Posts
$27.5 million to change font of street signs in New York City … but
This is one of those stories that will really get TEA Party members all worked up, but it’s for the wrong reason. It makes sense to change from all UPPERCASE to Lowercase as the signs need to be replaced since they really are easier to read. There are issues however.
No worries Tea Party folks: Democrats just won’t learn … their funeral
I am stunned at how quickly the lessons of last night have been forgotten, or is it never learned? Just keep plowing ahead on the ultra liberal, big government, tax and spend agenda, and ignore the message from Democrats and independents in the Commonwealth. Read more
Obama promise expires – Iraq and Afghanistan supplemental spending continues
Today, President Obama asked Congress for an additional $85 billion in supplemental funding for military and diplomatic efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. On Feb. 24, Obama stated that military spending would no longer be “hidden” within supplemental bills, it would be included in the regular budget request.
Of course, the spending was never really “hidden” since it was real spending and always included in reporting, but that did not stop the Obama team from complaining about the way things were done. They absolutely dismissed emergency spending legislation – until day 80 in office.
Here’s a story courtesy of Wired with a direct quote from Obama on Feb. 24…
In his address last night on the economic crisis, President Barack Obama made it official: No more budgetary sleight-of-hand at the Pentagon.
As we have noted here before, the U.S. military has largely paid for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan through emergency spending measures, in effect keeping wartime costs off the books. In addition to masking skyrocketing budget growth at the Department of Defense, this process has allowed the services to treat budget supplementals as a piggy bank for new procurement. Members of Congress may have grumbled about poor oversight, but they have largely acquiesced.
Obama’s message? Not anymore.
“That is why this budget looks ahead ten years and accounts for spending that was left out under the old rules – and for the first time, that includes the full cost of fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan,” he said. “For seven years, we have been a nation at war. No longer will we hide its price.”
Forty-five days later, that promise has expired. Here’s the report from the AP on the Fox News Web site.
President Obama asked Congress on Thursday for $83.4 billion for U.S. military and diplomatic operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, pressing for special troop funding that he opposed two years ago when he was senator and George W. Bush was president.
Obama’s request, including money to send thousands more troops to Afghanistan, would push the costs of the two wars to almost $1 trillion since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, according to the Congressional Research Service. The additional money would cover operations into the fall.
Obama is also requesting $350 million in new funding to upgrade security along the U.S.-Mexico border and to combat narcoterrorists, along with another $400 million in counterinsurgency aid to Pakistan.
“Nearly 95 percent of these funds will be used to support our men and women in uniform as they help the people of Iraq to take responsibility for their own future — and work to disrupt, dismantle and defeat al-Qaida in Pakistan and Afghanistan,” Obama wrote in a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.
The AP story goes on to note the administration admits they did not like the policy in the past, but this time it was necessary since the money would be needed before Congress completed their regular appropriations process.
Uhh. OK.
It’s all smoke and mirrors and politics. It does not matter whether the spending is in the budget or in supplementals. They used the Bush administration policy as a campaign point, got into office and did exactly the same thing the Bush administration was doing.
Another promise expired. When do we start calling President Obama a liar?
So, how’s that wiretap program going Barack?
The Tea Party Continues – Stamford Success/Florida Cancelled -City Fears Crowd – Update: Florida On
Update 2: The Florida Rally in Cape Coral City is back on. Pam Fowler, Connecticut’s Tea party Point person writes to tell me this:
Despite the efforts of the local government in Cape Coral, FL, to prevent people from showing up, the tea party is on! FreedomWorks activist Mary Rakovich is taking over the planning of the April 1st Tea Party and wants to send a message to the city that the people of Cape Coral will be heard.
Update 1: Here’s video of the Tea Party in Stamford yesterday, shot by RVO Chat Room veteran Judy A. (H/T to Rick R). The great audio starts around 2:00. Nice job everyone.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSbOD59fuwo
And here’s a slide show I put together from the video:
Sunday Post: The Tea Party movement is alive and well, growing and spreading and folks are beginning to take notice. The Hartford Courant covered yesterday’s Stamford Tea party.
Critics dismiss the phenomenon as little more than a sharply partisan attack on President Barack Obama and the Democrats. But the protesters say their cause represents something bigger: a collective yell of “I’m not going to take it anymore” from the American taxpayer.
The movement takes its name, and much of its imagery, from American history. Participants — including home-schooling moms, Libertarians and Rush Limbaugh Republicans — compare themselves to the 18th century patriots who dumped tea into Boston Harbor to protest taxation without representation.
Compare? I think its more like we draw our inspiration from. But this line kinda cracked me up …
Yet the target is unmistakably Obama and the Democrats. At a Tea Party protest that drew about 300 people in Ridgefield last weekend, one participant carried a sign that read “Obama=Socialism,” according to a report in The News-Times of Danbury.
Well … they are the ones in power and cramming this through. Just saying, that’s all.
Meanwhile in Florida, Cape Coral canceled a Tea Party there because they feared more than 500 people might show up. Under the circumstances, the city requires insurance for a crowd of that size and stopped the event ...
Lynn Rosko planned to hold a tax payer tea party at Jaycee Park in Cape Coral on April 1st. The idea was announced at a Cape Coral City Council meeting, then an e-mail blast by the Republican Party and it was mentioned in the local media. With all of that attention, the City of Cape Coral felt there could be more than 500 people attending the tea party.
Therefore Rosko needed to get a permit and insurance for the event. Rosko says she’s not willing to get insurance and accept liability for something that a stranger could do.
Its not surprising they wanted her to get insurance, and not surprising she would say no … to me this is just further evidence of the grass roots nature of the movement. If there was a political party or organization behind this, insurance would be no problem. Going forward though … these are things The Tea Party organizers are going to have to consider.
Red State has a nice take on this one:
Remember this report from our nation’s history?
CNN (Continental News Network) Boston, 1773: The city of Boston canceled a proposed protest over tea taxes today, citing the fear that too many people dressed as Indians would be gathered near the wharves. Organizers expressed sadness over the cancellation, but meekly returned to their homes fearful of upsetting the officers of the Crown. Taxmen breathed a sigh of relief as the tar and feathers were put away not to be used this day.
Ya gotta love it. Go ahead and read their take. And there’s another post here.
There’s No More Money – Update: Cavuto Interviews Hannen
Update: Cavuto just finished interviewing MEP Hannen. Video below.
This is a must watch. It is a speech given at the European Parliament by MEO Daniel Hannen, who represents South East England. He is speaking to British PM Gordon Brown. Listen and see if the person he is describing sounds anything like our young President.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94lW6Y4tBXs
These are seas we are sailing into. This is precisely where we are headed. The White House Press Corps is finally starting to get it. I hope Americans will soon too. It is a good companion piece to the AIG I Quit post.
Update: Cavuto tells Hannen that Obama will soon be trying to sell big government spending to the G 20 … which Hannen says is not only a terrible idea but makes no sense, even to the average person on the street. Listen all the way to the end where he first takes a shot at Republicans for bringing this on themselves … and then compliments Obama, but ina sort of back handed way.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czPyVszGHYw
Cavuto went on to ask him if he would consider running for PM. “I am not a PM”, he responded. We’ll see.
Headed For European Socialism?
That’s what Senator Mitch McConnell says will happen if we pass the Porkapalooza. He also tries to put into perspective Obama’s charge that the national debt doubled under George Bush. Says McConnell, increased spending for sure … but as a percentage of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product … nothing like what we are about to see.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iwPO8SBi24
BTW …. here’s the Obama bite from last night.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0_fTeIAWy0
No question … the Republicans couldn’t control spending, no question debt rose … no question … you ain’t seen nothing yet.