A sadder but wiser Axelrod packs his bags

Axelrod designed the Hope and Change theme with the logo that looks like it was stolen from a Pepsi ad, and now seems surprised and discouraged that there was no there there.

"In that sense, Axelrod, who announced a few days ago that he will return to Chicago in the spring, is leaving in defeat. It's not really an electoral defeat: Though Democrats will probably experience a shellacking on Nov. 2, Obama's prospects for 2012 will surely rise with the economic cycle. Rather, it's the notion that Obama, who declared on election night that "change has come to America," has failed to change Washington, a belief shared by 53 percent of Americans in the latest Washington Post/ABC News poll."

Barack Obama, the most left of all our Presidents, the most fiscally irresponsible and the most narcissistic, has succeeded in helping to destroy the economy, but he has also succeeded in rallying the conservatives as never before. We'll see what dumping Axelrod and Emanuel do to his chances for 2012.

A sadder but wiser Axelrod packs his bags

President Obama calls his followers to DC on 10-2-10

to meet with hundreds of other communist and socialist organizations. This was planned in response to the 8-28-10 Glenn Beck gathering of 500,000+ of ordinary Americans who paid their own way to sing, and pray and listen to inspiring speakers talk about love of country and God. It was peaceful and a family event. The Washington Mall was spotless when they left.

The Communists among us are now fighting back. They'll be bussing them in, paid for by your tax dollars and union dues. CPUSA, is just one of many. Go to One Nation Working Together and look at the sponsors. With all this public and private money they should be able to gather a few million, not just half a million like 8-28. Check out some communist sites. You are known by your friends, Democrats.

Communism has failed in every country that tried it, and has resulted in the deaths of millions. How quickly Americans forget--at least my generation. My children's generation never even learned the facts of what happened in the Soviet Union and China and Vietnam.

Young Communist League

Are you smarter than a third grader in Ohio?

Today I was looking at a Standards Guide for Families, What is Expected in Grade Three. Some schools have a pdf to print at their website, but you can see it at www.OhioAcademicStandards.com, and select the grade you're interested in.

I found some of the questions overwhelming, and here are two examples:

1) Explain the major functions of the government. Right now we have major political parties and grass roots movements like the Tea Party trying to figure that one out. Does a third grader have the experience and the vocabulary to understand the question let alone answer it? Do they know their school is a function of the government? The snow plows? Not sure I did.

2) Describe the changes in religion in your community. Now that was part of a long list, which included among other things, architecture. Again, I think when I was in 3rd grade I knew that our little town (Forreston, IL) had a Lutheran Church (we weren't Lutheran but attended there), a Reformed Church and something across the street from the school that years later became part of United Methodist after a few mergers (I've forgotten its name), and that during Bible School, kids from country churches came that we didn't usually see. I knew our Pastor's name and that at school we each had a little Bible in our desk and took turns reading it aloud. But that's about as much as I knew and we were regular attenders. Kids today? I don't think a lot of them are even aware there are churches.

I also found some terms I didn't know. "Using a compass rose and cardinal directions. . ." What's a compass rose? Not sure I would know what a cardinal direction was either.

Are these tests written to explain to adults what children should know? The vocabulary doesn't seem very kid friendly to me.

Sliced Honey Crisp apple with walnuts--the perfect breakfast

Walnuts. I eat them everyday, and I'm sure they're good for me--omega-3 fatty acids, or something. Supposed to be brain food, I think, but I don't see any turn around in that department. However, there's way too much hype about food health benefits. It's all part of the gnosticism of the environmentalist movement. Other than scurvey and ricketts, not much is cured or reversed with good nutrition. What really works besides chosing the best genes (your parents... and their parents), are all the NO-NOs--not smoking, not drinking, not doing drugs, not being promiscuous, not eating too many "healthy" foods (good food is fattening too), and not sitting at the computer all day. The last No-No is a big weakness for me. Well, at least I got a lot of help from Mom and Dad.

I love this web site

Terrible tragedy in Upper Arlington

Last night a father in our community killed his two little boys and then himself. His wife found the bodies. There are no words . . .

Story

12 reasons Obamacare will raise your health care costs

All of us will see higher health insurance premiums with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare). It imposes several costly new mandates and restrictions on health insurers and providers that will raise health cares costs and therefore premiums. This paper lists a dozen factors that will contribute to higher premium costs. Read it carefully, so that when you're accused of being a homophobic racist right wing idiot because you think it should be repealed, you'll have some ammunition.

Have your tried Radio Paradise?

Just listening to Jackson Browne and Bonnie Raitt sing Kisses Sweeter Than Wine from the album Where Have All The Flowers Gone.

Radio Paradise - commercial free Internet radio - modern & classic rock, electronica, world music & more - picked & mixed by real humans.

What was the Obamateurism of the Week?

At the time I voted, misquoting the Declaration of Independence was ahead (33.1%), with saying Mexico was here long before the United States (24.1%) was even an idea next. Mexico became a country carved out of New Spain in 1821, but what can you expect from a guy who's always been a bit defensive about his own country? And both comments were to the same audience, too. I don't think the 4 apples for $1.00 was an actual mistake, because that's all the vendor asked for, probably giving him a break. One of his staff stepped up and paid the full amount. $1.00 would get you about 1/3 of a Honey Crisp, but it would be worth every cent.

Hot Air » Poll: What was the Obamateurism of the Week?

As seen on TV and the Internet

Christopher Coates testimony was on C-Span, the video of the civil rights violation was all over the internet. The egg laid by the Justice Department is all over Eric Holder’s face.

“Christopher Coates's testimony before the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights was the latest fallout from the department's handling of a 2008 voter-intimidation case involving the New Black Panther Party. Conservatives and some congressional Republicans accuse Justice officials of improperly narrowing the charges, allegations that they strongly dispute.

Filed weeks before the Obama administration took office, the case focused on two party members who stood in front of a polling place in Philadelphia on Election Day 2008, one carrying a nightstick. The men were captured on video and were accused of trying to discourage some people from voting.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/24/AR2010092403873.html?wpisrc=nl_headline

It seems some few in the DOJ wish to redistribute voting rights along racial lines. I don’t think the “We won, so deal with it” excuse covers this one.

The world isn’t kind to whistle blowers. Will Coates, a Clinton appointee, who resigned his position over this, ever work again in government?

Federal workers--I have relatives who are but. . .

the gravy train has to roll to a stop somewhere. And I know, I know, I was "on the dole" many times through various government grants. They were interesting jobs (USAID, FIPSE, JTPA), they paid well, I worked hard and had very committed co-workers, but hey--nothing we did mattered after the contract ended. We just have way too many people at the public trough.

"In their campaign blueprint released this week, GOP lawmakers proposed a hiring freeze on non-security federal workers to help slash $100 billion in government spending. On Capitol Hill, they've tried to block President Obama's proposed 1.4 percent pay increase, to furlough federal workers for two weeks to save $5.5 billion, to fire workers who owe federal taxes, to shrink the pool of political appointees, to freeze bonuses and even to shut down the government. None of these ideas has gotten much traction in the Democratic-controlled Congress, but the resurgence of a GOP majority after the November elections could change that."

WaPo Link

Tax Hike Prevention Act of 2010, S. 3773

Don't let Pelosi, Reid and Obama kill more jobs with a tax hike.

S. 3773 prevents nearly $4 trillion in tax hikes over the next decade. Specifically, it would:

•Keep income tax rates right where they are. That means that the lowest rate would remain at 10 percent, rather than rising to 15 percent. It also means that the top rate (at which a majority of small business profits pay tax) would stay at 35 percent, rather than rising to 39.6 percent

•Keep the capital gains and dividends tax rate at 15 percent. Under the Pelosi-Obama-Reid (POR) tax hike, the capital gains tax rate is set to rise to 20 percent in 2011. The dividends top rate is set to rise to an astounding 39.6 percent in 2011

•Keep the death tax from rising to a 55 percent top rate with a small $1 million exemption. Instead, the death tax would be 35 percent with a generous $5 million exemption to protect most small businesses and family farms

•Prevent tax hikes on families, including a return of the marriage penalty and cutting the child tax credit in half

•Index the alternative minimum tax (AMT) to inflation. Under S. 3773, the number of AMT taxpayers should remain constant, rather than the sharp rise in AMT families that the Pelosi-Obama-Reid (POR) tax hike would result in.

S. 3773, the “Tax Hike Prevention Act of 2010” is a common-sense bill. It simply keeps in place the tax structure America has lived under for the past decade. It avoids a huge tax hike in the midst of a weak economy that will kill jobs. It’s supported by the American people, and should be voted on by the Senate before the election.

Text mostly from Americans for Tax Reform

Tax Foundation Projects 2011 Tax Parameters Using New Inflation Numbers

With Obama and Congress dithering over the Bush tax cuts and probably leaving it all in limbo for the lame duck Congress when those already voted out will have a chance the push something through, I can't imagine anything worse than being a professional tax preparer, or someone who will need their services (and that's just about everyone). The Tax Foundation has prepared three scenarios (as of Sept. 17).

From news release: "Tax Foundation Fiscal Fact, No. 245, "Tax Foundation Projects 2011 Tax Parameters Following Release of New Inflation Data," outlines inflation-adjusted 2011 federal income tax parameters under three policy scenarios:

(1) All the Bush-era tax cuts expire;

(2) All the tax cuts are extended (Republican plan);

(3) Congressional Democrats' proposal is adopted, which is similar to the Obama plan but does not extend major stimulus measures or include additional limits on itemized deductions.

The report is available online at http://www.taxfoundation.org/publications/show/26719.html."

The Tax Foundation - Tax Foundation Projects 2011 Tax Parameters Using New Inflation Numbers

Velma and Peggy

The source of the previous political verse was Peggy Noonan reflecting on Velma Hart's comments to the President at the townhall last week, saying she was exhausted from defending him. I still believe she was a plant intended to make sure Obama looked more human in his president struggles, because really, have you ever known a politician who created a more scolding, cold image? Well, she failed, or he failed, but way too many people including Noonan and Rush Limbaugh were taken in by this exchange. I just don't buy it. He's let a lot of things slip, like the exchange with Joe the Plumber, and announcing proudly after the election that he was just a few days away from fundamentally transforming our country (to what?), but usually he's very carefully scripted by like-minded speech writers and it all scrolls across the teleprompter.

Besides, for the life of me, I can't see what Velma is complaining about, even if she's for real and not a plant. She has a cushy government job (no unemployment, only growth at the federal level); she's married and her husband has a job; she's got great perks plus veterans benefits; she's rich enough to send her kids to private school which must be about $20,000 a year per child; so what exactly was she expecting from a president who promised to transfer some wealth. She's wealthy! He was planning to take it away from her and give it to you! If she didn't crunch the numbers before voting for him in 2008, I don't feel sorry for her.

Her life, her complaints, confirm to me she's a plant. Obama's not one of us--and I'm not talking about his birth certificate. Especially he's not an American black--even Jesse Jackson complained about that before 2008. Velma's just the type of woman Obama would select for the job of poor mouthing, and trust me, she'll be blamed if this backfires.

Reflections on a phrase from Peggy Noonan's The Enraged vs. The Exhausted

"This "will be remembered as the year the American people said no" to the status quo. The people "do not trust" those who make the decisions far away. They want to restore balance." Peggy Noonan

Let this be remembered
As the year
Americans said, NO
To the status quo.

Let this be remembered
As the year
Americans with tea,
Said Don’t tax me.

Let this be remembered
As the year
Americans tossed RINOs
And Pelosi DINOs.

Let this be remembered
As the year
To media mainstream
“Stop stealing our dream.”

This will be the year
Americans will vote
And remember
This coming November.

Obama blows over wall of separation with hot air!

Will Christmas pagents reappear this year in schools? Can we decorate the public square again? President Obama has enlisted pastors to plug his health care plan. Whoopee! The man who asked Georgetown University to remove any signs or symbols of the faith, now comes crawling since 70% of us reject his ideas on a takeover of a huge segment of the economy. The president most far out on late term killing of unborn babies, now wants churches to plug his program to impoverish more Americans. If you start hearing this drivel in your church either in Sunday School or from the pulpit, I hope you walk out!

. . .on Tuesday President Obama and his director of faith-based initiatives convened exactly such a meeting to try to control political damage from the unpopular health-care law. "Get out there and spread the word," Politico.com reported the president as saying on a conference call with leaders of faith-based and community groups. "I think all of you can be really important validators and trusted resources for friends and neighbors, to help explain what's now available to them." Since then, there's been nary a peep from the press.

Jim Towey: Pastors For ObamaCare? - WSJ.com

Obama's foreign agenda

President Obama's devotion to international institutions like the United Nations is the core of the Obama Doctrine. . . The United Nations finds no moral conflict in having human rights abusers sit on the U.N. Human Rights Council; in having socialist countries sit on the United Nations' Economic and Social Council; or having terrorism-sponsoring nations block the United Nations from defining an act of terrorism."

Morning Bell: Waiting for Crazy | The Foundry: Conservative Policy News.

So the UN doctrine on human rights is now the BOUSA doctrine on human rights?

The "crazy" in the title refers to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and not Obama--just in case you don't read the article.

Congress again puts politics ahead of rescuing the economy

Obama and the Democrats find yet another way to keep the economy sinking, sinking, sinking--mass uncertainty about taxes. Yes, Mr. Obama's plan is working.

"The delay could complicate the financial planning of millions of Americans. "You're going to have families sitting there thinking about the tax consequences in end-of-life situations," said Alan Rothschild, chairman of the American Bar Association's section on estate law. "That's a horrible situation." The estate tax, which lapsed in January, will return next year at rates up to 55% unless Congress acts."

Congress Punts on Taxes - WSJ.com

Would there be a Republican pledge without the Tea Party movement?

In 18 months the Tea Party went from zero to 29% of the voters. What would Republicans be pledging or debating if it weren't for these folks nipping at their heels as they turned tail and ran?

Highlights of the Pledge include:

1. Small business income deduction of 20% of income
   
2. Permanent extension of current tax rates to avoid largest tax hike in history
   
3. Cancel unspent stimulus funds
   
4. Place a cap on all new discretionary spending
   
5. Restore spending to pre-stimulus, pre-bailout levels of 2008
   
6. Repeal and replace the health care law

For more information on the Pledge to America

Childhood memories? Where did she grow up?

One of the bottles I found under the sink today in my week of kitchen cleaning was a handsome spray bottle with a teal label called "Beach Days Surface Cleaner." I think I bought it some years ago at an eco-friendly display at Meijer's and some how it got stuck in the undersink clutter. It's made by The Good Home Co., established in 1995. The label says,

"In 1995, I began to hand-make quality products with frangrances that were based on my memories of simple, beautiful places. My own wonderful, childhood memories of perfect days by the sea inspired this Beach Days fragrance."

Whew! She must have grown up next to a solvent factory if this stuff makes her nostalgic, because a whiff of this can make your eyes burn from 20 ft. There was only a little left in the bottle, so I added water. That seemed to make it worse.

The main solvent is "propylene glycol n-butyl ether" and it's not recommended for glass, wood, marble, fabric or painted surfaces, which leaves me what exactly in the kitchen?

Glycol Ethers - General Information

And sound and look of affluence

On my morning walk today I could hear the sound of traffic roaring both north and south from Rt. 315--several miles away. I could also hear the happy sounds of the Upper Arlington High School band practicing miles away. I saw construction/remodeling signs of contractors in the yards of the upscale neighborhood built in the mid-1970s. Then I picked up a flyer from a real estate sign for 3815 Criswell Drive.

Half a million won't get you much in Huntington Beach, California, or Coolidge Corners, a suburb of Boston, Massachusetts, but it buys a heck of a lot of house in a very convenient neighborhood of Upper Arlington, a community of outstanding schools and community services, minutes to Dublin or downtown Columbus or OSU, Battelle or Chem Abstracts and a stone's throw from one of the country's best golf courses.

1. Almost 3,000 sq ft
2. 112 x 150 lot
3. finished media room
4. bump out on garage for hobbies or third car
5. beautiful yard with patio and irrigation system
6. island kitchen with pantry wall and mud room
7. dining room with wet bar and built-ins
8. marble floors in foyer and kitchen
9. 2nd floor laundry
10. deluxe master bath with jetted tub and shower

So the taxes are over $10,500, but we don't have personal property taxes like some of you do; we don't have mountains and beaches near by, but there is an airport; and of course, we have football out the wazoo.

Today I got an e-mail from Bob, a high school friend warning me Starbucks prices were going up, up and away. (About 6 guys from my high school (1950s) have e-mail lists--and they say women talk. . .) I wrote back and told Bob I judge affluence by . . . kitchen counter tops. Recently our neighborhood had a home tour. You would think laminate counters are a sign of 3rd world poverty. Granite, marble, polished concrete, and the new cabinets to support them, the track lighting to shine on them, and the gorgeous art to hang above them are a sign that Americans are still doing quite well, thank you. Also, I'm a fan of HGTV, and hooked on the home buying "reality" shows (completely unreal). You would think people have seen a rat if the buyers see laminate.

Personally, I think marble is way overrated. It's hard to clean--in fact my kitchen counter never feels clean to me and it's too dark to tell. The instructions for its care read like a school exam, so now I just clean it with anything handy--usually Windex, which I've learned is just about the handiest tool around.

The point of all this is to tell all those economic experts and journalists who for the last 30 years have been telling me how awful it is to be poor in the United States and how we're all going to hell in a hand basket, that many Americans are doing just fine. And they are very, very tired of hearing our scolding, obsequious president diminish what a market economy can provide for most of us, and give hope for the rest. We started our marriage in the bottom quintile 50 years ago and never even noticed we were poor because we had so much for which to be grateful.