Meet the new boss . . .

the United States government.

Yesterday, Barack Obama showed who is running General - er, Government Motors.  (Link to story here.)

Today comes news that if the Democrats get their way, government will have the power to set the wages of EVERY employee of any company that receives federal bailout funds.  (Link to story here.)

Were all the bailouts and stimulus bills simply stupid, misguided, tax-and-spend liberalism running amuck?  Or is this a coordinated effort by the socialists running our government to nationalize American industry?

Either way, this trend must end.  Freedom depends on it.

Tell Senator McCaskill what you think

I recently received this e-mail from Missouri's junior senator:

Dear [Saint Louis Conservative]:

Right now, as our nation faces its most serious economic crisis in decades, Congress and the President worked together in order to pass the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). This recovery package will energize and uplift our state’s economy, and I want to talk to you about the many exciting opportunities for Missourians: thousands of jobs for our state, improvements to our infrastructure, much needed aid for small businesses, help for our schools and neighborhoods, and assistance for homeowners, to name a few.

That’s why I will be hosting a Kitchen Table Talk in your area on Tuesday, April 7, 2009:

St. Charles County (9:00 AM – 10:00 AM)
Saint Charles County Community College
Gymnasium
4601 Mid Rivers Mall Drive
Cottleville, MO 63376

Franklin County (12:00 PM – 1:00 PM)
East Central College
Theater
1964 Prairie Dell Road
Union, MO 63084

Please join me for this important discussion. These events are free and open to everyone. You can RSVP from my website: http://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/kitchentable, as well as get more information. The attached press release explains additional details. If you have questions or concerns, please contact my Saint Louis Office at (314) 367-1364. 

I look forward to seeing you there.

All best,
Senator Claire McCaskill

Please, if you are conservative, in the neighborhood, and have the time (I don't) go to one of these events and ask Senator McCaskill just how we're going to pay for this so-called stimulus package.  There are only four possible answers . . . 1) we'll just borrow it from the Chinese government (or somebody else with gobs of money) . . . 2) we're going to raise your taxes through the roof . . . 3) we'll just print more and more money, we've got lots of paper and ink . . . or 4) all of the above.

If she gives you any other answer, it is just a politician's song and dance, which isn't something I would put up with around my kitchen table.

Just for laughs, I'd also like to hear someone ask Claire actually read the stimulus bill before she voted for it.  

Serious and Credible Threats to National Sovereignty

Some claim that the writing has been on the wall for years and that efforts have been underway to do away with the nation-state and replace it with a single world government.  I don't believe that there's sufficient evidence to support many of the conspiracy theories but threats to national sovereignty are now coming out in the open.

Fox News is reporting . . . "A United Nations document on 'climate change' that will be distributed to a major environmental conclave next week envisions a huge reordering of the world economy, likely involving trillions of dollars of wealth transfer, millions of job losses and gains, new taxes, industrial relocations, new tariffs and subsidies, and complicated payments for greenhouse gas abatement schemes and carbon taxes - all under the supervision of the world body."  (Link to story here.)

Who can blame the U.N. for making a power grab now?  With the weak and probably sympathetic Barack Obama heading the government of the world's largest economy, which happens to be struggling, and which happens to be the likely target of "wealth transfer . . . job losses . . . taxes . . . [and] tariffs" there's no time like the present.  And, in fact, they had better act quickly before the cover is fully blown on non-existent global warming.

I've said it before - recently - sovereign nations must draw the line or they will cease to exist.  America cannot allow the U.N. to transfer what's left of our wealth to other nations of their choosing.  We cannot allow our jobs or industries to be involuntarily moved to locations deemed "better" for the planet.  We cannot allow our citizens to be taxed or "supervised" by the U.N.

And, by the way, we cannot succumb to a one-world currency either.  Sorry for the casual treatment, SLC doesn't have time at the moment to write on that subject.

Liberal Democrat pleads guilty to vote fraud in St. Louis

In a "shocking" development, someone who worked for the liberal, pro-Democrat, Missouri Progressive Vote Coalition pleaded guilty to submitting false voter registration cards before last years elections.  (Link to St. Louis Post-Dispatch story here.) 

Are these folks our own local version of ACORN?

Concealed carry prevents armed robbery in Miami

Link to story here.

A sign of things to come?

Governments borrow money by selling bonds.  The United Kingdom tried to sell enough bonds to raise 1.75 billion pounds ($2.55 billion) and failed.  There weren't enough investors.  (Link to story here.)

The United States is planning on going deeper and deeper into debt with repeated stimulus plans and bailouts, not to mention Barack Obama's big government programs.  What is going to happen when our government tries to borrow billions or trillions and investors can't be found?

I can think of only three possible answers . . . massive cutbacks on government spending, enormous tax increases, and/or printing piles of new money.

Cutting government spending could be a good thing, but probably won't be when you see who would get to decide what to cut and what not to cut.  Big tax increases would be unbearable and send our economy spiraling even further downward.  And printing money would, of course, make the money that we have accumulated so far worth a heck of a lot less.

The time has come for the United States of America to discover responsibility again.  We have to stop - right now - spending what we don't have.  We've got to stop paying to send our troops around the world to act as a police force or a tripwire.  We've got to stop sending money we don't have as financial aid to other countries.  We don't have the luxury to pay for every program or idea, domestic or international, that sounds like it might be beneficial.  

It is time, actually it is far past time, to tighten the government's belt.  If the folks in D.C. won't do it, we should toss them out on their collective ears as soon as possible and replace them with someone who knows what it means to say no.

Absence makes the readership grow fonder? Again?

Fortunately for the blogger, I still have a real job.  I also have a family and, believe it or not, I enjoy spending time with my family more than I enjoy blogging.  No comment about the job.

In any event, I've been too busy or too tired to write anything since last week.  I had planned on getting to this last night but the few minutes of President Obama's press conference that I caught lulled me to sleep.  I saw repeated boring delivery of long-winded nonsense.  Did my random sample give me a good sense of the whole?  Or was anyone awake long enough to know?

Who is responsible for AIG bonuses?

Check out this story and decide for yourself.

Go Duke!

I've never rooted for Duke University's basketball team in my life, but if Mizzou doesn't win the NCAA tournament this year, I hope that the Blue Devils do.

Why?

The reaction of Duke's legendary coach, Mike Krzyzewski, to news that Barack Obama "spent part of Tuesday making his tournament picks for ESPN, which posted his completed bracket online Wednesday and showed the First Fan [I didn't know that was an official title] filling it out with Andy Katz on the noon edition of "Sportscenter."

Coach K said, "the economy is something that he should focus on, probably more than brackets."  (Link to story here.)

True enough Coach.  But you have to give Obama credit for working on something about which he might have a clue for a change.

U.N. Taxation = Global Government . . . Just Say No!

Some friends have called me naive because I've discounted the conspiracy theories claiming that this policy or that policy is a purposeful step by some shady international cabal toward their ultimate goal of a single world government.  But today even I am worried about national sovereignty . . .

The United Nations Environment Program ("UNEP") will be presenting a report to world leaders in London on April 2 calling for a $750 billion "Global Green New Deal."  (Link to story here.)  The program itself, though massive in scale, is just more of the typical environmentalist gibberish about energy efficient buildings, renewable energy, and the like.  

But the scary part is the suggestion by UNEP's Executive Director that the U.N. levy a tax on oil to pay for the program.  

An international organization with the power to levy taxes on citizens of "independent" nations?  Is one-world government really that far away?

The sovereign nations of the world must draw the line . . . just say no to U.N. taxes.

Obama's $2,000,000,000,000 tax increase

Liberal Democrats, including our president, are so blinded by environmental extremism that they are willing to destroy American industry and our economy along with it.  

How?  By implementing a "cap-and-trade" plan that sets "caps" on carbon emissions and allows companies to buy (apparently from the government) and "trade" allowances for additional emissions.  The Obama administration estimates that this will cost industry "close to $2 trillion" over eight years.  That's "nearly three times the White House's initial estimate."  (Link to Washington Times story here.)

Brilliant, don't you think, to add $2 trillion in costs to industry at a time when the economy is already slow and jobs harder to come by?

And, oh yeah, who will pay that $2 trillion?  You, me, and everybody who buys a product - if you'll be able to find any - that is made in the United States.  In the words of a prominent Republican staffer . . . "Since this energy tax won't affect manufacturers in Mexico, India and China, it will do nothing but drive American jobs overseas."

All this in the name of saving the planet from non-existent global warming.

Anybody who voted for Obama having buyer's remorse yet?  Or, is the better question . . . is anybody not?

Have you ever wondered how and why everything you hear from Big Media sounds exactly the same?

If so, today is your lucky day.  Michael Calderone at Politico has exposed the existence of JournoList, "an 0ff-the-record online meeting space" for "several hundred left-leaning bloggers, political reporters, magazine writers, policy wonks and academics."  (Link to story here.)

No wonder the "news" seems cloned.

Global Warming Roundup

I've been very busy lately and, frankly, haven't had time to scour the world for news.  So, today's items come to you from The Drudge Report.  I was interested to see three story's listed involving global warming.

First, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee scientists have published a study showing, get this Al Gore, climate change over the past 100 years is "all natural."  Temperature shifts have been caused by natural synchronization of forces over global climate systems.  The reasoning too theoretical and mathematical for me but the conclusion is clear . . . human beings aren't causing global warming.  Rather, the earth is complex and we have no idea why it was warming and is cooling.  

Second, a researcher at Florida State University has published a report showing that hurricane and cyclone activity "has completely and utterly collapsed during the past 2 to 3 years."  Storm "energy levels" have dropped to where they were in the 1970s.  "This should not be a surprise to scientists since the natural variability in climate dominates any detectible or perceived global warming impact."  Take note all you global warming nuts.

Finally, third, some good news from the U.S. Senate . . . eight Democrats have joined 25 Republicans and indicated their opposition to White House plans to ram through a "cap and trade" bill as part of the budget process (which, by Senate rules, is a process immune to filibuster).  Kudos to these 33 Senators for realizing that, in the words of their joint letter, "legislation so far-reaching should be fully vetted and given appropriate time for debate."  But, here's a question . . . where were the other 31 Republicans?

Senator Charles Grassley - a class act?

Rightfully outraged at AIG executive bonuses following a massive government bailout, Senator Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) suggested that he would "feel a little bit better" if those executives would "follow the Japanese model and take that deep bow and say I'm sorry, and then either do one of two things - resign or go commit suicide."  (Link to Politico story here.)

Classy, don't you think?

Now, I don't pretend to be politically correct.  I'm all for free speech and rhetoric, but Grassley's comments are vaguely racist, insensitive, and downright stupid.

3/17/09 update:  Grassley explains his statement.  Associated Press story here.

Missouri Economic Stimulus may be in the works . . . thanks to Illinois

The ouster of Rod Blagojevich from the Illinois governor's office may have big benefits for Missouri (and Indiana and every other state bordering Illinois).  How?  His replacement, fellow Democrat Pat Quinn plans a 50% income tax increase on Illinois families making over $56,000 per year.  (Link to story here.)

If the Illinois legislature is dumb enough to go along with the plan, it won't take long for businesses and residents to flee the state.

As a Missourian, I have to say, "Thanks Pat!  Good luck!"

Democrats in Congress trying to intimidate Arizona Sheriff for enforcing immigration laws

The Sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona, Joe Arpaio, has "dozens of officers under his command" who have been trained by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency and partnered with them to enforce immigration laws.  And, seemingly unlike the federal government, the Maricopa County has actually been enforcing those laws.  As of last August, in the course of 18 months "nearly 2,300" undocumented aliens had been arrested as the result of specific programs directed at illegal immigration and human smuggling on the county's roads.  In addition, 16,000 -- 16,000! -- prisoners in Maricopa County jails "were determined to be illegal aliens."  Now, they'll be deported after serving their time, thanks to the Sheriff's efforts.

But is Maricopa County getting the big pat on the back that they deserve?  Nope.  The sheriff and his deputies are being investigated by the Justice Department at the urging of liberal Democrats John Conyers, Jerrold Nadler, Zoe Lofgren, and Robert Scott.  ACORN is lending its support to the investigation with a petition drive and rallies.  (Link to story here.)

The investigation centers on "patterns or practices of discriminatory police practices and unconstitutional searches and seizures conducted by the MCSO [Maricopa County Sheriff's Office], and on the allegations of national origin discrimination."

Now, don't get me wrong.  The Sheriff's Department should follow the law and the constitution.  If they're failing to do so, they should be stopped.  

But, this sure smells like intimidation to me.  It is a signal to law enforcement officials everywhere, including those in the Missouri Highway Patrol, to turn the other way to illegal immigration or face investigation yourself.

Haven't we turned the other way for too long?

Lessons in economics . . . from China

I was intrigued by this story about car sales in China.  Despite global economic woes, they "surged" 25% last month.  Why?  The government cut taxes on auto sales.

Even Red China knows that tax cuts stimulate the economy.  Maybe our president and the Democrats leading Congress will learn a lesson.

What is $765,000,000,000?

The difference between the amount of money that the federal government took in and the amount it has spent since the current fiscal year began on October 1.  That's a record deficit - for a whole year - in just five months!  The prior record was "only" $454.8 billion.  And President Obama is projecting a $1.75 TRILLION deficit this year.  That's more than double - DOUBLE - the prior record.  (Link to story here.)

Yet what do we hear out of Washington?  Tighten the government's belt?  Cut back on unnecessary spending?

Not a chance.  Instead, Congress passed and Obama is ready to sign a $410 billion spending bill even though it contains 7,991 earmarks representing $5.5 billion in spending and, no doubt, tens of billions of dollars in additional pork.  (Link to story here.)

Enough already.  I know that it is silly to expect our government to spend within its means but wouldn't it be nice to see them try to cut back a little bit?

9/11 Terrorists Speak Out - time to finish their trial

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his four co-defendants in the Guantanamo Bay war crimes trial relating to the attacks of September 11, 2001, have issued a six-page statement, in the words of the Associated Press, "to try to justify the killing of nearly 3,000 people."  (Link to story here.)  In the statement, all five men admit that they are terrorists ("terrorists to the bone" even), admit to preparing the attack plans of 9/11/01, and describe that operation as "blessed."

The trial against these terrorists was proceeding under the Bush administration but was stopped when Barack Obama took office.  Obama has ordered the closure of the prison at Guantanamo and, according to AP, his administration is "consider[ing] new strategies for prosecuting terrorists."

Here's a new strategy . . . finish the trial that was started.  Let these guys, again, admit their guilt.  Sentence them for their crimes.  And carry out the sentences.  

Doesn't seem to require much strategizing to me.

Anybody else getting the sense that this administration is in over its head?

The CONSTANTLY Scripted President

On February 12, SLC noted that Barack Obama couldn't handle a press conference without a teleprompter.  (Link here.)

Yesterday, Carol Lee at Politico, pointed out that "Obama doesn't go anywhere without his TelePrompter . . . Obama has relied on a teleprompter through even the shortest announcements and when repeating the same lines on his economic stimulus plan that he's been saying for months."

Has America elected a pretty face in an empty suit?  It sure seems that way.

And if the man isn't smart enough to speak without reading a script, doesn't it beg the question . . . who is writing the script?

Another slice of bologna . . . Obama lying about healthcare bankruptcies

When President Barack Obama delivered his speech last week, I didn't think that I could stomach any more baloney.  But, no surprise, he's still serving it up.  Today, he kicked "off his health care reform today in the worst possible way:  with a mischaracterization of data."  So says Gary Langer, director of polling at ABC News in this piece.

Specifically, Obama overstated the effects of rising health care costs by claiming that those costs "now cause a bankruptcy in America every thirty seconds."  That claim paints quite a picture.  But it isn't true.  It is a claim based on old and discredited data.

Langer cites a more recent study that shows "about eight-tenths of one percent of Americans lived in families that filed for bankruptcy as a result of medical costs."  Now, don't get me wrong, that's bad for every one of those families but the truth doesn't paint quite the picture that Obama's made-up-fact did . . . does it?

Blunt v. Steelman

SLC has been VERY busy lately and has missed several items in the news.  But one story (at least) deserves mention . . . Sarah Steelman's single-handed effort to destroy the Missouri Republican Party.  Thanks to a regular reader who e-mailed me this story from The Politico back on February 19.  Steelman is already taking pot-shots at Roy Blunt and setting the stage for a bloody primary race for the GOP senate nomination in 2010.  

Steelman - who will lose that race - seems unfazed by history and unabashedly selfish.  Last year she destroyed whatever chance Kenny Hulshof had of upsetting Jay Nixon in the race for governor.  Now she's primed to go negative on Blunt and save Robin Carnahan the effort - and the money - while forcing Blunt to spend money on the primary battle instead of the general election.

Sarah, at the risk of sounding like Dr. Phil, IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU!  Get over yourself already and think about what's best for the Republican Party and for the country.  Back off and wait your turn.  In 2012, you might just be the ideal choice to challenge Claire McCaskill.  

Attempted murder

St. Louis is appalled at the reported actions of Elyse Mamino, an Illinois woman accused of giving birth to a baby girl and trying to drown her in a toilet.  (Link to Post-Dispatch story here.)

But shouldn't we be just as appalled that if she had tried to kill her baby just a few hours earlier it would have been her legally sanctioned "choice"?

What happens when you place a "community organizer" in charge of U.S. foreign policy?

A "secret" letter that Barack Obama sent to Russian president Dmitri Medvedev has been "exposed."  (Link to story here.)  In it, Obama offered to stop deployment of a missile defense system in Eastern Europe if Russia influenced Iran to drop its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.  

Medvedev's response . . . laughter.  Drudge is reporting that in a press conference today, Medvedev "welcomed 'positive signals' coming from the Obama administration" but also state that "haggling" was not "productive."  (Link here.)

Allow me to translate (please assume Russian accent when reading):  "Thank you, Mr. Obama, for expressing your willingness to sell Poland and your other 'friends' and 'allies' in Eastern Europe down the Volga.  But asking Russia to do you a favor and respond in kind, well, that's not an option.  Silly American."

Maybe Obama believed the campaign hype . . . if Americans simply elected him, the rest of the world would love us, fall in line, and do what we wanted, simply because of the "greatness" of Obama.

Silly American.