God Bless Shepard Smith at Fox News Channel

For this gem of a smack down of Donald Trump: (H/T to Mediaite)

https://youtu.be/weHjxfa4bvA

Shepard Smith is correct, we need NATO, no matter what people like Pat Buchanan might say.

President Trump orders a federal government hiring freeze

And it’s not going over well with the government workers union.

The New York Times reports:

WASHINGTON — President Trump on Monday ordered an across-the-board employment freeze for the federal government, halting hiring for all new and existing positions except those in national security, public safety and the military.

In the two-page order, Mr. Trump said the directive is a stopgap way to control the growth of government until his budget director recommends a long-term plan to significantly reduce the federal work force through attrition.

“In carrying out this memorandum, I ask that you seek efficient use of existing personnel and funds to improve public services and the delivery of these services,” Mr. Trump wrote in the memorandum, one of his first acts as president. “Accordingly, this memorandum does not prohibit making reallocations to meet the highest priority needs and to ensure that essential services are not interrupted and national security is not affected.”

The largest public employees union blasted the president’s action, saying it will force federal agencies to rely on more expensive contractors to deliver the services that Americans have come to expect from the government.

“This hiring freeze will mean longer lines at Social Security offices, fewer workplace safety inspections, less oversight of environmental polluters and greater risk to our nation’s food supply and clean water systems,” said J. David Cox Sr., the president of the group, the American Federation of Government Employees.

Mr. Trump’s memorandum addressed that point directly by saying that “contracting outside the government to circumvent the intent of this memorandum shall not be permitted.”

On one hand, I think it’s great that Donald Trump is trying to cut spending by doing this and slowing down the growth of government. On the other hand, I think that it’s going to cost some minor inconveniences and force people who do rely on the government for their services. This could cause problems in various areas, such as enforcement at the Federal Communications Commission. Enforcement of the Department of Transportation, namely the weigh scales. Things like that, it’s going to cause problems in the short-term. But, it’ll save a lot of money in the long term. I can see both sides of it and I can see the desire of those who want to see spending slashed; but I also can see the other side of it as well. So, it’s a double-edged sword.

Honestly, if I think Donald Trump wants to see our nation’s standing in the world. He ought to get to work to renegotiating NAFTA and TAFTA and all the other trade agreements and if those who were going to go negotiate with won’t accept our terms, we simply walk away and impose strict tariffs on those who want to import goods and or country. That will help replenish this country’s monetary supply; not doing what he’s doing now. That’s a short-term solution, but the long-term is to increase the revenue into this country. That will only occur if we begin to charge those who want to import their goods into this country.

Patrick J. Buchanan points out why there are no jobs in America

This is something that I have said for a while now too.:

America is something new in the way of world powers. We not only provide the legions to protect “allies,” but provide the tribute in the form of foreign aid, IMF and World Bank loans, and bailout billions.

Moreover, America has thrown open her home market, largest in the world at $17 trillion, to Europe, Japan, Canada, Mexico, and even China, and invited them to come and capture it from our manufacturers.

In a quarter century, these trade partners have run up $10 trillion in trade surpluses at our expense, eviscerating our industrial base to where Detroit looks like Dresden in 1945.

But while we preach free trade our partners practice protectionism.

The Chinese undervalue their currency to keep imports low and exports high. We are too timid to confront them. The Europeans put value-added taxes on imports from the USA, and rebate the VAT on exports to the USA.

The Japanese, who look on trade as a form of warfare, killed our TV industry and now own huge slices of our auto market.

Last year, Tokyo ran a $60 billion trade surplus at our expense. After our trade deal with South Korea, Seoul’s trade surplus at our expense shot up 25 percent to a record $20 billion. China ran a $318 billion trade surplus with us in 2013, up from $313 billion in 2012.

Our trade deficits finance both the growth of our allies and our adversaries.

via The Philanthropic Superpower – Patrick J. Buchanan – Official Website.

All of the above is a really good reason there are no jobs here. Pat has a very good point about Detroit too. The problem is, that there are two political parties here in America; the stupid party on the left and the war party on the right. Neither of them are committed to preserving the American worker and protecting jobs here. If anything, both parties are committed to keep the élite rich and the crony capitalists protected.

As a result of this, everyday American workers like myself, cannot find jobs at all. As a result of this, everyday Americans workers like myself are forced to sign up for state-paid Medicaid; as so not to be a burden on their families with medical expenses, because of ailments like diabetes, high blood pressure and A.D.H.D. It is indeed a new America — people, like myself; are unemployed and are on state-paid medicaid and are hardly able to get by — robbing them of the American Dream — all the while the President of the United States of America racks up a $40 million dollar vacation tab on the taxpayers dime. In a sane world, that alone would be grounds for impeachment.

But we don’t live in a sane world anymore. We live in the Obama-World, flanked by the stupid party on the left and the war party on the right — and it’s not changing anytime soon. Pat ends his piece with this:

As China’s military power grows, and U.S. armed forces shrink, our allies had best prepare for the day, not too distant, when America decides she will no longer play the philanthropic superpower, and gives up the role and goes home.

As all world powers eventually do.

This time is coming sooner than many think; either that, or it will collapse on itself. God-willing, I will survive that collapse. The question is — will everyone?

John Podhoretz gets exposed for the intolerant Trotskyite that he truly is

This is great;  a Trotskyite Zionist goes for a debate; and the minute he sees that he is losing the debate — he storms off the stage, takes his marbles and goes home.

I am referring to the greatest Trotskyite, Zionist, Neoconservative of them all — John Podhoretz.

See here, here, here and here.

Money quote:

Bottom line: I’d had a long day and I didn’t see the point in spending more of it getting booed and shushed. So I left. So sue me.

If only we could sue you and your family for all the trillions of dollars — and the 4000+ lives that were  wasted in the Iraq War —- which you and your satanic Father were cheerleaders for, after 9/11. Actually, I would very much like to see criminal charges filed against you and few of your Trotskyite friends as well. However, as we realists know; that will never happened to a protected class as yourself.

You want to know what got wrong with Conservatism? You want to know why the GOP is in the shape that it is in? Look no further than this man here and his idiotic Trotskyite magazine that he runs. They are the true enemies of America; they are the ones who put us in the war that almost broke this Nation and ruined its standing in the world.

It is a pity that there is not true justice in this Nation of ours; otherwise, this man and his friends would be sitting in jail cells.

 

Good News for Seniors: Sen. Bernie Sanders Will Be On Budget Conference Committee

I think this is a good thing. Because I do not like the idea of the Republicans attempting to tinker with Social Security and Medicare.

Via The Huffington Post:

In what can only be seen as good news for people who like traditional earned-benefit programs like Social Security and Medicare, here’s one name that appears on the list of Senate conferees in the upcoming Paul Ryan-Patty Murray budget talks — Vermont independent Sen. Bernie Sanders. This ensures that beneficiaries of these programs will, at the very least, have one strong, supportive voice in the room who won’t go down in a squishy heap of “grand bargaining.” (I’m sure Paul Ryan is thrilled.)

Statement via Sen. Bernie Sanders Official website:

Sen. Bernie Sanders was appointed to a Senate and House budget conference committee to create a long-term budget plan by Dec. 13 to avert another government shutdown. A member of the Senate Budget Committee, Sanders said he looks forward to developing an alternative to the stopgap, sequestration-level budget that Congress approved late Wednesday as part of an agreement to reopen the government. “I am excited about being a member of the budget conference committee and I look forward to working with my Democratic and Republican colleagues to end the absurdity of sequestration and to develop a budget which works for all Americans. In my view, it is imperative that this new budget helps us create the millions of jobs we desperately need and does not balance the budget on the backs of working people, the elderly, the children, the sick and the poor,” Sanders said.

The conference committee was assigned to try to reconcile differences between separate budgets passed earlier this year by the Senate and the House.

[…]

The Senate budget protects Medicare while the House version would end Medicare as we know it by providing coupons for private health insurance. Unlike the House budget, the Senate resolution does not repeal the Affordable Care Act, which would prevent more than 20 million Americans from getting health insurance. The House version would eliminate grants for up to 1 million college students while the Senate plan protects Pell grants. The House version would kick up to 24 million Americans off of Medicaid while the Senate budget would protect their benefits. The Senate budget calls for new revenue while the House version would provide trillions of dollars in tax breaks mainly for the wealthiest Americans and profitable corporations offset by increased taxes on the middle class.

Progressive Blog Corrent has the full list:

House Democrats:

Rep. James Clyburn (S.C.)
Rep. Chris Van Hollen (Md.)
Rep. Nita Lowey (N.Y.)

From Senate Democratic Caucus:

Sen. Patty Murray (Ore.)
Sen. Ron Wyden (Ore.)
Sen. Bill Nelson (Fla.)
Sen. Debbie Stabenow (Mich.)
Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.)
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (R.I.)
Sen. Mark Warner (Va.)
Sen. Jeff Merkley (Ore.)
Sen. Chris Coons (Del.)
Sen. Tammy Baldwin (Wis.)
Sen. Tim Kaine (Va.)
Sen. Angus King (Maine)

In case anyone cares, here’s the list of Republicans:

House Republicans:

Paul Ryan (Wis.)
Rep. Tom Cole (Okla.)
Rep. Tom Price (Ga.)
Rep. Diane Black (Tenn.)

Senate Republicans:

Sen. Jeff Sessions (Ala.)
Sen. Charles Grassley (Iowa)
Sen. Mike Enzi (Wyo.)
Sen. Mike Crapo (Idaho)
Sen. Lindsey Graham (S.C.)
Sen. Rob Portman (Ohio)
Sen. Pat Toomey (Pa.)
Sen. Ron Johnson (Wis.)
Sen. Kelly Ayotte (N.H.)
Sen. Roger Wicker (Miss.)

The reason why I say that Bernie Sanders is good addition to the group is this; Bernie Sanders is an independent populist type. He is not a Obama loyalist, and he will not be afraid to stand up to the Obama Democrats.

I have always said on this blog, that the solution to America’s debt problem is not the ripping out of Social Security or Medicare. The solution is to get rid of the so-called “Free Trade” deals and the pork barrel spending, which both parties partake in. Furthermore, tariffs for all imports would pay down our debt and fund the social safety net.

Either way, it is good to see someone like Bernie Sanders fighting for the seniors and the disabled in this Country; like my aunt, who is developmentally disabled.

What a shutdown really means

This is what will change once the Government shuts down: (H/T The American Spectator)

Via Fox News:

A look at how services would or would not be affected if Congress fails to reach an agreement averting a government shutdown at midnight Monday.

AIR TRAVEL

Federal air traffic controllers would remain on the job and airport screeners would keep funneling passengers through security checkpoints. Federal inspectors would continue enforcing safety rules.

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL

The State Department would continue processing foreign applications for visas and U.S. applications for passports, since fees are collected to finance those services. Embassies and consulates overseas would continue to provide services to American citizens.

BENEFIT PAYMENTS

Social Security and Medicare benefits would keep coming, but there could be delays in processing new disability applications. Unemployment benefits would still go out.

FEDERAL COURTS

Federal courts would continue operating normally for about 10 business days after the start of a shutdown, roughly until the middle of October. If the shutdown continues, the judiciary would have to begin furloughs of employees whose work is not considered essential. But cases would continue to be heard.

MAIL

Deliveries would continue as usual because the U.S. Postal Service receives no tax dollars for day-to-day operations. It relies on income from stamps and other postal fees to keep running.

RECREATION

All national parks would be closed, as would the Smithsonian museums, including the National Zoo in Washington. Visitors using overnight campgrounds or other park facilities would be given 48 hours to make alternate arrangements and leave the park. Among the visitor centers that would be closed: the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island in New York, Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Alcatraz Island near San Francisco and the Washington Monument.

HEALTH

New patients would not be accepted into clinical research at the National Institutes of Health, but current patients would continue to receive care. Medical research at the NIH would be disrupted and some studies would be delayed. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would be severely limited in spotting or investigating disease outbreaks, from flu to that mysterious MERS virus from the Middle East.

FOOD SAFETY

The Food and Drug Administration would handle high-risk recalls suspend most routine safety inspections. Federal meat inspections would be expected to proceed as usual.

HEAD START

A small number of Head Start programs, about 20 out of 1,600 nationally, would feel the impact right away. The federal Administration for Children and Families says grants expiring about Oct. 1 would not be renewed. Over time more programs would be affected. Several of the Head Start programs that would immediately feel the pinch are in Florida. It’s unclear if they would continue serving children.

FOOD ASSISTANCE

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, known as WIC, could shut down. The program provides supplemental food, health care referrals and nutrition education for pregnant women, mothers and their children.

School lunches and breakfasts would continue to be served, and food stamps, known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, would continue to be distributed. But several smaller feeding programs would not have the money to operate.

TAXES

Americans would still have to pay their taxes and file federal tax returns, but the Internal Revenue Service says it would suspend all audits. Got questions? Sorry, the IRS says taxpayer services, including toll-free help lines, would be shut as well.

LOANS

Many low-to-moderate incomes borrowers and first-time homebuyers seeking government-backed mortgages could face delays during the shutdown. The Federal Housing Administration, which guarantees about 30 percent of home mortgages, wouldn’t underwrite or approve any new loans during the shutdown. Action on government-backed loans to small businesses would be suspended.

SCIENCE

NASA will continue to keep workers at Mission Control in Houston and elsewhere to support the International Space station, where two Americans and four others are deployed. The National Weather Service would keep forecasting weather and issuing warnings and the National Hurricane Center would continue to track storms. The scientific work of the U.S. Geological Survey would be halted.

HOMELAND SECURITY

The majority of the Department of Homeland Security’s employees are expected to stay on the job, including uniformed agents and officers at the country’s borders and ports of entry, members of the Coast Guard, Transportation Security Administration officers, Secret Service personnel and other law enforcement agents and officers. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services employees would continue to process green card applications.

MILITARY

The military’s 1.4 million active duty personnel would stay on duty, but their paychecks would be delayed. About half of the Defense Department’s civilian employees would be furloughed.

PRISONS

All 116 federal prisons would remain open, and criminal litigation would proceed.

VETERANS SERVICES

Most services offered through the Department of Veterans Affairs will continue because lawmakers approve money one year in advance for the VA’s health programs. Veterans would still be able to visit hospitals for inpatient care, get mental health counseling at vet centers or get prescriptions filled at VA health clinics. Operators would still staff the crisis hotline and claims workers would still process payments to cover disability and pension benefits. But those veterans appealing the denial of disability benefits to the Board of Veterans Appeals will have to wait longer for a decision because the board would not issue any decisions during a shutdown.

WORK SAFETY

Federal occupational safety and health inspectors would stop workplace inspections except in cases of imminent danger.

So, why did gold crash?

I am not an expert on the subject, but I think here might be a good reason as to why:

Who killed the gold?

 

 

In the wake of gold prices cratering in recent days, more than a few prominent experts have already started pinning the blame on Western central banks — especially the Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank (ECB). According to numerous analysts, the central bankers are desperate to salvage their fiat currencies and eliminate competition as “monetary authorities” continue to create ever-greater quantities of euros and dollars out of thin air.

Some experts, whistle-blowers, traders, and former officials say the Fed dumped as much as 400 or even 500 tons of “paper gold” on the market — metals that it might not even have — as part of a naked short sale aimed at driving down the prices. Other analysts, especially among the establishment, pointed to the ECB chief’s recent suggestion that struggling European authorities in countries such as Cyprus would have to sell their precious metals to keep receiving bailouts

via After Gold Crash, Experts Point to Central Bank Manipulation.

I do not really want to veer into Alex Jones territory; but it does seem interesting that gold plunges, there’s an attack and the stock market dives too. The events might not be related; but it sure does look a bit suspect to me.

Taking Religion out of the Military?

I have mixed feelings about this one:

“Soldiers with minority religious beliefs and atheists often feel like second-class citizens when Christianity is seemingly officially endorsed by their own base,” American Atheists president David Silverman told Fox News. “We are very happy the Pentagon and the Army decided to do the right thing.” A military spokesman told Fox News the cross was literally dismantled and will be removed from the base to be in “compliance with Army regulations and to avoid any misconception of religious favoritism or disrespect.” “After a Christian prayer, the cross was removed from the roof of the chapel,” the spokesman said. “During the removal, the cross was dismantled; however the cross was reassembled and currently awaits transportation to a larger operational base.” The military told Fox News the cross will only be brought out during Christian services and will be designated as a “non-permanent religious symbol.” Silverman said a Christian chapel on an Army base in Afghanistan could have put American troops in danger. “It inflames this Muslim versus Christian mentality,” he said. “This is not a Muslim versus Christian war — but if the Army base has a large chapel on it that has been converted to Christian-only, it sends a message that could be interpreted as hostile to Islam.” An Army spokesman said all chapels must be religiously neutral. “The primary purpose of making a chapel a neutral, multi-use facility is to accommodate the free exercise of religion for all faith groups using it,” he said. “We take the spiritual fitness of our Soldiers seriously and encourage them to practice their faith and exercise their beliefs however they choose.” Retired Lt. Gen. Jerry Boykin, of the Family Research Council, told Fox News a Christian cleansing of the military is under way. “I don’t think you can categorize it any other way,” he said. “There is a strong effort, led partially by the Administration as well as by atheist groups to destroy the identity of who we are as a nation and that means robbing us of our history.” —- Military: Crosses Removed ‘Out of Respect for Other Faiths’ | FOX News & Commentary: Todd Starnes

On one hand, I would hate to think that having Christian symbols on a battle front could be putting our Military at risk. On the other hand, I would hate to see Christianity being removed from the Military entirely. However, we are in a Muslim Nation is Afghan region; one would think that the Military would want to be respectful of those people and their culture.

It is a mixed bag, and all the more reason why we really need to get out of that Country. Our mission is done there; we killed Osama and we need to leave. We do not want to make the same mistake the Russians made there. Besides all that, Al-Qaeda has moved into other regions and is much more a threat to other interests in other parts for the world now.

So, to this Independent, the quicker we leave, the better.

White House says “nope!” to Boehner’s plan B

Hope Ya’ll enjoy the ride over the cliff!

The White House rejected a House GOP proposal Tuesday to extend the Bush tax cuts for those making up to $1 million, saying it doesn’t go far enough and wouldn’t pass the Senate anyway.

The swift White House response came shortly after House Speaker John Boehner, along with other House GOP leaders, proposed the tax-cut extension as a fallback position, or “Plan B,” in case the “fiscal cliff” talks failed.

Boehner said he still hopes to reach a “balanced” agreement with the administration on the fiscal cliff. But he said he expects the “Plan B” proposal to come to the House floor later this week.

“I believe it’s important to protect as many American tax payers as we can,” Boehner told reporters.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said it wouldn’t pass the Democratic-run Senate. And the White House, which on Monday offered to extend the tax cuts for people making up to $400,000 from its earlier $200,000 for individuals, said Boehner’s plan doesn’t put enough tax burden on the wealthiest Americans.

via White House Rejects Boehner’s Backup Plan.

Ah yes, problem solving, Washington DC style. 🙄

As they say, roll scene:

Special Comment: Why I am not removing my ads for Guns, Ammo, Gold or Knives

Update – March 17, 2013: I felt the need to update this, because I noticed someone looked for it or something. Gun, Knife, and Ammo ads are great; but when they are not paying. They are, in fact, a good waste of time and space. I did have, at the point of being annoying, a ton of gun, gold and ammo ads on here at one time. I still have an ammo ad. But the gold ads and the ads for the gun store, were not paying. My ad for goldsilver.com paid me one time. After that, I never did get anymore buys on that ad. So, I pulled everything for a time. I put the ammo ad back up, because I figured someone would buy something, maybe. To be quite honest, it never has paid anything at all. So, again, what I wrote below was written right after Sandy Hook and I still agree with it; but I did remove those ads, because of a lack of revenue.

—–

This is one of those special comments, which I really did not ever think that I would actually have to write. However, seeing that common sense is a scarce commodity today, I feel the need to inform those who come here.

The shooting in Newtown CT happened; and I told the Republican Party and the Conservative movement, “When you all come back to reality, call me!”

Well, one would expect that I would shed my right-wing nut job image, and remove the ads for guns, knives, gold and silver; and become some sort of Prius driving, latte sipping, wire-rim glasses liberal Democrat who curses all forms of capitalism and bemoans the virtues of communism and the fact that America has not implemented them.

One would also expect that I would put ads for green energy, global trade and other such tripe that the Liberal left makes to be their pet cause.

One would be in grave disappointment, but that said person has not a damned clue what I am truly about. The truth is folks, I am somewhere in a very happy place, between a moderate Conservative and a blue-dog Democrat. I remember the old Democratic Party that I admire to this day, under President Franklin D. Roosevelt. This was when the Democratic Party was honestly worth a damn in my book.

It was that Democratic Party of old, which took the United States of America to war in 1941, after the empire of Japan, struck us at Pearl Harbor. In addition, the Democratic Party of 1945 was victorious in Germany with the defeat of the Nazis, and with the empire of Japan. America was a great Nation then. We build everything here, men were men, and boys were boys — women did not rule their men. People went to Church on Sunday and respected the Word of God. It was a different era and one that I greatly miss.

The reason why I am not removing those ads is quite simply this: Those ads of mine have not a damned thing to do with that shooting up in Newtown, CT. The only persons that have anything remotely to do with those shooting, is the shooter himself and the shooter’s mother, who had zero business having any sort of firepower near her mentally ill son.

I hate to disappoint my liberal friends, who do read here, but I am an unrepentant capitalist, and I shall be until the day that I take my last breath. Blaming me or anyone else who has gun ads on their blog is a simple-minded exercise in idiocy. Furthermore, blaming people like NRA and other gun advocacy groups is also idiotic at best.

Blaming groups like that, would be blaming food manufactures and farmers for obesity! Do the farmers put the food in your mouth? Do the food makers put the food in your mouth? No! You do, it is called personal responsibility! How idiotic is it for someone to blame a gun, which is quite honestly a tool of self-defense; for the actions of a mentally deranged person, whose Mother was too irresponsible to put away her guns and keep them away from her son. Anyone with any sort of semblance of common sense would know this. My question is, what is the modern-day liberal Democrat’s problem them?

This is my entire problem with the Democratic Party of today. They steadfastly refuse to embrace the idea of personal responsibility. They want to blame everyone and everything else, but the people who commit crimes; tot to mention that they want to involve everyone else to raise their idiotic bratty children! It does not take village people it takes responsible parents. This is also something that is also lacking today as well, not only in the Democratic Party and in its base — But also in America in general.

To be fair the Republicans are not much better, they are sitting around idly and allowing America to drive over a fiscal cliff, something that America was honestly talking about, before this deranged nut-ball killed these people. Not to mention that John Boehner is selling Conservative fiscal values up the river. They do not mind selling organized labor up the river, but they will allow America to be in debt to China for the rest of eternity. Funny how those politicos work, is it not?

In closing: I am not removing my ads for guns and removing the chance that I might just make a bit of money on my blog. All so some tree-hugging far leftist can feel about the fact that I am contributing to the death of someone, because some deranged idiot happened to have bought a gun from the dealers, of which I have an affiliation.

Furthermore, I am not removing my ads for Gold and Silver, and other such metals, so that some idiotic far leftist liberal happens to be under the delusion that President Obama’s and the current Republican leadership’s form of economics is perfectly fine can feel good about himself.

I might not be very happy with the current state of the Conservative movement as a whole, and I might not be happen with the current Governor of Michigan, and I might not be too pleased with the Republican Party of Michigan and the national party —- but I am not a fool — not now, not ever. Just because I question actions, does not mean I have lost my mind — unlike the Democratic Party since about the time of President Johnson.