Category: Liberal

Toyota is feeling the pinch too.

So much for that stupid  Neo-Con line saying that the slump in auto sales is the automakers fault.

Via the New York Times:

TOKYO — Toyota Motor will idle its plants in Japan for 11 days in February and March to reduce output in the face of steeply declining global vehicle sales, the company said Tuesday.

The Japanese auto giant said the suspension would affect production at all 12 of its directly operated domestic plants, which include four vehicle assembly plants and also factories that make transmissions, engines and other parts. The closings are in addition to a three-day shutdown this month at these plants that Toyota had already announced.

The move is unusual for a company that just a few months ago seemed unable to keep up with voracious global demand for its fuel-efficient vehicles. But even strong players like Toyota have failed to escape the drastic slowdown in the global auto industry.

The company said it would idle the plants to reduce stocks of unsold vehicles amid a relentless slide in sales, particularly in the United States, its biggest market. Last month, Toyota’s sales there dropped 37 percent, a larger decline than at its struggling American rivals General Motors and Ford.

Plunging sales and a stronger Japanese yen, which reduces the yen value of overseas profits, forced Toyota to forecast last month its first annual loss in 70 years at its vehicle-making operations.

Toyota did not say how many vehicles would be affected by the suspension announced Tuesday. The company said its four domestic assembly plants produced 1.5 million vehicles in 2007, the most recent year for which the company has figures. Toyota-brand cars are also made by other companies in the Toyota group.

The company had already announced that it would shut down truck production at two United States plants for three months

Its American rivals — General Motors, Ford Motor and Chrysler — have also idled plants across North America in response to the slowdown.

For once, I am in agreement with a Liberal, and yes, it is the same knuckle-headed liberal that insulted Conservatives. Hey, I am one that praises when it’s due and bitches when it’s due too; At least I’m fair. 😉 😀 😛

Matthew Yglesias Weighs in:

This is the conceptual problem with efforts to “save” the car industry through bailouts or union busting or whatever you like. One assumes demand for cars will get higher than it is right now, but the industry has a whole just has more capacity to build cars than there is demand for new cars. Which is fine. When you look across the developed world and try to take stock of the medium- and long-run problems facing the OECD nations there’s just no way you’re going to reach the conclusion that an automobile shortage is a big concern. But obviously it’s not fine for the companies that make cars. There’s going to be a need for some shrinkage.

Yeah, I know, most likely some of the Conservatives who are basically scraping my blog for content are going to try and deride me as a fake conservative, because I stick up for the middle class and because I happen to be the son of retired General Motors Worker and U.A.W. member. Well, I got two words; screw you and the rest of the asshole Madison Ave. Conservatives. 😡

Anyhow, I happen to agree with Matthew here, I live here in the Detroit Area. If the auto industry dies, so does this area. That will cause my parents to suffer, they need the health insurance, as they are both diabetic and the amount of medications that they take is staggering.  Anyhow, this article above disproves and basically strikes down the “Meme” that was going around in the Conservative Blogosphere that the issues with the auto industry was the fault of the automakers. Which I totally dismissed as abject bullshit of the highest order. It was the fault of President Clinton for putting pressure on the loan companies to give those toxic subprime loans to those who were considered high risk. That is what started this whole thing. Of course, equal blame can be given to the Republican Congress of 2003 for not changing the laws, after all, they were warned by the Bush White House to do something; and they did nothing at all.

Best thing they could do, was have a hearing, of which the CEO of Freddie Mac pulled the race card, and congress backed off. So, all the blaming of the Auto Companies was nothing more than a feeble attempt by the Republicans at scapegoating the wrong damned people.

Here’s hoping that Japan’s auto industry totally collapses and people, both American and otherwise, have to buy American products, for a change!

Leon E. Panetta to head Central Intelligence Agency, Some Dems not happy

A Clinton retread is one thing, but a Clinton retread with no experience is another.

Via the NYT’s “The Caucus”:

President-elect Barack Obama has selected Leon E. Panetta, the former congressman and White House chief of staff, to take over the Central Intelligence Agency, an organization that Mr. Obama criticized during the campaign for using interrogation methods he decried as torture, Democratic officials said Monday.

Yet the choice encountered early opposition on Capitol Hill, with some senior Democrats questioning why the president-elect would pick a C.I.A. chief without a deep reservoir of intelligence or counterterrorism experience.

The chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Dianne Feinstein, a Democrat also; is not amused:

“My position has consistently been that I believe the agency is best-served by having an intelligence professional in charge at this time,” said Senator Dianne Feinstein who, as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, would be in charge of Mr. Panetta’s confirmation.

Senator Feinstein said that she had not been notified by Mr. Obama’s transition team about the selection.

Uhm…. Smooth move there Bambi. Good way to start out. Put some inexperienced toad as the leader, to piss off your follow commies. Good one! 🙄

Malkin is equally unimpressed, as is Allahpundit.

Glenn Greenwald is wetting his pants with Glee, as usual.

It’s going to be a very interesting four years.

(Via Memeorandum)

Richardson Withdraws Update: Team Obama Says Richardson Misled them

Seems Richardson is withdrawing his bid to be secretary of Commerce.

Via MSNBC:

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, tapped in December by President-elect Barack Obama to serve as secretary of Commerce, has withdrawn his name for the position, citing a pending investigation into a company that has done business with his state.

“Let me say unequivocally that I and my Administration have acted properly in all matters and that this investigation will bear out that fact,” he said Sunday in a report by NBC News’ Andrea Mitchell. “But I have concluded that the ongoing investigation also would have forced an untenable delay in the confirmation process.”

Yeah, you withdrew, because your fat ass was guilty.

A federal grand jury is investigating how a California company that contributed to Richardson’s political activities won a New Mexico state contract worth more than $1 billion. Richardson said in a statement issued by the Obama transition office that the investigation could take weeks or months but expressed confidence it will show he and his administration acted properly.

Richardson said he plans to continue in his role as governor. “I appreciate the confidence President-elect Obama has shown in me, and value our friendship and working partnership. I told him that I am eager to serve in the future in any way he deems useful. And like all Americans, I pray for his success and the success of our beloved country.”

The announcement came ahead of Obama’s Monday meetings with congressional leaders on a massive economic recovery bill he wants lawmakers to pass quickly.

Obama said Sunday he accepted Richardson’s decision to withdraw with ‘deep regret.’

“Governor Richardson is an outstanding public servant and would have brought to the job of Commerce Secretary and our economic team great insights accumulated through an extraordinary career in federal and state office,” Obama said.

Obama gave no indication whom he might name to replace Richardson as the nominee but said “we must move quickly to fill the void left by Governor Richardson’s decision.”

A person familiar with the proceedings has told The Associated Press that the grand jury is looking into possible “pay-to-play” dealings between CDR Financial Products and someone in a position to push the contract through with the state of New Mexico.

State documents show CDR was paid a total of $1.48 million in 2004 and 2005 for its work on a transportation program.

Richardson ran against Obama in the Democratic presidential primary, but withdrew after a poor showing in the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary. He later endorsed Obama in his primary campaign against Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, Obama’s nominee for secretary of state.

He is one of the most prominent Hispanics in the Democratic Party, having served in Congress and as President Bill Clinton’s ambassador to the United Nations and energy secretary. As governor, he has kept up an international profile with a specialty in dealing with rogue nations. Obama also considered him to be secretary of state.

CDR and its CEO, David Rubin, have contributed at least $110,000 to three political committees formed by Richardson, according to an AP review of campaign finance records.

The largest donation, $75,000, was made by CDR in June 2004 — a couple of months after the transportation financing arrangement won state approval — to a political committee that Richardson established before the Democratic National Convention that year.

Here’s hope that they nail that taco-headed mother fuckers balls to the damn wall. Of course, they won’t, he’s most likely well fed funded by George Soros and his group of Communist Liberal idiots. So, he won’t see any jail time. But on a positive note, there won’t be as many Liberal moonbats in the White House or the Government for that matter. Score one of justice, I suppose.

Seems every person that Obambi has contact with, is some crooked made politician.  Which is so fucking typical of the Democrats anymore. FDR would be rolling over in a his grave.

Update: According to Jack Tapper team Bambi said they were mislead:

Sources tell ABC News that officials on the Obama Transition Team feel that before he was formally offered the job of commerce secretary, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson was not forthcoming with them about the federal investigation that is looking into whether the governor steered a state contract towards a major financial contributor.

Once the investigation became more widely known through national media reports last month, sources tell ABC News, the Obama Transition Team realized the FBI would not be able to give Richardson a clean political bill of health before the new administration is ready to send his nomination up to the Senate for confirmation.

The Richardson camp says the governor was forthcoming, with sources close to the governor noting that there had been reports about the controversy in local media such as the Albuquerque Journal as far back as August 2008. The governor discussed the investigation with the Obama team, they say, and believes that he and his administration have done nothing wrong.

From 2004 to 2005, CDR Financial Products, a Beverly Hills, Calif.-based company founded and run by David Rubin, received nearly $1.5 million through the New Mexico Finance Authority for advising the state in a complex highway funding project pushed by Richardson. In roughly that same time period, CDR and Rubin gave approximately $100,000 to political organizations run by Richardson, including one that paid for his and his staff’s expenses at the 2004 Democratic convention. Neither the grand jury nor the FBI has interviewed Richardson.

President-elect Obama did not ask Richardson to withdraw his name from consideration, sources from both camps say, but the fact that the confirmation seemed untenable in the short term was apparent to everyone involved.

There were some discussions about whether the confirmation process could be delayed a few months until the investigation concluded, sources say, but it became clear that wouldn’t happen any time soon, and no one wanted to be seen as pressuring law enforcement officials to wrap up their investigation.

The governor spoke with the president-elect several times over the weekend, their last conversation being Saturday, when Richardson told Obama he was withdrawing his name from consideration.

Hypocrisy, thy name is Democrats. Hope and Change, Deceit and Corruption! What a joke! 🙄

Oh and in case anyone has forgotten, this joker also tried to run for President. Wouldn’t that have been a nice little present to the Republicans. If he had won? I could see the headlines now! 😀

Others: The Fix, BitsBlog, Hot Air,  Don Surber, , Wizbang, JOSHUAPUNDIT,  TigerHawk, Michelle Malkin, , Outside The Beltway,   Scared Monkeys, Riehl World View, NewsBusters.org, , The Economic Populist, QandO, Fox News,, Top of the Ticket, Weekly Standard, Commentary,  Macsmind and Stop The ACLU


You get what you pay for!

More Liberal Moonbat ungratefulness.

Via Times of London:

RESIDENTS of a model housing estate bankrolled by Hollywood celebrities and hand-built by Jimmy Carter, the former US president, are complaining that it is falling apart.

Fairway Oaks was built on northern Florida wasteland by 10,000 volunteers, including Carter, in a record 17-day “blitz” organised by the charity Habitat for Humanity.

Eight years later it is better known for cockroaches, mildew and mysterious skin rashes.

A forthcoming legal battle over Fairway Oaks threatens the reputation of a charity envied for the calibre of its celebrity supporters, who range from Johnny Depp and Brad Pitt to Colin Firth, Christian Bale and Helena Bonham Carter.

The case could challenge the bedrock philosophy behind Habitat for Humanity, claiming that using volunteers, rather than professional builders, is causing as many problems as it solves.

April Charney, a lawyer representing many of the 85 homeowners in Fairway Oaks, said she had no problems taking on Habitat for Humanity, despite its status as a “darling of liberal social activists”. She said the charity should have told people that part of the estate had been built on a rubbish dump.

One man pulled up his floorboards to find rubbish 5ft deep under his kitchen. Other complaints include cracking walls and rotting door frames that let in rats and ants. Many residents have complained of mildew and mysterious skin rashes.

One resident said her children were suffering from skin complaints. “The intentions are good, but when the politicians and big-shot stars have left we’re stuck with the consequences. This house looks pretty but inside it either stinks or sweats,” she said.

Judy Hall, the charity’s local development director, said recently that it had been dealing with about 30 complaints. She added that skilled work was carried out by professionals.

Yeah, I bet they were professionals. Professional moonbats maybe. 🙄

The lawyers are out in force now, I bet. Of course, someone has the right idea:

Some residents dismiss their neighbours’ worries. Diennal Fields, 51, said people did not know how to look after their homes: “It’s simple stuff: if there is mildew, don’t get a lawyer, get a bottle of bleach.”

That and a real professional carpenter. Michelle Malkin weights in:

In the end, I can’t say I feel too much sympathy for Jimmy Carter and his Hollywood partners. The Left has stoked both eco-zealotry and the entitlement culture with impunity. Perhaps they’ll feel a little less inclined to feed those beasts after getting bitten squarely in the ass.

Amen, and Amen. I feel zero pity for any of them. These people cried for a handout and when they got it, they were not happy. A simple case of give them an inch and they take a damn mile. Pure and simple. Let them rot in their damned filth. Better yet call ol’ Peanut boy Carter and let HIM fix the damned houses. That Liberal piece of white trash has the money, he can fix them.

As someone who took advantage of a local “Social program” around here, thinking it would make my life easier, when in reality, it did absoutely nothing to help, but instead cause me more problems. I can honestly say, that socialism sucks, it does nothing help, and in the end, it only serves to hurt. I took advantage of a social program called Michigan Rehab Services, they took me, because I had A.D.H.D. I went, and they paid for me to go to CDL training school. I went for class A; So, I went, did real good, got a A average. Took the CDL test, passed it, and you think I could find a damn job? Yeah Right. That was 2003, I am still not driving a truck. I am still not making the money that the socialists lie to you, and tell you that you will make.  I mean, I was told I was going to make $60,0000 a year driving truck. Of course, I knew better myself. But here I am, still writing and making squat. I haven’t been under the wheel over a truck since 2003. I wouldn’t dream of attempting to drive one now. Straight Truck Maybe, but a semi, no way. I wouldn’t feel comfortable.

So, there you have it folks, living proof that socialism, does NOT work.

Others: The Strata-Sphere, Right Wing News,  Althouse, RedState, Macsmind and Don Surber

WTF?: Starting to really wonder about Lew Rockwell's Blog

I am not posting this to start a fight or anything. But when I see crap like this right here. I start to wonder just what the hell is becoming of Lew Rockwell’s Blog and more importantly, The Libertarian Party as a damned whole.

Not to overdramatize anything, but when I see stuff like this:

As usual, US-appoved fighters are called soldiers, and US-demonized fighters are called gunmen. Let’s have some equality: call them all gunmen. It hints at the real nature of the state, as “a gang of thieves writ large,” in Rothbard’s phrase.

I start wonder where Lew’s priorities are. I mean, allowing stuff like that, is just totally unacceptable to me.

But wait there’s more…

There’s This:

Or are we afraid that the doo-dads we will see pictured flying through space won’t be ours, won’t have “USA! USA!” stenciled on them, but rather Chinese characters few of us can read?

How Novel. Anti-American rhetoric, from a Libertarian no less.

But there’s even more too….

There’s this little nugget here:

Piatak is a supporter of the Detroit bailout bill. His “cool logic” explains why it is a good idea to tax the shirts off the backs of working class Americans outside of Detroit and give the money to automobile industry plutocrats, union bosses, and their terminally inefficient, inept, lazy, and uncompetitive, unionized work force. Rewarding failure and massively subsidizing losing businesses is apparently Takimag’s idea of “cool logic.”

You know, I have to agree with Tom Piatak here; I honestly wonder what the real motives of the Libertarians are anymore. I mean, can you get anymore Anti-American than this?  A while back, Republican Representative Michelle Bachmann got into a little trouble for saying that Democrats should be investigated for Anti-American beliefs.  Well, I sort of agree with Michelle, except I don’t think it is just Democrats anymore. I think that it is Liberals and Libertarians, I think that we should haul Lew Rockwell and everyone of his contributing writers and Bloggers up to the Senate and have an Anti-American activies investigation.

Do not misunderstand me. I am for the avoidance of military conflict, if at all possible. But when I read on a well-known Libertarian Blog things of this nature, I have to honestly ask myself; why are these people even living in this country, if they dislike it so much?  Whatever happened to civic pride? Whatever happened to the respect of the flag, the Nation and the values it represents?

While I realize that our Nation is not a perfect one, I do not believe that gives one to a license to trash it to the point of sounding like a communist apologist.

As I said in the title and in the beginning, I am really starting to wonder about Libertarians.

Obama says, "Don't ask no questions"

As a rule, I don’t send no traffic to the Neo-Con owned “weakly standard”.

But Mary Katharine Ham is a very pretty exception. 😉

Here’s the video:

Hubba Hubba! Woo Hoo! ;-P
Hubba Hubba! Woo Hoo! ;-P

Yes, I am fan and quite distant admirer. 😀

Others: Fausta’s Blog, The Sundries Shack, Sister Toldjah, The Other McCain and Ed Driscoll.com

The latest from BlogoGate

The Dems say they will keep Burris from the floor, so says CNN:

Senate Democratic leaders think Roland Burris, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich’s pick to fill President-elect Barack Obama’s vacant Senate seat, will likely show up on Capitol Hill Tuesday for the opening day of Congress, according to a Democratic aide familiar with Senate Democratic leaders’ plans.

They have prepared a contingency plan in case he does, the aide added.

Burris will not be allowed on the Senate floor, according to this aide and a Senate Democratic leadership aide.

The aide familiar with Senate Democratic leaders’ plans said if Burris tries to enter the Senate chamber, the Senate doorkeeper will stop Burris. If Burris were to persist, either trying to force his way onto the Senate floor or refusing to leave and causing a scene, U.S. Capitol Police would stop him, said the aide.

“They (police) probably won’t arrest him” but they would call the sergeant-at-arms,” the aide said.

When asked about what would happen if he shows up and tries to be seated, Burris told the Chicago Tribune that he’s, “not going to create a scene in Washington.” He added, “We hope it’s negotiated out prior to my going to Washington.”

Burris told CNN that, “We’re certainly going to make contacts with the leadership to let them know that the governor of Illinois has made a legal appointment. And that I am currently the junior senator for the State of Illinois. And we’re hoping and praying that, you know, they will see the reason in appointing me as a very qualified, capable, able and ready-to-serve individual.”

Yeah, Right. They don’t want to make a scene. You believe that and I got land to sell you in Texas, cheap! That’s what race-baiting Democrats do, make a scene. Because we all know, it’s all about “struggle” for them. (whatever that is….)

Way I see it, the so-called “struggle” ended when America elected that…. THING for President. So, Al Sharpton and his ilk should be out of a job.

So, this should be quite interesting to watch.

Update: Video (via Breit Bart)

Update 2: Even Pat Buchanan is thinking along the same lines: (H/T WND)

Here we have an African-American elder statesman of the Democratic Party, an honorable and distinguished man, appointed by the governor according to law and the Constitution, to fill a Senate seat. There has been no hint of illegal consideration asked or given by either the governor or Burris.

Yet Harry Reid, who presides over a Democratic caucus of some 60 senators, with not a single black member, is going to refuse this black man a seat to which the law entitles him?

One hopes Burris will stay firm and march up to that Senate, and, if nothing else, expose the hypocrisy.

Our president-elect is from a party that champions busing to integrate public schools but bypasses D.C. public schools to send his girls to exclusive private schools in far northwest Washington.

We have a Democratic Senate that champions affirmative action. Yet not one white Democratic senator, in a caucus that has not a single black member, has ever volunteered to step down and let the governor of their state replace him or her with an African-American.

Not one. That would be liberals leading by example, not exhortation.

If Democrats believe our institutions of power should look like America, why don’t they make their Senate caucus look like America? Why do not a dozen Democrat senators resign, to be replaced by 12 appointed black Democrats, giving one-fifth of all Democratic Senate seats to a minority that gave Barack 97 percent of its vote and Barack and Joe Biden one-fourth of all the votes they received?

Why does not Gov. Paterson follow Gov. Blagojevich’s lead and name an African-American of Burris’ stature to the U.S. Senate?

Fellas, let’s start practicing what we preach here.

There are times when I totally disagree with Pat, but he’s dead right here. If the Democrats have any sense, they will approve this guy. Pat says in this article that this Governor has not been convicted, and yet the Democrats are acting like the Governor is in Prison! Something stinks, and it’s not my body. 😀

Update 3: To expand this even further; what you are seeing here is two wings of the Democratic Party clashing. The Honorable Part of the Party that seeks to be above any sort of scandal, bumping up against the Identity Politics wing of the Democratic Party.  It’s more than just “Racism” or whites vs blacks, it’s two independent Political ideologies under the same tent. It’s quite the thing to watch.

Others: Hot Air, Sister Toldjah, Chicago Boyz, Althouse, PoliPundit.com and Viking Pundit (Via Memeornadum)