Obama Sends Clinton to India To Apoligize to the World for Global Warming! India Rejects Global Warming Science! (Video)

In India? Has anyone seen the pollution in India lately?

Ambassador John Bolton and Glenn Beck discuss the latest Team "O" blame America crusade.



India, however, is not buying into the "climate change" hype!

The Financial Times reports:

A split between rich and poor nations in the run-up to climate-change talks widened on Thursday.

India rejected key scientific findings on global warming, while the European Union called for more action by developing states on greenhouse gas emissions.

He dismissed scientists’ predictions that Himalayan glaciers might disappear within 40 years as a result of global warming.

“We have to get out of the preconceived notion, which is based on western media, and invest our scientific research and other capacities to study Himalayan atmosphere,” he said.

“Science has its limitation. You cannot substitute the knowledge that has been gained by the people living in cold deserts through everyday experience.”

Mr Ramesh was also clear that India would not take on targets to cut its emissions, even though developed countries are asking only for curbs in the growth of emissions, rather than absolute cuts.

His stance was at wide variance with that of Andreas Carlgren, his Swedish counterpart. Sweden holds the European Union’s revolving presidency until a conference in Copenhagen in December at which governments will try to hammer out a successor to the Kyoto protocol on curbing greenhouse emissions – the main provisions of which expire in 2012.

Mr Carlgren said in Are, Sweden, that developing countries such as India, China and Brazil must propose more ambitious plans to reduce emissions if they were to receive finance from wealthy nations.

Obama Loves to Apologize to the World for Everything; Yet Cannot Give A Real Apology To Police (Video)

Williams, Bill Kristol, and Charles Krauthammer on the Henry Gates arrest scandal.

Why can't Obama ever admit when he's wrong?

Oh right...I forgot about that whole Narcissistic Personality Disorder thing...

I did not care for Obama's rise to stardom; but I have to admit -- his collapse is fun to watch.

NObama in 2012!

Black Officer Leon Lashley Supports Henry Louis Gates Arrest Comments, Criticizes Barack Obama Remarks (Video)

African-American Cambridge police officer Leon Lashley recounts Henry Louis Gates' racially-charged outburst against fellow officer Sgt. James Crowley during the encounter which led to Gates' being arrested on a charge of disorderly conduct.

Lashley also says he felt it was "unfortunate" that Barack Obama made the "stupidly" remarks at Obama's press conference Wednesday night.





The Chicago Tribune reports:

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — A black police officer who was at Henry Louis Gates Jr.'s home when the black Harvard scholar was arrested says he fully supports how his white fellow officer handled the situation.

Sgt. Leon Lashley says Gates was probably tired and surprised when Sgt. James Crowley demanded identification from him as officers investigated a report of a burglary. Lashley says Gates' reaction to Crowley was "a little bit stranger than it should have been."

Asked if Gates should have been arrested, Lashley said supported Crowley "100 percent."

Gates has said he was the victim of racial profiling.

Glenn Beck Blasts Simon Properties Over Conservative Kiosk Kicked Out of Obama Donor/Simon Properties-Owned North Carolina Mall

Anyone remember anyone being punished for selling those "impeach Bush" bumber stickers and signs?

Free speech loses out again to the politics of Obama.



The Obama Gestapo strikes again! Our liberties continue to be taken away one by one. This is real, folks! Dissent shall be penalized! Bow to Dear Leader or else!

Seriously, this is completely unacceptable. This is Tyranny! Give me Liberty!

From WCNC.com:

CONCORD, N.C. -- "Impeach Obama."

"Al Qaeda's favorite days: 9/11/01 and 11/04/08."

"Work Harder. Obama needs the money."

The bumper stickers and posters sold at "Free Market Warrior" at Concord Mills are meant to be "biting," the kiosk's owner Loren Spivack said.

At least one passerby found them racist and bigoted, and took time to tell the mall in a letter and a letter to the editor of the Charlotte Observer.

Whatever your opinion, the fact is this: At the end of July, Free Market Warrior will not be allowed at Concord Mills Mall. The kiosk chain's owner shared e-mail correspondence with NewsChannel 36 that explains that the mall management has decided that the items sold are not "neutral" enough. The lease will be allowed to expire July 31, 2009 without an option to renew.

Spivack, who first leased the space this spring, says the decision came as a shock to him. He says mall management seemed pleased with the kiosk just a few weeks ago.

"Nobody in that mall is selling anything from a conservative perspective. Plenty of people are selling things with a liberal perspective, with a pro-Obama perspective," he said. "Given that we are in America and not North Korea, we probably should have some stuff on the other side."

Spivack says he is careful not to sell things that personally attack a politician and wants a fair exchange of ideas. "The material that I sell is about politics and ideas," he told Newschannel 36. "It's all legitimate criticism."

Concord Mills, owned by Simon Property Group, would not comment for this story, cited a policy against talking about tenant and landlord situations.

Spivack says the company first contacted him about his lease after a letter to the editor appeared in the Charlotte Observer. The author, recent UNC-Charlotte graduate Jennifer Ibanez, wrote"

"Free Market Warrior, a kiosk located adjacent to Bass Pro Shops, specializes in memorabilia embellished with pro-confederacy statements as well as those opposing both the government and President Obama. In addition, these products support ideas such as racisms, sexism, and even slavery. While freedom of speech is a Constitutional right it's difficult not to believe that something just isn't quite right here.

"I find it appalling that Concord Mills, North Carolina’s #1 visitor attraction, would condone such a message to be portrayed by their vendors and can't imagine how the outside visitors' perceptions of North Carolinians have been skewed by such an establishment.

"It’s hard to stay open-minded when such uncivilized and outdated ideas are endorsed on a daily basis. It's 2009; please, let's at least try to put this type of bigotry to an end."

Ibanez told NewsChannel 36 she was so offended, she wrote the mall as well. She says a friend of hers also wrote in. Both threatened not to return to Concord Mills.

The owner of the mall group, Mel Simon, has been a generous contributor to Democratic causes and politicians, including Barack Obama. Spivack thinks the decision about his lease is political.

"If they have decided to make their malls conservative/libertarian free zones, where those opinions can't be expressed, I do think it's their right to do that, but it's our rights to publicize the fact that they are doing that," he said.

Republican Whip Cantor (R-VA) Speaks on Defunding Planned Parenthood (Video)

Rep. Cantor cites Thomas Jefferson in his attack. Planned Parenthood receives over $350 Million annually from the Federal Government.

Where's the Birth Certificate, Mr. Soetoro? (Video)

Lou Dobbs and Rep. Ted Poe discuss a bill that, if passed and signed into law, would require future presidential candidates to prove they are natural born US citizens before running for office. The NWO puppet in the White House hasnt done so, and CNNs obnoxious and bombastic Roland Martin goes ballistic. He thinks that we should take Obama at his word that he was born in Hawaii. And this after Obama has proven himself to be a bald faced liar time and time again.

I find it hard to believe that this is not already a law, consider it's clearly stated in the Constitution the qualifications to be President. I would have assumed this would already be part of the FEC documentation required to file to run for the office. But no such law exists?

Where is it? Just show the copy and move on!

Obama's Fantasy-Land $2 Trillion Savings Exposed by—The New York Times? (Video)

More fallout from Obama's BS Presser last night...called out by The New York Times? The Lead slobbering media outlet? Strange things are afoot at the Circle K, Ted...

Hillary Clinton Is An Unintelligent Funny Lady, Says North Korea (Video)

North Korea called Hillary an "unintelligent, funny lady" and in typical fashion, Ms. Clinton warned North Korea they would soon be "without friends".

Sticks and stones may break my bones...



The Washington Post reports more:

PHUKET, Thailand, July 23 -- The war of words between North Korea and the United States escalated Thursday, with North Korea's Foreign Ministry lashing out at Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in unusually personal terms for "vulgar remarks" that it said demonstrated "she is by no means intelligent."

Clinton, who this week likened North Korea to an unruly child, has rallied international isolation of North Korea at a 27-member regional security forum here. She met with her Russian, Chinese, South Korean and Japanese counterparts -- the other key partners in suspended six-nation disarmament talks on North Korea -- and won strong statements of support from many delegations.

On Wednesday night, she even sent a delegation of U.S. officials to meet with diplomats from Burma, which has strained relations with Washington, to press for compliance with a U.N. Security Council resolution barring exports of North Korean arms and missiles. The resolution was passed this year after North Korea detonated a second nuclear device, and Burma announced Thursday that it would comply with it.

"There is no place to go for North Korea," Clinton told reporters after reading a nearly seven-minute statement outlining U.S. policy on North Korea. "They have no friends left."

North Korean officials also are attending the conference hosted by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on this resort island. In a comical scene, North Korean officials showed up at a news conference venue that had been set up for Clinton, who as usual was running late. Although the North Koreans had booked the space, they retreated to a nearby hallway to meet with reporters and denounce the United States.

"The six-party talks are over," spokesman Ri Hung Sik said, because of the "deep-rooted anti-North Korean policy" of the United States. North Korea rarely holds media events, so the decision to speak to reporters was significant.

Clinton and other U.S. officials said the North Korean delegation made similar belligerent statements at the conference. "In their presentation today, they evinced no willingness to pursue the path of denuclearization, and that was troubling," Clinton said.

The Foreign Ministry statement attacking Clinton also amply demonstrated the North Korean mood.

"We cannot but regard Mrs. Clinton as a funny lady as she likes to utter such rhetoric, unaware of the elementary etiquette in the international community," a Foreign Ministry spokesman said, according to North Korean media. "Sometimes she looks like a primary schoolgirl and sometimes a pensioner going shopping."

The fit of pique was apparently inspired by an interview Clinton gave ABC News while visiting New Delhi this week.

"What we've seen is this constant demand for attention," Clinton said. "And maybe it's the mother in me or the experience that I've had with small children and unruly teenagers and people who are demanding attention -- don't give it to them, they don't deserve it, they are acting out."

The Obama administration came into office with hopes that it could restart the talks that broke down in the final days of the Bush administration. President George W. Bush, who had originally taken a hard line, made substantial concessions to Pyongyang after it first tested a nuclear weapon in 2006. Last year, he removed North Korea from the list of state sponsors of terrorism, but the talks faltered nonetheless.

President Obama appointed a special envoy for negotiations with the hope of rebuilding the process. But after North Korea tested ballistic missiles and a nuclear weapon, the Obama team shifted course, viewing North Korea as a test case to demonstrate that substantial sanctions could be imposed on nuclear rogues while still holding out the promise of a better relationship. The administration even resurrected a demand for "irreversible" steps on denuclearization, language that had been banned by the State Department toward the end of Bush's term.

Thus far the effort appears to have won some cooperation from previous skeptics such as China.

Michael J. Green, the former top Asia adviser to Bush, said Clinton's statement was "a comprehensive and well-balanced statement of North Korea strategy," noting that she also highlighted human rights abuses by North Korea and said she would name a special human rights envoy for North Korea. "The inclusion of human rights issues is important and striking, given some of the administration's recent hesitation about raising these issues around the world," he said.

Javier Solana, the European Union's foreign policy chief, told reporters that, despite the angry back-and-forth, he did not think the six-party talks were over and that North Korea eventually would return to the bargaining table.

The Obama administration, however, insists it will not drop the sanctions, as Bush did, to win Pyongyang's cooperation.

"We are open to talks with North Korea. But we are not interested in half-measures," Clinton said. "We do not intend to reward the North just for returning to the table."

What The Hell Is He Talking About? Obama Press Conference Fuzzy Math On Debt and Deficit (Video)

Bill O'Reilly just touched on this too in his opening segment. What the hell is Obama talking about? Can anyone figure out exactly what he's talking about here? Health Care is designed to reduce the deficit?

Obama Is A Jerk Again! Lynn Sweet Dissed At Obama News Conference (Video)

Lynn Sweet is a columnist and blogger for the the Chicago Sun Times. She was highly critical of the Rod Blagojevich/Roland Burris/Barack Obama scandal.

A moment of confusion at President Obama's primetime news conference where he goes to Lynn Sweet, but he is then told to go to Steve Koff. "That's not fair, shame on you."

Right before, he tells a reporter that he won't get a public option because "I'm the President of the United States, and I got a doctor following me around every minute."

Obama Lies Again!; Says Economy 'Pulled From the Brink' (Video)

In opening remarks during a press conference, President Barack Obama says that progress has been made repairing a broken economy. The president pointed to the Recovery Act as one of the positive steps his administration has taken.

Uh....what? What numbers is he looking at? The Recovery Act is a complete bullshit! Wake up, America!!!!!!!!!!! This guy is nuts!

Obama Takes Potshots At Demint, Kristol During News Conference (Video)

In a primetime news conference, President Obama referred to "the game of politics", using for examples Bill Kristol's "go for the kill" advice, and Jim DeMint's "waterloo" remark.

"This isn't about me. I have great health insurance..."

What a jerk! I have tried to be respectful of Obama the person to date. However, if he keeps on using childish tactics and continues to squash any and all dissent and difference of opinion, he is frankly, acting like an ass!

Obama Asked "Why The Rush?" For Health Care Reform at News Conference (Video)

During a primetime news conference, mostly revolving around President Obama's health care reform bill, David Alexander Williams asks him what most Americans want to know: "Why the rush?"

He says because there is progress in the medical industry, "the stars are aligned" to make it happen, but he wants to "get it right".

"I won't sign a bill that I don't think will work."

The stars are aligned? Government by astrology? Not to mention, the letters he mentions are BS. Let me see these letters. Freaking liar!

Conservative Kiosk Banned From North Carolina Mall

The Obama Gestapo strikes again! Our liberties continue to be taken away one by one. This is real, folks! Dissent shall be penalized! Bow to Dear Leader or else!

Seriously, this is completely unacceptable. This is Tyranny! Give me Liberty!

From WCNC.com:

CONCORD, N.C. -- "Impeach Obama."

"Al Qaeda's favorite days: 9/11/01 and 11/04/08."

"Work Harder. Obama needs the money."

The bumper stickers and posters sold at "Free Market Warrior" at Concord Mills are meant to be "biting," the kiosk's owner Loren Spivack said.

At least one passerby found them racist and bigoted, and took time to tell the mall in a letter and a letter to the editor of the Charlotte Observer.

Whatever your opinion, the fact is this: At the end of July, Free Market Warrior will not be allowed at Concord Mills Mall. The kiosk chain's owner shared e-mail correspondence with NewsChannel 36 that explains that the mall management has decided that the items sold are not "neutral" enough. The lease will be allowed to expire July 31, 2009 without an option to renew.

Spivack, who first leased the space this spring, says the decision came as a shock to him. He says mall management seemed pleased with the kiosk just a few weeks ago.

"Nobody in that mall is selling anything from a conservative perspective. Plenty of people are selling things with a liberal perspective, with a pro-Obama perspective," he said. "Given that we are in America and not North Korea, we probably should have some stuff on the other side."

Spivack says he is careful not to sell things that personally attack a politician and wants a fair exchange of ideas. "The material that I sell is about politics and ideas," he told Newschannel 36. "It's all legitimate criticism."

Concord Mills, owned by Simon Property Group, would not comment for this story, cited a policy against talking about tenant and landlord situations.

Spivack says the company first contacted him about his lease after a letter to the editor appeared in the Charlotte Observer. The author, recent UNC-Charlotte graduate Jennifer Ibanez, wrote"

"Free Market Warrior, a kiosk located adjacent to Bass Pro Shops, specializes in memorabilia embellished with pro-confederacy statements as well as those opposing both the government and President Obama. In addition, these products support ideas such as racisms, sexism, and even slavery. While freedom of speech is a Constitutional right it's difficult not to believe that something just isn't quite right here.

"I find it appalling that Concord Mills, North Carolina’s #1 visitor attraction, would condone such a message to be portrayed by their vendors and can't imagine how the outside visitors' perceptions of North Carolinians have been skewed by such an establishment.

"It’s hard to stay open-minded when such uncivilized and outdated ideas are endorsed on a daily basis. It's 2009; please, let's at least try to put this type of bigotry to an end."

Ibanez told NewsChannel 36 she was so offended, she wrote the mall as well. She says a friend of hers also wrote in. Both threatened not to return to Concord Mills.

The owner of the mall group, Mel Simon, has been a generous contributor to Democratic causes and politicians, including Barack Obama. Spivack thinks the decision about his lease is political.

"If they have decided to make their malls conservative/libertarian free zones, where those opinions can't be expressed, I do think it's their right to do that, but it's our rights to publicize the fact that they are doing that," he said.

Palin to feds: Alaska is sovereign state; Constitutional rights reasserted in growing resistance to Washington

Now this is conservatism in action! The polar oppostie of the Obama/Pelosi socialist take over of America. We are a Republic of 50 States! Not one massive European-style socialiast state!

From World Net Daily:

Gov. Sarah Palin has signed a joint resolution declaring Alaska's sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution – and now 36 other states have introduced similar resolutions as part of a growing resistance to the federal government.

Just weeks before she plans to step down from her position as Alaska governor, Palin signed House Joint Resolution 27, sponsored by state Rep. Mike Kelly on July 10, according to a Tenth Amendment Center report. The resolution "claims sovereignty for the state under the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States over all powers not otherwise enumerated and granted to the federal government by the Constitution of the United States."

Alaska's House passed HJR 27 by a vote of 37-0, and the Senate passed it by a vote of 40-0.

According to the report, the joint resolution does not carry with it the force of law, but supporters say it is a significant move toward getting their message out to other lawmakers, the media and grassroots movements.

Alaska's resolution states:

Be it resolved that the Alaska State Legislature hereby claims sovereignty for the state under the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States over all powers not otherwise enumerated and granted to the federal government by the Constitution of the United States.

Be it further resolved that this resolution serves as Notice and Demand to the federal government to cease and desist, effective immediately, mandates that are beyond the scope of these constitutionally delegated powers.

While seven states – Tennessee, Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Alaska and Louisiana – have had both houses of their legislatures pass similar decrees, Alaska Gov. Palin and Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen are currently the only governors to have signed their states' sovereignty resolutions.

The resolutions all address the Tenth Amendment that says: "powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."

Read more at the Tenth Amendment Center.

Clinton stirs Israeli fears US will accept nuclear Iran

So... our Secretary of State all but admitted Iran will develop a nuclear arsenal? That's encouraging....

Breitbart reports:

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Wednesday stirred Israeli fears that Washington would accept a nuclear armed Iran when she raised the idea of a US "defence umbrella" for Gulf allies.

However, Clinton, during a visit to Thailand for an Asian security conference, said later that she was not announcing a new policy and simply wanted to turn Iran away from pursuing a nuclear weapon.

Clinton told Thai television in Bangkok that President Barack Obama's administration was still open to engage Iran in talks about its nuclear programme but warned that Tehran would not be safer if it obtains a bomb.

"We will still hold the door open" to talks over its nuclear program Clinton said.

"But we also have made it clear that we will take action, as I've said time and time again, crippling action, working to upgrade the defence of our partners in the region," she said.

Her previous references to "crippling action" have referred to sanctions.

"We want Iran to calculate what I think is a fair assessment: that if the US extends a defence umbrella over the region, if we do even more to support the military capacity of those in the Gulf, it is unlikely Iran will be any stronger or safer," Clinton said.

"They won't be able to intimidate and dominate as they apparently believe they can once they have a nuclear weapon."

In Jerusalem, Israeli Intelligence Services Minister Dan Meridor criticised her remarks.

"I heard without enthusiasm the American declarations according to which the United States will defend their allies in the event that Iran uses nuclear weapons, as if they were already resigned to such a possibility," he said.

"This is a mistake," Meridor said. "We cannot act now by assuming that Iran will be able to arm itself with a nuclear weapon, but to prevent such a possibility."

Clinton made her initial comments during a recording for a Thai television show before heading to Asia's largest security forum in the Thai resort island of Phuket, where talks were expected to focus on possible nuclear links between North Korea and Myanmar.

Speaking at a press conference in Phuket later, Clinton suggested her remarks were misunderstood.

"I'm not suggesting a new policy. In fact we all believe that Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons is unacceptable, and I've said that many times," she said.

"I'm simply pointing out that Iran needs to understand that it's pursuit of nuclear weapons will not advance its security or achieve its goals of enhancing its power regionally and globally," she said.

"The focus that Iran must have is that it faces the prospect -- if it pursues nuclear weapons -- of sparking an arms race in the region," she said.

"That should affect a calculation of what Iran intends to do and what it believes is in its national security interest because it may render Iran less secure, not more secure," she said.

US lawmakers on Monday stepped up pressure on Obama to ready tough new economic sanctions on Iran in the event Tehran fails to freeze its uranium enrichment programme by late 2009.

Iran, labouring under UN sanctions for its defiance, has rejected the West's charges that it seeks nuclear weapons under cover of a civilian atomic energy program.

Obama has said he wants a diplomatic solution to the standoff but has repeatedly warned that he has not ruled out the use of force.

Naked Cowboy Runs for Mayor, in His Underwear (Video)

The Naked Cowboy might be considered a quirky asset to New York City's tourism industry. Now the Times Square traffic-stopper says he'd make a mighty fine mayor.

Why stop there? Why not run for President in 2012? Can't be any worse than the guy currently living in The White House!

Is Obama Big Pharmaceutical's Sugar Daddy? (Video)

Healthcare reform is a hot-button issue these days, but few people are looking below the surfact. If they took a closer look, they'd realize that the pharmaceutical industry, which has been a staunch supporter of the GOP for decades, has all of a sudden started praising President Obama. Like most issues, if you just follow the money, you'll find out why they now love the president and the Democrats in Congress. Mike Papantonio of Air America's Ring of Fire talks about this relationship, which has turned healthcare reform into nothing more than a free ride for the pharmaceutical industry.

Senator: Democrats 'baffled' by president's health care stance

You mean Obama doesn't actually have a plan on how to pay for another massive expansion of government spending?

CNN reports:

WASHINGTON (CNN) – As the prospects for passing health reform by the time Congress leaves for its August recess look bleaker, Democratic grumbling about President Obama is growing louder. One Democratic senator tells CNN congressional Democrats are “baffled,” and another senior Democratic source tells CNN members of the president’s own party are still “frustrated” that they’re not getting more specific direction from him on health care. “We appreciate the rhetoric and his willingness to ratchet up the pressure but what most Democrats on the Hill are looking for is for the president to weigh in and make decisions on outstanding issues. Instead of sending out his people and saying the president isn’t ruling anything out, members would like a little bit of clarity on what he would support – especially on how to pay for his health reform bill,” a senior Democratic congressional source tells CNN. The Democratic leadership had hoped the work going on behind closed doors for months could bear fruit in time for the president’s news conference Wednesday night. But multiple Democratic sources tell CNN that’s looking very unlikely, and one senior Democratic source tells CNN there is some frustration among Democratic leaders that Senate negotiators have, "repeatedly missed deadlines."

Garden Gnomes Beware! Monkey Caught On Tape Burglarizing Garden Store (Video)

From DFW, an NBC affiliate in Dallas/Fort Worth:

The owners of a Richardson, Texas, gardening store have surveillance video of what appears to be a monkey burglarizing their business.

Plants and Planters has been burglarized several times, but co-owner Jerry Duncan said it's “definitely never been robbed by a monkey before.”

A two-foot primate is the prime suspect in the latest break-in at the Richardson nursery. Duncan’s wife, Shelley Rosenfeld, said she didn’t believe it either, “until I looked at it and said, 'This is crazy.'”

The owners of Plants and Planters have watched the surveillance video hundreds of times and are convinced it shows a monkey stealing from them.

“You can see the back legs, the front arms and the white head,” Duncan said.

In the video, the primate appears briefly in the lower left corner, walks past the fountain and then stops and places his hands on the floor.

Rosenfeld said she believes a human accomplice trained the monkey to lift the plants and pass them over the gate.

About 40 plants were missing the nursery, and pieces of concrete were shattered in the parking lot.

"They need to train him better,” Duncan said. “Especially if he is going to do the big jobs.”

For now, Richardson police are stuck with the job of figuring out who is responsible.

“I wouldn’t think there would be too many monkeys in this city,” Duncan said.

Boehner Warns Americans About Obama's Healthcare Myths

More bad news about Obamacare!

Obama: If We Don't "Score Political Points," Health Bill Will Pass (Video)

At a brief press conference from the the Rose Garden on July 21, President Obama says "we are closer than ever before" to passing a health-care reform bill. As long as some politicians can make an effort to not "score political points... We are going to get the job done," he says.

President Obama Defends Wearing "Mom Jeans" At All-Star Game (Video)

President Obama tells Meredith Vieira about his decision to wear "mom jeans" at the All-Star Game. "Those jeans are comfortable," he says. "For those of you who want your President to look great in his tight jeans, I'm sorry, I'm not the guy."

McCain doesn't agree with Steele's charge that Obama's health care plan is socialism (Video)

McCain is an idiot. It IS socialism!

Federal Government Was Culprit in Housing and Economic Crisis, Says Congressional Report

CNS News reports:

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were the chief culprits in the housing crisis because they encouraged people who could not afford payments to borrow money, according to a congressional report released Tuesday.

The claims in the report have long been advanced by conservatives, who argue that the Community Reinvestment Act and other federal programs fed the housing bubble that burst in 2007 and led to the economic downfall in 2008.

But the report explains in detail how Fannie and Freddie -- government sponsored enterprises (GSE) that were not subject to the same oversight as other publicly traded firms -- “privatized their profits but socialized their risks.”

“In the short run, this government intervention was successful in its stated goal – raising the national homeownership rate,” says the report, the result of an investigation launched last fall by Republican members of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

“However, the ultimate effect was to create a mortgage tsunami that wrought devastation on the American people and economy,” says the report. “While government intervention was not the sole cause of the financial crisis, its role was significant and has received too little attention.”

The report talks about the Clinton administration’s National Homeownership Strategy, citing President Clinton’s directive to “lift America’s homeownership rate to an all-time high by the end of the century.”

The Clinton strategy further said that Freddie and Fannie should reduce down-payment requirements and, according to the report, “called for increased use of ‘flexible underwriting criteria,’ which it said could be achieved in concert with ‘liberalized affordable housing underwriting criteria.’”

“That is the perfect smoking gun that tells how Barney Frank [D-Mass.], the Clinton administration and others would do it in those days,” Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), the ranking member on the House Oversight and Government Affairs Committee, said Tuesday in a speech at the Heritage Foundation.

“The seeds of the meltdown began with the well-intentioned goal that everyone have a home even if they can’t afford it,” he said. “It led to one of the biggest ponzi schemes ever.”

Read the full report here.

U.S. House of Representatives
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
Darrell Issa (CA-49), Ranking Member

The Role of Government Affordable Housing Policy in
Creating the Global Financial Crisis of 2008

The housing bubble that burst in 2007 and led to a financial crisis can be traced back to federal government intervention in the U.S. housing market intended to help provide homeownership opportunities for more Americans. This intervention began with two government-backed corporations, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which privatized their profits but socialized their risks, creating powerful incentives for them to act recklessly and exposing taxpayers to tremendous losses. Government intervention also created “affordable” but dangerous lending policies which encouraged lower down payments, looser underwriting standards and higher leverage. Finally, government intervention created a nexus of vested interests – politicians, lenders and lobbyists – who profited from the “affordable” housing market and acted to kill reforms. In the short run, this government intervention was successful in its stated goal – raising the national homeownership rate. However, the ultimate effect was to create a mortgage tsunami that wrought devastation on the American people and economy. While government intervention was not the sole cause of the financial crisis, its role was significant and has received too little attention.

Will Barack Obama Health Care Reform Finance Abortions with Your Tax Dollars?

The Obama Administration says it is open to the idea of using American taxpayer money to fund abortions under Obamacare.

Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA) discusses the issue with Megyn Kelly.



Jake Tapper has more:

On Sunday, Office of Management and Budget director Peter Orszag was asked if in the taxpayer dollars would not fund abortions in the government-funded, public health insurance plan President Obama is proposing.

"I think that that will wind up being part of the debate," Orszag said on Fox News Sunday. "I am not prepared to say explicitly that right now. It's obviously a controversial issue, and it's one of the questions that is playing out in this debate….I'm not prepared to rule it out.

Sen. Judd Gregg, R-NH, an abortion opponent, said later that "no matter what your views are on abortion, you shouldn't ask people to use their tax dollars if they think that abortion is taking a life — to use their tax dollars for those purpose — for that purpose….I would hate to see the health care debate go down over that issue. We do really need health care reform, and it has to be substantive, and it has to bend that out-year cost curve, and it has — and we've got to get a — and we have to have a system that covers everyone. So hopefully we won't get ourselves wrapped around the wheel of abortion in this debate."

It's an open question. As the New York Times points out, during her confirmation hearing, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius was asked about the issue.

“Most private plans do not cover abortion services except in limited instances, but do cover family planning,” Sebelius, a supporter of abortion rights, said. “And Congress has limited the Federal Employee Health Benefit plan to covering abortion services only in cases of rape or incest, or when the life of the mother is in danger.”

Hey, Congress: Read the Barack Obama Health Care Bill BEFORE You Try to Pass It!

Click image to download the pledge.


For more information, visit Let Freedom Ring.

RNC Chairman Steele on Pres. Obama's Health Proposal (Video)

Haven't heard from this guy in a while...

When asked if President Obama's plan represents socialism Michael Steele responded, "Yes. Next question."At the 2:58 mark:





The AP reports:

The chairman of the Republican Party on Monday called President Barack Obama's plan to overhaul health care "socialism," accusing the president of conducting a risky experiment that will hurt the economy and force millions to drop their current coverage.

Michael Steele, in remarks at the National Press Club, also said the president, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and key congressional committee chairmen are part of a "cabal" that wants to implement government-run health care.

"Obama-Pelosi want to start building a colossal, closed health care system where Washington decides. Republicans want and support an open health care system where patients and doctors make the decisions," Steele said.

Asked if Obama's health care plan represented socialism, Steele responded: "Yes. Next question."

Obama has repeatedly said he does not favor a government-run health care system. Legislation taking shape in the House envisions private insurance companies selling coverage in competition with the government.

Weathermen Bake Cookies On Dashboard In 100+ Degree Temperature (Video)

That's pretty freakin' hot!

Peter Orszag On Fox News Sunday "Economy Worse Than We Thought" (Video)

Obama's budget director echoes Joe Biden's statement last week. Hey, when it doubt, blame Bush!

Is anyone else thinking that maybe this administration should get it facts straight before rushing to pass bogus legislation which mortgages our future and leads us down the path towards socialism? Or worse?



He did say though, there is hope in the future:

Orszag: Economy slowly improving

Orszag sees signs that the economy is beginning to improve, even as the unemployment rate grew beyond the administration's initial estimates.

The "sense of panic and fear" in the financial markets has dissipated, said Orszag, and the second quarter GDP numbers are likely to improve from the first quarter. The economy will start to recover at the end of the year, but unemployment will remain high, he said.

"Mixed messages are part of what happens during these kinds of periods," he said. "This took a while to build up it's going to take a while to get out of it."

Taliban Releases Video of Captured US Soldier, Bowe R. Bergdahl, from Afghanistan (Video)

Footage of Private First Class Bowe R. Bergdahl, 23.



The AP reports:

The soldier said the date is July 14. He says he was captured when he lagged behind on a patrol.

He is interviewed in English by his captors, and he is asked his views on the war, which he calls extremely hard, his desire to learn more about Islam and the morale of American soldiers, which he said was low.

Asked how he was doing, the soldier said on the video:

"Well I'm scared, scared I won't be able to go home. It is very unnerving to be a prisoner."

He begins to answer questions in a matter-of-fact and sober voice, occasionally facing the camera, looking down and sometimes looking to the questioner on his left.

He later chokes up when discussing his family and his hope to marry his girlfriend.

"I have my girlfriend, who is hoping to marry," he said. "I have a very, very good family that I love back home in America. And I miss them every day when I'm gone. I miss them and I'm afraid that I might not ever see them again and that I'll never be able to tell them that I love them again and I'll never be able to hug them."

He is also prompted his interrogators to give a message to the American people.

"To my fellow Americans who have loved ones over here, who know what it's like to miss them, you have the power to make our government bring them home," he said. "Please, please bring us home so that we can be back where we belong and not over here, wasting our time and our lives and our precious life that we could be using back in our own country. Please bring us home. It is America and American people who have that power."

The video is not a continuous recording — it appears to stop and start during the questioning.

Bergdahl is a United States soldier who was captured by Taliban forces in eastern Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Pentagon has identified the American soldier who went missing June 30 from his base in eastern Afghanistan and was later confirmed to have been captured.

The Defense Department said in a statement Sunday that the soldier is Pfc. Bowe R. Bergdahl, 23, of Ketchum, Idaho. The statement also says his status is now classified as missing-captured, rather than whereabouts unknown.

In a video posted online by the Taliban on Saturday, he's heard saying he's "scared I won't be able to go home."

Before the Pentagon released Bergdahl's identity, two U.S. defense officials confirmed to The Associated Press that the man in the 28-minute video was the captured soldier.

The military said on July 2 that a U.S. soldier had disappeared after walking off his base in eastern Afghanistan with three Afghan counterparts and was believed to have been taken prisoner.