.
2/25/12, "66 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 555," NY Times
"In a single office suite in Alexandria, Va., firms
hired by “super PACs” share the same space as consultants hired by the
Romney campaign. Federal law prohibits super PACs from directly
coordinating with candidates, but the groups share many ties and have
paid for many similar services."...via AT, FR
==================================
11/28/12, "The Incestuous Bleeding of the Republican Party," Erick Erickson, RedState
"Strip away the candidate and coalition and it is on the fifth floor of
66 Canal Center Plaza where the seeds of Mitt Romney’s ruin and the
RNC’s get out the vote (GOTV) effort collapsed — bled to death by
charlatan consultants making millions off the party,
its donors,
and the
grassroots."...
======================
11/29/12, "Who's getting rich off of GOP defeat?" Rosslyn Smith, American Thinker, via Free Republic
.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Satellites show sea level rise claims have "been seriously overestimated, with major implications for climate talks currently underway in Doha." PNAS study
.
PNAS study, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
""A new analysis of data from dedicated satellites shows that one of the main factors predicted to drive rising sea levels in future has been seriously overestimated, with major implications for climate talks currently underway in Doha.
The new methods involve filtering out noise from the data produced by the Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment (GRACE) spacecraft, sent into orbit with the aim of finding out just how much ice is melting from the world's ice sheets and glaciers. Such water then runs off into the sea, providing one of the main potential drivers of sea level rise - which is itself perhaps the main reason to worry about climate change....
Simons and his colleague Christopher Harig tried their new methods out on GRACE data covering the Greenland ice sheet, which is of particular interest as theArctic ice cap floats on the sea and so cannot contribute directly to sea level rise
by melting. Meanwhile the Antarctic ice cap is actually getting bigger, so Greenland is probably the major worry.
According to a Princeton statement highlighting the new research:
So the possible acceleration of losses is only barely larger than the margin of error in the readings: it's very difficult to tell the supposed loss curve from a straight line.
In other words the possible acceleration in ice losses is barely perceptible: it may not really be happening at all. Similar results were seen not long ago in GRACE data for central Asian mountain glaciers, another suggested source for sea-level rises.
If the Greenland ice losses aren't accelerating, there's no real reason to worry about them. According to the Princeton statement:
The new GRACE research was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Details of the computer code can be found here.
Doha delegates take note." via Free Republic
==================================
11/29/12, "Stefan Rahmstorf’s Sea Level Amnesia – Using His Own Numbers, Sea Level Rise Actually Slowed Down 3%!," NoTricksZone, Gosselin
"Ulli Kulke, veteran journalist at the German flagship daily DIE WELT, posts a comment at his blog on über-alarmist Stefan Rahmstorf’s claim that “sea levels are rising 60% faster” than previously thought in 2007."...via Climate Depot
.
PNAS study, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
11/28/12, "New science upsets calculations on sea level rise, climate change," UK Register, Lewis Page, "Ice sheet melt massively overestimated, satellites show"
""A new analysis of data from dedicated satellites shows that one of the main factors predicted to drive rising sea levels in future has been seriously overestimated, with major implications for climate talks currently underway in Doha.
The new methods involve filtering out noise from the data produced by the Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment (GRACE) spacecraft, sent into orbit with the aim of finding out just how much ice is melting from the world's ice sheets and glaciers. Such water then runs off into the sea, providing one of the main potential drivers of sea level rise - which is itself perhaps the main reason to worry about climate change....
Simons and his colleague Christopher Harig tried their new methods out on GRACE data covering the Greenland ice sheet, which is of particular interest as theArctic ice cap floats on the sea and so cannot contribute directly to sea level rise
by melting. Meanwhile the Antarctic ice cap is actually getting bigger, so Greenland is probably the major worry.
According to a Princeton statement highlighting the new research:
While overall ice loss on Greenland consistently increased between 2003 and 2010, Harig and Simons found that it was in fact very patchy from region to region.The rate of loss of ice from Greenland is estimated at 199.72 plus-or-minus 6.28 gigatonnes per year
In addition, the enhanced detail of where and how much ice melted allowed the researchers to estimate that the annual acceleration in ice loss is much lower than previous research has suggested, roughly increasing by 8 billion tons every year. Previous estimates were as high as 30 billion tons more per year.
So the possible acceleration of losses is only barely larger than the margin of error in the readings: it's very difficult to tell the supposed loss curve from a straight line.
In other words the possible acceleration in ice losses is barely perceptible: it may not really be happening at all. Similar results were seen not long ago in GRACE data for central Asian mountain glaciers, another suggested source for sea-level rises.
If the Greenland ice losses aren't accelerating, there's no real reason to worry about them. According to the Princeton statement:
At current melt rates, the Greenland ice sheet would take about 13,000 years to melt completely, which would result in a global sea-level rise of more than 21 feet (6.5 meters).Put another way, in that scenario we would be looking at 5cm of sea level rise from Greenland by the year 2130: a paltry amount. Authoritative recent research drawing together all possible causes of sea level rise bears this out, suggesting maximum possible rise in the worst case by 2100 will be 30cm. More probably it will be less, and there will hardly be any difference between the 20th and 21st centuries in sea level terms.
The new GRACE research was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Details of the computer code can be found here.
Doha delegates take note." via Free Republic
==================================
11/29/12, "Stefan Rahmstorf’s Sea Level Amnesia – Using His Own Numbers, Sea Level Rise Actually Slowed Down 3%!," NoTricksZone, Gosselin
"Ulli Kulke, veteran journalist at the German flagship daily DIE WELT, posts a comment at his blog on über-alarmist Stefan Rahmstorf’s claim that “sea levels are rising 60% faster” than previously thought in 2007."...via Climate Depot
.
Majority of Americans now say they don't want government involved in healthcare, Gallup Poll, 11/15-11/18/12
.
11/28/12, "In U.S., Majority Now Against Gov't Healthcare Guarantee," Gallup Poll
"For the first time in Gallup trends since 2000, a majority of Americans say it is not the federal government's responsibility to make sure all Americans have healthcare coverage. Prior to 2009, a majority always felt the government should ensure healthcare coverage for all, though Americans' views have become more divided in recent years.
The current results are based on Gallup's annual Health and Healthcare poll, conducted Nov. 15-18 this year.
The shift away from the view that the government should ensure healthcare coverage for all began shortly after President Barack Obama's election and has continued the past several years during the discussions and ultimate passage of the Affordable Care Act in March 2010. Americans are divided on that legislation today -- 48% approve and 45% disapprove -- as they have been over the last several years.
Republicans, including Republican-leaning independents, are mostly responsible for the drop since 2007 in Americans' support for government ensuring universal health coverage. In 2007, 38% of Republicans thought the government should do so; now, 12% do. Among Democrats and Democratic leaners there has been a much smaller drop, from 81% saying the government should make sure all Americans are covered in 2007 to 71% now.
One thing that has not changed is that Americans still widely prefer a system based on private insurance to one run by the government. Currently, 57% prefer a private system and 36% a government-run system, essentially the same as in 2010 and 2011. Prior to the passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, the percentage of Americans in favor of a government-run system ranged from 32% to 41%."...via Rush Limbaugh
=================================
In April 2012 Obama campaign manager Axelrod complained publicly about Gallup methodology that showed Romney ahead. After Gallup declined to change its methods, Obama DOJ sued Gallup on another matter.The election's over but there's a negative poll on ObamaCare, per above, and a new attack on Gallup by the White House:
11/28/12, "Gallup accused of bilking government," Washington Post, S. Horwitz
"The Justice Department accused the Gallup
Organization on Wednesday of bilking federal agencies out of millions of dollars by routinely inflating prices for contracts.
The 57-page civil complaint says that Gallup, the world’s best-known polling organization, inflated estimates for the number of hours that it would take to perform its polling services for the Treasury and State departments. The Justice Department accused Gallup of submitting false invoices totaling $13 million."...
.
11/28/12, "In U.S., Majority Now Against Gov't Healthcare Guarantee," Gallup Poll
"For the first time in Gallup trends since 2000, a majority of Americans say it is not the federal government's responsibility to make sure all Americans have healthcare coverage. Prior to 2009, a majority always felt the government should ensure healthcare coverage for all, though Americans' views have become more divided in recent years.
The current results are based on Gallup's annual Health and Healthcare poll, conducted Nov. 15-18 this year.
The shift away from the view that the government should ensure healthcare coverage for all began shortly after President Barack Obama's election and has continued the past several years during the discussions and ultimate passage of the Affordable Care Act in March 2010. Americans are divided on that legislation today -- 48% approve and 45% disapprove -- as they have been over the last several years.
Republicans, including Republican-leaning independents, are mostly responsible for the drop since 2007 in Americans' support for government ensuring universal health coverage. In 2007, 38% of Republicans thought the government should do so; now, 12% do. Among Democrats and Democratic leaners there has been a much smaller drop, from 81% saying the government should make sure all Americans are covered in 2007 to 71% now.
One thing that has not changed is that Americans still widely prefer a system based on private insurance to one run by the government. Currently, 57% prefer a private system and 36% a government-run system, essentially the same as in 2010 and 2011. Prior to the passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, the percentage of Americans in favor of a government-run system ranged from 32% to 41%."...via Rush Limbaugh
=================================
In April 2012 Obama campaign manager Axelrod complained publicly about Gallup methodology that showed Romney ahead. After Gallup declined to change its methods, Obama DOJ sued Gallup on another matter.The election's over but there's a negative poll on ObamaCare, per above, and a new attack on Gallup by the White House:
11/28/12, "Gallup accused of bilking government," Washington Post, S. Horwitz
"The Justice Department accused the Gallup
Organization on Wednesday of bilking federal agencies out of millions of dollars by routinely inflating prices for contracts.
The 57-page civil complaint says that Gallup, the world’s best-known polling organization, inflated estimates for the number of hours that it would take to perform its polling services for the Treasury and State departments. The Justice Department accused Gallup of submitting false invoices totaling $13 million."...
.
Treasurer to California Democrats in congress embezzled millions, sentenced to 8 yrs. in jail
.
11/28/12, "Treasurer to California Democrats Sentenced to 8 Years for Embezzlement," Roll Call, A. Becker
"The California campaign treasurer whose embezzlement scheme emptied the coffers of some of Congress’ most prominent Democrats was sentenced Wednesday to roughly eight years in prison by a federal judge in Sacramento.
Kinde Durkee, 59, will also pay $10.5 million in restitution to her former clients and will be subject to three years of supervised release after she serves her sentence. She has until Jan. 2 to surrender to authorities.
The case is believed to be the largest campaign embezzlement scandal to date.
Durkee pleaded guilty in March to five counts of mail fraud after the government found that between $7 million and $20 million was missing from the accounts of Durkee & Associates clients. Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Reps. Loretta Sanchez , Linda T. Sánchez and Susan A. Davis, all California Democrats, were among those on Capitol Hill who lost money."...
.
11/28/12, "Treasurer to California Democrats Sentenced to 8 Years for Embezzlement," Roll Call, A. Becker
"The California campaign treasurer whose embezzlement scheme emptied the coffers of some of Congress’ most prominent Democrats was sentenced Wednesday to roughly eight years in prison by a federal judge in Sacramento.
Kinde Durkee, 59, will also pay $10.5 million in restitution to her former clients and will be subject to three years of supervised release after she serves her sentence. She has until Jan. 2 to surrender to authorities.
The case is believed to be the largest campaign embezzlement scandal to date.
Durkee pleaded guilty in March to five counts of mail fraud after the government found that between $7 million and $20 million was missing from the accounts of Durkee & Associates clients. Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Reps. Loretta Sanchez , Linda T. Sánchez and Susan A. Davis, all California Democrats, were among those on Capitol Hill who lost money."...
.
Oakland, Calif. averages 33 burglaries a day
.
11/28/12, "Phil Matier: Oakland Crime Rate Soaring As City Loses Officers," sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com
"Burglaries are up a startling 43 percent in Oakland this year compared to last, part of an ever-growing crime problem in the city.
According to the latest numbers from the Oakland Police Department, more than 11,000 homes, cars or businesses have been broken into so far this year – translating to about 33 burglaries a day. The most popular targets have been cars with more than 5,700 burglarized so far this year."...
.
11/28/12, "Phil Matier: Oakland Crime Rate Soaring As City Loses Officers," sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com
"Burglaries are up a startling 43 percent in Oakland this year compared to last, part of an ever-growing crime problem in the city.
According to the latest numbers from the Oakland Police Department, more than 11,000 homes, cars or businesses have been broken into so far this year – translating to about 33 burglaries a day. The most popular targets have been cars with more than 5,700 burglarized so far this year."...
.
October 2012 new home sales down missing expectations, Sept. 2012 revised ‘sharply lower’-shockingly
.
11/28/12, “Surprise: Right After The Election, New Home Sales Tumble From Downward Revised Two Year High,“ Zero Hedge
“There are those who may be surprised that last month’s number of Seasonally Adjusted New Home Sales, which was then reported at 389K, and which number
hit the airwaves days before the Obama reelection,
was the highest since April 2010. We are not among them,
as we were fully expecting today’s number to be a major revision of the September number lower
- as just happened,
with the whopper of a print revised far lower to 369K – but doubled down with
the additional miss of expectations of Seasonally Adjusted annualized new home sales of 390K for October when in reality only 368K were sold.
All these numbers are annualized. When observed on an as is basis, in October there was a grand total of 29,000 new homes sold in the entire USA, with the
Northeast representing a whopping… 2,000 of this.
Oh and of the 29,000 houses sold, 9,000 were not even started. And finally, for those who enjoy pointing out the rise in home prices driven only and exclusively by foreclosure inventory stuffing and removal of all such real estate from the open markets,
both the median and average new home price ($237,700 and $278,900) printed at at the lowest since June. Oh wait, we know: Sandy’s fault (Oct. 29). Which explains all bad data. When the data is good, it is nobody’s fault.
Please point out the housing “recovery” on the chart below.”
Sandy storm didn’t hit the northeast until evening on Mon. Oct. 29. Reuters wants to help Obama so they describe it hitting “at the end of October.”
After devoting a few lines to “some suggest” scary weather may have been the cause of the entire month being poor they note the Commerce Dept. saying Sandy had no effect on data collection and overall impact was "minimal."
11/28/12, “New home sales stagnant, cast shadow on housing,” Reuters, J. Lange
“New U.S. single-family home sales fell slightly in October and sales for the prior month (Sept.) were revised sharply lower, casting a faint shadow over one of the brighter spots in the U.S. economy.
The Commerce Department said on Wednesday sales dropped 0.3 percent last month to a 368,000-unit annual rate, [forecast was 390,000, below] while September’s sales pace was revised to 369,000 from 389,000….
Sales weak in Northeast
Some analysts suggested the decline in sales in October might be partially due to a mammoth storm that slammed into the U.S. East Coast at the end of October.
New sales plunged 32.3 percent in the Northeast, which bore the brunt of the storm.
“Some of this could potentially be Hurricane Sandy,” said Megan McGrath, an analyst at MKM Partners in Stamford, Connecticut.
However, the Commerce Department said the storm did not affect data collection at all and its impact on sales was likely “minimal.”
Economists polled by Reuters had forecast sales rising to a 390,000-unit rate last month from September’s previously reported 389,000-unit rate.
To provide support for the housing market, the Fed has kept interest rates at rock-bottom levels since 2008. In September, it launched an open-ended program to buy mortgage-backed securities,
11/28/12,”U.S. New Home Sales Dip 0.3% In October, September Rate Revised Sharply Lower,” RTTnews.com
“New home sales in the South, the nation’s largest housing market, also fell 11.6 percent to an annual rate of 176,000.”…(item near end of article)
———————————————–
Ed. note: Keeping interest rates at zero eliminates modest passbook savings interest seniors have traditionally used to pay for food. Like everything else, no one cares.
.
11/28/12, “Surprise: Right After The Election, New Home Sales Tumble From Downward Revised Two Year High,“ Zero Hedge
“There are those who may be surprised that last month’s number of Seasonally Adjusted New Home Sales, which was then reported at 389K, and which number
hit the airwaves days before the Obama reelection,
was the highest since April 2010. We are not among them,
as we were fully expecting today’s number to be a major revision of the September number lower
- as just happened,
with the whopper of a print revised far lower to 369K – but doubled down with
the additional miss of expectations of Seasonally Adjusted annualized new home sales of 390K for October when in reality only 368K were sold.
All these numbers are annualized. When observed on an as is basis, in October there was a grand total of 29,000 new homes sold in the entire USA, with the
Northeast representing a whopping… 2,000 of this.
Oh and of the 29,000 houses sold, 9,000 were not even started. And finally, for those who enjoy pointing out the rise in home prices driven only and exclusively by foreclosure inventory stuffing and removal of all such real estate from the open markets,
both the median and average new home price ($237,700 and $278,900) printed at at the lowest since June. Oh wait, we know: Sandy’s fault (Oct. 29). Which explains all bad data. When the data is good, it is nobody’s fault.
Please point out the housing “recovery” on the chart below.”
Sandy storm didn’t hit the northeast until evening on Mon. Oct. 29. Reuters wants to help Obama so they describe it hitting “at the end of October.”
After devoting a few lines to “some suggest” scary weather may have been the cause of the entire month being poor they note the Commerce Dept. saying Sandy had no effect on data collection and overall impact was "minimal."
11/28/12, “New home sales stagnant, cast shadow on housing,” Reuters, J. Lange
“New U.S. single-family home sales fell slightly in October and sales for the prior month (Sept.) were revised sharply lower, casting a faint shadow over one of the brighter spots in the U.S. economy.
The Commerce Department said on Wednesday sales dropped 0.3 percent last month to a 368,000-unit annual rate, [forecast was 390,000, below] while September’s sales pace was revised to 369,000 from 389,000….
Sales weak in Northeast
Some analysts suggested the decline in sales in October might be partially due to a mammoth storm that slammed into the U.S. East Coast at the end of October.
New sales plunged 32.3 percent in the Northeast, which bore the brunt of the storm.
“Some of this could potentially be Hurricane Sandy,” said Megan McGrath, an analyst at MKM Partners in Stamford, Connecticut.
However, the Commerce Department said the storm did not affect data collection at all and its impact on sales was likely “minimal.”
Economists polled by Reuters had forecast sales rising to a 390,000-unit rate last month from September’s previously reported 389,000-unit rate.
To provide support for the housing market, the Fed has kept interest rates at rock-bottom levels since 2008. In September, it launched an open-ended program to buy mortgage-backed securities,
- driving mortgage rates to record lows.”
11/28/12,”U.S. New Home Sales Dip 0.3% In October, September Rate Revised Sharply Lower,” RTTnews.com
“New home sales in the South, the nation’s largest housing market, also fell 11.6 percent to an annual rate of 176,000.”…(item near end of article)
———————————————–
Ed. note: Keeping interest rates at zero eliminates modest passbook savings interest seniors have traditionally used to pay for food. Like everything else, no one cares.
.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Sec. of State candidate Susan Rice is wealthiest person in the executive branch or close second to Hillary Clinton
.
11/28/12, “Secretary of State Candidate Has a Major Financial Stake in Canadian Tar Sands,” onearth.org, Scott Dodd
(parag. 11): “According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Rice’s net worth sat somewhere between $23.5 million and $43.5 million in 2009, the latest year for which the center has done a full analysis of her finances. That makes her either the wealthiest person currently serving in the executive branch or a close second to Clinton. (The uncertainty surrounding these figures is due to the way officials are required to disclose their investments; instead of declaring the specific amount of stock they own, they are required by law only to declare a range.)…
It’s unclear when Rice began investing in Canadian energy and banks, but the Stanford University graduate and Rhodes Scholar worked for the prestigious McKinsey & Company consulting firm’s Toronto office from 1990 to 1993, marrying Canadian-born TV producer Ian Cameron in 1992. She then joined the National Security Council under President Bill Clinton. (Financial disclosure forms aren’t available for Rice’s security council tenure; by law, they’re destroyed after six years.)
Rice later became President Clinton’s assistant secretary of state for African affairs, then joined the nonprofit Brookings Institution think tank during the George W. Bush administration. She advised both the Kerry and Obama presidential campaigns on foreign policy.
According to the reports she filed in May 2012, Rice and her husband have a wide-ranging portfolio that includes more than 100 securities, such as IBM, Monsanto, Apple, BP, and McDonald’s. Dan Auble, a researcher at the Center for Responsive Politics who studies the personal finances of public officials, said it’s not unusual to see energy investments play a significant role in their financial portfolios, as they do with Rice and her husband. (Auble said the holdings of a public official’s spouse are included in financial disclosure reports because they have the same potential to create a conflict of interest.) In their case, however, nine of the 14 holdings they claimed that top $500,000 are Canadian energy interests or banks….
According to her most recent financial disclosure reports, along with her TransCanada investments, Rice and her husband own at least $1.5 million worth of stock in Enbridge (Canada’s No. 3 oil producer, according to Forbes), Cenovus (No. 7), and Encana (No. 8), as well as at least $1.25 million in Imperial (No. 2), $50,000 to $100,000 in Suncor (No. 1), and $15,000 to $50,000 in Canadian Natural (No. 6). (TransCanada is ranked at No. 5 by Forbes.) The couple has at least $1.25 million invested in Transalta, Alberta’s largest coal-fired electricity power producer, and at least $1.5 million in Canadian Pacific Railway, which transports coal, oil, and gas and has been a major financial beneficiary of the North American energy boom.
On the banking side, Rice has investments totaling at least $5 million and up to $11.25 million in Bank of Montreal, Bank of Nova Scotia, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Royal Bank of Canada, and Toronto Dominion. A report by the Dutch consulting firm Profundo Economic Research says several of these same banks are largely responsible for underwriting the expansion of Canada’s tar sands industry. “Investment in tar sands infrastructure now surpasses that of manufacturing across all of Canada,” according to the report.”…via Tom Nelson
.
11/28/12, “Secretary of State Candidate Has a Major Financial Stake in Canadian Tar Sands,” onearth.org, Scott Dodd
(parag. 11): “According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Rice’s net worth sat somewhere between $23.5 million and $43.5 million in 2009, the latest year for which the center has done a full analysis of her finances. That makes her either the wealthiest person currently serving in the executive branch or a close second to Clinton. (The uncertainty surrounding these figures is due to the way officials are required to disclose their investments; instead of declaring the specific amount of stock they own, they are required by law only to declare a range.)…
It’s unclear when Rice began investing in Canadian energy and banks, but the Stanford University graduate and Rhodes Scholar worked for the prestigious McKinsey & Company consulting firm’s Toronto office from 1990 to 1993, marrying Canadian-born TV producer Ian Cameron in 1992. She then joined the National Security Council under President Bill Clinton. (Financial disclosure forms aren’t available for Rice’s security council tenure; by law, they’re destroyed after six years.)
Rice later became President Clinton’s assistant secretary of state for African affairs, then joined the nonprofit Brookings Institution think tank during the George W. Bush administration. She advised both the Kerry and Obama presidential campaigns on foreign policy.
According to the reports she filed in May 2012, Rice and her husband have a wide-ranging portfolio that includes more than 100 securities, such as IBM, Monsanto, Apple, BP, and McDonald’s. Dan Auble, a researcher at the Center for Responsive Politics who studies the personal finances of public officials, said it’s not unusual to see energy investments play a significant role in their financial portfolios, as they do with Rice and her husband. (Auble said the holdings of a public official’s spouse are included in financial disclosure reports because they have the same potential to create a conflict of interest.) In their case, however, nine of the 14 holdings they claimed that top $500,000 are Canadian energy interests or banks….
According to her most recent financial disclosure reports, along with her TransCanada investments, Rice and her husband own at least $1.5 million worth of stock in Enbridge (Canada’s No. 3 oil producer, according to Forbes), Cenovus (No. 7), and Encana (No. 8), as well as at least $1.25 million in Imperial (No. 2), $50,000 to $100,000 in Suncor (No. 1), and $15,000 to $50,000 in Canadian Natural (No. 6). (TransCanada is ranked at No. 5 by Forbes.) The couple has at least $1.25 million invested in Transalta, Alberta’s largest coal-fired electricity power producer, and at least $1.5 million in Canadian Pacific Railway, which transports coal, oil, and gas and has been a major financial beneficiary of the North American energy boom.
On the banking side, Rice has investments totaling at least $5 million and up to $11.25 million in Bank of Montreal, Bank of Nova Scotia, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Royal Bank of Canada, and Toronto Dominion. A report by the Dutch consulting firm Profundo Economic Research says several of these same banks are largely responsible for underwriting the expansion of Canada’s tar sands industry. “Investment in tar sands infrastructure now surpasses that of manufacturing across all of Canada,” according to the report.”…via Tom Nelson
.
3 cases of vote fraud found in Mower Count, Minn., officials won't elaborate
.
11/26/12, "Voter Fraud Found in Mower County," KAAL TV, ABC 6 News, Austin, Minnesota
"The Voter ID Amendment has come and gone, but now that the election is over, we're checking to see if voter fraud was an issue this year. In many counties in our area it wasn't, but Mower County is investigating three cases.
It was one of the biggest issues on the ballot, but Minnesota voters have spoken, saying no to Voter ID. "I did not support changing the constitution," said Democratic Representative Jeanne Poppe. ..."Changing the constitution is a high threshold to do something that I think, if it needs to be done, it needs to be done legislatively," said Poppe.
She says she still stands by that, even after Mower County officials say three people allegedly committed voter fraud this election. "Should we change everything for three people? We need to find the right solution," she said.
"It's kind of unusual that we caught three people allegedly trying to commit fraud in Mower County, nevertheless, I think that we need to press forward and try to gain new additional methods in order to detect and prevent people from committing voter fraud," said Republican Mike Benson.
However even larger counties, like Olmsted, saw nothing. "We probably had somewhere around 93.5 percent of voter turnout to the tune of about 78,000 ballots and in Olmsted County, where we have not seen any evidence of voter fraud in the 2012 election," said Olmsted County Director of Property Records and Licensing, Mark Krupski.
Proponents of the knocked-down amendment argue that many may have lied at the polls, we just don't know it.
"First of all, I was a very strong proponent of the Voter ID and I think there is a need in the election system to add integrity. I don't think we catch all of the voter fraud that goes on and I think it would be very difficult in our current system to find out," said Rep. Benson.
We do not know what happened in the three cases of voter fraud in Mower County because officials would not speak on that. We also checked with Freeborn County, they say they had no cases of voter fraud this year.
Though in the past, both Freeborn and Olmsted counties had a couple cases. These were all felons who didn't know if their rights had been restored." via Free Republic
.
11/26/12, "Voter Fraud Found in Mower County," KAAL TV, ABC 6 News, Austin, Minnesota
"The Voter ID Amendment has come and gone, but now that the election is over, we're checking to see if voter fraud was an issue this year. In many counties in our area it wasn't, but Mower County is investigating three cases.
It was one of the biggest issues on the ballot, but Minnesota voters have spoken, saying no to Voter ID. "I did not support changing the constitution," said Democratic Representative Jeanne Poppe. ..."Changing the constitution is a high threshold to do something that I think, if it needs to be done, it needs to be done legislatively," said Poppe.
She says she still stands by that, even after Mower County officials say three people allegedly committed voter fraud this election. "Should we change everything for three people? We need to find the right solution," she said.
"It's kind of unusual that we caught three people allegedly trying to commit fraud in Mower County, nevertheless, I think that we need to press forward and try to gain new additional methods in order to detect and prevent people from committing voter fraud," said Republican Mike Benson.
However even larger counties, like Olmsted, saw nothing. "We probably had somewhere around 93.5 percent of voter turnout to the tune of about 78,000 ballots and in Olmsted County, where we have not seen any evidence of voter fraud in the 2012 election," said Olmsted County Director of Property Records and Licensing, Mark Krupski.
Proponents of the knocked-down amendment argue that many may have lied at the polls, we just don't know it.
"First of all, I was a very strong proponent of the Voter ID and I think there is a need in the election system to add integrity. I don't think we catch all of the voter fraud that goes on and I think it would be very difficult in our current system to find out," said Rep. Benson.
We do not know what happened in the three cases of voter fraud in Mower County because officials would not speak on that. We also checked with Freeborn County, they say they had no cases of voter fraud this year.
Though in the past, both Freeborn and Olmsted counties had a couple cases. These were all felons who didn't know if their rights had been restored." via Free Republic
.
3Q 2012 home prices fall in NY City and Chicago, weakness in financial sector cited for both cities
.
11/28/12, "Housing $$ gains forget NY," NY Post, Paul Tharp
"New York home prices fell 2.3 percent at the end of the third quarter compared with the year-ago quarter — while most of the country was seeing home prices rebound, a survey yesterday showed.
The weakness in the Big Apple was the result of weakness in the financial services sector, born out of Wall Street’s fears over tighter regulation, said David Blitzer, director of the S&P/Case-Shiller Index, which produced the survey.
The survey, which tracks the top 20 metropolitan areas, showed homes prices overall gained 3.6 percent in the quarter — their best upswing since July 2010.
Chicago was the only other city seeing prices decline.
“Banks and financial services drive the economies in these two cities, and their malaise over tighter regulation in their industries is finally catching up with them,” said Blitzer.
Hurricane Sandy might also boost home prices next year, as demand for construction services and scarce materials rise, he said.
This, Blitzer noted, might make the bargain-priced fixer-upper you were eyeing eventually cost more than you had hoped."....
.
11/28/12, "Housing $$ gains forget NY," NY Post, Paul Tharp
"New York home prices fell 2.3 percent at the end of the third quarter compared with the year-ago quarter — while most of the country was seeing home prices rebound, a survey yesterday showed.
The weakness in the Big Apple was the result of weakness in the financial services sector, born out of Wall Street’s fears over tighter regulation, said David Blitzer, director of the S&P/Case-Shiller Index, which produced the survey.
The survey, which tracks the top 20 metropolitan areas, showed homes prices overall gained 3.6 percent in the quarter — their best upswing since July 2010.
Chicago was the only other city seeing prices decline.
“Banks and financial services drive the economies in these two cities, and their malaise over tighter regulation in their industries is finally catching up with them,” said Blitzer.
Hurricane Sandy might also boost home prices next year, as demand for construction services and scarce materials rise, he said.
This, Blitzer noted, might make the bargain-priced fixer-upper you were eyeing eventually cost more than you had hoped."....
.
Romney Campaign was a scam from beginning, had no intention of winning, evidenced by failed hacks he hired. For example Rich Beeson. Erick Erickson explains laundry cycle involving such individuals
.
The GOP establishment/Bush crowd proved again they're not built for winning, only for getting a guy they can control who'll give them the consultant fees.
11/27/12, "FLS: Screw Up, Lose, and Spin," Erick Erickson, RedState
"On January 2, 2009, I wrote about FLS Connect. FLS Connect received over $1 million from the National Republican Campaign Committee in 2008. It was also, back then, the third largest recipient of expenditures from the Republican National Committee, netting around $30 million.
As I wrote then, “Rich Beeson is the Political Director of the RNC. Before going to the RNC (and after leaving the RNC I’m sure), Beeson was a partner at FLS.”
Beeson went on to be the Political Director for Mitt Romney
in charge of the now famous ORCA program collapse. But let’s go back to what I wrote in 2009. Remember the much touted and beloved voter vault program?
The RNC, which did all the hard work of putting together the much touted Voter Vault program sold the data to FLS and now has a very pricey lease back from FLS. Voter Vault is also pretty much crap these days. After all that investment and now a costly lease back program, I’m told the data isn’t that reliable any more. . . .
Here’s the thing: according to some friends inside the RNC, no other phone vendors were allowed to bid on the work that FLS got. None. Now, the rates don’t seem out of line, though there is some suspicion from a few friends at the RNC that FLS charged more for calls not connected to the campaign. (I don’t know what the live call rate was billed at)
I don’t know Rich Beeson. I don’t know anything about FLS Connect, though I’m sure they are a good vendor if the President used them.
But does it not seem wholly improper that
the Political Director of the RNC gave a multi-million dollar contract to his own company without opening bidding to anyone else? He told National Journal he wasn’t getting anything for it. But come on — the guy was a partner at the firm and will probably head back there if he isn’t there already. He’s getting a benefit. It’s just delayed.
In fact, we see this pattern now that we saw with Rich Beeson then. Republican consultants are claiming they are not getting any sort of money for all those ad commissions, mail commissions, etc.
They’re just doing it for free or some such. This is all so familiar. But here’s where it gets better.
Beeson was a partner at FLS. The FLS stands for Feather, Larson, and Syndhorst. As an aside, it is hilarious that the FLS Connect website looks like something out of MS Frontpage ’98.
Rich Beeson left FLS and went to the RNC and wound up going to serve as Mitt Romney’s Political Director.
Jeff Larson, the L in FLS, left his partnership at FLS to become the Chief of Staff
at the Republican National Committee.
He is in that position currently.
On CNN tonight, Reince Priebus announced the RNC will do an “autopsy” on what happened.
So will Rich Beeson’s former partner at FLS, Jeff Larson, who now works at the RNC where Beeson used to work, be involved in this autopsy? Given his position, he would just about have to be.
Incest leads to all sorts of birth defects, in kids and in campaigns."
=================================
Among comments:
================================
"WarEagle01 •
I
just can't believe I actually donated money to the Romney campaign. It
was a scam from the beginning. If I ever ran into one of these
"consultants" somewhere I think I'd probably kick him in jimmies and
then take his wallet while he's doubled over in pain. That's how mad I
am at these people." ================================= "stanleybix •
The GOP establishment/Bush crowd proved again they're not built for winning, only for getting a guy they can control who'll give them the consultant fees.
11/27/12, "FLS: Screw Up, Lose, and Spin," Erick Erickson, RedState
"On January 2, 2009, I wrote about FLS Connect. FLS Connect received over $1 million from the National Republican Campaign Committee in 2008. It was also, back then, the third largest recipient of expenditures from the Republican National Committee, netting around $30 million.
As I wrote then, “Rich Beeson is the Political Director of the RNC. Before going to the RNC (and after leaving the RNC I’m sure), Beeson was a partner at FLS.”
Beeson went on to be the Political Director for Mitt Romney
in charge of the now famous ORCA program collapse. But let’s go back to what I wrote in 2009. Remember the much touted and beloved voter vault program?
The RNC, which did all the hard work of putting together the much touted Voter Vault program sold the data to FLS and now has a very pricey lease back from FLS. Voter Vault is also pretty much crap these days. After all that investment and now a costly lease back program, I’m told the data isn’t that reliable any more. . . .
Here’s the thing: according to some friends inside the RNC, no other phone vendors were allowed to bid on the work that FLS got. None. Now, the rates don’t seem out of line, though there is some suspicion from a few friends at the RNC that FLS charged more for calls not connected to the campaign. (I don’t know what the live call rate was billed at)
I don’t know Rich Beeson. I don’t know anything about FLS Connect, though I’m sure they are a good vendor if the President used them.
But does it not seem wholly improper that
the Political Director of the RNC gave a multi-million dollar contract to his own company without opening bidding to anyone else? He told National Journal he wasn’t getting anything for it. But come on — the guy was a partner at the firm and will probably head back there if he isn’t there already. He’s getting a benefit. It’s just delayed.
In fact, we see this pattern now that we saw with Rich Beeson then. Republican consultants are claiming they are not getting any sort of money for all those ad commissions, mail commissions, etc.
They’re just doing it for free or some such. This is all so familiar. But here’s where it gets better.
Beeson was a partner at FLS. The FLS stands for Feather, Larson, and Syndhorst. As an aside, it is hilarious that the FLS Connect website looks like something out of MS Frontpage ’98.
Rich Beeson left FLS and went to the RNC and wound up going to serve as Mitt Romney’s Political Director.
Jeff Larson, the L in FLS, left his partnership at FLS to become the Chief of Staff
at the Republican National Committee.
He is in that position currently.
On CNN tonight, Reince Priebus announced the RNC will do an “autopsy” on what happened.
So will Rich Beeson’s former partner at FLS, Jeff Larson, who now works at the RNC where Beeson used to work, be involved in this autopsy? Given his position, he would just about have to be.
Incest leads to all sorts of birth defects, in kids and in campaigns."
=================================
Among comments:
================================
2676 US military deaths from 2001-2012 were via suicide. 3871 veterans committed suicide in 2008 and 2009
.
11/27/12, "In suicide epidemic, military wrestles with prosecuting troops who attempt it," McClatchy
"Last year, the 301 known military suicides accounted for 20 percent of U.S. military deaths. From 2001 to August 2012, the U.S. military counted 2,676 suicides.
It’s also becoming more common among veterans. Though timely numbers are elusive, the Department of Veterans Affairs reported that 3,871 veterans who were enrolled in VA care killed themselves in 2008 and 2009.
Active-duty members of the military who succeed in killing themselves are treated as having died honorably. Active-duty members who try and fail may be prosecuted under the Uniform Code of Military Justice if the suicide attempt is deemed conduct that causes “prejudice to good order and discipline” or has a “tendency to bring the service into disrepute.”
“You don’t think people will think less well of the military if people are killing themselves?” Judge Margaret A. Ryan asked rhetorically.
The Marine Corps recorded 163 suicide attempts last year and 157 attempts so far this year, according to the service’s Suicide Prevention Program. Statistics for other branches weren’t immediately available. Prosecutions are infrequent, but they do occur."...via Drudge
.
11/27/12, "In suicide epidemic, military wrestles with prosecuting troops who attempt it," McClatchy
"Last year, the 301 known military suicides accounted for 20 percent of U.S. military deaths. From 2001 to August 2012, the U.S. military counted 2,676 suicides.
It’s also becoming more common among veterans. Though timely numbers are elusive, the Department of Veterans Affairs reported that 3,871 veterans who were enrolled in VA care killed themselves in 2008 and 2009.
Active-duty members of the military who succeed in killing themselves are treated as having died honorably. Active-duty members who try and fail may be prosecuted under the Uniform Code of Military Justice if the suicide attempt is deemed conduct that causes “prejudice to good order and discipline” or has a “tendency to bring the service into disrepute.”
“You don’t think people will think less well of the military if people are killing themselves?” Judge Margaret A. Ryan asked rhetorically.
The Marine Corps recorded 163 suicide attempts last year and 157 attempts so far this year, according to the service’s Suicide Prevention Program. Statistics for other branches weren’t immediately available. Prosecutions are infrequent, but they do occur."...via Drudge
.
The idea that Susan Rice owes us answers is a joke say commenters
.
11/27/12, "Make Up Turned Break Up," Maureen Dowd, NY Times op-ed columnist
Among comments to Ms. Dowd's article about GOP questioning of Susan Rice:
"Bill Appledorf, British Columbia
Breitbart's headline on page 1 of the website about this pathetic non-story was :
.
(Sorry this post looks a mess--I tried to align it many times but blogger wasn't in the mood. ed.)
.
11/27/12, "Make Up Turned Break Up," Maureen Dowd, NY Times op-ed columnist
Among comments to Ms. Dowd's article about GOP questioning of Susan Rice:
"Bill Appledorf, British Columbia
Breitbart's headline on page 1 of the website about this pathetic non-story was :
"GOP Senators Take Gloves Off"
What? Lame phonies take gloves off? Breitbart has turned into the RNC.
-----------------------------------
11/27/12, "GOP Senators: Obama Hasn't Answered 'Most Basic' Questions on Benghazi," Breitbart, Ben Shapiro. photo below from Breitbart, scary GOP'ers Ayotte, Graham, and McCain
.
(Sorry this post looks a mess--I tried to align it many times but blogger wasn't in the mood. ed.)
.
The Civilized World has a leader again, Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of of Canada: 'The ideology of anti-Israel mob is a threat to all of us.' Told Abbas, Canadian consequences await his continued pursuit of UN statehood
.
11/27/12, "Harper took steps to stifle Palestinian statehood bid," Globe and Mail, Campbell Clark
"Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his government have intervened to pressure the Palestinian Authority to drop its bid for upgraded status at the United Nations, further cementing Canada’s transition into one of Israel’s firmest allies.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, rebuffed in an attempt last year to have the 15-member UN Security Council recognize a Palestinian state, on Thursday is planning to ask all countries at the UN to approve Palestinian status as a non-member observer state on Thursday – a bid Israel staunchly opposes.
Eight weeks ago, when he was in New York to accept an award from a private organization, Mr. Harper took a drive across the city as countries assembled for the opening of the new session of the UN General Assembly to have a short, brusque meeting with Mr. Abbas.
In a little room at the United Nations, Mr. Harper skipped most of the pleasantries in a 15-minute meeting, according to sources briefed on the session, and told Mr. Abbas he had come to deliver a message: If you keep doing what you’re doing, he said – referring to the Palestinian bid for upgraded status – “there will be consequences.”
It was just one part of the bare-knuckle approach Canada has taken toward the UN bid, though largely out of public view....
Mr. Abbas’s Fatah is the faction that the West prefers, but the quick consensus in the Middle East is that Hamas “resistance” has won ground in public opinion during the week of Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, and moderate Fatah has been weakened, including in the West Bank....
The United States and Canada have listed Hamas as a terrorist organization. Fatah, founded by Yasser Arafat, has been more or less encouraged: the Palestinian Authority gets aid from Washington and Ottawa and its de facto diplomats are received in both capitals. So far.
A source said the Canadian government has warned the Palestinian Authority’s representatives that their “embassy” in Ottawa – in fact a delegation office, because Palestine isn’t a state – might be closed, and the Palestinian envoy, Said Hamad, sent home.
In addition, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird has told several people, including Palestinian representatives, that he’ll travel to New York to personally cast the vote against the UN bid, several sources said.
There are more serious potential aspects to the “consequences” about which Mr. Harper warned: cutting off money. Ottawa pledged $300-million in aid over five years starting in 2008, and that period is about to run out....
Mr. Abbas launched a bid for full UN membership last year, but that required approval of the 15-member Security Council, and it was stifled with the U.S. threatening a veto. Now he plans to return Nov. 29 with proposal to have the General Assembly – in a vote he is expected to win handily – grant “non-member observer state” status. The key word is state, for its symbolic value and because it might open doors to UN agencies and the International Criminal Court....
The U.S. is against it, and the Harper government has lobbied vociferously. Others, such as Britain, have also asked them to delay, arguing it is “not helpful” now.
Mr. Abbas has been undeterred. His officials have said they’re willing to negotiate with Israel, but only once they win a “victory” at the UN....
Mr. Harper’s government has worked to derail Mr. Abbas’s plan, along with the U.S., Israel, and a few others."...via Mark Levin show
==================================
11/27/12, "Canadian PM Personally Intervened to Stop PA Statehood Bid at UN," Israel National News
"Harper has long been recognized a strong friend of the Jewish state.
"[W]hen Israel, the only country in the world whose very existence is under attack, is consistently and conspicuously singled out for condemnation, I believe we are morally obligated to take a stand," Harper said last year.
Harper said Canada must oppose demonization, double standards and de-legitimization.
"Not just because it is the right thing to do, but because history shows us, and the ideology of the anti-Israel mob tell us all too well, that those who threaten the existence of the Jewish people
are in the longer term a threat to all of us," he said.
"Whether it is at the United Nations or any other international forum, the easiest thing to do is simply to just get along and go along with this anti-Israel rhetoric, to pretend it is just about being even-handed, and to excuse oneself with the label of honest broker," Harper added.
The Canadian prime minister further affirmed that "as long as I am prime minister… Canada will take not that stand, whatever the cost." via Atlas Shrugs
.
PM Harper in Ottawa, 11/20/12, reuters
Above, a delighted Obama and Abbas, undated
.
11/27/12, "Harper took steps to stifle Palestinian statehood bid," Globe and Mail, Campbell Clark
"Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his government have intervened to pressure the Palestinian Authority to drop its bid for upgraded status at the United Nations, further cementing Canada’s transition into one of Israel’s firmest allies.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, rebuffed in an attempt last year to have the 15-member UN Security Council recognize a Palestinian state, on Thursday is planning to ask all countries at the UN to approve Palestinian status as a non-member observer state on Thursday – a bid Israel staunchly opposes.
Eight weeks ago, when he was in New York to accept an award from a private organization, Mr. Harper took a drive across the city as countries assembled for the opening of the new session of the UN General Assembly to have a short, brusque meeting with Mr. Abbas.
In a little room at the United Nations, Mr. Harper skipped most of the pleasantries in a 15-minute meeting, according to sources briefed on the session, and told Mr. Abbas he had come to deliver a message: If you keep doing what you’re doing, he said – referring to the Palestinian bid for upgraded status – “there will be consequences.”
It was just one part of the bare-knuckle approach Canada has taken toward the UN bid, though largely out of public view....
Mr. Abbas’s Fatah is the faction that the West prefers, but the quick consensus in the Middle East is that Hamas “resistance” has won ground in public opinion during the week of Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, and moderate Fatah has been weakened, including in the West Bank....
The United States and Canada have listed Hamas as a terrorist organization. Fatah, founded by Yasser Arafat, has been more or less encouraged: the Palestinian Authority gets aid from Washington and Ottawa and its de facto diplomats are received in both capitals. So far.
A source said the Canadian government has warned the Palestinian Authority’s representatives that their “embassy” in Ottawa – in fact a delegation office, because Palestine isn’t a state – might be closed, and the Palestinian envoy, Said Hamad, sent home.
In addition, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird has told several people, including Palestinian representatives, that he’ll travel to New York to personally cast the vote against the UN bid, several sources said.
There are more serious potential aspects to the “consequences” about which Mr. Harper warned: cutting off money. Ottawa pledged $300-million in aid over five years starting in 2008, and that period is about to run out....
Mr. Abbas launched a bid for full UN membership last year, but that required approval of the 15-member Security Council, and it was stifled with the U.S. threatening a veto. Now he plans to return Nov. 29 with proposal to have the General Assembly – in a vote he is expected to win handily – grant “non-member observer state” status. The key word is state, for its symbolic value and because it might open doors to UN agencies and the International Criminal Court....
The U.S. is against it, and the Harper government has lobbied vociferously. Others, such as Britain, have also asked them to delay, arguing it is “not helpful” now.
Mr. Abbas has been undeterred. His officials have said they’re willing to negotiate with Israel, but only once they win a “victory” at the UN....
Mr. Harper’s government has worked to derail Mr. Abbas’s plan, along with the U.S., Israel, and a few others."...via Mark Levin show
==================================
11/27/12, "Canadian PM Personally Intervened to Stop PA Statehood Bid at UN," Israel National News
"Harper has long been recognized a strong friend of the Jewish state.
"[W]hen Israel, the only country in the world whose very existence is under attack, is consistently and conspicuously singled out for condemnation, I believe we are morally obligated to take a stand," Harper said last year.
Harper said Canada must oppose demonization, double standards and de-legitimization.
"Not just because it is the right thing to do, but because history shows us, and the ideology of the anti-Israel mob tell us all too well, that those who threaten the existence of the Jewish people
are in the longer term a threat to all of us," he said.
"Whether it is at the United Nations or any other international forum, the easiest thing to do is simply to just get along and go along with this anti-Israel rhetoric, to pretend it is just about being even-handed, and to excuse oneself with the label of honest broker," Harper added.
The Canadian prime minister further affirmed that "as long as I am prime minister… Canada will take not that stand, whatever the cost." via Atlas Shrugs
.
PM Harper in Ottawa, 11/20/12, reuters
Above, a delighted Obama and Abbas, undated
.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
GOP estab. today believes in big gov. and is skeptical of the people, the opposite of what Ronald Reagan believed. After Reagan left office GOP estab. reasserted control but only won popular vote once in last 6 elections-Rasmussen
.
11/23/12, "Respecting Voters Matters More Than Policy," Scott Rasmussen,
"The Republican Party has won a majority of the popular vote just once in the last six elections. That dismal track record followed a party revival in the 1980s, when Ronald Reagan led the GOP to three straight popular vote majorities.
To understand what went wrong, it's important to remember Reagan was an insurgent candidate who defeated the Republican establishment of his era.
When Reagan left office, however, the old establishment reasserted control.
They consistently nominated candidates for president who opposed Reagan in 1980
and consistently lost elections.
The difference is that Ronald Reagan believed in the American people and was skeptical of government.
Today's Republican establishment believes in government and is skeptical of the American people.
That's why most Republican voters today believe the party is out of touch with the base."...via Free Republic
==================
Ed. note: Today's GOP establishment is of course the Bush crowd, especially Jeb Bush, Karl Rove, Fox News. Jeb Bush is openly contemptuous of we the people. The media believes the same thing the Bush crowd believes, which is that big gov. is good and right of center Americans must be silent. The NY Times and others are making sure Jeb Bush gets all the publicity, takes all the oxygen away, to ensure we the people don't have a voice in promoting the kind of candidate we need to save this country. Rush Limbaugh has said several times that the Bush crowd brutally and loudly opposed Ronald Reagan's ascension and election. Others have said Reagan's biggest mistake was choosing his critic George Bush to be vp.
.
11/23/12, "Respecting Voters Matters More Than Policy," Scott Rasmussen,
"The Republican Party has won a majority of the popular vote just once in the last six elections. That dismal track record followed a party revival in the 1980s, when Ronald Reagan led the GOP to three straight popular vote majorities.
To understand what went wrong, it's important to remember Reagan was an insurgent candidate who defeated the Republican establishment of his era.
When Reagan left office, however, the old establishment reasserted control.
They consistently nominated candidates for president who opposed Reagan in 1980
and consistently lost elections.
The difference is that Ronald Reagan believed in the American people and was skeptical of government.
Today's Republican establishment believes in government and is skeptical of the American people.
That's why most Republican voters today believe the party is out of touch with the base."...via Free Republic
==================
Ed. note: Today's GOP establishment is of course the Bush crowd, especially Jeb Bush, Karl Rove, Fox News. Jeb Bush is openly contemptuous of we the people. The media believes the same thing the Bush crowd believes, which is that big gov. is good and right of center Americans must be silent. The NY Times and others are making sure Jeb Bush gets all the publicity, takes all the oxygen away, to ensure we the people don't have a voice in promoting the kind of candidate we need to save this country. Rush Limbaugh has said several times that the Bush crowd brutally and loudly opposed Ronald Reagan's ascension and election. Others have said Reagan's biggest mistake was choosing his critic George Bush to be vp.
.
Dairy farmers squirt European Parliament with milk, also squirt riot police in Brussels
.
11/27/12, "Protesting farmers spray European Parliament with milk," BBC
Thousands of dairy farmers, accompanied by hundreds of tractors, descended on the Belgian capital on Monday for two days of demonstrations.
Disruption has continued, with EU officials hindered from reaching their offices by tractors blocking roads.
Farmers want an increase of up to 25% in their prices to cover costs.
EU milk is often sold at below production costs due to a drop in international demand and increased competition.
The EU is the world's largest milk producer and in 2010 nearly 47% of its 123bn euro budget went on subsidies and other forms of financial aid for farmers, including dairy producers....
A trailer of hay was set alight on the nearby Place du Luxembourg, where a mock gallows was erected with what appeared to be a hanging dummy of a farmer.
"Politics are really killing us," Belgian farmer Julien Husquet was quoted as saying by the Associated Press news agency.
"It has to change very quickly at the European level. The way it is going, we are in big trouble."
"It's very simple: you can't live off milk anymore," French farmer Leopold Gruget told AFP news agency.
"If I go on, it's thanks to European aid... If they do it [phase out subsidies] there will be no more small and medium producers here in five years."
Some of the largest farmers' contingents have come from Denmark, France, Germany, the Republic of Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland and Spain, the EU Observer reports."...
.
11/27/12, "Protesting farmers spray European Parliament with milk," BBC
"Angry farmers protesting
at falling dairy prices in the EU have sprayed fresh milk at the
European Parliament and riot police in Brussels.
Thousands of dairy farmers, accompanied by hundreds of tractors, descended on the Belgian capital on Monday for two days of demonstrations.
Disruption has continued, with EU officials hindered from reaching their offices by tractors blocking roads.
Farmers want an increase of up to 25% in their prices to cover costs.
EU milk is often sold at below production costs due to a drop in international demand and increased competition.
The European Milk Board (EMB), which is co-ordinating the protest, says small farmers are being forced out of business....
The EU is the world's largest milk producer and in 2010 nearly 47% of its 123bn euro budget went on subsidies and other forms of financial aid for farmers, including dairy producers....
A trailer of hay was set alight on the nearby Place du Luxembourg, where a mock gallows was erected with what appeared to be a hanging dummy of a farmer.
"Politics are really killing us," Belgian farmer Julien Husquet was quoted as saying by the Associated Press news agency.
"It has to change very quickly at the European level. The way it is going, we are in big trouble."
"It's very simple: you can't live off milk anymore," French farmer Leopold Gruget told AFP news agency.
"If I go on, it's thanks to European aid... If they do it [phase out subsidies] there will be no more small and medium producers here in five years."
Some of the largest farmers' contingents have come from Denmark, France, Germany, the Republic of Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland and Spain, the EU Observer reports."...
.
Democrat congressman Shuler takes new job as lobbyist for largest energy company in US, Duke Energy
.
11/26/12, "Duke Energy taps Heath Shuler as Washington lobbyist," AP
"Retiring U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler is staying in Washington, but he will have a new job as a lobbyist for the country's largest electric company.
Shuler said Monday he'll work on federal issues for Charlotte-based Duke Energy immediately after completing his current term in the U.S. House next month. Duke Energy has 7 million customers in the Carolinas, Florida, Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana.
The Democrat decided not to run for a fourth term this year after Republican state lawmakers redrew his western North Carolina congressional district to add likely GOP voters.
The North Carolina native previously had a large real estate company in eastern Tennessee, where he played college football at the University of Tennessee. He also played quarterback for the NFL's Oakland Raiders, New Orleans Saints and Washington Redskins." via Lucianne
.
11/26/12, "Duke Energy taps Heath Shuler as Washington lobbyist," AP
"Retiring U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler is staying in Washington, but he will have a new job as a lobbyist for the country's largest electric company.
Shuler said Monday he'll work on federal issues for Charlotte-based Duke Energy immediately after completing his current term in the U.S. House next month. Duke Energy has 7 million customers in the Carolinas, Florida, Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana.
The Democrat decided not to run for a fourth term this year after Republican state lawmakers redrew his western North Carolina congressional district to add likely GOP voters.
The North Carolina native previously had a large real estate company in eastern Tennessee, where he played college football at the University of Tennessee. He also played quarterback for the NFL's Oakland Raiders, New Orleans Saints and Washington Redskins." via Lucianne
.
Buffett rule math doesn't work, would only raise $3.2 billion a year. It would take 514 years to pay off Obama's 2011 budget deficit. There aren't nearly enough rich people to pay for this spending-Mark Steyn
.
11/26/12, Mark Steyn guest hosting for Rush Limbaugh
On Warren Buffett's 'tax the rich idea:'
""If you took every single penny that Warren Buffett has, it'd pay for 4-1/2 days of the US government. This tax-the-rich won't work. The problem here is the government is way bigger than even the capacity of the rich to sustain it. The Buffett Rule would
raise $3.2 billion a year, and take
514 years just to pay off Obama's 2011 budget deficit."...
=======================
Obama says we must sacrifice so he, a multi-millionaire, can live more extravagantly than all European royalty combined:
9/29/12, "Obama family 'costs taxpayers $1.4BILLION per year' (that's 20 times more expensive than British Royal Family)," UK Daily Mail
Steyn: "They say there's nowhere to cut to avert the fiscal cliff. Really? The cost of flying, staffing and entertaining Barack Obama is more than every European royal house combined. This isn't even a partisan thing. When you're broke, the guy in charge should cut back. Why does Obama have full-time movie projectionist on staff around the clock? Is it in case he wakes up at 2 a.m. and wants to watch 'The Ice Follies of 1939'?"...
===========================
Obama says big government is good:
"So now China will have the tallest building in the world, and Japan will have floating trains that run 400 miles an hour. If you're going to have big government, that's what you should get for it. There's an argument for that kind of big government. But if you've got big government and nothing to show for it, you have the worst of both worlds.
Big government here funds bureaucracy and dependence."
-----------------------------------
Ed. note: Mark Steyn also said none of this, nothing we say, nothing we know, makes any difference. We spoke of these things for 4 years and look what happened on election day. No one cares.
.
11/26/12, Mark Steyn guest hosting for Rush Limbaugh
On Warren Buffett's 'tax the rich idea:'
""If you took every single penny that Warren Buffett has, it'd pay for 4-1/2 days of the US government. This tax-the-rich won't work. The problem here is the government is way bigger than even the capacity of the rich to sustain it. The Buffett Rule would
raise $3.2 billion a year, and take
514 years just to pay off Obama's 2011 budget deficit."...
=======================
Obama says we must sacrifice so he, a multi-millionaire, can live more extravagantly than all European royalty combined:
9/29/12, "Obama family 'costs taxpayers $1.4BILLION per year' (that's 20 times more expensive than British Royal Family)," UK Daily Mail
Steyn: "They say there's nowhere to cut to avert the fiscal cliff. Really? The cost of flying, staffing and entertaining Barack Obama is more than every European royal house combined. This isn't even a partisan thing. When you're broke, the guy in charge should cut back. Why does Obama have full-time movie projectionist on staff around the clock? Is it in case he wakes up at 2 a.m. and wants to watch 'The Ice Follies of 1939'?"...
===========================
Obama says big government is good:
"So now China will have the tallest building in the world, and Japan will have floating trains that run 400 miles an hour. If you're going to have big government, that's what you should get for it. There's an argument for that kind of big government. But if you've got big government and nothing to show for it, you have the worst of both worlds.
Big government here funds bureaucracy and dependence."
-----------------------------------
Ed. note: Mark Steyn also said none of this, nothing we say, nothing we know, makes any difference. We spoke of these things for 4 years and look what happened on election day. No one cares.
.
1000 new coal plants planned worldwide, most in India and Communist China
.
11/19/12, "More than 1,000 New Coal Plants Planned Worldwide," Damian Carrington, UK Guardian
"India is planning 455 new plants compared to 363 in China,
which is seeing a slowdown in its coal investments after a vast building program in the past decade."...
.
11/19/12, "More than 1,000 New Coal Plants Planned Worldwide," Damian Carrington, UK Guardian
"India is planning 455 new plants compared to 363 in China,
which is seeing a slowdown in its coal investments after a vast building program in the past decade."...
.
One UN agency, UNDP, employs hundreds of millionaires
.
10/24/12, “Want to Make Millions? Try Working for the United Nations,” Front Page Mag., Daniel Greenfield
“Forget big banks and the corporate life. There’s no money in those things anymore. The private sector is so 1992. But the public sector, especially the United Nations is booming.
The United Nations Development Programme is supposed to give the developing world a leg up. Instead it’s rather clear that working for the UNDP is a fast ticket to a fat bank account. Internal statistics at the UNDP show 637 millionaires work for the organization.
Another 1041 UNDP staffers have home loans between 850,000 to 1.5 million dollars.
These statistics come from UNFCU, another of the UN’s endless alphabet members, but the UNFCU is the UN employee credit union. It holds 3.5 billion dollars in assets making it the 28th largest Federal credit union in the United States. That’s a small sample of
what a booming business the United Nations really is.”
=====================
Ed. note: I didn't see a link to a source substantiating the number of millionaires, but thought the idea of the UN credit union was interesting.
----------------------------------------------
Added: UN personnel are above all laws, can't be prosecuted for any crime civilly or criminally, even genocide. As per following:
4/16/09, “Federal prosecutors in New York City were forced to drop criminal and civil cases because the U.N. officials have immunity,”…The Afghanistan country director for the U.N. Office for Project Services (UNOPS), which served as the contractor on the project for the U.N. Development Program (UNDP),
spent about $200,000
in U.S. money to renovate his guesthouse.
Witness names were withheld by USAID.”
4/16/09, “Report: U.N. spent U.S. funds on shoddy projects,” USA Today, Ken Dilanian
Do UN “agencies have immunity if they siphon (their U.S. grants) all off into Swiss banks? Is that accurate? They will be totally immune, no matter what they do with the money?” “My understanding is, yes,” Gambatesa replied.” (near end of article)
-----------------------------------------------
UN personnel charged with genocide could not be punished:
3/30/10, “UN immune from criminal prosecution. Did you know?“ SciForums
MrsLucySnowe: “The international court of justice has denied allowing women from Srebrenica from suing the UN for their responsibility in the Bosnian massacre.
Srebrenica Relatives of Bosnian Muslims killed in Europe’s worst massacre since World War II lost another round Tuesday in their attempt to sue the United Nations for responsibility. The Hague Appeals Court upheld a 2008 lower court ruling
Some 8,000 men were murdered in July 1995 by Serb forces who overran Srebrenica, which had been declared a U.N. safe zone for the Muslim civilians in the Bosnian enclave.
The Dutch U.N. peacekeepers protecting the enclave were undermanned and outgunned, and failed to intervene.
International courts have ruled the slayings were a genocide.”
.
10/24/12, “Want to Make Millions? Try Working for the United Nations,” Front Page Mag., Daniel Greenfield
“Forget big banks and the corporate life. There’s no money in those things anymore. The private sector is so 1992. But the public sector, especially the United Nations is booming.
The United Nations Development Programme is supposed to give the developing world a leg up. Instead it’s rather clear that working for the UNDP is a fast ticket to a fat bank account. Internal statistics at the UNDP show 637 millionaires work for the organization.
Another 1041 UNDP staffers have home loans between 850,000 to 1.5 million dollars.
These statistics come from UNFCU, another of the UN’s endless alphabet members, but the UNFCU is the UN employee credit union. It holds 3.5 billion dollars in assets making it the 28th largest Federal credit union in the United States. That’s a small sample of
what a booming business the United Nations really is.”
=====================
Ed. note: I didn't see a link to a source substantiating the number of millionaires, but thought the idea of the UN credit union was interesting.
----------------------------------------------
Added: UN personnel are above all laws, can't be prosecuted for any crime civilly or criminally, even genocide. As per following:
4/16/09, “Federal prosecutors in New York City were forced to drop criminal and civil cases because the U.N. officials have immunity,”…The Afghanistan country director for the U.N. Office for Project Services (UNOPS), which served as the contractor on the project for the U.N. Development Program (UNDP),
spent about $200,000
in U.S. money to renovate his guesthouse.
Witness names were withheld by USAID.”
4/16/09, “Report: U.N. spent U.S. funds on shoddy projects,” USA Today, Ken Dilanian
Do UN “agencies have immunity if they siphon (their U.S. grants) all off into Swiss banks? Is that accurate? They will be totally immune, no matter what they do with the money?” “My understanding is, yes,” Gambatesa replied.” (near end of article)
-----------------------------------------------
UN personnel charged with genocide could not be punished:
3/30/10, “UN immune from criminal prosecution. Did you know?“ SciForums
MrsLucySnowe: “The international court of justice has denied allowing women from Srebrenica from suing the UN for their responsibility in the Bosnian massacre.
Srebrenica Relatives of Bosnian Muslims killed in Europe’s worst massacre since World War II lost another round Tuesday in their attempt to sue the United Nations for responsibility. The Hague Appeals Court upheld a 2008 lower court ruling
- affirming U.N. immunity from prosecution.
Some 8,000 men were murdered in July 1995 by Serb forces who overran Srebrenica, which had been declared a U.N. safe zone for the Muslim civilians in the Bosnian enclave.
The Dutch U.N. peacekeepers protecting the enclave were undermanned and outgunned, and failed to intervene.
International courts have ruled the slayings were a genocide.”
.
Overfunded DHS has no idea how it spends the US taxpayer money it gets
.
10/3/12, "DHS has no idea of how much money it spent on fusion centers," Examiner.com, Robert Tilford
.
10/3/12, "DHS has no idea of how much money it spent on fusion centers," Examiner.com, Robert Tilford
.
By Obama decree and without objection from anyone, new massive public sector tax dollar spending program enacted via DHS including enforcement of Obama 'doctrines' by newly subservient state and local govs.
10/26/12, "Obama signs new Executive Order expanding Homeland Security mission in the U.S.," Examiner.com, by Kenneth Schortgen Jr
"On Oct. 26, President Obama signed a new Executive Order which expands the role and scope of Homeland Security in states and areas across the country. This order, which establishes a new Security Partnership Council, will have far reaching effects in the overall mission of Homeland Security, and for state and local areas that interact with the Federal agency.
Economically, the Establishing the White House Homeland Security Partnership Council Executive Order will increase funding and resources to state and local governments to fulfill Homeland Security programs and doctrines, as well as increase Federal oversight in the implementation of directives tied to the agencies mission.
The purpose of this order is to maximize the Federal Government's ability to develop local partnerships in the United States to support homeland security priorities....
There is established a White House Homeland Security Partnership Council (Council) to foster local partnerships -- between the Federal Government and the private sector, nongovernmental organizations, foundations, community-based organizations, and State, local, tribal, and territorial government and law enforcement -- to address homeland security challenges.
Sec. 3. Mission and Function of the Council and Steering Committee
(ii) promote homeland security priorities and opportunities and territorial stakeholders;
(iii) advise and confer with State, local, tribal, and territorial stakeholders and agencies interested in expanding or building local homeland security partnerships; - Whitehouse.gov
Since it's creation in 2001 from the aftermath of 9/11, the Department of Homeland Security has expanded its authority over states, communities, and law enforcement each year. From
expanding TSA responsibilities over airport transportation to now include trains, subways, and even highway checkpoints, to new regulations in how border control agents function in immigration conflicts, Homeland Security is
one of the fastest growing government agencies in the past decade.
Through creating a new Steering Committee
in partnership with how Homeland Security missions, directives, and programs are implemented in state and local levels,
the fine line between state sovereignty
and the need protect the country from disaster and terror attacks is becoming smaller every day. Over the past few years Homeland Security grants to local law enforcement have led to a militarization of police and public safety, and new drone technology is being used in criminal investigations outside the scope of national security.
In a little more than a decade, the Department of Homeland Security, in conjunction with its underlying and partnering Federal agencies, have infiltrated nearly every community in America.
This new Executive Order, which expands the scope of the agency and gives it greater power in state and local partnerships, will mean greater loss of freedoms and liberties to both the states and citizens as the Federal government imposes greater authority over
what should remain state sovereignty scope and missions."
======================
An example of Obama approved "doctrines:"
In 2011 Obama DHS gave taxpayer money to an Iowa town for staging an elaborate terror drill. Among conditions for getting DHS cash were that
"terrorists" had to be white Americans who were
"anti-immigrant and pro-gun," and that the
two "white terrorists" would shoot a Hispanic student in the
high school, then continue shooting indiscriminately:
3/24/11, "County, DHS officials stage mock terror exercise featuring 'anti-immigration' shooters," New Media Journal
"Local parents, citizens, and grassroots organizations in Treynor, IA, are expressing concern over the proposed scenario for a "domestic terrorism/school shooting" mock drill to be performed in a rural Iowa school district this weekend. The problem, they say, stems from the depiction of the shooting suspects as "anti-immigration, gun enthusiasts."
In a document dated March 21, 2011, the Pottawattamie County Emergency Management Agency in conjunction with the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP), Pottawattamie county officials outlined their emergency response plan for a mock school shooting/terrorism exercise scheduled for Saturday, March 26, 2011, at Treynor Community Schools. The plan, Operation Closed Campus, is described as a full scale plan
and exercise used to educate players in the proper response of a domestic terrorism or school shooting.
Troublesome to parents and community members is the proposed scenario to be acted out by the students, staff, faculty members, and emergency response teams. The scenario details two white males, ages 17 and 18, with ties to anti-immigration groups and gun enthusiasts, opening fire on a group of minority students,
- hitting a Hispanic student.
The scenario presented in the official document, provided to the New Media Journal by sources who refused to identify themselves for fear of repercussion by local governmental and pro-amnesty advocacy agencies..."...
.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Listen here: http://www.kpfa.org/archive/id/86510"
==================================
"sdavidc9, Cornwall Bridge, Connecticut
The only legitimate criticism of Ms. Rice would be that she misunderstood or overstepped her instructions or otherwise carried them out badly. The idea that she is some sort of reporter or ombudsman who owes us the utter truth as she sees it, is absurd." via Free Republic
=================================
Commenter "garyinaz66," to ridiculous story on Breitbart about GOP jerks, complete with big scary looking picture of phonies absolutely no one is afraid of about the non-issue of Susan Rice:
11/27/12, "GOP Senators: Obama Hasn't Answered 'Most Basic' Questions on Benghazi," Breitbart
------------------------------------------------------------------
Commenter: "The republicans are missing the point, Rice should be marginalized....Republicans are once again falling into a clearly visible democrat trap."------------------------------------------------------------------