Why can't we all just get along

Why can’t we compromise?

We frequently hear that along with charges that the Tea Party or Grover Norquist or some other conservative is a huge impediment to compromise and progress.  They simply won’t meet the left half way.  Leftist like to portray themselves as reasonable people who are only looking out for the good of the country and if only the other side would be reasonable and compromise we could all get along. 

Perhaps this is best illustrated with President Obama’s call for “shared sacrifice” and by that he means to address the deficits we need to raise taxes and cut spending.  He loves to tell the media that the Republicans want to balance the budget on the backs of the poor while giving tax breaks to the wealthy.  

But what you have here is an ideological stand rather than a fiscal one.  Obama wants to raise taxes on the wealthy so he doesn’t have to cut spending as much and because he truly believes that it is a fairer way to go.  This may on the surface sound reasonable, but is it? 

A new report out by Ernst and Young indicates that allowing taxes to increase for every American earning over $250,000 ($200,000 for single taxpayers) would suck $200 billion out of the economy, cost 700,000 jobs (those most likely to need jobs) and also reduce wages by 1.8 percent.

Back in 2008 in a debate with Hillary Clinton when asked about raising capital gain taxes even though it’s been shown that raising the capital gains taxes decreases government revenue and decreasing the tax increases government revenues, President Obama said he would raise them in the interest of fairness. 

It appears the president is so uncompromising that he is willing to add to the deficit through decreased government revenues with the increased capital gains tax he wants and willing to put 700,000 Americans out of a job to increase taxes on the wealthy.  And all of this he would do in the name of fairness.

But it isn’t just that when we talk about compromise.  The left has had the country on its road to statism for the past 80 years.  Any compromise it is talking about is to go a bit slower down that road, but the left is not willing to compromise if it means going down a different road.  What the right wants to do is to move to a different road, a road of Constitutionalism, of smaller government, and less government spending.  This is not even recognized by the left when it talks about compromise. 

We can’t compromise because the destinations are different destination.  It is up to the people to decide which road we need to take, which road in the end gives us better results.  When either side talks about the other compromising, if they are true to their beliefs what they really mean is surrendering to their dream and their destination.  Beware of those who preach compromise.  They are the charlatans in this debate. 

The Romney Birth Certificate Joke

Was it a gaffe or an unnecessary error?  Or was it a shrewd remark?  Ann Althouse  looks at this question and decides it isn’t racist as some charge and it doesn’t say anything about what Romney believes.  But it does poke Obama in a vulnerable spot, that is, the question of what kind of an American is he?  “You didn’t build that.”  He sided with Mexico against Arizona and sued the state.  Criticizing America when he’s abroad, i.e. I’m grateful that President Ortega did not blame me for things that happened when I was three months old.”   Was it fair?  A lot fairer than charging someone with possibly being a felon or claiming they hadn’t paid taxes in 10 years for political purposes. 

Update  Prof. Stephen Clark opines “Glad to see you and Althouse make these points. This is your picador strategy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish-style_bullfighting at work again. The reaction from the press and, more importantly, from the White House was clearly foreseen. This is ruthless, interesting, and entertaining. I cannot imagine John McCain, or any similar politician, doing this even now.”

The Political Right and Left in America today

The two extremes in American political thought today are the Constitutionalists on the right, represented by the Tea Party, and the Manifestoists on the left, epitomized by the elitist followers of President Obama.  Manifestoists win by lying, cheating, and stealing, while the Tea Party is much closer to the ideals of Thomas Jefferson. 

Who really rejects Science?

What many conservatives reject is not science.  It's the scientific interpretations offered by liberals.  

Conservatives see liberals distort and misrepresent the climate data to arrive at pre-determined conclusions, making irresponsible leaps of logic in the process.  So they reject those interpretations of the data. 

Climate science is only one area where the left becomes very unscientific.  Try doing a study on the intelligence differences of the races or the difference between men and women.  Poke the left’s dogma and see how quickly science is berated and denounced. 

Comparing Obama and Reagan’s economic recoveries

Stephanie Cutter, President Obama's deputy campaign manager, recently boasted to Willie Geist of MSNBC that, from an employment perspective, the recovery of the economy under President Obama compares favorably with the Reagan recovery.  That earned her the honor of being the Lie of the Day in this blog.  But how do  Reagan's and Obama's recoveries compare?  Not very well if you are an Obama supporter. 

The Obama work ethic

Four years ago, President Obama sold himself as someone who would be tirelessly working for the American people, but does anyone really buy that?  I do believe he is working tirelessly for reelection, though. 

Five things that make you smarter

Here are five things that make you smarter.  

http://www.cracked.com/article_19971_5-things-you-didnE28099t-know-could-make-you-smarter.html

Scott Brown ahead of Elizabeth Warren in MA

It appears the left is beginning to worry that Scott Brown may not be beatable by Elizabeth Warren. Hard left Professor Warren would seem to be just what the people of Massachusetts want in a Senator.  Flawed (see her American Indian heritage flap), but far to the left on most issue, Ms. Warren will be speaking at the Democratic convention and it was her attack on free enterprise that inspired Barack Obama to say, “You didn’t build that.”   In two recent polls, Brown was up by 5% and 6%. 

Financial crisis: Democrats reaction, "What me worry?"

We know there is a problem: Do Something!!!

"MY WORST EXPERIENCE WAS THE FINANCIAL CRISIS OF SEPTEMBER 2008," House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan said Tuesday in response to a reporter's question about Democrats' attacks on the budget he unveiled earlier in the day.


"WHAT IF THE PRESIDENT AND YOUR REPRESENTATIVE SAW IT COMING AND COULD HAVE PREVENTED IT FROM HAPPENING?" RYAN SAID. "WHAT WOULD YOU THINK OF THEM IF THEY DIDN'T?" A hush came over the audience at the American Enterprise Institute, where I am a resident fellow.


It was Ryan's way of saying that the financial meltdown arrived largely without warning, while THE IMPENDING FISCAL CRUNCH IS LIKE A RUNAWAY FREIGHT TRAIN.


"THIS IS THE MOST PREDICTABLE CRISIS IN THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY," he went on. "We are on our path to a debt crisis" like those we've seen recently in Europe, with the national debt as a percentage of gross domestic product rising, under President Obama's budget, past the 90 percent danger point on its way to 800 percent.

http://washingtonexaminer.com/politics/2011/04/ryan-steals-march-obama-fiscal-crisis-looms#ixzz1IkCZEwbU


This crisis is predictable. What also seems to be predictable is that the Democrats would rather try to use this politically than to address the problem. This is a must read.






New compromise to avert government shutdown: $40B in cuts

Speaker John Boehner’s office refused comment, but several individuals, Republican and Democratic, confirmed that THE OHIO REPUBLICAN HAD RAISED THE $40 BILLION NUMBER AT A MORNING MEETING AT THE WHITE HOUSE WITH THE PRESIDENT.

That translates into a $1.048 trillion top line for nonemergency appropriations, an $80 billion reduction from Obama’s 2011 budget request and more importantly, an additional $7 billion on top of the target in House-Senate talks.

Administration officials expressed frustration with the demands, and there are growing complaints the speaker keeps “moving the goal posts” as he tries to appease conservatives in his party.

“It seems every step we take, it’s something just to poke us in the eye,” said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), who was part of the same White House meeting. “THEY ARE NOT TRYING TO ARRIVE AT THE FINISH LINE. IT APPEARS THAT THEY’RE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO SATISFY THE TEA PARTY.”

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0411/52585.html#ixzz1IkcsPqBD


I think a better analogy for Harry Reid’s comment is that the Democrats are running a marathon, but want to stop the race after the first 100 yards.



Congress spends over 20% of their time taunting the other side

Three of their categories were well known to political scientists. Over the years, they have come up with a GRAND UNIFIED THEORY OF CONGRESSMEN which holds that there are three primary ways a legislator expresses him- or herself.


The first is credit-claiming. That involves a legislator trumpeting his own role in securing a bridge or a dam or some other thing voters want. “ ‘The government did this thing. It’s because of me,’ ” King explained.


The second is position-taking. This is the thing that “Schoolhouse Rock” and civics classes teach you is the point of congressional speechifying. “ ‘I’m at this point on the ideological continuum,’ ” King said.


The third traditional category is “advertising.” It might be recognizing some hometown team or dignitary, a nonpartisan effort to get one’s name out there. “ ‘Look at me! I’m a member of Congress!’ ” King said.


But, he said, some news releases he and his team studied didn’t fit neatly into the three traditional categories.


“They’re a different thing. To say that the only thing members of Congress do is advertising, credit-claiming or position-taking, that’s not right,” King said. “Because sometimes, they just stand up there and taunt the other side.”


Now, it’s not earth-shaking news that legislators like to insult each other. But what King did is quantify how much they do it: more than a quarter of the time. He found taunting was most common in members whose districts were “safe” — strongly held by their party.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/27percent-of-communication-by-members-of-congress-is-taunting-professor-concludes/2011/04/06/AF1no2qC_story.html?hpid=z1


Surprised?



Obama’s 2012 election strategy

…. Even the most optimistic of economists and the Federal Reserve itself predict that the ECONOMY WILL NOT HAVE COMPLETELY TURNED AROUND BY NOVEMBER 2012, AS THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE WILL REMAIN AROUND 8-9%. THE ANNUAL BUDGET DEFICIT WILL STILL BE IN THE $1+ TRILLION RANGE AND THE TOTAL NATIONAL DEBT WILL HAVE INCREASED OVER $5.4 TRILLION DOLLARS DURING OBAMA'S FIRST TERM (more than the debt from the founding of the country in 1789 through 2001). There is also a consensus that the Middle East will still be in turmoil, the threat of terrorism markedly higher and our foreign policy in shambles.

There is little option but to replay the 2008 campaign.

Therefore the White House will, as its primary tactic between now and November 2012, FOCUS ON RE-INSTITUTING AND RE-ENFORCING THE "CULT OF PERSONALITY" STRATEGY SO SUCCESSFUL IN 2008 (particularly against Hillary Clinton) while contrasting Obama against the dull and bland personality of any of the Republican candidates. Secondarily and in concert with the once-mainstream media and the unions, the well-worn and threadbare accusations of the nominee as being mean-spirited and in league with the "rich" will be on full display. In reserve will be the heavy artillery of racist accusations to be used to create headlines and sidetrack the Republicans whenever the opportunity, real or imagined, presents itself….

http://www.americanthinker.com/2011/04/obama_reelection_and_the_cult.html

I don’t think this will work. Obama ran on hope and change in 2008. It was a “cult of personality” but it was a cult of an unknown personality where everyone could imagine who he would be. Now we know who he is and the failures of his first term will destroy any hope of recreating 2008. This may be his best shot, but it won’t be enough.


Europe feels strain as US alters Libya policy

Transatlantic relations are being tested by the US’s refusal to lead the military mission in Libya, with figures on both sides of the ocean depicting THE CONFLICT AS A WAKE-UP CALL FOR EUROPE’S MILITARY AND POLITICAL ESTABLISHMENTS.

BRITAIN AND FRANCE ARE STRAINING TO FILL THE GAP LEFT BY WASHINGTON’S DECISION TO PULL BACK, as Europe’s military ambitions are tested.

The Pentagon said on Tuesday that it had flown 1,600 sorties since operations began on March 19 and WOULD NO LONGER BE INVOLVED IN AIR STRIKES AGAINST LIBYAN TARGETS. It would continue support missions, such as aerial refuelling, and would remain on alert for emergency strike missions, if requested by Nato.

Defence experts maintain that the US move has a longer-term significance, since it signals that Europeans cannot rely on Washington to provide security in crises in their neighbourhood.

“What we’ve seen in Libya is hugely significant,” said Lord Hutton, a former defence secretary in the last Labour government. “The US has been saying for 10 or 15 years that it wants the Europeans to share more of the security burden and we have to heed that lesson. WE SHOULD BE DOING MUCH MORE IN EUROPE. WE CANNOT GO ON EXPECTING THE US TO TAKE THE LEADING ROLE…..”

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/7b076c8e-5fb4-11e0-a718-00144feab49a.html#axzz1IgRZmqzz


Now here is something I can support President Obama on.



Liberals on the run from voluntary tax

Moonbats are cheap. And they prove it again every year at this time when the Commonwealth of Massachusetts gives them the chance to personally raise their own income taxes.

Your average liberal would give an illegal alien the shirt off your back. Not his back, but your back. Just ask them. They sit in Starbucks and angrily blog about how AmeriKKKans who work don’t pay their “fair share.”

They harrumph, what about the children?

But you know what they say. Money talks, you-know-what walks.

So far this tax season, the state Department of Revenue has received 1,971,000 returns.

And of those 1.971 million filers, EXACTLY 862 HAVE CHECKED THE BOX TO PAY AT THE OLD, HIGHER 5.85 PERCENT RATE RATHER THAN THE CURRENT 5.3 PERCENT RATE.

THAT WORKS OUT TO APPROXIMATELY ONE-25TH OF ONE PERCENT OF FILERS making the selfless gesture — somewhat lower than the percentage of moonbats in the population, wouldn’t you say

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/columnists/view.bg?articleid=1328675

If this surprises you, you obviously don’t pay any attention to human nature. Liberals like to think they are more compassionate and giving, but evidently they aren’t. BTW, that figure is .04%.

Accountable and Unaccountable America

….There is Accountable America and then there is Unaccountable America. In Accountable America liberal lawyers sue Wal-Mart for discrimination against women employees based upon statistical patterns of promotions. IN UNACCOUNTABLE AMERICA, 50 PERCENT OF COLLEGE KIDS NEED REMEDIAL INSTRUCTION WHILE HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS DEMONSTRATE OVER THEIR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RIGHTS. In Accountable America President Obama tells BP to post $20 billion on account to pay for oil spill damage and BP asks, "What's the account number?" IN UNACCOUNTABLE AMERICA SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER CALLS A SPENDING CUT OF $0.06 TRILLION IN A $3.8 TRILLION BUDGET "EXTREME…."

http://www.americanthinker.com/2011/04/unaccountable_america.html


I can hardly wait to hear what Schumer calls a $6 trillion dollar cut in spending over 10 years.



Jimmy Carter strikes again

…. Beginning with a statement to the people of Cuba, HE HAD NOTHING TO SAY OF THE LACK OF FREEDOM IN CUBA. He made brief mention of his visit with American Alan Gross, who is being held in a Cuban jail for providing support for democracy activists in Cuba, but then immediately EQUATED HIM WITH THE SO-CALLED CUBAN FIVE, WHO ARE IN JAIL IN THE US FOR SPYING. Carter apparently sees no difference between an American who is working on a transparent U.S. government funded democracy project and guys spying for the Cuban dictatorship. Indeed, CARTER REFERRED TO THEM AS “THE FIVE CUBAN PATRIOTS” and explained that he had met with their mothers and their wives. He never called Gross a patriot. He went on to make clear that HE HAD PRIVATELY PETITIONED BOTH GEORGE W. BUSH AND BARACK OBAMA TO RELEASE THESE SPIES…..

http://bigpeace.com/pschweizer/2011/04/05/jimmy-carter-disgraceful-in-cuba/

Jimmy Carter is an embarrassment to this country.