Republican gives "Kennedy's seat" back to the people... White House yawns

White House: Mass. Vote Won't Change Anything -Newsmax

"One reporter suggested the political blowback in Massachusetts might indicate the administration was out of step with the American people.

[White House Press Secretary Robert] Gibbs replied: 'I think, according to any reasonable measure, the answer to that is, of course not.'"

While many democrats begin to abandon the burning ship of the Obama agenda in order to save their own skin, a few will remain defiant to the end, determined to carry on their course against a rising sea of popular opposition. Public opinion, outcry, and outrage will not deter the diehard radicals. No matter the cost, they will blindly pursue the most radical -and increasingly hated- elements of the Obama agenda, even if it brings about catastrophic losses for the Democratic Party.

For the radicals, it's not about the public good, and it's not even about their own party. It's about power, personal political power, the power to tear down and rebuild according to their own statist vision. To hell with democracy: they're in charge.

Illinois bureaucrats above the law

Abortion foes upset over delay in parental notice law - Chicago Breaking News

What authority does the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation have to "delay the enforcement" of a law that has been upheld in federal court?

This law has been on the books for 14 years. Hasn't it been delayed enough?

Americans Are Like ‘Teenage Kids’

Steven Chu: Americans Are Like ‘Teenage Kids’ When It Comes to Energy - Environmental Capital - WSJ

When it comes to greenhouse-gas emissions, Energy Secretary Steven Chu sees Americans as unruly teenagers and the Administration as the parent that will have to teach them a few lessons. Speaking on the sidelines of a smart grid conference in Washington, Dr. Chu said he didn’t think average folks had the know-how or will to to change their behavior enough to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions.

"The American public... just like your teenage kids, aren’t acting in a way that they should act," Dr. Chu said. "The American public has to really understand in their core how important this issue is."

The administration aims to teach them -literally. The Environmental Protection Agency is focusing on real children. Partnering with the Parent Teacher Organization, the agency earlier this month launched a cross-country tour of 6,000 schools to teach students about climate change and energy efficiency.

An update: Energy Department spokesman Dan Leistikow added: "Secretary Chu was not comparing the public to teenagers. He was saying that we need to educate teenagers about ways to save energy. He also recognized the need to educate the broader public about how important clean energy industries are to our competitive position in the global economy. He believes public officials do have an obligation to make their case to the American people on major legislation, and that’s what he’s doing."

-Wall Street Journal, 2009.09.21

Dr. Chu's words are plain enough, despite the subsequent clarification, which unconvincingly attempts to explain away Dr. Chu's condescension.

Congress treads upon a dangerous serpent

Column: 'Un-American' attacks can't derail health care debate - Opinion - USATODAY.com

"...These disruptions are occurring because opponents are afraid not just of differing views - but of the facts themselves. Drowning out opposing views is simply un-American."

-Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer

Speaker Pelosi, here are some facts that You seem not to want to acknowledge:

The American people don't trust You, and they don't trust the plan for nationalized health care that Congress is hellbent on ramming down their throats.

Increasingly, Americans are horrified by the federal government's insatiable hunger to dominate the health care industry and other private sector industries. We're appalled that our government has become so insatiable, so overreaching, and so reckless in piling unsustainable debt upon future generations. And now it seems to be shedding any pretense that its members are required to listen to their constituents and represent their concerns. Rather, we are lectured about the predefined goals that Congress "must reach", "despite the disruptions" of a majority of citizens who strongly oppose the plans.

President Obama, Speaker Pelosi, and all members of Congress, should take heed. Their actions are causing cries of alarm to sound throughout the nation: the alarm of citizens who see that their government is increasingly out of control, increasingly deaf to their voices, increasingly menacing to the future prosperity and security of the United States. The rising voices have an edge of defiance and patriotic anger that only fools will attempt to dismiss as "manufactured" and "organized". Common cause has organized this uprising, and a domineering government has started the machine which is manufacturing the newly minted resistance.

Continue to tread on us, and we will strike back. We will sweep You from office, we will find new public servants who will share our ideals and represent our concerns. We will find a way to restore democracy and rid government of those bad apples who view public office solely as a path to power and profit.

Press on, Congress, show Yourselves... and discover what mettle still stiffens the spine of the American people.

When government turns ugly

Peggy Noonan: ‘You Are Terrifying Us’ - WSJ.com

To: flag@whitehouse.gov

President Obama,

I call on You to disavow and shut down the flag@whitehouse.gov program, which is so clearly intended to intimidate and stifle voices critical of Your administration.

Until You shut down this program, and for as long as pursue Your nationalized health care plan and other programs harmful to this country, You can expect energetic opposition and loud criticism from me and many others who will not be cowed into silence.

Until then, You can add my name to the Dissidents List.

Sincerely,
John Robin
(address and phone number provided)

When should local authorities refuse to cooperate with federal authorities?

White House Apologizes for Air Force Flyover - NYTimes.com

In response to the FAA's secret mission to terrorize New Yorkers with a reenactment of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the mayor of New York city, Michael Bloomberg, said:

"Why the Defense Department wanted to do a photo-op right around the site of the World Trade Center catastrophe defies imagination. Poor judgment would be a nice ways to phrase it, but they did. I also think that once they had told us, we should have done a better job. Had I known about it, I would have called them right away and asked them not to. It is the federal government and they can do in the end what they please, but I would have tried to stop it. I don’t know there’s a lot else to say other than they shouldn’t have done it."

The mayor deserves credit for his willingness to frankly criticize federal authorities for this incident, and to acknowledge that his own administration could have done a better job in handling it.

But is it really true that the feds "can do in the end what they please"? Did federal law prevent local law enforcement or the mayor's office from revealing the flyover plan to the public?

The city, once notified by the FAA, should have firmly objected to the scheme. And if the feds refused to let common sense prevail, the city should have defied the feds and warned the public of the plan.

The federal government has constitutional and legal limits to its authority, and those limits should be insisted upon, especially when the good of the public is at stake.

White House recreates 9/11 attack to terrorize New Yorkers

In N.Y., Low-Flying Planes Panic Locals, Infuriate Lawmakers - washingtonpost.com

NEW YORK, April 27 -- A plane used as a backup for Air Force One and a fighter jet escort swooped low in the sky over New York Monday morning as part of a government photo-op, panicking workers, forcing evacuations and prompting an outcry from lawmakers.

The White House later issued a profuse apology over the incident.

The stupidity of this boggles the mind. Either this was an incredibly ill-conceived and crass blunder, or else the White House simply did not care what sort of visceral and negative reaction such a stunt would certainly provoke.

In either case, heads should roll: certainly at the White House, and perhaps at the FAA.

Gov. Quinn: 'Better to keep Burris than to let the people decide'

Gov. Quinn backs off special Senate election to force Burris' hand | Clout Street - local political coverage

Governor Quinn reveals himself to be very much a 'team player' in the corrupt Chicago democratic machine. Clearly he thinks it's better to let the counterfeit (but democrat) senator Roland Burris remain in office than to risk a special election that may flip the seat to an underdog. With public fury as hot as the sun, who knows? ...even a republican could win.

Governor Quinn, this is not an auspicious way to begin Your partial -and likely only- term as governor.

Blagojevich, Ryan ...and Thompson: above the will of the people?

Blagojevich news 'certainly isn't helpful' for Ryan: Chicago Sun-Times

Why has former governor Jim Thompson worked so hard to enable the convicted felon George Ryan to serve only a small part of his justly deserved prison sentence? Thompson's efforts to spring Ryan early are solidly opposed by an angry public, who more than ever are demanding that those who abuse public office pay a heavy price for their crimes.

Politics in Illinois has become a public gang-rape of the state by criminal career politicians. One of the public's few weapons of deterrence is the aggressive prosecution and severe punishment of official misconduct. We Illinoisans need the FBI and Justice Department to continue working hard to clean the rot from our state and city governments. Let us do what's necessary to rid Illinois of its reputation as a state governed by graft.

And we need former elected officials like "Big Jim" Thompson to stop interfering with the course of justice and working to thwart the will of the people.

Open letter to James R. Thompson, former governor of Illinois

Dear Mr. Thompson,

Your efforts (and those of Senator Durbin and Governor Blagojevich) to obtain an early release from prison for George Ryan are in direct opposition to the good of the state of Illinois and the will of its people. They reinforce Illinois' reputation as a state governed by corrupt politicians.

I recognize that Mr. Ryan, even in prison, has a right to legal representation, and he is entitled to hope for and ask for clemency. However, justice does not demand or even suggest that it be granted or supported by any citizen. Clemency in his case would not be clemency but indulgence, privilege, and injustice.

Official misconduct should be prosecuted and punished to the full extent of the law. Or do You disagree?

The campaign to release George Ryan is badly misguided, and I encourage You to abandon it, for the good of the state You once served in an official capacity.

Sincerely...

George Ryan clemency -is the fix already in?

Push is on for George Ryan clemency - Chicago Breaking News

One opinion: George Ryan has lots of dirt on various Illinois officials and other movers and shakers -Repubs and Dems alike. Perhaps he has put the word out that he'll keep mum provided his pardon comes through by the end of Bush's term. If he doesn't get sprung, expect him to start making embarrassing leaking sounds from prison... until something is done to rectify the situation.

At some point during his trial, perhaps George Ryan calculated that he would not avoid conviction and prison. It's likely that Ryan has information that could badly damage the careers of certain powerful individuals, and consequently they regard him as a dangerous, unexploded munition which has not been defused. But to spill his guts prematurely would risk squandering his poker chips, and he would go to prison with his best political capital wasted. In this case his best shot at a Get Out Of Jail Early card was to take his incriminating memories to prison and use them to pressure his cohorts to win a pardon or commutation of sentence. Now in the presidential pardon season, George must be pulling out all the stops to get his friends to prove their loyalty with results. We can assume that George wants to be home by Christmas. If he's not, I wouldn't be surprised that ugly revelations will soon begin to appear which implicate state officials, contractors, and other other hangers-on in Illinois' network of ne'er-do-wells. But perhaps a commutation already is on the way, and we won't be treated to the display of fireworks.

I'd like to know who's really pressuring Senator Durbin to be the new public spearhead of the sordid cause to release Ryan.

For some very interesting insights on this topic check out Thomas Roeser's article, "But What Will The Democrats Do About Patrick Fitzgerald?", in the November 13 issue of The Wanderer. Its account of Big Jim Thompson's role in defending George Ryan is most interesting.

FoxNews names names in subprime mortgage scandal

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgctSIL8Lhs

See how these individuals were involved:

Congressman Barney Frank (D-MS)
Senator John McCain (R-AZ)
Senator Barack Obama (D-IL)
Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY)
Treasury Secretary John Snow
Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan

Trent Lott has had enough of free speech

Senator Lott: 'Opposition must cease'

Senator Lott, I'd like You to publicly explain Your unacceptable comment, "Talk radio is running America. We have to deal with that problem.”

You do not seem to remember that You are an elected representative of constituents whose right to free speech -and free press- is protected by the Constitution. Your job is to defend the Constitution and represent Your constituents.

Your remarks suggest You would rather throttle the press and silence opposition, as a despot suppressing a troublesome peasantry.

Your comments and and many of Your colleagues are helping voters realize that "Republican" increasingly means not "conservatism", but "oligarchy".