Category Archives: Quote of the Day

Monday Morning Review

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Quote of the Day:

John Kerry: metaphor from Hell

John Kerry broke his leg. Riding a top-of-the-line bicycle (and presumably festooned in spandex that shows off his 71-year-old body). In France. Going nowhwere. He broke his leg at very low speed. He broke it upon hitting a curb.

One can’t help but notice that Kerry’s accident is an apt metaphor for the foreign policy of the Obama administration.— Erick Erickson, June 1st 2015

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A story appeared today concerning a training seminar held by the People’s Democratic City Government of Austin, Texas. The seminar was to help female city employees deal, “with a new leadership dynamic: a female-dominated City Council.” The ensuing controversy forced the (male) Assistant City Manger to resign.

Why? Because the seminar dared say that women are different from men and, in some circumstances, react differently than men. Austin’s City Council declared that to be heresy and demanded a (male) head. They got one, a (male) sacrificial scapegoat.

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Have you been watching the financial news? The EU, specifically Greece, has a problem. They’re broke, the debts are due, and they can’t pay. Greece seems to expect another last-minute bailout by the EU (how many times has the EU done that?), but the EU does not appear to be ready to repeat the failures of the past.

In so many ways, Greece is emulating California…perhaps that should be the other way around. California is our Greece.

Tsipras accuses Greece bailout monitors of making ‘absurd’ demands

Peter Spiegel in Brussels

Greece’s chances of striking a deal to access a much-needed €7.2bn in rescue aid looked even bleaker on Sunday after Alexis Tsipras, prime minister, accused bailout monitors of making “absurd” demands and seeking to impose “harsh punishment” on Athens.

Mr Tsipras’s accusations, made in Le Monde newspaper, came only days after his government claimed an agreement was imminent. They have increased the sense of chaos around negotiations in the week many believe a deal is needed to avoid a Greek default.

On Friday, Athens is scheduled to make a €300m loan repayment to the International Monetary Fund that is being closely watched by creditors after some Greek ministers hinted that it might not be met without bailout aid. A further €1.2bn of IMF payments fall due over the subsequent two weeks.

…

“The lack of an agreement so far is not due to the supposed intransigent, uncompromising and incomprehensible Greek stance,” Mr Tsipras wrote. “It is due to the insistence of certain institutional actors on submitting absurd proposals and displaying a total indifference to the recent democratic choice of the Greek people.”

The criticism appears directed at the IMF, which has taken the hardest line of the three institutions, particularly regarding cuts in public sector pensions, which Mr Tsipras described as already having been excessively slashed. EU leaders, including Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, have specifically warned Mr Tsipras that no deal is possible without IMF approval.

Apparently, if you read through all the accusations and counter-accusations, the IMF and two other bailout monitors wants Greece to cut spending. Greece says that have. The IMF says not enough. Greece has a hissy-fit.

If you change Greece to California and the IMF to Congress, imagine the hissy-fit California would have if Congress would cut all federal funds to California, ALL federal funds, not just some, until California complies with federal law—like those pertaining to illegal immigration and ending practices like issuing free driver’s licenses, free education to illegals, allowing illegals to register to vote (motor-voter) and ending the existence of sanctuary cities throughout California?

California has created their current ‘water crisis’ through their state EPA regulations that blocked the creation of new reservoirs since 1972, and diverting water to some ‘endangered species’ instead of to the existing reservoirs. Rather than dealing with the root sources of their water crisis, California has cut water rations to their citizens by 25%…except for the Elite, of course.

Greece, like California, created their crises. Now it is time for them to deal with those crises instead of looking for another bailout that will change nothing.

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Monday’s Moments

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Mrs. Crucis and I attended final services for a WW II veteran on Saturday. He was 93 and passed on his birthday. He flew B-29s in WW II, flying 35 missions over Japan.

We didn’t know him all that well. In fact, we had only met him once at another funeral. But at that funeral, we had a long conversation. We talked about flying, airplanes, travel and many other topics. Last year, he and his daughter went back to Saipan and Tinian, airbases he flew from during WW II. They met another old veteran and were interviewed by the local Okinawan and Tinian newspapers.

He had a full military funeral. Two Army troops came down from Fr. Leavenworth to present the flag to his daughter. The American Legion provided a firing party for the last salute and some local pilots flew over in formation. In all, it was a very moving experience.

Fare thee well, Lee Florence.

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I was going to say, “Interesting,” but it isn’t. I’m not surprised by this paragraph from Rasmussen at all.

Belief that the Republican Party has a plan for the future has tumbled 20 points since last year, but nearly half of voters still believe neither major political party represents the American people. — Rasmussen Reports.

Last Friday and over the weekend, Boehner, Cantor and other GOP so-called leaders, went to Obama, cap in hand, with a plan to fund the government, fund Obamacare, raise the debt limit and dissolve the Sequester spending limits. It was a near-complete surrender.

Obama turned them down.

Why? Obama demanded the debt limit be raised for a full year, not just two months. Boehner and his quislings caved, giving Obama all that he demanded and Obama refused, demanding more, and more, and more.

It’s evident the shutdown was carefully planned by Reid and Obama and they are not giving in until they’ve destroyed the GOP power in Congress. And, he is near success.

The only leadership being shown in the House, is coming from the Senate—Harry Reid for the dems and Ted Cruz with Mike Lee for the ‘Pubs. It is a sad state of affairs with House ‘Pubs have to look to conservative Senators for leadership because they are receiving none from Boehner, Cantor, Ryan and the other establishment clones.

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An opinion-piece appeared over the weekend in the Washington Times. It echoes the opinions of many, including me, that the GOP is disintegrating. There is a ground-swell building across the country to remove, not only the GOP establishment, but every elected Representative and Senator possible in the next election.

What does it mean? A repeat of the 2008 election most likely, but it will also mean the death-knell of the Republican party—just like the end of the Whigs in 1860.

PHILLIPS: The last days of the Republican Party

Saturday, October 12, 2013 – Judson Phillips: Cold, Hard Truth by Judson Phillips

WASHINGTON, October 12, 2013 — The Republican Party was born in the darkest days of the American Republic.

In the next few days it will die.

The Republican Party saved the Union and abolished slavery. The Republican Party stood against Franklin Roosevelt’s internment of Japanese Americans during World War II and against Jim Crow laws in the 50’s.

On a hot summer day, the most famous Republican of the Twentieth Century stood before one of the great icons of tyranny, and over the objection of his cowardly, country club Republican advisors, Ronald Reagan demanded, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”

In 1975, Reagan told conservatives to raise a banner of bold colors, not pale pastels.  Today’s Republican banner is the colorless banner of John Boehner’s freshly laundered white flag of surrender.

The Republican Party will die of suicide by cowardice.

It would be unfair to say that the leaders of today’s Republican Party lack the courage of their convictions; they have no convictions from which to draw courage.

For the leadership of the Republican Party — the Establishment, as conservatives like to call it — the signs should be obvious.  The GOP has lost the popular vote in five of the last six elections.  The base complained loudly about most of the nominees, yet the Establishment insisted that President Dole, President McCain and President Romney would be loved by the people.

They weren’t.

The Establishment has been openly disdainful of the base that puts Republicans in power.  Some of that base, such as Tea Party members, aren’t even members of a country club. Many of them are blue-collar workers, they have convictions, and they want to see the party act on them. Perhaps most shocking of all, many of them are outspoken Christians!

This must be horrifying to Northeastern, liberal, Establishment Republicans. How can they possibly face their Democrat friends, knowing that most of their base believes in Jesus Christ as something more than a swear word.

The Republican leadership in Washington was pushed into this fight. They did not like it.  House Speaker John Boehner and Republican Majority Leader Eric Cantor had already worked out a plan to surrender with style. The conservatives could even have another meaningless vote against Obamacare they could take back to the home folks.

When Boehner, Cantor, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell were forced to fight, they screwed it up. McConnell punted and put the onus of the fight on the House Republicans.  Neither Boehner nor Cantor had the stomach for a fight.

The issue was Obamacare. It was a train wreck. It is a train wreck. The base wanted Obamacare delayed for a year and the base did not want the debt ceiling increased. 

Delaying Obamacare should have been the mother of all no brainers, especially after its roll out on October 1. The government spent $643 million for a website that does not work. This alone should have been enough for the GOP to get a message to the American people and rally support.

Boehner and Cantor stumbled around like newly castrated cattle, trying to figure out what they were missing and why.

They never did.

They could never get on message and the Democrats destroyed them.

Now Boehner, Cantor and McConnell are surrendering. Barack Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid know the Republicans will never fight again and they can have anything they want.

Actually, that is not true. The Republicans are willing to fight again.

This fight is against their base.

Establishment Republicans, former New Hampshire Governor John Sununu and former Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour have declared war on the Tea Party. Establishment Republicans are now vowing to primary Tea Party Congressmen. Michigan Congressman Justin Amash already has an opponent and Establishment Republicans are looking for a “pro-business” candidate to primary Iowa Congressman Steve King.

In 1858, Republican Abraham Lincoln said, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” That is what is happening today in the Republican Party.

Conservatives are expected to line up and support moderates when they win the nomination, as conservatives did in 2008 with John McCain and 2012 with Mitt Romney. But when a conservative wins, support is optional for the moderates of the party. This is happening today in Virginia, where conservative Ken Cuccinelli won the nomination that was supposed to go to moderate Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling. Bolling has pointedly refused to endorse Cucinelli, and according to some reports is preparing to endorse his opponent, Democrat Terry McAuliffe.

After the elections of 2006 and 2008, the Republican Party was on the political endangered species list. The same Establishment geniuses who thought Mitt Romney and John McCain would be good nominees destroyed the Republican brand and lost control of the White House and the House and Senate to the Democrats.

Along came the Tea Party and saved the GOP.

How did the GOP show its gratitude?

The establishment told the Tea Party to go away and let the professionals handle government. These were the same professionals who screwed things up to begin with.

If the Establishment wants a war with the Tea Party, the Tea Party should welcome that war.

All the Tea Party has to do is leave the GOP and the GOP will quickly be relegated to the status of the “Rent is too damn high” Party.

That last paragraph is telling. Too many ‘Pubs think the Tea Party is dead because the big rallies of 2008 through 2010 are gone. The truth is that the Tea Party has been organizing. Just look at the political clout of Americans for Prosperity, the Heritage Foundation and the Tea Party Express.

Those are the a few of the biggest Tea Party organizations, but most of the Tea Party is independent local groups. Many limit themselves, concentrating on local and state issues. Cass County has not had a group until a month ago. That group is now organizing, gathering members and strength.

The ground work exists for a third party. All that is needed is some trigger—a trigger that will force those conservatives to leave the GOP for a NEW party. No, not the Libertarians or Constitutionalists. They have no organization and all too many of their members have alienated themselves from the Tea Party conservatives by supporting abortions and legalizing drugs.

Many conservative politicos, like Cruz and Lee, along with their supporters in office, will come over, too. Why should they stay when Boehner and McConnell act like two dictators suppressing any contrary opinions?

The creation will be messy. It’s unlikely the new party will win many elections the first time around. The original Republicans didn’t do well against the Whigs in 1856, either. But the second election, after a few years of organization and consolidating power, the Republicans won. And the new Tea Party, or whatever it is named, will, too.

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Monday Morning Review

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Wow! Shades of NCIS. One or more active shooters are in the Washington Navy Yard. Two PD officers down according to the last update, with a total of four killed.

With all the mass confusion going on, it’s obvious Leroy Jethro Gibbs is not in charge.

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Weekend recap. I and a number of friends, attended the MidWest Republican Leadership Conference held in Kansas City this last weekend. Most of the folks were pols or wanna-bees who wanted to rub elbows and be seen with other pols and wanna-bees.

I went to take advantage of some of the training sessions that were presented—training for Precinct Captains, Organizing County Committees, and Data Collection and Usage. Unaffiliated groups won’t have access to the last. The data is accessible only to party functionaries. That isn’t unexpected.

However, I have requested copies of some of the training manuals and the presentations. Never know when that can be useful.

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Well, well, will wonders never cease. Larry Summers, who made millions with Bush’s TARP bailout has decided the water is too hot being the Fed Chairman. He has declined the nomination.

Good!

Report: Larry Summers withdraws from consideration for Fed chairman

By BRIAN HUGHES | SEPTEMBER 15, 2013 AT 4:56 PM

Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers has pulled his name out of the running to be the next chairman of the Federal Reserve, according to a report on Sunday.

In the face of stiff opposition from President Obama’s own base, Summers withdrew from consideration for the top post, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Summers, Obama’s former chief economic adviser and Treasury Secretary under President Bill Clinton, was seen by many as the frontrunner for the job. Obama has gone out of his way to defend Summers, a rare move ahead of making an official nomination.

I noticed the article didn’t mention Summer benefited from TARP.

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Quote of the day…

“While there are divisions in the Republican Party, there is almost certainly consensus that Biden would make a fantastic Democratic presidential nominee, if only because he would make a Republican win more likely.” — The Daily Caller.

Quotes and Gaffs

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Sometimes it is so easy to find a topic…unlike most of the time.  There I was, sipping coffee and thinking about Dave Ramsey’s comment earlier.  He was discussing the Facebook IPO.  As best as I remember he said…

“Using your Grandma’s money to buy an extremely risky tech stock in a highly hyped IPO is STUPID!  What’s worse is blaming someone else when you lose your money because you were stupid is stupid!”

It was his opening topic. He was discussing the various complaints because the stock went from $38 to $29 in about a week.  He said the demands for an investigation was trying to  blaming someone else because you were stupid…like suing because hot coffee was…hot.

It’s obvious Dave is a conservative. Everything he preaches against is a common trait of democrats and liberals. You’re fun to listen to, Dave.

***

The next item is more serious. Much more serious. I supposed it could be filed under the topic, “How to lose friends and make enemies.” Obama just insulted 38 million Poles.

It’s not the first time he has insulted the Poles. A earlier incident occurred when he played golf instead of attending the funeral of Polish President Lech Kaczynski, the Polish First Lady, and 94 senior Polish officials who perished in the Smolensk air disaster. Eight months before that, Obama arbitrarily canceled the Euro missile shield site in Poland when he kowtowed to Vladimir Putin who insisted the deployment threatened Russia.

The current flap was caused when Obama described the WW2 death camps in Poland as, “Polish death camps,” instead of Nazi camps.  What was worse was that he was reading off a teleprompter! Is the Obama White House so incompetent that NO ONE knew the difference nor of the impact such a statement would have!?

The Polish Foreign Minister immediately demanded an apology.  That should not be difficult for Obama.  He has had so much practice apologizing to our enemies—and our friends, due to other similar gaffs and insults.  As expected, the White House tried to dance, unsuccessfully, around the incident.

National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor said in a statement, “The President was referring to Nazi death camps operated in Poland. The President has demonstrated in word and deed his rock-solid commitment to our close alliance with Poland.” — ABC News.

In response, the Polish Foreign Minister called the incident an act of “ignorance and incompetence.”

You know, Obama opponents couldn’t make up stuff like this!  Some folks in a forum tried to create a list but it keeps growing. Geez! What a boob!

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Quotes of the Day

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"A political party can't claim to be the engine of change when all it can do is recycle its old hacks."  -- Pete Bucy, 2010.

Quote of the Day.

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Now more than ever before, the people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless, and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness, and corruption. If it be intelligent, brave, and pure, it is because the people demand these high qualities to represent them in the national legislature. …

If the next centennial does not find us a great nation … it will be because those who represent the enterprise, the culture, and the morality of the nation do not aid in controlling the political forces.

James A Garfield, 20th President of the United States, addressing the centennial of the Declaration of Independence, July, 1876.

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Quote of the Day.

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Now more than ever before, the people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless, and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness, and corruption. If it be intelligent, brave, and pure, it is because the people demand these high qualities to represent them in the national legislature. …

If the next centennial does not find us a great nation … it will be because those who represent the enterprise, the culture, and the morality of the nation do not aid in controlling the political forces.

James A Garfield, 20th President of the United States, addressing the centennial of the Declaration of Independence, July, 1876.