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Audacity of Truth
Fools Rush In:
““I still like him and admire him personally, but he’s certainly more liberal than I thought he was." - 'GOP' NYT columnist & noted Obama admirer David Brooks, 1-5-12
Progressive clergy shocked at #OWS’ lack of respect for private property (UPDATED)
Hate to say “Toldjah So” but … (via the NY Post):
There’s no longer room at the inn at a Manhattan church that’s sheltering Occupy Wall Streeters after a holy vessel disappeared from the altar last week.
When the Rev. Bob Brashear prepared for Sunday services at West Park Presbyterian Church on West 86th Street, he noticed parts of the bronze baptismal font were gone.
In a fire-and-brimstone message to occupiers later that day, he thundered, “It was like pissing on the 99 percent.”
In Brooklyn, at another church housing OWS protesters, an occupier urinated on a cross, according to Rabbi Chaim Gruber, who has angrily abandoned the OWS movement.
In a letter last week to OWS obtained by The Post, the rabbi fumed, “The Park Slope church housing occupiers was desecrated when an occupier peed inside the building and the pee came into contact with a cross.”
[...]
At West Park, Rev. Brashear walked into the church for a morning service to find the 18-inch-diameter bronze basin and lid missing from the baptismal font’s 800-pound base. Holy water — straight from the River Jordan — had been poured from the missing basin insert into the base’s bowl.
About 60 occupiers had rolled out their sleeping bags between the pews the night before as part of their evening ritual, Rev. Brashear recalled. When they returned to the church later, following the pastor’s discovery, he issued a stern warning: “You have 24 hours to find it and to come up with an amends and to come up with a plan. ‘I’m sorry and it won’t happen again’ won’t work,” he scolded.
The artifact vanished just three weeks after a $2,400 Apple MacBook vanished from Brashear’s office. He told the occupiers that even when the 100-year-old Upper West Side church extended help to addicts during the 1980s drug scourge, no visitors touched its $12,500 sacramental instrument.
“Not even crackheads messed with that,” he said.
The “Occupiers” have been given two weeks to leave.
Meanwhile, the Charlotte City Council is expected to vote tonight on proposed ordinances that would impact not just the protests at the Democrat National Convention, which will be here in Charlotte the first week of September, but also the local “Occupy Charlotte” movement. It sounds as though the Democrat-dominated council is in favor of the (modified ordinances) and may be willing to give Occupy Charlotte a grace period of a few days to pack up and leave their “campsite” at Old City Hall uptown. The new proposed ordinances would allow people to stay at OCH all night, but they wouldn’t be allowed to camp or sleep there. In other words: Protests yes, campgrounds no.
Stay tuned …
Update – 8:31 PM: The Democrat-controlled Charlotte City Council just voted 10-1 in favor of the proposed ordinances. Occupy Charlotte, as you can imagine, are not happy campers right now …
It’s about time: Arizona to launch investigation of Operation Fast and Furious
**Posted by Phineas
It’s bad enough when states have to act to enforce federal law that Washington itself refuses to enforce, as did Arizona and other states when they passed tough anti-illegal immigration laws. But what is a state or local government supposed to do when the federal government is not just refusing to enforce the law, but may itself be one of the lawbreakers?
Answer: Start your own investigation.
Arizona’s state legislature will open its own investigation into the Obama administration’s disgraced gun-running program, known as “Fast and Furious,” the speaker of the state House said Friday.
Speaker Andy Tobin created the committee, and charged it with looking at whether the program broke any state laws — raising the possibility of state penalties against those responsible for the operation.
(…)
Mr. Tobin will announce the committee’s jurisdiction at a press conference in Phoenix on Monday. The committee is charged with looking into the facts about the program, what impact it had on Arizona and whether any of the state’s laws were broken.
A report is due back by March 30.
To recap, Operation Fast and Furious (aka “Gunwalker”) was a program that fed thousands of heavy-duty firearms to Mexican drug cartels, without the knowledge of the Mexican government. Guns were purchased by “straw buyers” who were allowed to walk the firearms over the border into Mexico. The originator of this scheme was the United States Department of Justice, which, through its subordinate law-enforcement agencies, pressured legitimate gun dealers in Arizona to sell these weapons knowing that these sales were likely violations of federal statutes and regulations.
The ostensible purpose was to trace these weapons back to their cartel users, though how that was supposed to work given that the weapons were untraceable until they showed up at Mexican and US crime scenes is unknown.
What is known, however, is that over 300 Mexican military, federal agents, police officers, and civilians are dead from weapons obtained via Gunwalker. In addition, at least one and maybe two US federal officers also were killed with “walked” guns. And the Department of Justice is stonewalling congressional investigating committees, to the extent that –and it appalls me to have to write this– a high-ranking DOJ official is now “pleading the Fifth.” (1)
So, having had enough, the State of Arizona is launching its own inquiry, with the possibility of criminal action down the road.
I wish our neighbors to the East good hunting.
via Big Government
RELATED: Hot Air has news video on the Arizona investigation. See these earlier Gunwalker posts for background links.
Footnote:
(1) Probably because he wants a deal and refuses to be the fall guy. Rats and sinking ships, and all that.
(Crossposted at Public Secrets)
Newt’s South Carolina victory speech
**Posted by Phineas
Former Speaker Gingrich won a smashing victory in South Carolina, yesterday, shattering Mitt Romney’s aura of inevitability and, I think ending any idea that this is anything other than a two-man race between him and the former governor. (1)
So, I think it’s worthwhile to see how Newt acts in victory. The short version: I was impressed. He was gracious toward his opponents, seemed presidential, and was right on the money when attacking the Obama administration’s radical and stupid energy policies. But whether he can carry on a national campaign for the nomination with an organization best described as “bare bones” remains to be seen.
For now, at least, he’s a real contender. But I’ll shut up and let the man speak for himself:
Footnote:
(1) Harsh toward Paul and Santorum, but I think nonetheless true. And I really do feel sorry for former Senator Santorum; if the Iowa Republican Party had been at all competent at counting votes, who knows what difference this might have made for his fundraising and later efforts?
PS: Go, 49ers!
(Crossposted at Public Secrets)
South Carolina GOP Primary – Open Thread
Hey y’all,
I’m not going to be around much if at all today. Someone has a birthday to celebrate this weekend. 
As you know, the South Carolina primary is today. The weather here in Charlotte stinks right now – rainy and chilly, and it’s not that much different in SC. In fact, I read earlier this morning that parts of SC are under a tornado watch. No telling how the weather will affect turnout – I seem to recall in 2008 the weather was snowy there but don’t remember how much it impacted turnout.
In any event, please use this open thread to discuss your thoughts on today’s GOP primary, or anything else you may have on your mind.
Later, taters. 
Stuck On Stupid Watch: Rep. Jackson Lee says Newt using racist “code words”
Someone buy this woman a big giant CLUE. Please:
[CNN's MARTIN BASHIR]: Let me play something that you said about the current GOP debate on the floor of the house on Wednesday. Just listen. I think what you said and what I was hoping to run is we find candidates like Newt Gingrich who simply want to throw fuel and matches on fire to develop sort of an explosiveness in this country that is unnecessary. To suggest that president Obama is the food stamp president has underlying suggestions. What did you mean by underlying suggestions?
LEE: These are code words. It’s inappropriate.
BASHIR: Did you mean racist?
LEE: Let me say that the code words, as far as I’m concerned words that generate and signify race. Comments made by someone other than the president when he was a candidate caused him to make a significant speech on race to say race is a factor in the United States, but I work and will represent all people. Here we have Newt Gingrich, taking the opposite road, if you will. It’s I will use race to divide. I will call the president the food stamp president not knowing that food stamps are utilized by our soldiers, utilized by Kau Kaig caucasians more than African- Americans. Telling the us a janitor who makes $37,000 would be in a better position to give his job up so that the children of the poor in New York, I think he used the example, the school district Latino and African-American can pick up a broom and work. We know those children should have an opportunity to be an astronaut, scientist. we’re not against work. these children want work. They are fighting for summer jobs. That’s a code word to, if you will, portray poor children and poor school districts that they have seen no one work legitimately. That they don’t have a work ethic and these janitors are overpaid unionized workers who don’t have family and not making $37,000 a year. I think Mr. Newt Gingrich should be ashamed of himself and we should not want to win at any cost. Let’s bring the country together. Let’s not destroy Mr. Obama. Let’s talk about helping the American people.
What a complete idiot! It’s a shame so many Democrats are not only stuck on stupid in this country, but they’re also stuck on race … and that only gets amplified in an election year, especially an election year where they are extraordinarily desperate. I think it says more about Jackson Lee and other Democrats that think “food stamps” is a “code word” for “racism” and “black people” than it does someone like Newt speaking with brutal honesty about the situation the nation’s poor – no matter their color – find themselves in today as a result of, in large part, decades of disastrous, devastating Democrat policies -including ones put forth by President Obama – that have kept generations poor people in the poorhouse.
BTW, Bashir – who is supposedly an “anchor” at MSNBC, really isn’t much better than Jackson Lee when it comes to beliefs about Newt Gingrich. The supposedly “non-partisan” journalist weighed in here on Gingrich’s epic takedown of CNN’s John King at last night’s debate, and – unsurprisingly – believes Newt is a “hypocrite” on “poisonous rhetoric” in politics.
Of course, he would never have thought to ask Jackson Lee about her own poisonous rhetoric, would he? Heavens, no. That doesn’t fit the “established narrative” about “racist” Republicans.
Move along here, nothing to see …
World Gone Mad: Romney sings Happy Birthday to Gov. Haley (VIDEO)
Fortunately, Nikki Haley doesn’t to worry about my vote since I’m not in her state – at this point, my respect for her is dropping fast. With that said, I have to wonder how South Carolina voters view this kind of sugary sweet suck-up BS?
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. — Mitt Romney added a festive air to an end-of-the-campaign rally today, singing Happy Birthday to one of his top backers: South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.
Romney noted that it’s an especially big day for Haley: “She turns 40 years old.”
The Republican candidate also produced a cake for Haley and invited backers to partake after the rally.
Haley told the crowd: “All I want is President Romney for my birthday.”
Earlier, Haley told supporters to make sure they crank out the vote for Romney on Saturday, as he tries to fight off Newt Gingrich in the South Carolina primary. Haley said the race is an important milestone in the fight for the Republican presidential nomination.
“We’ve got to end this,” Haley said.
Here’s the video (CBS compared Romney’s singing voice with that of Obama’s):
(Obama wins that contest, IMO!)
Of course, Romney endorsed Haley in her 2010 bid for SC Governor, so no doubt she is returning the favor – but to the extent she’s doing so has got to rub a lot of loyal South Carolina Tea Party types the wrong way.
To make matters worse, Virginia Governor and GOP darling Bob McDonnell endorsed Romney also, saying:
“I’m a Southern governor endorsing Mitt Romney in the first Southern state primary,” McDonnell said on CNN’s “Starting Point with Soledad O’Brien.”
“The governor of South Carolina has endorsed him as well. I think hopefully that will help him some. He’s the one that’s been consistent. Other candidates have been up and down. He is the consistent, results-oriented conservative who has the best record and the best message on jobs and on cutting spending,” McDonnell said.
“Consistent” and “conservative”?!? Please don’t insult our collective intelligence, Governor. As I said on Twitter, if a GOP politico wants to endorse Romney, fine – but for the love of all that is good and decent please do NOT go overboard because you risk losing a lot of credibility with many of the people who helped put you in office.
SC’s GOP primary is tomorrow. The MSM has delighted in making this into a horse race. The polls have tightened up between Newt and Mitt. The Powers That Be have predicted that most of Perry’s support will go to Newt and most of Huntsman’s support will go to Romney. While both Huntsman and Perry polled in the single digits in SC, just one or two percentage points could make a big difference in this primary – much more than the few votes difference did in Iowa.
As they say: Stay tuned. And don’t forget the nose plugs.
In which Newt eviscerates CNN’s John King
**Posted by Phineas
There’s no other way to describe it: John King, moderating last night’s debate in Charleston, SC, opened with a question about salacious allegations made by Gingrich’s second ex-wife. The former Speaker then gutted King and the MSM in front of the entire nation, calling them out for their biased coverage. It was a thing of beauty, an instant classic. The only thing missing was King falling to his knees in tears to beg for mercy.
Enjoy, my friends:
Now, I’m not much of a fan in Gingrich, though I admire his intellectual acuity; he has a lot of good ideas (and a lot of bad ones). But, were he to become the nominee, I would so look forward to the debates with Obama. The president would be reduced to a quivering mound of Jello.
And I’d need extra popcorn. 
PS: Shoot. I screwed up the timing. It was supposed to be 8AM PST/11AM EST. Oh, well…
(Crossposted at Public Secrets)
VP Biden once again provides America with some much-needed comic relief
LMAO. Captain Gaffetastic strikes again. Too funny:
Vice President Joe Biden had his “oops” moment Wednesday speaking in a 49er-crazed San Francisco when he told a crowd at a city political fundraiser that “the Giants are on their way to the Super Bowl.”
Biden spoke at a closed event in the city’s financial District at the Bently Reserve when he made the gaffe, according to a White House pool report released today.
The comment by Biden drew immediate “good-natured” boos from the crowd, according to the report by Josh Richman of the Oakland Tribune, who was the only local print reporter allowed to cover the event.
After suggesting that the Giants were heading to the Super Bowl, Biden quickly recognized the gaffe and and explained he was accustomed to thinking in terms of the San Francisco Giants and their baseball wins. His next reference was to the “49ers on their way” to the Big Game.
Ahhh, Joey B. Can’t live with him – can’t live withou– .. can’t live with him …:
Howard Portnoy at Hot Air provides an interesting footnote to the Giants gaffe:
One hopes that [SF Chronicle reporter Carla] Marinucci, who has had some unpleasantness with this administration, is having a hearty laugh over Biden’s latest blunder. Last April, she was banished from covering future presidential visits to the Bay Area because she made a cell phone video recording of Biden’s thin-skinned boss getting razzed by disenchanted one-time supporters.
I hope video soon surfaces of Biden’s latest foot-in-mouth moment! I bet Breitbart would be willing to pay big for it.
Can we call them “Socialists” yet?
**Posted by Phineas
Harking back to some of the worst excesses of the New Deal, six Democratic members of the House lead by Denis Kucinich (D-UFO) and all but one members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, have proposed an additional tax on oil companies to be levied when profits rise above “a reasonable level”:
The Democrats, worried about higher gas prices, want to set up a board that would apply a “windfall profit tax” as high as 100 percent on the sale of oil and gas, according to their legislation. The bill provides no specific guidance for how the board would determine what constitutes a reasonable profit.
The Gas Price Spike Act, H.R. 3784 (PDF), would apply a windfall tax on the sale of oil and gas that ranges from 50 percent to 100 percent on all surplus earnings exceeding “a reasonable profit.” It would set up a Reasonable Profits Board made up of three presidential nominees that will serve three-year terms. Unlike other bills setting up advisory boards, the Reasonable Profits Board would not be made up of any nominees from Congress.
The bill would also seem to exclude industry representatives from the board, as it says members “shall have no financial interests in any of the businesses for which reasonable profits are determined by the Board.”
And, of course, “reasonable” would be in the eye of the beholder: in this case, appointees of Barack Obama, renowned class warrior and Socialist. What could go wrong?
Of course, this isn’t about the economic ignorance of the members sponsoring the bill; they’re leftist Democrats, progressives. It’s practically an unwritten law that you have to give up any understanding of basic economics to join that club. The idea that these profits can be returned to shareholders, including pension funds and individual middle-class Americans, many on retirement, via dividends and capital gains is immaterial. And don’t even think of suggesting that these oh so unreasonable profits could be used to expand the business or explore for more oil –or both!– thus creating jobs.
Like I said, to join the club, you have to forswear any economic common sense.
No, this bill, which will never pass the House or even get out of committee, is nothing more than an election year appeal to the worst of Americans populist instincts: class warfare, punishing those “evil” oil companies, and looking for a scapegoat for high gas prices rather than understanding the Law of Supply and Demand. Oh, and already-high federal, state, and local taxes.
It’s all about pandering to people’s frustrations, so they won’t blame the real cause: the radical and against-all-reason natural resources policies of the Democrats and their environmentalist allies that keep us from developing the vast resources we have.
It’s the political equivalent of “Look! It’s Elvis!”
But, let us not forget, it’s also about control and power. These are, after all, progressives, social democrats. Some are full-blown Socialists. It’s their belief that only government can fairly (in their definition, again) distribute wealth. They may not be Marxist, and are thus willing to allow the shareholders to still own their companies, but government has first call on “your” money, to do with what it will. You can keep whatever they decide is reasonable.
Which is why I put “your” in quotes.
In their world, you are not a free citizen with unalienable rights, but a dependent who must wait to see how much of what you earn government will let you keep.
So, while this bill may be a bit of populist red meat that will never pass, it has a very real and very pernicious-to-liberty philosophy behind it.
And it’s another example why the Democrats should never win another election again.
(Crossposted at Public Secrets)
Rick Perry drops out; I pout and move on
**Posted by Phineas
As I wrote on Twitter, I never get what I want. 
From Legal Insurrection, Governor Rick Perry has ridden off into the sunset. The race is down to Romney and Gingrich (1), now.
While I’m disappointed, I can’t say I’m surprised; after starting with tremendous momentum, Perry blew it all in some terrible initial debate performances. And though he did much better in later debates, one only gets one chance to make a first impression, and he couldn’t overcome his. (In spite of having a tremendous video shop. Really, Newt or Mitt should hire these guys.) But this election is not only practical – fix the economy, stupid! — but ideological, a stark choice between American conservatism/classical liberalism and progressive statism. And Perry just couldn’t articulate the conservative case.
And while I’m not surprised, I can say I’m disappointed. Perry had far and away the best overall record of anyone running as well as the right governing philosophy. I’m still convinced that he’d make a great president, even if he isn’t a champion debater.
While 98% of the blame must rest with Governor Perry in this case, the debate process and the ridiculously outsized influence of two or three small states play are broken. The debates are too crowded, reducing the candidates to seeking soundbites and reciting slogans. (Newt being sometimes an exception.) And why in Heaven’s name they let liberal MSM figures moderate debates for conservative candidates, I’ll never know. The questions are designed to make the candidates look bad and they’re almost never on crucial issues (Really, how many times did Fast & Furious or the European debt crisis come up? *crickets*). The AEI debate was the only good one; coincidentally, that was moderated by conservatives.
And the influence of Iowa and New Hampshire? Gee, people in later states once again get to enjoy a meaningless choice on their primary ballot based on the results in a couple of states with electorates smaller than some congressional districts. The primary system is desperately in need of reform, and I suggest the RNC look carefully at alternatives, such as Jim Geraghty’s suggestion.
Ah well. No use crying over a spilled martini. Reports are that Governor Perry has endorsed Former Speaker Gingrich and will campaign for him, especially on 10th amendment issues:
I’m told reliably that Governor Perry will head up a 10th Amendment project for Speaker Gingrich to rally Governors and state legislators toward a plan of devolving power from Washington. This project will include helping shape the Republican platform for the general election, something small government conservatives have been concerned about.
Hopefully this will draw Newt more strongly to the federalist, limited-government side of the Force.
As it is, I can’t get excited about either Romney or Gingrich, each for different reasons. I’ll of course vote for whichever wins the nomination, because getting rid of Obama is the overriding priority. But, from now through November, I may concentrate my efforts on getting as conservative a congress as possible elected, to drag the new president in the Right direction. Sign me up for Operation Counterweight.
Footnote:
(1) Sorry, sweater-vest fans, I just don’t see Santorum going anywhere.
UPDATE: Here’s Governor Perry’s withdrawal speech. Very nice; he’s clearly a classy guy, in the most genuine sense. I wish more people had seen this part of him early on.
(Crossposted at Public Secrets)
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