The Race Card, Politics At Its Worst

Now that the bogus effort to label the tea party movement as "racist" has been exposed time and again as lies. The left has decided their new tack is going to be we knew it was false, but it was good politics. Here's what Mary Frances Berry wrote to Politico:

“Tainting the tea party movement with the charge of racism is proving to be an effective strategy for Democrats. There is no evidence that tea party adherents are any more racist than other Republicans, and indeed many other Americans. But getting them to spend their time purging their ranks and having candidates distance themselves should help Democrats win in November. Having one’s opponent rebut charges of racism is far better than discussing joblessness.”

If journalists ever become interested in learning what really drives the tea party movement, they should check out this poll by Scott Rasmussen:

In official Washington, there appears to be a belief that policy makers must choose between helping the economy or reducing spending and deficits. A number of polling companies have even asked questions on the trade-off.

However, a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 28% of voters believe increased government spending is good for the economy. Fifty-two percent (52%) believe increased government spending is bad for the economy, while 12% say it has no impact. Eight percent (8%) are not sure.

This suggests that for 72% of voters, asking about a trade-off between cutting spending and helping the economy doesn't make sense. A look at the demographics shows that the trade-off makes sense for only one group-- the Political Class. Among that group, 67% believe increased government spending would be good for the economy.

In a nutshell, there is a severe disconnect between the people and those in power on what is best for our country. President Obama's policies, not the color of his skin is the driving factor behind America's awakening.

Dems Playing "Chicken" With Taxpayers

From the Washington Post:

"After 18 months of runaway spending, bailouts and takeovers, Washington Democrats are poised to allow the largest tax increase in American history to take effect next year," Rep. Mike Pence (Ind.), a member of the GOP leadership, said Saturday in the party's weekly radio address. "House Republicans will oppose this tax increase with everything we've got."

The Democrats are more interested in playing the class warfare card in the upcoming elections than doing their jobs.

This blows a hole in their argument that they're deficit hawks. They're not deficit hawks; they're deficit chickens," said Rep. Chris Van Hollen (Md.), who heads the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which is tasked with defending the party's House majority.

Political posturing aside, the difference between extending all the Bush tax cuts and just those the Dems claim apply to the "middle class" is $600 billion over ten years. This is hardly chump change, but when Democrats are running up a deficit of $1.47 trillion this year alone they can hardly sell themselves as competent stewards of our nation.

Besides, lost in the dems demogogic rhetoric is the fact that many of the "rich" they are planning to soak are small business owners:

Republicans say the tax cuts are critical to bolstering a feeble economic recovery. And with unemployment at 9.5 percent, even some Democrats are queasy about raising taxes on high earners -- a category that includes many small-business owners -- when policymakers are trying to encourage them to create jobs.

When the Democrat who chairs the Senate budget committee, Conrad (D-ND) isn't drinking the class warrior Kool-Aid, President Obama has a messaging problem.

When you add the Democrats willingness to see taxes rise and their promise to address the recommendations of the president's deficit commission in a lame duck session taxpayers are about to be hit with a one-two punch:

Obama debt commission member, Republican Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, launched a scary trial balloon on ABC News. Gregg suggested the debt commission will likely recommend a massive $26.7 trillion tax increase.

From "Hope" to "It Could Be Worse", Yes He Did

Congressional Democrats are undoubtedly walking around with a newfound swagger today. The political strategists in the White House have finally settled on the message to save their House and Senate majorities: "It could be worse". First they invented the nigh impossible to verify or refute metric of jobs "created or saved" and now this. They deserve every taxpayer penny they get paid. Republicans simply can't match the Wile E Coyote caliber intellects of Axelrod, Gibbs and the rest of the White House message machine. Just look at how easily any Republican argument can be dismissed:

1)Unemployment is 9.5%, under-employment tops 20%- "It could be worse"

2)The budget deficit is $1.47 trillion- "It could be worse"

3)4 out of 5 jobs "created or saved" by the $862 billion stimulus were government jobs, leaving a private sector jobs deficit of 7 million- "It could be worse"

4)The $862 billion borrowed to pay for the stimulus that didn't stimulate won't be paid back until the year 2130- "It could be worse"

5)Our national debt will top $18.5 trillion by 2020- "It could be worse"

6)Taxpayer funded bailouts reach $3.7 trillion- "It could be worse"

7)Small businesses are about to get hammered by massive tax increases- "It could be worse"

8)Over half of Americans will lose their current health insurance due to "health care reform"- "It could be worse"

Etc.etc..

Forget the concept of the "teflon presidency", we are witnessing the dawn of the "I'm rubber and you're glue presidency". Republicans need to run focus groups of pre-K tots immediately to find a way to counter this brilliance, or risk seeing their dreams of electoral success turn into the nightmare of epic defeat this November.

LiveShot Says "Only Peasants Pay Taxes"

From the Herald:

Sen. John Kerry, who has repeatedly voted to raise taxes while in Congress, dodged a whopping six-figure state tax bill on his new multimillion-dollar yacht by mooring her in Newport, R.I

Could the reason be that the Ocean State repealed its Boat Sales and Use Tax back in 1993, making the tiny state to the south a haven - like the Cayman Islands, Bermuda and Nassau - for tax-skirting luxury yacht owners?

Cash-strapped Massachusetts still collects a 6.25 percent sales tax and an annual excise tax on yachts. Sources say Isabel sold for something in the neighborhood of $7million, meaning Kerry saved approximately $437,500 in sales tax and an annual excise tax of about $70,000.

Plus

Isabel - Kerry’s luxe, 76-foot New Zealand-built Friendship sloop with an Edwardian-style, glossy varnished teak interior, two VIP main cabins and a pilothouse fitted with a wet bar and cold wine storage - was designed by Rhode Island boat designer Ted Fontaine.

Senator Kerry I get that you and the Mrs. wanted to avoid a hefty tax bill. Who wouldn't? But you ran for president demonizing companies that were "shipping jobs overseas" and you have your yacht built in New Zealand. You couldn't find a single shipyard in the U.S. that could build your pleasure boat and put some Americans to work? There is a reason that sailing trophy is called the America's Cup, we have a rich heritage of building the best boats in the world.

Now maybe the Herald is missing a major scoop here and you are planning to relocate to Newport permanently. After all, now that you lost the fight to keep Cape Wind from being built and the views in Nantucket sound will soon be despoiled, it's time to find a more pristine sailing locale. Or maybe you're growing bored coasting to re-election every six years and you believe a primary fight with "Big Sheldon" Whitehouse is just the ticket to get your mojo back?

However,if you plan on staying in MA pay your "fair share".

Daily News Calls Out Governor Patrick

To the editors' of the Newburyport Daily News, welcome to the fight.

Some excerpts:

Gov. Deval Patrick filed a bill last week seeking $28.5 million to cover appropriations for the fiscal year that just ended on June 30. It is intended to cover a variety of things, including summer jobs and the settlement of various claims. But it also includes $9.5 million to fund more than 30 collective bargaining agreements.

and

This comes on the heels of the governor backing a project labor agreement for the $750 million rehabilitation of the University of Massachusetts Boston campus. The agreement requires the use of union labor in exchange for the unions agreeing not to strike while the work is under way. But it is expected to add as much as $100 million to what it would cost if it were put out to truly competitive bidding.

Read the whole thing http://www.newburyportnews.com/opinion/x536265353/Governor-sends-wrong-message

Going Green and Bust

President Obama went to Holland, Michigan yesterday to promote another "green economy" project funded by stimulus cash. A South Korean company is receiving $151 million taxpayer dollars to build a factory that will one day hopefully employ 300 in the manufacture of batteries for electric cars. That's $500,000 per job, which for this administration is small potatoes. The Obama administration's bequeath of
$1.45 billion to Abengoa Solar is expected to create only 85 permanent jobs. Michael Graham did the math and came up with $17 million per job for that foray into creating a new economy.

Using taxpayer funds to remake an economy has been tried in Spain with disastrous results:

As for Spain's vaunted "Green Jobs program" a study by Dr. Gabriel Cardoza has found that for every green job created 2.2 jobs have been lost. Of those green jobs 2/3 were only temporary, mainly in installation and construction.

True to form in the greening of our economy, Heritage takes a look at the effects of Sec. Salazar's ban on drilling:

Heritage analyst David Kreutzer has crunched the numbers and found that a full Obama administration ban on all offshore drilling would be absolutely devastating to the U.S. economy. Between now and 2035, an offshore drilling ban would: 1) reduce GDP by $5.5 trillion; 2) reduce job growth by more than 1 million jobs by 2015 and more than 1.5 million jobs by 2030; and 3) increase the total expenditures for imported oil by nearly $737 billion.

Congress isn't about to leave all the fun in regulating our way to a new and improved economy to the Obama administration. While Cap and Trade may be dead, Harry Reid is introducing its ugly stepsister on July 26th. John Kerry's bill is being replaced by Sen. Jeff Bingaman's (D-NM) renewable electricity standard legislation (RES), which is simply CAP without the Trade. Heritage explores what it will mean if passed:

RES would: 1) raise electricity prices by 36 percent for households and 60 percent for industry; 2) cut national income (GDP) by $5.2 trillion between 2012 and 2035; 3) cut national income by $2,400 per year for a family of four; 4) reduce employment by more than 1,000,000 jobs; and 5) add more than $10,000 to a family of four’s share of the national debt by 2035.

The Green/Progressive dream of using economic policy to punish the use of fossil fuels and promote more expensive, less efficient, but "greener" technologies will cripple our economy. In essence, they are adopting the policy of the officer that insisted during the Vietnam War that "we had to destroy the village in order to save it". I hope the Obama administration and Congress come to their senses and follow the sage advice of former President George HW Bush as channeled by Dana Carvey "The first lesson of Vietnam. No more Vietnams" before too much damage is done.

If Vietnam references are too dated and President Obama has his mind set on following a Spanish model; I suggest that instead of emulating the policies of Mr. Zapatero's socialist government that have his country mired at 20% unemployment and facing bankruptcy, that he just follow Penelope Cruz on Twitter.

Pawlenty's Principles

Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty takes to the pages of Politico to instruct President Obama and Congressional Democrats in the ways of fiscal accountability:

1. Set clear priorities but cut almost everything else. Not everything government does is equally important. When faced with a budget shortfall in Minnesota, we considered the importance of programs. We decided to protect funding for the most important ones: the National Guard, veterans’ support programs, public safety and K-12 schools.

2. Reform out-of-control entitlements. By far, the biggest long-term driver of the federal debt is entitlement spending, including Social Security and Medicare. These programs are going to have to be changed. And despite Beltway rhetoric, it can be done.

3. Sacrifice. Americans have sacrificed enough; it’s time for government to sacrifice for a change. When Washington Democrats talk about balancing the budget, they speak gravely about painful choices and sacrifice — but what they mean is tax increases. In other words, we sacrifice so they can spend.

Read the whole thing: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0710/39674.html

Republicans could do much worse than Mr. Pawlenty as our nominee in 2012.