Monthly Archives: September 2010

The Forgotten Man

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Via NRO:

A man, crestfallen, is sitting on a bench in front of the White House, contemplating his country’s future. At his feet lie the causes of his distress: tattered dollars, representing a weak currency, and scraps of paper, symbolizing an abused Constitution. Behind and around him stand the 43 presidents of the United States, most of whom are outraged. One of them, James Madison, reaches pitifully for the ground, trying to collect the shards of American greatness. Unfortunately, he can’t retrieve our founding document from the dust, for it’s beneath the foot of Barack Obama.

It is a fantastic paining. Check out the painting at the artists web site.  At the site, they have created an interactive site that not only has interesting details about the painting as well facts and figures regarding the Presidents.

What is that message? “I wondered, ‘If the presidents of the past could speak to us today, what would they say to us?’” McNaughton explains. Clearly, they would oppose the unprecedented expansion of government. Yet the focus of the painting is the forgotten man — the ordinary American. “If that man doesn’t get off his bench and try to change what’s going on in our country . . . we’re on the verge of bankruptcy. That was the point I wanted to make,” he says.

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Sore loser, and member of the political class, Lisa Murkowski is now a write in candidate

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To paraphrase Charles Krauthammer, who is being reckless and irresponsible? Via The Fix:

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), who lost a primary last month, announced tonight that she is mounting a write-in campaign for reelection.

In telling supporters in Anchorage of her decision, Murkowski said they convinced her to attempt a difficult return to the Senate.

“Today, my friends, my campaign for Alaska’s future begins,” she said, citing the support of longtime former senator Ted Stevens (R), who recently died in a plane crash. “I announce today that I will be a write-in candidate for the United States Senate seat that I now hold.”

Murkowski added, “The easier route for me personally would be to accept the results of this primary and put me and my family first, and I gave that very serious consideration. … But I looked into my heart, and I said, ‘where is my heart,’ and my heart is Alaska. I cannot leave you.

Why Voting For The Conservative Matters

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A lot has been written and discussed regarding Tea Party candidates primary victories in general and Christine O’Donnell in particular. But what really struck me was Charles Kruathammer’s bitter reaction to Delaware’s primary result:

A timeless rule of sober politics, and particularly timely now. This is no ordinary time. And this is no ordinary Democratic administration. It is highly ideological and ambitious. It is determined to use whatever historical window it is granted to change the country structurally, irreversibly. It may already have done so with Obamacare and it has equally lofty ambitions for energy, education, immigration, taxation, industrial policy, and the composition of the Supreme Court.

That’s what makes the 11th-hour endorsements of O’Donnell by Sen. Jim DeMint (R., S.C.) and Sarah Palin so reckless and irresponsible.

Of course Mike Castle is a liberal Republican. What do you expect from Delaware? A DeMint? Castle voted against Obamacare and the stimulus. Yes, he voted for cap-and-trade. That’s batting .667. You’d rather have a Democrat who bats .000 and who might give the Democrats the 50th vote to control the Senate?

Reckless and irresponsible? Supporting the most conservative Republican candidate is reckless and irresponsible?

The idea that conservative voters should support a Liberal Republican like Castle just because he didn’t vote for 2/3′s of the radical Obama agenda is weak. Obamacare and the Stimulus were going pass in the House of Rep’s with or without Republican support and Mike Castle knew it. He also knew he would be excoriated if he voted in favor of either bill and calculated he would have zero shot at getting elected to the Senate.

The elites, once more, are telling conservative voters “hey, support a Liberal Republican because he has a better shot at winning, just like McCain did in 2008.”

Thankfully, conservative voters in places such as Delaware are not buying what the elites are selling. They realize if a liberal Republican such as Mike Castle gets to the Senate, he is not going to represent their conservative views. They understand when the chips are down, and (heaven forbid) Obama gets the opportunity to nominate a third completely unqualified radical Liberal to the Supreme Court, there is no difference between a Liberal Republican such as Olympia Snowe or Susan Collins (both confirmed Sotomayor and Kagan) and a typical off the shelf Democrat.

Conservative voters understand, that even with (hopefully) 51 Republican votes in the Senate, and (hopefully) Republican control of the House, all we can do for the next two years is slow the advance of Obama’s radical agenda. It will take another election cycle (2012), larger Conservative Congressional majorities and a Conservative Republican in the White House to being the unwinding of Obama, Pelosi & Reid’s damaging, radical Liberal agenda

If all goes well, 2010 will be one positive step toward the larger goal of rolling back big government liberalism.

Denial Is Not Just A River In Egypt: MLive Columnist Calls Democrat Gary Peters A Moderate

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Via MLive:

Peters defeated incumbent Joe Knollenberg in 2008 to win the seat, earning 54 percent of the vote in what has traditionally been a Republican stronghold. While he’s been called one of the most moderate members in Congress, Raczkowski has been attempting to link him with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi because of his vote health care legislation.

Don’t forget the failed stimulus and cap and trade…

Only in the liberal media world, can a Democrat Congressman and vote in favor of the entire disastrous Obama, Reid and Pelosi agenda and be called a one of the most ‘moderate’ members of Congress.

The Progressive States Network & Green Energy

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The PSN

The Progressive States Network (PSN) is an organization that receives very little attention in the press, but they are working aggressively to implement their progressive agenda from “the bottom up.” That is, the PSN’s tactic is to use a coordinated multi-state effort to implement their agenda at the state level, rather than in the federal government. This is a very effective strategy (if you are a progressive) since state level politics doesn’t get nearly the attention of national politics.

When you think of todays progressive agenda, green energy isn’t one of the first items that comes to mind in the way that Environmental Justice, Wealth Redistribution or National Popular Vote does. However, when you think back to the progressive icon Franklin Delano Roosevelt and his massive public works projects (i.e. the Hoover Dam) “green energy” starts to make sense as part of an overall progressive agenda.

Pandering And Political Favors At Your Expense

The “green energy” movement and progressive politics have a strong symbiosis that affords the liberal politician a fantastic opportunity for pandering, to dole out subsidies, grants and tax breaks while grabbing head lines touting future high paying jobs (that groups such as the PSN are pushing for) on the front end of the new and flawed solar or wind project.

On the other side of the equation, liberal politicians get to dream up new, creative regulations and tax schemes to force consumers and energy suppliers to adopt “green energy.”

While all the pandering and tinkering with the energy markets is happening, consumers are left with higher utility bills, less reliable power and higher consumer prices all in the name of saving the ENTIRE planet.

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The Tea Party Pace Car…AKA Dodge Viper ACR

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This is so cool:

About the Viper, Via teapartypacecar.com:

The TPPC is among the last of the Dodge Vipers in production, a very rare color combination chosen to promote the Gadsden Flag. The Gadsden was the banner of the Sons of Liberty at the dawn of the American Revolution, and the first flag adopted by the United States Marine Corps in 1775 at the recommendation of Continental Colonel Christopher Gadsden. It was revived in recent years as the banner of the Tea Party movement to restore American Liberty.

The Tea Party Pace Car is a Viper SRT-10 ACR, an all-American muscle car modified to boost its output to 700 horsepower to exceed the performance of the most powerful production supercars in the world. Its 0-60 time is just over three seconds and it is capable of speeds in excess of 220 MPH—a fitting pace car for the most important movement to restore Liberty in this era.

In 2010, the Dodge Viper ACR claimed the fastest time ever for a production car around the Nürburgring test track in Nürburg, Germany.

On the Nordschleife (“Northern Loop”)—nicknamed The Green Hell by racing legend Jackie Stewart, and widely considered the toughest, most dangerous and most demanding purpose-built racing circuit in the world—a factory stock ACR turned in a lap of 7:22.1 with Tom Coronel at the wheel, beating the previous record set by a 480-horsepower all-wheel-drive GT-R by a full seven seconds.

And here is a dash cam video of the Viper @ The Nürburgring:

An extra big tip O’ the hat to the Robot.

Wednesday Night Quick Hits: The Sometimes Life Gets In The Way Of Blogging Edition

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The last two days have been really hectic, therefore blogging has been a bit light.

Lake Michigan @ Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes 1

Anyhow, here are some thing on the web that have caught my eye. Leading off tonights quick hits, are some great bloggers and friends of motorcitytimes, that have started a series of posts covering the Progressive States Network:

Matt @ Conservative Hideout 2.0 has a post titled The Progressive States Network: Undermining Liberty one State at a Time covering the leadership of the PSN.

John Carey @ The Current has a post titled The Progressive States Network: What you need to know discussing the PSN’s “National Vote” agenda.

LD Jackson @ Political Realities has a post tilted Progressive States Network – Immigration covering the PSN’s radical immigration policy.

Stay tuned for more on this subject in the coming days…

Lake Michigan @ Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes #2

The nanny staters in New York City are planning a ban smoking in city parks and beaches and one writer at TreeHugger.com is having second thoughts...

That said, the ex-smoker in me can’t help but instinctively feel like the ban is a tad draconian — but maybe that’s just me?

Biometric wallets?

Peru has had the coldest winter in the last 50 years and Global Warming is to blame?

Kinetic wall sculptures:

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(Be sure to turn down your speakers, the music is really chee-zee)

The EPA hammering private business… again: Failure to report ammonia release costs Washington fruit processor close to $107,000 in EPA penalties and plant improvements.

According to case documents, EPA alleges that Tree Top, Inc. failed to immediately notify emergency response authorities after the ammonia release occurred and also failed to submit the required reporting documents.

The leak occurred when a high pressure relief valve tripped and failed to reseat properly. While no injuries were reported at the time of the accident, ammonia is a pungent, toxic gas that attacks skin, eyes, throat, and lungs and can cause serious injury and death.

Kelsey Grammer & RightNetwork Thank Leftwing Chuckleheads Keith Olbermann & Joy Behar (video)

Overlook @ Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes

Oktoberfest Organizers Testing Bacteria to Combat Beer Stench That Smoking Once Hid

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Talk about the law of unintended consequences. Via Spiegel Online:

What would Munich’s Oktoberfest be without a cloud of smoke hanging in the air? Sloshy, stinky tents, pungent with the smell of a floor covered with stale beer and scraps of food, and the porta-potties set up for the thousands of visitors. It’s not exactly the kind of aroma that’s going to entice a person to tuck into a roasted chicken and sip from a one-liter “Mass” of one of the world’s best beers.

On July 4, voters in Bavaria cast ballots in favor of a statewide ban on smoking that went into effect in August. There is an exception for Oktoberfest until 2011, but organizers want to conduct a test run of the smoking prohibition during the 200th anniversary of the event, which begins next week. Organizers are already worried about the potential for the stench beneath the usual smokey stench.

Ironically, the smell left behind by cigarettes often provided cover for other inevitable odors at a beer festival that runs for nearly three weeks. To fight the putrid smell, some beer tent organizers plan to pour a solution with special bacteria into the floorboards of the tents and other potentially smelly areas, such as the aisles between tables and toilets. They hope that the bacteria, once it seeps into the floor boards, will eat up the offending odors. All that should be left is a subtle smell of soil.

Stale beer, scraps of food and porta-potties. Sounds like a good time.

Gary “I thought I was voting on a jobs bill” Peters Is Pushing To Keep Bush Tax Cuts

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Nancy Pelosi & Gary Peters

This is great. After voting for three of the most economically destructive bills in a generation (Cap and Trade, Stimulus and Health Care), Democrat Gary “I thought I was voting on a jobs bill” Peters is pushing to keep the bush tax cuts. Via The Michigan View:

Rep. Gary Peters has drafted a letter – obtained by Politico – on behalf of “rank-and-file lawmakers” to Speaker Pelosi urging her not to let the Bush tax cuts expire January 1.

“We believe in times of economic recovery it makes good sense to maintain things as they are in the short term, to provide families and businesses the certainty required to plan and make sound budget decisions,” the House members write in a letter that is expected to be delivered this week, reports Politico.

I think Gary Peters is feeling the heat, just a bit:

It appears that the best type of candidate to be this fall is a Republican challenger. Given a choice of four hypothetical candidates of differing party affiliations and experience, Americans are most likely to prefer “a Republican who has not served in Congress.” Those who would prefer a Democratic candidate opt for an incumbent over a newcomer.

Of course, if Peters is re-elected, he will join up with the Democrats pushing for a VAT. Because, you know, “we” need to do somthing about the deficit.

Vote for Rocky!