparison of how these ‘protests’ compare in media coverage with the TEA Party, I find it enlightening, but hardly surprising. The old joke is very applicable in this case.
9. Wall Street Protesters Prove Most Academic Degrees Worthless Today
What will it take for parents to finally realize that it's a waste of time and money to save for their children's college education? Occupy Wall Street protesters over the nation are looking for forgiveness of their nearly one trillion dollars in student loan debt yet most of them can't find a job. INTERVIEWS WITH THOSE PROTESTERS SEEM TO ILLUSTRATE THAT MANY DON'T EVEN HAVE BASIC SKILLS TO EXPRESS A COHESIVE THOUGHT. I wrote a column recently comparing the 2011 protesters to the 1960's anti-Vietnam war crowd but while those earlier ones were afraid of going to war, the OCCUPY WALL STREETERS ARE AFRAID OF HAVING TO WORK FOR A LIVING.
College costs continue to spiral upward and a recent CBS News reported that, "The College Board reports roughly 56 percent of bachelor's degree recipients at public four-year schools last year graduated with debt, averaging about $22,000. At private nonprofit universities, 65 percent had debt, averaging around $28,000."
If you're studying to be a doctor or a lawyer than there's no doubt higher education is a prerequisite but BEING IN DEBT FOR $96,000 FOR A DEGREE IN WOMEN'S STUDIES OR ART HISTORY IS JUST PLAIN STUPID. One of the signs at the park where the protesters have been camping out reads, "Even in a good economy, I'm unemployable."…
… WHAT IS SO SAD ABOUT THE OCCUPY WALL STREET PROTESTS IS THE CLUELESSNESS OF THOSE PARTICIPATING IN THEM. If their brain cells were still working they would be looking with heavy skepticism at those celebrities joining them for photo ops and video segments. Most of them belong not to the 99% but rather they are the 1% hypocrites whom they should be hanging in effigy.
Consider their supporter billionaire Russell Simmons. He is basically A BANKER WHO PROMOTES HIS RUSH CARD FOR 9.95 A MONTH WHICH IS ALMOST DOUBLE THE $5 THAT BANK OF AMERICA WANTED TO CHARGE FOR THEIR DEBIT CARDS AND WHICH WAS LOUDLY BLASTED FOR THAT PLAN BY OWS….
http://www.irishexaminerusa.com/mt/2011/11/01/wall_street_protesters_prove_m.html
The Occupy Movement reminds me of a passage in James Michener’s book Centennial where he describes a dinosaur. Michener didn’t think much of the dinosaur’s intellectual capacity, but talked of it having a sense of danger. The actual protesters in the Occupy Movement don’t really know what they are against other than greed. Much like that dinosaur in Michener’s book, they have a sense of danger, but aren’t sure what it is.
10. Obama Scandal Update: Fast and Furious
…Today, BABEU'S OFFICE CONFIRMED TWO GUNS FOUND DURING A MASSIVE DRUG SMUGGLING BUST AGAINST THE SINALOA CARTEL IN PINAL COUNTY, WERE PROVIDED THROUGH OPERATION FAST AND FURIOUS.
"I am outraged our Federal Government has armed one of the largest and most dangerous of the Mexican drug cartels with as many as 2,000 high powered weapons. This is the same cartel we have been investigating for the past fifteen months for various crimes including a murder in my County. We have arrested 76 suspects and seized 108 weapons. We have now have learned two of the weapons we seized are in fact linked to Operation Fast and Furious. U.S. BORDER PATROL AGENT BRIAN TERRY WAS ONLY DOING HIS JOB WHEN HE WAS VICIOUSLY MURDERED BY MEXICAN BANDITS WITH FAST AND FURIOUS WEAPONS. Thankfully none of our members were murdered this time," Babeu tells Townhall….
In addition to this story, we now have 34 members of Congress as well as Governor Jan Brewer calling for Eric Holder’s resignation.
