Democraps Continue Headlong Rush To Socialism; Astroturfing Public Support for HC Reform!

Got this in the mail from one of my Democrat contact today. As you can see, the Dems have by no mean given up trying to fake widespread public support for their Headlong rush to Socialism, and are trying to make it look like it’s grassroots:

Dear ———- Last night, your representative, Rep. Charlie Gonzalez, cast a courageous vote to help pass comprehensive health reform. After months of debate and decades of false starts, this was the biggest step yet on the path to making real health insurance reform a reality. But before health reform can become law, it must pass one more time through the House of Representatives. The insurance companies will be throwing everything they can at changing Rep. Gonzalez’s vote for the final round, so it’s crucial that we publicly show that the voters in your district support reform and are counting on Rep. Gonzalez to stand firm. One of the best ways to help is to write a letter to the editor of a local newspaper thanking Rep. Gonzalez for supporting health reform. Can you write one today? You don’t have to be an expert to write a very powerful letter. We’ll provide helpful information about the House bill and health reform. But the best content comes from you. You can tell your personal story about why health reform matters to you, your family, and your community. You can write about how important it is that our representatives stand with their constituents and not the special interests — as Rep. Gonzalez did last night. What matters the most is that you write from the heart and speak out as a concerned citizen at this crucial time. With reform’s passage out of the House, there are three major steps left, and it’s going to be a fight the whole way: the Senate will soon vote on their version of bill, then there will be a last round of negotiations to combine them, and then a final vote in both the House and Senate. Your words could mean all the difference as we take the next steps toward passing reform this year. Get started here: http://my.barackobama.com/HouseVoteLTE Thank you, Mitch Stewart Director Organizing for America

Paid for by Organizing for America, a project of the Democratic National Committee — 430 South Capitol Street SE, Washington, D.C. 20003. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.

Obviously, they’re trying to make it look like there’s widespread support for the Pelosi Public Option Bill by writing letters to the local papers.  By addressing them to the local Representatives and including personal sob-stories about Healthcare nightmares, they’re trying to lay the patina of emotionalism over them to keep them from being critiqued.

So I have a suggestion: write a letter to your local newspaper. Tell them how you think this Health Care Bill will destroy our freedoms and individual liberties; how it will crush us with new taxes and limit our health care options and ration health care.

If you have a personal story of how our current Health Care system saed your life or someone you know, include that too.

Those of you in the greater San Antonio area can send your letters to the following addresses.  Write one letter; send it to multiple newspapers:

Mailing Address:
San Antonio Express-News
Attn: mySanAntonio.com
PO Box 2171
San Antonio, Texas 78297

Main phone number: 210-250-3000
Main fax number: 210-250-3824

Alas; they do not accept letters to the Editor online. But trust me; a mailed letter has a ton more impact.

Get a-Writin’ there!

~Johnny~

Your Moment of Sunday Reflection: “Thinking Outside the Box” as a tenet of Faith

A Whack on the Side of the Head

Roger von Oech in his book “A Whack on the Side of the Head” teaches you to break the inertia and unlock your mind for innovative thinking;  Another way of saying to think outside of the box.

Johann Gutenberg thought outside of the box. He connected two previously unconnected ideas to create a new innovation. He took the purpose of the winepress and combined it with the coin punch. Instead of metal being punched to make coins, paper was used and the printing press was born. Some have ranked this feat as the number one invention to impact the 20th century.

Unfortunately attitudes tend to block the sense of creativity, such attitudes as tradition, fear and perfectionism to name a few. They make thinking staid.

These attitudes become mental locks according to von Oech.  He cites ten locks, which tend to keep us prisoners:

• The Right Answer
• That’s Not Logical
• Follow the Rules
• Be Practical
• Avoid Ambiguity
• To Err Is Wrong
• Play is Frivolous
• That’s Not My Area
• Don’t Be Foolish
• I’m Not Creative

These attitudes act like concrete, cementing or making rigid the thought processes. Nothing short of a whack on the side of the head can disrupt this thinking process.

When was the last time you had a creative original idea? Remember how great it felt, the idea not the whack?

There is a reason it felt so good. It’s all part of Gods blessing to us is to be creative.

(Courtesy Pastoral Care; Baptist Health System)

Now imagine this: here is some REAL “outside the box’ thinking. Ananias lives in Damascus, and is praying one day. He knows a real Pharisee of a Jew named Saul is coming to arrest belivers in Damascus. As he prays, the Lord speaks to him:

In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”
“Yes, Lord,” he answered.

11The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”

13″Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. 14And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”

15But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. 16I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

17Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

Our God is the God of the impossible situation. Murderers are tansformed. Seas Part. Floodgates open, and Arks are built. The dead are raised, the sick are healed, demons are cast out, and sins are forgiven.

The Impossible situation becomes the possible; and all if we ask.

~Johnny~

“Dozens” of Texas Dems Flee their Party; Switch to Republican!

You may remember my post from earlier this week where I quoted Libertarian Republican blog as saying that as many as fifty or sixty Democraps here in Texas are ready to switch to Republicans.

Well, the fun has begun in Hardin and Palo Pinto counties:

Austin – The Republican Party of Texas is pleased to welcome several Democratic officeholders who switched parties today and became Republicans. Today in Hardin County, seven Democrats announced that they are switching parties to become Republicans. The new Republicans include Sheriff Ed Cain, County Judge Billy Caraway and Precinct 4 Commissioner Bobby Franklin. And at noon Tuesday in Palo Pinto County, Precinct 5 Justice of the Peace Bobby Hart switched his party affiliation and became a Republican. Three other Palo Pinto County Democratic officeholders indicated a strong interest in switching parties. The Republican Party of Texas has been working to build Republican strength at the local level, by working with county parties, recruiting candidates for the GOP primary and by recruiting conservative Democrats to switch parties.

There are more party switches to come, as more conservative Texas Democrats make the choice to become Republicans. Dozens of Democrats across Texas are known to be considering switching or are already in the process of doing so.

There is no similar movement of Republican officeholders leaving the Party.

Yeah, I’ll bet.
And there’s also a state Representative switching parties too:

Austin – The Republican Party of Texas is pleased to welcome State Rep. Chuck Hopson (HD-11, Jacksonville) to the GOP. The now former Democratic State Representative, first elected to his office in 2000, is announcing today that he is switching to the Republican Party. Hopson’s switch follows a wave of Democrats in Hardin and Palo Pinto Counties who switched to the GOP earlier this week.

“The wave of Republican strength rolls on,” said Republican Party of Texas Chairman Cathie Adams. “Texans see how the Pelosi Democrats are behaving in Washington, insulting the Tea Partiers and locking our state out of the health care bill negotiations, and they no longer want to be associated with the Democratic Party.

We welcome State Rep. Hopson and anyone else who stands with us for limited government, lower taxes and real economic growth.”

There are more party switches to come, as more conservative Texas Democrats make the choice to become Republicans. Dozens of Democrats across Texas are known to be considering switching or are already in the process of doing so.

Apparently a story that not’s over yet.  No word on if any nationally elected Dems are among those still to switch . . .  but wouldn’t THAT be a hoot?

Continuing to watch closely . . .

~Johnny~

Costco – I’ve canceled my membership (RedState)

RedState has a fascinating diary post today that neatly encapsulates everything I’e been feeling about greedy, evil corporations lately (that are actually, tryly greedy, evil corporations):

http://www.costcoconnection.com/connection/200911#pg1
Costco is now involved with former Vice-President Al Gore (and his becoming more apparent by the day), deceitful and dangerous one-world-government / carbon-credit scheme.

I’ve canceled my Costco membership and explained my reasoning in a very calm and nicely worded letter sent via overnight express (recipient-only signature required) to Costco’s CEO and will CC the same via e-mail to other Costco executives.

Page 2 through 4 of the following PDF link (2008 Proxy) show the current directors for Costco…… another interesting set of individuals involved with…… well, let’s just call them ’slightly slanted entities’…….. http://media.corporate-ir.net/media_files/irol/83/83830/08_proxy_cost.PDF

============================

Now then, just for laughs (and also because I instinctively knew what I was going to find), I looked around and Mr. Sinegal has made some interesting political donations over the past several years………. http://www.newsmeat.com/ceo_political_donations/James_Sinegal.php

============================

A corporation can do what it wants, as long as it’s legal. Supporting Mr. Gore and his goals is a corporate choice Costco has made.

So is my dropping using their services and explaining why.

Cheers !

One of the commenters added this:

I do not spend my money with companies that support leftist and socialist causes. I will be doing the same tomorrow. That is why I return every invitation to join AARP in the pre-paid envelope not completed. I will be following the same course as you. It is also unfortunate that the list of offenders grows daily.

I will not:

• Drink Pepsi
• Buy Progressive Insurance
• Buy any product of GE
• Pay to watch a movie with Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Cameron Diaz, Sean Penn (easy, they all suck).
• Pay to attend NFL games since my thinking like Rush’s is divisive (would not want to offend the Felon’s)
• Al will not shop at Home Depot because they fired an employee for wearing a pin supporting the troops

Just wondering if any of the assclowns that run these companies are listening, or care?.

Like I said , list grows longer

And don’t forget GEICO, whose acronnym stands for “Government Employees Insurance Company;” Very closely aligned with the SEIU.

Time to renew that Sam’s Club membership, I think. Buh-bye Costco.

~Johnny~

Mandatory Taxes for On-Demand Abortions: More “Public Option” Hijinksa

House Republican Leader John Boehner has found an interesting tidbit in the Pelosi-Reid Public Option Healthcare Bill. Apparently everyone MUST pay for on-demand abortions for others; whether we want to or not:

Health care reform should not be used as an opportunity to use federal funds to pay for elective abortions. Health reform should be an opportunity to protect human life – not end it.

Unfortunately, Speaker Pelosi’s 2,032-page government takeover of health care does just that. On line 17, p. 110, section 222 under “Abortions for which Public Funding is Allowed” the Health and Human Services Secretary is given the authority to determine when abortion is allowed under the government-run plan. The Speaker’s plan also requires that at least one insurance plan offered in the Exchange covers abortions.

What is even more alarming is that a monthly abortion premium will be charged of all enrollees in the government-run plan. It’s right there on line 16, page 96, section 213, under “Insurance Rating Rules.” The premium will be paid into a U.S. Treasury account – and these federal funds will be used to pay for the abortion services.

Section 213 describes the process in which the Health Benefits Commissioner is to assess the monthly premiums that will be used to pay for elective abortions under the government-run plan. The Commissioner must charge at a minimum $1 per enrollee per month.

Even though a majority of Americans don’t believe in abortion, we will all beforced to pay for the minority who want it.  Makes you wonder when sex-change surgery or tattoo removal will become protected under the Health Care bill, too.

And NO, I’m NOT be facetous.  If one kind of objectionable minority procedure is mandated, all can be.

~Johnny~

The Night I Blew Up The Bexar County Courthouse

(No, not LITERALLY . . . calm down, you Tea Partiers . . . )

So as I hinted yesterday, I had Jury Duty today.  I went down to the Courthouse in San Antonio (which is the Bexar County courthouse, which for some inexplicable reason is called the “JUSTICE CENTER.”  I kept looking over my shoulder for Batman and the rest of the Super-Friends, but I never did see them.)

I last had Jury Duty four years ago.  At that time they called 300 of us, and only empaneled 200, releasing the rest of us by 3:00pm that afternoon.   I had spent the day reading magazines and waiting for  call that never came.  I expected the same today.

No such luck.

They immediately began empaneling jurors for jury selection at 9:00am sharp, and I was selected for a 60-person group to sit on a criminal trial.  They promised us we’d very likely be out of there by 5:00 pm at the latest.

And then they threw a bomb at us.  The defendant was being tried for aggravated sexual assault; which in Texas essentially means rape of a person 13 years old or younger.

And everything went to hell quickly.  The prosecutors began their questioning;  has anyone served on a jury previously, has anyone ever been a witness in a trial previously, does anyone have any member of their family that is in law enforcement . . . standard questions, and people answered them fairly quickly and honestly.

Then the prosecutors asked if anyone had ever had a family member or knew someone who had been a victim of sexual abuse.  You could see the discomfort on their faces as they answered; they hemmed and hawed; they asked to speak with the judge privately.  One lady had to be excused because she became physically ill.  But we al danced very carefully around the 800 pound gorilla in the room.  Nobody admitted they were victims of sexual abuse openly.  No one spoke of the unspoken taboo.

And then they asked me if I had a family member or knew someone who had been a victim of sexual abuse.  And I took a deep breath.

One of my psychology professors at Valparaiso University once told me that Child Abuse would continue for one reason; Children can’t vote. And by the time kids can vote, they’re adults who don’t want to admit they were abused as children.  So the whole thing continues to be hushed up and held in, and nothing ever changes.

And one of my advisers at VU had once told me, “If you keep doing things over and over again that you don’t like, at some point you have to ask yourself why it is you do that.

And all this swam in my head as the Prosecutor asked me if I had a family member or knew someone who had been a victim of sexual abuse.  Why yes, Yes I did, in fact.

So I looked that pretty blonde Prosecutor in the eyes and told her, “I’m Juror number 30, and I was a victim of childhood sexual abuse.  And a very close member of my family was also sexually molested, which is one of the reasons why we moved to Texas from Indiana. And the Prosecutor’s Office in Indiana refused to prosecute the case.”

I must have shocked her.  She blinked hard like a deer in the headlights of an oncoming semi.  Then she did something extraordinary: she started to cry.  A tear actually rolled out of her left eye. She paused, then asked, “Would you be able to be fair in judging the case of the accused?”

And I told her “Dear God, No!  I have no faith in the Judicial System whatsoever.“  And I sat down.

And she pretty much fell down into her chair.

And all hell broke loose, quickly and quietly.  It was all downhill after that.  Suddenly every other juror knew someone or wanted a priate conference with the judge (which I took to mean they were victims themselves, but not quite so foolhardy as I to speak it openly.)  The woman behind me began to weep openly during her questioning, grabbing my hand hard for support.  She had never admitted her abuse to another living soul in 40+ years — but she did in voir dire today.  It was a scene that was repeated over and over again.  A licensed social worker spoke of his experience with abused kids.  Several people had kids in their immediate families who had been abused by someone they trusted.  One lady brought down the house and got us an immediate adjournment for a break after she told of how a vindictive foster child had sent her grandfather to prison for 20 years on a false accusation of childhood sexual abuse — that they later recanted.

And then the judge began to lecture us on a point of the law — over and over again.  One of questions we began to get caught up on was about sentencing — would we be able to consider the full range of punishments should the accused be found guilty, from imprisonment to probation.

Only two people in the courtroom would even consider probation as a punishment.  The rest of us told the judge we did not think Probation would ever be an appropriate punishment for the rape of a 13-year-old. And the judge just could not understand why we would not be open-minded about that.

In the end we got out about 7:30pm (not 5:00 pm) tonight after failing to empanel a jury.  Only 2 jurors were acceptable out of the possible 60 — two out of 60!

Because we refused to consider probation for a rapist of a 13 year old. I’d like to think it had something to do with me making a tiny little stand for an abused kid, too.

But that’s just me; Me and 58 of my new closest friends.

~Johnny~

Why the NRSC Should Sue Dede Scozzafava For Fraud and Demand Their Money Back

Yes, I’m quite serious about this.

More than one pundit has questioned whether Dede Scozzafava, the handpicked candidate for the NY-23 Congressional race, was actually a stealth RINO who was going to throw the race for Democrat Bill Owens. Considering that Scozzafava endorsed the Democrat after she withdrew and overcame a six-point lead by her Conservative rival Doug Hoffman on Friday, it sems more and more likely.

And almost everyone agrees Scozzafava made all the difference.

While Scozzafava accepted almost a million dollars of NRSC money to run as the Republican candidate, when was well within her rights to withdraw when the lead of her opponents became insurmountable. I’m not disputing that.

But when she endorsed the Democrat — especially when the Conservative Candidate was closer to her own Party’s stated positions –AND endorsed by a plethora of Republicans to boot — she committed fratricide amongst the Republicans. She went directly against the wishes of her party for personal malfeasance.

And she wasted $900,000 of NRSC money. Some might say embezzled, considering she has funneled $3,750 of that money to her sister-in-law.

Hell *I’m* saying it’s embezzlement. And I’m saying it’s Fraud, as well. And I’m TELLING the NRSC — you’re schmucks if you let her get away with this.

Serve the RINOs with notice that they cannot get away with this.

File Criminal Charges against Dede Scozzafava for embezzlement. File a Civil Lawsuit for Fraud.

Do it now. Or be schmucks; and prove to us that the Tea Parties are right about you. Your choice.

~Johnny~

Life Intrudes, Briefly . . .

Wish i could tell you where I’ll be tomorrow, but i can’t  Almost everyone by me will be wearing black, if that hint helps.

And I have to be up early, so I’ll leave the election results to those so invested in that stuff.

 

Assuming I’m not loked up tomorrow, a full report is promised.

~Johnny~

Multiple Texas Democrats Set to Switch to Republican

I can’t tell if we’re surfing a tsunami or cresting a wave of a RINO invasion:

Texas Democrats Set to Switch to Republican All Over the State

The Republican Party of Texas is pleased to welcome several Democratic officeholders who have decided to switch parties and become Republicans. At noon today in Palo Pinto County, Precinct 5 Justice of the Peace Bobby Hart switched his party affiliation and became a Republican. Three others Palo Pinto County officials indicated an interest in switching parties. Hart joins the ranks of the party that enjoys majorities in both houses of the Texas Legislature and holds all statewide elected offices.

“Democrats like Judge Hart are joining a winning wave across this state and across this country,” said Republican Party of Texas Chairman Cathie Adams. “Americans are fed up with the Washington Democrats’ failing leftwing policies and government power grabs. We welcome these newly minted Republicans and anyone else who will stand with us for more freedom, lower taxes and smaller government.”

In addition to the Palo Pinto County switch, the Republican Party of Texas has learned that two Democratic officeholders in McCulloch County will soon become Republicans, and several more in other counties all over the Lone Star State are also poised to make the switch, some as soon as this week. They tend to cite disaffection with the national Democrats’ economic policies, and agreement with the Republican Party’s stances on smaller government and individual freedom as the reasons for switching.

All tolled, dozens of Democrats across Texas are known to be considering switching or are already in the process of doing so. There is no similar movement of Texas Republican officeholders leaving the party.

Interesting. Rats deserting a siking shi; or the shape of thing to come?  I like the fact theat the Texas Republican Part is already drawing the line of “more freedom, lower taxes and smaller government.”  Better to let them know up front what the pualifications are to be  Texas Republican.

Watching closely . . .

~Johnny~

American Spectator: “Hell hath no fury like a RINO scorned”

The American Spectator has what may be the best commentary on the NY-23 race yet:

Anyone who expected Dede Scozzafava to lose gracefully got a rude awakening over the weekend. Having stubbornly stayed in the upstate New York congressional race long past the point where her defeat was a certainty, Scozzafava made a tearful exit that was a masterpiece of self-pitying distortion.

 

This was a triple distortion by the liberal Republican assemblywoman who had been the GOP leadership’s handpicked choice for the nomination in the 23rd District special election.

Scozzafava’s poll numbers had been collapsing for weeks. An Oct. 15 Siena College poll showed she had fallen behind Democrat Bill Owens, while insurgent Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman had picked up momentum. Her support melted down rapidly after an Oct. 19 incident when her husband, union organizer Ron McDougall, called police on Weekly Standard reporter John McCormack, who had tried to get her to answer questions about her position on tax increases and “card-check” legislation. Even before the confrontation with McCormack, however, Scozzafava’s candidacy failed to draw strong GOP backing in a district that regularly voted by 2-to-1 margins for Republican Rep. John McHugh, whose appointment as Army Secretary had created the vacancy to be filled by Tuesday’s special election.

After the boohooing appearance Saturday morning where Scozzafava pulled the plug on her doomed campaign, Hoffman’s campaign team issued a conciliatory response and privately urged their candidate’s supporters to end attacks on their erstwhile Republican rival.

Instead, Sunday afternoon, Scozzafava plunged her knife into the back of the party that had chosen her for the nomination, when she announced her endorsement of the Democratic candidate. She had “thought long and hard about what is best for the people of this District,” Scozzafava said, asserting that her concern for “honest principles and a truthful discussion of the issues” led her to endorse Owens.

Thus ended weeks of intra-party division induced by the GOP’s ill-fated choice. As Michael Patrick Leahy observed, “The NRCC and RNC just spent $1 million on Dede Scozzafava. This is their reward.”

There’s a great deal more at the link above, that details the mis-steps and faux-pas that have characterized the Republican’s behavior, not just in Upstate New York, but also nationally.  Somehow in the transition from Ronald Reagan to Michael Steele, the “Big Tent” has been mistaken for a different sort of welcoming committee; where we went from “arms wide open” to something else wide open.

A-Hem!

Note to the Republicans, as well as the Democraps: The Tea parties are here, and we don’t take prisoners.

~Johnny~

Biden Shows Up in NY; Only 200 Turn Out (Yawn!)

Robert Stacy McCain reports that Vice-President Joe Biden showed up to campaign in upstate New York today, but only 200 people turned out:

Just left the Bidenmania rally eight blocks from my hotel. The star of the show, really, was N.Y. Democratic Party State Chairwoman June O’Neill, a diminuitive fireball of liberal demagoguery.

O’Neill warned of “right-wing extremists who have brought their hate-mongering tactics to this district.” (Unless I was mistaken, this must have been a reference to John McCormack of the Weekly Standard, who was at the event and being closely watched by local police, lest he start asking Biden questions.)

“We have to stop the madness,” O’Neill told a crowd of about 200 Democrats who turned out for an event covered by about 30 reporters, including seven TV crews. “We cannot afford to let the right-wing extremists make a point in this district. . . . The right wing is not right.”

Hoffman continues to lead in the latest Siena poll and, at this point, the “undecided” poll respondents should be told to stay home. If you don’t know whether you’re a Democrat or a “right-wing extremist,” you’re too dumb to be allowed to vote.

The fact that the Democraps were able to field 200 on a Monday mornng says a TON about what constitutes a Democrat today.  Don’t these people have jobs?  I don’t think I could pull 200 Republicans on an early Monday morning if Jesus was the guest speaker.

Well . . . maybe Jesus.  Probably.  But certainly not Joe Biden. Even more telling, the fact that the Dems could ONLY get 200 people to turn out does not bode well for the Lefties.

Election’s tomorrow.  Heh.

~Johnny~

Hoffman Blows Race Wide Open in NY-23; Leads 41-36%

From the Siena Research Institute this morning; this is the Raw Data; continuing to analyze:

Hoffman Leads Owens 41-36%; Undecided up to 18%

Loudonville, NY. On the eve of Election Day, Conservative Doug Hoffman has opened up a five point lead over Democrat Bill Owens in the race for the 23^rd Congressional District.  Republican Assembly member Dede Scozzafava still gets six percent support, but since her decision to suspend her campaign and support Owens, the number of undecided voters has doubled from nine percent to 18 percent, according to a new Siena (College) Research Institute poll of likely voters.

{{The withdrawal of Scozzafava has broken open the race, but not in the way Dede wanted. She endorsed the *DEMOCRAT*  Owens Sunday, stunning her Republican supporters, most of whom are fleeing to the Hoffman camp now.}}

If the special election were held today, who would you vote for?
	Hoffman				Owens				Scozzafava
	11/2	10/31	10/15	10/1	11/2	10/31	10/15	10/1	11/2	10/31	10/15	10/1
23rd CD	41%	35%	23%	16%	36%	36%	33%	28%	6%	20%	29%	35%
Democrats	15%	14%	10%	6%	62%	66%	55%	48%	6%	11%	17%	26%
Republicans	63%	50%	27%	22%	14%	13%	19%	16%	9%	29%	40%	47%
Independents	37%	40%	31%	20%	43%	35%	28%	23%	2%	15%	24%	26%
Clinton/Essex/Franklin/Fulton/Hamilton	34%	33%	21%	18%	45%	46%	45%	32%	5%	13%	20%	31%
Jefferson/Lewis/St. Lawrence	36%	28%	13%	10%	36%	30%	25%	23%	9%	34%	44%	53%
Madison/Oneida/Oswego	51%	44%	34%	20%	28%	33%	31%	30%	4%	12%	21%	20%

”Hoffman continues to demonstrate momentum, picking up six points since Scozzafava pulled out,” said Siena pollster Steven Greenberg.  “It appears, however, that the majority of Scozzafava’s supporters have gone to neither Hoffman nor Owens, but rather into the undecided column, which has doubled since Scozzafava ended her candidacy.”

{{And I would strongly disagree. Hoffman has the momentum with him, while Owens seems only able to maintain his position from the last poll.}}

“Hoffman has increased his lead among Republicans, while Owens maintains his lead among Democrats and has now taken the lead with independent voters,” Greenberg said.  “Owens kept his lead in the northeastern counties steady, while Hoffman extended his lead in the southern counties, and the two are dead even in the northwestern counties, the area in which Scozzafava previously led.”

Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of …
	Favorable				Unfavorable				DK/NO
	11/2	10/31	10/15	10/1	11/2	10/31	10/15	10/1	11/2	10/31	10/15	10/1
Doug Hoffman	47%	41%	23%	16%	33%	37%	15%	13%	20%	22%	63%	71%
Bill Owens	37%	40%	32%	23%	38%	36%	22%	12%	25%	24%	47%	64%
Dede Scozzafava	27%	29%	37%	33%	48%	51%	32%	20%	25%	20%	31%	47%
Joe Biden	41%	NA	NA	NA	37%	NA	NA	NA	22%	NA	NA	NA
Barack Obama	NA	59%	56%	55%	NA	37%	40%	38%	NA	4%	4%	6%

“Hoffman’s favorability rating shot up from a net positive four points to a now net positive 14 points – 47-33 percent,” Greenberg said.

“Owens’ favorability dropped slightly from a net positive four points to a net negative one point.

{{And this is the interesting part here; Owens favorability has actually dropped five points.  Scozzafava’s “endorsement” seems to be actually drivin voters away from Owens to hoffman, and driving down Owens’ favorability ratings.

“With nearly one in five voters undecided the day before Election Day and voters still trying to comprehend the dramatic withdrawal of Scozzafava, and her subsequent endorsement of Owens, this is still a wide open race,” Greenberg said.  “The two candidates and campaigns are both in a sprint to try and convince these undecided voters to support them.  Which ever campaign succeeds in convincing the undecided voters and then getting them to the polls tomorrow, will likely be looking at a victory tomorrow night.”

{{Election’s tomorrow.  The Dems are so worried they’re sending Biden in to campaign.  And Hoffman has the momentum.

Looking better and better.}}

~Johnny~

Even the Huffington Post Says: Pelosi’s Public Option Nightmare Wouldn’t Do ANYTHING they promised!

When The Huffington Post is having doubts about the new Pelosi-Reid Public Option healthcare Bill, you know there’s trouble in paradise. The major complaint: Not enough people are covered. Heck; almost no new people are covered!

WASHINGTON — What’s all the fuss about? After all the noise over Democrats’ push for a government insurance plan to compete with private carriers, coverage numbers are finally in: Two percent.

The underwhelming statistic is raising questions about whether the government plan will be the iron-fisted competitor that private insurers warn will shut them down or a niche operator that becomes a haven for patients with health insurance horror stories.

Some experts are wondering if lawmakers have wasted too much time arguing about the public plan, giving short shrift to basics such as ensuring that new coverage will be affordable.

My guess? Yeah, they Have.

The budget office estimated that about 6 million people would sign up for the public option in 2019, when the House bill is fully phased in. That represents about 2 percent of a total of 282 million Americans under age 65. (Older people are covered through Medicare.)

The overwhelming majority of the population would remain in private health insurance plans sponsored by employers. Others, mainly low-income people, would be covered through an expanded Medicaid program.

To be fair, most people would not have access to the new public plan. Under the House bill, it would be offered through new insurance exchanges open only to those who buy coverage on their own or work for small companies. Yet even within that pool of 30 million people, only 1-in-5 would take the public option.

The budget office said “a less healthy pool of enrollees” would probably be attracted to the public option, drawn by the prospect of looser rules on access to specialists and medical services.

As a result, premiums in the public plan would be higher than the average for private plans. That could nudge healthy middle-class workers and their families to sign up for private plans.

So it wouldn’t be available to most people, would be more expensive than anyone thinks, and pretty much everyone that has either private insurance or Medicare would keep what insurance they have, right?

So what’s the point?

Ben Stein said on the Saturday Morning Fox Block yesterday that it would be cheaper just to cut checks to the poor to buy their own health insurance than to fund this bleeding monstrosity of “Public Option” insurance.

So why do we persist in this madness?

Because the Public Option is what my grandmother would call a Tar Baby; a Chinese Finger Puzzle; an inescapable trap.  Once we’re in it, it’s impossible to get back out.  Once we’re in it, the government plan would undercut privae insurance and make it unprofitable for them to stay in business, and eventually we’d be left with only one option; the Public Option.

And when th government is paying for their Health Insurance, the government is can tell you the public, that you’re doing “unhealthy” things that are driing up the cost of Health Insurance — like smoking.

Or overeating.

Or eating meat.

Or not eating enough tofu; or any one of a thousand things that are politically correct, if not necessarily correct medically.

THAT, ladies and gentlemen, is our future, if we pass the Public option.

Call your damned legislators — or get used to this lady telling you what to do.

~Johnny~

Texas Rattlesnake Adventures: Black Snake vs. Rattler

Why you ought never kill a black snake.

1.)  Black snakes are faster than rattlers.

2.) Black snakes hate Rattlers.

3.) Black snakes  will swallow the rattler whole;, and . . .

4.)  Black snakes always win.

Yet black snakes don’t particularly care one way or the other about people.  So, that’s good for YOU.

So please don’t kill the black snakes.

Thank You.

~Johnny~

Your Moment of Sunday Contemplation: Fighting With Cornstalks

The main street of Washington, Georgia, is called Toombs Avenue in honor of the locally famous Civil War leader, Robert Toombs. In promoting the South’s secession before the war began, Toombs reportedly claimed, “We can beat those Yankees with cornstalks!”

After the South’s defeat someone reminded Toombs of his pre-war claim. Toombs remaining undaunted replied, “Well they wouldn’t fight with cornstalks!”

We all fight a spiritual battle with Satan. Like the Yankees, he won’t let us choose the weapons! he tempts us at our weakest and most susceptible points.

To be victorious we must trust the One who not only overcame Satan’s temptations, but who also gives us overcoming power. The Lord’s words of promise to us are, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:19, NASB).

(Courtesy Pastoral Care, Baptist Health System)

Gov’t Border Fence Built IN WRONG Location; Traps Americans on Mexican Side!

KENS-5 TV in San Antonio has a story (and a nifty video report, too) of how the government dunderheads charged with building the Border Fence have bowed and scraped to the will of the politically correct and acquiesced to every ridiculous regulation and nonsensical request – and built the wall a mile north of the border – trapping American citizens on the Mexican side!

The border wall has a Texas woman feeling left out and unprotected.

For the past ten months, crews have been busy along the Rio Grande River constructing the border wall.  The federal government said the $49-billion project is working. Fewer illegal immigrants are sneaking across, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said residents of Texas’ border cities are now safer.

However, Brownsville resident Pamela Taylor said the wall has actually made her less safe.

“I’m outside of the wall,” said 81 year-old Taylor. “I’m on what we refer to as the Mexican side.”

Taylor said she assumed the border wall would be built along the Rio Grande River, the border of Texas, but the government said because of environmental reasons and expense much of wall is not being built on the actual border.  “It doesn’t make sense,” said Taylor.

The section of the wall near Taylor’s home in Brownsville is nearly a mile away from the border, trapping her between Mexico and the wall.

“We feel like we’ve been forgotten,” said Taylor. “My son-in-law asked them how are we going to get out, and they said we hadn’t even thought of anyone getting out.”

The U.S. Border Patrol said getting out will not be a problem, because at the top of Taylor’s street is a hole in the fence. Along the Texas border there are hundreds of holes, but the government said there are no gaps in security.

The U.S. Border Patrol said the wall alone was never intended to keep people out, rather; the wall is in place to divert illegal immigrants away from neighborhoods and into the gaps where Border Patrol agents will be waiting.  “We want to utilize this as a tool,” said U.S. Border Patrol agent John Lopez. “It’s a matter of protecting this community and the country.”

“Well, he is not protecting me,” said Taylor.  Taylor said this diversion strategy has put her in the crossfire.  “We are the funnel,” said Taylor. “We don’t want to kill anybody. We don’t want to harm anybody, but we do have to protect ourselves.”

Even before the wall, Taylor has had encounters with illegal immigrants on her land and in her home. “I saw this person standing in my living room and then he would go and sit down and rock for awhile,” said Taylor. “I was so angry that someone had come into my home that I just came in … I was going to berate this person.”  But before she could said a word, the man took off.

The U.S. Border Patrol said it has increased patrol on Taylor’s street. It also monitors hundreds of cameras along the border around the clock.  “There is always going to be opposition, but our goal here to protect our country by keeping it safe,” said Lopez.

Uh-huh.

~Johnny~

A True Halloween Ghost Story, 2009

This story did not happen to me. I heard this story from a San Antonio Police Officer of over 20 years service. He swears it is true. He referred me to another officer for confirmation who was there also. He swore it was true, but asked I not use his name. “The story is too crazy,” he said. “Something like that gets out, people would think I was nuts.”

There is a hospital in downtown San Antonio, a religious hospital, that has been there for over 100 years. Their original building still stands next door to and is still connected to the newer building. The original building is still used during the day for administrative offices, training, and other purposes, but no one wants to go there at night. The building is full of noises, voices, and odd sensations. It’s traditional that when they get a call at 2am on “unusual activity” from the old building, they send a rookie cop to break him in. Sort of a hazing thing, if you know what I mean.

The officer told me he had been with the SAPD about six months and answered man calls at the old building when one night he was partnered with a rookie. As they patrolled the hospital, they got a call for “unusual activity” in the old building. The officer was on the fifth floor and sent the rookie over to the old building alone to check it out. The officer knew that whenever an investigating officer got off the elevator on the fifth floor (where the noise reports usually came from), the lights were off, there were no noises, and nothing was ever found. The rookie went to the elevator, and after waiting a few seconds for it, it occurred to him that the noise of the elevator might tip off anyone waiting on the fifth floor; so he decided to take the stairs.

He opened the door on the fifth floor and walked into a completely normal scene. Two or three nurses were working in the nursing station, their crisp starched skirts and white nursing caps gleaming under the incandescent lights. He went to the nursing station window and presented himself. “Evening, Ladies,” he said. “Any problems?”

One of the nurses looked up and smiled. She shook her head No, and returned to her paperwork. The rookie thought this was a bit rude, but said nothing. “I’ll just have a look around,” he said, and wandered down the hallway to his right. The old hallways were much narrower and curved than the newer buildings. New hospitals are required to have eight-foot wide corridors for fire safety reasons – these are barely four feet wide most places. The hallway lights, like the rooms and the nursing station, had old-fashioned incandescent bulbs; not the fluorescent long bulbs like the rest of the hospital. It gave a dim, golden glow to the hallways and rooms.

The rookie slowly walked to the end of the hallway, and saw other nurses in a few of the rooms. About half of the rooms had patients in them, although some were empty. At the end of the hall was the Nurse’s lounge, which had a few of the nurses’s coats and belongings in it. An old, short, rounded edged GE refrigerator stood in the corner. But it was the huge wooden Victrola radio in int’s four-foot wooden case that caught his eye. The rookie’s grandmother had one of these for years before she died. He hadn’t seen one since.

How Odd, he thought.

As he started to walk back his radio flared to life. It was the first officer and the supervisor, asking if he had arrived there yet. The rookie went into an empty room that faced the newer buildings and could see the officer and the supervisor on the sixth floor above him. They were shining their flashlights in the windows of the old building looking for him. The rookie radioed his position back to them, and both officer’s flashlights swung toward his window in unison. “Where are you?, called the supervisor. “We can’t see you?”

“You’re pointing your flashlights right on me,” he replied. You’re blinding me.”

The officer waved a hand over his head. “How many fingers am I holding up?”

“Four,” said the rookie.

The supervisor waved a hand over his head. “How many damned fingers am I holding up?”

“One, sarge,” replied the rookie. “And that’s not a very nice finger my grandma always said.”

The officer and the supervisor peered across the way at the old building into the room. They could still not see the rookie.

“Get back here right now,” barked the supervisor. He was clearly concerned for the rookie, although the rookie couldn’t figure out why.

The rookie didn’t know what the fifth floor ICU had been closed for five years at the time this happened. From their perch in the other building the officer and the supervisor could clearly see the same thing the rookie did; nurses, patients, and lights. Just no rookie from their vantage.

The rookie walked back to the nursing station and said goodnight to the nurses there, who smiled at him but did not reply. He walked back down the five flights and walked over to the Security station in the newer buildings. When they told him that the fifth floor had not been used in five years the rookie got annoyed at first, then angry, then went back to the fifth floor with the officer and the supervisor.

The lights were off when they arrived, and the old nurse’s station was full of boxed items. It would have been impossible to move all those boxes in the short time he’d been gone. The rooms were cluttered with old beds, furniture, and castoff equipment.

And all the lights were the newer style fluorescent – not the old incandescent.

After they told him that the fifth floor hadn’t been used the rookie got very quiet. He didn’t say a word the rest of his shift.

The next night he didn’t show up for work, and never came back. I’m not sure I would have either.

~Johnny~

There’s No Such Thing As A “Criminal Genius,” Part 99: The “Sharpie Disguise” Bandits

The worst disguise ever? Matthew Allan Nelly, 23 and Joey Lee Miller,

20 couldn’t find a mask but did find a magic marker to cover their faces.

The two were easily identified and arrested last Friday.

(Sigh . . . )

~Johnny~

“Either Newt Gingrich is lying, or someone misled him.”

“Newt Gingrich is either lying, or he’s being misled by someone.”

Bob Dugan, current Fulton County, New York Republican Committee Man. Until he resigned last week in protest of the tainted process by which liberal Dede Scozzafava secured the Republican nomination for Congress in New York’s 23rd Congressional District, Mr. Dugan was the Vice Chairman of the Fulton County, New York Republican Committee

The TCOT Report has the story HERE that may explain why Newt Gingrich is steadfatly clinging to his endorsement of Dede Scozzafava in the NY-23 race.

Somebody’s been telling Newt Stories. Somebody with connections to both the NRCC, the local upstate NY area, and access to upper-level Republican movers and shakers.

And someone who doesn’t give a great hairy ca-ca if he trashes Net’s reputation in the process. Wake Up, Mister Speaker!

Gingrich has adhered to the story that “There were four Republican meetings. In all four meetings, State Representative Dede Scozzafava came in first.”

Actually:

Dugan and many of the local Republican County Committeemen and rank and file were not happy with the tainted process by which the National Republican Congressional Committee forced the liberal Scozzafava upon this largely conservative district, as was first documented by The TCOT Report.

Scozzafava was nominated on July 22 at a meeting of the eleven county chairmen. Prior to this meeting, a series of four regional meetings were held throughout the district, at which time nine candidates were given a chance to appear in front of a select group of Republican committeemen and State Party officials.

Contrary to the Speaker’s assertions, Scozzafava received a majority of the support in only one of these four meetings. Two of the meetings resulted in support for conservative candidate Paul Maroun, and one resulted in support of conservative candidate Matt Doheny.

So how did Scozzafava get the nomination?

Despite her lack of support among the majority of the committeemen who attended the four regional meetings, Scozzafavva emerged from the July 22 meeting of the local county chairmen as the nominee of the party.

Each county was allocated a weighted vote based upon the percentage of the Republican population of the district residing in the county. After the first round of voting, Scozzafava had 49% of the vote, and the two conservatives–Maroun and Doheny–had 51% of the vote.

Which begs the question: who has been telling stories to Newt Gingrich?

Blogger Dan Riehl, in his investigative report on the NY 23 nomination process yesterday, documents that the supposedly “open” nomination process was rigged from the beginning by the NRCC, at the behest of former Western New York Congressman and NRCC Chair Tom Reynolds, who wanted the nomination to go to Scozzafava.

 

First elected to Congress in 1998, Reynolds shares Gingrich’s “big tent” philosophy and proclivity for letting Washington pick local Congressional candidates. Though he resigned from Congress in 2008, under a cloud for his handling of the Mark Foley scandal, Reynolds is said to be still closely connected to staffers at the NRCC. Over the past few years, and especially recently, the “big tent” strategy has backfired for the NRCC.

If even half of this story is true (and I have no reason to dis-believe ANY of it — the author grew up in the area of upstate NY) this is a damning indictment of the “Old Boy” network that ran (and continues to run) the internal politics of BOTH major political parties.

They just don’t understand that the entire dynamic has changed with the Tea Parties/9-12 movement. Everything has changed — and you don’t have our automatic allegiance anymore.

Get a damned clue, folks. Wake up Mister Speaker.

~Johnny~

Obama Finally Acknowledges Military’s Sacrifice~ But Why, Exactly?

The L.A. Times Notes:

President Obama made an unscheduled trip outside Washington early this morning to join a ceremony marking the return of recent U.S. war dead from Afghanistan.The president, wearing a dark suit and long, dark overcoat and accompanied by a few aides, flew in the Marine One helicopter about 80 miles east to Dover Air Force Base, where a C-17 is scheduled to arrive in a few minutes, bearing the bodies of 18 U.S. personnel killed early this week.

The president made the trip as his administration continues its now two-month-long deliberations on military strategy and troop strength.

The casualties include three Drug Enforcement Administration* agents and seven Army soldiers killed when their helicopter crashed and eight soldiers were killed in a separate incident involving an explosive device hitting their Stryker personnel vehicle.

My deepest condolences to the families of the soldiers and DEA Agents. Twenty years ago, there but for the grace of God . . .

My question is this; and I hesitate to bring it up because it might sound like I’m making a mockery of the war dead — and that’s certainly not my intent.  But you have to wonder — why is President Obama, who easily loathes the military just as much (if not more) than the Clintons; why is he even bothering to acknowledge the sacrifices of these brave soldiers and agents?

Is it because:

1. President Narcissist has finally seen the light, and is acknowledging their sacrifices?
2. It was a great opportunity for a photo-op?
3. Each one of these newly-deceased soldiers represents another new vote fro the Chicago machine?

I wish I could tell you — because I don’t think anybody is buying this act.

~Johnny~

TX Gov. Race Takes Bizarre Turn (Again) as Kay B. Shoots Self in Foot (Again)

At this point you gotta wonder if Kay Bailey Hutchison really, actually, truly wants to be Governor of Texas or not:

Former Vice President Dick Cheney uses his Sith mind-powers to befuddle weak-minded Neo-Cons.

AUSTIN — Former vice president Dick Cheney, a longtime acquaintance and supporter of U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, will formally endorse her race for governor against fellow Republican Gov. Rick Perry on Nov. 17.

“I am so pleased,” Hutchison said in a statement Wednesday. “I respect the former vice president so much. We’ve worked together; he knows my record as a conservative in the Senate.”

Baker said Cheney knew Hutchison and her husband, Ray, when he lived in Dallas as the chief executive officer of the oilfield service company Halliburton from 1995 to 2000, when he became then-Gov. George W. Bush’s running mate in the presidential race.  Cheney was a donor to Hutchison’s Senate campaigns in the 1990s. Baker said Cheney as vice president also worked with Hutchison on legislation.

“He knows her and knows she’s a true conservative leader,” Baker said.

Other connections between Hutchison and Cheney include former presidential adviser Karl Rove and Dallas fundraiser Jim Francis. Both are “kitchen cabinet” advisers to Hutchison’s campaign. In 2000, Francis headed the Pioneer fundraising effort that helped put Bush in the White House.

“It’s not surprising considering they both worked in Washington for so many years,” Perry spokesman Mark Miner said of the announcement. “The Washington establishment usually sticks together.”

And that’s the real point right there. These guys are all Washington people of the last eight years. Sure Cheney (whom I repsect and admire a great deal) worked for Halliburton and lived in Houston; and Rove and Francis are Texas guys. But they’re also intimately connected with the Bush Administration, who are spotty at best in their Conservative Credentials.

And Conservative Credentials are what’s going to win the day this election. As my previous post noted HERE, the “old-boy” way of doing business is just not going to hack it anymore. The Tea Parties/9-12ers are not blindly voting for the Republican candidate anymore, and this lack of loyalty appears to be extending into the Democraps as well (as witnessed by your humble writer, who is also, nominally, a Democrap.)

And we want people who are NOT Washington Insiders. People who are NOT going to spend all our money, (like when Kay voted for the Stimulus Bill.)

Which makes it fairly obvious from this article — Kay Bailey Just-Doesn’t-Get-It-Yet.

That day’s comin’ – very likely next November 2nd. But it’s coming. Wake up, Kay.

~Johnny~

How The NRCC Bungled (and continues to Screw-up) the NY-23 Race

Riehl World Viewhas an exclusive today that is a damning indictment of the old-guard Republican Establishment that just doesn’t “get it” with regard to the Tea Parties and the 9-12 Movement:

A special report on NY – 23 — Questions of bogus polls, large sums of wasted campaign money to cash in on GOP coffers, insider influence and politics as usual originating out of Washington, DC came my way via sources I trust within the NY GOP who wish to not be named. Independent research has verified many, if not all of their claims.

A known, well-placed NY Republican source with no dog in this fight reached out to provide the full story behind the nomination of Dede Scozzafava in NY – 23. Unfortunately, I’m forced to contradict a previous post where I blamed it onthe local GOP, while encouraging conservatives to become more involved – as I would still do. Also, to be clear, they were well aware of Michael Patrick Leahy’s account at TCOT Report. They did not dispute it, but insisted it only contained half the story as the rest likely wasn’t known by Leahy or his Conservative Party contacts.

Unfortunately, the fingers that matter appear to point back to Washington and the NRCC. No wonder we are now reading reports of the NRCC going all in for Dede in NY – 23. Someone needs to cover their behind in something that is said to have not won many friends even including within the RNC itself. That’s likely the reason why they were so slow to give to Scozzafava in NY – 23 until well after the NRCC. In short, they were ticked-off as it appears the NRCC rigged it and blew it from start to finish. But GOP first and uber alles in DC at the end of the day.

As I’ve been able to independently confirm corresponding facts, I am opting to publish the report, not to damage the GOP, or the NRCC – but because Republicans must come to terms with the power of new media in this day and age. Politics as usual will simply not cut it any more.

For her part, the woman who engineered this epic Republican political fiasco, Assemblywoman Janet Duprey, remains unbowed and unrepentant in her conservative apostasy. Nor does she make any excuses for the blatant cronyism she exercised in supporting her friend and ideological compatriot in the New York State Assembly in her bid to win a seat in Congress.

While true and Duprey certainly deserves plenty of blame according to my sources, the more important claim is not that the NRCC delegated the decision to local Republicans like Duprey, as Newt would insist, instead they deferred to an old line power broker, former NRCC Chair and former NY Representative Tom Reynolds. They insist NRCC Executive Director, Guy Harrison, or his aides, were on the ground to sheppard Scozzafava through the allegedly open process from selection to finish, regardless of polls, or how local Republicans felt. The NRCC in the person of Reynolds thought they knew better than that and them.

The gist of the article is that when the seat became open (thr preceding representative was appointed by the NY Governor to fill Hillary Clinton’s old Senate seat), the NRCC reached out to the local GOP for candidates, and Assemblywoman Janet Duprey hand-picked Dede Scozzafav, her best friend, to be the nominee. The old timers fell right into line, and even snookered Newt Gingrich into falling for their line as well.

The conservatives of the Tea Party/9-12ers were not so easily rooked into buying the pig in a poke.

The TCOT Report is working on an expose as I write this on who snookered Gingrish into drinking the Kool-Aid. Meanwhile, read this story and be more than a little shocked at how taken for granted we are as Conservatives.

Wake up, GOP. We’ve been awakefor months now; and we’re no sheep.

~Johnny~

Texas Examiner: Fiscally Conservative Texan’s proposition guide

Bridgette Wallis at the Texas Examiner has a comprehensive little guide to the ballot propositions upcoming in the Texas elections next week:

Early voting is ongoing and the general special election is next Tuesday, November 3rd.

Since Republicans need to get back to their fiscally conservative roots, this voting guide is geared toward that goal.

Proposition 1:   NO see background article

Proposition 2:   YES, residential properties near commercial locations are sometimes assessed for tax purposes at a commercial rate. This amendment would correct the situation.

Proposition 3:   YES, the state has already set universal requirements for tax assessing, but has no power to enforce it. This amendment would correct the situation.

Proposition 4:   NO, see background article.  Fiscal conservatives do not empower the government to expand their scope and their need for funds because it increases the tax burden.

Proposition 5:   YES, money saving

Proposition 6:   YES, these bonds have a history of being paid back

Proposition 7:   YES, expands the military exemption

Proposition 8:    NO, federal issue, previous funding by the federal government and might make it easier for the federal government to continue underfunding veteran’s causes.  Where is the federal stimulus funding for veteran’s related needs?  However, for the other side on this issue, see this article.

Proposition 9:   NO, possible eminent domain abuses and Texas already has an Open Beaches Act

Proposition 10:   NO, easier to keep officials accountable with the standard 2 year term

Proposition 11:   YES, it adds protections against eminent domain abuse. See Dallas Morning News article

Bridgette has more good stuff HERE at the Texas Examiner, too. Check her out.

~Johnny~

American Thinker: Narcissistic Rage vs. “The Chicago Way”

Oh, you have GOT to read THIS. It explains so much of what I’ve been trying to say for months now:

Last week’s coordinated Obama attack on Fox News made no PR sense. Fox increased its viewership by 10%. Obama lost points in the polls; you can give the American people only so many demonstrations of the Chicago Way before they figure out you aren’t the Great Healer after all.

Obama is far and away the biggest and most naive narcissist in living memory to occupy the White House. He hasn’t been smoothed and polished by years of deal-making in the Senate like LBJ. The outrage looks like it was just an uncontrollable expression of who Obama and his crew are. If we get more of this, Obama’s carefully buffed sheen will be permanently damaged for the saner 70% of the population. The other 30% will always fall for him anyway.

Pathological narcissism is a reflection of weakness, not strength. Tom Bevan at RealClearPolitics points out how much of it has been happening in less than a year of this administration, including months of a honeymoon period. Obama constantly uses wild and irresponsible accusations against his perceived enemies.

The whole article is like this; informative, perceptive, and calmly devastating to the perceived Savior of the Democratic Masses.

Better hurry and read this before somebody gets sued . . . or audited within an inch of their lives.

~Johnny~

Someone Else You Should Be Paying Attention To: Marco Rubio in Florida

Spiffy little interview with Rubio as he seeks to overthrow Governor Charlie Crist in Crist’s quest for the open Senate Seat in Florida.  Rubio is a Cubano-American who’s an actual honest-to-God conservative.  Rubio, who is the former Speaker of the Florida House, is lightning-quick popping out answers to the poorly-prepared Scarborough:

(Before watching the video, say “Crist’s Quest” three times fast.  Won’t prove anything, but it’s fun to try.)

Watch & Learn, my young Padawans . . .

~Johnny~