Blog Heap of Links for the day 23 March 2011
Obamanation
Joe Biden (D-olt, White House): Republicans Are Like Rape Apologists, Or Something... President Obama has tapped Biden to be his lead negotiator with congressional Republicans on the budget. Good call there, Mr. President. ...
As stories leak out regarding who was responsible for Barack Obama's sudden pivot from passivity regarding Libya towards military engagement (albeit with England and France being in the lead) one name has emerged as playing a key role in persuading him to push the button: Samantha Power.
"Barack Obama has now been responsible for firing more cruise missiles than all other Nobel Peace prize winners combined. He's still in 2nd place for number of Arab deaths caused (and 3rd place for Muslim deaths) behind Yassir Arafat and Mikhail Gorbachev."
"The message I hope to deliver is that democracy, rule of law, freedom of speech, freedom of religion — those are not simply principles of the west to be hoisted on these countries. But, rather what I believe to be universal principles that they can embrace and affirm as part of their national identity, the danger, I think, is when the United States, or any country, thinks that we can simply impose these values on another country with a different history and a different culture." But, that was in 2009. Today Barack Obama told Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey that the US intends to impose a democracy in Libya.
This is the third installment of our most recent interview with our Washington D.C. Insider.... The man cannot decide on anything himself. He waits to be told what to think. That is how he functions, if you can call it that. He's a barely functioning president, and that is a big reason why the situation is so dangerous. His primary source of direction is Valerie Jarrett, who has no real experience with this kind of leadership. She manipulates. She schemes. She's a product of the most radicalized section of Chicago. I've said all of this before, right? And the First Lady is cut from the exact same cloth. And so they take this weak man, who has been told what to say and think all of his life, and they continue to do just that — tell him what to think and say.
Maybe I missed something, but wasn't that The Constitution of the United States of America that we just laid to rest this weekend? It was buried in a private ceremony by Mr. Barack Obama of Chicago as he silently signed America on to the One World Government some of us have been worried about for decades. Look at it this way: Where did Mr. Obama get the authority to commit United States forces to war in Libya? There was no declaration of war. There was no authorizing resolution by Congress allowing money to be spent on a war against Col. Gaddafi. As far as I know, there was no meeting of Mr. Obama and top leaders of Congress to discuss the subject in even rough form, let alone detail. There was no lengthy buildup in which the Congress was "allowed" to express the people's opinion on whether we want to be in a third concurrent war. There was just a vote by the United Nations Security Council, a very far from unanimous vote, and suddenly, the President's Secretary of State, Mrs. Hillary Rodham Clinton, solemnly announced that we were at war.
JEFFREY R. IMMELT - CEO, GENERAL ELECTRIC ARIS CANDRIS - CEO, WESTINGHOUSE JAMES T. HACKETT - CEO, ANADARKO PETROLEUM CORP [et al.]
"Did you lefties believe ANY of the crap you were spewing about the war on terrorism before Obama got into office?"
The Obama administration reportedly is considering former Clinton administration official Jamie Gorelick, among others, to become the next director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).... served as vice chairman of the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) when the government-sponsored enterprise began bundling subprime loans into securitized financial instruments... best known for her 1995 memo, written when she was deputy attorney general, that later became known as "Gorelick's Wall," a policy prescription limiting the flow of information between intelligence gatherers and criminal investigators that some believe helped allow the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center to go unchallenged....
The president eliminated a visit to Mayan ruins from his itinerary Wednesday, permitting him to leave a few hours earlier. Aides have taken pains to portray Obama as fully engaged in the deployment of missiles and warplanes in North Africa even as he devoted his public time to bridge-building with Latin American leaders.
"President Obama moved forward without Congress approving," the liberal Ohio Democrat told Raw Story. "He didn't have congressional authorization, he has gone against the Constitution, and that's got to be said."
Wars and Rumors
About 2,200 Marines from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit will take part in support operations based aboard USS Kearsarge at sea. Those support operations have thus far included air strikes and one rescue operation. The overall mission is to help end the violence directed at the Libyan people.
Police Insp.-Gen. David Cohen said that the Israel Police and Jerusalem Police were as prepared for Wednesday's Jerusalem terror attack as they could be. Cohen said that he did not believe that the attack represented a move backwards towards the years of terror attacks, but said that the Israel and Jerusalem Police are fully prepared for any situation.
The U.S. Air Force F-15E Eagle came down near Benghazi with suspected mechanical failure during the third night of air strikes on Colonel Gaddafi's positions.
Big Nanny
Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul told an administration official at a recent hearing that it's "insulting" for the government to tell consumers what light bulbs they can buy, because the government believes it "know[s] what's best for me." South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint said in a statement that, "Americans are fully capable of choosing the best way to light their own homes and what best fits the needs and budget of their families ... it's clear the 'nanny state' mentality has gotten out of control in Washington."
Mass Murdering Monsters
First to reach 11-year-old Yoav Fogel's blood-soaked bedside saw a prayer hanging over his pillow:
Kevin Harpham (HAR'-pum) ... from Addy, a town north of Spokane, and has extensive ties to white supremacist groups.
Disinformation Propaganda and Spin
Egypt Air, the largest airline in Egypt, has removed Israel from the map — literally. On its website, Ynet has learned, Jordan's land reaches the Mediterranean Sea. The airline's subsidiary, Air Sinai, flies to Israel regularly, but customers seeking flights to Ben Gurion National Airport will have a hard time finding them. On the map are the names of the Mideast capitals — Amman, Beirut, and Damascus — but Israel is nowhere to be found.
Know the Enemy
March 19th, 2011, Portland Oregon: Calls for "militant direct action" are heard from the speakers at a Portland "Peace Protest." Unions are well represented. "Astroturfing" is clearly shown. The "9/11 Truthers" are present. Anti-Israel signs abound and support for Palestine including a bloody fist through a flag are shown. Numerous Socialists and Communists are present with their literature and interviewed. A Supreme Court mockery is incomplete, because their "black guy had to drop out." Calls for the single payer system are heard. Calls for having the Multnomah County not work together with ICE are heard. Calls for Obama to legalize illegal immigrants are heard. A sign identifies Sarah Palin as a "whore."
The Blaze has obtained an exclusive letter sent from Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) to Attorney General Eric Holder regarding shocking video uncovered by The Blaze on Tuesday. (Watch the original video.) In the letter, Chaffetz references video, posted yesterday on this site, showing a one-time SEIU official, Stephen Lerner, outlining a plan to collapse the American economy — including crashing the stock market — so that unions can become more powerful. The sinister plan is set to take place in May and includes mass homeowner mortgage strikes.
Bad Parents
A 35-year-old San Bernardino man has been arrested on suspicion of murder for the death of his 16-year-old son and the attempted murder and torture of his children and wife, a San Bernardino County Sheriff's spokeswoman said.
Spiritual Matters
Earth Shakes
As a result of the disaster at Fukushima, I am no longer nuclear-neutral. I now support the technology. A crappy old plant with inadequate safety features was hit by a monster earthquake and a vast tsunami. The electricity supply failed, knocking out the cooling system. The reactors began to explode and melt down. The disaster exposed a familiar legacy of poor design and corner-cutting. Yet, as far as we know, no one has yet received a lethal dose of radiation. Some greens have wildly exaggerated the dangers of radioactive pollution. For a clearer view, look at the graphic published by xkcd.com
Tokyo Electric Power Co. said Wednesday it has observed a neutron beam, a kind of radioactive ray, 13 times on the premises of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant after it was crippled by the massive March 11 quake-tsunami disaster. TEPCO, the operator of the nuclear plant, said the neutron beam measured about 1.5 kilometers southwest of the plant's No. 1 and 2 reactors over three days from March 13 and is equivalent to 0.01 to 0.02 microsieverts per hour and that this is not a dangerous level.
The government said Wednesday that it estimates the damage to houses, roads, utilities and businesses could range from at least $198 billion to the $309 billion figure. Either total would easily top the cost of the previous worst disaster, the vast destruction Hurricane Katrina wreaked on New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region of the United States in 2005. The insurance industry estimates Katrina caused $125 billion worth of damage. The Japan damage total could go higher because the government's estimate did not include possible wider effects on the country's economy, such as reduced factory production caused by planned power outages, or the effect of nuclear radiation leaks on the nation's food and water supply. One financial analyst, Bank of Japan board member Ryuzo Miyao, said the stress on the world's third largest economy "could linger for some time" and that the short-term effects "are not insignificant."
Animal Companions
Fire destroyed 24-year-old Terisa Acevedo's apartment nearly one month ago. She was told that everything was gone, including her 2-year-old Dachshund named Lola.
What Th'...?
"I have always said, heard, that it would not be strange that there had been civilization on Mars, but maybe capitalism arrived there, imperialism arrived and finished off the planet," Chavez said in speech to mark World Water Day.
Budget Battles
Steyn replied. "I think John Boehner has been an incredible disappointment. I think John Boehner has basically climbed into the Bob Dole suit, and I think they misunderstand the lessons of the 2010 election, which is that the tea party chose to work within the diseased husk of the Republican Party it loathes. And it still hasn't forgiven for 2006 and 2008. So for the Republicans to demonstrate that 'hey, we're back to 2006 again,' except on Obama-level spending, is not a good idea."
Sarah Palin 2012
She played hurt in that final game, nursing an undiagnosed stress fracture in her ankle. She was not willing to sit on the sidelines at a critical moment for her team. At crunch time, her team was able to count on her to do whatever it took to win, something to consider now as many on our side are worried Palin won't run for president.
Full text of speech of former Governor of Alaska and 2008 Republican Vice-President nominee Sarah Palin at India Today Conclave 2011. "America and India are a testament to the positive force of human aspirations."
Time Magazine cover fake-up: Palin wins Prez [graphic]
Governor Palin will join Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu for dinner in Jerusalem on Monday evening; The Purim dinner!
I love Sarah Palin. There, I've said it. While I've never met her, that is beside the point. What is right on point however is why I love her. Sarah Palin bleeds American. She is not American simply because of an accident of birth. Rather, she understands what makes America different; she believes that America is exceptional and knows what makes it so; she is passionately pro-American without being jingoistic; she is willing to fight for what she believes regardless of who's lined up against her; she is willing to put her credibility and reputation on the line to help others who share her views. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, she is a normal, average, regular person.