Best Yahoo comment of the week

Texas Governor Rick Perry shot a coyote while out on a jog with his Labrador last February. The coyote appeared out of a bush and the governor shot him with a .380 loaded with hollow points (as a side note, the fact that he was using hollow points shouldn't be surprising as the .380 is quite a small round). Among the many responses of cheers (those with a brain) and jeers (those who really believe Obama is actually qualified to be president) was this gem:

Obama would have requested UN intervention, appointed a coyote czar and requested a billion dollars to solve the problem. The coyote would have said "burp" as it finished eating the dog. - Sugar's Dad.

On the Bright Side...

...at least I don't live in the EU.

The European Union has declared travelling a human right, and is launching a scheme to subsidize vacations with taxpayers' dollars for those too poor to afford their own trips.

"Travelling for tourism today is a right. The way we spend our holidays is a formidable indicator of our quality of life," Mr. Tajani told a group of ministers at The European Tourism Stakeholders Conference in Madrid on April 15.

The plan -- just who gets to enjoy the travel package has yet to be determined -- would see taxpayers footing some of the vacation bill for seniors, youths between the ages of 18 and 25, disabled people, and families facing "difficult social, financial or personal" circumstances. The disabled and elderly can also be accompanied by one other person. The EU and its taxpayers are slated to fund 30% of the cost of these tours, which could range from youth exploring abandoned factories and power plants in Manchester to retirees taking discount trips to Madrid, all in the name of cultural appreciation.

"The commission is literally considering paying people to go on holiday," Mats Persson, of pro-reform think-tank Open Europe, told Britain's News of the World. "In this economic climate, it's astonishing that the EU wants to bribe people with cheap holidays."

I don't even know where to go with this one. Obi-one better get crackin' if he intends to compete with the socialist quagmires in the EU.

Eco-Nuts Finally Catching On?

It's about freaking time.

Forty-eight percent (48%) of voters say global warming is caused by long-term planetary trends, while only 33% blame human activity. These results are identical to those found last month.

Apparently the poll did not include members of the oh-so-scientific Project on Climate Science.

Global warming is unequivocal and primarily human-induced ... Global temperature has increased over the past 50 years. This observed increase is due primarily to human-induced emissions of heat-trapping gases.

Is it any wonder that 80% of Americans distrust the federal government when they are so clearly disconnected from reality? The coalition group issued this statement in advance of a report set to be released to the UN on 22 April (Earth Day). I would just like to refer to some very inconvenient data that I mentioned last year.

Never mind that the 40 years before that were comprised of global cooling, which were preceded by 40 years of global warming. So, in honor of Earth Day this week, let's listen to Charlton Heston weigh in on the global warming debate. Again, taken from a previous post.

O Approval Hits New Low

Whatever “bounce” Obama got from the passage of ObamaCARE has vanished in a big way. Obama’s job approval rating fell to 47% for the week ending April 11 (including 43% among independents), the lowest weekly average recorded by Gallup for the Obamanation.

In historical context, Obama’s job approval rating is slightly below where Bill Clinton was in April 1994, his second year in office, but roughly equal to Ronald Reagan’s approval rating in April 1982. Both of these presidents’ political parties lost substantial numbers of House seats in the midterm elections in their second years, a historical fact that does not bode well for the Democratic Party in this fall’s elections if Obama’s ratings stay at their current level or go lower.

Congressman Invents New Speed Reading Course!

Yes, dear friend, you too can read 337.5 pages per hour (5.625 pages per minute), which is exactly how fast you'd have to read in order to read the new ~2700 page health care bill 3 times in one day, like our dear friend, Congressman Phil Hare. Never mind the fact that he doesn't care about the Constitutionality of the bill...

Yes, My Dear Jimmie, Sadly We Do.

Via Critical Bias:

Yeah, the billboard is real. And you laughed when you saw it. You know exactly why you laughed. Lord knows we need a good laugh after the theft of our liberty today.

If you happen to be one of those that ‘don’t get it’, well, nothing can be written to explain it to you.

Obviously this billboard was put into motion quite some time ago. It is just coincidence that this morning President Barack Obama signed into law his healthcare ‘reform’ when we received word our billboard went up. It almost seems poetic.

Originally, we had 2 articles planned that were tied to this billboard (found here and here). Due to this weekend’s vote, and today’s signing of the ‘reform’ bill into law, it seemed appropriate for us to write a few words…

As funny as the billboard may be, anger seems to be the most expressive of late.

Think about what this ‘healthcare’ law means. The government is regulating ‘men’ as commerce. Let it sink in- the only time in our history where human beings were treated as commerce was prior to the Civil War– when slavery was legal.

Now some pundits and politicians will argue the new law does not regulate men as commerce. ‘Semantics’ and ‘Effect’ are completely different; they have nothing in common. When you are forced to be a consumer because you were born; When you are mandated by Government to engage in specific commerce solely because you are a living creature, with punishment handed out for non-compliance, you are being controlled. If there is a master dictating you will buy a GM, and punishment comes if you do not buy a GM, that is servitude.

While the government does not own us, like people did slaves, there is no doubt we are required to engage in commerce (purchase of healthcare insurance) as a requisite to existence. Not slavery, but absent a better word or term, we’ll call it 21st-century slavery.

'Nuf said.

Jean-Paul Marat

Jean-Paul Marat was a Swiss-born physician, political theorist and scientist, as well as a journalist and politician from the French Revolution. In an address to the Electors of Great Britain, he said,

Gentlemen, the present Parliament must soon expire; and no dissolution was ever more earnestly wished for by an injured people. Your most sacred rights have been flagrantly violated by your representatives, your remonstrances artfully rejected, yourselves treated like a handful of disaffected persons, and your complaints silenced by pursuing the same conduct which raised them. Such is your condition, and if such it continues the little liberty which is yet left you must soon be extinguished; but the time for redress is now approaching, and it is in your power to obtain that justice you have so many times craved in vain.

Dark Day Indeed...With Silver Lining?

I realize that I have been less than reliable with my posts lately, but I do feel the need to comment on the infamous passage of Obamacare wreckonciliation by the House today. With Stupak's collapse, passage of the Democrats' government medicine bill is all but assured. This is a very dark day in American history. The consequences of this monstrosity (both intended and unintended) are too numerous to mention, but you can get an idea of the bleak outlook here. Oh, and just in case you don't think the federal government has it's grubby little paws in every aspect of our lives already, consider that they are already regulating the usage of your toilet. But the folks over at Power Line have identified a silver lining on the ominous thunderhead looming over us:

* The health care battle is just beginning. Next, the Senate will try to enact the House's "fixes" to the original Senate bill. Some Senators say that won't happen. If not, then President Obama has the option of signing the original Senate bill--now passed by the House--Cornhusker Kickback and all. I assume he would do that, but the resulting blowback from House Democrats, not to mention the American people, would be something to behold.

* The health care bill's taxes will go into effect promptly, but its substantive provisions are, for the most part, deferred for four years. This means that we have plenty of time to repeal the legislation. Sure, it will take a new Congress and new President. But repealing this disaster of a bill will by a rallying cry for the American people for years to come. Moreover, even if the Republicans only take over the House in November, and not the Senate, won't it be possible to throw roadblocks in the way of the bill's implementation? Won't budget appropriations be necessary to sustain the various federal tentacles the bill seeks to establish? What will happen if the House simply refuses to fund them?

* I've never been prouder to be a Republican. The party's Congressional leaders have fought this battle to the end on behalf of the American people--with intelligence, toughness, persistence and good humor. The contrast between the parties has never been starker than in today's debate. If any intelligent Democrats were watching--there must be some left--they had to be embarrassed for their party.

* Paul Ryan has emerged as one of the conservative movement's strongest spokesmen. In the years to come, I think we will hear the words "I'm a Paul Ryan Republican" with increasing frequency.

* The health care debate has energized the conservative movement and awoken the sleeping giant, that is, the American people. The Democrats misinterpreted their electoral victories in 2006 and 2008 as a mandate for socialism. Now a majority of voters are intent on disabusing them of that misapprehension. Just about all of the political energy today is on the right--a remarkable fact, only sixteen months after the Democrats' high-water mark in November 2008.

* Barack Obama has used his political capital--pretty much all of it--on unpopular legislation that will continue to rile the voters for years to come. As a result, Obama is a remarkably unpopular second-year President. And he hasn't even experienced any bad luck yet. It is hard to see how he will be able to regain his footing.

So, be of good cheer. To paraphrase a great American, we have not yet begun to fight.

In addition, ABC News is reporting that,

Senate Republicans say they can get the whole package of reconciliation fixes – the fix-its that make the Senate plan palatable to House Democrats – thrown out with a trump card procedural motion. And they say Democrats are slow-walking a decision from the parliamentarian until the House passes the Senate bill…

This afternoon Senate Republicans say Democrats won’t meet with them and the parliamentarian – a charge Democratic staffers call “absurd”…

For an appetizer, take a look at Senate Budget Committee Ranking Member Judd Gregg’s statement tonight.

“Immediately after receiving the final reconciliation bill language, Senate Republican staff was ready and willing to meet with Senate Democratic staff and the Senate Parliamentarian to discuss the fact that the House reconciliation bill may be brought down by the 310(g) point of order in the Senate. Senate Democrats are mysteriously unavailable until after the House votes on the health care bill tonight. The Senate Democrats appear to be pushing off this meeting so that House Democrats will remain in the dark about what is likely to happen to the reconciliation bill on which many have staked their careers in Congress. House Democrats should be alarmed by this latest development, since the survival of the reconciliation bill is clearly at risk in the Senate.”

Yes, this feels like a Hail Mary. But hey, it worked for Doug Flutie, right? There's also the likelihood of an onslaught of litigation as 37 states are either considering, or have passed legislation seeking to counteract the behemoth Obamacare plan.

So don't give up yet. I'm convinced that this nation, founded on the principles of freedom by inspired men, will yet prevail. But it will require an extraordinary amount of effort on our part. And maybe that is exactly what this country needs: a concerned and involved citizenry. Most of us have stood on the sidelines for far too long. Maybe we felt inadequate, or that our efforts wouldn't matter. Well, now's our chance to change that. Get involved. Be persistent. Whatever it is that you feel you need to do, DO IT. Stop talking, and DO IT.

It must be a sign...

Two posts in one day. Now thats sumptin.

While I'm as excited as the last person to hear that Bub was able to escape from that Turkish prison and get away from all those "enhanced interrogation techniques" (those are Bub's actual legs), I have something else I wanted to talk about.

I have a new favorite blog.

Many of you may be taken aback that it isn't this very blog right here, but I promise Bub Politique will always be right up close to the tippy-top of my fav's list no matter what.

The blog that has pretty much taken up every empty hour at work (that's most of them...) is written by Michael Yon at www.michaelyon-online.com. Simply put, it offers the most powerful commentary and news about Iraq and Afghanistan that I have ever seen.

You see, Michael doesn't actually write for any of the "Major" news outlets like CNN, ABC, the Times, Fox News, etc. He does what he does with his own money and from donations from his readership. That alone should be enough to pique your interest in that if the guy really sucks then obviously no one is going to donate to his work and he'll find himself in a tough situation with no money in the middle of Afghanistan.

He is also quite famous. Not in a Brad Pitt or Britney Spears kind of way but rather the kind that strikes right to your emotional core. This picture (I have only linked to it for copyright reasons though Michael gives free use of all his images for the general public) is quite well known and was a Time Magazine picture of the year. Reading the story behind the photo will unleash a hatred of the insurgency that only a parent could know (having just reached this milestone in my life I am doubly rocked by the compassion shown as well as the newly-found instinct of paternal protection that now courses through my veins).

I believe that I could quite honestly go on about post after post after post of his "dispatches" from the front lines. And I do mean the "front lines." While many journalists who embed with the military tend to watch from afar without getting in the thick of battle, Michael instead chooses to stay with the troops to see what their fight is really like. These men and women treat him as an equal. That's a powerful indicator of what this guy is like (it should be pointed out that he was a Green Beret earlier in his life and this doesn't exactly hurt his level of credibility with those whom he interacts). But instead of searching for the "big scoop" to send back to his editor in time for printing, he seeks to really understand how the war is being won, or lost, and what is truly going on among the allied forces in these countries.

I invite anyone reading this blog to check him out and read some of his work. He is currently in Afghanistan and is fighting, in his own way, alongside the men and women of this country and those who support our cause against the filth who seek to destroy our way of life. Read as he shows you the utter hypocrisy of how these "insurgents" live their lives while killing innocent men, women and children for their cause of "jihad." You will not be disappointed and you will be amazed at how much the mainstream media misleads the world while they report their "stories."

www.michaelyon-online.com

World Trade Center Disaster

Well folks, I know it's been several months since my last post, and a couple since Lak last posted. I've been trying to think of a topic worthy of marking my grand re-entrance into cyber-ranting. But so much has been going on since my escape from the Turkish prison that I was being held captive at for the last three years, that I've decided to just pick up where I left off; just passing on news and an occasional opinion or two. So for now, enjoy this video via Steven Crowder. I had almost completely forgotten about this debacle during my months of solitary confinement, cut off from the outside world. But Steven does a great job of reminding us just how efficient government can be. Gee, why wouldn't we want them taking over the auto industry, health care, and every other aspect of our lives? Bon appetit.

Restitution

Apparently I have been naughty this year, but I STILL got presents! I had the opportunity to meet up with Bub this past weekend and talk a little bit on the state of the union and the state of the children (mostly the state of the children of course since that is a highlight of our lives at this point). He noted that he’d had a chance to look at some of my postings (yes, some really about sums up all of the postings I’ve written over the past few months) and his basic conclusion was that “wow, he sucks.” In my defense I would only point out that recently my wife and I brought our first son into this dark and dreary world and unfortunately my work doesn’t allow me to post as often as I’d like. But excuses, excuses, right?

Just to show Bub and our stalwart 3 (is that a stretch?) readers I wanted to comment on something that has been lurking in the back of my mind now for the past few weeks: I cannot stand the Republican Party. Don’t get me wrong. I agree with a majority of what they profess and believe but I fail to understand their methods of application of these beliefs. In the face of an overpowering Democratic majority the Republican Party has basically become a group of seven year olds whose only defense in the face of such great opposition is to point out every little thing that the Democrats are doing wrong and by so doing, come off as, well, whiny bitches.

I am not an eloquent man. Sorry.

Realize that I am not saying that they don’t have reason or cause for such criticism of what the current administration and crooks in congress are implementing at the very moment I type these hollow words. There is much to be said in criticism of the policies and “legislation” (I put it in quotes only because ramming inefficient bills through Congress is little more than your basic schoolyard bullying… “Give me some tots Napoleon…”) but I think that Republicans fail to realize that the country is tired of hearing the same mantra that the Democrats have completely missed such and such point or that they are evil crooks (even though it’s true it doesn’t hold water coming from a group with so many members involved in so many well-publicized infidelity scandals).

I am not advocating disengagement or surrendering the fight. I just think they could play it a little smarter.

Take, for example, the recent news of the attempted bombing of NWA flight 253. In this case security measures meant to keep men like Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab from getting as far as he did on his bombing mission completely failed. Yes, someone should be held responsible. Yes, airline security needs to be updated with better machines, training and policies. Yes, there needs to be more interagency communication. Yes, Napolitano is a complete tool bag. But you can’t lay every incident at the feet of an administration (especially one that has only been in office for a year and has been dealing with two wars and an economic collapse. I mean really, do they have time to revamp airline security while they are singlehandedly trying to destroy America, the American way of life and all freedoms associated with those rights and privileges as we know them? ...I digress…).

I guess I just expect more from leaders. Leadership isn’t about mere criticism of your opponent (I think it has something to do with leading or something) and it would be nice to see some leadership come out of the Republican Party that isn’t so consistently contrarian to the Obama administration. Yes, Obama is a liar and shows real, tangible disdain for America and its differences in relation to the rest of the word. But guess what? He’s still an American. He’s still POTUS. As much as I hate to say it, his election was historic.

America’s first black president. That is something to truly be excited about (politics and ideologies aside of course).

Sometimes I think leading means you have to embrace certain aspects of situations. Again, I am not advocating an attitude of humping Obama’s leg like every MSM outlet has done for the past two years. I just think that when something like this happens and America is attacked we, as Americans, should come together and act as one. Perhaps stop for five minutes and say “Mr. President, we got your back this time.”

Is that too much to ask?

Even the Democrats found it within themselves to support President Bush early in his presidency after the heinous attacks of 9-11.

I can commend them for that (even though they eventually broke down and acted like the French later on).

Scott Ott is a conservative editor for Scrappleface.com and recently ran for Lehigh County Executive (PA) against a Democrat incumbent. He wrote that one day, prior to the election, he went to a certain part of town, parked his car and sought out citizens with whom he could speak about politics and his goals and ideas for the county. He soon stopped at a small store where the owner sat outside talking with another man. Upon introducing himself and handing the owner his campaign bookmarker the owner asked him a number of questions leading up to the real question of the day.

What did he think of the president?

The spirit of his response, I think, should be present in the minds of our Conservative leaders as they seek to regain seats and power in Congress in the next election.

I told him I oppose almost every policy of the president's that I can think of. However, I said that I literally wept with joy the night he won at the thought that a black man had reached such a position in our nation. I said that I admire the fact that our president had worked hard, learned much, translated his skills into wealth through writing books, married a woman and remained faithful to her, and by all accounts is a great Daddy to his girls. I noted that his hard work, persistence, vision, focus and sense of personal responsibility had brought him to his current place. I only wish, I said, that he himself would understand the elements of his success story and recommend them to others, and that he would stop talking about Americans as if we were victims, and stop telling people that government would solve their problems. His message should be, "I grabbed the opportunity that America offers to every citizen, and my diligence has been rewarded beyond my wildest dreams. It's hard work, but it's worth the effort, and you can do it
too."

I will never agree with even a small number of Obama’s methods for “improving” our great nation. There are just too many ideological differences between approaches. But I do think we need to learn a new way to engage him. He is, and always will be, respected by millions of Americans. Attacking every teeny tiny event that occurs during his administration makes Republicans look petty. It makes them look just like the liberals during the latter half of the Bush Administration.

Is that really what we want to be?

If this doesn't drive you up the wall I don't know what will.

Your hope and change for a brave new world. Sebelius says everyone will pay into funding for abortion and claims that if allowances aren't made for women to get abortions through these public/private funds then somehow we will be "discriminating against, or invading the privacy rights of women." Yes, that makes total sense. Somehow prohibiting the rest of the country from paying for an abortion for a woman who doesn't want to take responsibility for her actions with an idiot dude would be "invading the privacy rights of women." Makes TOTAL sense! With public support hovering somewhere between 38% and 41% it's no wonder that congress is in such a hurry to get it passed. (I can tell you that I, for one, am really hoping for better "government controlled" insurance coverage because after my wife had a C section to deliver our first son our insurance made us pay an out of control, disgusting, highway robbery price of....wait for it...$250!!!!! Can you believe it? Oh the humanity! How will we live?! How will we get by?! Help us Obi-One-Obama! You're our only hope!...ahem...sorry...just had to get that out)

In the same vein of nonsensical remarks, Obama's rating has improved markedly to a -21%. The lowest thus far.

h/t: Hot Air

Thank you Mr. Stossel

Watch it through to the end. It's got the "OOOO, BURN!" moment for your viewing/ hair-pulling-out pleasure.

h/t: Jawa

Check out this 'unprecedented' article

But but but...It's OBAMA! It MUST be unprecedented!

This just in: Pigs are flying!

SNL made fun of His Holiness. Make sure your food storage is ready.

We wish him well.

As many of you know, Bub is currently unreachable. As such he has asked that a few of his hardcore followers continue posting in his absence. Hopefully I won't estrange too many of his readers with my random thoughts and writing. We shall see...

The Audacity of Hos

Courtesy of Jon Stewart. Really. Freaking. Hilarious.

Terrell Davis is A Man

For no particular reason, I was reminiscing with a friend about one of my all-time favorite athletes...period. Terrell Davis, RB for the Denver Broncos from 1995-2001 (his career was cut short by a wicked knee injury, thanks to an interception by Brian freaking Griese). I remembered seeing this hit as a highlight back in 1995, and I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I do.

Muse - The Uprising (Part Deux)

I know I've posted this song before, but Jer-Bear just sent me a link to this video of Muse performing The Uprising live in concert in Teignmouth, UK. So enjoy it. Again. I know I did.

The paranoia is in bloom, the PR
The transmissions will resume
They'll try to push drugs
Keep us all dumbed down and hope that
We will never see the truth around

Another promise, another scene, another
A package not to keep us trapped in greed
With all the green belts wrapped around our minds
And endless red tape to keep the truth confined

They will not force us
They will stop degrading us
They will not control us
We will be victorious

Interchanging mind control
Come let the revolution take its toll if you could
Flick the switch and open your third eye, you'd see that
We should never be afraid to die

Rise up and take the power back, it's time that
The fat cats had a heart attack, you know that
Their time is coming to an end
We have to unify and watch our flag ascend

Health Care Not a "Right"

So I was hanging out with a good friend of mine (who looks fabulous in navy pants, btw) the night of Obama's obligatory health care plug. Our conversation inevitably turned to Obamacare, specifically whether health care was a right or not. I feel the need to articulate my thoughts a little more on this.

The Declaration of Independence declares that all human beings posses "certain unalienable rights" that have been "endowed by their Creator." These God-given rights include life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Health care isn’t on that list. The question is, should it be?

This question is far more significant than it may first seem, and the justification for a government takeover of health care depends on the answer. The very next sentence in the Declaration affirms that the purpose of government is to "secure" those rights against infringement. If access to health care is deemed a fundamental right, as many on the left have claimed, then the government must be obliged to guarantee that access to every citizen. Medical treatment would have to be available on an equal basis to anyone seeking it, regardless of age, physical condition, or ability to pay. Essentially, it could be equated to our religious freedom. Our freedom to worship how, where, and what we choose does not depend on private markets. We do not have to purchase it, it is ours by right, regardless of our economic or social condition. But can this value really be assigned to health care?

Ted Kennedy certainly thought so, as do Barack Obama, the progressives, and some well-meaning citizens. And it is not hard to understand why. As human beings, and as Americans in particular, we are especially concerned about the well-being of others (this is one of the luxuries afforded to citizens of a developed and wealthy nation). Few of us are indifferent to the desperation felt by those who need medical care, but cannot afford it. But basic human rights are not founded upon passion, or even upon need. Wanting something, no matter how justifiably or altruistically, does not entitle you to possess it, especially if someone else will be forced to provide it for you.

This is where our comparison of the right to health care to the freedom of religion (and the rest of the unalienable rights) fails. The rights laid out in the Declaration of Independence are strictly negative rights (meaning they cannot be taken away). Our right to free speech, to own property, or to worship does not infringe on any other person's right to the same. We can all simultaneously express ourselves, own property (ownership of my home does not inhibit in any way your ownership of your home), and assemble for worship without inhibiting anyone else from doing the same. But if I claim health care as a right, then someone else must be compelled to provide or pay for that care. This compulsion can be in the form of higher taxes, insurance mandates, health care rationing, etc., but the bottom line is that a right to health care would leave society less free.

Imagine if we used this same line of reasoning with regards to food or clothing. Both are essential to human welfare, but few would suggest that Washington national the food and clothing industries. You cannot simultaneously guarantee either without again compelling someone to provide them. In fact, it is precisely because food and clothing are seen as commodities whose availability is dependent on the market that they can be had in such abundance and diversity. This is exactly why we need to allow health insurance companies to compete across state lines. As Jeff Jacoby of the Boston Globe recently said,

Some people will always need help. No decent person ignores the cries of the sick or hungry or poor. Happily, there is no better system for achieving the widest possible access to health care - or any other good or service - than the one that requires the least degree of political interference: the normal interplay of supply, demand, and competition. Health care is too important to be left to the market? No, it is too important not to be.