Cables From Benghazi Put Administration On Notice

Fox News should -- but won't -- win a Pulitzer for its reporting on Benghazi. Today's Fox exclusive details cables that the U.S. consulate in Benghazi sent to the Office of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. One cable, sent an entire month before the attack, notifies the administration that:

• al Qaeda had ten (10) training camps in Benghazi. (While Obama simultaneously told voters on the stump that "al Qaeda is on the run").
• the Consulate did not have enough security to fend off a coordinated attack, "due to limited manpower, security measures, weapons capabilities, host nation support, and the overall size of the compound," according to the cable.
• the Libyan government had lost control, so its security forces and police could not be counted on to protect the Consulate.

Fox also reports:

While the administration’s public statements have suggested that the attack came without warning, the Aug. 16 cable seems to undercut those claims. It was a direct warning to the State Department that the Benghazi consulate was vulnerable to attack, that it could not be defended and that the presence of anti-U.S. militias and Al Qaeda was well-known to the U.S. intelligence community.

In a three-page cable on Sept 11, the day Stevens and the three other Americans were killed, Stevens wrote about “growing problems with security” in Benghazi and “growing frustration” with the security forces and Libyan police. The ambassador saw both as “too weak to keep the country secure.”

 Fox News asked the State Department to respond to a series of questions about the Aug. 16 cable, including who was specifically charged with reviewing it and whether action was taken by Washington or Tripoli. Fox News also asked, given the specific warnings and the detailed intelligence laid out in the cable, whether the State Department considered extra measures for the consulate in light of the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks – and if no action was taken, who made that call.

The State Department press office declined to answer specific questions, citing the classified nature of the cable.

GOP (Grand Old Pumpkin)

Polling By Yard Sign

Admittedly, the presence or absence of yard signs is an unscientific way to measure a candidate's support. But especially when the same area is considered over time, it guages enthusiasm.

My neighborhood leans to the right.  In 2008, however, the number of Obama signs startled and alarmed me. I had never seen that many signs for a Democrat in this area.

Obama ended up polling better in our neighboring precincts than any other Democrat (on a national ticket) in the last dozen years, to my recollection. The big up-tick in yard signs pre-figured the vote tally in these precincts.

This year, I have not seen a single sign for Obama in my neighborhood. Not one. The composition of the neighborhood has not changed in four years, but support for the president has.

I made a point of driving by homes of die-hard progressives. No Obama sign. Now, it's hard to imagine some of these people voting for Romney.  It's also hard to imagine these voters staying home on Election Day.

What I think has happened is that (1) Obama's support has shrunk and (2) even among his hard-core supporters, there is a certain embarrassment to publicly support him. (And no, this has nothing to do with his race; voters didn't suddenly notice he is half-Black.)

It's possible, of course, that what I perceive as embarrassment -- for incompetence and a lousy record -- could be disappointment that he let the base down by not governing far enough to the left.  There are those progressives who continue to insist that the problem with the Stimulus is that it wasn't big enough.

The cause is less important than the effect. Whether it's from embarrassment or disappointment, there is a big drop in suburbanites willing to post an Obama sign in their yard. That cannot be a good sign for the president.

What Did He Know and When Did He Know It?

Benghazi is now the word that will define the Obama presidency.  If he wins, he deserves to be impeached over the death of four Americans at our Libyan consulate.  Indeed, impeachment is probably the only way that we will ever learn what happened.  Heaven knows the MSM, in its efforts to ignore the story, is committing journalistic malpractice.

The administration cannot keep its story straight.  That old adage about sticking to the truth because its easier to memorize, someone should have shared that with the president before he became president.

Bing West at NRO highlights these growing inconsistencies.  For several weeks, the president said he ordered increased security to our embassies in the region the morning after the attack. This past Friday in Denver, however (October 26), Obama said "The minute I found out what was happening . . . I gave the directive," Obama said, "to make sure we are securing our personnel and doing whatever we need to do. I guarantee you everybody in the CIA and military knew the number one priority was making sure our people were safe."

Note the shift in the timeline.

The fascinating thing about Benghazi is that it reveals a thirst for the truth on the part of ordinary Americans. Thus, as the facts of the story come out -- thanks to Fox News, Talk Radio and the blogosphere -- the story is shared by social media. Facebook and Twitter are serving a role that the New York Times once did.  It is sad to see the great media institutions of this country so determined to not do their duty; it is downright unpatriotic.

Of course, we knew that the MSM idolizes Obama and wants to protect him, and ensure his reelection.  But people died.  Americans, on U.S. sovereign territory, died while their pleas for help were ignored. Some would call that newsworthy.

Andy Barr Has Pulled Ahead!

In the most competitive race in the Commonwealth, Republican challenger Andy Barr has pulled ahead of Congressman Ben Chandler.

According to Pure Politics, Barr is leading for the first time in the race. Barr leads 45 to 41 -- just a bit more than the margin of error (3.49 percent).

For those of you in the 6th Congressional District who have supported Barr in the past -- because he votes like a Republican -- it is time to step up and add a Republican to Kentucky's Congressional Coalition.  It won't make a difference in who controls the House of Representatives, not this time.  But it could in the future.

This district was gerrymandered to make it safer for Barr. Therefore, it is that much important that all Republicans and conservatives turn out to vote for Andy Barr.

Hipster Obama Returns to Leno

The Obama of Old was back last night on Jay Leno.  After watching three debates, 90 minutes at a pop, it was startling to see an Obama who was not seething with rage at being called to account for his lousy record..  Plainly, Jay Leno evokes a different reaction in the president than Mitt Romney.

No more President Petulant -- just smooth, oily smooth confidence: Hey, I hang out with Beyonce and JayZ!  Hollywood is my second home! I belong here! He looked so at home, in fact, that it was unpresidential.

The contrast between Hipster Obama and Debate Obama made me appreciate a quality in Mitt Romney I had overlooked:  his constancy.  Romney's demeanor stays much the same regardless of context.

Obama, on the other hand, has been revealed in the debates as a phony.  That laid back guy, so cool, is at his core mean and condescending.  That ugly side was tucked safely away last night.

And no wonder.  Jay Leno was just shy of fawning.  To be sure, we expect him to be respectful of the President of the United States, no matter who holds the office.  Leno, however,  had the first opportunity to ask Obama about Donald Trump's offer.  Instead, Leno opened the segment with a lame joke:  I guess you're here to ask NBC to sell the network to Donald Trump, or something along those lines.

Obama later made a similarly lame joke that the reason Donald Trump doesn't like him is because when they were boys growing up in Kenya, they played soccer, and Trump wasn't very good.

Leno is no journalist; he doesn't pretend to be a journalist.  But comedy is about truth. He had an opportunity to get at the truth and he didn't even make an attempt.

I will not watch Leno again.  He's no conservative; we never thought otherwise.  I did, however think that he was fair, and patriotic.  Last night he proved me wrong.

Awaiting the Last Debate

Tonight will present the electorate two distinctly different views of America:  a land of Exeptionalism, or a land  which seeks to appease the bullies of the world with apologies.

Mitt Romney needs to hold his own tonight to preclude Obama momentum. It would be preferable, of course, for Romney to seal the deal.  Romney always shows up to his debates. But after the first debacle of a debate, we can expect that Obama will also show up.

We know that Romney will raise questions about Benghazi. This is a real problem for Obama, because assuming one believes that he and his regime have been honest about what happened, they still look incompetent for allowing the murder of four Americans to take place in our embassy, which is our sovereign territory.

Now that we know that the terrorist attack stretched on for seven hours, questions are being raised -- by CBS, no less -- about why our military didn't rescue our diplomats.

Could it be that helicopters rescuing Americans off the roof of the embassy would look too much like the Fall of Saigon?

Obama will drop the names of all the foreign leaders he's met; this is when a president can appear most presidential.  Romney will, or should respond, with how Obama dissed Netanyahu to go on the View or whatever banal celebrity show.

Look for Obama to make fun of Romney's comments about the state of security for the London Olympics.

Romney's probably too much of a gentleman to raise the point, but speaking of London, recall when the Obamas gave Queen Elizabeth an iPod? That was shortly after they gave the British Prime Minister dvds -- in the wrong format!  It would be hysterically funny but for the fact that this is our president, our country, embarrassing himself (and all of us).

Obama will try to equate Romney with George W. Bush.  We saw a precursor of that in the last debate, and Romney handled it superbly.  The point Romney needs to make is, as Reagan put it, peace through strength.  We are safest we are strongest.  That strength deters aggression and makes war less, not more likely.

Here's what we need to do between now and the end of the debate:  pray for Mitt Romney.  Pray for America.





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Andy Barr Closing On BenChandler

The C-J  ran two pieces yesterday on the Andy Barr - Ben Chandler race in Kentucky's 6th Congressional District. (I'm not providing the link because that rag does not deserve the traffic.)  Even the liberal apologist C-J concedes that the race is very tight.

But for the deal Hal Rogers cut with Greg Stumbo to gerrymander the district in favor of Chandler, Barr would be winning.  He still might win it, depending on turnout and Romney's coat-tails.

This is the closest race in Kentucky. Regardless of your Congressional district, this is a race where your donation could affect the outcome.  And if you have any time, contact the Barr campaign to see if you can help with turnout. Click here to help.

NRO Gives Andy Barr a Shout Out; Let's Give Andy Some $

National Review has plugged Andy Barr in a piece that makes Ben Chandler look desperate.  The NRO article, called  Lying in Kentucky,  highlights the dueling campaign ads over coal.

Here's the background. Barr ran an ad that featured coal miner Heath Lovell; this ad made the point that Democrats' anti-coal policies are killing the coal industry in Kentucky and causing the loss of thousands of good jobs. Chandler responded witha n ad alleging that Lovell is not a coal miner..

In point of fact, Lovell has been a coal miner since age 18.  He has also moved up the ladder of his company and is now CEO. In that capacity, he still keeps up his miner certification and goes underground at least weekly. Lovell threatened to sue the Chandler campaign for defamation.  Chandler ultimately pulled the ads.(Disclosure:  I represented Lovell in his demand letter to the Chandler campaign, discussed below.)

Here are excerpts from the NRO article:

Oscar Wilde once said that the “greatest of all sins is stupidity.” Certainly, knowing of what you speak is at a premium these days, and it appears from their reaction to Lovell that the Democratic party has perhaps spent a little too much time constructing cartoon villains. This, combined with a perfect cast of progressive bogeymen — “a CEO,” “donations to the Republican candidate,” “coal,” “mining corporations,” etc. — pushed Ben Chandler and his coterie prematurely to the fainting couch.. . .

And he’s [Lovell] not lying when he says that he is a third-generation Kentucky coal miner who has been working the mines since he was 18 years old: “That was my hard hat in the video,” he told theNew York Times. “That was not some costume that I’ve put on. I still go underground and keep up my training.” In honesty, he added, “I still consider myself a coal miner.” So, for that matter, does the state of Kentucky, which confirmed that Lovell is a “Kentucky Certified Underground Coal Miner,” a “Kentucky Certified Mine Foreman,” a “Kentucky Certified Mine Instructor,” and a “Kentucky Certified Electrician.”

At this, Chandler shifted his attack. Oh, he said, did I say you weren’t “a miner”? I meant that you weren’t an “Estill County coal miner.” This time Chandler was right, although, given that there are no mines in Estill County and that Lovell had never claimed to be any such thing, one can hardly blame him for being guilty on both counts.

These unfortunate facts having been excavated, Barr asked the Chandler campaign if it wouldn’t mind removing the “false and defamatory ad,” and Lovell sent Chandler a strongly worded “cease and desist” letter.” Under intense pressure, Chandler agreed and pulled the ad in late September, quickly shifting his focus to the more traditional Barr-wants-to end-Medicare approach and, in doing so, restoring harmony in both the political universe and the sixth district of Kentucky — for now, at least.

What is significant here is that the Andy Barr race is again getting national publicity-- as it did when he lost by a few hundred votes two years ago.

Notwithstanding gerrymandering of the district lines to shore up Chandler, Barr has a real shot at winning -- particularly if Romney's coattails are long enough, which I think could happen.

It is therefore time for conservatives, whether or not you live in the 6th District, to donate to Andy Barr. Click here to contribute.

Why Romney Will Win

An old friend said something that made me realize that Romney will win, and why.  She said that as an ideological liberal -- who had presumably voted for Obama four years ago -- she wanted to vote for him.  From the standpoint of pure ideology, she wanted to support him again.

But when she looked at the reality of her family's finances, she realized she could not.  She looked at how their insurance premiums had gone up, and the financial pressures that Obamacare will put on her husband's small business.

She looked at what the rising cost of gas is doing to the family budget as she tries to shuttle her kids to school and activities.  She looked at the unemployment rate and what that does to her children's prospects for finding a decent job. She considered the amount of debt that her children and grandchildren will have to shoulder, and the fact that Social Security and Medicare will not be there for her retirement unless something changes.

In sum, she realized that she could not afford four more years under an Obama administration. He was a grand experiment -- she had believed in hope and change.  But the real-life consequences were, as Joe Biden put it, burying her and the middle class.

So with great sadness, disappointment and regret, she will not vote for Obama again.  Will she vote for Romney or just stay home?  The tone of her remarks leads me to believe that she will hold her nose and vote from Romney.  But even if she stays home, the evolution of this past Obama supporter tells me that Romney will win.

This is not so much a vote for Romney, or a vote against Obama.  In the British Parliamentarian sense, it is a vote of No Confidence in Obama.

The so-called Republican War on Women -- all the Obama talk about Lady Parts -- ignores that many women voters are mothers, and stewards of the family budget. This segment of electorate has come to realize that another vote for Obama will carry a price tag they can no longer pay, even if the ideological purist in them wishes they could.

Romney Won On the Libya Question

Many conservatives were disappointed that Romney did not hammer home the fact that Obama was obfuscating on Libya during Debate No. 2.  I was not worried, because we have an entire debate geared to foreign policy next Monday.

Further, the news coverage all day yesterday focused on the issue in a way that made Obama and his cronies look either incompetent or dishonest, depending on how charitably one views this administration.

It didn't help Obama that a Muslim terrorist wannabe tried to attack the New York Fed yesterday.  The notion that Obama has al Qaeda on the ropes now has been disproved -- thank God, without the loss of more innocent life in a city that has lost too much to terrorists.

That whole concept of the re-set button did not work  Democrats get mad whenever conservatives use Obama's middle name, Hussein.  In point of fact, however, Obama banked on his name making the Islamo-fascists feel all warm and fuzzy about America.  It did not work:  they still hate us, want to kill us and want to destroy our way of life.
In addition to Libya, Romney must focus in next week's debate on what Condi Rice has called the greatest threat to our national security:  the deficit.Even Mahmoud Ahmadinejad recognizes that the American cannot remain a super-power with our deficit.

Finally, Romney needs to reiterate that he will stand shoulder to shoulder with Israel. Obama's treatment of Netanyahu has been a disgrace. For anyone who cares about the survival of Israel, that should be reason enough to vote against Obama. 

You Don't Have to Settle

I thought last night's debate was pretty much a draw.  Obama started off strong, but after about forty minutes, Romney was clearly getting under his skin. He looked petulant for the remainder of the debate.

Obama's response on Libya was a demonstrable falsehood, as anyone paying the slightest bit of attention to the murder of Ambassador Chris Stevens well knows. The debate schedule is working to Romney's favor:  the final debate is on foreign policy.  With each passing day, the terrorist attack in Libya and the Obama administration's incompetence and obfuscation of it looks worse and worse.  Romney will have ample opportunity to make that point next week.

Of course, most voters are focused on the economy.  Libya, however, is Exhibit 2 in why this administration needs to go.

I hope that in the next debate they use podiums.  I found the stalking around the stage off-putting.  That moment when the candidates got in each other's faces was uncomfortable to watch.

The selection of questions was tilted to favor Obama.. (Pay equity?  Really?)  But as Republicans, we're used to that.

Romney had the best line of the night:  You don't have to settle.  It summed up the mediocrity and incompetence of this administration, and the patheticness of its so-called recovery  It reminded Americans that we can be great - it evoked American Exceptionalism in a way that was Reaganesque.  Romney and Ryan need to hit that theme relentlessly between now and the election.

Vice Presidential Debate in Pictures

Click on any picture to view it in full screen.

Pictured above is a crowd surrounding the MSNBC stage.

This is the closest Centre will ever get to hosting a College Game Day.

Through all the commotion, Lincoln remained in one place reading his book.

"I always feel like somebody's watching me."

Chris Matthews walking to the stage.

Chris Matthews with Michael Steele

With all of the Obama and Romney signs is a Gary Johnson sign

The Crowd is taking their places for the debate until...

An unknown man climbed into a tree and began shouting anti-abortion comments.

In a short amount of time, hundreds of people were surrounding the tree. 

A ladder was put up to the man; however, no one climbed up it.
I guessed they hoped he would come down...

After some time, everyone eventually sat down to watch the 

debate with the man in the tree shouting his commentary.

As of the end of the debate, the man was still in the tree.

Joe Biden is a Mean SOB

We went down to Centre College to watch the  Vice Presidential debate. Joe Biden disgraced his office. Now, I expected him to be all smiling geniality, to try to make Paul Ryan feel good about getting stabbed.

What I did not expect was him baring his capped teeth, seemingly grinning at oddly inappropriate times -- like a discussion of  greatest threat facing the world:  the prospect of a nuclear armed Iran.

Biden's incessant interruptions made him look downright thuggish. I wished Paul Ryan had pushed back harder on the interruptions -- or that we'd had a real moderator, as opposed to a stooge.

Nonetheless, for Ryan to remain as calm and focused as he was in these circumstances was extraordinary.

Joe, as we expected, just sat there and made stuff up. Some of his lies were so blatant that we didn't need to wait for the fact-checkers. Iran does indeed have weapons to deliver a nuclear payload to Israel-- has for years. And Obamacare does infringe upon the free exercise rights of Catholic institutions, as set forth in the complaint in Notre Dame's lawsuit.

Scoping Out the Veep Debate

I just returned from Danville, KY, where the Vice Presidential debate takes place tomorrow night at Centre College. I can't speak for the candidates, but Centre and Danville are ready.  The town and campus looked spectacular:  flags and bunting waving in the October breeze, chrysanthemums everywhere. Not too many students to be seen, as this is the last day of mid-terms.

Meanwhile, we learn that the debate moderator, Martha Raddatz from ABC, hosted "Barry Obama" at her wedding reception. It's true that Raddatz divorced and remarried, but still:  by what measure can she pretend to be objective?  I will assume, for sake of argument, that the Commission on the Debates was unaware of this fact.  Nonetheless, the conflict of interest is so manifest that one wonders why Raddatz even threw her name in the hat.  She's a good foreign correspondent; she should have known better.

So what should we expect tomorrow night?  Joe Biden will try to balance geniality with attack dog mode.  We'll hear that he's just a blue-collar boy form Scranton.  He'll refer to the Republican War on Women (the Violence Against Women Act is one of his signature pieces of legislation.)  He will tell us that Paul Ryan is going to end Social Security and Medicare because he has no compassion for the disabled and elderly.  And he'll try to drive a wedge between Ryan and Romney on the budget and entitlements.

Ryan needs to keep drawing the debate back to the Obama-Biden record.  He needs to call Biden out for distorting how Republicans would reform entitlements and health care.  And that's exactly where the brilliance of Ryan's selection will become evident.  Had Romney selected a governor as his running-mate, he or she would not have the command of the budget Ryan has and therefore would have a much dicier time spotting when Joe Biden is making stuff up (which he will). Ryan is so well-versed in the budget that he can spot the lie and call Biden out with confidence.  The trick for Ryan will be to do this in a way that doesn't look ugly.

Ultimately, the Vice Presidential debate is unlikely to change much.  We will wait in suspense to see if Joe gives us one of his gaffes. He's been practicing and practicing to reduce the odds of  that happening.  But any time Joe Biden opens his mouth, the possibility of him inserting foot is ever present. I'm reminded of Dr. Seuss:  "Left foot, left foot, left foot, right!  Feet in the morning, feet at night!"  Here's hoping the Vice President brings two left feet to Danville tomorrow.

Rand PAC Presses on Foreign Aid

Senator Rand Paul's political action committee, Rand PAC, has launched a wave of ads against Democratic Senators.

Specifically, Paul's ad takes issues with Democrats who insist on giving taxpayers' money to regimes that want to kill us and destroy our way of life.

Good for Paul for not only doing his part to help Republicans attain a majority in the Senate, but for pressing for a reform to our foreign policy -- and budget -- that is long over-due.

The Daily Caller notes:
The first two targets are Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Sen. Bill Nelson in Florida. Ads in other battleground states may be forthcoming.

“While they tear down and burn the American flag in Egypt and shout ‘death to America,’” the narrator in the West Virginia spot intones, “Joe Manchin votes to provide U.S. taxpayer aid to Egypt.”

“While Pakistan imprisons and tortures the hero who helped us get Osama bin Laden,” the ad continues, “Joe Manchin votes to send billions of our taxpayer dollars to Pakistan.”

“While radical Islamists burn our embassy and kill our ambassador in Libya, Joe Manchin votes to send more taxpayer money to Libya.”

B.O's Bingo

Update: looks like we can cross off a few. (Refresh for more)

1.   Uh, I, Uh, Ummm (x?)
2.   Worst Economy Since The Great Depression (x3)
3.   Back From The Brink
4.   I, Me, My (x?)
5.   Inherited (x2)
6.   Crisis (x3)
7.   Historic (x3)
8.   Previous Administration (x2)
9.   Saved or Created
10. You Can Keep Your Own Plan

Huck to Help KY House Candidates

Former Gov. Mike Huckabee  will be the guest of honor at a fundraiser for Republican House Caucus. Irv and Cathy Bailey will host the event at their home this Saturday, October 6, 2012 at 6:00

At $ 50 a person, the event is priced low enough to draw a younger crowd than some of the more expensive events. You can pay at the door.

Here's the part that sounds fun:  the event will include a blue grass band and Huckabee is rumored to be bringing his guitar!  It will be the Kentucky equivalent of Huckabee's "Little Rockers," the garage band of Fox News employees that play on Huckabee's talk show.

It's a great cause. The future of the Commonwealth has languished for too long by the Democrat House Caucus. It's time to send enough of them packing for Republicans to take the majority.

Suu Kyi Inspires at U of L

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi spoke this morning at the McConnell Center at University of Louisville.It was one of the most inspiring and moving speeches I have ever seen.

Suu Kyi has worked for more than 20 years to bring democracy to Burma.  She was under house arrest for twenty years.  During that time, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell has done all he could to pressure Myanmar -- the junta name for Burma -- to allow democracy and to release Suu Kyi.

Perhaps McConnell's most important contribution is that he would not let the world forget Suu Kyi -- no matter how many years she was imprisoned.

When it comes to democracy, Suu Kyi is like George Washington on steroids.  For so long, it was almost unimaginable that she would ever be released from captivity alive.  Now, she is an elected member of the Burmese Parliament and a Nobel Laureate. It may be overstating it to say that none of this would have been possible but for the help of McConnell, but not by much.  He was pivotal to bringing democracy to Burma.

Suu Kyi cautioned that democracy is fragile there.  They have no rule of law, no independent judiciary.  She voiced a hope for making Burma a safe haven to which Burmese refugees can return, if they so desire.

There were, in fact, many Burmese refugees in the audience at U of L.  Their love for their homeland and gratitude for Suu Kyi touched all of us who witnessed it.

What I learned from Suu Kyi is that courage and good will confer unparalleled dignity.  Suu Kyi said that the best thing about non-violence -- and not hating one's adversary -- is the amount of time and energy it frees up.  She said that she never hated the military that imprisoned her. The daughter of a great military commander, she hated many actions that the military took to suppress democracy, but she never hated her opponents.  Indeed, Suu Kyi made the remarkable statement that she does not know what it feels like to hate. And I believed her.

What an extraordinary woman.

Romney Was Right About the 47 Percent

Mitt Romney was caught on hidden camera speaking the truth:  it is a disgrace that 47 percent of Americans pay no federal income tax. Indeed, in addition to not paying in, many of these people get grants and payments from the federal government.

That is why this election is so consequential:  we are close to the tipping point of this group who pays no federal income tax becoming a majority. When that happens, the party that advocates bigger and bigger government will always win. That's because those who do not pay any federal income tax have no incentive to resist the next big entitlement problem:  someone else will pay for it, not them.

Michele Bachmann made this point powerfully in the primary debates.  She said that all American citizens should pay something -- even if just a dollar a year -- so that they have some skin in the game.  Each citizen, no matter how poor, should pay a nominal part so that they fund, even to a tiny extent, things that we all need and benefit from:  federal highways, national defense, federal courts.

What Romney needs to clarify is that Republicans want to move the 47 percent into prosperity.  Let's help people who are not working get good jobs that allow them to pay federal income tax, and not in a nominal sense. Romney wants to do this by repealing Obamacare, simplifying the tax system, and setting tax rates that encourage entrepreneurs to take risks and develop new businesses.

If Romney made any mistake on the Secret Tape, it was conceding the 47 percent to the Democrats.  He needs to explain why his five point economic plan will help all Americans, including the 47 percent.

Rand Paul Responds to Libya Killings

Sen. Rand Paul makes a good point in response to the Libya killings:  let's suspend foreign aid to Libya until they turn over the monsters who perpetrated this crime.

Here's Paul's statement:

“I am heartbroken and outraged by the murder of four U.S. citizens, including Ambassador Chris Stevens, during the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who lost loved ones in this tragedy.

“The perpetrators of this senseless attack must be brought to justice. I, therefore, demand that until the Libyan police hand over suspects to U.S officials, any U.S. foreign aid to the government of Libya be contingent on their full support in this matter.”

The whole incident is making the Obama presidency look like a sad re-tread from the Carter presidency.  He failed to keep U.S. citizens safe.  Obama's policies of appeasement and apologies has made the world less safe.  

Hillary Clinton was absolutely right about the 2:00 a.m. phone call.  He is not up to the job and needs to go,

9/11 Anniversary 2012

This is One World Trade Center which stands in the place of Six World Trade Center, one of the buildings destroyed on September 11, 2001. When it's completed at the end of next year, each of the 104 stories will mean much more than than the offices that occupy them; they will serve a reminder of that day eleven years ago that changed everything. It will represent the bravery of the men and women who risked their lives to save strengers from a building on the verge of collapse. But most importantly, it will show our strength as a nation, where we can rebuild from the most devastating act of terrorism in my lifetime, and perhaps in the entire history of the world. 

9/11 has left scars on our nation that will never be healed, but we as a nation can find hope in this skyscraper that will serve as a reminder to the greatest tragedy our nation has every seen. 

Never Forget

DNC's Totalitarian Touch

The most clarifying moment at Thursday's convention did not occur in prime-time.  It wasn't the abortion-fest rant by Sandra Fluke. Or Elizabeth "Fauxahontas" Warren's tirade. Or even Bubba's 50 minute contribution to global warming.

It was the vote to reinsert God and Jerusalem back into the Democrats' platform.

It is hard to know which is worse, the form or the substance of the episode.

As to the form, it took three votes to declare the amendment to the platform passed. I say "declare the amendment passed" rather than "pass the amendment" because it is clear from the video that the amendment -- even on the third try -- never secured the two-thirds voice affirmation necessary to pass. Indeed, it did not even receive a majority vote, let alone two-thirds.

Nonetheless, the chair declared the amendment to be passed. By fiat. This wasn't democracy in any sense of the word. It was democracy in the style of a tyrant, worthy of Kim Jong Il or Joseph Stalin.

Then there is the matter of the substance. A majority of delegates at the Democratic National Convention oppose any reference to God in their platform, and similarly oppose the proposition that the capitol of Israel rightfully belongs in Jerusalem. It is worse than even a caricature of left-wing hostility to faith and Israel.

This is how out of touch with America's Judeo-Christian frame of reference the leaders of the Democratic Party have become.

I do not believe that most Democrats agree with dropping God and Jerusalem from the platform of their party.  To be sure, the delegates of either party will always be more ideological than the rank and file members. But this lurch left is nonetheless stunning.

Michelle Inadvertently Reveals Truth

Michelle Obama's speech last night confirmed what most of who have not been conned already knew:  that Barack Obama is completely, totally, absolutely, irretrievably out of touch with the American people.

Michelle, in telling a story that was meant to elicit respect and admiration, revealed what a clueless man her husband is.  She related that Barack spent many nights reading letters from people talking about their struggles and hardships.  Barack was said to have commented on how "unbelievable" many of these situations were.

Our President needs to read letters from us to understand our suffering?!?!?!?!  23-million people unemployed and he needs to read letters from us to figure out that a few of us might be struggling?!?!?!?  When you have no job, no money and no hope, it is unbelievable that you are suffering?

Barack Obama is one of the most arrogant, elitist, out of touch Presidents that our nation has ever had.  Obviously, the First Lady is his equal in this regard.

Clint's Commanding Performance Against the Commander-in-the-Empty-Chair

Not since Charlton Heston parted the red sea of delegates had Hollywood created such a stir at a national Republican convention.  When Clint Eastwood sauntered to the podium in Tampa last night, one sensed unbridled excitement in the arena, even from a television in Louisville.  It was like a few Derbys ago, when Jack Nicholson dropped by the paddock at Churchill Downs.  An A-list celebrity spotting in a most unexpected place.  Like Jack, Clint is a guy who wins over a crowd just by showing up.  The kind who exudes a coolness that stirs up a red hot frenzy.

Today's word for Clint's speech from the liberal media is "crazy".  That's reason enough to watch the speech on YouTube if, by chance, you missed it last night -- or to watch it again, as I did this morning.  True, Clint was mumbling and bumbling at times.  But that just added to the brilliance of the performance.  For Clint was, in a way, a metaphor for America, waking up in a stupor, asking what happened to us?  How in the world could we have voted for that man?  An America who finally got a chance to interview "the One" who has been its "employee", to use Clint's better chosen word, these past three and a half years.  The President answered as you would expect from an empty chair on the stage.  

Clint gave the speech with no teleprompter -- an absent prop that was as much a dig at Mr. Obama as the empty chair -- and with creativity and wit that, even with Oprah's coaching, the President will never have.  Clint did have to think creatively to come up with the name of another actor with enough guts to show up at the Convention (Jon Voight), and Clint's claim that there are many conservatives and libertarians in Hollywood seemed more hopeful than true.


But other seemingly ad libbed  lines played to the crowd with more authenticity:


"I remember three and a half years ago, when Mr. Obama won the election. And though I was not a big supporter, I was watching that night when he was having that thing and they were talking about hope and change and they were talking about, yes we can, and it was dark outdoors, and it was nice, and people were lighting candles.  They were saying, I just thought, this was great. Everybody is crying, Oprah was crying.I was even crying. And then finally -- and I haven’t cried that hard since I found out that there is 23 million unemployed people in this country."

Ouch.

"Well, I know even people in your own party were very disappointed when you didn’t close Gitmo. And I thought, well closing Gitmo -- why close that, we spent so much money on it. But, I thought maybe as an excuse -- what do you mean shut up?  OK, I thought maybe it was just because somebody had the stupid idea of trying terrorists in downtown New York City."

Thanks for reminding us of that early bone-headed idea from the Obama Administration.

"I know you were against the war in Iraq, and that’s okay. But you thought the war in Afghanistan was OK. You know, I mean -- you thought that was something worth doing. We didn’t check with the Russians to see how did it -- they did there for 10 years. But we did it, and it is something to be thought about, and I think that, when we get to maybe -- I think you’ve mentioned something about having a target date for bringing everybody home. You gave that target date, and I think Mr. Romney asked the only sensible question, you know, he says, 'Why are you giving the date out now? Why don’t you just bring them home tomorrow morning?'”

And the Ron Paul delegates went wild.




"See, I never thought it was a good idea for attorneys to the president, anyway.  I think attorneys are so busy -- you know they’re always taught to argue everything, and always weight everything -- weigh both sides...  They are always devil’s advocating this and bifurcating this and bifurcating that. You know all that stuff. But, I think it is maybe time -- what do you think -- for maybe a businessman. How about that? A stellar businessman. Quote, unquote, 'a stellar businessman.'"

Not since Ronald Reagan had an actor flipped an argument on a lawyer so well.


"And I think it’s that time. And I think if you just step aside and Mr. Romney can kind of take over. You can maybe still use a plane.  Though maybe a smaller one. Not that big gas guzzler you are going around to colleges and talking about student loans and stuff like that. You are an -- an ecological man. Why would you want to drive that around?"

More flipping of -- and off -- the Left's arguments.


"You’re crazy, you’re absolutely crazy."

Clint's chastisement of the empty chair.

"You’re getting as bad as Biden.  Of course we all now Biden is the intellect of the Democratic party."

 Another ouch.



"Something that I think is very important. It is that, you, we -- we own this country.  We -- we own it. It is not you owning it, and not politicians owning it. Politicians are employees of ours.  And -- so -- they are just going to come around and beg for votes every few years. It is the same old deal. But I just think it is important that you realize , that you’re the best in the world. Whether you are a Democrat or Republican or whether you’re libertarian or whatever, you are the best. And we should not ever forget that. And when somebody does not do the job, we got to let them go.

Who needs Donald Trump as a speaker when you've got Clint Eastwood to deliver the message, "You're fired"?

And by this point, if the empty chair had not gotten the message, it was confirmed by the speaker's most famous line:


Clint:  "But OK. You want to make my day?"

(APPLAUSE)

Clint:  "All right. I started, you finish it. Go ahead."

Audience:  "Make my day!"


The Great Communicator couldn't have communicated it better.

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.

Condi Outshines Paul Ryan

Last night at the Republican National Convention produced a range of oratorical styles, some that dazzled, and some that disappointed.

Condoleeza Rice gave the speech of a lifetime.  I knew she'd be good -- her performance at Mitt Romney's donor retreat a few months ago gave rise to a "Draft Condi" movement.

Still, Rice surpassed all my expectations.  She was magnificent:  intellectual without pretense; beautiful and poised and yet humble.  Her speech reflected her training as a concert pianist in terms of the phrasing and dynamics.  And that's just the style.

The substance made the case for American exceptionalism.  She showed that domestic issues -- particularly the economy -- are linked to our global stature, and can even become security risks.

Certainly the highlight was her personal reflection that she, a little girl in segregated Birmingham, who could not eat at the Woolworth's counter, could grow up to be Secretary of State.  What a great country (and what great parents for instilling that confidence in their daughter at such a time and place.)  I teared up.

Watching Rice, I wondered,  "Why isn't she the nominee?"

* * *

Mike Huckabee gave an outstanding speech, as well. His training as a Baptist Pastor has served him well.  So, too, does his passionate belief in conservative social issues.  What a commanding presence. There was no doubt that Huckabee believed in what he was saying with every core of his being.

 Huckabee's attack on the Obamacare's birth control mandates was in some ways historic, as he, the Baptist Pastor from Arkansas, stood shoulder to shoulder with the Catholic Church, and said that an attack on the freedom of worship of Catholics is an attack on him. Catholics have not always felt this support in the Bible-Belt.  Huckabee's speech gave me hope that the chapter of bigotry against Catholics in the Deep South is closing.

* * *

I had been looking forward to Paul Ryan's speech. Maybe I expected too much.  And Condi and Mike Huckabee left some awfully big shoes for him to fill.  Bottom line:  I was disappointed.

It wasn't a bad speech.  It had some nice lines. He just looked so . . . young.  And despite his stature, he seemed small somehow. He didn't seem like the guy who had gone toe to toe with the President on the budget.

Certainly, he did not have the charisma that Sarah Palin manifested in that same spot on the roster four years ago.

That's alright.  He'll make up for it in the Vice Presidential Debate when he takes on Joe Biden.

Rand Paul Blasts Obama at Convention

Here is the transcript for Senator Paul's speech at the Republican National Convention:

“When the Supreme Court upheld Obamacare, the first words out of my mouth were: I still think it is unconstitutional!

The leftwing blogs were merciless. Even my wife said -- can't you please count to ten before you speak?

So, I've had time now to count to ten and, you know what -- I still think it's unconstitutional!

Do you think Justice Scalia and Justice Thomas have changed their minds?

I think if James Madison, himself -- the father of the Constitution -- were here today he would agree with me: the whole damn thing is still unconstitutional!

This debate is not new and it's not over. Hamilton and Madison fought from the beginning about how government would be limited by the enumerated powers.

Madison was unequivocal. The powers of the federal government are few and defined. The power to tax and spend is restricted by the enumerated powers.

So, how do we fix this travesty of justice? There’s only one option left.

We have to have -- a new President!

When I heard the current President say, “You didn’t build that,” I was first insulted, then I was angered, then I was saddened that anyone in our country, much less the President of the United States, believes that roads create business success and not the other way around.

Anyone who so fundamentally misunderstands American greatness is uniquely unqualified to lead this great nation.

The great and abiding lesson of American history, particularly the Cold War, is that the engine of capitalism -- the individual -- is mightier than any collective.

American inventiveness and desire to build developed because we were guaranteed the right to own our success.

For most of our history no one dared tell Americans: “You didn’t build that.”

In Bowling Green, KY, the Taing family owns the Great American Donut shop. Their family fled war-torn Cambodia to come to this country. My kids and I love to eat donuts so we go there frequently.

The Taings work long hours. Mrs. Taing told us that the family works through the night to make donuts. The Taing children have become valedictorians and National Merit Scholars.

The Taings from Cambodia are an American success story, so Mr. President don’t you go telling the Taings: “You didn’t build that.”

When you say they didn't build it, you insult each and every American who ever got up at the crack of dawn. You insult any American who ever put on overalls or a suit.

You insult any American who ever studied late into the night to become a doctor or a lawyer. You insult the dishwasher, the cook, the waitress.

You insult anyone who has ever dragged themselves out of bed to strive for something better for themselves or their children.

My great grandfather, like many, came to this country in search of the American Dream. No sooner had he stepped off the boat then his father died.

He arrived in Pittsburgh as a teenager with nothing, not a penny. He found the American Dream: not great wealth, but a bit of property in a new land that gave him hope for his children.

In America, as opposed to the old country, success was based on merit. Probably America's greatest asset was that for the first time success was not based on who you were but on what you did.

My grandfather would live to see his children become doctors, ministers, accountants, and professors. He would even live to see one of his sons ... a certain Congressman from Texas ... run for President of the United States of America.

Immigrants have flocked to our shores seeking freedom. Our forbearers came full of hopes and dreams. So consistent and prevalent were these aspirations that they crystallized into a national yearning we call the American Dream.

No other country has a Dream so inextricably associated with the spirit of its people.

In 1982, an American sailor, John Mooney, wrote a letter to his parents that captures the essence of the American Dream:

“Dear Mom and Dad, today we spotted a boat in the water, and we rendered assistance. We picked up 65 Vietnamese refugees. … As they approached the ship, they were all waving and trying as best they could to say, ‘Hello America sailor! Hello Freedom man!’ It’s hard to see a boat full of people like that and not get a lump somewhere between chin and bellybutton. And it really makes one proud and glad to be an American. ... It reminds us all of what America has always been -- a place a man or woman can come to for freedom.”

Hung and Thuan Tringh are brothers and friends of mine. They came to America on one of those leaky, over-crowded boats. They were attacked at sea by pirates. Their family’s wealth was stolen. Thuan spent a year on a South Pacific island existing on one cup of rice and water each day until he was allowed to come to America. Now both of these men and their families are proud Americans. Hung owns his own business and Thuan manages a large company. They are the American Dream.

So, Mr. President, don’t go telling the Tringh family: “You didn’t build that.”

When the President says, “You didn’t build that,” he is flat out wrong. Businessmen and women did build that. Businessmen and women did earn their success. Without the success of American business we wouldn’t have any roads, or bridges, or schools.

Mr. President, you say the rich must pay their fair share. When you seek to punish the rich, the jobs that are lost are those of the poor and middle class.

When you seek to punish Mr. Exxon Mobil, you punish the secretary who owns Exxon Mobil stock.

When you block the Keystone Pipeline, you punish the welder who works on the pipeline.

Our nation faces a crisis. America waivers. Unfortunately, we are one of a select group of countries whose debt equals their gross domestic product.

The republic of Washington and Jefferson is now in danger of becoming the democracy of debt and despair. Our great nation is coming apart at the seams and the President seems to point fingers and blame others.

President Obama’s administration will add nearly $6 trillion dollars to our national debt in just one term.

This explosion of debt is unconscionable and unsustainable. Mr. President, we will not let you bankrupt this great nation!

Republicans and Democrats alike must slay their sacred cows. Republicans must acknowledge that not every dollar spent on the military is necessary or well-spent, and Democrats must admit that domestic welfare and entitlements must be reformed.

Republicans and Democrats must replace fear with confidence, confidence that no terrorist, and no country, will ever conquer us if we remain steadfast to the principles of our Founding documents.

We have nothing to fear except our own unwillingness to defend what is naturally ours, our God-given rights. We have nothing to fear that should cause us to forget or relinquish our rights as free men and women.

To thrive we must believe in ourselves again, and we must never -- never -- trade our liberty for any fleeting promise of security.

Author Paul Kengor writes of a brisk evening in small-town Illinois. Returning home from a basketball game at the YMCA, an 11 year old boy is stunned by the sight of his father sprawled out in the snow on the front porch. “He was drunk,” his son later remembered. “Dead to the world…crucified.” The dad’s hair was soaked with melted snow, matted unevenly against the side of his reddened face.

The boy stood over his father for a minute or two. He simply wanted to let himself in the door and pretend his dad wasn’t there. Instead, he grabbed a fistful of overcoat and heaved his dad to the bedroom, away from the weather’s harm and neighbors’ attention.

This young boy became the man – Ronald Reagan – whose sunny optimism and charisma shined so brightly that it cured the malaise of the late seventies, a confidence that beamed so broadly that it pulled us through a serious recession, and a faith that tugged so happily at all hearts that a generation of Democrats became Republicans.

The American Dream is that any among us could become the next Thomas Edison, the next Henry Ford, the next Ronald Reagan.

To lead us forward, away from the looming debt crisis, it will take someone who believes in America’s greatness, who believes in and can articulate the American dream, someone who has created jobs, someone who understands and appreciates what makes America great, someone who will lead our party and our nation forward.

I believe that someone is our nominee: Governor Mitt Romney.

As Reagan said, our freedom is never more than a generation away from extinction. If our freedom is taken, the American Dream will wither and die.

To lead, we must transform the coldness of austerity into the warm, vibrant embrace of prosperity.

To overcome the current crisis, we must appreciate and applaud American success. We must step forward, unabashedly and proclaim: You did build that. You earned that. You worked hard. You studied. You labored. You did build that. And you deserve America’s undying gratitude. For you, the individual, are the engine of America’s greatness.

Thank you.”

Kentucky's Night at the Convention

Tonight, at approximately 7:00, both of Kentucky's Republican Senators will take to the podium.  It's not clear from the schedule if Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and Sen. Rand Paul are supposed to speak jointly or tag-team it. Whatever the format, their slot is 7:00.

Perhaps McConnell and Paul will reprise the pitch they made in Frankfort last week to repeal Obamacare?  The symbolism of a Tea Party Caucus founder and a more established member of the Republican Party works well in the big tent of the National Convention.

Rep. Paul Ryan is at 10:00.  Looking forward to him channeling all that Jack Kemp optimism about the great future that awaits our country if the government can stop stifling the entrepreneurial spirit with its massive deficits, taxes and regulations.

Apple Victory Over Samsung

As many of you know, Apple was recently awarded more than $1 billion from Samsung for patent violations on mobile devices, many of them cosmetic. 

Image Credit: Engadget

Look at the devices above. Do they look similar? Yes. Of course they do. They're both rounded rectangles. But how many other shapes can you make a phone? Apple claims that consumers have actually bought Samsung devices thinking they are Apple devices. That's crazy. How could you confuse them when the Samsung device has "SAMSUNG" written across the top? 

Suppose someone actually did confuse the devices at the store, and they asked the sales associate for the Samsung phone by accident. When the associate returned with a box that has "Samsung Galaxy S" written over it, the consumer would clearly have been able to tell that it's not an iPhone.

I think that Engadget's Darren Murph says it best:

                

"It's about as absurd as suggesting that someone could be duped into buying a Honda Odyssey instead of a Dodge Grand Caravan. They're both minivans after all, right?"

Rand Paul Gives Republican Weekly Adress

You can watch the video here.

Akin and the Fake War on Women

Rep. Todd Akin is an embarrassment to the Republican Primary.  He should withdraw from the race immediately.

The notion that this sentiment is confined to a few "party bosses" or "Establishment Republicans" is as frivolous as the supposed Republican War on Women. The only Establishment politician trying to keep Akin from withdrawing is Sen. Claire McCaskill.

Akin's comment about "legitimate rape,"  whatever that means, has obscured the second half of the sentence in which he made the remark.

As Kathleen Parker recounted,

For those who didn't pay their cable bill, Akin recently assured Americans that in cases of "legitimate rape," women don't get pregnant because "the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down."  (Emphasis added.)

That comment suggests that Akin never took 9th grade biology.  The issue is not sexism, just plain old ignorance of the reproductive system.  It's the sort of thinking that believes that masturbation causes blindness.

It's also the sort of thinking that ignores that his election is not just about him:  it is about control of the U.S. Senate and perhaps control of the White House.

It is literally possible that the fate of the country  -- our ability to repeal Obamacare, cut spending and reform entitlements -- may turn on one sentence from some guy that most of us never heard of until he uttered that it.

The fact that Akin is digging in his heals shows that he was in this race not to advance conservative ideals, but purely for self-aggrandizement.  Anyone who really believed in putting principle first would have already withdrawn.

Andy Barr to Address GOP Convention

Andy Barr, the Republican nominee in Kentucky's 6th Congressional District, has been selected to speak at the first night of the upcoming Republican National Convention, Monday, August 27, 2012.

Those evening slots are coveted; this is a real coup for Barr.  It's a surprising choice, given that Barr is running as a challenger for a House race, one of 435.  What makes Barr an interesting speaking choice is how close he came last time to winning -- alerts went out to election lawyers to prepare to head to Barr's district in anticipation of a recount.  The margin did not justify a recount, but still, this was one of the closest races in the country.

Barr's race also merits attention due to the incumbent Barr seeks to defeat:  Ben Chandler.  Chandler sports an illustrious political name in Kentucky politics.  In terms of voting record, however, Chandler is a moderate.  Left-wingers love to rant about Chandler. If Barr is able to defeat Chandler, it will be time for Republicans to break out the bubbly.

A Fair Trade...

The Left is whining because Mitt Romney will not reveal his tax returns.  Here is a trade he should offer.  Romney should offer to provide his tax returns in return for Barack Obama providing his college and law school transcripts.

The Left could make hay out of the gazillions of dollars that Romney's tax returns would likely show, the Right could make hay out of all the Cs that Barack Obama's transcripts would likely show.

Don't Dump Joe!

Since he was nominated to run with Obama, every time poor Joe Biden makes a gaffe, there is a call to replace him with Hillary Clinton.

Oddly, many of these most recent calls to dump Biden have come from Republicans.  Rudy Giuliani went so far as to question Biden's mental capacity. Sen. John McCain and Sarah Palin have similarly opined that Obama should ask Hillary to run as V.P. this time around. Sarah Palin's Tea Party credentials are stellar.  Giuliani and McCain, not so much.  Interesting to see that of the Republicans urging Obama to replace Biden with Hillary, many are RINOs.

I don't understand why any Republican would want Obama to do the one thing that could make him more electable.

Biden is God's gift to Republicans.  And he is a gift that keeps giving.  Why would we want to replace him with someone as formidable as Hillary?  To be sure, Hillary would make a much better president than Biden in the event that the V.P. was called to serve.  That is exactly why Hillary would improve the Obama ticket.

Sarah Palin surely knows this.  So why would Palin suggest that Obama replace Biden with Hillary?  One explanation is that now that Palin has offered this advice, it would be hard for Obama to make the switch without looking like he is taking advice from -- or at least agrees with -- Sarah Palin. That is something he will not do.

Consequently, now that Sarah Palin has suggested that Obama dump Biden, she has rendered that option radioactive for Obama.  She has turned his best option into a non-option.

Liberal media like to call Sarah Palin stupid (while ignoring Biden's deficiencies). Try stupid like a fox.

Romney Surprises With Ryan

Mitt Romney surprised me with his selection of Paul Ryan as his running mate. I did not think he would go with such a bold pick. I underestimate Romney. I really did not think he had it in his constitution to pick anyone other than a safe, boring choice a la Portman.

By choosing Ryan, Romney makes clear that he is serious about getting our nation's finances in order -- more serious than the Democrat-controlled Senate, which has not passed a budget in roughly 1200 days. That's several months longer than the siege of Leningrad.

Democrats are already attacking Ryan for his efforts to reform entitlements. For conservatives, Ryan's courage in proposing real reform to Medicare is downright inspiring.

The Vice Presidential Debate -- to be held at Centre College -- will be epic. The thought of Ryan debating the hapless Joe Biden is just too good to be true. I cannot wait.

Even the name Romney-Ryan exceeds my hopes. It is not just the alliteration, but the double R. For conservatives, the Initials R.R. evoke Ronald Reagan. The Gipper would be most pleased with Romney's selection of Paul Ryan.

A Shout-Out For A Papa John's "Buycot"

The Courier Journal today claims that John Schnatter "endorse[d]" Obamacare with his recent answer to a stock analyst's question regarding the impact of that legislation on the price of pizza.  Schnatter said that the price of an average Papa John's pizza order would need to increase between 15 and 20 cents in order for his company to pay for the health care insurance mandated by the statute.  According to the C-J, "that's a bargain if it means thousands of Papa John's employees in all 50 states are going to be getting health coverage."

Gee, that doesn't sound like much of a bargain to me.  That's because, by my calculation, the price of my carry-out dinners from Papa John's (which average around $15-$20) just went up by about 1%, and if every product and service in the economy went up by the same rate (and there's no reason to believe they won't), Obamacare will take an additional $200 per year if I spend $20,000 on annual purchases, $500 if I spend $50,000 annually and $1,000 if I spend $100,000 annually.  You can do the math.  The increase in purchasing costs from Obamacare is by no means "(Small) change we can believe in!", as the C-J's editorial headline reads.

I'm sorry, but I think Papa John's employees and all other individuals in America should make their own decisions as to whether they buy insurance, pay for it out of their own pockets, and not take money out of my pocket to pay for it.  I already have health insurance and pay for it handsomely, thank you.  I don't need to tack onto my bill the tab for somebody else.

The C-J calls Schnatter "an increasingly vocal Republican".  That's news to me.  True, he hosted a dinner at his home for Mitt Romney earlier this year.  But through the years Schnatter has had the political reputation of being more a raging moderate.  He has hosted fundraisers for both Democrats and Republicans (and, I daresay, more for the former).

Schnatter's problem is that he spoke the truth, and the liberal media don't want to hear the truth, which is there is no free lunch (or dinner) when it comes to mandating health insurance.  Someone has to pay for it, and those someones will be me and you.  Schnatter's comment highlights that not only our taxes will go up to pay for Obamacare (as the Supreme Court made clear in its opinion upholding the statute), but also we will have to pay significantly more for products and services.  In other words, Obamacare will effectively mean a real reduction in everyone's purchasing power.

Not since the president of Chick-fil-A spoke his mind has a fast-food chain's head produced such a firestorm in the media.  Maybe it's time for Mike Huckabee to issue the call for a "buycot" of Papa John's so that the Silent Majority (I love that Nixonian term) can have some pizza along with their chicken.  That would be the best answer to any stock analysis's question as to how the public feels about having to pay the increased taxes and costs of Obamacare.
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.

Prophetic?

Robert Heinlein was best known as an American science fiction writer, but he was also an opinionated and articulate political thinker.

If Barack Obama is re-elected in November, Heinlein's words, below, will have proven to be prophetic.

"'Bread and Circuses' is the cancer of democracy, the fatal disease for which there is no cure.  Democracy often works beautifully at first, but once a state extends the franchise to every warm body, be he producer or parasite, that day marks the beginning of the end of the state.  For when the plebs discover that they can vote themselves bread and circuses without limit and the productive members of the body politic cannot stop them, they will do so, until the state bleeds to death, or in its weakened condition the state succumbs to an invader - the barbarians enter Rome."

Kentuckiana Really Don't Like Obama

The new Gallup poll on President Barack Obama's approval rating by state shows that in Kentucky, his approval rating is a lowly 38 percent.  (Cue the Courier-Journal to attribute this to racism.)Yet across the Ohio River in Indiana, a northern state, Obama's approval rating is the same: 38 percent.

In 2008, Obama lost Kentucky with 41 percent of the vote. Among the mainstream media, and the C-J in particular, this was blamed on Kentuckians' supposed racism.  Old Media could not accept that Kentucky is a conservative state and Obama's policies were just too liberal.

So do the new poll results show that Kentuckians are more racist now than in 2008?  No, Obama's "you didn't build that" slip reveals that he is even more left-wing than feared. When it comes to how Kentuckians view Obama, familiarity has bred contempt.