Birther Waste of Time

Are we surprised that Rudy Giuliani has said the birther movement is a waste of time?

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0311/51575.html

Rudy is right; and he say's it's clear that Barack Obama was born in the United States.

What a waste of time for the radical right. Two respected conservatives, George Wills and Rudy Giuliani have now come out blasting the birther notion as a waste of conservative time.

Are the birthers just stupid? Can't they figure it out? Most Americans are okay with their choice of president.

The radical right should seek some other strategy to support their goal of kicking the first black U.S. president out of office.

The Birther approach just isn't working.

Guilt by Association

Last week Mike Huckabee told a radio audience that Barack Obama grew up in Kenya and for this reason, Obama's view of the Mau Mau revolution is different from other Americans.

Huckabee's statement was greeted by silence from other Republicans.

On a similar track, Newt Gingrich published an article saying Barack Obama is so outside our comprehension that he can only be understood by understanding Kenyan anti-colonial behavior.

This too was greeted by silence from Republicans.

Finally, a respected conservative, George Will, took Huckabee and Gingrich to task in Will's March 6th Washington Post Op-Ed by observing that Republicans who don't "recoil" from careless, nonsensical statements like those of Huckabee and Gingrich injure the entire Republican party.

Most Americans understand where Barack Obama was born, where he spent some early years, and where he lived as a teenager.

Statements like those of Huckabee and Gingrich defy common sense and paint the entire Republican party as uninformed and extreme. As George Wills rightly observes, any Republican 2012 presentational nominee risks finding themselves tainted by their association with a political party unable to refute self serving statements which are blatantly untrue.

30-Year Mortgage May Fade Away

It's interesting but unsettling to see how the recession continues take a toll on things we value and have come to take for granted. According to an article in the New York Times, 30 years mortgages are likely to disappear if Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are shut down. The ability to lock in an interest rate is also at risk.

NYT Article

The Real Puppet Masters

Forget Glenn Beck and his nutty conspiracy theories. The truth is more alarming.

A trail of money leads to current events in Wisconsin and other states. The New York Times spells out the trail in their article published February 21st.

According to the Times, David Koch and Charles Koch provided $40M to Americans for Prosperity who used the money to help elect the current Governor of Wisconsin.

While David Koch publicly donates millions of dollars to charitable causes like MITs cancer research center in Massachusetts, he also channels millions of dollars to conservative political organizations using front groups like "Americans for Prosperity" which is run by Tim Phillips.

The $40M dollars provided by the Koch Brothers went to fund union busting activities which, if successful, will reduce the influence of Democratic political opposition and ultimately result in less government oversight of companies like Georgia-Pacific, Invista (maker of Stainmaster Carpets), and Flint Hill Resources which are owned by the Koch Industries.

These companies pollute the environment and stand to benefit from reduced government oversight under Republican administrations.

On February 23rd, the Buffalo Beast newspaper telephoned Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker pretending to be David Koch and Scott Walker totally bought into the ruse. Walker then talked for 20 minutes with Koch as if he was speaking to his supervisor.

Scott Walker is an elected official who's totally been bought by Koch's millions (David Koch's net worth is $22B). Governor Walker is a Koch minion who talks like a megalomaniac comparing himself with Ronald Reagan as if he's charging into the history books. His true nature has been revealed. He's a bought man who is serving his masters.

Buffalo Beast editor Ian Murphy does a masterful job, calling the Wisconsin Governor and acting like a power broker with billions of dollars to dispense. Murphy should get an acting award. He so totally hooked Walker. Links below to the phone conversation......

Walker Reports to Koch Pt 1

Walker Reports to Koch Pt 2

Corporations are wonderful creations. They provide jobs and generally improve standards of living. However, it's unhealthy when corporations "own" our elected officials as seems to be the case in Wisconsin.

Those Building New Islamic Caliphate Have "Help From Google"

I enjoyed reading a few of the replies to this media matters post about Glenn Beck's latest, nutty conspiracy theory.

http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/201102170047

Obama - You Lie

I'm not well versed in politics. I'm just an average Joe; however, I'm not your average Joe Wilson. You know Joe; the "You Lie", Joe Wilson we heard last week; who's son defended his dad's outburst by saying Joe had a "town hall moment"; as if that rationally defends his father's inappropriate behavior. Do we really need legislators in Congress who can't control themselves in a public setting?

Here's what I believe is happening.

Republicans have no plan for fixing an economy which was wrecked by conservative free market policies (meaning the markets know best; so don't regulate markets, just let markets do what-ever they want including the creation of trillions in credit default obligations without sufficient reserve requirements on those CDO's.)

In lieu of an economic recovery plan, Republicans have calculated they can sit back and ride a wave of latent racism to regain power in the House or the Senate. It wouldn't be the first time Conservatives have successfully used this tactic.

Regarding specifics of Joe's outburst, Wikipedia provides the following fact check:

"Wilson was also criticized as being factually inaccurate because the House bill expressly excludes undocumented aliens from receiving "affordability credits."[46][47] Section 246 of the bill, titled "NO FEDERAL PAYMENT FOR UNDOCUMENTED ALIENS," states: "Nothing in this subtitle shall allow Federal payments for affordability credits on behalf of individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States."

Folks are wondering if Joe is racially biased and if we've really entered a post-racial era.

Earmarks

CSPAN caught John McCain bemoaning earmarks in the current omnibus bill. John didn't mention that the biggist earmarkers were Republicans including Senator Thad Cochran, Republican of Mississippi. Why is president Obama to blame for earmarks introduced by Republicans?