Thursday, April 7, 2011

Shutdown: Democrats = Cynical Exploiters

Nothing exposes politicians more than moments of crisis, especially crises they themselves create. All indications are the Democrats intend to shut down the government in the hopes of benefiting from exploiting the fallout. Why do I think that? Here are five reasons:

1. The Democrats Caused This: Let’s start with the obvious. The Democrats are 100% at fault for causing this shutdown crisis. They caused this with obscenely irresponsible spending. Then they made it worse by not passing a budget last year. Why didn’t they pass a budget? For one thing, with the election pending, they didn’t want the public knowing what they really planned to do. They wanted the public to believe they planned to cut taxes and cut spending and act responsibly, and they didn’t want written proof to the contrary in the form of a budget. Secondly, in the event they lost, they wanted to sabotage the incoming Republicans by dumping this problem in the Republicans’ laps. Hence, no budget.

2. Refusing to Act In Good Faith: Since they lost, the Democrats have made this worse by failing to propose any actual cuts during this entire debate. In fact, all they’ve done is attack every single cut the Republicans proposed.

3. Negotiating In Bad Faith: Now they’re trying to play politics with the shutdown. Indeed, to allow negotiations to continue, House Republicans plan Thursday to pass a one week stop gap spending measure. By approving this measure in the Senate, the Democrats could put off the shutdown and thereby allow both sides more time to negotiate. But the Democrats have called this a non-starter, and instead, Harry Reid and Obama have said the Republicans need to agree to their full year budget. . . take it or leave it. Thus, the Democrats are undermining the chance for continued negotiation.

Making this all the more egregious, the parties aren’t even that far off. The Democrats claim to be willing to accept up to $33 billion in cuts on this year’s budget, but they refuse to accept any conservative policy ideas, like defunding Planned Parenthood or placing limits on the EPA. John Boehner is demanding at least $40 billion in cuts and says the Democrats must accept some conservative ideas. Since the budget is $3 trillion dollars, it’s inconceivable for anyone to claim that negotiations are at an impasse over a $7 billion difference. Thus, the Democrats’ call to end negotiations shows bad faith on their part.

4. Exploitation by Democrats: Moreover, the Democrats are exploiting this to raise funds. Indeed, they sent out a fund raising letter that warns “Tea Party Republicans are threatening to shut down the government on Friday unless we surrender to their outrageous demands. The world is watching our next move. Will we cave to the Tea Party’s disgraceful act of political extortion?” Of course, this is a double lie as little will actually shut down and the Democrats are the ones taking the extortionate all or nothing approach. That’s pretty solid proof of how they really see this issue, as just another political issue to be exploited.

5. Obama Flees The Scene: Obama has been playing up the rhetoric on the shutdown, which is never helpful. In fact, while he’s been all wee-wee’d up about how it’s time to act like adults and demanding a meeting to solve this issue, Obama left town. Yep. He spent Wednesday at political rallies in Philadelphia and New York, where he partied with Al Sharpton. How serious can he be if he can’t make himself available for a day or two to avert this shutdown? And why does his effort to solve this seem as effete and pathetic as his angry “tell me whose ass to kick” BP moment?

6. Exploitation by Obama: Finally, Obama is exploiting the shutdown to attack certain groups. Consider this list of some of the government functions that will remain open and funded despite the shutdown:

Agencies that dispense federal benefits, provide inpatient or outpatient medical care, ensure food safety, manage air traffic, protect the borders and coastlines, guard prisoners, conduct criminal investigations or law enforcement, oversee power distribution, oversee banks, deliver the mail, provide earthquake assistance to Japan, Justice Department groups that combat gun violence or drug crime, and medical research at NIH. Also, Social Security payments will go out and Medicare claims will be processed.
Yet, somehow, military pay will be delayed? Are you serious?!! Why single out the very people Obama has sent into harms way in Afghanistan, Libya, Iraq, and everywhere else? Because they traditionally vote Republican, that’s why. That’s also why the Democrats try to sabotage military absentee ballots.

Obama has also let it be known that the government will slow the processing of tax returns and limit small business loans. Again, this is aimed at a Republican constituency, small business. Moreover, while Medicare claims will continue to be processed, i.e. people will still be allowed to get treatment, payments to doctors will be delayed. Again, doctors are a Republican constituency.
Conclusion
So I ask you: is Obama serious about solving this issue or is he playing vindictive cronyism with the shutdown? Are the Democrats serious about negotiating a resolution or are they exploiting this issue to cause chaos for the Republicans and raise money for themselves? Who is being an adult here and who is cynically putting the country at risk and abusing the very people who make this country work?

83 comments:

T_Rav said...

Andrew, the way they've exploited this issue is absolutely shameful. Harry Reid has been, in my opinion, the most high-handed and ridiculous of all, talking in interviews about how the Republicans want to hurt "poor little children" and how he feels sorry for Boehner and other GOP leaders who are being held hostage by the Tea Party and on and on. If I were Boehner I would seriously consider breaking off all relations with him, on the grounds that he's not a legitimately elected Senator (yes, I'm still convinced that was fraud in November).

JG said...

You connected the dots the way I've been trying to for the last couple of weeks with my readers and friends. The military isn't just being exploited in this "crisis," we're being targeted. Some poor soul commented that he wouldn't stop pay to the military "because he would be afraid of losing those votes." Um, no, he doesn't get a lot of military votes. He's got nothing to lose by screwing us, and (in his mind, at least) everything to gain by doing it and portraying us as victims, to use as leverage against those politicians who genuinely are supportive of the military.

To which I say: go ahead. Shut it down, and screw you, because I'd rather miss a paycheck than be your poster child for your irresponsible government and personal political gain.

whew. I feel better now.

AndrewPrice said...

T_Rav, It's utterly shameful the way he's behaved. And I mean that seriously, not as hyperbole. He knows that what he's saying is not just a lie, but it's a lie meant to exploit a horrible situation created by Reid himself and it's being done purely as part of a political game. I can't even think of an analogy this is so unheard of in the rest of the know world -- maybe an NFL coach suggesting that an opponent is a child molester. It really reaches that level.

And don't forget Pelosi. She's out there at high dollar fund raisers telling people that Republicans are trying to "take away meals from seniors."

This is as exploitive as people who try to profit on natural disasters.

AndrewPrice said...

JG, I think your instincts are correct.

Obama is a Chicago-style politician and in Chicago they play a vindictive version of the spoils, where the benefits go to your friends and the power of government is used to punish your enemies. The military (just like doctors and small business) are generally viewed as Republican-supporting. That puts them into the enemy camp as far as Obama's political instincts are concerned. So now that he has the chance to do a little payback, that's exactly what he's doing -- with the message being that you either need to change sides or you're going to keep getting abused.

Even worse, he's hypocritically trying to cast himself as the protector of the military because he knows that the military is highly popular in the country. So what he's doing is he's creating a crisis that lets him attack the military (and doctors and small business) and then he's actually pretending that he's the guy who is trying to save them from his own actions.

It's the same thing with absentee ballots. The Democrats talk big about making sure that not a single vote is ever "disenfranchised," but then they turn around and do everything within their power to keep military personnel from voting. It's despicable.

AndrewPrice said...

JG, I've also heard (but haven't confirmed) that the lack of a budget is causing problems with transfers, promotions and retentions. Apparently, some people are being told they cannot be transferred or sign up again until the military gets additional money. If that's true, then you really have to wonder what Obama is thinking that people who want to stay in the military can't because they're fighting over pennies on the dollar in the budget. It's ridiculous. The military is not a political football.

JG said...

Initially we were told that the shutdown would only affect NEW pay, like promotions, transfers, etc. Now whenever he speaks, he specifically exempts the military from the "essential workers" category. At least unofficially.

I don't remember who called this legislative terrorism, but I think it qualifies.

They'll have their chance to "prove" their concern for the troops by passing the troop funding bill being voted on today. I can't wait to see how that turns out, no matter the result.

AndrewPrice said...

JG, My guess is that they won't want to take the issue off the table because they want to keep screaming that the Republicans are trying to hurt the military. They are incredibly cynical. If they agree on military funding (and I've never heard that they don't), then there is no reason except political exploitation not to agree to pass military spending now. So, we'll see.

In terms of being nonessential.... I can see that to a large degree during times of peace. I've know a lot of procurement guys and other military guys who really don't support the troops in any immediate capacity. But in a time of war, to consider anyone who does anything that makes sure the troops are protected as being nonessential is obscene -- especially when every other agency suddenly seems to be considered essential except the people running tourist centers.

BTW, I'm glad you're talking about these things with your audience because people need to know the truth and you don't get a lot of that in the MSM these days.

JG said...

Well, and to be honest, there are a lot of "nonessential" personnel in the military complex...any time you go to an on-post office, you see 5 civilian contract workers, and only 1 working. So I'm not saying there isn't fat to be cut, not at all. But for the purposes of this discussion, I just find it telling that any description of "essential" workers is followed by a "the troops won't get paid" statement.

There have been so many rumors and misinformation going around the milbogs, it's been insane. Ever since that stupid ArmyTimes article came out, people have been running with the rumors like wildfire. And I honestly question whether that wasn't strategically leaked to build up fervor for this week, or whether it was pure coincidence. (Do you know the article I'm referring to?)

AndrewPrice said...

JG, I worked for three years as a Department of the Army civilian (government contracts related position) and I assure you, I know what you mean by non-essential people. It's pretty darn shocking when you walk into a Pentagon personnel office of some sort and you see 20 civilians reading newspapers as a group of soldiers are standing in line waiting to get records and only one person is helping them.

I don't know the article you are talking about. Do you have a link?

It wouldn't surprise me if they were trying to upset people as a means of applying pressure to Congress.

DUQ said...

For the democrats, everything is about politics. It's never about doing the right thing, and they have no shame when it comes to using the military or seniors or doctors as tools for their sale pitch.

JG said...

Here's the original article: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2011/03/military-contingency-plan-government-shutdown-031111w/

And yes, that was my analysis of the situation, too. Within hours of the articles release, social media was flooded with RTs about "call your congressman and tell them you won't accept this! They have to pass the CR!" Literally. Hours. Tried pointing out to people that that was the point of the leaked article and letting them manipulate us, the milspouse community, for their own ends, and it was like talking to a brick wall. But now the lightbulbs are coming on. Better late than never, I guess.

AndrewPrice said...

DUQ, I think that's true. For as long as I've watched politics, I've seen the Democrats easily use one group after another to score political points and they never one put the good of the group or the country ahead of the politicking. Add in a massive layer of hypocrisy on top of that and you have a real recipe for why people should not trust the Democrats.

(Not saying the Republicans are perfect, but the Democrats are rotten to the core.)

AndrewPrice said...

JG, Thanks for the link: (LINK). I'll check it out.

Unfortunately, one of the problems with the internet is that rumors and knee-jerk reactions tend to spread like wildfire and it takes a lot to debunk those things. You see this on all sides (left and right) and even in nonpolitical sites. Once a rumor gets stared (especially one that impacts a particular community), it spreads everywhere and gets an instant reaction because people are outraged by it and they tend to assume the rumor must be true or it wouldn't be spreading around a community they trust.

What's worse, savvy political operators know this and know how to exploit it.

And then debunking it takes forever because it's harder to lay out the case why something is not true, and then you have to get over the old "but everyone knows it's true" factor.

AndrewPrice said...

JG, That's an interesting article. Notice the key words in there are that during the last shutdown, troops were paid. But this time:

"the planning guidance sent to the services and defense agencies says a shutdown this time will be different."

That's a decision by Obama.

JG said...

Oh, I'm with ya. I did a long write-up on the blog and pointed that out. "This time would be different." The only thing different is who is making the decisions.

AndrewPrice said...

JG, Yep. That's the key difference and it tells you a lot about what he thinks of the military -- as if the whole "we're going to send a lot of people to Afghanistan and announce a date we'll leave" wasn't enough already. Or the "I think I'll run for Brazil as I order the military to Libya. Grrr.

Unknown said...

Answer to your concluding question.

No, Obama is not serious about anything except getting reelected.

No, the Democrats are not serious except about finding a way to shut down the government and blame Republicans.

The Democrats are like little kids losing the game, so they're picking up their marbles and going home.

AndrewPrice said...

Lawhawk, Yep, that's pretty much how I answer the questions too. I particularly like your marble analogy as I think that's very apt to how they are behaving.

There is no legitimate way anyone can conclude that spending cuts don't need to be made. But they are determined to cause as much chaos as possible in the process just to mess with the Republicans. If they were offering alternative cuts, then I could cut them some slack, but they aren't -- they just don't want any cuts to happen at all.

JG said...

Well, now that the White House has decided they will veto the one-week extension, I think we have our answer.

AndrewPrice said...

JG, That we do.

As someone who has done a lot of negotiating in the past, I can tell you that there is no reason whatsoever to justify shooting down a one-week extension unless you've already decided that you don't want to reach an agreement.

What possible excuse can there be to essentially stop talking -- especially where so many people will be hurt, unless the thinking is "I can use the pain that follows for my own benefit."

JG said...

Just received DoD info saying pay stops without promise of backpay in event of shutdown (for active only, retirees are protected). Came shortly after WH announcement. But this is those evil Republicans' fault for wanting to gut the EPA. Okay, then.

AndrewPrice said...

Wow, even without a promise of backpay? Last time, backpay was promises to all military personnel and most essential government personnel. The rest had to wait to see if Congress authorized it. Obama really wants this to hurt.

All this over less than 1% of the budget.

Ed said...

I think the public will see through this. There is no reason to shut down the government when both sides admit they are still talking. The blame for this falls on Obama. Also, his targeting Republican-leaning groups is despicable and puts the lie once again to his statement that he's the President of all Americans rather than just the Thief in Chief for his supporters.

JG said...

Well, I should say, they said we "should" receive pay "if" Congress will approve it at a later date...which they will, but still. Worded poorly.

JG said...

And the statement begins with, "The President has made it clear that he does not want a government shutdown, and the administration is working to find a solution with which all sides can agree." Uh-huh.

AndrewPrice said...

Ed, So far, that's what the polling says -- that people are not blaming the Republicans. It's possibly the Democrats got some other internal polling, or they might just be taking a chance to see what happens, figuring that things couldn't get worse for them.

I'd recommend calling any Democratic Congresspeople you know and demanding that they agree to support the Republicans.

AndrewPrice said...

JG, That's a joke. If he doesn't want a shut down, that's very easy to prevent -- either for a week or for the year. A $7 billion dollar difference is about 1 day's spending. How can that be worth shutting down the government over unless he thinks he'll benefit from the problems a shut down creates.

JG said...

I know. But that's DoD for you. Can't say anything but the official line. I wouldn't expect them to say, "Since the President has decided to veto the efforts to protect troop pay...." But to throw that in at the front is just pathetic.

AndrewPrice said...

JG, I know. DOD won't say anything bad about the CiC, even when it's well deserved. And in truth, that's a good thing because we don't want a politicized military that is loyal to the leader rather than the country.

Still, it's rather annoying that they are basically being used as an instrument of propaganda.

JG said...

No, I agree. They don't need to come out criticizing or contradicting leadership. That's wrong. But so is lying.

AndrewPrice said...

I agree. Part of being non-political also includes not promoting lies to support the incumbent anymore than it includes making attacks on the incumbent.


By the way, the latest word is that they are now only $4 billion apart. They can probably find that by looking through government couches for lost change.

JG said...

Ha. I just saw where they are already notifying a bunch of low-level Cong. staffers on furlough. Because, you know, THAT's the money-suck.

JG said...

*that they are on. No coffee this morning.

AndrewPrice said...

That should make everyone on Capitol Hill happy.

What's interesting is that the Democrats have dumped all of this into Reid's lap. He's the only point man on the issue (unless you count Obama, whose more of a "pointless man"). Clearly, they are very afraid of this issue or they would be out there beating this drum.

AndrewPrice said...

P.S. Don't worry about the typos, that happens to me all the time! LOL!

By the way, have you noticed any sort of change of opinion in the military-wife community? Are they more or less pro one side or the other lately?

patti said...

POW! i'd like to see the left try to counter your well-executed entry. whenever i hear a libbie squeal about us putting folks out of jobs over this nonsense, i remind them that it was their side that neglected to pass the budget last year. hard, even for libbies, to argue with that.

JG said...

Eh, it's hard to say. In general the atmosphere is that you are to be either disinterested or anti-politician in general, because allegedly it makes life easier if leadership is someone you disagree with politically. And the ones I have talked to (who will engage) were mostly either partly or mostly conservative. And have become galvanized through this whole process, which isn't a bad thing, because they are now paying attention like never before. I've seen some previously "no comment" types suddenly taking interest and expressing frustration, but except for a few smaller-platform bloggers like me, most still take the whole "both sides get the blame and the credit" position. However, with this new veto announcement, that may change. Hopefully memories will be long and this will be a teachable moment.

So I think in general interest in being informed is increased, but we'll see how long that lasts once this crisis is past.

Though I have to say, I read the signs all wrong. I honestly didn't think they'd stonewall an extension. It just seemed too left-field, even for them. I underestimated their need for control.

AndrewPrice said...

Patti, Thanks! :-)

Yeah, they like to forget basic facts, like that they are the ones who spent all the money (and then some) and that they set this up by not passing a budget.

AndrewPrice said...

JG, Same here, I was pretty sure that they would take the deal, which largely protects their spending desires, and then fight like made next year -- trying to keep the first Republican budget from becoming law. But in hindsight, I think it's getting kind of obvious that they have nothing to offer except trying to stand in the way of everything the Republicans are trying.

Hopefully, your community will see this for what it is and will remember when it comes time to vote. I like to think that people's eyes are being opened by Obama and the Democrats, but clearly not enough just yet. I guess we'll know more in 2012.

Joel Farnham said...

Andrew,

What do you think Ole Bammy expects when he with holds the money for the military?

Obedient obsequious slaves?
Influencing the military?
Mass quitting of the military?
A weakening of their resolve?

He hasn't thought this through. Military wives and military people have experienced deprivation time and again. It isn't unknown to them. Also, the military is all volunteer. They, taken as a whole, are more Patriotic than most in the US.

If Obama is thinking the military is like some union voting block and he can tell the generals to deliver the vote, he has another think coming.

If on the other hand, he is trying to punish them, it will end up being so petty....

Obama is the most stupid president we have ever had. And we have had a couple of dolts.

About shutting the government down? It wasn't because the public turned on them because they didn't get the government cheese. The reason why the Republicans lost mid-course in 1994 is because they blinked when the Democrats called them on it. It augured the End of a very promising Gingrich Revolution.

Oh, and the Democrats haven't changed much from that time either. A little more blatant about how they go about governing, but they haven't changed.

AndrewPrice said...

Joel, I think the best word is "petty." I don't see this helping Obama in any way, nor do I see this as effective Chicago-style payback, though I think that's how Obama sees it. This will turn out to be an annoyance that hopefully opens more eyes to the problems with this guy and speeds his exit in 2012.

I think the mistake the Republicans made in the last shutdown was that they went beyond standing on principle and they turned it into gloating. If they had been less glib about it, it would have played better. And yes, then they lost their nerve and that was the final straw. I also think they made a mistake in timing last time. The economy was good, there were no major crises, and there was no reason to force a shut down.

This time is different. First, the spending levels are a crisis, no one can deny that. Secondly, the Republicans are playing the part of the adults. Third, the Democrats are scattered, disorganized, and flailing against public opinion. All of that tells me that this cannot end well for the Democrats, if that is what they are hoping. Add in the fact that all the Democrats who are up for reelection in 2012 have gone invisible and I think you see that they too know that this is a problem.

rlaWTX said...

idiocy.

AndrewPrice said...

rlaWTX, Short, simple and accurate. Nicely put.

Joel Farnham said...

Andrew,

I just want to add Reid is the best man on our team. He has gone beyond the call of duty. He should get the award this year. Honorable Mention should also be given to Pelosi as well. We couldn't have designed a better pair of foolish, idiotic, myopic, arrogant villains.

Incredible isn't it? A short time ago, we conservatives were just barely hanging on. Now....it is ours to lose.

AndrewPrice said...

Joel, That's true. They have been our biggest help in reviving conservatism. If they hadn't been so out of control and insane, things might be looking very bad for the Republicans for a very long time. Instead, we're better off than we've been since 1994.

By the way, you know how groups of birds are described as a flock and groups of dogs are a pack, etc. Someone said today that a group of Democrats are a "circus". Now that's appropriate! :-)

Tennessee Jed said...

I think Republicans need to stand firm. I really do not believe the same electorate that put the Republicans in control of the House would not understand just who is exploiting what. If the Dems were unwilling to do this in an election year, they still have to go on record at some point.

A great editorial piece is out from Thomas Sowell. Trying to blame Republicans for a shutdown is like trying to blame the bank when you get a check bounced for insufficient funds.

AndrewPrice said...

Jed, I agree. I'll look for Sowell's article, I always like his stuff.

I think the circumstances are right for the Republicans to hold their ground, and I think they know that and they are playing it right this time. I have to give Boehner a lot of credit.

The Democrats have completely misread this, just as they misread the electorate for the past couple years.

StanH said...

This gets back to Republicans messaging, if this is done correctly 60% of America will stand up and cheer. Instead of showing fear because of ’95 and the bad press, we must remember other than Rush and a spattering of talk show host there was “zero” conservative press. All we heard ad nauseum, was how evil the Republicans are, Time magazine depicted Newt as the “Grinch,” on it’s front page. Well that’s not the case this time around with FOX, Rush (a couple dozen talk radio shows), internet, etc. though heavily outnumbered by the liberal press the real message will get through, we are all hip to the hooey. Like Br’er Rabbit in “Br’er Rabbit and the briar patch” “Please don’t throw me in the briar patch!” Embrace reality, and show how utterly unaffected most Americans will be by a partial shutdown of the imperial federal government, counter the liberal narrative, this is not ‘95. So I say “SHUT IT DOWN!”

AndrewPrice said...

Stan, I think that's right. This time is different. Not only is a shutdown much more justified in the public's mind because spending is so out of control, but the whole PR world has changed. Now there is a conservative press to get the message out. The Democrats are disorganized. The Republicans are playing this right.

These are interesting times!

T_Rav said...

By the way, did anyone notice that Obama's statement that he will not sign the CR came the day after Gates announced that if requested by the government, our troops will be staying in Iraq past the December deadline? How does Obama justify his stance? And--perhaps more importantly--how does he expect his base to turn out for him under these conditions like it did in '08? I really do think POTUS has rented out the inside of his skull for storage space.

AndrewPrice said...

T_Rav, He could get rich renting out all that empty space... it's just a little dusty as it's been unused.

Wasn't it Obama who blasted McCain for saying that our troops might end up staying in Iraq for a very long time? I guess that was lie, just like his position on Gitmo, cutting taxes, and everything else he's done has been a lie.

I can't image the left will stick with him in 2012. I'm betting they stay home.

T-Rav said...

Andrew, I hadn't had a whole lot of time to read up on this crap, but now that I have my body temperature's gone up like ten degrees. Basically, it's not just that the military isn't going to be paid during a shutdown--they were during the '95 one. What happens is the president has the power to determine who are essential personnel, who will continue to be paid, and who are non-essential, who will not. And Obama has decided that the military are non-essential personnel, which is why they won't be paid. And Michelle has the chutzpah to hold a ceremony honoring the military on the 12th, while they won't be getting a paycheck thanks to her husband. And Obama also had the gall yesterday to tell someone complaining about high oil prices that he should trade his car in for one with better gas mileage.

That's it. My last ounce of patience with this man is gone. #@%$ him and the $@&?%!# horse he rode in on.

AndrewPrice said...

T_Rav, Not to detract from your rant, but I love that saying about the horse you rode in on. I try to use that whenever possible! :-)

Putting that aside, yep. Obama is the guy who decided who will be consider essential and who won't, and therefore he's the one who decided who gets paid and who doesn't. And he has decided that the people risking their lives to protect our country are nonessential. Un-f$#%@ing-believable!

As I say in the article, I see this as a Chicago-style vindictive payback, especially when combined with doctors not getting paid and small business services being cut. Obama has picked out Republican-supporting groups and decided to make them suffer if there is a shut down.

But the fact that the Commander in Chief would do that to the military really should put the final nail in the coffin regarding the sour relationship between the military and the Democratic Party.

T_Rav said...

Andrew, un-------believable is it. Like a lot of people, I have tried to give this man the benefit of the doubt for more than two years. I never agreed with any of his policies, but I wanted to believe that he really cared about this country and thought these policies would be best for it. But it is becoming increasingly clear he doesn't care about America. He doesn't care about the soldiers his actions or inactions have endangered, he doesn't care about the people suffering economically. All he cares about is that the world is remade in his image--or rather, remakes itself in his image, because he's too lazy even to make that effort. I can't freaking believe it.

But I do have some good news.

Remember that vote in Wisconsin that we narrowly lost to the union hack? They've been recounting it the past day and a half, and literally an hour ago, word came that 14,000 votes in a strongly Republican county...DID NOT GET PUT IN THE COMPUTER Tuesday night. They've just now added them in, and they gave Prosser a lead of 7300 votes. If it holds, he'll not only have won, he'll have a margin too wide to have the automatic recount. HOLY CRAP!!!

AndrewPrice said...

T_Rav, That's pretty much how I see Obama. From the beginning, it was pretty clear to me that he's neither bright nor thoughtful. But I gave him the benefit of the doubt regarding his love of the country because I had no reason to doubt that he was a loyal American who wanted to protect the country and wanted what he thought was best for the country, even though I disagreed with him.

But since that time, he's shown an incredible indifference to the health and welfare of the country and it's people, and an incredible ability to ignore the public that he supposedly serves. Moreover, he and his wife have shown themselves to be plunderers rather than leaders, and he's been using the Treasury as a way to fund his political allies.

Plus, his misuse of the military is stunning. Who sends people into harms way while telling the enemy "don't worry, we'll be leaving in XX days."

I have to conclude that there is something deeply wrong with him and he doesn't grasp that the role of the Presidency is to protect America and all Americans first, and everything else comes second.

Plus, talk about of touch! Like that car comment and a dozen others like it, he acts like he's been cloistered in a millionaire's mansion his entire life and has never met a real American.

AndrewPrice said...

P.S. That's excellent news about Wisconsin! Let's hope it plays out that way in the end! :-)

AndrewPrice said...

Update: According to Drudge, Obama is now planning a family vacation in Colonial Williamsburg this weekend. What an ass.

Ed said...

T_Rav and Andrew, That's great news on Wisconsin! Do we know yet if it's true? I don't see it on the AP.


Obama should go on vacation and not come back. Do you think we can change the locks during the shutdown?

AndrewPrice said...

Ed, Fox News is reporting it now too -- that he has a 7,500 vote lead over K-bag and the thugs.


I'm all for changing the locks at the White House. Great idea! :-)

T_Rav said...

Ed, ditto what Andrew said. I don't know why the AP doesn't have it up, but NRO, HotAir, AoSHQ, and a bunch of other blogs do. So does Fox News and now Drudge. And there was a press conference about an hour and a half ago featuring the election commissioners and such, so yes, these votes are official. Of course, I guess we should keep in mind the possibility that the Democrats will "find" 8,000 ballots in the trunk of someone's car tomorrow morning, but even for them, that's a lot to ask at this point. So I think we might be good.

T-Rav said...

Oh, and also, for extra comic relief after nearly choking on rage at the Dems, I give you this on the sudden turn of events from Daily Kos:

"Can we please, please, please not try to be the smartest ones in the room just this one time and play the game that Republicans always play. Let's declare victory now and talk about pushing Prosser off the stage. This is the message.
Kloppenburg won an election she should never have won. What a humiliation for the Tea Party and their media toads.

This is a total Wisonsin smackdown of Scott Walker

Prosser should really understand it is time to leave the stage.

Prosser sticking around is just hurting Wisconsin.

There is serious businesss to conduct and Prosser is just gumming up the works by trying to challenge this."

AndrewPrice said...

T_Rav, If you want a laugh, the Democrats are screaming about "fraud" already and they're saying things like how it just doesn't happen that new votes get found.

Really? Maybe we should re-open the election in Minnesota? And are they saying their attempt to find votes in Florida in 2000 was a fraud?

In terms of "finding" 8,000 ballots, that's a tall order for a bunch of union guys. Most people could probably print those up in a day or two. . . but the unions just won't be able to get it done anytime this year. So unless they contract out, this looks bad for them! ;-)

AndrewPrice said...

T_Rav, What makes that quote all the funnier, Prosser hasn't even challenged anything.... this was all a result of a standard verification process where they check the vote tallys in each county.

Only after that tally would Prosser have made the challenge.

Idiots.

Ed said...

This must be killing our friends on the left after they probably spent the day padding themselves on the back about their stolen victory.

AndrewPrice said...

Ed, Definitely. I haven't been to Huffpo yet, but I'm sure they're going insane.

What's funny is that this total is so large that they will probably end up outside the automatic recount. So she may not even be able to get a recount. Can you imagine the screaming if it turns out that she can't even get a recount?

Ed said...

The AP just picked it up 8 minutes ago.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110408/ap_on_re_us/us_wisconsin_supreme_court_election

Heads explode on the left in 10... 9... 8...

AndrewPrice said...

Ed, The heads, they are exploding. The article at Huffpo has over 800 comments already and they're all about the GOP stealing elections and attacking the clerk who revealed the mistake and claiming that the entire Wisconsin government has no legitimacy. Their pain is actually quite the feel good moment of the day! :-)

T_Rav said...

Andrew and Ed, anything that can make HuffPo and Kos melt down is worth cheering about. To add to the awesomeness, here's a couple links. One is the press conference from this evening, where the election people are explaining what happened. Kind of technical, but it's worth watching. And man, do the reporters sound coldly furious.

http://www.jsonline.com/general/37714089.html?bcpid=8725036001&bckey=AQ~~,AAAAAGgk8Us~,dLqgruaIT6rTqyyEHVUdSjL5KQ9h61sv&bctid=895391546001

The other is from BH, namely a list of Michael Moore's outraged tweets this afternoon. You have to give him credit; few people are capable of so much unaware hypocrisy.

http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/hollywoodland/2011/04/07/michael-moore-freaks-out-over-wi-recount-demands-obama-impound-ballots/

There's also another I'm trying to find, of Chris Matthews gloating with his guests just as the news started to come in. If I find it, I'll add it on.

AndrewPrice said...

T_Rav, Agreed. Anything that causes a liberal meltdown must be a good thing! :-)

Here's your first link: LINK

Here's the BH link: LINK

I've already commented on that one. I believe I said: "Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

You are so right about Michael Moore. He is so blatantly hypocritical that you could almost swear that he's a Republican plant meant to disgrace the left!

AndrewPrice said...

Shutdown Update: It sounds like they are close to a deal, but then the principals stopped and handed off to their aides to keep working on it until the morning. Unless the aides have more authority than you would think, this is probably not a great sign.

DUQ said...

We should start a pool on the shutdown. I'm betting they solve this in around 11:15 am tomorrow.

AndrewPrice said...

DUQ, I wouldn't bet either way.

On Wisconsin, the Huffers are up to 4341 comments and they're getting more and more paranoid. :-)

Ed said...

Put me down for a deal reached Sunday afternoon -- just enough to scare people but not enough to anger anyone.

Andrew, What happens if this K-bag woman challenges the count?

AndrewPrice said...

Ed, That's possible that they'll just scare people with a weekend and then suddenly solve it before anyone misses a day of work on Monday. It's hard to tell. I'm kind of thinking they'll reach an agreement tomorrow afternoon.


On Wisconsin, the problem for K-bag is that the vote total suddenly isn't close enough that she will be able to get a court to start ordering recounts. She'll need to provide proof of some sort of fraud before that can happen. Since she can't really get a court to look into the issue again, she's lost (assuming she doesn't "find" more votes right away).

So that should be that.

T_Rav said...

And...Harry Reid just got up in the Senate and started defending his and Obama's refusal to agree to budget cuts. Why? Because Planned Parenthood funding is too important to cut. Someone help me...I'm starting to imagine choking this @#^&*$.

AndrewPrice said...

Well, T_Rav, making sure that taxpayers are forced to fund abortions is much more important than keeping the entire federal government running.

** rolls eyes **

You know, this should really expose to the public just where their priorities are. I hope that conservative blogs, etc. pound this home.

AndrewPrice said...

T_Rav, I don't know if you seen all the quotes from the democrats about the shutdown they've engineered.

Jesse Jackass called it like the civil war. Elenore Holmes Norton said it was like carpet bombing civilians. Harry Reid said the Republicans wanted to prevent women from getting cancer screenings.

So much for the new non-hateful tone!

T_Rav said...

Andrew, to add to that, I would point out a left-wing Facebook page inviting people to dump their trash at Speaker Boehner's house, Dem Rep. Louise Slaughter saying the GOP freshmen were elected to kill women (does that include SD's Kristi Noem, I wonder?), and Virginia's own Jim Moran saying his opponent is a hypocrite because he wants to cut government but took a government check for 24 years. By the way, his opponent took a government check for 24 years because that's how long he was SERVING IN THE @^%$*#& MILITARY.

AndrewPrice said...

T_Rav, I hadn't heard the Moran thing, but it doesn't surprise me in the least... and I share you choice of words about this whole thing. The Democrats are despicable.

Ed said...

Yep, those are the ones I'm seeing. What a bunch of sh!ts! Can't the Republicans sue them or something like that? This has got to be slander.

AndrewPrice said...

Ed, Sadly, no, they can't. You'd think they would be able to. If they were commercial companies they could. But politics doesn't work that way.

JG said...

I'll be really interesting to see y'all's analysis of the final deal. There seems to be a lot of schizophrenia on the Right right now. I see some people saying this was a win as far as stepping-stone CRs go, and I see a lot of other people throwing their hands up and calling this entire session of Congress a loss because the cuts weren't big enough, riders weren't strong enough, etc. I have my own opinions, but I'm looking forward to yours.

AndrewPrice said...

JG, I'll see what I can do for Monday. I think there are a lot of reasons to be happy that this was a step in the right direction.

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