Category: politics

Special Comment: The Republican Party has lost me again

My 67 Year old Father, who the Republican Party decided to rob blind. His name is Charlie Adkins. General Motors Employee for 31 Years. He is retired and living the good life.

I am not quite sure where to begin this editorial, so I will just start writing and I hope everything will just fall into place.

I am sure that by now you know about Michigan’s Governor Rick Snyder and his sudden swerve into the extreme right. As a disillusioned former Democrat, who voted for him, despite the fact that I come for a Democratic Party voting family; I am extremely angry at him right now and the Republican Party in Michigan.

Rick Snyder came off to me as a moderate Republican, someone who was not interested in pursuing some sort of radical agenda or in causing this sort of chaos in Michigan. Well, needless to say, I and many others who voted for him, despite our feelings about the Republican Party as a whole; have egg on our faces.

This idiotic move was nothing more than an appeasement to the Republican base. There was talk of a primary challenge by someone in the Republican Party of Michigan; I do not know who it was, but it obviously scared Snyder into taking this huge swerve.

There will be consequences for this overreach of partisan Government. My earlier posting showed some of it. If there was not enough support to get Governor Snyder recalled, there will be now. The organized labor movement is on full alert now and they are extremely pissed off and rightly so. The Democratic Party base is now totally energized and when this happens, things happen and people get taken out of office and quickly.

I will also let this out as well. I made this threat in an earlier blog posting. The Bush-era is over, and the Obama era is now in its second term. The Republican Party of Michigan and Nationally; as far as this writer is concerned, have demonstrated that they have no interest in protecting people like my Father. They have shown me, that they would rather destroy everything which my Father worked, for 31 years at General Motors. They have shown this writer that they would like to see my Father fairly earned retirement taken from him. They have shown to me, that they want to see my Father’s social security taken from him and his Medicare taken from him as well.

Because of these facts, I have decided to make the following announcement. The announcement is this: My vote for 2014 and 2016 are now officially up for grabs. The Republican Party is trending towards something that I simply cannot support and that is an extremist position towards unions and organized labor. Furthermore, they have proven to me, that they are not interested in protecting our Seniors, like my Mother and Father.

Therefore, because of that, I am now, officially rescinding my support of the Republican Party as a whole and basically of the Conservative movement. I still consider myself a “right of center.” A moderate Conservative or a Blue Dog Democrat, if you want to call me that. I still believe in the idea of American greatness and Reagan’s idea of optimism.

However, I do not believe in this awful misuse of Government power by the Republican Party of Michigan to undermine the ability of people to collectively bargain, if they should choose to do so. This is nothing more overreach and it is morally wrong and I, as am American cannot support it. This is what Hitler and the Nazi’s did and this is what the Soviet Empire did as well. It is fascism of the highest order and I cannot and will not support it. For the record, I have always believed that, and now it is time to put my convictions to use.

Therefore, there are changes coming to this blog. I will removing a good deal of the RSS feeds, save maybe one. To be honest, I do not really agree with any of them anymore. I will be adding some from a different perspective. Some people might be offended by them; but, that is just too bad. When a political party chooses fascism over liberty, something must be done and someone must take a stand.

Consider this my stand.

Cross-Posted to DailyKos

So much for transparency

I guess that is another promise broken, WaPo reports:

At a meeting with the Business Roundtable on Wednesday morning, President Obama publicly warned Republicans that he would not negotiate over the debt ceiling. But after those opening remarks, reporters were ushered out of the room so Obama could talk to the gathered CEOs in private. 

“”Yeah, I  think the press is … they’ve probably got enough there to spin a story,” Obama said as the reporters were kicked out of the room. 

via Press kicked out of Obama Q & A.

I guess Cornell West was right:

Sen. Jim DeMint to resign and head Heritage Foundation

Something moderately surprising to wake up to:

South Carolina U.S. Senator Jim DeMint will replace Ed Feulner as president of the Heritage Foundation. Mr. DeMint will leave his post as South Carolina’s junior senator in early January to take control of the Washington think tank, which has an annual budget of about $80 million.

Sen. DeMint’s departure means that South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, a Republican, will name a successor, who will have to run in a special election in 2014. In that year, both Mr. DeMint’s replacement and Sen. Lindsey Graham will be running for reelection in South Carolina.

Mr. DeMint was reelected to a second term in 2010. The 61-year-old senator had announced earlier that he would not seek a third term.

via Sen. Jim DeMint to Head Heritage Foundation – WSJ.com.

The first person I thought about, was Amanda Carpenter. Amanda is the sweetest person in the Conservative Blogosphere; well she was, she decided to get away from blogging and work in the beltway. She is Jim DeMint’s speechwriter. Amanda took to twitter to say this:

As for DeMint his leaving the Senate is a huge loss for the Conservative wing of the Republican Party. I do not doubt his story at all. But I can see why he would want to do it. Because it is obvious that the Republicans are going to concede this tax hike nonsense, so DeMint just decided, “You know what? Screw it. I am going to work in the activist arena.”

I cannot blame him, it would be a huge pay raise for the man and plus, he can actually make a difference there. Not much he can do in the Senate, when you have squishy Republicans running the show. Either way, I wish Senator DeMint the best and I also wish Amanda Carpenter the best as well.

Huge Blogger and Media round-up here.

Pat Buchanan calls it exactly like it is

This one is very good.

Saith Patrick Buchanan on his website:

Two years ago, Obama had to eat crow and extend the Bush tax cuts. Now it’s payback time. And behind their arrogance lies a belief that the GOP cannot say no. For if the Bush tax cuts and the payroll tax cuts expire on Jan. 1, Americans will face the highest tax hike in history.

– Every family earning up to $100,000 would see 2 percent of its income lopped off, as the employee half of the Social Security tax rises from 4.2 to 6.2. percent. The discretionary income of Middle Americans would be ravaged.

– The federal tax rate on capital gains will rise from 15 percent to a maximum 24.7 percent, a jump of 60 percent.

– The federal tax rate on interest and dividends will triple from 15 percent to a maximum 44.7 percent.

– Where $5 million of an estate can now be passed on to one’s heirs non-taxed, that will be cut to $1 million. And the death tax rate would shoot from 35 percent to a neo-Marxist 55 percent.

Even Senate Democrats fear this would force a selloff or breakup of family farms and family businesses at death. Yet somewhere, the radical socialist Saul Alinsky, who inspired the young community organizer, is smiling.

[….]

What to do?

Forget the deal. Walk away from the talks with Geithner. Pass an extension of the payroll tax cut, and send it to Harry Reid. Pass the Bush tax cuts, and send them to Harry Reid and say:

“Harry, you are going to have to pass this extension of the tax cuts, or kill them, or send us a counteroffer. Do nothing, and you, not we, will take America over the cliff.”

When Sen. Edmund Ross rose to cast the decisive vote in the impeachment trial of President Andrew Johnson, he said, “I looked down into my own political grave.”

Reviled by the radicals of his era, Ross yet made it into JFK’s “Profiles in Courage.” We are at such a moment.

Indeed we are, and the Democrats are going to own this one, big time. Ignorant overreach has consequences and the Democrats are going to reap the whirlwind come 2014 and so will the establishment Republicans as well.

 

Horse-hockey!

More stupid from the left:

When Congress picks a fight with the President, no matter who the President or who leads the Congress, the President usually wins in the public eye.

Prediction: if the President plays chicken on this tax and spending issue and doesn’t flinch, he wins one way or the other politically.

via Congress & President Playing Chicken | The Moderate Voice.

Bullcrap. The President, nor the Republicans are going to look good in the eyes of the people; whose taxes are going to go through the roof!

Morons, I swear.

Let them own it

Them being the Democrats. This is some grade A, class 1, horse-hockey right here:

President Obama’s lead negotiator in the “fiscal cliff” talks said the administration is “absolutely” willing to allow the package of deep automatic spending cuts and across-the-board tax hikes to take effect Jan. 1, unless Republicans drop their opposition to higher income tax rates on the wealthy.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said in an interview with CNBC that both sides are “making a little bit of progress” toward a deal to avert the “cliff” but remain stuck on Obama’s desired rate increase for the top U.S. income-earners.

“There’s no prospect for an agreement that doesn’t involve those rates going up on the top two percent of the wealthiest,” Geithner said.

Most House Republicans, including Speaker John Boehner, remain opposed to any increase in tax rates.

Obama and Boehner spoke by phone this afternoon, their first conversation in exactly one week, an administration official said. Their relations have grown frosty in recent days as both sides have dug in on the issue of higher rates.

via White House ‘Absolutely’ Willing To Go Off The Fiscal Cliff – ABC News.

The truth is, the Democratic Party leadership does not honestly care, if the United States of America goes back into a full-blown recession.

As much as I despise this god-forsaken woman, I am going to link to something she wrote at Crooks and Liars, about what is going to happen to the working class AKA middle class, if we head over the cliff:

but I think it’s worth listing what happens on January 1st if Democrats do absolutely nothing:

  • The top tax rate for individuals goes up by about 4 percentage points.
  • Capital gains rates increase to 20 percent.
  • Dividends are taxed as ordinary income, rather than at the Bush-era 15 percent capital gain rate.
  • Estate tax rates return to 2001 levels, and the taxable cap returns to $2 million instead of $10 million.
  • Payroll tax holiday expires

Some of these consequences aren’t great for the middle class, which is why House Democrats are pushing so hard to force a vote on the Senate bill extending those tax cuts while allowing the upper-income tax cuts to expire.

So, for you that actually have a job and are not sitting around on your butt, like me, wishing you had a job; guess what? Your taxes will be going up. Which means, you will get less of a refund after you file, especially if you are in the $20-120 a year bracket.

This is your modern-day Democratic Party. They would rather America go into a full-blown recession, than do something that would actually keep America out of a recession —- all for politics, all to keep their ideological purity. This is why I despise that god-forsaken party, with every last fiber of my being. Democrats of this day and age are not patriotic Americans. They are anti-American, Anti-Capitalist, profit hating, bastards who have really no place in this Country! They would rather stick it to the people who actually make jobs in this Country and those who work for them and actually give to society, than they would help them.

Joseph McCarthy warned us about these bastard fiends and for it, he sacrificed his career and life for it. The Republicans at the time, dismissed him as a drunkard, and as a paranoid old coot. We are seeing the fulfillment of his prophecies, now, in front of our eyes. It goes without saying that these are frightening times in America.

Be ready, that is all that I truly say about this; be very ready.

This pretty much sums it up

I know I said that I would not be linking to this guy anymore. I have reversed this decision. If Israel wants to be stupid, then they should expect derision from people like this man here.

Anyhow, this pretty much sums up my opinion of the Republican establishment:

The Republicans in the House are largely more conservative than at any time since Wilson left office. One would expect them to understand the intent of the voters who sent them there and thus say no to more taxes, no to more spending and no to more borrowing. Instead, we have Republican leadership in the House that actually proposed raising more revenue by eliminating deductions on income taxes. They somehow claim that they are being faithful to their stated mission of fiscal conservatism by making you pay more money but at the present tax rates. They, too, have failed economics 101.

Any significant movement of wealth from taxpayers to tax consumers will not enhance prosperity; it will crush it, and it will breed dependence on a government that is fiscally out of control. The recipients will no doubt vote to re-elect those who gave them these payments.

via NAPOLITANO: GOP for Big Government – Washington Times.

Amen and Amen. Big Government sucks and taxing the job creators is beyond stupid. If the GOP plays surrender monkey on this; you can kiss that party goodbye. Because the grassroots will not vote for a party that says one thing and does another.

I will also say this: If the Republican Party thinks for one lousy second that the Tea Party is dead and that the movement has ended, they will be in for a huge shock come 2014. I believe that there well a huge ground swell of voter discontent come 2014, especially after when taxes go up on small businesses.

So, if the GOP wants to cave on this; feel free — but the clock is ticking and you have basically blown through your political capital, Mr. Boehner. If you believe that punishing true Conservatives is going to do you any good. Think again. Oh, it will help you on the short-term, so that you can play nice with the President. But, in the long-term, you are toast. You will be out of job, because I tend to believe that the Republican grassroots and the Conservative grassroots —- you know, those who actually vote for you? — are not going to stand for this at all.

 

Following up on my shame

In a previous missive, I wrote the following:

For years, since leaving the Democratic Party as a voter and supporter, I have tried my very best to maintain an image of optimism, that somehow America is the still the greatest Nation on planet Earth and that somehow, no matter what the progressive Democrats did, that somehow this Nation would still be able to overcome. I now realize that this was nothing more than foolish folly on my part.

After going back and rereading that, and seeing the reactions of some of my readers and looking at the darkness on my blog. I realized two things; one, I allowed myself to fall into the trap of cynicism and defeatism. Two, I allowed my emotions to get the best of me. I apologize to my readers for allowing that to happen.

My friends, I still love this Country and I still believe that the idea of a free Republic is still a very good idea and one that has served this Country well since its founding. However, let me be very clear; I am extremely disappointed in the Republican and Democratic Parties in their handling of this fiscal cliff. Both of these parties are using this cliff for political gain and we the American people are going to suffer bitterly for it.

The best idea that the Republicans have at this moment is, just walk away and let the Democrats have their mess. The Democrats best idea is to allow the fiscal cliff to happen, so that they can blame the Republicans. My friends, this is not in the best interest of America and its people; this is nothing more than political posturing and it is doing nothing for anyone, but the political players themselves.

What is the solution? My friends, at this point, outside of prayer for our Nation; there is no real quick solution. We are a civilized society here in America and we settle our differences, not with guns, violence and mayhem; that is idiotic anarchy —- we settle them at the ballot box. The Democrats may have won this round, but 2014 is coming and it will be when the America people will be able to vote those out, who acted in their self-interests and not in the interests of the American people.

In conclusion: I have brought back the earlier blog theme. Although, I believe I will forgo the American Nationalist look and keep it more basic this time. I will continue to write for love of Country, God and American values. I will try to keep my emotions in check and not allow myself to be drawn into the darkness that is cynicism and fatalism.

Again, I thank of you who e-mailed me and expressed your genuine concerns that I might have fallen into depression and given up. I will never give up on freedom, it is something that will drive me for the rest of my days; if only to undue some of the idiocy and misdeeds of my youth.

Freedom’s best days are ahead and I am here for the duration.

Detroit: Swirling the drain

Hey, um, America? Want to see what you will look like in four years? Look here:

Moody’s Investors Service downgraded Detroit’s bond rating today deeper into junk status, citing uncertainty after the repeal of Michigan’s emergency manager law and a rising risk of municipal bankruptcy or default in the next 12-24 months.

Moody’s said Detroit’s inability to enact reforms meant to stabilize its finances was complicated by uncertainty after state voters repealed Michigan’s emergency manager law, Public Act 4, on Nov. 6, weakening state oversight of the city’s finances.

The ratings firm noted Detroit’s “precariously narrow cash position,” with Mayor Dave Bing’s administration warning that it will have to put potentially thousands of city employees on furlough Jan. 1 to avoid running $5 million short on cash to meet payroll.

The city’s program management director, William (Kriss) Andrews, has said Detroit is not at risk of missing debt payments, and he believes the city will be able to manage the cash crisis with furloughs and other cuts yet unidentified.

via Detroit’s bond status downgraded even more by Moody’s | City of Detroit | Detroit Free Press | freep.com.

Sad thing, but this is what happens, when progressives run a city into the ground.

(Via Dateline Detroit)