Economics

by

Why regaining the senate is so vital

The 5-4 vote by the Supreme Court in the so-called Hobby Lobby case should serve as a wake-up call for conservatives who still haven’t understood the importance of gaining Republican control of the Senate in the mid-term elections this fall.

If you needed a clearer reminder why a Republican senate is so imperative, the vote in opposition by liberals on the Court, including Obama appointees Elena Kagan and Sonya Sotomayor, is it.  Continued Democrat control of the senate will assure the nomination of left-leaning individuals should one or more vacancies occur during the remainder of Obama’s term.

Regular readers of this blog know that I have been reminding you that we need to win six seats in November, most likely in Arkansas, Montana, Louisiana, South Dakota, North Carolina and West Virginia, where incumbent Democrats are most vulnerable.

OB-UP782_oreill_E_20120917235735(blogs.wsj.com)

Fox’s Bill Reilly captured my thoughts so powerfully that they are quoted here today. (blogs.wsj.com)

From time to time I happen to be on the same page with Fox’s Bill O’Reilly and, his June 30, 2014 Talking Points on this subject was one of those occasions.  It was refreshing because most of the media is inaccurately reporting the implications of the Court decision.  And, I noted Hillary Clinton, speaking in Aspen, also misinterpreted the decision; undoubtedly to support her “war on women” agenda.

“The Obama administration wants all corporations to fund things like the morning after pill, which many religious Americans believe is an abortion-inducing medication,” said O’Reilly, but adds, “the national media did not report that … (continuing) to say the Hobby Lobby case is about birth control per se, which it is not.”

Disturbed by the Court opinion of the four liberal justices, O’Reilly states they “apparently believe that American taxpayers should fund abortions.”  Noting the fact that religious freedom is a hallmark of the Constitution, he points to the liberal vote as contradicting the Constitution, and “that’s frightening.” Continue reading →

by

Kramer’s musings …

                                             Beware the advice of the opposition

“I think the Republicans are wasting their time using that (ObamaCare) as their electoral issue, and they will find that out.”  –  House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)

If the Democrats really believed that, do you think they would be telling us?  It reminds me of how they tell us if we agree to amnesty, Hispanics will vote Republican.

                                                … and speaking of Nancy Pelosi

Did you hear how she corrected a reporter who asked her a question about ObamaCare?  “It’s called the Affordable Care Act,” she said, and then repeated, “It’s the Affordable Care Act.”  Then she continued by saying, “That’s a case we have to make.  We’re grown ups.”  And when the reporter reminded her that even the president calls it ObamaCare, she told him, “I tell them the same thing I told you.”

Pelosi (Evan Vucci AP photo)

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi reminds reporter that it is the Affordable Care Act, not ObamaCare. (Evan Vucci AP photo)

As if that wasn’t clear enough in her mind, she went on as if she were a kindergarten teacher to say, “Affordable. Affordable.  There’s a reason.  Affordable.  Affordable.  Affordable.   Affordable.  Affordable.”  All this to make her point that Republicans refuse to use the official name because they know it is more affordable.  Nearly everyone knows that for the majority of people, the Affordable Care Act is not more affordable.  Premiums are up and deductibles are up.  Republicans should continue to use “ObamaCare” to hang this miserable program on its namesake. Continue reading →

by

The kiss of death for job training’s future

For decades the federal government has been involved in job training and, like nearly every other government-run activity, there’s waste and inefficiency at a time when our economy cries for results.

Coburn(foxnews)

Sen. Tom Coburn (foxnews photo)

For some time now, Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) has been shining the spotlight on this bureaucratic mess, talking about the web of 47 separate programs across nine different agencies, each of which overlapped with another program in providing similar services to similar populations.

In his January 2014 State-of-the-Union address, some five years into his presidency, President Obama announced that he was tasking Vice President Joe Biden to do a complete review of federal job training programs.  It’s the kiss of death.  Don’t expect any results even though the president has said he will use his executive prerogative to reduce duplication and demand effectiveness.

I’ve got to hand it to Coburn.  He immediately sent a letter to Biden, offering his support.  He reminded the vice president of the $18 billion annually spent on the 47 programs.  America Forward calculates the cost of all workforce development programs is closer to $60 billion. Continue reading →

by

Democrats are insulting women

“All issues are women’s issues.  We are half of this great nation,” said Carly Fiorina to enthusiastic applause and a standing ovation at the recent Conservative Political Action Conference.

Fiorina(wired.com)

Carly Fiorina (wired.com. photo)

“I accept and respect that not all women agree with me, “ she said, “what I’m not prepared to accept is that we are waging war on women, just because we know that abortion at five months is inhumane to both mother and child.”

For Democrats to say Republicans are waging a war on women just because they want to restrict access to abortion and birth control is an insult to women, Fiorina added.

This piece isn’t about Fiorina, but it’s interesting to make note of her impressive career, especially the fact that she became the first female officer of AT&T’s male-dominated Network Systems Division at 35 years of age.

While I imagine she is no longer concerned about gender disadvantages in her own future, she is surely aware that those disadvantages still persist for other women, and often speaks of the role of women from the conservative viewpoint.  In her view, “it is liberals who believe they know what is good for you.”

Democrats focus on abortion and birth control to distract from the real issues facing women where they have utterly failed – jobs, pay, the economy and, yes, health insurance. Continue reading →

by

You can’t make this stuff up folks

031114_kelly_jolly_640

Rep. Dave Jolly (FoxNews.com photo)

NEWS THEY THOUGHT YOU DIDN’T NEED – The three so-called main stream television networks – ABC, CBS and NBC – did not carry the results of the election in Florida’s 13th District, where Republican Dave Jolly defeated Democrat Alex Sink. The special election was held to fill the seat long held by Republican Bill Young.  The election is said to be a sign of voter discontent over ObamaCare and portends a change in the public’s political mood as the mid-term elections approach.

THERE SHE GOES AGAIN  – Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, the Democrat representative of Texas’ 18th District gave us another history lesson.  “Maybe I should offer a good thanks to the distinguished members of the majority, the Republicans, my chairman and others, for giving us an opportunity to have a deliberative constitutional discussion that reinforces the sanctity of this nation and how well it is that we have lasted some 400 years, operating under a constitution that clearly defines what is constitutional and what is not, “she said in a floor speech.  She was only 173 years off.  Our constitution was adopted on Sept. 17, 1787.

Lee(dailycaller.com)

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (DailyCaller.com photo)

DURING A BRIEFING on the Mars Pathfinder at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory not only ago, Representative Lee asked if the vehicle would be able to send back photos of where Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin planted the American flag. I’m not sure how they politely told her that took place on the Moon.

IN JULY 2003 Representative Lee criticized the meteorologist community for the exclusion of African-American names for storms and hurricanes.  You just can’t make this stuff up. Continue reading →

by

Obama’s approval rating hits new low

It’s no surprise that the majority of Americans see the president and his administration failing to improve the economy. ObamaCare and mounting regulations on business continue to paint a dismal picture for the country.

In a just released Fox News poll among 1002 registered voters conducted by a bipartisan research organization between March 2-4, fewer than four voters in ten – 38 percent – approve of President Obama’s performance. … read more

by

We have become a “whatever” society

MinnTwnHall(hqdefalut.jpg)

Minnesota Town Hall (hqdefault.jpg)

Did you see the news clip of the town hall held in Minnesota last week?  As three Democrats, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Rep. Tim Walz and Rep. Collin Peterson were responding to constituent questions during an Agriculture Symposium, someone had the courage to ask a pointed non-Ag question.

“I thought the Affordable Care Act would save $2,500 per family,” a local resident asked, “what happened?”

Before Peterson could grab the microphone to pass it to Klobuchar, those in attendance broke out in uproarious laughter as Peterson said, “I voted ‘no’ so I’ll let these guys handle that.”

Walz tried to recover with feeble excuses for the troubles being encountered with ObamaCare, but made the mistake of commenting on health insurance in this country before ObamaCare saying, “Don’t pretend there was some type of safe harbor before this where everything was just peachy keen.”  How uniformed.

Pelosi (youtube.com)

Nancy Pelosi (YouTube.com)

In a letter to the editor I wrote to The Boerne (TX) Star in 2010, I cited a 2009 Gallup poll in which 87 percent expressed satisfaction with their health care and 81 percent were satisfied with the cost. There was no need for a comprehensive health insurance bill.

But, back to the uproarious laughter of the town hall crowd, because that’s the reason for this posting.  When are we going to stop treating everything happening to this country as a laughing matter?  Where’s the outrage? Continue reading →

by

Increase in minimum wage a bad idea

GeorgeWill(onenewspage.com photo)

George Will (onenewspage.com photo)

    “Liberals say, if you want people to smoke less, raise the price of tobacco.  If you want people to drive less, raise the price of gasoline.  Raise the price of something, people will buy less of it.  Then, they come to the subject of entry level wages and they will say it will have no affect whatever.  Clearly, it will have an effect.  Not only will people hire fewer, but there will be a huge incentive for places like California Pizza Kitchen and Chili’s to go to automated ordering, cutting down minimum wage workers.”   -George Will

                                        A new twist on Obama’s redistribution of wealth

The president got what he wanted when he increased the tax rate on the top income earners to 39.6 percent.  It was part of his redistribution of wealth agenda.

Now as the numbers of those below the poverty line grows, the president is talking about income inequality and the necessity to increase the federally mandated minimum wage again, from $7.25 to $10.10.  His economy is in the tank and in true liberal form, he continues to apply the wrong measures. Another indication of his lack of business acumen.

Nancy Pelosi and all the others on the left stand before the microphones in support of the hike, saying it would create jobs.  But then the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office releases its findings that the $10.10 option when fully implemented “would reduce total employment by about 500,000 workers,” a number that could increase to one million. Continue reading →