Right Wing Lunatic

Oh Snap!

2008-09-22T13:38:00.001-07:00

The UN atomic watchdog pressed Iran Monday to disprove allegations of past nuclear weapons work, saying Tehran should not be concerned about divulging sensitive information because its confidential.

Iran cannot simply dismiss all the charges as "fabricated," the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohamed ElBaradei, told a meeting of the body's 35-member board.

Tehran must "clarify the extent to which the documentation is factually correct and where, as it asserts, such information may have been fabricated or relates to non-nuclear purposes," ElBaradei said on the first day of a week-long board meeting.

Neither could the Islamic republic hide behind the argument that in order to respond to the accusations, it would have to divulge information pertinent to its national security, the IAEA chief said.

Even the IAEA is saying that Iran is probably after nuclear weapons. Russia and China have no other choice then to admit that this is indeed the case. If Russia and China veto UN sanctions, then the only choice left is either broad sanctions outside of the UN, or a military strike by Israel.

Either way isn't going to bode well for Iran.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Transition And Travel

2008-09-22T12:37:00.001-07:00

Ok, I've spoken to my web guy, and we should be transitioning the website to Wordpress very soon. You should see the new changes in the next few days.

Also, I am traveling to Dallas, Texas for business, so I won't be posting until Thursday. Sorry guys, you'll have to just wait it out until your next fix. :)

Travis

I Hate Being Right

2008-09-22T12:36:00.001-07:00

Especially when being right means that people die:

Pakistani investigators are hunting an Al-Qaeda cell based in Islamabad that is believed to have carried out the bombing of the Marriott Hotel, security officials said Monday.

Investigators said they believed the attackers constructed the massive 600-kilo (1,300 pound) truck bomb at a safe house in the capital, since all lorries entering the heavily-guarded city are searched at checkpoints.

Dramatic footage of Saturday night's attack showed the attacker failed to get through a barrier when he crashed his explosives-laden truck into the hotel's security gates. At least 60 people were killed.

"Our focus at the moment is to track down the network in Islamabad which must have facilitated the movement and construction of the bomb," a senior official involved in the investigation told AFP.

Whether it was Al-Qaeda or not, we warned you, I WARNED YOU, that failure to do anything would result in more attacks and an emboldened enemy. You failed to heed our warnings, pushed back against us when we went after them, and now 60 people are dead because of your lack of spine.

Maybe next time you'll listen? Or are more people going to need to die before you do?

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

I Feel So Dirty

2008-09-22T12:34:00.001-07:00

But here it goes: Democrats are right.

Ok, I'm back. Here's WHY they are right:

The Bush administration's proposed $700 billion financial rescue took fuller shape on Monday as Senate Democrats circulated a counter proposal that would require the government to receive an ownership stake in the companies it helps.

The proposal, offered up by Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., would require companies who sell assets to Uncle Sam to give the government shares in the company, according to a draft obtained by CNN.

The Senate Democrats' proposal would also require the government to come up with "a systematic approach for preventing foreclosures and ensuring long-term, sustainable homeownership through loan modifications and use of the HOPE for Homeowners Program" on the mortgages it buys in the bailout.

Now, this is being proposed by Christopher Dodd, so anything out of this guy's mouth is suspect. However, I do agree that if we taxpayers are footing the bill, we should get a cut of the proceeds. There's nothing wrong with a company asking for help, but any investor, the government included, would ask for something in return.

IF, and this is a big IF, it works, great. I want my taxes lowered accordingly when we cash out. It's not likely to happen of course, but I'm tired of being treated like a damned piggy bank. I want something tangible for my tax dollars, instead of watching it get pissed away with wasteful spending.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Welcome

2008-09-21T16:24:00.001-07:00

A young teenage girl was about to finish her first year of college. She considered herself to be a very liberal Democrat but her father was a rather staunch Republican.

One day she was challenging her father on his beliefs and his opposition to taxes and welfare programs. He stopped her and asked her how she was doing in school.

She answered that she had a 4.0 GPA but it was really tough. She had to study all the time, never had time to go out and party. She didn't have time for a boyfriend and didn't really have many college friends because of spending all her time studying.

He asked, "How is your friend Mary." She replied that Mary was barely getting by. She had a 2.0 GPA, never studied, but was very popular on campus, went to all the parties all the time. Why she often didn't show up for classes because she was hung over.

Dad then asked his daughter why she didn't go to the Dean's office and ask why she couldn't take 1.0 off her 4.0 and give it to her friend who only had a 2.0. That way they would both have a 3.0 GPA.

The daughter angrily fired back, "That wouldn't be fair, I worked really hard for mine and Mary has done nothing".

The father slowly smiled and said, "Welcome to the Republican Party".

Travis

Politicians Are Retarded

2008-09-20T23:33:00.001-07:00

The Bush administration asked Congress on Saturday for the power to buy $700 billion in toxic assets clogging the financial system and threatening the economy as negotiations began on the largest bailout since the Great Depression.

The rescue plan would give Washington broad authority to purchase bad mortgage-related assets from U.S. financial institutions for the next two years. It does not specify which institutions qualify or what, if anything, the government would get in return for the unprecedented infusion.

Democrats are pressing to require that the plan help more strapped borrowers stay in their homes and to condition the bailout on new limits on executive compensation.

Congressional aides and administration officials are working through the weekend to fill in the details of the proposal. The White House hoped for a deal with Congress by the time markets opened Monday; top lawmakers say they would push to enact the plan as early as the coming week.

"We're going to work with Congress to get a bill done quickly," President Bush said at the White House. Without discussing specifics, he said, "This is a big package because it was a big problem."

The proposal is a mere three pages long, but it gives sweeping powers to the government to dispense gigantic sums of taxpayer dollars in a program that would be sheltered from court review.

"It's a rather brief bill with a lot of money," said Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., the Banking Committee chairman. "We understand the importance of the anticipation in the markets, but we also know that what we're doing is going to have consequences for decades to come. There's not a second act to this—we've got to get this right."

Lawmakers digesting the eye-popping cost and searching for specifics voiced concerns that the proposal offers no help for struggling homeowners or safeguards for taxpayers' money.

The government must bail out the financial system "because if we don't, it will have a tremendous impact on American consumers, homeowners, taxpayers and the rest," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said in San Francisco.

But, she added, "We cannot deal with this unless this bailout helps families stay in their homes."

They don't deserve to stay in their FUCKING HOMES NANCY! Jesus you are one of the dumbest politicians I have every seen in my entire life. You want the government to bail these companies out? Fine, but I want assets for my money. I want people to either pay their mortgage, like the promised when they bought the place, or I want to become part owner of the home I'M PAYING FOR!

$700 billion dollars is $2,300 for every man, woman, and child in America. Can any of you afford an additional $200 a month in expenses per person in your home?

Let these people fail. Let these people who bought homes sell them and move out into an apartment. This is a bullshit idea, and it's only a bandaid for a bigger problem. What are we getting for our money? What consequences are these lenders and homeowners facing for their bad business decisions? "Too big to fail" means "too big to exist". I'm sick of paying for everyone else. I pay my fair share, plus more. I pay taxes that some of you may never pay. I pay more in taxes then my neighbor makes in a year. Where's my "bail out"?

When is Nancy going to care about making MY MORTGAGE PAYMENT? Heads up politicians: Every, single one of you that votes for this is going to be publicly outed by me and I will vote against any one who votes for this. You vote for this, you obviously have no brain in your head and you are not fit to lead.

We'll start at the top: Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, and anyone, including Republicans, else.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Poor Management

2008-09-20T22:34:00.001-07:00

Please meet poor idea.

The current financial crisis facing our country has been caused by the extreme right-wing economic policies pursued by the Bush administration. These policies, which include huge tax breaks for the rich, unfettered free trade and the wholesale deregulation of commerce, have resulted in a massive redistribution of wealth from the middle class to the very wealthy.

The middle class has really been under assault. Since President Bush has been in office, nearly 6 million Americans have slipped into poverty, median family income for working Americans has declined by more than $2,000, more than 7 million Americans have lost their health insurance, over 4 million have lost their pensions, foreclosures are at an all time high, total consumer debt has more than doubled, and we have a national debt of over $9.7 trillion dollars.

While the middle class collapses, the richest people in this country have made out like bandits and have not had it so good since the 1920s. The top 0.1 percent now earn more money than the bottom 50 percent of Americans, and the top 1 percent own more wealth than the bottom 90 percent.

But they also pay 90% of the taxes.

In my view, we need to go forward in addressing this financial crisis by insisting on four basic principles:

(1) The people who can best afford to pay and the people who have benefited most from Bush’s economic policies are the people who should provide the funds for the bailout. It would be immoral to ask the middle class, the people whose standard of living has declined under Bush, to pay for this bailout while the rich, once again, avoid their responsibilities. Further, if the government is going to save companies from bankruptcy, the taxpayers of this country should be rewarded for assuming the risk by sharing in the gains that result from this government bailout.

Specifically, to pay for the bailout, which is estimated to cost up to $1 trillion, the government should:

a) Impose a five-year, 10 percent surtax on income over $1 million a year for couples and over $500,000 for single taxpayers. That would raise more than $300 billion in revenue;

Reduce spending? Nah, even with the majority of the top financial minds in America saying that spending needs to be curbed, obviously the problem lies in that there needs to be more taxes. Of course! It all makes sense now!

Travis

Thank You, Mr. Biden

2008-09-19T15:53:00.001-07:00

So I’m watching the O’Reilly Factor the other day, as I do every day and the news clip of Joe Biden was playing where he alluded to the fact that it is our patriotic duty to pay higher taxes. In other words, by contributing to income re-distribution we will become patriots? Hmmm? I thought that was Communism? Damn, for my entire life I was lied to and was told that Communism was bad. I feel truly enlightened now that the Democrats have finally shed light on all the misinformation I was fed over the years. Wow, you mean the whole twenty five years I was in the Navy, that my shipmates and I sailed dangerously close to communist Russia in order to rid the world of oppressive communism for nothing? You mean my Commanders were lying to me when I was trained to defend our country from the Communist Soviet Union, North Korea, Cuba, and China? Whew, I feel so much better now that the Democratic vice Presidential candidate is the smartest politician in the United States. Those damn Republicans had it wrong all these years I guess. And here I was a believer.

I don’t consider myself a political or economic scholar but, I do know that I came from less than modest means and after many years of hard work and dedication to the service of my country, I became successful. I understand that for some, success is hard and an arduous task. And that for others, misfortune can happen beyond individual control. However, with every opportunity the United States government, civic organizations, charities, foundations, religious organizations and community volunteers make available, there is no reason for anyone to be in need of a percentage of every individual Americans paycheck. If you think that Americans are going to sit by and let some left-wing Washington ass kisser take their hard earned money in order to appease the progressive factions of their party, then Joe Biden is not the smartest Politian in America, he’s the dumbest. If the citizens of the United States let this monstrosity happen by electing two of the hardest lefties in the nation’s history as President and vice President, then we got what we deserved. Not only am I clinging to my guns and religion, but my hard earned cash too Joe.

Navy Chief

United Stated Navy. Retired.

The Bluff

2008-09-19T15:44:00.001-07:00

Obama: I will meet with Iranian leaders!

Ahmadinejad: Ok.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad put Barack Obama on the spot Thursday, offering to debate with both U.S. presidential candidates when he arrives at the United Nations next week for its annual summit.

The fiery Iranian leader, who provoked a storm of controversy when he visited last year, said he would debate global issues at a public forum in UN headquarters if the candidates agreed.

Obama said early in his campaign that, as president, he would be prepared to meet the leaders of U.S. foes such as Iran and Syria.

The statement sparked a sharp rebuke from Republican candidate John McCain, who argued it showed the Illinois senator's inexperience in knowing how to deal with recalcitrant leaders on the world stage.

Leading UN powers have been in a standoff with Iran over that country's refusal to roll back its nuclear ambitions, which the United States and its allies believe are aimed at producing a nuclear bomb.

Your move Obama.

Travis

FINALLY!

2008-09-19T13:17:00.001-07:00

Teachers and parents in Dallas, Texas, are angry about new grading policies that they say are dumbing down the district and pushing students through the system who haven't earned it.

Students who fail a test in Dallas this year get to retake it, with the failed score tossed out.

One of the most contentious of the policies allows a student who fails a test to retake it, with the lower score being tossed out.

"Instead of setting high expectations and the high standards and holding them to that, we seem to be wanting to lower the bar and give them an excuse not to succeed," said Dale Kaiser, president of the National Education Association, the teachers union.

Dallas Independent School District officials refused multiple interview requests from CNN. But in interviews with CNN affiliates and in documents outlining the grading policy, district officials say the goal of the grading system is to emphasize learning, not failure.

"This is not about giving anybody any sort of free ride. What this is about is giving students a second chance to be successful," John Dahlander, a spokesman for the school district, told CNN-affiliate WFAA.

The policy allowing failed test scores to be thrown out is just one of several changes to the grading policy that went into effect at the start of this school year.

Other grading policies include:

• For elementary and middle school students, only homework grades "that raise a student's average" will be recorded.

• Students must be given one opportunity to turn in homework assignments that weren't finished on time.

• Parents must be contacted before a teacher records a zero in the grade book.

"I think it's ridiculous," said parent Bobbie Wilhite. "It's tough out there once you get out of high school. We're already namby-pamby enough for our kids."

Finally, I'm not the only one noticing that kids these days are being hand held throughout their lives, and are totally unprepared for the real world.

"only home grades that raise the average" are recorded? What kind of bullshit line of thinking is that? Does your boss only think of things when doing your annual review that make you look better? Of course, not, he/she looks at the whole picture. Then they decide on how much your raise should be accordingly. Don't like it? Get another job or work harder.

What the fuck are parents needing to be told for their kid getting a zero? Why are they allowed to turn in an assignment late? We were allowed that, but you automatically lost a percentage of your grade every day it was late, sometimes even by the hour. After I believe it was 3 days, you shouldn't even bother, because even if the paper was perfect, you still failed.

It's a rough world people, and when you coddle your kids, you are telling them that it's ok to hide under mommy's skirt and she'll protect you at all times. When mommy retires or dies, then they will have a meltdown sometime in the future, I guarantee it.

It's time to go back to the old ways. Kids got out of line? They got swatted by the teacher or principal. Don't show up? You get detention. Homework not up to snuff? You fail. Fail enough times, you repeat the grade. You will grow up and know how to think and act properly, I promise you that if these things are reenacted.

Want to know what the real world is like? Here you go:

It's just not as intense, but the rules are the same. First time, every time. Watch your team mates back. Work hard and you will be rewarded.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

A Bit Of Fiscal Responsibility

2008-09-19T12:51:00.001-07:00

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will sign a compromise budget deal after lawmakers ceded to his demands for budget reform, his spokesman said Friday.

"The governor has an agreement with legislative leaders on the budget," spokesman Aaron McLear said. "They met his demands. They included real budget reform, and they did not take money from people's paychecks."

California lawmakers were scheduled to vote Friday on the compromise budget deal -- averting a historic veto by Schwarzenegger, who had called lawmakers' previous budget plan fiscally irresponsible.

The new plan eliminates some of the borrowing gimmicks that lawmakers had included to help close a $15.2 billion hole, but leaves others intact. It also strengthens the state's rainy day fund.

The state's four legislative leaders met with the governor Thursday and agreed to many of his demands after conceding they were uncertain whether they could muster the two-thirds vote of the state Legislature required to override his veto.

Yep, that's right, they wanted to override a veto because it would allow them to continue to spend freely. To give you an idea, the California state budget is larger then many countries.

They are up to their eyeballs in debt, and they wanted to make it deeper?

Schwarzenegger had criticized the earlier plan for failing to meet his demands for a more robust rainy day fund. He said the budget relied on accounting gimmicks -- such as collecting an extra 10 percent of workers' income tax in advance and repaying it later -- that could lead to an even larger deficit next year.

The four legislative leaders said they had agreed to remove that provision in their latest deal.

They planned to take up two bills. One would levy larger fines against businesses that underreport their tax liabilities, and another would ensure the state's rainy day fund could only be tapped when revenues fall below projected spending -- the last remaining piece of the budget reforms Schwarzenegger sought.

The remainder of the budget approved Tuesday will stand, including $7.1 billion in spending cuts that advocates say will trigger deep cuts to health care in the future.

There you go. SPENDING CUTS. Sometimes you have to cut the budget in areas that aren't politically popular, but that's just the way the ball bounces. It's even nice to see Arnold see through the bullshit of collecting more income tax, only to pay it back later. With administrative overhead, it would actually COST more money then anything. Stupid idea. Good job Arnie.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Financial Bailout That You And I Are Going To Pay For

2008-09-19T12:36:00.001-07:00

President Bush and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson on Friday outlined a series of far-reaching steps - likely to cost hundreds of billions of dollars - aimed at stemming a widening financial crisis that is roiling the financial markets and undermining confidence in the banking system.

"We must act now to protect our nation's economic health from serious risk," Bush said at a White House press conference. "There will be ample opportunity to discuss the origins of this problems. Now is the time to solve it."

"This is no time for partisanship," Bush added. "We need to move urgently needed legislation as quickly as possible without adding controversial provisions that could delay action."

Earlier, Paulson said that federal action would target the mortgage-related "illiquid assets" that are burdening the finance industry.

"The federal government must implement a program to remove these illiquid assets that are weighing down our financial institutions and threatening our economy," said Paulson. "This troubled asset relief program must be properly designed and sufficiently large to have maximum impact."

The new program would cost hundreds of billions of dollars, according to Paulson.

The downside to the plan is its enormous cost, said Baumohl, estimating that the federal bail-out of the financial markets could swell the national deficit to $1 trillion annually.

Now, my gut reaction is "why am I paying for this", but then a bunch of financial people, who are easily smarter then me in this area, are saying it's a good thing and it should have come sooner.

So, maybe they know more then I do, maybe they know something that will be helpful. I'm just not sure. One thing I do know is that Obama's got a sneaky thing going on:

Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama said on Friday he supported efforts by the U.S. Treasury and Federal Reserve to shore up confidence in the financial markets and said he would hold off from presenting his own economic recovery plan.

"The events of the last few days have made it clear that we must take further bold and decisive action to shore up confidence in our financial markets and avoid a deepening economic crisis that could jeopardize the life savings and well-being of millions of Americans," Obama said in a statement.

Why is he "holding off" presenting his plan? Simple: He's waiting to see if this works or not. You see, if he comes out and says "this is exactly what I'm thinking", and it fails, it's a big hit against him. He's doing this for purely political reasons, not because he's looking out for the average American.

My bet is that his plan is filled with more regulation and higher taxes. I can almost guarantee that if this doesn't fix it, Obama's going to come out and say "I have a plan" and people will flock to it, regardless of if it's a good one or not. However, if this government plan does work, you'll never hear about Obama's "plan" again, regardless of what it contained, and I can equally guarantee that he won't show it to the public if the ideas in it are vastly different then what's going on right now.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Democratic Leaders Are Dumb

2008-09-19T12:25:00.001-07:00

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi vowed Thursday to press ahead with a Democratic plan to inject more than $50 billion or so into the economy, despite opposition from the White House and moderates in her own party.

“The worsening economy demands another bipartisan economic recovery effort,” Pelosi wrote in a letter delivered to President Bush Thursday evening.

Just hours earlier, the California Democrat had seemed pessimistic about the chances for a second stimulus bill to follow on the tax rebates enacted in February. She told reporters that it would only advance after Democrats attempt to put some of the more popular components on a budget bill Congress must pass in the next two weeks.

“We’ll see what we can get” in that bill, Pelosi told reporters. “And then we’ll see where we go from there.” The “continuing resolution” is necessary to keep the government running after Sept. 30.

“Let’s face it, we can only have a stimulus if the president will sign it,” Pelosi added.

Later, Pelosi renewed her vow to try to pass a stimulus measure that would combine billions of dollars for jobs-producing infrastructure projects, more food stamps, additional Medicaid aid to states, home heating subsidies and a further extension of unemployment insurance.

Ok, so the last one didn't work with more than $100 billion dollar infusion, so what makes them think another $50 billion will work? It's not even money we have, it's borrowed money. It's an idiotic idea at best, and Nancy Pelosi is simply trying to prop up her numbers by basically buying votes. Simply put, you need to cut spending. Do that, and everything else will fall into place. Our budget is $3 trillion dollars, so how about instead of spending more money, you put say oh I don't know, $500 billion a year towards reducing the federal debt. It'll be COMPLETELY paid off within 20 years. Not really that difficult people.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Get Out!

2008-09-18T15:47:00.001-07:00

State Rep. Mike Kernell said today that he was aware of Internet rumors about his son being the subject of speculation that he accessed the personal e-mail of vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

Asked whether he or his son, a student at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, had been contacted by authorities investigating the break-in of Palin's account, he responded:

"Me, no."

As far as his 20-year-old son, David, he said: "I can't say. That doesn't mean he has or hasn't (been contacted by investigators)."

Kernell, D-Memphis, cited the father-son relationship.

He said he had talked to his son today, but that he talks to his son regularly.

He declined further comment.

The focus of a the email break in of Sarah Palin is the son of a Democratic State Representative.....how.....odd. :)

Travis

Biden calls paying higher taxes a patriotic act

2008-09-18T12:20:00.001-07:00

Yep, that's right folks. When people in the financial district are telling you that the only way to solve the problem is to reduce spending, Joe Biden is telling people that to pay more money to give it to poorer people is "patriotic".

Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden said Thursday that paying more in taxes is the patriotic thing to do for wealthier Americans. In a new TV ad that repeats widely debunked claims about the Democratic tax plan, the Republican campaign calls Obama's tax increases "painful."

Under the economic plan proposed by Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, people earning more than $250,000 a year would pay more in taxes while those earning less — the vast majority of American taxpayers — would receive a tax cut.

Although Republican John McCain claims that Obama would raise taxes, the independent Tax Policy Center and other groups conclude that four out of five U.S. households would receive tax cuts under Obama's proposals.

"We want to take money and put it back in the pocket of middle-class people," Biden said in an interview on ABC's "Good Morning America."

Noting that wealthier Americans would indeed pay more, Biden said: "It's time to be patriotic ... time to jump in, time to be part of the deal, time to help get America out of the rut."

How is redistributing wealth going to "get America out of the rut"? Simple, it isn't. It's an effort to get votes. It has NOTHING to do with getting out of a financial pinch. Democrats lately reek of desperation. You want to "help get America out of the rut", then you cut spending.

Taxing wealthy people to give to the poorer isn't going to do jack, and if you believe that, you're an idiot.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Celebrating Genius'

2008-09-18T11:11:00.001-07:00

Too often, we as a society celebrate professional athletes, movie stars, and musicians. While they are certainly talented in their own field, they don't really do much in terms of helping society.

Doctors, teachers, and this student, are people who are unsung and I want to take a moment to show you how gifted some people really are:

William Yuan, a seventh-grader from Portland, OR, developed a three-dimensional solar cell that absorbs UV as well as visible light. The combination of the two might greatly improve cell efficiency. William's project earned him a $25,000 scholarship and a trip to the Library of Congress to accept the award, which is usually given out for research at the graduate level.

“Current solar cells are flat and can only absorb visible light,” he said. “I came up with an innovative solar cell that absorbs both visible and UV light. My project focused on finding the optimum solar cell to further increase the light absorption and efficiency and design a nanotube for light-electricity conversion efficiency.”

My only issue is that he shouldn't be given a $25,000 scholarship, he should be given a completely free college education. That way, he can focus his intelligence on making things better for all of us, rather than having to worry about how to pay for school. It's win-win all the way around.

Congratulations William!

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Harry Reid Gets Dressing Down

2008-09-18T09:25:00.001-07:00

And the best part is that it's all about him and Nancy Pelosi blaming the Bush administration, which I just talked about yesterday:

U.S. Senate Majority leader Harry Reid has said he doesn't have a clue about how to fix the financial crisis.

"No one knows what to do. We are in new territory here. This is a different game," the Democrat from Nevada said late Wednesday. In fact, Congress is likely to do what it usually does when the chips are down -- punt.

Still it's amazing that, in the biggest financial crisis since the Depression, the man in charge of the world's greatest deliberative body can't even think of the one thing everybody else has to do when times are tough: cut the budget.

It really isn't brain surgery; it's just addition and subtraction -- well, really just subtraction.

The problem is, it's so simple, probably only a hockey mom could understand it.

And that's the real issue.

It's not in Reid's interest to do anything.

A big fat financial crisis is just the ticket to see his party's nominee safely across the finish line in the presidential election.

So throwing up his hands is exactly the right political move.

But -- and it's a big but -- the current fiasco on Wall Street is still only a prelude to what happens when the U.S. is finally held to account for the combined costs of Social Security, Medicare and the trillions of dollars in debt already on the books.

So perhaps once the Obama coronation is safely over and Joe Lieberman has been shown to his new office -- formerly the Senate janitorial closet -- the majority leader can take it upon himself to show some real leadership and take an axe to federal spending.

Even people over at marketwatch.com are seeing Harry's full of shit. What's even better, is that he's calling him out as a failed "leader". He even flatly tells it how it is: It's a political ploy.

It's nice to see Democratic "leaders" called out for their line of BS.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Harry Reid's Full Of @#$$

2008-09-17T21:21:00.001-07:00

ABC News' Z. Byron Wolf reports from Capitol Hill: Don't look for any legislation in the near future to address the financial crisis.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, asked today what new regulatory actions Congress can take, said, bluntly, "No one knows what to do. We are in new territory here. This is a different game. We're not here playing soccer, basketball or football, this is a new game and we're going to have to figure out how to do it."

A Reid spokesman said neither Treasury Secretary Paulson nor Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke offered up any suggestions for new regulatory legislation when they met with Reid in the Capitol building Tuesday night, either.

In the short run, Democrats are trying to push through a second stimulus package with funding for infrastructure improvements, renewable energy tax credits and other things. But all agree it will be up to the next President and Congress to do any re-regulation.

Ok, so "no one knows what to do", but he and Nancy Pelosi is damned sure that it's the Bush administration's fault. So, anyone with half a brain cell knows that Nancy and her ilk are just trying to play upon the feelings of Americans in a financial pinch, instead of appealing to the facts.

But the senate majority leader said, "the good intentions of these two decent men cannot escape the reality that the Bush administration's willful of oversight and zealous embrace of big business is responsible for the crisis we now face."

Yep, had nothing to do with the bad business decisions of the people who were running the companies, it's all Bush's fault! Jeez people, do any of you think before you speak, or all you just above a retarded monkey?

Reid went through a litany of bankruptcy protection bills aimed at shielding consumers rather than corporations that he said Republicans had blocked. With more protections for consumers and if the Bush administration had more zealously, or at all, policed the markets with the regulatory tools at their disposal, he wondered if the financial crisis would be happening at all.

But, check out this little jewel.

I join as a cosponsor of the Federal Housing Enterprise Regulatory Reform Act of 2005, S. 190, to underscore my support for quick passage of GSE regulatory reform legislation. If Congress does not act, American taxpayers will continue to be exposed to the enormous risk that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac pose to the housing market, the overall financial system, and the economy as a whole.

John McCain said that in 2005, LONG before Democrats took power in Congress, so if he was warning about it then, who do you suppose is to blame here if you want to point fingers? It shows you how people have been blinded by hype by people like Obama about financial responsibility. McCain knew there was trouble in 2005, yet no one did a thing about it. Even the writer of the article is noticing that Harry Reid's full of shit.

And he seemed to forget how he voted on a now-controversial bill that largely de-regulated the financial services industry in 1999. It was written by Sen. Phil Gramm of Texas, who has since retired and is a McCain economic adviser. And Democrats, including Reid, opposed the bill when it first passed the Senate with 54 votes.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Proof Of Iranian Nuclear Weapons Program

2008-09-17T17:41:00.001-07:00

The U.N. nuclear watchdog showed documents and photographs on Tuesday suggesting Iran secretly tried to modify a missile cone to fit a nuclear bomb, diplomats said, and Tehran again dismissed the findings as forged.

Iran said an International Atomic Energy Agency inquiry into its nuclear activity was at a dead-end because the IAEA was demanding Tehran reveal conventional military secrets without nuclear dimensions. Iran has denied seeking atom bombs.

The Vienna-based U.N. watchdog said in a report on Monday that Iranian stonewalling had brought an agency inquiry into whether Tehran had covertly researched ways to make a nuclear bomb to a standstill.

Britain has accused Iran of showing contempt for the U.N. watchdog and, with the United States and France, vowed to seek harsher sanctions on Tehran over its defiance of U.N. demands for full disclosure and a suspension of uranium enrichment.

The IAEA wants Iran to clarify intelligence material pointing to links between Iranian projects to process uranium, test high explosives and modify a Shahab-3 missile cone in a way suitable for a nuclear warhead.

The Islamic Republic has denied the allegations but the IAEA says Iran must substantiate its position by granting access to sites, documents and relevant officials for interviews.

Top agency inspectors briefed its board of governors on the report's findings on Tuesday ahead of a meeting by the 35-nation body next week likely to heighten pressure on Iran to cooperate.

Washington's IAEA envoy said the group was shown photos and documents of Iranian work on re-designing a Shabab-3 to carry what would appear to be a nuclear weapon.

"The (IAEA) Secretariat told us the information they have is in their words, 'very credible', unquote, and they have asked iran to provide 'substantive responses', unquote," Gregory Schulte told reporters.

He said the meeting was told that Iran had refused IAEA requests to interview engineers involved in the work and visit their ostensibly civilian workshops, depicted in photos.

Full sanctions, where not a dollar is exchanged with Iran from all UN member nations, or a military strike. Those are the two options I see right now. There's no mistaking these photos and the source now. For the longest time, Iran touted the IAEA when there was doubts, now that proof has surfaced with these pictures, Iran is claiming fabrication and blocking access to various sites for inspection.

Any "don't bomb Iran" folks care to pipe up? Or are you all going to slither away without saying a word?

Any "George Bush is making it all up about Iran" folks going to say anything, now that it's been proven that he was right all along?

Didn't think so.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

America! @#$^ Yeah!

2008-09-17T17:20:00.001-07:00

Occassionally, I get the rantings of a reader that just speaks volumes about the kind of nut jobs that frequent my site from time to time, that just stand out. The kind that make you go "wow, that guy's my #1 fan!". Christian is one such reader:

Hey, guy, seriously...Shut the Fuck Up! You fucking moron. What, do you speak on behalf of the U.S. government (I know, I know)? Since when does the U.S. have the right to just barge into Pakistan without permission? Oh yeah, one more thing, FUCK AMERICA! You're walking on Indian land faggot, couch quarterback, cultureless, pilgrim asswipe! There's another war comin' here in the states (actually it's been going on for 500 plus years) so I wouldn't be so worried about what happens all the way in faraway Pakistan. I expect you to be offended and I expect you to get angry and offer me some little high school teacher excuse for all the crimes that were committed by America the ugly so I'll ask you to save it. The movement in general is growing daily and it seems as if all of our fallen warriors of the past are reviving in our youth of today! The ten thousand unarmed warriors of Tenochtitlan, the thousands of Cholula, of Cajamarca, the hundreds of Wounded Knee, of Sand Creek that were killed are reborn in our youth. The Eagle and the Condor are coming together and we will regain our lands from the white colonial rulers and elite. Oh, by the way, we don't need your religions either. We have our own religions that make a heck of a lot more sense than your superstitious religions. Ours were based on science and observation of the universe as well as philosophy; yours are based on blind faith. And so, the mental and physical colonialism will stop. Bye Bye anchor baby.

Hooray for me! I'm making friends! I can totally see myself going to the movies with this guy and talking about girls and hitting the strip clubs.

Christian, I love you buddy!

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Racism In Election?

2008-09-17T12:33:00.001-07:00

Race is arguably the biggest issue in this election, and it's one that nobody's talking about.

The differences between Barack Obama and John McCain couldn't be more well-defined. Obama wants to change Washington. McCain is a part of Washington and a part of the Bush legacy. Yet the polls remain close. Doesn't make sense…unless it's race.

I actually agree with this guy, but a different twist. I think that some people, in fact a lot of people, are voting for Obama simply because he's black. How else can you explain Obama getting upwards of 80%+ percentage of black voters in some states?

Some people will reject or accept Obama simply because of the color of his skin. I reject him for his hypocritical nature and his ideology. You know, the more important aspects of a Presidential candidate. :)

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Weight Gain Not Intentional To Avoid Execution

2008-09-17T12:29:00.001-07:00

A double murderer scheduled to be executed next month in Ohio said Tuesday he has not deliberately gained weight to rule out his death by lethal injection.

Killer Richard Cooey has gained 70 pounds since his incarceration, which he says should block his execution.

Instead, Richard Cooey said in a death row interview that his execution cannot be carried out humanely under current state procedures because his veins are hard to reach.

"Vein access was an issue even when I was back in the service," Cooey, 41, said in an hour-long interview with the Associated Press at the Ohio State Penitentiary.

Cooey, 5-foot, 7 inches tall and 267 pounds, said he has gained perhaps 70 pounds while being locked up for raping and killing two University of Akron students 22 years ago while he was on leave from the U.S. Army. He blamed the weight gain on medication and lack of exercise.

"It's hard getting access to my veins," said Cooey, who was handcuffed and locked in a closet-sized visiting room. He spoke through a straw-sized slit in a reinforced glass partition.

Cooey said he has heard secondhand about comedians' jokes about the Ohio inmate who claims he's too fat to be executed.

But he says that ridicule reflects ignorance of his underlying claim that it's the inaccessibility of his veins that makes it difficult to get an IV inserted for a lethal injection.

The legal challenge is based on constitutional issues and not fear of execution, Cooey said. "It has nothing to do with weight gain," he said.

Instead of lethal injection, "If it would make people happy, shoot me in the head with a .45," Cooey said. "Do it legally."

I'm ok with shooting him in the head with a .45. He murdered two people. He doesn't even deny that. What I'd also argue, is that while your arms, legs and stomach have gotten fat, I'll bet that the veins in his neck are just fine.

When you murder someone in cold blood, you deserve to die for that crime. You robbed someone of a family member, of a friend. So, instead of whining about how it'll be "hard to find a vein", how about you man up and take your punishment? Is it really that difficult to find a vein, and if so, is it really that difficult to just shoot him?

Ohio - Lethal Injection - If lethal injection held unconstitutional, then any subsequently prescribed legal method.

Hanging's Constitutional. So's electrocution, firing squad, and the gas chamber. I'm just saying....

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Shipping My Kids To Florida

2008-09-17T12:23:00.001-07:00

A teacher's ability to control students could get more physical. In an effort to maintain safe classrooms, the Florida Board of Education is considering giving teachers more physical power to control students by using "reasonable force."

"I think it would be a useful tool depending on the amount of force involved," said parent Robin Page.

"I say if it gets out of line, smack them around. Sometimes you got to do it," Brent Sanders, a parent, said.

Another parent, Jane Lane, said, "I think it's probably not a good idea. Whenever you have 'reasonable' as a standard, it's subject to individual interpretation, and you have all degrees of the spectrum, which just leads to some sort of abuse."

The proposed rule says reasonable force is defined as appropriate physical response necessary to maintain a safe and orderly learning environment.

There was a time, not too long ago, that if you go out of line, you got a smacking from the teacher, or the principal. Notice we didn't have school shootings, idiot kids who can't spell, and we still ended up as the most powerful nation on Earth.

Coincidence? I don't think so. If you raise your kids to be responsible and respectful, they'll continue the tradition when they reach adulthood, and you likely won't ever get a call from the police asking you to come down to the station.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Star Spangled Patriotism

2008-09-17T08:55:00.001-07:00

A camera at a celebrity flag-football game became Dallas Mavericks forward Josh Howard's worst nightmare. Howard turned to the camera and said, "'The Star-Spangled Banner' is going on right now and I don't even celebrate that s--t. I'm black, goddamnit. Howard an Obama supporter makes no qualms about ensuring the media know he believes that if your black, you are not to celebrate America and its traditions. Well, let me tell you people. I served with every race and religion of Americans in the Navy and we had a saying which I still believe today, “In the Navy, your not White, Black, Brown, etc… We are all Blue”. Any idiot who uses their position in the media's spotlight to seethe their hatred for America just because they are “lucky” enough to have the ability is the worst kind of individual (in my opinion). If you ask the typical American what patriotism means to them, most will tell you that just having the freedom and ability to be able to express opinion mean the world to them. No one ever said we all have to agree but no one ever said that because you are more fortunate to have access to the media, (left-wing for the most part) that you use every opportunity to bash this country and our leaders. This makes us all look weak and divided in the eyes of the world and frankly makes us look as stupid as extremist countries. Are you listening Hollywood?

Navy Chief

Watch Out!

2008-09-17T08:53:00.001-07:00

Watch Out; By Navy Chief, United Stated Navy. Retired.

SAN'A, Yemen (Sept. 17) - Suspected militants armed with automatic weapons, rocket-propelled grenades and at least one suicide car bomb assaulted the U.S. Embassy in the Yemeni capital on Wednesday. The coordinated attack killed 16 people, including six assailants’, officials said.

It was the deadliest attack on a compound that has been targeted four times in recent years by bombings, mortars and shootings. Yemen, the ancestral homeland of Osama bin Laden, has struggled to put down al-Qaida-linked Islamic militants, often to the frustration of U.S. counterterrorism officials.

So, I have been pondering the real motivation of the Democratic Party. Obviously any major party wants to gain or re-gain power in politics. The original and noble reason is to serve constituencies. As a vast world traveler from my long military career, I have been to almost every country in the world, have seen countless cultures, values, and traditions. Something really bothers me. How can elected officials who write foreign policy and manage overseas diplomacy ever do so without ever stepping foot in that country? Many elected Politian’s have done this with by surrounding themselves with the right people who have had hands on experience in this field. Further, when your goal is to appease those that will harm us with a “head-in-the-sand” approach, how can that be good for the United States of America? The current President had really no initial experience in these areas when he became Commander in Chief, but he ensured that his cabinet was capable of providing essential experience to do so.

I have had hands on experience with foreign hostiles, POW’s, and basic brain washed individuals who no matter how they are approached, will try to kill you by any means necessary. I sometimes felt almost sorry for those stupid bastards at times. From infancy, the extremist regimes program their young people to hate America and the west in general by using a religious excuse which after careful interpretation is blatant crap. Most really don’t know any better. It is the leadership within the bunkers of Afghanistan and Iraq who cower like little bitches and send the ignorant to do their dirty work. Never the less, Whom do you think will be savvy and straight forward enough from the two parties running for the Presidency and Vice-Presidency this year? I can tell you from experience any “Jack-Ass” who will talk with hostile regimes without pre-condition is wrong for you and your country. No one is perfect mind you, but I will venture to say that if terrorist’s can plan an attack on the United States for over six years and never be questioned because the leadership in Washington is too busy fulfilling their own special interests and political agendas, those type of leaders are wrong for this country. Consider this. If all the Democratic Party is concerned with is Sarah Palin, we are in for big troubles come January if we let a novice in the white house because the left-wing media thinks it’s a good idea.

Navy Chief

If Obama Loses?

2008-09-16T21:59:00.001-07:00

To some, this thought is unthinkable. Obama simply has everything going for him, and Americans can't be THAT stupid right?

If Obama is rejected by voters, liberal activists will face a difficult moment. Mondale, Dukakis, Gore, Kerry, sure. There was something wrong with them. A failure to connect. A remoteness. A coldness felt in some feathers of the left wing. Bill Clinton was an electoral success, but something about him didn’t sit right. The drama. The southerness. The welfare reform. The zaftig valley girl. Activists can understand why voters might have punished Hillary for the sins of Bill.

But Obama? He is perfect.

A rejection of Obama can only mean one of two things: a rejection of the 1960s formulation of liberalism (the current formulation, alas) or that America is deeply racist. Too many of them will go for the second hypotheses.

Too many think that elections turn on identities, not ideas.

If Obama loses–and it is still a big ‘if’–too many liberals will fail to heed the message that voters have been sending them since 1981. Seventy percent of the country is tired of 1960s liberalism. Indeed many find the hippie vision frightening: A country too ashamed of itself to fight its enemies, too unsure of itself to praise its own history,govern its children or corral its criminals,and too resentful of the rich to allow the economy to make more of them.

That's exactly why Democrats continually lose in many states. They fail at basic problem solving such as the ones mentioned above, and when you tell someone they are stupid for believing a set of values, they'll reject you. If you bad mouth their home, they'll reject you. If you coddle criminals, when they want justice, they'll reject you. If you resent the wealthy, even if they came up from nothing to build themselves a financial empire, they'll reject you.

And you'll have no one to blame but yourselves.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Why "Truth" Websites Have No Credibility

2008-09-16T21:43:00.001-07:00

Unless you make more than $2.87 million per year, Barack Obama will not raise your taxes. In fact, he will probably cut them.

This reality has been trampled, twisted, turned inside out and scribbled over so many times by the McCain campaign that it is hardly recognizable amid the clutter, but the fact remains: Obama's plan would grant tax cuts to all Americans making less than $226,982 per year, with the largest cuts going to the poorest individuals. Only the wealthiest 0.1 percent of earners would have to pay more.

Now, check out the graph they use:

So, "unless you make more than $2.87 million" is a fabrication. Under Obama's plan, if you make more than $603k per year, then your taxes will go up. Granted, $603k is a lot, but they're complaing about "this reality" being "trampled, twisted, turned inside out and scribbled over so many times by the McCain campaign".

So, then they come out with this additional lie:

Only the wealthiest 0.1 percent of earners would have to pay more.

That's not true either. It's the top 1%, and it's for people making more than $603k per year.

Come on guys, at least LOOK at the graph you're using, and try not to lie when your name is "truthout", it makes you look like partisan liars.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Pakistan Orders Troops To Fire Upon US Troops

2008-09-16T20:11:00.001-07:00

Pakistan's military has ordered its forces to open fire if U.S. troops launch another air or ground raid across the Afghan border, an army spokesman said Tuesday.

The orders, which come in response to a highly unusual Sept. 3 ground attack by U.S. commandos, are certain to heighten tensions between Washington and a key ally against terrorism. Although the ground attack was rare, there have been repeated reports of U.S. drone aircraft striking militant targets, most recently on Sept. 12.

Pakistani officials warn that stepped-up cross-border raids will accomplish little while fueling violent religious extremism in nuclear-armed Pakistan. Some complain that the country is a scapegoat for the failure to stabilize Afghanistan.

Pakistan's civilian leaders, who have taken a hard line against Islamic militants since forcing Pervez Musharraf to resign as president last month, have insisted that Pakistan must resolve the dispute with Washington through diplomatic channels.

However, army spokesman Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas told The Associated Press that after U.S. helicopters ferried troops into a militant stronghold in the South Waziristan tribal region, the military told field commanders to prevent any similar raids.

"The orders are clear," Abbas said in an interview. "In case it happens again in this form, that there is a very significant detection, which is very definite, no ambiguity, across the border, on ground or in the air: open fire."

You've made your choice. Lots of people have derided President Bush for some of his tough talk, but honestly, there's really no doubt here, I think everyone can agree: You're either with us, or you're against us on this one.

Because we're going after Al-Qaeda terrorists, and you've chosen to impede that chase, you've made your choice as to which side you prefer to be on.

So, you have two choices, you can either hand over Bin Laden, al-Zawahiri, and every Al-Qaeda member in your area, or you can look forward to people dying.....LOTS of people, and there's really no one to blame but yourselves. You've had plenty of time, you your self have said that you have sent in 100,000 troops to weed out terrorists, and you've failed. We've already killed several high end Al-Qaeda members with small Navy Seal teams that you couldn't do with 100,000 men? You obviously aren't trying hard enough, or you're on their side. Either way, I have no room for you, and if you choose this path, then it will lead to your own destruction of your military members.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Nancy Pelosi Thinks You're An Idiot

2008-09-16T20:07:00.001-07:00

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, when asked Tuesday whether Democrats bear some of the responsibility regarding the current crisis on Wall Street, had a one-word answer: “No.”

Pelosi (D-Calif.) ripped President Bush’s “mismanagement” of the economy and a lack of regulation that led to the current situation.“I think the American people have had it with this situation where the middle-income people in our country are not protected from the ramifications of the risk-taking and the greed of these financial institutions,” Pelosi told MSNBC.

When asked whether the Democrats “deserve some responsibility” regarding the economic crisis, Pelosi responded: “No.”

Ok, first off, Nancy tries to blame the Bush administration for something that's clearly not his fault, but then tries to say that Democrats don't deserve any responsibility either?

Any third grader can tell you that the President only signs legislation into law, he cannot pass laws by himself. Congress does that. So, for her to say that Bush is responsible, is bullshit. Of course, Democrats aren't either, because the fault lies with the companies themselves, but if there's anyone in the government who has any real power over any situation, it's Congress, not the President.

So, if Congress passes legislation that the President signs or vetoes, how is Congress responsible for the situation?

It's partisan politics that even Barack Obama is playing, and they are trying to capitalize on the feelings of voters.

Nancy should know better, but I guess passing the buck on responsibility, even if it's clearly not a government problem, comes second nature to her.

She's even shown to be hypocritical about her dealings with her own party's corrupt members:

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi yesterday privately pushed Rep. Charlie Rangel to give up his chairmanship of the influential House tax-rules committee amid explosive revelations that his personal tax filings were riddled with errors and omissions, a wellplaced source said.

I posted about how Democrats were going to "punish" Joe Lieberman by removing him from one of his committee memberships for speaking at the Republican National Convention.

So, if they can remove Joe, why can't she remove Rangel? Because she doesn't want to. Period. She was even quoted as saying "there's no way" that she'd remove Rangel.

Rangel met privately Tuesday morning with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, his second such meeting in two days. He emerged tightlipped, refusing to discuss the matter.

"People believe that this is so sensitive that the last person in the world that should be discussing it is me. So I love you guys but what can I tell ya?" Rangel said as he walked out of the meeting.

His lawyer said Pelosi told Rangel "she was pleased at the initiative he's taken to, in effect, authorize an investigation of himself with full transparency and direct reporting to the ethics committee and she also expressed her appreciation that he is allowing the House ethics committee to complete its process."

It's a dog and pony show. She has no intention of removing Christopher Dodd, William Jefferson, or now Charles Rangel. But let's not look into the corrupt nature of members of her own party and get rid of the "culture of corruption", let's start an "investigation" into Wall Street dealings, which will lead to nothing but wasted time and taxpayer dollars.

And she wonders out loud why she is in charge of a 9% approval rated Congress.

It's crap like that; Blame Republicans for anything, say or do anything to get into office, and then do anything you can to help your corrupt friends and colleagues, including exempting America Samoa from the minimum wage increase because one of your constituents owns a major factory there.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Biden Needs A Lesson In Economics

2008-09-16T17:23:00.001-07:00

Sen. Joe Biden, the Democratic vice presidential candidate, said Tuesday that "the middle class is dying" and Sen. Barack Obama's economic plan will reverse that trend by lowering their taxes and raising those of people making $250,000 or more.

"Create jobs, keep people in their homes and increase regulatory oversight of the very people John (McCain) has refused to regulate," Biden said, summing up Obama's plan for repairing the ailing economy.

"We're letting taxes expire for the very wealthy and giving the middle class a fighting chance," he said.

Asked if that amounted to income redistribution, Biden replied, "I don't care what you call it. The middle class is dying."

"The American worker's been left out in the cold," he said.

Biden squarely blamed the economic mess on President Bush's economic policies backed by McCain, including the failure to properly regulate Wall Street, which he said resulted in fewer jobs, increased foreign debt and skyrocketing oil prices.

Biden, like McCain, called for stronger government regulation of Wall Street. "Bottom line is if you come to the federal government to borrow money, we get to look at your books," he said. "That's my money. It's the taxpayers' money."

Biden further blamed Bush and McCain for the "god-awful economic mess at home and abroad." Referring to assertions by McCain that the U.S. economy was fundamentally strong, Biden said the economy was "sound if you're very wealthy."

"It's a disaster if you're a hard-working middle-class family who goes from paycheck to paycheck and worries about paying your mortgage," he said.

Sorry Joe, but Bush wasn't responsible for the economic situation we're in right now, contrary to what you want to believe, or what you want everyone else to believe. We're in this situation because investors and company managers got greedy, mortgage brokers oversold people homes, people bought homes way above what they could afford, and the dollar crash.

Not one of those things are Bush's fault. In fact, during those "tax cuts for the wealthy" you describe, tax revenue went up. How do you explain that away?

You're trying to tap into the bad sentiment in people's lives and blame Republicans for the mess, when clearly it isn't their fault. Just like some try to blame 9/11 on Saddam, which is clearly not true.

However, I will agree that if a company comes to the US government for money, we should get to look at the books.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Hypocrisy From McCain's Top Aide

2008-09-16T17:18:00.001-07:00

Hours after top McCain aide Carly Fiorina said Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin isn't qualified to run a major corporation, the former Hewlett-Packard CEO said she doesn't think John McCain is either.

In comments that are strikingly off message as the Arizona senator attempts to position himself as the candidate best positioned to fix the country's economic woes, Fiorina said in an interview on MSNBC Tuesday running a Fortune 500 corporation is not the same as running the country.

“Well, I don't think John McCain could run a major corporation, I don't think Barack Obama could run a major corporation, I don't think Joe Biden could run a major corporation," Fiorina, a top McCain advisor, said.

"But, on the other hand, a major corporation is not the same as being the president or the vice president of the United States," she continued. "It is a fallacy to suggest that the country is like a company. So, of course, to run a business, you have to have a lifetime of experience in business, but that's not what Sarah Palin, John McCain, Joe Biden, or Barack Obama are doing."

Well Carly, I know YOU can't run a corporation either. You came to HP, pushed for the purchase of Compaq, a known shitty computer company, and ran HP into the ground. In the meantime, it was found out that you would be getting a large million dollar bonus if the merger went through, AND at the same time, you laid off 30,000 employees.

I cringed when I read that Carly was going to be John McCain's aide. My aunt was one of the 30,000 people who were laid off by HP, and she had been there more than 20 years. Meanwhile, Carly gets the boot with a ton of money as severance, and my aunt got nothing.

Just shut up Carly, it's better that people think you're a fool, then to open your mouth and prove it.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Obama Supporters Are Criminals!

2008-09-16T11:49:00.001-07:00

Ok, innocent until proven guilty, but these guys do give me a chuckle:

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Obama Thinks Terrorist Leader "OK Guy"

2008-09-15T22:51:00.001-07:00

"He did despicable things 40 years ago"?? What kind of bullshit answer is that?? That's fucking appeasement at it's worst, and some of you out there want to allow this guy to be in charge of the military and to protect us against threats from terrorist groups and hostile nations?

Are you all THAT stupid?

Travis

Hackers block Qaeda’s 9/11 terror on tape

2008-09-15T22:37:00.001-07:00

Hackers prevented Al Qaeda from releasing a videotape to mark the seventh anniversary of 9/11. Al Qaeda has traditionally issued a video or audiotape by either Osama bin Laden or Ayman al Zawahiri, the terror network’s two leaders, to mark their massive terrorist attack on the US.

As-Sahab, Al Qaeda’s media unit, had indicated earlier this week that it would post such a videotape on September 11. As-Sahab had banner images on the internet showing a silhouetted head with a question mark and the words, “Wait 11 September”.

The US-based intelligence group IntelCenter had speculated the video would be a message from Osama or Zawahiri with a recording of the last will and testament of Mohammed Atta, one of the leaders of the 9/11 attackers.

Sources close to US intelligence said, “Hackers knocked out Al Qaeda’s online means of communication, thus preventing them from posting anything to commemorate the anniversary.”

With the bad rap that hackers in general get, it's nice to see them do some good from time to time.

Thanks guys. Now, if you can break in and tell us more intel about who's posting what from where, I'd greatly appreciate it.

Free water cooling kit and the latest Intel MB and CPU combo to anyone who points out where Osama is hiding. Shipping included. :)

My response:

A) I'm not a hacker, although I play one on TV.

B) Aaron is not a hacker.

C) News of my ability to thwart al Qaeda's online activities have been greatly exaggerated.

D) Neither I nor Aaron are responsible for the take down of al Qaeda's main forum and two of its sister forums. Reporting that they are down does not mean I'm taking credit. Neither does reporting on it mean that I even approve of taking down al Qaeda's main propaganda outlet.

But if I was responsible I'd deny it.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Iran's Got Nowhere To Run

2008-09-15T17:03:00.001-07:00

A U.N. inquiry into intelligence allegations of secret atom bomb research in Iran has reached a standstill because of Iranian non-cooperation, an International Atomic Energy Agency report said on Monday.

"We have arrived at a gridlock," said a senior U.N. official familiar with the latest report, which urged Iran to take the intelligence allegations seriously to defuse suspicions its nuclear work is not entirely peaceful.

The confidential report also said Iran had raised the number of centrifuges enriching uranium to 3,820, compared with 3,300 in May, with over 2,000 more being installed.

But Iran seemed some way from refining enough uranium to build a nuclear weapon, if it chose, the report indicated.

Iran had stockpiled 480 kg (1,050 pounds) of low-enriched uranium so far. It would need 15,000 kg (33,000) to convert into high-enriched uranium for fuelling an atom bomb, said U.N. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.

"That would be a significant quantity, one unit of HEU, and would take on the order of two years," said one official.

In its last report in May, the IAEA said Iran appeared to be withholding information needed to explain intelligence that it had linked projects to process uranium, test high explosives and modify a missile cone in a way suitable for a nuclear warhead.

Now that it's pretty clear that Iran isn't cooperating, where are the crushing sanctions? China and Russia simply no longer avoid the facts on the ground: Iran isn't cooperating.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Blame Others

2008-09-15T17:00:00.001-07:00

Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama said Monday the upheaval on Wall Street was "the most serious financial crisis since the Great Depression" and blamed it on policies that he said Republican rival John McCain supports.

"This country can't afford another four years of this failed philosophy," Obama said after the shock-wave announcements that financial giant Lehman Brothers was filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy while titan Merrill Lynch was being bought by Bank of America for about $50 billion.

Obama's statement, issued as he prepared to fly to Colorado to begin a swing through contested Western states, was intended to serve two purposes: to link McCain with the unpopular presidency of George W. Bush and to express sympathy with the anxiety of most Americans who say the economy is issue No. 1 in the election.

"The challenges facing our financial system today are more evidence that too many folks in Washington and on Wall Street weren't minding the store," Obama said in a statement. "Eight years of policies that have shredded consumer protections, loosened oversight and regulation, and encouraged outsized bonuses to CEOs while ignoring middle-class Americans have brought us to the most serious financial crisis since the Great Depression."

"I certainly don't fault Sen. McCain for these problems," Obama said, "but I do fault the economic philosophy he subscribes to."

Well, let's take a peek here. When tax cuts were put into place, we had record tax revenue. Now that financial outfits have made poor decisions, Obama wants to blame the policies that he follows? How are those two intermixed? If I am given tax breaks for my business, and then I turn around, make more money, and thus, give the government more tax revenue, how are those policies failed if I make a poor business decision that leads to my bankruptcy?

It's simply Obama trying to blame everyone else for a problem that has nothing to do with the policies in place, and the everything to do with the greediness and the lack of preparedness for the future these businesses did.

Stop blaming others Obama. Remember when you said you wanted to "stick with the issues"? How about you actually do that instead of trying to place blame where it doesn't belong?

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

You Know You're In Trouble With Democrats

2008-09-15T13:25:00.001-07:00

When even the NY Times is calling for your resignation because of your "ethical problems".

Mounting embarrassment for taxpayers and Congress makes it imperative that Representative Charles Rangel step aside as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee while his ethical problems are investigated.

This recommendation does not come easily, considering the New York Democrat’s four decades of service in Congress. But Mr. Rangel himself has felt obliged to request three separate House ethics inquiries of his behavior. While denying serious improprieties, Mr. Rangel concedes that he has not lived up to the “higher standard” expected of members of Congress.

His latest admission is that as chief of Congress’s tax-writing committee, he was “irresponsible” in failing to disclose $75,000 in rental income and pay federal and state taxes on a villa in the Dominican Republic.

His temporary yielding of the gavel is an urgent necessity for a Democratic Congress elected two years ago on promises of an ethical housecleaning.

Committee posts are not bestowed by voters. They are partisan privileges granted by leaders in Congress, and Ms. Pelosi must not cut slack for an ally. If Mr. Rangel refuses a temporary hiatus from his chairmanship, Ms. Pelosi should remove him permanently.

Yeah, good luck with that. Nancy didn't remove William Jefferson from his post, she promoted him, after he had $90,000 in marked bribe money found by the FBI, so why should she be any different with Rangel?

Face it, Democrats lied during the 2006 election and swore they'd "clean up the culture of corruption", and the American public bought it. Now, they are coming to the realization that they've been lied to, and it's quite possible that they may shock Democrats and vote them out of office.

I'm not holding my breath on either of those things happening though.

Travis

An Odd "Coincidence"

2008-09-15T13:10:00.001-07:00

When the federal government announced two months ago that it would prop up mortgage buyers Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, CRP looked at how much money members of Congress had collected since 1989 from the companies. On Sunday the government completely took over the two government-sponsored enterprises, and we've returned to our data to bring you the updates, this time providing a list of all 354 lawmakers who have gotten money from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (in July we posted the top 25). These totals are based on data released electronically from the FEC on Sept. 2 and include contributions to lawmakers' leadership PACs and candidate committees from the floundering companies' PACs and employees. Current members of Congress have received a total of $4.8 million from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, with Democrats collecting 57 percent of that. This week we also wrote about how much money lawmakers had invested of their own money in the companies last year--a total of up to $1.7 million.

Dodd, Christopher J
Obama, Barack
Kerry, John

Christopher Dodd being #1? No surprise that corrupt piece of shit is there. But what is odd is Barack Obama is #2 for the 10 year span and only been in office about 5 or so years?

Anyone else alarmed by that?

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Pakistan Is Confused

2008-09-14T17:13:00.001-07:00

Two air-to-ground missiles ripped through the sky before smashing into the house where a Taliban leader with close links to Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden was thought to be hiding.

"There was a glittering flash of light and a prolonged roar," said Hameedullah Khan, one of the first on the scene of Monday's suspected US drone strike in the Pakistani town of Dande Darpa Khel, near the Afghan border.

Two white drones circled the area for hours ahead of the attack that left 21 people dead, including women and children, residents told AFP.

"We recovered 10 bodies. Some were mutilated, some charred. We could not identify if the victims were locals or foreigners. But we could distinguish that children were among the dead," Khan said.

Missile strikes targeting Islamic militants in Pakistan's rugged tribal areas in recent weeks have been blamed on US-led coalition forces or CIA drones based in Afghanistan. Pakistan does not have missile-equipped drones.

In the past 12 days, five strikes have been carried out, targeting suspected Taliban or Al-Qaeda bases.

The reputed target of Monday's attack, veteran Taliban commander Jalaluddin Haqqani, was not among those killed, and the devastation left on the ground seems only to have strengthened the Taliban's influence on local civilians.

"After about an hour, the Taliban turned up," said Khan, who helped in the rescue work at Dande Darpa Khel.

"They ringed a building and erected a tent (to treat casualties) nearby," the 35-year-old said.

"Then they recovered more bodies and wounded who were sent to hospital."

Washington says Pakistan's mountainous tribal regions have become a safe haven for Islamic fighters waging an insurgency against international troops based across the border.

But the increasingly frequent missile attacks, for which the United States has not claimed responsibility, are straining Pakistan's relationship with its key ally.

Civilian deaths have stirred local anger and embarrassed the Pakistani government, already struggling to tackle the militancy that has seen 1,200 of its own people die in bombings and suicide attacks in the past year alone.

Pakistan's army, itself engaged in fierce clashes against militants linked to the Taliban and Al-Qaeda in the border regions, has also condemned what it sees as unilateral US action that violates the country's sovereignty.

Residents in Dande Darpa Khel say until recently, one drone would comb the region late at night or early in the morning. But now, two or three will fly together, around the clock.

"They keep on flying in our skies with full immunity and people are scared," said Abdus Khan, a 22-year-old student, adding that the prospect of further attacks may lead people to flee the area.

We warned you about Al-Qaeda. We offered to work with you, and yet, corrupt people within your intelligence community have repeated warned Al-Qaeda members to incoming US strikes. You have made your choice, now you get to deal with the consequences of that choice.

You want us to go away? It's real easy and I'll even give you the answer: Give us Bin Laden, al-Zawahiri, and every other Taliban and Al-Qaeda member you know of. Do that, and we go away. Until then, you can bet your ass we're coming and we're coming in hard.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Common Sense In Government?

2008-09-14T17:10:00.001-07:00

Or just out of money?

Wall Street readied for a potential Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. bankruptcy after Bank of America Corp. and Barclays Plc pulled out of talks to buy it and the government indicated it wouldn't provide funds to prevent a collapse.
Banks and brokers today held a session for netting derivatives transactions with Lehman, or canceling trades that offset each other, in case the New York-based firm files for bankruptcy before midnight.
``The purpose of this session is to reduce risk associated with a potential Lehman'' bankruptcy, the International Swaps and Derivatives Association said in a statement today. The ISDA includes 218 banks, brokerages, insurance companies and other financial institutions from the U.S. and abroad.
The step indicates Wall Street lacks confidence that three days of talks to find a buyer for Lehman, held at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, will be successful. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, who has led the talks with New York Fed President Timothy Geithner, was adamant two days ago against using taxpayer funds to help a purchaser take Lehman over.
This is the kick in the ass that the economy needs. Yes, a major company collapsing will harm the economy, but it will provide an example to others as to not make rash decisions, hoping that the government will bail you out.
I've railed against other bailouts such as the Freddie and Fannie fiasco's, and I don't think the government should be bailing out companies that make bad business decisions. It encourages it, and I don't seem to remember businesses paying back the bailouts when times were good.
So, yes it's sad to see ordinary people lose their jobs at Lehman Brothers, but they wouldn't be in that spot if their bosses didn't make rash business choices. These things happen. Talented people will find other jobs, and those who made these decisions should be unemployed for a while to really drive home the point.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

The sleaziest and least honorable campaign

2008-09-13T16:16:00.001-07:00

Sen. Barack Obama's spokesman on Saturday accused Sen. John McCain of "cynically running the sleaziest and least honorable campaign in modern presidential campaign history."

Obama, speaking to a crowd Saturday in Manchester, New Hampshire, said, "John McCain wants to have a debate about national security; let's have that debate. I warned that going into Iraq would distract us from Afghanistan. John McCain cheerleaded for it. John McCain was wrong, and I was right."

"The McCain-[Sarah] Palin ticket, they don't want to debate the Obama-Biden ticket on issues because they are running on eight more years of what we've just seen. And they know it," the Democratic presidential nominee said. "As a consequence, what they're going to spend the next seven, eight weeks doing is trying to distract you.

"They're going to talk about pigs, and they're going to talk about lipstick; they're going to talk about Paris Hilton, they're going to talk about Britney Spears. They will try to distort my record, and they will try to undermine your trust in what the Democrats intend to do."

Ahh the issues. The core of any campaign. Mr. Obama wishes to discuss them. Ok, fair enough. Let's start with his favorite: Opposition to the war in Iraq.

First off, Obama never voted for or against the war in Iraq. He was never put into that position. However, as President, you need to make tough choices and you cannot avoid them. Obama likes to point out how he was "right" about Iraq. Really? Iraq possessed WMD's and we have found them. Granted, the ones found so far are pre-Gulf War I, but Saddam was not allowed to have even those.

Saddam, even by Obama's admission, butchered his own people. That's not our problem according to Obama. But we can argue reasons all day long.

However, let's point out where Obama is clearly wrong: The surge in troops in Iraq. Obama was against it, and it clearly has worked. Granted, there are many other reasons why things have turned around in Iraq, but none of them could have happened without the support of the security provided by the extra US troops. That is an indisputable fact, and Obama to this day has not admitted that.

So, Obama is wrong, but many will point to him being right about Iraq in the first place. I use Iraq as a perfect example, because many times, as President, you will have to make tough choices based upon circumstances that are out of your control. You cannot avoid them, and here we have one of those situations, and Obama made the wrong choice.

Next up, the economy.

McCain has asked for $29 million dollars in the 20+ years in Congress. A little more than $1 million each year. Obama, on the other hand, has asked for hundreds of millions of dollars in the few years he's been in office.

With the economy shaping up to be the #1 issue during the election, I think it's pretty obvious we can't trust Obama to be fiscally responsible.

"They will try to distort my record, and they will try to undermine your trust in what the Democrats intend to do."

Actually Mr. Obama, I am using undeniable facts here. You have asked for hundreds of millions of dollars in additional pork spending without coinciding with same dollar for dollar spending cuts. You asked for and received millions for your wife's employer, clearly at best a conflict of interest, at worst, showing that you're corruptable and are willing to "scratch their back if they scratched yours".

Oddly, your wife got a promotion and a massive raise.

Officials at the University of Chicago Hospitals say a promotion and large pay increase given to Sen. Barack Obama's wife shortly after the Democrat was elected to Congress were well-deserved boosts for an executive who is "worth her weight in gold." The Chicago Tribune has the story.

"She's terrific," added Michael Riordan, who was president of the hospital in March 2005, when Michelle Obama was promoted to vice president for external affairs and had her annual salary increased from $121,910 to $316,962.

Riordan told the Tribune that the promotion and salary increase had nothing to do with Obama's husband becoming a U.S. senator. "She was hired before Barack was Barack," Riordan said.

Really? You mean to tell me you couldn't see the value in having a woman on board who's married to an ambitious political husband? That's a bullshit lie.

Plus, she gets promoted and her salary is almost tripled? Anyone else get a promotion like that?? If so, I'd love to hear this story.

We've been told that our crises are somebody else's fault. We are distracted from our real failures and told to blame the other party, or gay people, or immigrants, and as people have looked away in frustration and disillusionment, we know who has filled the void. The cynics, the lobbyists, the special interests, who've turned government into only a game they can afford to play. They write the checks while you get stuck with the bill. They get access while you get to write a letter.

Unfortunately for Obama, he writes the checks, and we get the bill. Over the course of 20+ years, my share of McCain's earmarks have been around 10 cents a year. A YEAR. For Obama, it's been significantly higher.

And with Congress doing absolutely nothing but going on a spending spree and putting me further into debt for nothing more then a smiling bunch of smug assholes, I think I deserve something more. I think I deserve a President who'll cut spending, tell people to get off their ass and work, sell the home they couldn't afford, tell people the government isn't supposed to take care of you, and be honest with me.

Unfortunately, I don't think Obama will do any of those things.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

The Backlash

2008-09-13T10:25:00.001-07:00

So, I've gotten a reply to my Democrats Spreading Lies post, and I thought everyone should see it. I'm not trying to point this guy out, I simply thought he brought up a good point, so I thought I'd counter point and it was interesting enough for me to share with you all.

right wing lunatic? it makes sense that your question is a typical non-sequitur, one of the lunatic's favorite tricks.

Answer to your question: 65% do believe that Obama will do a better job with the economy, regardless of the earmark situation. That's because they are smart enough to see that earmarks are nothing compared to the price of the war in Iraq. People are losing so much money because of the price of health care, education, and houses... McCain has no plan whatsoever to fix any of that, and in fact will continue Bush's policies on those, spend more in Iraq, and make the overall situation worse. Obama has a plan and you can check it out at barackobama.com.

65% of Americans are really smart to see through McCain's BS about insignificant earmarks (as compared to the Iraq war's price). That's just a way to divert attention.

The biggest tax we pay is the money we give to health care insurance companies for substandard service, the expensive education system and mortgages. Whoever provides relief on that will offer an actual tax cut to most people, unlike the income tax cut, only for the rich, that McCain proposes.

Travis said...

Earmarks totaled $24 billion dollars on the last budget that they passed. That's $80 per person in America. Doesn't sound like much, but that's for every person, not including people who don't pay taxes such as students, prisoners, and some senior citizens, so the amount may be upwards of $200 per person.

That's just in earmarks.

With the war in Iraq dying down, the cost is significantly going to change. It was and continues to be important to finish up the work we're doing there and they are.

In fact, if I remember correctly, we have signed an agreement with the Iraqi government to be completely out of the country by the end of 2009 or 2011, I'm not quite sure on the date. It's early in the morning, and I'm feeling lazy and don't want to look up the exact date.

If Democrats win seats in both parts of Congress, which is likely to happen, and Obama in office, it will be easier to pass even larger earmarks.

The Senates biggest earmark offenders are all Democrat (John Murtha, Hillary Clinton, etc.)

So, I'm going off of the track record of McCain, which is something that Obama wants us to avoid looking at.

Specifically, McCain talks of spending cuts, while Obama talks of Universal Health Care, and other programs that will cost money.

How does he plan on paying for it? With higher taxes.

People in general, you and me included, don't like paying taxes. We'll do everything we can to avoid them. With Obama in office, he wants to tax the wealthy significantly higher and higher. If he continues to do that, the wealthy will simply move their funds elsewhere and we'll get $0 from taxes from them.

This is why we need a flat tax of say 20% or some other such number. That way, the more you earn, the more you pay.

My worry is that Democrats get a veto busting majority in both houses of Congress, and we elect either McCain or Obama, and Congress goes on a wild spending spree.

The war in Iraq is actually a smaller piece of the cost of Congress' spending. I wrote about it here:

http://www.rightwinglunatic.com/2008/09/democrats-pushing-lies.html

Tax revenue is up, contrary to what Democratic lies are being told. Democratically controlled Congress has shot up spending by over $400 billion dollars in the two years they've had power. That's about $1,200 for every man, woman, and child in America.

That's ADDITIONAL spending. Those on the Left don't talk about spending cuts, which is something that simply must happen. They talk about the war in Iraq costing x amount of money, and how we should be putting that money towards other things.

Nevermind the money is actually being borrowed rather than spent.

My healthcare is being taken care of by my employer. If they gave me shitty service, I'd complain and we'd look for a better provider (which actually happened about 2 years ago)

It's not the government's job to get involved in healthcare or your mortgage.

If you bought a mortgage larger then you could afford, sell it and move into an apartment. It's been that way forever. If you didn't plan on losing your job when you bought the house, or if losing the job means you can no longer afford the home, the only person you can blame is yourself. How about a little personal responsibility?

Education I agree is shoddy. Kids need to be taught, not passed through. We should be asking what we are getting for the money we are giving them, instead of giving them more and more money.

When a new school is built, it should be a normal looking building, not some art deco piece. Money should go towards more teachers, higher teacher wages, better equipment, up to date text books, not more bullshit administrators who keep passing kids through to the next grade while the kid cannot spell worth shit.

The war in Iraq is expensive, I will agree. But we need to look at spending cuts, not more taxes. In fact, I pay more in taxes then a lot of people make in a year. I want to know what kind of returns I'm getting for my money. If you increase my taxes and don't give me anything of value for it in return, such as reducing the deficit, increasing jobs, or our infrastructure, then I'm going to get creative with my money and avoid as much taxes as possible and then, where are you going to get your revenue from? Obama wants to lower taxes on the middle class and poor, so you won't be getting the money from them.

I'm simply looking at the track record of each candidate when it comes to fiscal responsibility, and there is simply no comparison. Obama has asked for hundreds of millions, including money towards his wife's employer at the time, and McCain has asked for almost nothing in comparison.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

You've Picked Your Side

2008-09-12T17:19:00.001-07:00

Now deal with the consequences:

KEY corps commanders of Pakistan's 600,000-strong army issued orders last night to retaliate against "invading" US forces that enter the country to attack militant targets.

The move has plunged relations between Islamabad and Washington into deep crisis over how to deal with al-Qa'ida and the Taliban

What amounts to a dramatic order to "kill the invaders", as one senior officer put it last night, was disclosed after the commanders - who control the army's deployments at divisional level - met at their headquarters in the garrison city of Rawalpindi under the chairmanship of army chief and former ISI spy agency boss Ashfaq Kayani.

Leading English-language newspaper The News warned in an editorial that the US determination to attack targets inside Pakistan was likely to be "the best recruiting sergeant that the extremists ever had", with even "moderates" outraged by it.

The "retaliate and kill" order came amid reports of unprecedentedly fierce fighting in the Bajaur Agency of Pakistan's tribal areas, an al-Qa'ida stronghold frequently mentioned as the most likely lair of Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri.

At the same time, a series of brutal killings by the militants were reported.

The beheaded bodies of two of nearly 40 police recruits abducted a week ago were found near the town of Hangu. Their discovery follows warnings that the recruits would be put to death, one by one, unless Pakistan stopped its big offensive in Bajaur.

We've tried to help you. We've tried to warn you. Yet, you still seem to pick the side of the militants. Now, you get to deal with the wrath of the US.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Iranian Bullshit Again

2008-09-12T16:41:00.001-07:00

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad vowed Friday to keep supporting the Palestinian militant group Hamas until the "collapse of Israel."

The Iranian news agency Khabar quoted Ahmadinejad as telling Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh that Iran views the support of the Palestinian people as part of its religious and national duty and that Iran will stand behind the Palestinian nation "until the big victory feast which is the collapse of the Zionist regime."

In a phone conversation between the two leaders, the Iranian president said that the continued Hamas resistance against Israel and the group's achievements would always be "a source of pride for all Muslims."

Iran does not acknowledge the sovereignty of Israel and vowed to support Hamas until what Ahmadinejad calls "deliverance from Zionists (Israel)."

More bullshit from a guy who should have had a bullet in his head years ago. All he's doing is trying to drum up an attack against Iran and raise the price of oil. It will backfire on him. Israeli's aren't stupid and they ARE ruthless.

So, when does the midget die?

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Are You TRYING To Lose The Election?

2008-09-11T16:35:00.001-07:00

The chairman of the Republican Party in Macomb County Michigan, a key swing county in a key swing state, is planning to use a list of foreclosed homes to block people from voting in the upcoming election as part of the state GOP’s effort to challenge some voters on Election Day.

“We will have a list of foreclosed homes and will make sure people aren’t voting from those addresses,” party chairman James Carabelli told Michigan Messenger in a telephone interview earlier this week. He said the local party wanted to make sure that proper electoral procedures were followed.

State election rules allow parties to assign “election challengers” to polls to monitor the election. In addition to observing the poll workers, these volunteers can challenge the eligibility of any voter provided they “have a good reason to believe” that the person is not eligible to vote. One allowable reason is that the person is not a “true resident of the city or township.”

The Michigan Republicans’ planned use of foreclosure lists is apparently an attempt to challenge ineligible voters as not being “true residents.”

One expert questioned the legality of the tactic.

I don't question the legality, I question the sanity of such a maneuver. If you have someone who's been foreclosed upon, and is in desperate times, do you really think it's a good idea to alienate them and make them think that you don't care about their vote?

Think people, I know it's not difficult. I do it all the time. You want EVERY vote to be counted, and only the most egregious voters discounted.

There's a reason why Michigan continues to vote for Democrats, and this is a big one. Just take a look at Detroit. Nothing against them personally, but the place has been run into the ground. They haven't elected a Republican in years. Yet, no one there seems to think "wait a minute, maybe the guys we keep electing are shit heads"?

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

A Day In September

2008-09-11T16:31:00.001-07:00

Familiar rituals of grief marked the seventh anniversary of Sept. 11 on Thursday as thousands paid tribute at the attack sites, the presidential candidates laid flowers at ground zero and children mourned parents they can barely remember.

Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama called off their campaigns for the day, and in the late afternoon descended the long ramp into the pit of the World Trade Center site, bowing their heads and leaving the flowers in a reflecting pool.

At the Pentagon, 15,000 people turned out for the dedication of the first permanent memorial built at any of the three sites where hijacked planes crashed. It includes 184 benches that will glow at night, one for each victim there.

"Thanks to the brave men and women, and all those who work to keep us safe, there has not been another attack on our soil in 2,557 days," President Bush said at the outdoor dedication.

When you see someone who makes it their job to make you safe from harm, thank them. Cops, Firemen, Military personnel, even doctors. It doesn't take much just to get their attention and say "thank you".

Seven years after the Sept. 11 attacks, there is no consensus outside the United States that Islamist militants from al Qaeda were responsible, according to an international poll published on Wednesday.

The survey of 16,063 people in 17 nations found majorities in only nine countries believe al Qaeda was behind the attacks on New York and Washington that killed about 3,000 people in 2001.

U.S. officials squarely blame al Qaeda, whose leader Osama bin Laden has boasted of organizing the suicide attacks by his followers using hijacked commercial airliners.

On average, 46 percent of those surveyed said al Qaeda was responsible, 15 percent said the U.S. government, 7 percent said Israel and 7 percent said some other perpetrator. One in four people said they did not know who was behind the attacks.

That's because people are stupid.

Respondents in the Middle East were especially likely to name a perpetrator other than al Qaeda, the poll found.

Because they don't like the idea that one of their own could be responsible for such an atrocity. Their religion specifically says that if you spill the blood of an innocent, you are condemned to hell. It's a big, fat, mirror pointing out how some of them have warped their religion, and the poisonous tree must be pruned.

Some say "never forget", but I say "never forgive".

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

We Welcome A New Writer

2008-09-11T14:17:00.000-07:00

I'd like to introduce a contributing writer "Navy Chief". I have obscured his name for obvious reasons.

And here's his first article.

Veterans Unite: By "Navy Chief", United Stated Navy. Retired.

As a 24 year Navy veteran, I am thoroughly disgusted at the lack of concern from the Democrats regarding the appreciation and plight of military men and women. I distinctly recall the days in which a certain “Commander in Chief” was adamantly opposed to the military and its mission because we were not the Democrats constituency.

During the eight years of Democratic rule in the nineties, I vividly remember being tied to a pier on ships trying to complete qualifications in port because we didn’t have enough budget allocation for fuel. Believe me, I didn’t think it was possible but it happened.

The whole left-wing philosophy from my prospective is, “screw the military, unless I need them”. The whole “In case of emergency, break glass” support system had taken a major toll on the military during those years, and believe me friends, even though we are stretched thin these days, the military as an organization is the very best trained, dedicated, and ready force I have ever seen since I became a sailor in 1981.

I am sick and tired of the same old regurgitated mantra from the left. “Don’t question my patriotism” Well, I do question it when I see such organizations as Code Pink, and the National Organization for Women repeatedly use George Bush as a whipping post to achieve the political agenda in taking back the white house.

Remember people, we were attacked, we responded, and our military has done an amazing job regardless of the do nothing congress and the left wing media questioning our achievements and calling for investigations and impeachment because they can’t take credit for protecting America.

It was the left that caused 9/11, it was the left that did nothing after the World Trade Center bombing in 1993 killing 6 and injuring another one thousand, March 8 1995 Karachi Pakistan, 2 US consulate officials killed, Kenya, 1995 two hundred and twenty five killed by an Al Qaeda bomb, October 12 2000, The USS Cole is attacked in Yemen, seventeen sailors killed and forty others wounded. When casting your vote this November, remember those killed by terrorists and those that defend your freedom, safety and your way of life.

I think you would be hard pressed to find a democratic candidate this election that has that listed as a priority.

God, I love this man. :)

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Democrats Pushing Lies

2008-09-10T17:23:00.001-07:00

The federal deficit is expected to hit $407 billion for fiscal 2008 (which ends at the end of this month) and $438 billion next year. Still, the deficit is expected to be only 3% of GDP, which is in line with the average of the last 30 years. We hope Congress and the Presidential candidates don't obsess over the deficit per se, because the real fiscal drag from government comes from how much it spends, not how much it borrows.

The Bush tax cuts also aren't the budget problem. Until this year federal tax collections have been surging. In the four years after the 2003 tax cuts become law, tax receipts exploded by $785 billion. This year revenues have declined by 0.8%, but a major reason is the $150 billion bipartisan tax rebate that has hit the Treasury without spurring the economy. Without these nonstimulating rebates, federal tax payments would have climbed another 2.5%, according to CBO. Revenue is expected to be a healthy 18.5% of GDP next year without any tax increase.

Another myth is that the war on terror has busted the budget. While operations in Iraq and Afghanistan are expensive, defense spending is $605 billion this year, or about 4.5% of GDP. That only seems large by comparison to the holiday from history of the 1990s, when defense fell to 3% of GDP. As recently as 1986, defense spending was 6.2% of GDP.

The real runaway train is what CBO calls a "substantial increase in spending" that is "on an unsustainable path." That's for sure. The nearby chart shows how much some federal accounts have expanded since 2001, and in inflation-adjusted dollars. This year alone, federal agencies have lifted their spending by 8.1%, with another 7% raise expected for 2009. There's certainly no recession in Washington. The CBO says that, merely in the two years that Democrats have run Congress, federal expenditures are up $429 billion -- to $3.158 trillion.

The fiscal blowouts have included a record farm bill, notwithstanding record farm income; an aid bill for distressed homeowners, extended unemployment benefits, and more generous veterans benefits. Next up: votes on $50 billion for Detroit auto firms, an $80 billion energy bill, as much as $50 billion for spending masked as a "second stimulus," plus $100 billion or more for the Fannie and Freddie rescue. Rather than sort through priorities, Congress is spending more on just about everything.

That's right kids. The biggest spending increase isn't the war in Iraq, it isn't the war in Afghanistan, or even the Bush tax cuts. It's Congress doling out welfare checks and poking it's nose into everything that it shouldn't be. Spending money like a drunken sailor, and not being fiscally responsible.

Nancy Pelosi has specifically blamed Bush for the increase in our debt, when it was the Democratically controlled Congress who were to blame all along.

Just in the above mentioned bills, you're talking about $280 billion dollars in extra money being spent that we don't have.

Democrats in Congress have blamed Republicans for out of control spending, saying that the war in Iraq money could be better spent elsewhere, yet they are spending even MORE money then what's being spent in Iraq.

It really is time that we implement term limits and balanced budget Amendments, otherwise things are going to get worse.

And they are even thinking about another $100 billion to create a "second stimulus" when clearly the first one didn't work.

STOP SPENDING MY FUCKING MONEY LIKE THIS!

Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, John Murtha, and Hillary Clinton are all DIRECTLY responsible for this. They are the ones who continually ask for high amounts of earmarks, and then vote for them.

Plus, as an added bonus, this article came from the Wall Street Journal. You know, the FINANCIAL people. :)

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Foot, Meet Mouth...Now Backpedal

2008-09-10T17:12:00.001-07:00

South Carolina Democratic chairwoman Carol Fowler sharply attacked Sarah Palin today, saying John McCain had chosen a running mate "whose primary qualification seems to be that she hasn’t had an abortion.”

Palin is an opponent of abortion rights and gave birth to her fifth child, Trig, earlier this year after finding out during her pregnancy that the baby had Down syndrome.

Fowler told my colleague Alex Burns in an interview that the selection of an opponent of abortion rights would not boost McCain among many women.

“Among Democratic women and even among independent women, I don’t think it helped him,” she said.

Told of McCain's boost in the new ABC/Washington Post among white women following the Palin pick, Fowler said: "Just anecdotally, I believe that those white women are Republican women anyway."

UPDATE -- Carol Fowler releases a statement of apology: "I personally admire and respect the difficult choices that women make everyday, and I apologize to anyone who finds my comment offensive. I clumsily was making a point about people in South Carolina who may vote based on a single issue. Whether it’s the environment, the economy, the war or a woman’s right to choose, there are people who will cast their vote based on a single issue. That was the only point I was attempting to make."

Now, had a Republican made this statement, CNN would be all over it. However, even Democrats have noticed, and that's why she's rushing the public "apology" so quickly. With the race as tight as it is, Democrats can ill afford to alienate voters, especially women.

Keep it up Democrats, if you can't win in an environment that is RIPE for the picking, you deserve the humiliating loss. Republicans in power right now are practically handing you the election, and yet, you keep making mistake after mistake.

It's like watching someone who continually burns themselves on the stove, reaching for the handle once again.

Plus, Ms. Fowler, have a little backbone and stand by your statements. Fucking coward.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Charlie's Ethical Problems

2008-09-10T16:11:00.001-07:00

Rep. Charles Rangel, a New York Democrat, said Wednesday he will not step down as chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee in the face of a call from the Republican leader in the House for him to do so.

Rangel has been under fire for failing to report income from a rental property he owns in the Dominican Republic.

He admitted Tuesday he had not paid tax on the income, but said it was a mistake and he will pay whatever back taxes he owes. He said the income had gone directly toward paying down the mortgage on the property and he had rarely if ever received income statements related to it.

"I really didn't pay any attention to it. I wasn't getting any money from it," he said, calling his failure to pay taxes "an omission that's irresponsible, and that's it."

"I don't believe that making mistakes means you have to give up your career," he said.

He also admitted that he had not been charged interest on the mortgage for the past 18 years, but said he had "no clue" that the mortgage lender had made that decision. He denied having been singled out for preferential treatment.

Rangel's Ways and Means Committee writes tax law, among other responsibilities.

I totally agree that making a simple mistake shouldn't cost you your job, but this guy has been making "mistake" after "mistake" for a while now.

He's leasing expensive cars on your dime. He's abused office rents and paid less then normal market rates. He's had an interest free mortgage, and really, who the FUCK doesn't notice that??

And we're supposed to believe that this guy didn't have something shady going on? The guy writes tax laws for Christ's sake!

None of you get an interest free loan on any mortgage you'll ever have. We're to believe that a tax man is able to get one, WITHOUT ASKING FOR IT, and not notice it?? Is anyone out there really that stupid?

What's worse, is that if Nancy Pelosi was actually doing her job, she'd ask for Rangel's temporary resignation from the Ways and Means Committee, until this is all resolved. But she isn't. She's looking the other way when there's clear evidence of ethical violations.

Why does this seem so familiar?

Oh that's right, because it's HAPPENED BEFORE!

Go ahead and try to blame Bush for this one Nancy.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

You Want It? You Got It

2008-09-10T15:49:00.001-07:00

Pakistan's military chief said Wednesday that no foreign forces will be allowed to conduct operations inside Pakistan in light of last week's "reckless" U.S. military ground operation.

Pakistan's "territorial integrity ... will be defended at all cost and no external force is allowed to conduct operations ... inside Pakistan," according to a military statement attributed to Chief of Army Staff Gen. Parvez Kayani, who succeeded Pervez Musharraf after he stepped down as Pakistan's army chief last year.

The announcement came as Pakistan's military resumed its battle against Taliban militants in its tribal region, two army spokesmen said. More than 20 militants and four security forces were killed in Monday's fighting in Bajaur Agency, they said.

If you won't "allow" US military operations within your country, then you are harboring terrorists, and I will not make the distinction between the two. I feel so dirty for saying this, but Obama is right, if we have actionable intelligence, we're going into Pakistan.

Frustrated by repeated dead ends in the search for Osama bin Laden, U.S. and Pakistani officials said they are questioning long-held assumptions about their strategy and are shifting tactics to intensify the use of the unmanned but lethal Predator drone spy plane in the mountains of western Pakistan.

The number of Hellfire missile attacks by Predators in Pakistan has more than tripled, with 11 strikes reported by Pakistani officials this year, compared with three in 2007. The attacks are part of a renewed effort to cripple al-Qaeda's central command that began early last year and has picked up speed as President Bush's term in office winds down, according to U.S. and Pakistani officials involved in the operations.

There has been no confirmed trace of bin Laden since he narrowly escaped from the CIA and the U.S. military after the battle near Tora Bora, Afghanistan, in December 2001, according to U.S., Pakistani and European officials. They said they are now concentrating on a short list of other al-Qaeda leaders who have been sighted more recently, in hopes that their footprints could lead to bin Laden.

In interviews, the officials attributed their failure to find bin Laden to an overreliance on military force, disruptions posed by the war in Iraq and a pattern of underestimating the enemy. Above all, they said, the search has been handicapped by an inability to develop informants in Pakistan's isolated tribal regions, where bin Laden is believed to be hiding.

With CIA officers and U.S. Special Forces prevented from operating freely in Pakistan, the search for bin Laden and his lieutenants is taking place mostly from the air.

"Prevented"? Let's not forget why we are there people:

Never forget indeed.

I want blood revenge. I want Osama's head on a pike. Until he's captured or killed, I don't care WHERE we search for him, and if we have to go to a foreign nation to get him, I'm all for it.

Even Democrats can't argue with that point.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Now Are You Going To Listen To Me?

2008-09-09T21:20:00.001-07:00

The OPEC oil group has agreed to cut its real output by 520,000 barrels per day in the next 40 days, OPEC's President and Algerian Energy Minister Chakib Khelil said Wednesday.

When asked about the size of a proposed cut to OPEC's current production, Khelil replied: "I think if you do your own calculations, it is a cut of 520,000 barrels per day."

News of the planned cut in output comes as the oil exporting body announced that Indonesia had suspended its membership of the cartel.

"The conference regretfully accepted the wish of Indonesia to suspend its full membership in the organisation and recorded its hope the country would be in a position to rejoin the organisation in the not too distant future," OPEC said in a statement at the end of a meeting here.

Didn't I warn you all about this? They are going to "defend" oil at $100 a barrel. Remember when they got all worried about when oil shot up to $80 a barrel, and pleaded with the American public not to blame them?

“Please don’t blame us for $93 oil,” Qatari Oil Minister Abdullah al-Attiyah told reporters on the fringes of an international energy conference.

They BEGGED us not to blame them for oil at $93 a barrel less than a year ago! Now, that they've tested the waters and seen what the market can handle, they are exploiting it.

Hurry up with the Volt GM! We're all BEGGING to buy it!

Guess what else? If we were drilling in our own nation, we wouldn't have to deal with the price fluctuations that OPEC is now handing us. Thanks Do-Nothing Congress!

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Russia's Playing By New Rules

2008-09-09T16:48:00.001-07:00

Iran's Bushehr nuclear plant is nearing completion and the start-up of its reactor will soon become "irreversible", the Russian state-owned company that is building the power station said on Tuesday.

Russia has already delivered nuclear fuel under a $1 billion contract to build the Bushehr plant, on the Gulf coast in southwest Iran, and Iranian officials say the reactor is likely to be started up soon.

The head of Atomstroyexport, the company building the plant, said on Monday it was nearing completion, according to a company spokeswoman.

"Atomstroyexport in December 2008 - February 2009 will carry out technological work at Bushehr which will put the Iranian atomic station on the irreversible final strait," the spokeswoman quoted company President Leonid Reznikov as saying.

Russia signed a contract to build the plant in 1995 on the site of an earlier project begun in the 1970s by German firm Siemens. Siemens's project was disrupted by Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution and the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war.

Russia, using Bushehr as a lever in relations with Tehran, has repeatedly put back the start-up date. Moscow had said it expected the plant to be started up some time this year.

Let's see, ratchet up tensions with the West, thereby increasing the price of oil....check.

Sell massive amounts of own oil, using threats of cutoffs to get more money out of importing countries...check.

Profit.

That's what this is all about. If Iran were supplying Chechyan's with weapons, you'd see a WHOLE different Russia. But because the Iranian leadership is anti-US, they're happy to stroke tensions as much as they can to get rich off of oil revenues and put themselves back onto the world stage.

This is why a lot of Russian government officials are against an Obama Presidency. With Obama talking instead of rattling saber's, the price of oil plummets, and Russia loses billions of dollars, thus, making them less likely to be on the world stage as a power player.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

I Found Out How They Kill Terrorists!

2008-09-09T16:44:00.001-07:00

But, buy my book!

The dramatic drop in violence in Iraq is due in large part to a secret program the U.S. military has used to kill terrorists, according to a new book by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Bob Woodward.

The program -- which Woodward compares to the World War II era Manhattan Project that developed the atomic bomb -- must remain secret for now or it would "get people killed," Woodward said Monday on CNN's Larry King Live.

"It is a wonderful example of American ingenuity solving a problem in war, as we often have," Woodward said.

In "The War Within: Secret White House History 2006-2008," Woodward disclosed the existence of secret operational capabilities developed by the military to locate, target and kill leaders of al Qaeda in Iraq and other insurgent leaders.

National security adviser Stephen Hadley, in a written statement reacting to Woodward's book, acknowledged the new strategy. Yet he disputed Woodward's conclusion that the "surge" of 30,000 U.S. troops into Iraq was not the primary reason for the decline in violent attacks.

"It was the surge that provided more resources and a security context to support newly developed techniques and operations," Hadley wrote.

This is nothing more then an attempt by Bob Woodward to drum up publicity for his new book. Everyone knows we changed tactics in Iraq, and that, coupled with the surge and a few other factors, took the tide of the war towards us in the public eye.

Personally, I don't care what tactics we use as long as terrorists are dead and Osama's head is on a pike.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Obama: "Lipstick on a pig is still a pig".

2008-09-09T16:24:00.001-07:00

Amie Parnes reports from Lebanon, VA:

Obama poked fun of McCain and Palin's new "change" mantra.
"You can put lipstick on a pig," he said as the crowd cheered. "It's still a pig."
"You can wrap an old fish in a piece of paper called change. It's still gonna stink."
"We've had enough of the same old thing."

The crowd apparently took the "lipstick" line as a reference to Palin, who described the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull in a single word: "lipstick."

People are already saying that Obama's attacks on Sarah Palin are backfiring, I don't know why he's choosing to go after her in this manner. Maybe he knows something we don't, or more likely, he's thinking that he can get away with it and not alienate voters. In November though, we'll see if he's right.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Pastor's Getting A Bit Preachy

2008-09-08T18:07:00.001-07:00

Declaring that clergy have a constitutional right to endorse political candidates from their pulpits, the socially conservative Alliance Defense Fund is recruiting several dozen pastors to do just that on Sept. 28, in defiance of Internal Revenue Service rules.

The effort by the Arizona-based legal consortium is designed to trigger an IRS investigation that ADF lawyers would then challenge in federal court. The ultimate goal is to persuade the U.S. Supreme Court to throw out a 54-year-old ban on political endorsements by tax-exempt houses of worship.

"For so long, there has been this cloud of intimidation over the church," ADF attorney Erik Stanley said. "It is the job of the pastors of America to debate the proper role of church in society. It's not for the government to mandate the role of church in society."

Yet an opposing collection of Christian and Jewish clergy will petition the IRS today to stop the protest before it starts, calling the ADF's "Pulpit Initiative" an assault on the rule of law and the separation of church and state.

Backed by three former top IRS officials, the group also wants the IRS to determine whether the nonprofit ADF is risking its own tax-exempt status by organizing an "inappropriate, unethical and illegal" series of political endorsements.

"As religious leaders, we have grave concerns about the ethical implications of soliciting and organizing churches to violate core principles of our society," the clergy wrote in an advance copy of their claim obtained by The Washington Post.

The battle over the clergy's privileges, rights and responsibilities in the political world is not new. Politicians of all stripes court the support -- explicit or otherwise -- of religious leaders. Allegations surface every political season of a preacher crossing the line.

What is different is the Alliance Defense Fund's direct challenge to the rules that govern tax-exempt organizations. Rather than wait for the IRS to investigate an alleged violation, the organization intends to create dozens of violations and take the U.S. government to court on First Amendment grounds.

"We're looking for churches that are serious-minded about this, churches that understand both the risks and the benefits," Stanley said, referring to the chance that they could lose their coveted tax-exempt status or could set a precedent.

Stanley said three dozen church leaders from more than 20 states have agreed to deliver a political sermon, naming political names.

"The sermon will be an evaluation of conditions for office in light of scripture and doctrine. They will make a specific recommendation from the pulpit about how the congregation would vote," he said.

"They could oppose a candidate. They could oppose both candidates. They could endorse a candidate. They could focus on a federal, state or local election."

Such endorsements are prohibited by a 1954 amendment to the Internal Revenue Code that says nonprofit, tax-exempt entities may not "participate in, or intervene in . . . any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office."

In a Sept. 3 letter to two United Church of Christ pastors in Ohio who are organizing the challenge to the ADF, Stanley appealed to them, "as one Christian brother to another," to abandon their criticism. He asserted a "constitutional right to speak freely from the pulpit" and said IRS rules "stifle religious expression."

When you are tax exempt, there are certain rules you must follow. One of them, is obviously that you don't get to be political in nature. If you want to be political, that's fine, but be prepared to pay taxes.

Oh, and save the melodramatic bullshit about "stifling religious expression". We're smarter then that. If you're preaching about politics in church and are obviously supporting one candidate over another, then your tax exempt status should be revoked. That includes Republican and Democratically leaning churches. I said it about Reverend Wright's church, and I'll say it about this church.

People go to church to hear the word of God, not to hear you bitch about why Hillary is a bad person. We already know that. Let the Associated Press do news, and you focus on preaching about religion.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Run By Idiots

2008-09-08T18:02:00.001-07:00

It was only a matter of time, unfortunately. And now that Michigan is an election-year swing state and Detroit's auto makers are posting sales declines topping 20% each month, the time has arrived. The issue of a government bailout for General Motors, Ford and Chrysler is moving to center stage.

Barack Obama has said yes to this proposal early on, and last week John McCain climbed on board. So much for change and fighting pork-barrel spending. We're moving beyond moral hazard here, folks, and into a moral quagmire. At least the Chrysler bailout of 1980 was structured so that taxpayers could reap a reward for taking a financial risk on the company's future. That's not what's happening now.

Late last year, in its energy bill, Congress authorized $25 billion of low-interest loans to high-risk borrowers -- a strategy perfected by home-mortgage lenders in recent years. In this case the high-risk borrowers are the loss-plagued Detroit car companies. The loans are supposed to help them develop new, fuel-efficient cars, and retool their factories to produce them. Detroit, not being satisfied with this taxpayer largess, wants $50 billion.

Everyone's got their hand out. We bailed out Chrysler in 1980, and we are bailing them out just a short while ago. When do we let the free market close out these poorly run companies? Politicians keep talking about the free market, but when a company gets too big and is failing, they jump in with both feet and try to look like they are saving the day.

Be the "bad" guy and let them fail. We've given them a $25 billion dollar loan, and yet, they lose money hand over fist. If they can't see that putting all your eggs in one basket is a bad idea (trucks and SUV's), then they need to simply go out of business or sell. It's as simple as that.

Notice how other companies didn't go that route and are doing just fine? Toyota makes large trucks and SUV's, but they also make hybrids and small, fuel efficient cars.

They are doing just fine because they focused on making a reliable car at a good price. GM and other car manufacturers didn't.

Sorry guys, but I'm tired of paying for your idiocy. It's time for some tough love and you to either make cuts, work smarter, or go out of business.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Russia's Got No Game

2008-09-08T17:41:00.001-07:00

Russia said on Monday it would send a heavily-armed nuclear-powered cruiser to the Caribbean for a joint naval exercise with Venezuela, its first major maneuvers on the United States' doorstep since the Cold War.

Russian officials denied the mission was linked to a naval standoff with U.S warships in the Black Sea, but it will take place at a time of high tension between Washington and Moscow over the conflict in Georgia.

Washington has played down the significance of the exercise.

Russia has criticized the United States for sending a command ship and two other naval vessels to Georgia, on its southern border, to deliver aid and show support for President Mikheil Saakashvili after Moscow sent troops into Georgia.

Kremlin leader Dmitry Medvedev asked on Saturday how Washington would feel "if we now dispatched humanitarian assistance to the Caribbean ... using our navy".

Really Medvedev? Do you honestly think ANYONE cares that you dispatched humanitarian aid to the Carribean using your Navy? Navy warships generally are very good at getting to hostile places quickly, and can move a great deal of cargo. Plus, some warships are nuclear powered, so there's little to no pollution.

You want to have wargames with Venezuela? Go for it, I'll sleep like a baby tonight. Why? Because just like last time when you guys ratcheted up the rhetoric, you're full of shit. You've got nothing.

It's the same thing that happens when a little yippy dog starts to bark. You laugh a little because he thinks he's a big dog and you end up humoring it just out of pity.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

CNN Sells Out American Troops....AGAIN

2008-09-08T17:35:00.001-07:00

Cell phone images are providing evidence that a large number of civilians may have been mistakenly killed by U.S. troops operating in Afghanistan last month, two NATO officials said Sunday.

The Afghan government, a United Nations review and other reports from the region state that as many as 90 civilians were killed in an August 22 airstrike, but the Pentagon has adamantly disputed the death toll.

Another U.S. military official, who has seen the cell phone imagery but asked not to be named because he is not authorized to speak to the media, said Monday there were about 30 bodies, some covered and some in blankets.

There were "several children who appear to be pulled from the rubble," he said.

US troops kill innocent children?!!? Run it on the front page! Oh, and to be fair, we'll include "the truth"....I suppose.

The coalition investigation found that U.S. and Afghan forces began taking fire from Taliban militants as the forces approached the target in the early hours of August 22.

"The intensity of the enemy fire justified use of well-aimed small-arms fire and close-air support to defend the combined force," the coalition said in a statement released shortly after the strike. "The type and application of fires were used in accordance with existing rules of engagement."

Mullah Sadiq, a known Taliban commander, was among the militants killed, the coalition said.

A U.S. military official, who declined to be named because the investigation is ongoing, cast doubt on reports that the strike killed civilians gathered in a room, reciting Quranic verses at 1 a.m.

Regarding reports that most of the 90 deaths were children, the official said there were not 50 children in the entire village.

The airstrike was on a legitimate target, he said, noting that coalition forces found a weapons cache -- including AK-47s, 4,000 rounds of ammunition and bomb-making materials -- as well as thousands of dollars in U.S. currency.

That little tidbit of truth, is literally 7/8ths the way down the article. US troops were coming under fire, they fired back and neutralized the threat.

Children died. Yes, it is tragic, and we do everything we can do minimize civilian deaths. I can only imagine what soldiers go through when they inadvertently kill a child. However, the fact remains, that a Taliban insurgent fired upon US soldiers first, and he's the only one to blame for this tragedy.

And if there's only 50 children in the village, where did the other 40 come from?

Let's put blame where it rightfully belongs....with the Taliban.

If a man shot at a police officer, and the officer fired back and hit a child, who would you blame?

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Bill Clinton to join McCain, Obama at Ground Zero on 9/11

2008-09-08T17:21:00.001-07:00

Bill Clinton will join Barack Obama and John McCain in visiting Ground Zero this Thursday in memory of the victims of September 11, and deliver a speech focused on national security threats.

“But just as we reflect on the past, we must look ahead to ensure we are doing all we can to support families, unite our communities, and protect our country from future acts of terrorism," said the former president in a statement released by his office.

Good, maybe he can reflect on his own failings and putting a multi-billion dollar deal with the UAE in front of the safety and security of the American public. If you want someone to directly blame for not doing enough to counter the threat, look no further then Bill Clinton.

Take a look at my new front page and I have a video and an article you should read that explains it all:

http://www.rightwinglunatic.com/wp

The CIA's head Bin Laden unit guy, who knows more then anyone else, directly blames Bill Clinton for pulling the plug on various attempts to capture or kill Bin Laden in the years leading up to 9/11.

Fuck you Bill. Your distractions of the fat girl giving you a hummer in the Oval Office cost us dearly.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Juries are getting too lenient

2008-09-08T16:33:00.001-07:00

A mother who burned her baby daughter to death in a microwave oven was sentenced Monday to life in prison without the chance for parole.

China Arnold, 28, opted not to be in the courtroom during sentencing by Common Pleas Judge Mary Wiseman.

The judge rejected a plea by Arnold's attorneys for a minimum sentence of life in prison with the chance of parole after 25 years.

A jury last week spared Arnold the death penalty when it couldn't reach a consensus.

Arnold was convicted Aug. 29 of aggravated murder in the death of month-old Paris Talley. Prosecutors said Arnold intentionally put her baby in the microwave oven after a fight with her boyfriend.

The couple had argued over whether the boyfriend was the baby's biological father.

Arnold's first trial ended in a mistrial when new witnesses surfaced.

Defense attorney Jon Paul Rion has asked for a third trial, saying a former cellmate who said Arnold confessed has now changed her story.

She cooked a baby to death. The way that a microwave works, is that it cooks from the inside out, rather than outside in.

That meant that the baby's internal organs, brain, and blood all cooked and boiled until the damage was too great and she died.

Even worse, I'm willing to bet my bottom dollar that investigating detectives are still having nightmares about the scene that happened upon.

Cooked.

Her.

Baby.

To.

Death.

Not bad enough of a crime to warrant a death penalty. Where am I wrong here?

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

The Enemy Of My Enemy?

2008-09-08T16:30:00.001-07:00

Al-Qaida marked the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks with an hour and a half video message Monday summarizing the state of jihad, or holy war, around the world and slamming Iran for collaborating with the United States.

Short excerpts of the message were aired on the Arab satellite news channel Al-Jazeera.

In them, al-Qaida Number 2, Ayman al-Zawahri accused Iran of working with U.S. forces.

Al-Zawahri said Tehran was "cooperating with the Americans in occupying Iraq and Afghanistan" and slammed Iran for recognizing the two governments. He also criticized the Shiites for not calling for a jihad in Iraq against the "Crusader occupier." In militant postings, "crusaders" is shorthand for U.S. troops in Iraq.

"The guardian of Muslims in Tehran is cooperating with the Americans in occupying Iraq and Afghanistan and recognizes the two hireling governments there," al-Zawahri said.

Quite the conundrum we have here. We have Al-Qaeda, who knowingly hates Iran, also hating us. So, do we eradicate Al-Qaeda and deal with the Iranian threat, or do we allow them to attack Iran and see what becomes of it?

Perhaps I'm a softie, but I say we destroy the Al-Qaeda threat, and use it as a bargaining chip against Iran. "Look guys, we helped you out here with Al-Qaeda, let's say we work on that nuclear program of yours."

If they spit in our faces because of it, sidestep and let the Israeli's at them.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Really?

2008-09-07T22:56:00.001-07:00

MSNBC tried a bold experiment this year by putting two politically incendiary hosts, Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews, in the anchor chair to lead the cable news channel’s coverage of the election.

That experiment appears to be over.

After months of accusations of political bias and simmering animosity between MSNBC and its parent network NBC, the channel decided over the weekend that the NBC News correspondent and MSNBC host David Gregory would anchor news coverage of the coming debates and election night. Mr. Olbermann and Mr. Matthews will remain as analysts during the coverage.

The change — which comes in the home stretch of the long election cycle — is a direct result of tensions associated with the channel’s perceived shift to the political left.

“The most disappointing shift is to see the partisan attitude move from prime time into what’s supposed to be straight news programming,” said Davidson Goldin, formerly the editorial director of MSNBC and a co-founder of the reputation management firm DolceGoldin.

Executives at the channel’s parent company, NBC Universal, had high hopes for MSNBC’s coverage of the political conventions. Instead, the coverage frequently descended into on-air squabbles between the anchors, embarrassing some workers at NBC’s news division, and quite possibly alienating viewers. Although MSNBC nearly doubled its total audience compared with the 2004 conventions, its competitive position did not improve, as it remained in last place among the broadcast and cable news networks.

Mr. Olbermann, a 49-year-old former sportscaster, has become the face of the more aggressive MSNBC, and the lightning rod for much of the criticism. His program “Countdown,” now a liberal institution, was created by Mr. Olbermann in 2003 but it found its voice in his gnawing dissent regarding the Bush administration, often in the form of “special comment” segments.

As Mr. Olbermann raised his voice, his ratings rose as well, and he now reaches more than one million viewers a night, a higher television rating than any other show in the troubled 12-year history of the network. As a result, his identity largely defines MSNBC. “They have banked the entirety of the network on Keith Olbermann,” one employee said.

In January, Mr. Olbermann and Mr. Matthews, the host of “Hardball,” began co-anchoring primary night coverage, drawing an audience that enjoyed the pair’s “SportsCenter”-style show. While some critics argued that the assignment was akin to having the Fox News commentator Bill O’Reilly anchor on election night — something that has never happened — MSNBC insisted that Mr. Olbermann knew the difference between news and commentary.

But in the past two weeks, that line has been blurred. On the final night of the Republican convention, after MSNBC televised the party’s video “tribute to the victims of 9/11,” including graphic footage of the World Trade Center attacks, Mr. Olbermann abruptly took off his journalistic hat.

“I’m sorry, it’s necessary to say this,” he began. After saying that the video had exploited the memories of the dead, he directly apologized to viewers who were offended. Then, sounding like a network executive, he said it was “probably not appropriate to be shown.”

Keith Olbermann is a blowhard who can't tell the difference between news and opinion? Who knew? The nice little jabs that Olbermann has put out there has finally come back to bite him in the ass. He's gotten a bit too big for his britches, and now, when he pushes the envelope, he finds that there are limitations to what the network will put up with.

Couldn't happen to a nicer guy. :)

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Guess What You're Paying For?

2008-09-07T13:22:00.001-07:00

The U.S. government's planned takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac came together hurriedly after advisers poring over the companies' books for the Treasury Department concluded that Freddie's accounting methods had overstated its capital cushion, according to regulatory officials briefed on the matter.

The proposal to place both mortgage giants, which own or back $5.3 trillion in mortgages, into a government-run conservatorship also grew out of deep concern among foreign investors that the companies' debt might not be repaid.

Falling home prices, which are expected to lead to more defaults among the mortgages held or guaranteed by Fannie and Freddie, contributed to the urgency, regulators said.

The details of the deal have not fully emerged, but it appears that investors who own the companies' common stock will be virtually wiped out; preferred shareholders, who have priority over other shareholders, may also end up with little. Holders of debt, including many foreign central banks, are expected to receive government backing. Top executives of both companies will be pushed out, according to those briefed on the plan.

While it is not yet possible to calculate the cost of the government's intervention, it could rise into tens of billions of dollars and will probably be among the most expensive rescues ever financed by taxpayers.

Yep, while your neighbor was buying a home he/she CLEARLY couldn't afford, and you were doing everything right, you still end up paying for it.

Kick these people out of their homes, let them be foreclosed upon, and they can move into apartments like every, single, family that got in over their heads before them.

CNN keeps posting these fucking sob stories about how it's so unfair that a person making $70k a year shouldn't be able to afford a $650k house. UNFAIR I TELL YOU!!

Everyone who's working should have a swimming pool and horse stable according to CNN.

Now, people like you and me who are doing everything responsibly, are paying for this fucking bullshit.

LET THESE PEOPLE FAIL, THEY DESERVE IT FOR THEIR GREED.

It's like we've got some kind of retarded people running the mortgage companies and Congress.....oh wait....we do.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

When Students Fail

2008-09-07T13:17:00.001-07:00

More than three-quarters of Maine's eighth-graders performed below standard on the state writing test for 2007-08, prompting education officials to toss the results and try to figure out why so many students missed the mark.

State Education Commissioner Susan Gendron and her staff say the one-question test was somehow flawed because 78 percent of the estimated 14,900 eighth-graders who took the exam failed to write a persuasive essay as required.

That's a 50 percent increase, over 2006-07 in the number of eighth-graders who failed to meet or only partially met state writing standards.

In a rare move, Maine's Department of Education found the test results inconclusive, and withheld them from school districts and the media when it released the latest Maine Educational Assessment scores in July.

The department's decision surprised even longtime educators like Tom Lafavore, director of educational planning in Portland Public Schools, Maine's largest district.

"I've never seen test results pulled like this," Lafavore said.

Maybe the little bastards are functioning retards who don't do a damned thing in school except socialize with their friends, all the while teachers pass them off to the next grade, regardless of if the student understands the material?

You know, just a thought and all.

How about we go back to the old ways that worked? You don't pass, you don't go to the next grade. Public shame ensues. The student either shapes up, or gets ready for a lifetime of repeating the phrase "Would you like fries with that"?

Stop coddling kids and start doing your jobs: teaching.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

God Damn It Jason!

2008-09-06T15:09:00.001-07:00

You're a funny guy!

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

I Think I'm In Love

2008-09-06T15:06:00.001-07:00

Jason's my new best friend. I've seen him around from time to time, but the nuts on this guy have got to be huge. :)

Case in point:

I giggled like a 4 year old child when I saw this.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Democrats Caught In Lie

2008-09-06T14:40:00.001-07:00

Oh sweet, sweet justice for Democrats.

Democrats are not caring for their Stars and Stripes. At least that’s the message out of John McCain’s campaign.

McCain supporters, claiming they rescued 12,000 miniature American flags from the site of Barack Obama’s nomination acceptance speech last Thursday, redistributed the orphan flags to audience members ahead of a McCain rally in Colorado Springs on Saturday.

The move was an overt swipe at Obama from a campaign whose motto has been “country first.” But Democratic convention organizers claimed the flags were not going to be discarded — but instead were snatched from the site of Obama’s historic address to carry out a “cheap political stunt.”

It would normally be a "he said, she said" type of thing, but wait! There's photos!

This next one is my favorite, as it shows the true nature of those at the DNC.

Right next to the garbage. How can they claim that "the flags were not going to be discarded" when it's in the same bag as used water bottles and pizza boxes? But let's listen to what they have to say:

Damon Jones, spokesman for the Democratic National Convention Committee, released a statement saying McCain should applaud the fact that thousands of American flags were “proudly waved” at their convention.

“But instead his supporters wrongfully took leftover bundles of our flags from the stadium to play out a cheap political stunt calling into question our patriotism,” he said.

How is it that your "leftover bundles of our flags" are sitting in the garbage? The fact is, is that you're lying when caught with your proverbial pants down and are trying to place blame where it doesn't belong. Sounds awfully like a normal Democratic trait doesn't it? When cornered, blame others.

Nancy Pelosi does that a lot. When asked about her dismal record, she blames Bush. When John Murtha is cornered about the charges against fellow Marines he called "cold blooded killers" were being dropped, rather than apologize, he pulls this crap:

Not, "I'm sorry, I was wrong". But, "I enlisted and served in Korea and Vietnam". Harry Reid said "The war in Iraq is lost".

Yet, not even a year later, everything has turned around because of the surge in troops, new tactics, and the Iraqi security forces stepping up. Children blame others when cornered. Unfortunately, I have come to expect Democrats to do the same.

Come on guys, how about once, just once, I'd like to hear "I'm responsible", or "Yep, you're right". I've said you've been right on many occasions. I've pointed out the rhetoric about Al-Qaeda from Obama is correct and we should push harder against them and Pakistan. Of course, I want that backed up with action, not just empty words.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Rangel had no-interest mortgage more than 10 years

2008-09-05T12:09:00.001-07:00

Rep. Charles Rangel paid no mortgage
interest on a beach resort property for more than 10 years, a lawyer
for the powerful House committee chairman said Friday.

The New
York congressman's lawyer, Lanny Davis, told The Associated Press that
Rangel got his no-interest deal for the villa in the Dominican Republic
because he was an original buyer in the resort development, and in the
early days after Rangel's 1987 purchase the rental income it generated
failed to meet expectations.

Punta Cana Yacht Club director
Jose Oliva issued a letter stating that they initially charged interest
on the loans to Rangel and a small group of fellow investors called
"Pioneers," but after two years the company stopped charging interest
because of the lower-than-expected rental income. The removal of
interest charges was extended only to the foreign investors, Oliva
said.

Earlier in the day, the congressman's lawyer said Rangel
paid no interest at all on the mortgage, but later said company records
show there was interest paid in the first two years.

Davis said Rangel did not know until very recently he had not been charged interest for more than a decade.

"Mr. Rangel received no special preference," said Davis.

Bullshit. Does anyone without brain damage believe this shit? 10 YEARS with no interest? This is also the same guy who was paying significantly less then market rate on FOUR apartments, and is leasing a very nice vehicle, ALL paid for by you.

Republicans call Rangel ethically challenged
and have sought to censure the 78-year-old lawmaker. Even an
unintentional tax error is highly embarrassing for Rangel, since he
chairs the committee charged with updating the nation's complicated tax
code.

"Ethically challenged"? This guy is corrupt, period. He should know better. And it's Nancy Pelosi's job to weed out the "culture of corruption" and remove Rangel from his committee positions until the investigation is over.

But, we won't be hearing about that. What we are hearing about is how Nancy and Harry Reid want to remove Joe Liebermann from his committee positions because he made a speech at the Republican National Convention.

So, anyone else pissed about this? Anyone else want to laugh in Nancy's face when she begs people to "vote Democrat in November" when they clearly cannot be trusted to do anything but corrupt themselves and look the other way?

John Murtha, Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Charles Rangel, William Jefferson. These are all people who have looked the other way, made false accusations, procured hundreds of millions of dollars in wasteful earmark spending, shown to be corrupt, broken federal laws, or simply looked the other way when shown that one of their own is corrupt.

Nancy Pelosi should be removed from office for incompetence.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Rangel had no-interest mortgage more than 10 years

2008-09-05T12:08:00.001-07:00

Rep. Charles Rangel paid no mortgage
interest on a beach resort property for more than 10 years, a lawyer
for the powerful House committee chairman said Friday.

Earlier in the day, the congressman's lawyer said Rangel
paid no interest at all on the mortgage, but later said company records
show there was interest paid in the first two years.

Davis said Rangel did not know until very recently he had not been charged interest for more than a decade.

"Mr. Rangel received no special preference," said Davis.

This guy is corrupt, period. And it's Nancy Pelosi's job to weed out the "culture of corruption" and remove Rangel from his committee positions until the investigation is over.

Nancy Pelosi should be removed from office for incompetence.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Funny Political Cartoons

2008-09-04T19:27:00.000-07:00

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Obama: Surge Succeeded Beyond ‘Wildest Dreams’

2008-09-04T14:47:00.001-07:00

Obama has a problem admitting when he was wrong. Sure, he may have been right about opposing the Iraq war, although he wasn't forced to vote upon it, so history will never know. Especially, when the chips are down, he caves (See FISA).

The troop surge in Iraq has been more
successful than anyone could have imagined, Barack Obama conceded
Thursday in his first-ever interview on FOX News’ “The O’Reilly Factor.”

As recently as July, the Democratic
presidential candidate declined to rate the surge a success, but said
it had helped reduce violence in the country. On Thursday, Obama
acknowledged the 2007 increase in U.S. troops has benefited the Iraqi
people.

“I think that the surge has succeeded in
ways that nobody anticipated,” Obama said while refusing to retract his
initial opposition to the surge. “I’ve already said it’s succeeded
beyond our wildest dreams.”

However, he added, the country has not had
enough “political reconciliation” and Iraqis still have not taken
responsibility for their country.

First off, Obama as President isn't going to get to pick and choose what decisions are placed in front of him. Sometimes, he will be facing a tough choice, and one that the circumstances leading up to it, are beyond his control. So, if the war in Iraq is still going when he is President, what choices is he going to have to make?

He opposed the surge in troops when it was presented to him, and now violence levels have gone down significantly. Had he gotten his way, Iraq may very well have been thrown into civil war and be ripping itself apart as we speak.

Had he been President at the time of the Iraq war starting, if we are to believe him that the war should not have been started to begin with, Saddam would still be torturing people by the thousands, and nothing would be done about it. Obviously, sanctions weren't doing enough, and Saddam was flourishing under these conditions.

So, at what point do you say enough, and do something about it?

Obama says that not enough "political reconciliation" has happened and they have not "taken responsibility for their country". I find that rather idiotic, especially since we have now handed over half of the country to Iraq's security forces, (last I checked it was 10 or 11 out of 18 provinces), and Iraqi security forces are now leading raids 70% of the time according to General Petraeus.

How is that "not taking responsibility for their country"?

How are we to trust Obama when it comes to Iran, when he says:

The Islamic republic is a “major threat”
and it would be “unacceptable” for the rogue nation to develop a
nuclear weapon, he said.

“It is unacceptable for Iran to possess a
nuclear weapon, it would be a game changer,” Obama said. “It’s
sufficient to say I would not take military action off the table and
that I will never hesitate to use our military force in order to
protect the homeland and the United States’ interests.”

How far must Iran go before you'll order a military strike? When they have a nuclear weapon? Who's to say that we strike at where we think the weapon is, and all of a sudden, it's not there? What happens if Iran actually uses that weapon? How are you going to explain the loss of thousands or even millions of lives, and trillions of dollars in damage to the families of the dead?

This is exactly what I'm railing against Bill Clinton about. There was a known threat, and Bill did little to nothing about it. Now, we have a hostile nation with a nuclear program, that has evidence that they are looking for a way to make weapons out of it, and Obama simply wants to talk.

That's fine, but where's the redline? So far, Obama's only said "once they have a weapon". At that point, it's too late.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Obama giving some black Republicans 'heartburn'

2008-09-04T14:33:00.001-07:00

Armstrong Williams is an African-American conservative commentator who is thinking about making a decision that he says is so agonizing it gives him heartburn.

This fall, he may vote for Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, the Democratic presidential nominee.

The nationally-known radio talk show host is a proud, third-generation Republican who chuckles when African-American friends tell him it's time to "return home" to the Democratic Party.

Though he still hasn't decided for whom he'll cast his ballot, there's something about Obama's presidential candidacy that excites him. "History, brother," Williams said. "It cannot be anything else."

"There's very little that I agree with Obama on. Since the founding of our country, there have only been white men who have occupied the White House. ... To have someone break through that barrier, and say to some kids, you can be president. Whether you like it or not, symbolism is important."

Obama's presidential candidacy is causing a political identity crisis among some black conservatives. Torn between ideology and the chance to make history, some don't know what they're going to do when they enter the voting booth in November.

In other words, Mr. Williams is considering giving up his beliefs for the chance to vote for someone who's the same skin color as him. Isn't that a form of racism? Shouldn't you judge a man not by the color of his skin, but of the content of his character? I remember hearing that phrase from somewhere.....it's right on the tip of my tongue...OH YEAH!

If you give up your principles for such a reason as skin color, you will be judged for that flaw in your "content of your character".

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Freedom Of Speech On The Left

2008-09-03T23:50:00.001-07:00

Sen. Joe Lieberman's speech before the Republican National
Convention on Tuesday night could cost him the chairmanship of a key
Senate committee, a top Senate Democratic aide told CNN.

During the speech, the Connecticut senator praised GOP presidential
candidate Sen. John McCain and criticized Democratic nominee Sen.
Barack Obama.

"The Democratic Caucus will reassess the situation
with Sen. Lieberman after the election," Jim Manley, a spokesman for
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, said Wednesday. Lieberman,
the Democratic nominee for vice president in 2000, now calls himself an
"independent Democrat," but he remains a member of the Senate
Democratic Caucus, which allows him to head the Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs Committee.

Democrats have grumbled for
months about Lieberman's outspoken support of McCain, and both Reid and
Obama have warned Lieberman to curb his public criticism of Obama.

Wait, wait, wait a fucking minute. BOTH Obama and Reid have bitterly complained about George W. Bush and called him just about every name in the book, yet, to criticize Obama is too much for them? Fucking hypocrites. They want to try some back alley bullshit and strip this guy of his committee membership because of it?

Make no mistake, Obama isn't the nice, friendly guy he's portraying in the public eye. He's a vindictive prick who'll do and say anything to win the Presidency, including making threats against those who criticize him.

But don't think I'm some kind of Lieberman fan. I've hated the guy ever since he tried to blame violence in today's youth on video games and not on parents, where it rightfully belongs.

Democrats are the ones who claim that America is turning "into a police state". Yet, they turn right around and pull "police state" type of tactics themselves??

This is why Obama hasn't garnered more then 45-50% of the vote and not slaughtered McCain in the polls. A lot of snobby people on the Left seem to think it's all because half of America are filled with backwoods, unintelligent rednecks. The truth is, is that people are paying attention to Obama and seeing him for the sneaky fucker that he really is, and they don't like it.

This election is close, and I think that if something like this comes out and is played out into the open and not shown half way down an article, you'll see those numbers slip even further.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Freedom Of Speech On The Left

2008-09-03T23:49:00.001-07:00

Sen. Joe Lieberman's speech before the Republican National
Convention on Tuesday night could cost him the chairmanship of a key
Senate committee, a top Senate Democratic aide told CNN.

During the speech, the Connecticut senator praised GOP presidential
candidate Sen. John McCain and criticized Democratic nominee Sen.
Barack Obama.

"The Democratic Caucus will reassess the situation
with Sen. Lieberman after the election," Jim Manley, a spokesman for
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, said Wednesday.

Lieberman,
the Democratic nominee for vice president in 2000, now calls himself an
"independent Democrat," but he remains a member of the Senate
Democratic Caucus, which allows him to head the Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs Committee.

Dumb People

2008-09-03T21:51:00.001-07:00

Living paycheck to paycheck? Join the growing club.

A survey of 7,192 workers released Wednesday by online job-search Web site CareerBuilder.com
shows 47 percent of working Americans claim they always or usually live
paycheck to paycheck just to make ends meet. This marks a jump from 43
percent in 2007.

About 21 percent with salaries of $100,000 or more reported they also live paycheck to paycheck, the survey noted.

A quarter of workers said they don't put any money aside for savings
each month. Of those who do save, 34 percent set aside less than $100 a
month for savings, and 18 percent save $50 or less.

About 33 percent of workers do not participate in any programs such
as 401k, IRAs or retirement plans. And 10 percent of workers making
more than $100,000 reported putting no money into savings each month or
participating in a 401k, IRA or comparable retirement plan, the survey
said.

Four-in-10 workers say they need up to an additional $500 per paycheck to live comfortably.

Oh bullshit. If you're living in New York, ok, I can see how 100k a year would be "struggling". But ANYWHERE ELSE, you're simply an idiot. You don't need the latest i-whatever from Apple. You don't need a cell phone. You don't need a large screen TV. You don't need satellite TV with a billion channels.

You don't need anything except a roof over your head, food in your stomach, and a way for you to get to work. If you can't afford JUST those things, you need to either get a better job, or more likely, you need to re-evaluate what "needs" are.

For example, when I bought my home, the first thing I asked myself and my wife was "if I'm unemployed, can we afford this home"? The answer was yes, and so we bought it. (My wife makes more then I do.)

If you can't afford your home if one of you is unemployed, then you can't afford the home and you should sell it immediately.

"Four in 10 workers say they need up to an additional $500 per paycheck to live comfortably."

It's always "I need just a little more to live comfortably." Define "comfort" for me. If it's any of the above mentioned luxuries, except the food/shelter bit, then you need your head examined.

Quit whining about how things are bad for you and DO something about it. I simply cannot stand people who can't distinguish between want and need and then proceed to whine that they can't afford what clearly is a "want.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Obama might pursue criminal charges against Bush

2008-09-03T21:45:00.001-07:00

Democratic vice-presidential nominee Joe Biden said yesterday that
he and running mate Barack Obama could pursue criminal charges against
the Bush administration if they are elected in November.

Biden's
comments, first reported by ABC news, attracted little notice on a day
dominated by the drama surrounding his Republican counterpart, Alaska
governor Sarah Palin.

But his statements represent the Democrats'
strongest vow so far this year to investigate alleged misdeeds
committed during the Bush years.

"If there has been a basis
upon which you can pursue someone for a criminal violation, they will
be pursued," Biden said during a campaign event in Deerfield Beach,
Florida, according to ABC.

"[N]ot out of vengeance, not out of
retribution," he added, "out of the need to preserve the notion that no
one, no attorney general, no president -- no one is above the law."

Obama
sounded a similar note in April, vowing that if elected, he would ask
his attorney general to initiate a prompt review of Bush-era actions to
distinguish between possible "genuine crimes" and "really bad policies".

I'll give you 10 to 1 odds that Obama doesn't do jack shit about "criminal charges", and that he'll announce that everything was just "really bad policies", if he announces anything at all.

It's political postueuring at best.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Penn's Right...AGAIN!

2008-09-03T18:16:00.001-07:00

But I don't think our next president being a great leader is a good thing.

I'm worried about someone smarter than Bush taking over that tremendous
power. Charisma and ambition increase my fear exponentially, and a
great leader scares me to death.

We need someone stupid enough
to understand that the president of the United States can't solve many
problems without taking away freedom and therefore shouldn't try. The
only reason John McCain
scares me a little less is because I think he's a little less likely to
win. They both promise a government that will watch over us, and I
don't like that.

I don't want anyone as president who promises
to take care of me. I may be stupid, but I want a chance to try to be a
grown-up and take care of my family. Freedom means the freedom to be
stupid, and that's what I want. I don't want anyone to feel my pain or
tell me to ask what we can do for our country, or give us all money and
take care of us.

That's what it all boils down to. The President shouldn't be involved in my daily life other than the things Penn states. Freedom to be who you are and to succeed and fail at life is one of the most fundamental rights we have as Americans.

Yet, both candidates want to be more involved in my life, and many Americans want that too. Do you want your taxes to go up because someone sits around all day long watching Jerry Springer and not getting on treadmill, and they "can't afford" medical care? Do you want your 401k to dwindle because Obama thinks that Wall Street needs to be taxed heavier? Do a little research, you'll find your 401k retirement account is probably FILLED with stocks that will see an almost 100% increase in taxes (from 15-28%).

I want someone who's not a religious nut, who doesn't want MORE of my money, and who is supposed to to the job as President, and not as King.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Pakistan Whines While We Hunt Terrorists

2008-09-03T17:19:00.001-07:00

Pakistan's government accused U.S. and
international forces in Afghanistan of killing civilians in an unusual
cross-border ground and air attack Wednesday that it warned could
undermine cooperation in the war on terror.

In other violence
buffeting the country days before it elects a successor to ousted
President Pervez Musharraf, snipers fired on the prime minister's
limousine, and the army said it killed two dozen militants in a
northwestern valley.

Relations between the United States and
Pakistan, uneasy allies in the war against international terrorism, are
growing strained because of cross-border attacks, including suspected
American missile strikes that have killed two senior al-Qaida
operatives this year.

Officials gave differing accounts of
Wednesday's pre-dawn raid in the South Waziristan region, part of the
tribal belt where officials suspect Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida No. 2
Ayman al-Zawahri are hiding. It was unclear whether any militant
leaders were killed or captured.

Women, children among dead
Pakistan's
military said ground forces from NATO's International Security
Assistant Force in Afghanistan were ferried to the raid by helicopters
in what would be an extremely rare cross-border foray by foreign ground
troops.

NBC News
reported that dozens of NATO troops, believed to be mostly American
forces, crossed the Afghan border into the Pakistani tribal area early
Wednesday morning. They landed in four choppers, entered three houses
and, according to local tribesmen, immediately opened fire.

Pakistan
army spokesman Maj. Murad Khan said that the victims were mostly women
and children who were asleep at the time. He added: "So far there is no
evidence of any high-value targets captured or killed."

Well, aren't you the same guys who've said all along that there's terrorists in these parts?

Pakistani officials say cross-border strikes are a violation of their
sovereignty. They plead with U.S. and NATO commanders to share
intelligence and allow Pakistani troops to carry out all raids on their
territory.

Yes, because LAST time we told you in advance of an operation, YOU told them about it. If it ever becomes public knowledge who leaked it and it's found out later that we could have gotten Osama or al-Zawahiri had you not, I wouldn't think twice about peeling your skin off with a dull rock.

Local media reports said the troops came out of a chopper and fired on
civilians. The U.S. official said there may have been a small number of
women and children in the immediate vicinity, but when the mission
began "everybody came out firing" from the compound.

So, NOW we get a bit of truth here. Everyone knows that just about everyone from age 12 on up has an AK-47 next to them. It's not unheard of for women and children to fire upon US troops. If you fire on a US troop, then your fate will be the same as grown men who do the same.

If Pakistan wants to put this as some kind of PR stunt, then perhaps we shouldn't bother to ask permission for anything at all. We're talking about hunting Al-Qaeda here. We don't need permission for anything. If you're harboring terrorists, you might as well take up arms against us, because we'll treat you the same way.

Personally, I like the scorched earth policy. Surround the place, and wipe it off the map. It's quick, it saves US troop lives, and it finishes Al-Qaeda off once and for all.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Kwame Kwitting

2008-09-03T16:21:00.001-07:00

Sorry for the shitty title, but I thought it was funny. :)

A plea may be eminent in the Kwame Kilpatrick case -- although it was unclear Wednesday night whether a firm agreement had been reached. According to the Wayne Country Prosecutors office, it was expected that the mayor will plead guilty to perjury charges the morning of Thursday, Sept. 4 at 9 a.m.

Meantime, the mayor's attorney Jim Thomas told reporters that "no firm agreement" had been reached as of Wednesday evening.

"There has been apparently some mistaken information that has been leaked to the media about the fact was an agreement," Thomas said.

"So, I guess tomorrow the question is going to become whether that does occur or does not occur," he said. Other sources also told WWJ Newsradio 950's Vicki Thomas that a plea deal had not been reached.

This surprise development came as Governor Jennifer Granholm was holding a hearing to decide whether or not to remove Kilpatrick from office.

I can't stand corruption, and I certainly can't stand corruption from an arrogant prick. Good riddance Kwame. Hope they treat you just like a regular prisoner in jail.

Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Sweet Jesus

2008-09-03T14:50:00.001-07:00

We've got ourselves a religious nutjob.

People are sick and tired of religious kooks out there justifying everything. From Muslim whackjobs who saw off people's heads, to Christian idiots like the ones who get on TV to beg you for money to "do God's will".

Why can't anyone just stand up and say: "I'll cut wasteful spending because you pay too much in taxes. I'll defend America from threats and authorize the CIA to capture or kill anyone who threatens us. I'll support your rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness?"

Instead, we get a fluff piece of a Presidential canidate who advocates "change" and not in a good way. He supports raising your taxes, caves to any type of pressure (FISA) and when cornered, stumbles.

On our side of the aisle, we have religious nutjobs who want to do things "for God's will" and who can't remember simple things about the Middle East.

It's getting to the point where we really are having to pick between a giant douche and a turd sandwich.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

iTunes.....Maybe

2008-09-02T23:58:00.000-07:00

I am currently working on the redesign, and one of the things I've been wanting to get together is the ability to hear all our radio shows through iTunes. I think I may have gotten it done, but I haven't thoroughly tested it out yet.

If you're feeling brave, feel free to try it out. I should be testing it out throughout the night.

http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewGenre?id=26

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Vacation And Updates

2008-09-02T23:40:00.000-07:00

All,

I have been on vacation since last Friday and I am going to be on vacation until next Monday. So, you may notice that posts aren't as much as they usually are.

As a side note, I'm starting to get the general layout of the new redesign down. It's still a work in progress, but you can see it at http://www.rightwinglunatic.com/wp

I changed the layout since I liked this one better because of the featured story and featured video. I will probably work on it some more tonight as I don't have a lot to do other than play video games and surf the internet. Vacations rule! :)

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Pakistan misses al Qaeda's No.2 in raids

2008-09-02T22:37:00.001-07:00

Pakistan's military discovered the location of al Qaeda's second in
command, Ayman al-Zawahiri, recently but missed catching him, a top
official said Monday night.

Rahman Malik, the adviser to the prime minister on internal affairs
and, effectively, Pakistan's interior minister, told reporters that
Pakistani authorities had missed catching al-Zawahiri.

"We had
indication Zawahiri and his wife were in the Mohmand Agency," in
northwestern Pakistan, said Malik. "We did raids and traces there ...
certainly we had traced him in one place, but we missed him. Certainly
he is moving in Mohmand Agency and Kunar, mostly in Kunar and Paktika,"
both in Afghanistan.

Malik went on to say there were currently some four or five dozen al Qaeda leaders in Pakistan.

"There are about 50 to 60 for leaders based in Pakistan. You hardly see them."

Yes, you "barely" missed him eh? Anyone want to take any bets on if someone in the Pakistani intelligence agencies tipped him off? Until I have al-Zawahiri and Bin Laden's head on a pike, I don't want to hear about how "we almost got him", I want to hear "how we got him".

Stop with the excuses, surround the entire area with thousands upon thousands of troops, and snuff him out. Do a scorched earth policy if you need to, but I want him and Bin Laden dead.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Pakistan misses al Qaeda's No.2 in raids

2008-09-02T22:36:00.000-07:00

Pakistan's military discovered the location of al Qaeda's second in
command, Ayman al-Zawahiri, recently but missed catching him, a top
official said Monday night.

Rahman Malik, the adviser to the prime minister on internal affairs
and, effectively, Pakistan's interior minister, told reporters that
Pakistani authorities had missed catching al-Zawahiri.

Malik went on to say there were currently some four or five dozen al Qaeda leaders in Pakistan.

Why You Should Conserve Oil

2008-09-02T12:11:00.000-07:00

Oil prices fell below $106 a barrel Tuesday in Asia - $10 below its close Friday before the Labor Day weekend - as investors shifted their focus to slowing global demand after worries about Hurricane Gustav subsided.

Light, sweet crude for October delivery was trading at $106.03 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange midafternoon in Singapore, and at one point dropped as low as $105.46.

On Monday, when U.S. trading was closed for Labor Day, the contract had plunged $4.34 to $111.12 a barrel in late electronic trading. On Friday, the contract settled at $115.46 a barrel.

Traders were relieved that Gustav weakened as it approached the offshore oil rigs and Louisiana refineries, and appeared to have caused less damage than expected in New Orleans and surrounding areas.

But they quickly turned their attention to slowing global economic growth, speculating that will dampen demand for crude oil, even in developing countries such as China and India.

"The market continues to be weighed down by worries of a global economic downturn and slowing oil demand in developing markets," said Victor Shum, an energy analyst with consultancy Purvin & Gertz in Singapore. "Action by OPEC and supply side concerns should put a backstop to any sharp price drop."

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries is scheduled to meet Sept. 9 and has indicated it may take action to defend the $100 a barrel level.

That's right. They want to "defend" the $100 level?? Remember just a few short months ago when they said that oil prices should be around $70 a barrel and how it was all America's fault?? Now, they want to think about restricting supplies to keep the price high and bleed you dry.

DON'T LET THEM DO IT.

Buy smaller, more fuel efficient cars. Buy the new plug-in hybrids that can go without using gas AT ALL. Telecommute. Don't drive everywhere.

These people are the same ones who throw money at terrorist groups like Hezbollah and Hamas, and don't think twice about bleeding you dry at the pump. Not likely to happen, but if we all bought the Chevy Volt and used it for commuting, the price of oil would sink to almost nothing. They wouldn't be able to GIVE it away.

We have plenty of oil reserves here in this country to sustain ourselves while electric and alternative fuel vehicles mature and come down in price. Let's put that money towards creating American jobs and keeping the vast amount of wealth that we've built, here in America and not in the pockets of terrorist supporters and hostile nations.

And to my liberal/Democrat readers, you should be doing more then I am suggesting. Remember, the war in Iraq is about oil right? Well if you honestly believe that, then you wouldn't have a problem cutting oil consumption down to almost zero right? That would keep money out of the "military industrial complex" and "Big Oil" right? Right?

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

North Korea Needs $500 Million

2008-09-02T12:00:00.000-07:00

North Korea needs another $500 million dollars in food aid to avoid famine. Yet, just a short while ago, they were talking about backing out of the deal we had with them about their nuclear program.

Personally, I've had enough of them. Fuck them. Let them starve to death. Let China deal with it. Execute anyone who proliferates nuclear secrets, equipment, or materials. This is the third time they've needed help and each time, they've been trying to weasel their way out of deals to make more money and get more aid.

I've had it with the North Koreans. Overthrow your government, or starve. We've been nice enough to come back to the table about your nuclear weapons program after you reneged on the 1994 deal. Now, you need even more aid? Ask China. Ask Russia. You're not getting anything else from us.

Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com

2008-09-02T11:40:00.000-07:00

This is a test. Please ignore it. :)

Travis

2008-09-01T23:46:00.000-07:00

Double Standard

Ok, so we've all heard the choice for Vice President on the Republican side's 17 year old daughter is pregnant. Big whoop, I say. But everyone was treating it like it was some kind of big deal, including people in the media.

So, one would venture to say that when the Vice Presidential choice of Joe Biden's daughter is ARRESTED, I would expect more media coverage right?

Well, I'm willing to bet that this is all we'll hear about it:

The daughter of Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D-Del.) was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of obstructing a police officer outside a Chicago bar.

Ashley Blazer Biden, 21, of Wilmington, Del., was with a group of people on a North Side street where several bars are located when someone else threw a bottle at an officer, police said.

When police tried to arrest another person, Biden blocked the officer’s path and made intimidating statements, officer JoAnn Taylor said.

Biden was later released and is scheduled to appear in court Sept. 20.

Sen. Biden’s spokeswoman, Margaret Aitken, declined to comment, calling it a private, family matter

Threatening a police officer? Good idea idiot. She's lucky he didn't taser her. Then we'd all hear about how she was "brutalized by police" and all other sorts of bullshit.

Instead, we get a few paragraph article that will probably only be mentioned once, and won't make it to the front page like the 17 year old pregnancy issue.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Bill Gets Upset

2008-09-01T14:08:00.001-07:00

I'd like an answer to the charges from Michael Scheurer, the CIA's head guy of the Bin Laden unit, who said that Bill Clinton called off a strike against Bin Laden in February 1999, when we knew where he was, but called it off because of a UAE prince who was with Bin Laden at the time.

Of course, this is an old interview, but I want to raise that point: What about the accusation?

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Teddy

2008-08-29T16:50:00.001-07:00

In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American ... There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag ... We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language ... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

There's only room for one flag....classic. :)

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Obama's Hypocrisy

2008-08-29T11:29:00.001-07:00

“Today, John McCain put the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency. Governor Palin shares John McCain’s commitment to overturning Roe v. Wade, the agenda of Big Oil and continuing George Bush’s failed economic policies — that’s not the change we need, it’s just more of the same,” said spokesman Bill Burton.

Umm...Where's YOUR foreign policy experience Mr. Obama? And, if you want to talk about "change we need", why did you pick someone who voted for the war in Iraq, supports monitoring the internet for piracy, all the while YOU said you opposed the FISA rewrite, but signed it anyway?

Isn't that "just more of the same"? Or am I the only one who sees the hypocrisy?

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Carter: McCain "Milking" POW Experiences

2008-08-29T08:38:00.001-07:00

Former president Jimmy Carter called Republican presidential candidate John McCain a "distinguished naval officer," but he said the Arizona senator has been "milking every possible drop of advantage" from his time served as a prisoner of war in Vietnam.

Carter spoke Thursday with USA TODAY and Gannett News Service reporters before Barack Obama's acceptance speech to cap off the Democratic National Convention. Carter spoke of Obama's challenges facing the lingering effects of racism in the United States and the ability of the Clintons to bring their supporters over to Obama. He decried Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman's decision to "abandon" the Democrats by speaking at the Republican convention next week.

"John McCain was able to weave in his experience in a Vietnam prison camp, no matter what the question was," Carter said. "It's much better than talking about how he's changed his total character between being a senator, a kind of a maverick … and his acquiescence in the last few months with every kind of lobbyist pressure that the right-wing Republicans have presented."

So, Mr. Carter, let's talk about "milking" shall we? You've been "milking" your mediocre Presidency since you left office, gladly showing that you're willing to give up on American values and principles to appease ruthless people. What I can't understand is how people seem to care what you think or say when you were such a horrible President. I guess P.T. Barnum was right. There is a sucker born every minute.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

McCain's Running Mate Is.....

2008-08-29T08:30:00.001-07:00

John McCain tapped little-known Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to be his vice presidential running mate on Friday in a startling selection on the eve of the Republican National Convention.

Two senior campaign officials disclosed Mccain's decision a few hours before the Republican presidential nominee-to-be and his newly-minted running mate appeared at a rally in swing-state Ohio.

Palin is a self-styled hockey mom and political reformer who has been governor of her state less than two years.

Palin's selection shocked numerous Republican officials.

In making his pick, Mccain passed over several more prominent prospects who had figured in speculation for months — Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge among them.

This could be a good/bad thing. First off, McCain's got to know that people are clamoring for "change", whether it's on the Republican or Democratic sides. People are tired of hearing about the same old bullshit, can't do anything government.

So, in choosing Mrs. Palin, McCain is trying to gather up fence sitting voters, especially ones who were hoping for a Hillary candidate. This should help out tremendously, as a lot of people are voting for a candidate strictly based upon how they look.

For example, many people fully admitted that they were going to vote for Hillary and Obama simply because they were a woman and a black person respectively.

While it's a sad thing to see people doing that, you can't change their minds about it.

However, McCain's going to get some flack about the whole "experience" bit in that people are going to attack her for McCain's comments. However, if they were smart, when Obama starts mentioning experience, throw it back in his face that if he's good enough to run for President with his experience, she's good enough to run for Vice President with hers.

As a side note, she's kinda cute. :)

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

2008-08-28T16:01:00.000-07:00

Democrats Lied!?!!??

The economy pulled out of a dangerous rough patch in the spring, thanks largely to strong exports, but the rebound isn't expected to last. Economic slowdowns overseas could make exports tail off just as Americans are hunkering down after the bracing impact of rebate checks wanes, plunging the country into another rut later this year.

"There will be heavy sledding for the U.S. economy during the next couple of quarters," predicted Lynn Reaser, chief economist at Bank of America's Investment Strategies Group.

Gross domestic product, or GDP, grew at a 3.3 percent annual rate in the April-June quarter, its fastest pace in nearly a year, the Commerce Department reported Thursday. The revised reading was much better than the government's initial estimate of a 1.9 percent pace and exceeded economists' expectations for a 2.7 percent growth rate

You see, here's the problem. For Democrats to win big in November, they have to paint a picture of "doom and gloom". If things are going well, generally speaking, the incumbent usually wins. They can't have that. So, they will bring up the price of gas, job losses, or just make up things like the fact we're in a recession.

Slowing down? You bet. Recession? I don't think so anymore. I believed that at one point, but with the growth we're seeing, it just doesn't fit the definition.

Democrats can't afford that perception to be let out of the bag.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

2008-08-28T15:59:00.000-07:00

Careful What You Wish For

Their moments came outside prime time, but the candidates Senate Democratic leaders hope will propel them to their biggest majority in decades also had their time in the spotlight at the Democratic convention.

After spending months trying to tamp down expectations, Democrats are openly discussing the possibility that they could net the nine seats that would bring them to the magic number of 60, a tally that would make it much more difficult for Republicans to filibuster their agenda in Congress next year. With that goal in sight, Democrats are working to energize activists in Denver to focus their agenda not only on Barack Obama's campaign but also on an array of races from Oregon to North Carolina, many of which were once viewed as all but out of reach for the party.

"Embrace it? Sure, it's like the beautiful girl I can't reach, but I'd love to embrace her," Sen. Charles E. Schumer (N.Y.), chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said in an interview this week.

On the stump and in e-mail solicitations to supporters, Senate Democrats are arguing that electing Obama and running mate Joseph R. Biden Jr. to the White House won't allow their party to reach its goals unless they have a large enough majority to quickly enact the Obama agenda.

"
On the stump and in e-mail solicitations to supporters, Senate Democrats are arguing that electing Obama and running mate Joseph R. Biden Jr. to the White House won't allow their party to reach its goals unless they have a large enough majority to quickly enact the Obama agenda.
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"Unless we give them a filibuster-proof Senate majority that can finally end the obstruction, we'll never put this country back on track," Sen. Christopher J. Dodd (Conn.) wrote to DSCC donors recently. ">Unless we give them a filibuster-proof Senate majority that can finally end the obstruction, we'll never put this country back on track," Sen. Christopher J. Dodd (Conn.) wrote to DSCC donors recently.

Yes, let's "put the country back on track" as Senator Dodd suggests. That means, at least by his logic, that Senators should be open to a quid pro quo relationship with lobbyists. Let's not forget the sweetheart deal Senator Dodd got for refinancing his home by Countrywide. Oh, and it's only a mere coincidence that Countrywide was pushing for a bailout because of their failed business decisions.

But, let's focus on a few other issues. If Democrats do get a 60 seat majority, then there's really no excuse for them once they are in office.

Nancy Pelosi has already proven herself to be the biggest loser in US Senate history, why should we elect MORE Democrats?

Remember when she said she'd accomplish more in the first 100 days then previous sessions of Congress? She's failed. Remember when she said she'd end the "culture of corruption"? She failed, AND she protected one of her own (William Jefferson).

So, what happens if Democrats do get the 60 seat majority? The American public starts taking a BIG notice in what they accomplish. Fail to "put the country back on the right track" and you'll be voted out in droves, won't be re-elected for decades, and won't have anyone to blame but yourselves.

But of course, that won't prevent Nancy from trying to blame the President, regardless of who it is.

Republicans, take notice. You have failed in your core beliefs, and if you don't start with fiscal responsibility, strong national defense, and lesser government interference in people's lives, YOU will be voted out of office just as quickly.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

2008-08-28T15:52:00.000-07:00

Putin Blames Georgian Invasion On US.

That's right folks! It's ALL George W. Bush's fault! Is there anything that man can't do? I mean, he's responsible for people's inability to evacuate New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. He's responsible for the racial divide in this country. Hell, he's even responsible for the recession.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has accused the United States of orchestrating the conflict in Georgia to benefit one of its presidential election candidates.

Russian PM Vladimir Putin has accused the U.S. of orchestrating the conflict in Georgia.

Russian PM Vladimir Putin has accused the U.S. of orchestrating the conflict in Georgia.

In an exclusive interview with CNN's Matthew Chance in the Black Sea city of Sochi Thursday, Putin said the U.S. had encouraged Georgia to attack the autonomous region of South Ossetia.

Putin told CNN his defense officials had told him it was done to benefit a presidential candidate -- Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama are competing to succeed George W. Bush -- although he presented no evidence to back it up

Here's the problem. Georgia didn't start the war. A separatist group in the disputed lands attacked Georgia. Georgia retaliated, and Russia sent in troops.

Unfortunately for Russia, they tried to play it off as if they were simply defending themselves, but they STILL look like douche bags because they slaughtered Georgians by the thousands, destroyed civilian homes, and now they've got a problem with their image around the world that they didn't count on.

They figured they'd blame it on the US, and no one's buying it. Of course, there are "blame American first" idiots out there who will believe anything spewed out by anyone who thinks America is ALWAYS at fault for anything that goes wrong, including a former KGB agent who's been known to kill people who speak out against the Kremlin.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

2008-08-28T15:46:00.000-07:00

"Change We Can Believe In"

Sen. Barack Obama's campaign organized its supporters Wednesday night to confront Tribune-owned WGN-AM in Chicago for having a critic of the Illinois Democrat on its air. (Listen to the interview.)

"WGN radio is giving right-wing hatchet man Stanley Kurtz a forum to air his baseless, fear-mongering terrorist smears," Obama's campaign wrote in an e-mail to supporters. "He's currently scheduled to spend a solid two-hour block from 9:00 to 11:00 p.m. pushing lies, distortions, and manipulations about Barack and University of Illinois professor William Ayers."

Kurtz, a conservative writer, recently wrote an article for the National Review that looked at Obama's ties to Ayers, a former 1960s radical who later emerged as a school reform advocate in Chicago.

The magazine had been blocked in its initial attempts to obtain records from the University of Illinois at Chicago regarding a school reform initiative called the Chicago Annenberg Challenge, which Obama chaired and Ayers co-founded.

Where's the problem? If it's a "swift boating" that's false, let it all come out, show them as "desperate Republicans" and laugh it off.

If you try to push it down and tell them they shouldn't air it, that's the "Gestapo tactics" that you decry the Bush administration for doing.

This isn't a "do as I say, not as I do" thing you should be doing. If you pull stunts like this, in the world of instant information as well as historical records at anyones fingertips, you run the risk of looking like someone you're trying beat in an election.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

2008-08-28T15:08:00.000-07:00

Questions For Nancy

So what is Congress doing, anyway? That was a common refrain in a handful of questions posed to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in the first Digg Dialogg interview Wednesday night.

iReport contributor ReallyRick, whose real name is Rick Seno, wanted to know how Pelosi explained Congress' low approval rating. "What can you do to assure the voters that the Congress is not in gridlock?" he asked on camera from his Dallas, Texas, apartment

I submitted some questions, but of course, mine got rejected. So, in the spirit of fairness, I will post them here. :) Watch the above video to see Nancy squirm, sidestep blame, and try to make everything look like it's not her fault. :)

Nancy,

Why did you push for an increase in minimum wage, yet oppose it for America Samoa, which has a Starkist plant who happens to be headquartered in your district? Don't you think it reeks of hypocrisy and politics?

Nancy,

Why did you proclaim to "end the culture of corruption" then turn around and put a suspected corrupt member of your own party on a committee that has access to classified intelligence? (William Jefferson and the Homeland Security Committee)

Nancy,

Why did you promise to end the war in Iraq by defunding it, then cave time and time again?

Nancy,

Why do you complain about the federal debt, but continue to spend lavishly on yourself and other Democrats. For example, you spent $16,000 on flowers for your inaugural party.

Nancy,

When are you going to start listening to the American public and start balancing the budget instead of blaming George W. Bush for your failures? You are the Speaker of the House. Don't you think that you bear some responsibility for what's going on right now?

I got 256 diggs for that post. :)

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com

Where's Jon?

2008-08-28T12:51:00.001-07:00

This photo was taken at the DNC this week.

Where's Jon Soltz coming out and lambasting these guys for wearing a United States military uniform in a political arena? That's against the military's rules, and I expect Jon to stand up and say something about it like he did at the Daily Ko's convention against another US soldier who proclaimed what Jon was saying was false.

Oh wait, I bet Jon says nothing because these people are supporting Democrats, unlike the previous soldier whom Jon berated because he supported Republicans.

Prove me wrong Jon.

Travis

travis@rightwinglunatic.com