Obama’s World? — Fines for Bio fuel that does not exist is stupid, says… The New York Times?!?!

When the Obama lead Government loses the New York Times, something is horribly wrong:

WASHINGTON — When the companies that supply motor fuel close the books on 2011, they will pay about $6.8 million in penalties to the Treasury because they failed to mix a special type of biofuel into their gasoline and diesel as required by law.

But there was none to be had. Outside a handful of laboratories and workshops, the ingredient, cellulosic biofuel, does not exist.

In 2012, the oil companies expect to pay even higher penalties for failing to blend in the fuel, which is made from wood chips or the inedible parts of plants like corncobs. Refiners were required to blend 6.6 million gallons into gasoline and diesel in 2011 and face a quota of 8.65 million gallons this year.

“It belies logic,” Charles T. Drevna, the president of the National Petrochemicals and Refiners Association, said of the 2011 quota. And raising the quota for 2012 when there is no production makes even less sense, he said.

Penalizing the fuel suppliers demonstrates what happens when the federal government really, really wants something that technology is not ready to provide. In fact, while it may seem harsh that the Environmental Protection Agency is penalizing them for failing to do the impossible, the agency is being lenient by the standards of the law, the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act.

The law, aimed at reducing the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions, its reliance on oil imported from hostile places and the export of dollars to pay for it, includes provisions to increase the efficiency of vehicles as well as incorporate renewable energy sources into gasoline and diesel.

It requires the use of three alternative fuels: car and truck fuel made from cellulose, diesel fuel made from biomass and fuel made from biological materials but with a 50 percent reduction in greenhouse gases. Only the cellulosic fuel is commercially unavailable. As for meeting the quotas in the other categories, the refiners will not close their books until February and are not sure what will happen.

The goal set by the law for vehicle fuel from cellulose was 250 million gallons for 2011 and 500 million gallons for 2012. (These are small numbers relative to the American fuel market; the E.P.A. estimates that gasoline sales in 2012 will amount to about 135 billion gallons, and highway diesel, about 51 billion gallons.)

Even advocates of renewable fuel acknowledge that the refiners are at least partly correct in complaining about the penalties — Via NYT: Companies Face Fines for Not Using Unavailable Biofuel – NYTimes.com

It is very obvious that the attempt to inject politics into our economy has failed. This means vote different in 2012.

Others: National Review, The Enterprise Blog, Weasel Zippers, The Volokh Conspiracy, Doug Ross and The Jawa Report

Is China’s Economy about to collapse?

This is not the first time I have heard this, but:

Which does China face? A popped real estate bubble could exert a big drag. Housing construction exceeds 10 percent of GDP. That’s historically high, says Lardy. At a similar stage of economic development, Taiwan’s housing investment was 4.3 percent of GDP. In the recent U.S. real estate boom, housing peaked at 6 percent of GDP. In China, housing stimulates much consumer spending (furniture, appliances) and accounts for 40 percent of steel production, notes Lardy. Land sales are also a big revenue source for local governments. All would suffer from a housing bust.

There are mitigating factors. Outside Beijing and Shanghai, it’s unclear that housing prices are “out of line with household income growth,” says economist Eswar Prasad of Cornell University. Chinese buyers also typically make large cash payments for their properties. Compared to United States, a housing bust is less likely to become a banking crisis as mortgages sour.

Whatever happens, China’s economic model is reaching its limits, as Lardy argues. It has relied on exports, promoted through the controlled exchange rate, and investment, including housing, subsidized by cheap credit. Meanwhile, Chinese savers have been punished by the low returns on deposits. This dampens their incomes and consumption spending. The trouble is that the global slowdown threatens exports and housing’s excesses threaten investment. Unless China can switch to stronger consumption spending, its economy will slow — or it will achieve growth by becoming even more predatory toward other countries. — Is a Chinese economic slump on the horizon? – The Washington Post

Go read that whole thing, because this is the best case for this belief. The funny thing, the people over a GoldSilver.com have been saying this for a while:

Go check them out and get into Gold and Silver; before you lose it all.

Here is a good reason why I will be voting Republican in 2012

This is very scary…:

In his remarks, Genachowski said the program has been successful, but has also been plagued with problems of accountability and efficiency. Multiple service providers are often supplying Lifeline subsidies to the same households, he said, because there is no centralized system. To address the issue, Genachowski said, the draft proposal creates a national database of Lifeline users to prevent duplicative billing. It also sets a budget for Lifeline aimed at connecting eligible consumers while staying within budget, and requires that participating companies be subject to independent audits every two years. — via FCC’s Genachowski proposes broadband reform – Post Tech – The Washington Post

National Database of internet users? Yeesh. 🙁 The Democratic Party has gone mad. Go read, that whole thing. I will say this; that low income thing is a crock; if they do it for them, they will do it for everyone. This is why we have to win in 2012 and further more, Why we also have to pick a real Conservative and not some idiotic Rockerfeller big-goverment Republican. Which is why I do not quite understand why people like Michelle Malkin get upset over the back and forth that is going on.

The Republican grassroots and the Conservative grassroots; which does include me — needs to know what they are getting this time. The last time around, everyone just followed behind what the Republican establishment gave them. Not this time; we are better informed, and thanks to twitter, facebook and blogs, we communicate better. Which is why elitists like President Barack Obama hate the internet so much. To be fair, I would be willing to bet some Republicans dislike it too.

(H/T Drudge)

This is why illegal immigration bothers me

Via Preston Wright on Facebook:

The American Militia’s website

Pat Buchanan is a fine American

Furthermore, anyone who opposes his views, when it comes to foreign policy, trade, and fiscal policy are anti-American, a liberal or a Neoconservative.

(AP) PASADENA, Calif. — MSNBC’s top executive said Saturday that he hasn’t decided whether conservative commentator and author Pat Buchanan will be allowed back on the network.

Buchanan, a former GOP presidential candidate and a paid MSNBC contributor, hasn’t been on the network since the publication of his book “Suicide of a Superpower” last October. The book has chapters titled “The End of White America” and “The Death of Christian America” and its author argues that the United States is in the “Indian summer of our civilization.”

“When Pat was on his book tour, because of the content of the book, I didn’t think it should be part of the national dialogue much less part of the dialogue on MSNBC,” said MSNBC President Phil Griffin. The minority advocacy group Color of Change has circulated a petition urging MSNBC to fire Buchanan.

Buchanan did appear for an interview about his book in October on Fox News Channel’s “Hannity,” where host Sean Hannity said, “welcome out of exile.”

Griffin would not discuss the length of Buchanan’s contract with MSNBC or whether it would be renewed. — Via MSNBC chief: No decision on Pat Buchanan’s return – CBS News

Pat Buchanan is a rare person, who speaks candidly about racial realism in America. The Marxist tools at MSNBC and the Marxist tools on the right who oppose him are not worthy enough —- to tie his shoes. I feel the way, about this man, the way Ron Paul’s people feel about him.

Buy ALL of Pat Buchanan’s books right here:

You say, “I thought you didn’t support Antisemitism or Racism?” I don’t. But, I do support those who dare to tell the truth about those who support Wilsonian foreign policy and internationalist Democrats and Republican Globalists; who are selling America’s birthright right out from under us everyday. Further more, I support someone who calls these Neoconservative warmonger’s for what they are; warmongers who would drive American into bankruptcy to support a Nation, who views we, the American people as useful idiots. Further more, Israel is much capable of handling its own affairs and does not need the United States meddling in them. Israel’s President said that himself, during a joint session of Congress.

So, all this silliness about racism and Antisemitism is nothing more than the liberal and neoconservative establishment protecting their turf. Kinda like these idiots below:

Little Green Footballs, Outside the Beltway, The Impolitic and The Raw Story

Pat Buchanan’s website is here

Update: Now, obviously, I do not agree with Mr. Buchanan on his views about World War 2. However, it is a fact that Germany did not attack America on December 7, 1941; Japan did. However, I am mindful that the Germans did sink some of our private vessels off the coasts of California, Texas and New York. Having said that, why is it, that the Neoconservative and liberal establishments wish to silence this man? It is simply a form of soft-fascism; something the left invented long ago and it seems that the right likes to play that game too. I know it too well, I have taken so controversial stances myself in the past and have challenged some of the so-called “Darlings” of the Neoconservative establishment and I have been banished to pariah status in the Blogosphere because of it.

No, I did not watch the Republican Debate last night

I had good reason not to watch too. From what I was hearing on twitter last night; while I was lying in the bed and drifting off to sleep, is that the debate was lousy. This was confirmed by things that I have read this morning. I guess the usual liberal partisan hacks over at ABC NEWS were living up to their expectations — not to mention the fact that the head of the DNC was at the debate outright lying to the media.

Also, the silly back and forth, not to mention the preening; as to who is the most Republican of them all — I find all that quite the bore. The truth is none of these contenders is of the Reagan stripe of Conservative, most of them, with the exception of Ron Paul; who is too far in the other direction — are just Neo-Conservative war hawks. Now will I vote for one of them? At this point, I really do not honestly know. It depends on which one makes the cut with the GOP nomination.

To be quite honest, the primary process really does not interest me that much. Now the general election is another story; the debates that I very much look forward to are the general election debates, how is Obama going to face someone like Romney? How is Obama going to stand there with a straight face and repeat that silly mantra of Hope and Change?

The truth is the only thing that is changed, is the amount of debt and the rate of unemployment. This is not to even to mention all the bureaucratic Government regulations that was put into place that killed many jobs in the oil drilling business. I just do not see how Obama is going to defend all of that, without sounding like a blithering idiot.

There is supposed to be a debate tonight as well, from what I hear. I will most likely skip it too. Again, I just do not have any interest in the Republican Party fashion shows. I just want to see this failure of a President try to debate and defend his failures in leadership. It is something that I do look forward to very much.

Bet this would be an interesting book to read.

Man, and I thought the Clinton’s were dysfunctional:

Then-White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel offered his resignation to President Barack Obama in the winter of 2010 after a series of columns appeared depicting him as the lone element keeping the Obama presidency intact. According to then senior adviser David Axelrod, Emanuel understood that the stories “were an embarrassment” to the president. The president, already suffering from a setback to his health care reform effort, declined Emanuel’s offer to resign, despite being convinced that his chief of staff was the main source for the columns.

“I’m not accepting it,” Obama replied. “Your punishment is that you have to stay here and get this bill done. I’m not letting you off the hook.”

That revelation is one of the more explosive included in “The Obamas,” a new book by Jodi Kantor of The New York Times about the first few years of the Obama administration and the strains that it produced on the president’s marriage — strains that were ultimately overcome.

The dramatics that surrounded the passage of health care reform — culminating in Emanuel’s near-resignation — reflect the type of struggles that routinely pitted Emanuel against the first lady during the first two years of the Obama administration. The two jockeyed for influence over the president even before he formally took office. — Via ‘The Obamas’: Book Reveals Friction Between Rahm Emanuel, Michelle Obama (UPDATE)

Bet that would make a very interesting read.

Get the Book:

Update: As much as I hate to admit it; this guy does have a point. This is why I watch the comment section around here, like a hawk.

Kudos to Charles Lane

For standing for those who wish to love thier children and not have to be subject to these sort of attacks.

I’m not defending Rick Santorum the presidential candidate. From what little I know about him, he seems to have his own issues with moralizing and judging. To the extent he has used his family’s experience to make a point about abortion, I object.

But I am defending the right of the Santorums and all families to grieve an infant’s death in accordance with their personal needs and beliefs. My plea is for a little more respect regarding the way people deal with loss, and a little more maturity about physical contact with the dead. If that puts me in sympathy, for a moment, with this right-wing politician, so be it.

Jonathan’s death was probably the hardest moment of my life. But actually touching his body was a source of comfort and the first step in going on with life. Not weird — Via Rick Santorum’s baby–and mine. – PostPartisan – The Washington Post

I would recommend you to go read that whole thing; a very touchy story about a Father who also lost his child as well. Charles Lane is a brave man for standing up to his fellow liberals and objecting to the idea that loving a dead child is “Weird.”

Kudo’s to him. 🙂

Others: CatholicVote.org and National Review

Kudos to Joe Scarborough

Two Cheers to Joe Scarborough for putting this liberal’s feet to the fire! (H/T to Jazz Shaw)

Via Mediaite:

Quote:

In a remarkably heated back-and-forth on Friday’s Morning Joe, Joe Scarborough grilled MSNBC contributor Eugene Robinson over his controversial comments — calling Rick Santorum‘s handling of the death of his newborn “weird.”

“Do you think you may have gone overboard a little bit in your criticisms of Santorum?” Scarborough asked. “We haven’t talked about it. I’m not setting you up for anything. I was taken aback by what you said. My wife likes you very much, couldn’t believe you said it.”

“That was obviously not the right way to say what I was trying to express,” Robinson acknowledged.

“I certainly didn’t mean to offend anybody, especially Mr. Santorum,” Robinson added. “But it was in a discussion of his views, and, you know, which I consider extreme, and Santorum himself who is a cultural — culture warrior extraordinaire, whose faith — and we all appreciate someone of deep faith — but it is — it is extremely deep, and it’s a kind of faith that some people, I think, are going be… if not surprised by… at least want to know more about.”…

“It is a personal decision,” Robinson noted. “And I’ve certainly been educated on the subject since — in the past day, so I do understand that — that this is not — it’s not something that’s in any way beyond the pale or considered inadvisable and that many grief counselors do advise a period of saying good-bye to a child who tragically dies in that way.”…

“Do you wish you hadn’t said it?” Scarborough clarified. “You can see how prepared I am.”

“I wish I hadn’t said it that way, Joe. You know, I — we had — had this sort of discussion when I wrote about Chris Christie‘s weight, and I do think that a columnist has an obligation to — to write what he or she thinks and write what he or she sees, but obviously I did it in the wrong way. Or in a way that rubs people the wrong way, and that’s not what I intended.”

I think that it is good for Joe for to put Mr. Roberson through the wringer for his rather idiotic comment. What was said by this douche-nozzle and Alan Colmes was over the top and out of bounds. Just to put this very simply, if we are going to have a standard — that all President’s and Presidential candidates children are off-limits, we have to hold everyone and I do mean everyone to that standard. This is not about Freedom of Speech, this about what is morally right. I do not give two flying figs about ANY of the Presidential candidate’s children at all. Just like, I do not care about Obama’s children. What makes this little incident here, along with the previous one so insidious is this — Liberals are slamming a man — who chose to take his dead child home, so that the he and his family could grieve over him.

Also too, as much as I hate having to do this — But I must — could you even remotely imagine the howls of outrage from the left, if someone on the right — anywhere on the right — had made a similar comment about Obama’s kids or any other Democrat’s kids — of this sort of a nature? The outrage from the liberal community, the black community, and the chattering class would be deafening. However, because this is a liberal black man popping off about a white Conservative, it is seen as just perfectly fine. How ironic is that in the so-called post-racial America? I also find it quite ironic that the left has been largely silent about both of these people making these comments. There are exceptions, but for the most part, the silence is deafening. Maybe it is because they see children or in this case — babies as an unneeded inconvenience or maybe it is because they are afraid of offending their “Dear Leader.” Either way, it speaks too, in this writer’s opinion, of the moral decay that has taken over that once great party.

Senator Marco Rubio rips President Obama a new one

Oof. This one is a harsh one to read:

In a scathing letter to sent to Barack Obama this morning, Senator Marco Rubio said that under the President’s first term in office, “more and more people have come to believe that America is becoming a deadbeat nation.”

Rubio went on to pledge that he would challenge any further increase in the debt ceiling, arguing that “we [Congress] need to make it routine to actually spend no more than we take in.” In the letter obtained by HUMAN EVENTS, the Florida Senator said that President Obama’s upcoming request to increase the debt ceiling by a whopping $1.2 trillion will cause the nation’s public debt to surpass the $16 trillion mark.

“I will oppose your request to continue borrowing and spending recklessly.”

President Obama is expected to request the new borrowing power from Congress once the Senate and House return from their holiday recess. — Via Rubio in letter to Obama: You are turning America into a ‘deadbeat nation’ – HUMAN EVENTS

Here is the letter here, it’s a PDF file, just so you will know.

it is red meat for our side; but it speaks to the broken state of DC.