Kadiddlehop
Dec 22nd
Legal Insurrection has a post clarifying the latest propaganda about Newt Gingrich. According to the lefty blogs, (and others because I heard it on TV last night), Newt Gingrich told a gay man that the gays should vote for Obama.
That’s not what he said. What he said is that if gay marriage is your most important issue than you should probably vote for Obama because Newt would disappoint.
Not being gay or married it’s hard to see what all the fuss is about on the gay marriage issue.
My business partner is a lesbian who entered into a civil union in Vermont and subsequently married in MA – more for legal reasons than for the title. She always considers the day of her civil union to be her anniversary but will tell you it is the commitment not the piece of paper or title that she commemorates. I am all for gay marriage, but nothing in this world stops dedicated people from making a commitment.
It’s certainly not for me to judge if someone decides getting married is the most important issue in their life this year. And I agree with Newt, one narcissist probably deserves another. I really wish people- pro and con would get over the gay marriage thing. If I were gay I’d rename marriage “kadiddlehop” and get on with it. And then I’d try to do it better than the heterosexuals.
There is more than one route to victory.
Romney the “conservative”
Dec 15th
I’m not a fan of Romney. My distaste is a result of living under Romney-care which has tripled my health care costs and diminished accessibility. While I don’t think Romney is particularly conservative, I do think he is honest and I was very impressed with what he did with the Olympics.
Romney also did something as Governor that still impresses me. I remember hearing about it on talk radio back when it was happening in 2006 and I have never forgotten it.
J. Michael Ruane was a Massachusetts state legislator for 30 years representing the 8th Essex District. As a member of the Massachusetts legislature he was entitled to enroll in the very generous pension plan offered by the state. He declined repeatedly, indicating he did not believe in state offered pensions. At one point, a couple of years before he retired, he was told that he could be grandfathered into the pension system and would get full benefits dating back to when he was elected nearly 3 decades before without paying anything but current payments. Although that was the deal of the century Ruane once again declined, preferring to take home his full paycheck.
In 2005 Ruane retired and was diagnosed with cancer. He then petitioned the state legislature to award his wife his unearned pension benefits.
Ruane died in June 2006. Shortly after his death the Massachusetts legislature voted to award Ruane’s widow an unearned pension of $44,000 a year for life.
Governor Romney opposed the legislation and offered what I thought was a brilliant alternative: He proposed an amendment requiring members of both chambers, the governor, and the lieutenant governor to pay one-half of 1 percent of their base compensation to the state pension fund to cover Ruane’s unearned pension. Romney agreed with the legislature’s desire to take care of the Ruane family, but disagreed that tax payers should pay for it. Romney estimated that the pension would cost legislators $275 per year while the Governor and Lt Governor would pay $675 and $600 annually. He also suggested that a lien be placed on the legislator’s home to recover the benefits after his widow died.
The legislature disagreed, passing a bill which foisted the entire costs of the unearned pension on the taxpayers. Romney vetoed the bill and his veto was easily overridden by the MA legislature.
Still Romney deserves credit for his “conservative” attempt at protecting the people against the liberal legislature.
The Obama’s Shared Sacrifice
Dec 13th
President Obama spends a whole lot of time harping on about “shared sacrifice”. It’s part of his class warfare, identity politics, make-us-all- hate-each-other, re-election program. So while he jets off for 17 days in Hawaii, we get to stay home and wave. I guess his sacrifice is spending time with Michelle. And our benefit is getting him off our TV’s for a few weeks.
Despite the fact that Obama’s will not be in the White House for Christmas, and so many people in the country are aching because of a horrible economy imposed on the country by an inept administration, the first family has erected 37 Christmas trees in the White House this Christmas. Apparently they plan to do what so many others cannot afford to this year. The first family will endure the smell of pine even if kids all over the country can’t afford to.
in addition to the 37 Christmas trees, the Obama’s are thrilled about their 400 pound gingerbread house. But don’t worry, Michelle has pronounced a theme for her Christmas extravaganza: “Share, Give, Shine.”
That’s right. The Obama’s thumb their noses daily at the problems the people in this country are having because of their bad policies, but make everything okay with a theme. Apparently the first lady wants us to share and give, while she plans to shine. But she doesn’t. Instead, channeling Kim Jon Il, she assures us that the memory of her riches will be enough for those who are hurting:
“I know for some of you, this holiday season will be tough, she told some But hopefully, it’s times like this that make you know that you live in a grateful nation, and that we are just so inspired by your sacrifice. And hopefully, this is a memory that will stay with you every holiday season.”
Oh the memory will stay with us for a long time, but not for the reasons Mrs. Obama thinks.
NFIP Running Dry
Dec 10th
Just one week left for Congress to renew the National Flood Insurance Program or do serious damage to an already damaged economy.
On Dec.16th the National Flood Insurance Program is set to end. Insurance companies are already not renewing policies because of the uncertainty and lack of publicity on this issue.
On one hand what is the Federal government doing in the underwriting business?
On the other hand how do they walk away from it after entangling so many people’s lives within it since its inception in 1968?
If Congress lets this program end real estate markets will crash further.
People required to have it will be in default of the mortgage requirements. New sales transactions requiring it will not be able to be conducted.
It is estimated by the National Association of Realtors about 1,300 new transactions per day are currently on hold because the deals cannot close without the properties being insured. No private insurance company can currently write or renew a flood insurance policy because the Federal government is sitting with its thumb up a place the sun don’t shine.
If Congress lets this program end, real people who built homes in beautiful places like the Outer Banks, or other beach places will now do so without a safety net. Not that they should of built homes in those places to begin with; but once allowed , with no current reform policy in sight, they should still be covered. Government said it was ok we will under right you. Now they are about to renege on their word.
I don’t think the Federal government belongs in the underwriting business but I certainly don’t think they can be allowed to callously walk away from it and leave people high and dry either.
Where is the reform? The conversion to privatization? They’ve done more of that in getting out of the space program than they have Flood Insurance.
I’m betting if you don’t have flood insurance that you hadn’t heard about this issue. What if they decide to suddenly get out of medicare or some other program instilled on society, should they be allowed to do that and leave people in the lurch with no plan?
Wouldn’t this be the kind of important issue that you wished was talked about in at least one of Presidential Debates so far?
Well since it hasn’t yet it’s up to blogs like this to start the discussion on this issue.
Weigh in on what you think Congress should do with the pending end date of the National Flood Insurance Program and why?
If Congress won’t have the discussion it’s up to us to have it.
Thanks,
ConservaWin
Freedom dies with a corrupt government
Dec 9th
I watched Eric Holder’s Fast and Furious testimony yesterday and frankly felt sick to my stomach. This is absolutely the most corrupt administration in my lifetime, and Eric Holder is the flag bearer. According to Holder the lies his office submitted in writing to Congress are not lies because they didn’t mean them to be lies.
Tell that to Roger Clemens, or Scooter Libby. Hell tell that to Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton.
Holder’s hubris was absolutely stunning. He made it very clear he was above all of it, the rules don’t apply to him and Congress is wasting his time.
In reponse to Issa’s pointed reminder that Attorney’s general are not above the law, Holder responded: “Have you no shame?”
Shame? Shame!? Hundreds of Mexicans are dead. Border Agent Brian Terry is dead. The department that you have authority over allowed more than 2,000 guns to cross the border into the hands of violent drug cartels and you have the gall to chide elected representatives of the American people who seek to hold you to account for your lawlessness?
Shame?
Your deputy submitted a letter to Congress that you withdrew only after subsequent disclosures proved it to be full of lies. You can split legal hairs about there being no “intent” to deceive Congress when that letter was originally submitted, but as time goes by that claim begins to look flimsier and flimsier.
Shame?
We found out just days ago that that ATF officials sought to use the violence in Mexico and the fact that U.S.-bought guns were showing up at crime scenes in that country as a pretext to push for further restrictions on Americans’ Second Amendment rights. You, of course, were ignorant of this.
Shame?
It’s been the better part of six months, or maybe 9 or 12, depending on the quality of your memory and the meaningless difference between “weeks” and “months” in your concept of time, since you knew about this operation and not a single individual has lost their job, let alone has had charges filed against them for violations of federal laws.
Hundreds are dead as a direct result of actions undertaken by your subordinates and you wish to shame Congress?
Mr. Attorney General, if you had any integrity. If you had any honor, you would fire those most responsible for this travesty and then resign yourself.
The only person in this committee room who should be feeling shame is you and what you allowed—either by design or by neglect—to happen in Operation Fast and Furious.
Chairman: Member’s time has expired.
The president needs to tell Eric Holder his time has also expired.
