Mr. One Percent

The Louisville Occupiers are upset because the city has told them that they have to take down their tents at Jefferson Park. The Occupiers have some legitimate grievances, but many of us do not take them very seriously because of their support for Mr. One Percent, Barack Obama. We cannot know for certain, but it is a fairly safe bet that most of the Occupiers voted for Obama and will vote for him again. This is completely irrational in light of their cause.
Who provides the majority of financial support for Obama's political campaigns? Answer: The One Percent. Who did Obama pick his economic team from? Answer: The One Percent. Who benefited most from Obama's bailouts and stimulus spending? Answer: The One Percent. Barack Obama is a poster boy for the One Percent. It is their interests that he is most committed to protecting. It is beyond understanding how the Occupiers cannot see what is so clear.
If the Occupiers are serious, job number one is getting rid of Barack Obama. Until they support that, the rest of the 99 percent cannot take them seriously.

Neil nails it!

Wrapping Christmas presents to the sounds of Neil Young's Harvest album. Song is "I'd Love to Change the World". Lyrics are:

Tax the rich
Feed the poor
Until there are
no rich no more?

Even 70's hippies understand economics better than the current regime.

Looking Ahead to KY-4 and Calling Hunter Bates

Few expected Geoff Davis to announce he was retiring from Congress this soon, but there is no surprise at the amount of interest in replacing him.  For Republicans, in particular,  KY-4 is a very attractive district, notwithstanding that Democrats still hold a registration advantage.

Davis's retirement must be causing plenty of East End Republicans to wish they'd moved from Jefferson County to Oldham County.  The voter registration for KY-3,  Jefferson County, makes it so unlikely that a Republican can win that it is a waste of resources to even contribute to a Republican there. Not so in KY-4.

In the inevitable Republican primary for the 4th Congressional District, Hunter Bates would be terriffic.  He is smart, humble, has a very strong faith and great political instincts. And he's a true conservative. He would be an outstanding Congressman.  I hope he runs; he would win and serve his district, Kentucky and the nation with distinction.

Trump Card

Donald Trump, of The Apprentice and monumental real estate bankruptcies fame, is set to moderate yet another Republican Presidential debate on December 27th. Now Donald Trump is a fun guy to watch, he has great bravado and the finest comb over on the planet, but having him as a moderator for a Presidential debate is taking the process into the realm of the absurd. Huntsman and Paul have sensibly already begged off on the invite, we will have to wait and see what other candidates bite.

We can just hear Trump's response to a weak answer from one of the candidates: "You're fired!" When pop culture icons become Presidential debate moderators, we know we have abandoned any sense of seriousness about the matter. Who will be the next Republican Presidential debate moderator, Madonna?

Trying to Enthuse About Romney

The brilliant Charles Krauthammer has done what no one heretofore has been able to do:  convince me that the Republican nominee must be Mitt Romney for the sake of our country.

Krauthammer compares the strengths and weaknesses of Romney against the latest non-Romney, Newt Gingrich, and concludes with evident reluctance that it must be Mitt -- and this without even mentioning Newt's personal baggage.

Listen to how Krauthammer distills the difference between the two front-runners:

Two ideologically problematic finalists: One is a man of center-right temperament who has of late adopted a conservative agenda. The other is a man more conservative by nature but possessed of an unbounded need for grand display that has already led him to unconservative places even he is at a loss to explain, and that as president would leave him in constant search of the out-of-box experience — the confoundedly brilliant Nixon-to-China flipperoo regarding his fancy of the day, be it health care, taxes, energy, foreign policy, whatever.

I recently spoke with someone who served in Congress with Gingrich who described Gingrich as a "high wire act."  Even in the Republican caucus, members held their breath, not knowing what Gingrich would do next -- but certain that it would make for big headlines.

With Romney, on the other hand, we know what we are getting: a moderate Northeastern Republican a la Nelson Rockefeller.  We might not like it, but we know what to expect.

As Krauthammer points out, it is Gingrich's "need for the grand display" based on his own certainty of his brilliance -- his narcissism -- that makes Gingrich a dangerous bet for conservatives. That's assuming he could get elected, which Krauthammer doubts given the stench of lobbying for Freddie Mae and Mac that accompanies Gingrich.

My sense of foreboding about Romney has nothing to do with his character, his intellect or his religion.  I just fear that he will join the growing list of "moderates" that Republicans keep nominating in a vain attempt to appeal to independents:  Gerald Ford; George H.W. Bush after we "read his lips"; Bob Dole; John McCain.  Mitt Romney fits more comfortably in that list than he does in the much shorter list:  George W. Bush; Ronald Reagan, who made no apologies about their adherence to conservatism and were rewarded with election.

It is unfortunate that the choice has come down to Mitt vs. Newt.  Mitch Daniels could have won this election. He would have been a superb president. Perhaps he still will be, one day.

But here is the danger.  Even if a Mitch Daniels or Paul Ryan gets elected in 2016, if Obama has been reelected, this country may no longer be recognizable in 2016.  It will be too late.

You play the hand you’re dealt. This is a weak Republican field with two significantly flawed front-runners contesting an immensely important election. If Obama wins, he will take the country to a place from which it will not be able to return (which is precisely his own objective for a second term).

Every conservative has thus to ask himself two questions: Who is more likely to prevent that second term? And who, if elected, is less likely to unpleasantly surprise?

Dem Pollsters Urge Hillary to Run

The Wall Street Journal has a jaw-dropping op-ed today by Democratic pollsters Pat Caddell and Douglas Schoen, who worked for Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, respectively.

Not only do Caddell and Schoen urge Hillary Clinton to run for president, they implore Barack Obama to take a cue from Lyndon Johnson and Harry Truman: Decline to seek a second term for the good of the country.

Caddell and Schoen maintain that if Obama runs for reelection, we are in for the most negative campaign in history. So much for hope and change.

Certainly, Mr. Obama could still win re-election in 2012. Even with his all-time low job approval ratings (and even worse ratings on handling the economy) the president could eke out a victory in November. But the kind of campaign required for the president's political survival would make it almost impossible for him to govern—not only during the campaign, but throughout a second term.


Put simply, it seems that the White House has concluded that if the president cannot run on his record, he will need to wage the most negative campaign in history to stand any chance. With his job approval ratings below 45% overall and below 40% on the economy, the president cannot affirmatively make the case that voters are better off now than they were four years ago. He—like everyone else—knows that they are worse off.

. . .


We write as patriots and Democrats—concerned about the fate of our party and, most of all, our country. We do not write as people who have been in contact with Mrs. Clinton or her political operation. Nor would we expect to be directly involved in any Clinton campaign.



If President Obama is not willing to seize the moral high ground and step aside, then the two Democratic leaders in Congress, Sen. Harry Reid and Rep. Nancy Pelosi, must urge the president not to seek re-election—for the good of the party and most of all for the good of the country. And they must present the only clear alternative—Hillary Clinton.

Of Course the Democrats are Behind the Cain Accusations

Let's face it: Romney can't beat Obama. Cain can could have. The Democrats realized that. So they formulated   a plot to bring Cain down. And it worked.

There is no doubt in my mind that the Cain sexual harassment accusations are a plot made up by liberals to bring down the best candidate to emerge in the 14 years of my life.

This is just like the Justice Thomas scandal.


"Liberal advocacy groups called me repeatedly looking for anything that could stop his confirmation." Juan Williams wrote. 


“Have you got anything on your tapes we can use to stop Thomas?” A Senate aid asked Williams.


Yes, Juan Williams, a liberal, admitted to being asked to help come up with a conspiracy about Thomas. Why wouldn't the liberals do the same for Cain?


I am fed up with these scandals and lies. Liberal bureaucrats will ruin this country  for my generation. While we spend our lives paying off their debts, we will look back and learn an important lesson on moral values.
We will realize that lies and fabricated scandals ruined our once great country.

That is the sad direction our country is headed.

But there is hope. If we can go back to the ethics and moral values that the founding fathers used to build  this great nation, than America may soon see its brightest days yet.

We could be a thriving nation with innovations in science, medicine, technology, literature, the list goes on and on.

I hope and pray that liberals and conservatives alike will come together and see the light before it is to late.

At least I know that God will always be at my side even if we become the United States of China. 

Dirty Hippies...

When the Occupy Wall Street movement began, many were quick to criticize the movement as just a bunch of dirty hippies. I thought this seemed unfair and overly critical. It seemed to me that many of the protesters were probably reasonable people with legitimate grievances. After seeing C-SPAN views of the camps and listening to a number of interviews with the protesters, I realized that I was wrong, dead wrong. They ARE a bunch of dirty hippies!

Okay before you Occupiers crucify me, let me say that I am using a little levity here. You are all not really a bunch of dirty hippies (although some of you really are!) You are misguided though. The 1%, for all their faults, and there are many, are not the source of your problems. If you are unemployed, it is not because of rich folks. If you want to blame someone besides yourself, blame the guy in the White House. He is far more culpable in this than the 1%. Occupy 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue if you really want to protest against the source of your woes!

Also, most of America is giving the Occupy Movement a giant yawn. With the exception of lefty news outlets, most folks are not sympathetic to the protest. This is more of the same old, tired, hackneyed class warfare crap that most folks just don't buy. Many are sympathetic to your plight and frustration, we just think your unfortunate circumstances would be better cured by getting rid of Obama than by attacking Wall Street and the 1%.

Seriously, John Boehner?

How much fun the copy editors at the Courier-Journal must have had writing the headline that House Majority Leader John Boehner has agreed to tax hikes.

This, from the guy who told us just two weeks ago at the McConnell Center that he was all about finding common ground but not compromising on principle.

There is no way that Boehner will get the Republican votes he needs, so why even upset conservatives by pretending that this is a possibility?

Everyone is starting to freak that the Super Committee's deadline is next week.  Automatic cuts will occur unless the Super Committee can agree on identifying alternative cuts or funding the budget with, let me get the euphemism right, "revenue enhancements."

This economy cannot sustain the hit of hikes right now:  it would ensure the double-dip that everyone fears is happening anyhow.

So let the automatic cuts take place.  Pull the trigger.  Sure, Republicans don't want the massive military cuts. Truth be told, however, there is fat in the military budget just as there is in every federal department.

McConnell Reacts to SCOTUS Accepting Obamacare Challenge

Here's the statement of Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell on the U.S. Supreme Court granting cert to hear the constitutionality of Obamacare.  Recall that early on in the initial challenges, McConnell filed an amicus brief in opposition to law's constitutionality. According to McConnell,

Throughout the debate, Senate Republicans have argued that this misguided law represents an unprecedented and unconstitutional expansion of the federal government into the daily lives of every American. Most Americans agree. In both public surveys and at the ballot box, Americans have rejected the law’s mandate that they must buy government-approved health insurance, and I hope the Supreme Court will do the same.

We now know that the Supremes have asked for five and a half hours of argument, to take place in March. The mandate to purchase insurance will get two hours of argument, and 90 minutes will go to the severability issue of whether the law survives if a portion, such as the mandate, is struck down. The Democratic Congress that rushed this monstrosity through on Christmas Eve, neglected in all its arrogance to include a severability provision.  Apparently that was one of the little niceties to which Nancy Pelosi was referring when she said they needed to pass the bill first, so we can find out what's in it.

I cannot wait to get Mitt Romney's reaction.

SCOTUS to Hear Obamacare Challenge! Jack Conway Yawns!

The U.S. Supreme Court has granted certiorari to hear a challenge to the mandate to purchase healthcare, the heart and soul of Obamacare.  This just happened eight minutes ago, so I do not yet know any details.

This is the same challenge that our newly-reelected Attorney General, Jack Conway called too legally frivolous for Kentucky to join.  So much for his legal acumen.

Conway is said to have held a big meeting the morning after Election Night last week.  The meeting lasted a full two hours.  Kentuckians might like to think he was setting goals for his second term as AG, but no:  Conway was laying the groundwork for his plan to run for governor.

He spent his first term as AG running for senator, and he will spend his second term running for governor.  What a disgrace:  the office of Attorney General is too important for a mere seat-warmer.  Voters will get exactly what they deserve; Conway  made no pretense of even campaigning for the job, and he will perform the job the same way he campaigned, with indifference.

Rick Perry Steps in It

Watch how it took Rick Perry only 53 seconds to end his political career.  This YouTube clip from last night's debate will be shown by debate coaches from this point forward, evermore. Watch this at your peril:  this will give nightmares to anyone who does any public speaking.

The poor guy.  Yet note how he doesn't even seem all that bothered by his inability to remember his third talking point. Most of us would be break out in hives, have a heart attack, run crying from the stage. But Perry kept his composure during what had to be one of the more embarrassing moments of his life.

Election 2011 Wrap-up

It was about what I expected. I had hoped that David Williams would have cut into Gov. Beshear's lead a little more, but that is just a question of a few extra points that Gatewood Galbraith unexpectedly snagged.

Todd P'Pool did better than I had feared. So did K.C. Crosbie.

Jamie Comer performed exactly as I had hoped and expected -- the only consolation in an otherwise dismal night.

So what is the upshot for Kentucky?  A governor who evokes the words:  milquetoast, vanilla, non-offensive.

Truly, Beshear's margin of victory is astonishing given Beshear's record of non-accomplishment . He has had no successes, not a single one as governor. If ever there was an election when a candidate won simply by virtue of not being the other guy, this was it.

Republican Party leaders had better step up and do a better job with managing candidate recruitment and selection.  Phil Moffett or Bobbie Holsclaw would have won more votes than David Williams did yesterday, no question about it.  There are probably others who would have been even stronger candidates than Holsclaw or Moffett; David Williams' wife, (former) Judge Robin Williams did a great job in that last commercial, for example. The problem in the primary is that everyone was so terrified of David Williams that most potential candidates took a pass. 

That is, the attribute of David Williams that won him the primary -- the ability to terrify others -- cost him the election, where the anonymity of the private ballot allowed the voters vent their true feelings about him.

Applebee's Thanks Our Vets; You Can, Too

Applebee's restaurants will serve Veterans and Active Duty Military free meals on Veteran's Day, as it has done in the past. This year, Applebee's also has started an online movement that gives each of us a quick way to write an email of thanks to our men and women in uniform.  Even better, there is a contest to determine the Most Thankful Neighborhood by zip code. Click here to participate and learn more.

Go Vote Already

I am really tired of holding my nose when I vote.  Last year, it was because John McCain was at the top of the ticket, the wrong ticket.  This year it is because Kentucky Republicans have nominated for Governor the political equivalent of Lord Voldemort. In both instances, the outcome is known before the first vote is cast, so what should be a joyful act that expresses freedom just feels sad and pointless.

We don't know whether any of our down-ticket races will survive.  I am hopeful Jamie Comer will win Agriculture Commissioner. In the Attorney General race, however, we are probably looking at four more years of Jack Conway's perfectly coiffed hair, or however long it takes for Jack to find a better gig.  His campaign reflects his ambivalence about the job; he doesn't want to lose and yet does not really want to be Kentucky Attorney General. He said as much to one of his Republican friends who was looking at running for AG. Conway's honest take of the job is that it's not so great.

What we do know, before the polls close, is that David Williams is going to get pounded.  So what lessons do we draw from that?

That it is important to be nice.

Kentucky is a small state. We view each other as neighbors and family. Consequently, when one is rude and vicious, even to fight for a really important ideological principle, we cringe. Word gets 'round. Kentuckians don't like to reward the use of sharp elbows.

David Williams is a brilliant man. I appreciate his willingness to serve, and I think that he is a true conservative on most issues.  The smallness of Kentucky -- the fact that we all know how David Williams comports himself -- makes it nearly impossible to elect a politician who is ideologically and intellectually solid and yet also regarded as a jerk. This is a consequence of our smallness, and I don't think that it is such a bad thing.

Sure, in Chicago, David Williams' aggressiveness and causticness would play differently; maybe he'd be up by 25 points instead of down by that margin.  But one of the things that many of us (particularly transplants!) value about Kentucky is that we will never have to look at Rahm Emanuel as our mayor.

That could never happen here.  Let's remember that reality the next time we vote in a primary.

Sarah Palin Endorses Todd P'Pool

Sarah Palin's endorsement of Todd P'Pool may be too little, too late. Her endorsement of Rand Paul actually helped him in the Republican primary against Trey Grayson, and might have given P'Pool a boost in name ID when he really needed it early on. It's odd that Palin's endorsement comes at this point, when Republicans have all but given up. Maybe it will motivate a few people to go to the polls, but certainly not enough to change the inevitable outcome.

Meanwhile, a local tea party group is running a radio ad during a.m. rush hour on 970 AM, the Bill Bennett Morning in America Show.  The ad promotes P'Pool and Jamie Comer -- but not David Williams. It's like he doesn't exist. Williams has evolved from radioactive to invisible.

McConnell Contrasts Jobs and Infrastrucure Bills

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following statement on the floor of the Senate today in which he contrasted the starkly different approaches of the two parties regarding creating jobs to fix our crumbling infrastructures.

Louisville readers will be particularly interested in McConnell''s comments about bridge construction and repair:  the Republican bill takes unspent money and allows the states to use it to, for example, fix the Sherman-Minton Bridge rather than build bike paths. The Republican bill allows for immediate repairs; the Democrats, in contrast, take longer to do less and yet spend more money.

The Republican bill strips away the red tape that delays such projects; that's what it takes to make a bill "shovel ready."

Here's the video of  McConnell's statement, and here's the text:

“We’re going to see two very different approaches to infrastructure and job creation today. The American people can decide for themselves which one makes more sense.


“The Republican proposal extends the current highway bill for another two years, giving states and contractors the certainty they need to start new infrastructure projects and create jobs.

“The legislation Senator Hatch is proposing today puts an end to that uncertainty for the next two years.


“This proposal also gives states the authority to decide how this money is spent. If folks in Ohio or Kentucky want to build a bridge, Washington can’t force them to build a bike path.


“The Republican proposal accelerates the review period and clears away the bureaucratic red tape. The President admitted a few months ago that the shovel-ready projects in his first stimulus bill didn’t turn out to be as shovel-ready as he thought. Our proposal helps make sure they are.


“Our bill prohibits the EPA from imposing burdensome and unnecessary new regulations on American cement producers and domestic boilers, so the cost of American-made materials for the projects paid for through this highway bill don’t skyrocket just as they’re set to begin. This bill keeps those costs down.


“Best of all, it’s fully paid for through funds that were originally appropriated for another purpose but not spent. Whatever’s left over after these projects are funded goes to pay down the deficit.


“The Democrats are taking a different approach.


“First, according to the CBO, the Democrats’ proposal will do little for the economy and putting people back to work in the short-term because the money will be spent gradually.

“According to the CBO, less than one tenth of the funds in the Democrat proposal will be spent next year. And roughly 40 percent won’t be spent until after 2015. This hardly matches the President’s calls for doing something ‘right away.’

“Second, it costs another $57 billion we don’t have.

“Third, they want to pay for this temporary spending bill with a permanent tax hike on job creators.


“And fourth, they already know that Republicans and yes, some Democrats, don’t think we should be taxing job creators, particularly at a time when 14 million Americans are looking for a job — and that we’ll vote against any proposal that does so.

“In other words, the Democrats have deliberately designed this bill to fail.

“So the truth is, Democrats are more interested in building a campaign message than in rebuilding roads and bridges. And frankly, the American people deserve a lot better than that. The people of Kentucky deserve better than that.

“The people in my state have serious, time-sensitive bridge projects– Brent Spence, the I-69, the Louisville bridges, Sherman Minton.

“They deserve better than this.

“The Associated General Contractors of America and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce have already spoken out against the Democrat proposal.

“The rest of the American people can decide which approach they prefer: our proposal, which doesn’t add to the deficit, doesn’t raise taxes, empowers the states to make decisions on the local level, and is designed to gain bipartisan support.

“Or the Democrat’s top-down approach, which perpetuates uncertainty, raises taxes on businesses at a time when we should be giving them more reasons to hire not less, and which was designed in coordination with the White House political team to fail.

“These are the two approaches on display in the Senate today.



“The choice should be obvious.”

David vs. Goliath: A Small Android Tablet Maker Takes on Apple

For over a year, Apple has filed numerous baseless patent infringement lawsuits against Android smart phone and tablet manufacturers. For example, Apple says that the Samsung Galaxy Tab (below to the left) looks to much like an iPad (below to the right). For your information, the devices below are to scale, the Galaxy Tab being 7" while the iPad is 9.7".

Image credit: Skatter Tech.

What's even more ridiculous is that Apple is actually winning these suits. Until today.

Apple is just being a jerk. They went after a small Spanish tablet manufacturer called NT-K, which makes dirt-cheap Android tablets. Personally, I have no idea why Apple would even care about this company. But there are consequences for being a bully, and in this case, a small company took down Apple's attorneys, who bill over a thousand dollars an hour.

Here is part of a blog post from the company: (Please by advised that this was translated with Google Translate).

We are a small company like many others in these times of crisis we are
trying to get ahead, and it seems grossly unfair that a company the caliber of
Apple has to use its dominant influence.

With the file in this case, reinforce the claim that we made ​​last August
to the National Competition Commission (CNC) and are confident that this entity resolved
quickly.

Parallel to this, start the corresponding civil suit against Apple for
consequential damages, lost profits and moral damage.

As stated in the blog post, NT-K does plan on retaliating with a civil suit. They deserve to win.

Dropping Politico

I am dropping Politico from the Blog Roll. They have given up all pretense at any kind of journalistic standards or ethics, and I will not promote them.

President Invited to Speak at Manual

As Whas 11 recently reported, Manual High School Seniors have created a FaceBook page called "The Presidential Project" inviting President Obama to speak at their commencement pep rally. The page is taking off and now has over 727 fans, close to half of the entire school population.

I think there is a good chance that the president will come. After all, it is Senator McConnell's school, and one of the nation's top schools.

Sen. Richard Burr Delivers GOP Address

Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) gives this week's Republican Address. He presents a counterpoint to the president's bus tour, in which the president drives to battleground states in his million dollar Canadian bus and argues for massive amounts of new government spending.  That tour, incidentally hit North Carolina this week -- a key state for Obama -- and Burr is therefore a fitting choice to respond not only for the Republican Party, but to speak to those constituents directly.

Burr makes the case for government getting out of the way to allow the private sector to create real jobs, as opposed to phony government jobs. He outlines the Republican jobs plan to consist of the following points:

• Simplify the tax code. This is part of the appeal of the 9-9-9 plan, by the way.
•   Rein in government regulations. Steve Jobs apparently told Obama that the amount of regulation in this country was going to make Obama a one-term president.
•  Cap spending and reduce budget deficits.  Need we say more?
•    Propose common sense healthcare solutions. It is not enough to repeal Obamacare; Republicans need to restore competition to drive down costs.
•    Encourage domestic energy development.  This is Rick Perry's platform.
•     Create a competitive workforce,  To the extent that this justifies the federalization of education, I disagree.
•  Increase exports.  There is bi-partisan support for passage of free trade agreements. Let's get it done.

Herman Cain Bounces Back

After a lackluster debate performance this week, Herman Cain picked up some impressive support. First, Arthur Laffer -- the economist for whom the Laffer Curve is named -- praised the 9-9-9 plan. This did rebutted the inference at the debate that some unknown guy in Ohio had just made the plan up on a whim.

Laffer, who was the architect of Reagan's supply-side economist, called Herman Cain's plan a "wonderful plan."

Laffer told Human Events that the proposal

was pro-growth and would create the proper conditions for America's economy to expand and thrive again.
"Herman Cain’s 9-9-9 plan would be a vast improvement over the current tax system and a boon to the U.S. economy," Laffer told HUMAN EVENTS in a statement. "The goal of supply-side tax reform is always a broadening of the tax base and lowering of marginal tax rates.
"Mr. Cain’s plan is simple, transparent, neutral with respect to capital and labor, and savings and consumption, and also greatly decreases the hidden costs of tax compliance. There is no doubt that economic growth would surge upon implementation of 9-9-9."
Laffer also said that "such a system provides the least avenues to avoid paying taxes, yet also maintains the strongest incentives for work effort, production, and investment."

But Herman's week got even better:  Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour praised the candidate on the Laura Ingraham show and said that if Cain is the Republican nominee, he will "sweep the South."

Barbour is highly respected for the outstanding job he has done as governor of Mississippi -- including during Hurricane Katrina -- as well as his role as a political operative in the Reagan administration. Indeed, many of us hoped he would run for president.

Barbour is a former head of the Republican National Committee; he can therefore be fairly described as an "Establishment Republican."  And he is former head of the Republican Governor's Association, which makes his plug for Cain so much more interesting, and telling, given that Cain's rivals for the nomination include a sitting governor, Rick Perry, and a former governor, Mitt Romney.

What Happened to Herman Cain?

Herman Cain did not perform in the debate as hoped or expected.  He didn't make any huge mistakes. Rather, his constant reference to the 999 plan became first tedious and then comical. Substantively, the plan is a good idea, but without an alternative way to describe it, the name diminishes it.

Mitt Romney, as always, looked more presidential than most presidents (including this one). It is beginning to feel like a Romney nomination is inevitable. That wouldn't be so terrible but for the fact that if Romney is the nominee, Republicans take the Obamacare issue -- which inspired the creation of the Tea Party -- off the table. It will be gone.

Moreover, given Romney's experience at Bain, Democrats will portray him as the personification of Wall Street. It is not clear that Romney can or will defend himself from the #OccupyWallStreet kooks; contrast Romney's non-response to those demonstrations with Herman Cain's vigorous denouncement of the protests.

One odd moment of the debate:  when the candidates were allowed to question each other, Romney used his opportunity to throw Michele Bachmann a soft-ball.  It looked sort of chivalrous, sort of condescending. She was having a good debate, so why did Romney choose to help her? Maybe he is thinking about her as VP.

Newt had a good debate; whoever wins the nomination, if they are able to defeat Obama, should put Newt in the cabinet.

Rick Perry is finished. He doesn't appear to have the depth or intellect.

As for Huntsman and Santorum, can we please stop inviting these guys to debates?  I am sick of Santorum whining that he hasn't had enough chance to speak.  Both of these guys just annoy me. They are worse than brown-nosers -- they come across as the class snitches, oozing with sanctimoniousness.

Chris Christie Disappoints; Herman Cain Wows

Does he want the VP slot?  Chris Christie's endorsement of Mitt Romney, coupled with his pathetic attempt to distinguish Romneycare from Obamacare, the whole thing stinks.  What made Christie an attractive potential candidate is his boldness about speaking the truth. After today's speech, his nose grew to Pinnochioesque proportions, and it is not a good look.

Herman Cain, consequently, looks better and better.  He brings the courage and boldness, a sunny optimism that evokes memories of Reagan, and he tells the truth -- consequences be damned. Moreover, his political instincts on the #Occupy Wall Street protests are prescient.  While Romney is waiting to see how it all plays out, Herman has called the rabble to account for their lack of personal accountability, their class warfare and their foolishness in understanding that this is Obama's economy:  picket him.

I am really looking forward to see how Herman performs in a debate now that he has a target on his back.

Here is what Fox News and the Republican leadership need to understand:  everyday conservatives take Herman Cain very seriously, and we have had enough of the elites telling us that he is a not a contender.

Herman Cain's Reaganesque Rebuke Of Protesters

Herman Cain's speaking the truth about the Occupy Wall Street protesters brings to mind then-California Governor Ronald Reagan's calling the anti-Vietnam protesters the spades that they were. And judging by the geriatrics showing up at today's protests, some of them likely are the same folks who vowed in the 60's not to trust anyone over thirty. Good for Cain for his Reaganesque stance against this bad acidic trip down memory lane.
Please note: The postings of "G. Morris", written by John K. Bush and which end in 2016, stated his views as of the dates of posting and should not be understood as current assertions of his views. The postings, which have not been altered since they came to an end, remain on this blog to preserve the historical record. In 2017, Mr. Bush took a position that precludes further public political comments or endorsements. He will no longer be contributing to this blog.

Letter to Obama

On September 8, exactly one month ago, I sent a letter to President Barack Obama urging a flat tax, and for those on welfare and unemployment to complete some kind of community service in exchange the benefits they receive. Here's my letter: (sorry for the small print).

Today, I received a response. Here it is:

This is clearly a standard letter. Along with it came a picture of the Obamas, their dog Bo, an interview of Obama about general questions a kid might ask him, a diagram of the White House, and an art guide to the White House. This all came in an official looking 8.5" x 11.5" envelope marked, "First Class Do Not Bend."

The package included some interesting information, but the letter was disappointing. It was irrelevant to my own letter, and an insult to my intelligence and the intelligence of people my age across the country. Notice that they couldn't even put my name on the letter, instead addressing me as "student." To me, addressing me as student it the equivalent to me addressing him as "adult."

Many kids ask Obama questions like, "What is your favorite book?" These are answered in his "interview," or FAQs for the President if you ask me. But my letter was nothing like that, but it was treated that way. I wonder what stock letter they would have sent me if I claimed to be an adult.

In my father's study, there is a letter on the wall to President Reagan from a student asking Reagan his advice for her. He gave her a personal response. If she had written Obama, his stock letter probably would have satisfied her, but my point is that Reagan took the time to respond.

One more thing: The postage was $1.68 plus the cost of color ink and nice stationary for an irrelevant letter.

Herman Cain Hostile Interview

Just saw this hostile interview of Herman Cain by Lawrence O'Donnell. O'Donnell asked some tough question, but Cain responded terrifically.

Since the first GOP debate, I have liked Cain, but after watching this interview, I knew he was the man. Cain points out several times where O'Donnell had misquoted him or used one of his quotes out of context. One of the most notable times was when O'Donnell asked him if he was grateful for the government paying for his graduate degree while he was serving in the navy. To set the record strait, Cain explained that did not serve in the Navy, but he did work as a ballistic missile mathematician consultant for the Navy. Embarrassed, O'Donnell asked Cain why he should be Commander and Chief if he avoided service in the Vietnam war. Cain then made it clear that he did register for the draft, but that the Navy though he would be more helpful where he was. Believe me, that ticked O'Donnell off. 

I encourage you to watch the video for yourself on Real Clear Politics. 

RIP Steve Jobs (Update)

Earlier today, Apple announced that former CEO and Chairman Steve Jobs has passed. Although I am not a huge Apple fan, as you may have guessed from my iPhone 4s post, I appreciate all of the innovations Apple has brought to the tech industry, largely because of Jobs.

In this post, I'd like to take a quick look at Job's life and some of his major accomplishments.

Jobs was born to a Syrian Muslim and an American graduate student. He was adopted to a couple from Mountain View, California. During high school he often attended technology lectures at HP. Jobs was hired at HP for a summer job with soon to be Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak.

Soon Jobs went to Reed College in Oregon where he quickly dropped out, but stayed there sleeping on his friends' dorm room floors listening in on classes. After two years, Jobs returned to California and went to Homebrew Computer Club meetings with Wozniak.

Jobs, Wozniak, and  Ronald Wayne founded Apple. They made the first commercially successful personal computer. As things took off, Jobs convinced Pepsi-Cola CEO John Sculley to come run Apple from a commercial aspect. Jobs and Sculley didn't get along well, and Sculley ended up firing Jobs.

While gone from Apple, Jobs formed a new company called NeXT Computer. NeXT computers were the first PCs to have a built in ethernet port and helped improve the way we communicate through email by adding more graphical support. NeXT later switched solely to software due to poor hardware sales.

Next, Jobs purchased Pixar from Lucas Film for $10 million. Pixar's first commercial success was the movie Toy Story, licensed to Disney, with many other Disney movies following. Disney bought Pixar in 2004 for $7.4 billion, making Jobs Disney's largest single shareholder, with nearly 7% of the company.

In 1996, Apple purchased NeXT from Jobs bringing him back as Apple's CEO. Jobs terminated several projects at Apple and brought it back to profitability. He introduced products like the iMac that are extremely popular to this day.

Apple has since launched the MacBook Air, an ultra light laptop with flash memory instead of a hard drive. This has helped draw attention to this super fast memory solution that may replace hard drives in the near future as it become more cost effective.

Apple also launched the iPod under Jobs direction, revolutionizing the way we enjoy music.

We can't forget the iPhone. The iPhone was the first phone with a multi-touch display which paved the way for intense competition resulting in cell phones as fast as computers.

And the iPad. There were very few tablets before the iPad, but the iPad was the first commercially successful one. Just like the iPhone, the iPad has resulted in innovation from other manufacturers that may not have happened without the iPad.

When you think about it, almost everything tech wise today came about from an Apple innovation.

It certainly says something about Jobs when you find out about his death on an iPad.

Update:

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak has released a short video about what Steve Jobs meant to him. You can tell that Steve meant a lot to him from watching the video.


Update:


President Obama released a statement late last night which can be viewed here. The second to last sentence says, "And there may be no greater tribute to Steve's success than the fact that much of the world learned of his passing on a device he invented." It sure feels nice to know President Obama liked the ending of this post.

Editorial: Apple in Decline

Today Apple launched the iPhone 4s. This is the phone that we have been waiting for months to arrive. Every iPhone, besides the 4s, has been launched during the summer, so when that didn't happen this year, our suspense grew. We knew Apple must have needed extra time to make not just a smart phone, but a super phone. Today Apple let us down.

Every iPhone in the past has been cutting edge, so far ahead of the competition that by the time they have caught up, Apple is ready to launch a new iPhone, starting the process over. Unfortunately for Apple, that game doesn't work anymore. There are so many new phones constantly being launched that there is no way for Apple to continue this one year refresh cycle.

The iPhone 4s is a very nice phone, but it's not cutting edge, it's barley up there with many Android handsets. Sure, it has a dual core processor like many new Android phones, but it's missing something: 4G LTE. Is that such a big deal? Yes, when you live with it, you can never go back. Verizon's not joking when they make their claims about their 4G network. I ran a speed test on it, and it really is 10 times faster than 3G. 

I was waiting for the iPhone to "wow" me. This is what I wanted: 

Although I knew this would probably not be the next iPhone, I wanted something that would have current technology for eight months, but I'm guessing this will only be current for three months.

This was Apple's chance to take a free shot on all Android phones. This will hurt Android, but only temporarely, as it will only help Apple temorarly. Android market share will continue to climb, and Apple too, but only slightly. 

And to think Steve Jobs has only been gone one month! Apple is already missing him, and I am as well.

The iPhone 4s will not save iOS. Don't take my word for it, take the Apple investors' word, who chose to sell Apple stock on arguably the biggest day of the year for Apple. Apple closed at $372.5 today down .56%. At it's worst point of the day, Apple was down to $355.11, over 5% below it's opening price.

My advice: Don't spend the extra money to upgrade from an iPhone 4 to a 4s. 

Catching Up on Kentucky Races

Apologies for the light blogging recently. I have been otherwise occupied, and quite frankly, depressed about our  the state of the Republican slate in Kentucky.

David Williams is a ball and chain around the necks of the rest of the ticket. He just is. Worse, he appears to have given up.  At the Bluegrass and Burgoo Festival in Louisville recently, he was there and yet lacked any presence.  His family joined him, but there did not appear to be any staff passing out bumper stickers or pamphlets. He said hello to a few people. No real effort to work the crowd, however. And this should have been a friendly crowd.

My son met him only because they were in the Burgoo line together and Robin Williams introduced herself.  My son's take was that David was "shy" and "awkward."  Surely this is the first time in his adult life that David Williams has been described as shy.  The more accurate word is probably "defeated."  It has to be very discouraging to keep campaigning when one is 20-plus points down in the polls. Nonetheless, Williams has an obligation to the rest of his slate to close the gap, even if the lead is so vast that he cannot win.

If Williams can close the gap to 12 points or so, then Todd P'Pool and Jamie Comer and the rest of the ticket might be able to pull off a win. P'Pool argued on the Joe Elliott show this week that he has been elected in a district that is 70 percent Democrat -- and is the first Republican elected there since the Civil War. It follows, according to P'Pool, that he can win regardless of what happens at the top of the ticket.

That is wishful thinking, I'm afraid. P'Pool needs to go negative.  P'Pool needed to go negative a month ago. He is running out of time.  There is so much material with which to attack Jack Conway -- take Conway's "time to destroy evidence" call to his brother. Why on earth is P'Pool holding back?

Jamie Comer, meanwhile, continues to impress; he is building momentum for a future of service to the Commonwealth. At a recent Louisville fundraiser for Comer, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell was all smiles as the hostess set a backdrop that included not only bales of hay and antique pitch forks, but live animals:  a baby goat and a calf.  In the world of stodgy political fundraisers, a little levity goes a long way.

"America's Mayor" Gives GOP Address on 9/11 Anniversary

Former New York City Mayor gives this week's Republican address on the 10th anniversary of 9/11. Who can forget his remarkable courage, leadership and calm in the midst of that chaos and destruction?  Like Washington at Valley Forge, it was providential. As I listened to his words, I was filled with gratitude -- and worried that this administration cannot comprehend the nature of the enemy who attacked us. 

Here's the video, and here's his text:

“Everyone can remember exactly where they were when they first learned that our country had been attacked.  As with Pearl Harbor and the John F. Kennedy assassination, these defining events have a big impact on a nation because they're not just a shared experience, they're a shared memory.

“On the 10th anniversary of the attacks, we must take stock of what we've learned.

“The attacks had two purposes.  The first was to kill as many Americans as possible.  The second was to destroy America's spirit.

“As we remember the thousands of lives lost on that day, there’s no doubt that the terrorists achieved their first goal and will leave us with a deep wound forever.

“When it comes to destroying our spirit, however…as we consider the rescue and recovery effort we witnessed at the time of and in the aftermath of the attacks, it’s clear that the terrorists failed.

“The country was not broken, but rather, it was more united in the days after September 11 than at any time in my lifetime.  We displayed heroic spirit in many ways, but perhaps the most heroic was the unity of spirit that we shared as Americans.  The American people demonstrated one of the most basic values that we share - our love of freedom and the value we place on individual human life.

“People often ask me, ‘Is America safer now than it was before September 11?’  The answer is:  ‘Yes, but not as safe as we should be.’  We're safer because we faced a difficult truth.  A danger that we allowed to fester and grow without confronting properly, was suddenly staring us in the face.

“The engagement of Islamic extremist terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan is an important part of our having prevented additional large-scale attacks.  We’ve made significant improvements in intelligence gathering and in airport security.  But much work remains.  We have not significantly improved port security and our state and local governments range from very well prepared to not prepared at all.  We’ve even seen some massive breakdowns in security, as demonstrated by the near attack on Christmas morning in 2009, as well as the inappropriate decision-making and irrational application of political correctness in the attack at Fort Hood.

“Perhaps the most dangerous impulse we've developed since September 11 is impatience demonstrated by the calls to put our armed forces on timetables.  It's a re-emergence of a dangerous historical pattern that sometimes afflicts America --  a desire to demilitarize by minimizing the dangers we face and that’s led to catastrophes in the past, including the ‘peace dividend’ taken in the 90's as Islamic extremist terrorists were attacking us regularly.

“American security requires a long-term military presence in the part of the world where people and organizations are plotting to kill us.  The timetable should not be based on a politically expedient calendar, but on when we've eliminated the threat of domestic attacks being generated in that particular part of the world. We must not allow impatience to prevent our military from achieving its objective in Iraq and Afghanistan and the objective is the elimination of the threat to our nation. 

“Finally, America must take care of those who were harmed during the difficult and dangerous recovery effort.  We must not forget what it meant to the country to watch these brave men and women work toward recovery and they shouldn't be abandoned now.  If they become ill, we are responsible for taking care of them.  After all, they took care of us.

“The lesson of September 11 is that America is truly exceptional.  We withstood the worst attack in our history, intended by our enemies to destroy us.  Instead, it drew us closer and it made us more united.  Our love for freedom and for one another had given us a strength that surprised even ourselves.  At the same time, it's a strength that must be guarded and nurtured.  We must rediscover our unity.  We must never forget what we witnessed on that day, both the incomprehensible face of pure evil and the depth of love and compassion.  Today, ten years later, the fight continues and the memories remain etched into our national character.”

Obama Gave Federal Money to Corrupt Green Firm Where Obama Fundraiser Invested

The name Solyndra is about to become a big problem for the Obama administration. ABC News has done an expose on a green technology firm called Solyndra, to which the Obama administration gave stimulus money amid great fanfare -- even a presidential visit. Solyndra has devolved from the Obama administration's example of shining sustainability, to bankruptcy, to a federal raid and Congressional investigations.

Now ABC reports that Obama administration officials "from the Department of Energy have for months been sitting in on board meetings as 'observers' at Solyndra, getting an up-close view as the solar energy company careened towards bankruptcy after spending more than $500 million in federal loan money."

That is, the Obama administration was complicit in this mess, that has resulted in 1,1000 people losing their job and taxpayers losing millions in wasted stimulus money.

It is impossible to square the company's collapse with its CEO's visit to Congress this summer when Brian Harrison praised the government loan and cited the company as an example of successful green technology. Just two months later and the FBI is raiding the building.

This is where it matters that Republicans control the House:  Congressional investigations.

Perhaps the House can explore: (1) why Solyndra misrepresented its financial condition; (2) how the company got such a sweet loan; and (2) whether its loan is connected to the fact that one of its largest investors is George B. Kaiser, Obama's billionaire fundraiser.

While they're at it, the House should investigate the subject matter of those 16, count them 16 visits that Kaiser made to the Obama administration.

Whoever decided to send Obama to Solyndra's headquarters to tout green technologies is probably hiding under his or her desk.

Rand Paul Responds to Obama's Joblessness Speech

Sen. Rand Paul's take on the president's "jobs speech":

If the President were to ask me my advice on how to deal with the worst recession since the Great Depression, I would politely ask him to turn off the teleprompter. It’s hard to have a conversation with the American people when speaking through scripted words. And besides, the script really isn’t working.

I would tell the President, politely, to turn off the teleprompters. To turn off and maybe to quiet the loudmouths who are calling us – those who oppose some of his plans – “terrorists.” Those who are hurling invective at us as if that is somehow constructive. I would tell him to turn off or disassociate himself with this type of rhetoric.

Leadership means accepting responsibility. Accepting responsibility for where we are after nearly three years of his administration. For the first year or two it was always Bush’s fault. The economy, the recession – it’s all Bush’s fault. But at some point and time leadership means accepting responsibility.

We have unemployment nearly 10 percent. This administration is set to accumulate more debt than all 43 Presidents combined. With the unemployment, 2 million new workers are out of work. Leadership means accepting responsibility. And I would ask at this point that he accept some responsibility for this failed economy and for these failed policies and that we try something new.

Leadership isn’t just attaching blame to the other side and saying it’s just the Republican’s fault. But likewise, it’s not us standing up and saying it’s just the Democrat’s fault. It’s both sides admitting that there’s blame to go around.

The No. 1 problem that fuels our deficit crisis – that has us pushing on toward this deficit problem – is entitlements. And this is not anyone’s fault. It’s not the Democrats fault. It’s not the Republican’s fault.

Entitlements are broken because of two incontrovertible facts: No.1, people are living longer; No. 2 there are less workers than retirees. When Social Security was started there were dozens of workers for every retiree. Now we’re less than three workers for one retiree and we’re headed toward a time where there’s going to be one worker for one retiree. Social Security now pays out more than it brings in. These are just facts.

We can fix these programs but we can’t fix them if we involve ourselves in the rhetoric where each side or one side is calling the other terrorists. Mr. President, we need to get beyond that type of rhetoric. We need to sit down together and try to figure out our nation’s problems.

Likewise, I don’t think it’s good for you to simply say it’s the rich, blame the rich, the rich are not paying their fair share. Well, the facts speak otherwise: We have a progressive income tax in our country. In fact, the top 1 percent of wage earners who earn about 20 percent of the income, pay 38 percent of the income tax. The top 10 percent of wage earners which earn about 50 percent of the income, pay 70 percent of the income tax. So the only thing the facts could tell us about the tax code is that the wealthy are paying their fair share – their fair share and then some.

You point out examples and say, well, this corporation didn’t pay any tax or this individual didn’t pay any tax. Those are anecdotes and anecdotes do not make a trend and do not make the truth. The truth is that the middle class and the rich pay the vast majority of the income tax. In fact, the bottom 50 percent, nearly half of all income tax is paid by those above, nearly have of income tax, nearly half of wage earners don’t pay any income tax.

So really we need to get our facts straight and get beyond sort of this blame-the-rich game. This class war-fare, this class envy. We need to remember that this is America; where the American dream is open to all. You, Mr. President, are a product of the American Dream. You should be proud of those who gain wealth. You should be proud of those who make a profit. We should extol the successes of American businesses, of American individuals. That would help us to move forward.

Now we do face a problem, we do have great joblessness in our country. How would we fix it? I would have five different things we would do. I think if we did these then our economy would begin to rebound. We would see a recovery almost immediately.

No. 1: We need a balance budget amendment to the Constitution. For too long we have been running these massive debts and debt has a face. Some economists are saying that our debt causes a million people to be out of work each year. Debt also causes our prices to go up. Gas prices have doubled. That’s because we are financing our debt by printing new money, that’s what the rising price is. These rising prices hurt seniors; these rising prices hurt those who are on the lower end of the socioeconomic ladder. So the first thing we need to do is get rid of our debt problem: a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution.

Now in order to do that you also have to have a spending plan. The second thing I would say is that we need a spending plan. You did propose a budget, but everyone voted against it. All 100 Senators; all the Republicans and all the Democrats voted against your plan. So obviously it wasn’t a plan that was acceptable to representatives on either sides of the aisle.

But I think there is a spending plan that America would accept and I call it the Penny Plan. The Penny Plan would cut the spending by one percent each year for six years. Cut one penny of every dollar of federal spending. Families have to do across America when times are tight, is there any reason why government couldn’t cut one percent of spending? If you cut one percent of spending for six years, and then free spending for two more years, your budget will balance in eight years. So it’s not enough just to have a balanced budget amendment, we have to have a spending plan that tells us and shows us how we could get to a balanced budget.

No. 3: I think we should immediately cut in half the corporate income tax, we should eliminate the capital gains taxes and we should make the tax rates that are out there now, give them some permanence, so businesses could have some predictability.

No. 4: I think we need a regulatory moratorium; we need to add no new regulations. In fact, I think it would be a good idea to repeal one regulation every week until the economy starts recovering. The regulatory burden is adding $2 trillion to the economic woes that we have in our country. And if we could get a business-friendly, regulatory-friendly government that acknowledges that we need some regulations, but that we’ve gone way overboard. I think that you would see an enormous recovery to economy.

And No. 5: We have to have an entitlement reform. Like I say this is no one’s fault. We are living longer; they’re folks-there’s just not as many workers to pay taxes anymore. So we have to fix entitlements and we can fix them. I’ve mentioned these to you and to others in your Administration. We could allow the age to gradually rise for social security over a 20- or 30-year period and we could allow means testing. Which would mean the rich would bear more of the burden for paying for their benefits and their entitlements. These are things that both sides of the aisle could come together on and I think if we did you would see an economic boom like we haven’t seen in a long time.

In order to get there though, many people say “Oh we have to compromise.” Well compromise goes both ways. You’ve put forward your ideas tonight. You need to come talk to us about how we could work with you, but that means you need to entertain some of our ideas.

Thank you and God bless America.

McConnell's Prequel to Obama's Jobs Speech

Former Majority Leader (still love the sound of that) Nancy Pelosi takes umbrage that Republicans will not give a response to President Barack Obama's job speech tonight.  And why should they.  The speech comes nearly three years too late and include retreads of previous Obama solutions, in particular, more billions of government spending.

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell has written a piece for Politico today, sort of an advance response to Obama's inevitable "solutions." McConnell proposes specific steps to allow the private sector to increase jobs:

• cut government regulations
• simplify the tax code
• reform the budgetary process so that every line item is reviewed annually
• pass free trade agreements with Central America.

Here's McConnell's piece in full:

President Barack Obama will reportedly do two things in his speech to a joint session of Congress tonight: ask us to believe that a second stimulus will be more effective than his first; and pin the blame on others for a jobs crisis that his own economic policies have done more than anything else to perpetuate.
Such a speech would, no doubt, cheer the most ardent Democratic partisans. But it would do nothing to create jobs.
That’s why many of us believe the president should instead begin by candidly acknowledging the failures of an economic agenda that centers on massive government spending and debt. He should then reach across the aisle for a plan that puts people and business at the forefront of any effort to lift the economy.
The plan we’re suggesting is built on the simple premise that if the American people are going to have control over their destiny, they need to have more control of their economy. The only way we can bring about a stable, long-term recovery is by shifting the center of gravity away from Washington and toward those who actually create jobs.
Above all, this means putting an end to the regulatory overreach that’s holding job creators back. The president took a positive step last week by reversing himself on a proposed ozone regulation. But he’ll need to do more if he’s intent on sparking serious and sustained job creation.
The administration has 4,000 regulations in the pipeline, according to one estimate. Every one should be reviewed. If the president really wants to create jobs, he needs to be as bold about liberating job creators as he has been about shackling them.

Putting the American people back in charge of our economy also means reforming an outdated tax code. Washington should get out of the business of picking winners and losers and lower the U.S. corporate tax rate — the second highest in the world, behind Japan.
We should also level the playing field with overseas competitors by approving the free-trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea that have been languishing on the president’s desk. These pacts would help create tens of thousands of jobs here by vastly expanding the market for U.S. goods.

Another thing we need to do is reform the budget process. There is no good reason that nearly three-fourths of government spending is on autopilot. Or that last year’s spending levels should automatically carry over into the next — regardless of whether they’re effective or affordable. Reforming the budget process is an essential part of getting Washington to live within its means and thus removing the specter of default.

Contrary to the president’s claims, the economic approach outlined here is not aimed at pleasing any one party or constituency. It’s aimed instead at giving back to the American people the tools they need to do the work that Washington has not been able to do, despite its best efforts over the past few years.

Equally important: All these ideas are rooted in a respect for the independence, the wisdom and the power, as President John F. Kennedy once put it, “of a free people and the efficiency of free institutions.”

The president is free to blame his political adversaries, his predecessor or even natural disasters for America’s economic challenges. Tonight, he may blame any future such challenges on those who choose not to rubber-stamp his latest proposals.

It should be noted, however, that this is precisely what Democratic majorities did during the president’s first two years in office. Where did that get us? The national debt exploded, America’s once-pristine credit rating was downgraded for the first time in our history, the average length of unemployment recently surpassed 40 weeks for the first time ever. Just last week, we learned that in August not a single new job was created in this country — not one.

Here’s the bottom line: There are now 1.7 million fewer jobs in America, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, than there were before the president signed the economic stimulus into law. By the president’s own standards, in other words, the centerpiece of his jobs agenda has been a failure.

At this point, most Americans have concluded that the problem with our economy isn’t that Washington is doing too little — but that it’s doing too much.

Whether you believe this or not, however, there is a simpler reason for opposing the president’s economic agenda that has nothing whatsoever to do with politics: It hasn’t worked as advertised.

RIM Investors call on RIM to Sell Itselft

Investment firm Jaguar Financial told Research in Motion, or RIM, the parent company of BlackBerry, that it's time to sell itself or its patents, according to Bloomberg. RIM's value has fallen nearly 50% this year. Jaguar says that RIM is putting all its eggs in one basket on its new QNX-Platform which will be available on RIM's 2012 smart phones.

Personally, I think RIM needs to downgrade significantly, but not go away. Many companies only allow BlackBerrys versus Android and Apple phones due to security concerns, so there definitely still is a market for BlackBerrys, although I believe that will slowly decline as Android and iOS improve.

The Gov. Race is Over

Sen. David Williams, despite a brilliant intellect, cannot overcome the perception that he is a big jerk. He is loathed by voters across the political spectrum.  Sadly, I therefore agree with Joe Gerth's analysis and that on Joe Arnold's blog:  the Kentucky gubernatorial race is over.

It is hard to conceive of a scandal big enough to dethrone Beshear.  The vanilla Beshear has not done anything to deserve reelection, but he will win by default because Republicans put up the wrong candidate.

In light of this reality, Republicans need to focus time and money on the down-ticket races. It's triage time.

 Todd P'Pool has a real shot against Attorney General Jack Conway. P'Pool has done a great job picking issues --coal, Obamacare -- that showcase the ideological differences between the two candidates.

Moreover, Conway's run for U.S. Senate against Sen. Rand Paul may have boosted Conway's name ID, but in the process of getting trounced, he looked silly, thanks to the Aqua Buddha ad. Conway is vulnerable. P'Pool needs the resources pick up where Rand Paul left off and end Jack Conway's career once and for all.

Now Who's Endorsing Todd P'Pool?

A mysterious media advisory from Todd P'Pool's campaign:  look for a "major" endorsement of the Republican nominee for Kentucky Attorney General, to take place this Wed.

Who could it be?

He already has both of Kentucky's U.S. Senators, Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul.  David Williams backed him early on. Several Attorneys General from other states have endorsed him or even campaigned.  Trey Grayson has praised him, as well as Mike Huckabee. The Fraternal Order of Police has endorse P'Pool.

Maybe one of the presidential contenders?  Not sure that would make much difference.

Perhaps a sports celebrity?

Critique of Obama's Speech to Congress

The great thing about critiquing Obama's speeches is that you do not have to hear them first, because they are all basically the same. By now we could give them ourselves, except for we could never match his skill with a teleprompter. So, here is a critique of next week's speech to the joint session of Congress. The speech will contain the following:

1. He will eloquently pour forth much high sounding language that means nothing. He will be very articulate and use wonderful cadence in doing this. Most of his words will be like pretty balloons, nice to watch as they float off into the air, but ultimately having no known destination.

2. Obama will blame the current economic situation on everyone and everything but himself. Following is partial list of who or what he will blame: George Bush, the European economic crisis, Hurricane Irene, George Bush, the Japanese sunami, the Tea Party, unrest in the Middle East, George Bush, China, the Republican Party, Wall Street, rich people, George Bush.

3. He will propose massive government expenditures on jobs stimulus that will be failures just like the first ones. They will be paid for by additional borrowing that will add to the burden of our crushing debt. He will talk about creating jobs, while proposing more things that will destroy jobs.

4. He will talk about bipartisanship and the need for Democrats and Republicans to come together for the good of the American people. He will say that we should be above partisan politics at this time of national crisis. What he really means by this is that Republicans should roll over and let his hyper-partisan politics carry the day.

5. At some point, he will tilt his head back, lift his nose in the air and in a condescending tone let us know that he is the adult in the room, that he is above the fray, a cool, calm and collected leader. It will be an admirable acting job.

There you have it, no need to listen to it.

U.S. Government to Block AT&T/T-Mobile Merger

According to Bloomberg, the United States Justice Department has just filed papers in Washington to block the proposed AT&T/T-Mobile merger despite the fact that AT&T and T-Mobile are pledging 5,000 new jobs if the merger were approved. The Justice Department says the merger would "substantially lessen competition" among wireless carriers. If the merger falls through, AT&T would owe T-Mobile $3 billion.

The FCC has responded with the following statement:

"Although our process is not complete, the record before this agency also raises serious concerns about the impact of the proposed transaction on competition."

AT&T also responded:

"We are surprised and disappointed by today's action, particularly since we have met repeatedly with the Department of Justice and there was no indication from the DOJ that this action was being contemplated. We plan to ask for an expedited hearing so the enormous benefits of this merger can be fully reviewed. The DOJ has the burden of proving alleged anti-competitive affects and we intend to vigorously contest this matter in court. At the end of the day, we believe facts will guide any final decision and the facts are clear. This merger will:

· Help solve our nation's spectrum exhaust situation and improve wireless service for millions.
· Allow AT&T to expand 4G LTE mobile broadband to another 55 million Americans, or 97% of the population;
· Result in billions of additional investment and tens of thousands of jobs, at a time when our nation needs them most.

We remain confident that this merger is in the best interest of consumers and our country, and the facts will prevail in court."

T-Mobile's statement:

On August 31, 2011, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) informed Deutsche Telekom that it will file a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia seeking a permanent injunction blocking the proposed stock purchase agreement between AT&T and Deutsche Telekom under which AT&T will acquire T-Mobile USA from Deutsche Telekom.

The Company is very disappointed by the DOJ's action, and will join AT& T in defending the contemplated merger against the complaint in court. DOJ failed to acknowledge the robust competition in the U.S. wireless telecommunications industry and the tremendous efficiencies associated with the proposed transaction, which would lead to significant customer, shareholder, and public benefits. We appreciate the DoJ's willingness to discuss possible remedies to address the competitive concerns.

And this post would not be complete without Sprint's statement:

"The DOJ today delivered a decisive victory for consumers, competition and our country. By filing suit to block AT&T's proposed takeover of T-Mobile, the DOJ has put consumers' interests first. Sprint applauds the DOJ for conducting a careful and thorough review and for reaching a just decision – one which will ensure that consumers continue to reap the benefits of a competitive U.S. wireless industry. Contrary to AT&T's assertions, today's action will preserve American jobs, strengthen the American economy, and encourage innovation."

AT&T and T-Mobile are both disappointed and argue that there are plenty of other small, budget carriers for Americans to choose from, while Sprint, and more importantly the Department of Justice, think otherwise.

Sen. Dean Heller (R-NV) Gives GOP Weekly Address

Sen. Dean Helller (R-NV) gives this week's Republican Address, which focuses on the economy.  Heller is in a position to know something about how that hopey changey stuff is workin' out.  His state's economy has the sad distinction of leading the country in unemployment, foreclosures, and bankruptcies.

Here's the link to his video. Democrats like to complain that Republicans have no specifics on how to fix this economy.  To the contrary, Heller's address is replete with specifics:  repeal Obamacare; pass a balanced budge amendment; provide certainty by simplifying taxes to close loopholes and by making tax cuts permanent; open up energy exploration; and fix social security and medicare for the long haul..

U of L Law Federalist Society Events

Some upcoming events that should appeal not only to lawyers but to non-lawyers who consider themselves constitutional conservatives:

• August 30 at 12:00. room 275 of the Brandeis Law School:  "Do Public Unions Cause the Public Harm?" The speakers are Prof. John McGinnis from Northwestern University Law School and Don Meade from Priddy, Cutler, Miller and Meade.  This event is co-sponsored by the Labor & Employment Organization. Certainly a timely topic after the events in Wisconsin.
• September 8, 12:00, also in room 275:  "Does the PATRIOT ACT draw the right balance between liberty and security?"  The speakers are Nathan Sales, Prof. of Law at George Mason and Prof. Marcosson from U of L Law.  This event is co-sponsored by the American Constitutional Society (the liberal clone of the Federalist Society).  Lunch will be provided.

The law students who have organized these events are our future.  Come support them with your attendance, and a job interview, if you are a member in a law firm that is hiring.

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Time to End Metro Council Sludge Funds

The Metro Council members' "discretionary funds" are once again being used to promote incumbents -- with our tax dollars. These discretionary funds ($75,000 per member) need to go.  Republicans are criticizing the latest misuse when they should be making a motion to abolish the funds altogether.

The C-J reports that Mayor Greg Fischer promised to advertise the names of any Metro Council members who donated part of their discretionary fund to pay for the WorldFest.  A city worker from the office that organizes WorldFest asked Councilman David Tandy to solicit $1,000 from his fellow council members.

Here's the quid pro quo:  those council members who ponied up donations from their discretionary funds would be named on banners, in print and radio advertising regarding WorldFest.  In other words, taxpayers would pay to promote the name ID and reelection chances of these members.


Vice Chair of the Republican Caucus Keven Kramer called the practice "incredibly distasteful."  That's an understatement but at least he spoke up.  As did Councilman Kelly Downard, who said council members were being asked to buy advertising rather than support a worthy project.  (Not only that, you're being asked to buy advertising with other people's money:  the taxpayers.)  Jerry Miller did not contribute from his discretionary funds, according to the C-J, because the promise of advertising made him uncomfortable.

We learned last year that some members of Metro Council were using their discretionary funds to give gift cards to citizens for putting up Christmas lights.  Seriously. And then there was Judy Green, who gave discretionary funds to 100 Black Men and told the group to steer it to others.

In short, the discretionary funds have been abused too often for too long.  It 's time to end this form of budgeting altogether.  The response, no doubt, will be that this is decentralized government; the members from each district know best what needs are in that district, and should have a fund to respond to those needs. Take pot holes and minor road improvements, for example.  It's hard to see why such needs -- if they are legitimate -- cannot be addressed by the mayor. It's not like he lives in Washington, D.C.  In any event, the WorldFest event asked each member to pool their money; this was a not district-specific event, it was a city event.

 But assuming for sake of argument that we do need this level of decentralization, then let's replace the "discretionary funds" with a pothole fund.  And let's reduce the amount.