BE OUTRAGED

You bailed out the banks, but the banks bought out the senators you elected so they don't have to bailout you, should you find yourself in the same fix as the banks did. "A dozen Democrats joined Republicans in the 45-51 vote to scuttle the bill that would have spared many from foreclosure, which Obama had said was important to saving the economy and promised to push through Congress. But facing stiff opposition from banks, Obama did little to pressure lawmakers who worried it would encourage bankruptcy filings and spike interest rates," according to the AP Report. Sen. Dick Durbin who worked hard to get the bill passed said he isn't giving up, but the chances to get it passed seem unlikely. The White House hasn't commented on the vote. LINK & LINK

Posted: April 30, 2009 7:12 P.M. (comment

UNGLUED

The Republican Party is truly coming unglued. The sniping at each other, the various factions aligning, the constant attacks on Obama, blah blah blah. It would seem nearly impossible for the GOP to dig a hole deeper for themselves than they are doing, but they are nearing the impossible. Of course, their problem is that they have no new leader taking the reins of the mess Bush-Cheney left.  The too-many-times-married and strident Newt Gingrich is yesterday's news. RNC Chair Michael Steele simply hasn't got the gravitas. Eric Cantor comes off as cold and calculating. Sarah Palin reeks trash these days. John McCain has become the stodgy old grandfather of the whole unseemly lot; his daughter still too much a teeny bopper to be taken seriously, even if she shows a bit of her father's maverick qualities. The leadership in the House and Senate are in a word, pathetic. No, there seems no one suited to take the party by its bootstraps and pull it together. The best that the pseudo-leadership could do at this point is to retreat quietly for a time and properly regroup. As long as they fight among themselves for control, or fight the popular president, the Republicans only serve to pull themselves down. Symbolic of this further party degradation, the former President George W. Bush and former VP's poll numbers today are even lower than they were when they left office, when they were already historically low.  Yep, best for the GOP, smile, be congenial, sensible, and go along with Obama's program for now. Get back some of their former dignity and maybe those independents they lost will find a truly kindler, gentler Republican Party more to their liking then come back to the fold. Now, having said all that, don't bet on it. Never has there been a more self-destructing political party than the Republican Party is in 2009.

Posted: April 30, 2009 3:45 P.M. (comment

CONSPIRACY THEORY

Exposed, exposure, exposor: Wasn't President Obama sick on his recent spate of trips? Hm. (Couldn't resist)

Posted: April 30, 2009 3:09 P.M. (comment

VP JOE BIDEN SOUNDS THE ALARM

Joe Biden told Today Show's Matt Lauer this a.m. that he would not recommend taking any commercial flights or riding in a subway car “at this point” because swine flu virus can spread “in confined places. I would not be, at this point – if they had another way of transportation," Biden said. Oink!

UPDATE: ""Biden Walks Back On His Gaffe," says Politico's headline. Not, gaffe, Politico, truth, which the Obama administration doesn't want expressed, more concerned about commerce than American lives.

Posted: April 30, 2009 8:47 P.M. (comment

GOP SET TO LAUNCH REBRANDING EFFORT

Called The National Council for a New America, a group of Republicans including John McCain, Jeb Bush, Haley Barbour, Bobby Jindal...in other words, the usual cast of characters...will be hitting battleground states in an attempt to revive the tarnished image of the GOP, to counter POTUS' characterization of the Republicans as the Party of "No." YAWN!!!!!!!

Posted: April 29, 2009 9:57 P.M. (comment

A DISCONNECT

President Obama, in his taciturn way, is clearly playing down the threat caused by the swine flu. For instance, rather than tell NY City schools that have ill students to shut down, he is merely suggesting that the schools might think of shutting down. This understated approach is an direct opposition to The World Health Organization (WHO) who has just raised the threat of a pandemic to a 5 alert, the second highest level, meaning that it believes a global outbreak of the disease is imminent. Something doesn't compute here.

Posted: April 29, 2009 6:28 P.M. (comment

DECLARING A FIRST HUNDRED DAYS FREE ZONE!

We don't do Hallmark holidays here. Enuf said.

Posted: April 29, 2009 9:26 A.M. (comment

HOW HILLARY GOT SPECTER TO SWITCH

Read and laugh. Was there a method to Hillary's madness? LINK

Posted: April 28, 2009 6:29 P.M. (comment

SPECTERS MOVE ACROSS THE AISLE

Arlen Specter, facing a defeat in his reelection bid against former  Republican Congressman Pat Toomey, moved across the aisle today and became a Democrat. Specter, long a moderate Republican, apparently shocked the Republican Party. Said to have been 'courted' by VP Joe Biden, Specter's move gives the Democrats - should Al Franken be officially declared the winner in the contested Minnesota race - the 60 vote majority the party needs to stop filibusters. “I now find my political philosophy more in line with Democrats than Republicans,” Mr. Specter said. The President welcomed Specter's move. “You have my full support,” according to the official who heard the phone call. The president added that we are, “thrilled to have you.”

If Specter's move was to maintain his role in the senate, he was fighting a formidable foe in Pat Toomey. He couldn't become an independent to run, as Sen. Joe Lieberman (Dem-Ct) did when facing a similar challenge, because it is not allowed in Pennsylvania the state Specter represents.

One thing Sen. Specter's move insures...it will be a long time before Al Franken is seated as the senator from Minnesota.

Posted: April 28, 2009 12:50 P.M. (comment

THE STUPID NY TIMES

Speaking of The NY Times and the idiotic Roger Cohen, they censor the comments they will post. So, when you read the comments under a Roger Cohen piece, or any other, they generally are approving comments...and the NYT wonders why readership is down.

Posted: April 27, 2009 10:42 A.M. (comment

ROGER COHEN IS VOMITING STUPITY AGAIN

Here's my response: Oh, please. You now sound as marginalized in your pro-Palestinian anti-Israeli diatribes as Bush sounded in the reverse. Both sides have their issues, and both should be treated equally. But let's be real. This renewed push to solve the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict isn't really about Israel or the Palestinians. This push for peace is about the new commonality that the Arabs now have with Israel and the US: the marginalization of Iran. The solution you and others of your ilk are proposing these days I call The Wimp Solution. The Israel-Palestinian Conflict is important to the US in terms of The Oil Cartel, al Queda, and Iran. So according to you and others and your new meme, you propose to sell out Israel so that America will have peace, oil at a decent price, and a nuclear free Iran. And, by the way, spare us your it's about the poor Palestinians, humanitarian reasons, for the new anti-Israel tone. There are an awful lot of Israeli children who would take issue with your sympathetic portrayal of the poor Palestinians in Gaza without so much as a mention of the fear under which Israeli children live. America has the proper solution to her problems in the Middle East, but hasn't the courage to deploy them. Stop being dependent on Arab oil. Stop Iran by doing what Obama is trying to force Israel to do -- that he hasn't the courage to do -- and go in and bomb Iran's nuclear facilities. And once and for all tell the Arabs that if they don't like the conditions the Palestinians have contrived for themselves, then give them a homeland on Arab soil -- not two-MORE-states (one in Gaza and one in the West Bank) that will leave Israel with long-term security issues. The employment of all of the above might stop radical Islamists, but your idiotic ideas don't offer anymore certainty that the radicals will make peace than do mine. LINK & LINK (threat?) & LINK & LINK & LINK

Posted: April 27, 2009 9:57 A.M. (comment

TORTURE

I've stated my case on why I think this country is insane to bring the subject of the use of torture against terrorists to the forefront of American dialogue. I won't go there again. On the other hand, if, indeed, grunts like Lynddie England, Charles Graner and others took the fall for the Bush Administration, then that is a travesty that needs to be addressed, and Bush-Cheney and Company should be tortured just like England and Graner were. I don't advocate a front and center trial, but a non-partisan commission to look into the way the administration victimized  American citizens to do their bidding.

Posted: April 26, 2009 9:24 A.M. (comment

EVEN PALESTINIANS AGREE OBAMA ANTI-ISRAEL

When Palestinian journalists applaud the President of the United States for sticking it to Israel, there is clearly a problem with the President's positions. LINK

Posted: April 24, 2009 12:06 P.M. (comment

MORE ON INTERROGATIONS

The Pentagon will hand over 44 photos to the ACLU showing prisoner abuse in Afghanistan and Iraq. Since we already know that these interrogations occurred, what’s the point of making the photos public other than to make hay and give our enemies something to use against us. This country gets sillier by the minute.

Posted: April 24, 2009 11:19 A.M. (comment

NOW HILLARY

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned Israel today that it risks losing Arab support for combating threats from Iran if it rejects peace negotiations with the Palestinians. Is she kidding? When did the Israeli's EVAH have Arab support and what does it matter? The Arabs are more worried about Iran's power than the Israeli's. O, c'mon, Mrs. Clinton.

Concerning a funding request for the Palestinians, Clinton said the State Department would ensure that no US taxpayer money would go to Hamas. "No aid will flow to Hamas or any entity controlled by Hamas," she said.

Can you prove that Hamas won't get any of the money? Gimme a break. Hamas is in control of Gaza, in case you forgot, Madam Secretary.

It appears SOS Clinton has had little to no influence over 'Tree,' or his lunatic Middle East advisors. Ms. Clinton is turning out to be a very disappointing SOS, so sad.

Posted: April 23, 2009 5:30 P.M. (comment

LARRY KING INTERVIEWS LEVI JOHNSTON

Posted: April 23, 2009 9:22 A.M. (comment

THE CAT IS OUT OF THE BAG

Now we know Condi Rice verbally OK'd the CIA's request to subject alleged al-Qaida terrorist Abu Zubaydah to waterboarding in July 2002, a decision memorialized a few days later in a secret memo that the Obama administration declassified last week. Dick Cheney and the gang knew, too. And so did key Democrats. Some of the public is screaming off with their heads and there beneath the surface lies the continuing feud between the parties the Democrats assault on Nixon, the Republicans assault on Clinton. You can feel a thousand gleeful hands rubbing together at the thought of a fight on capitol hill.

The President should have stuck with his original thought on releasing information on the secret interrogations. His instincts were correct. “His concern was that would ratchet the whole thing up... What we don't need now is to become a sort of feeding frenzy.” But he bowed to pressure and now the cat is out of the bag. Reports are that Democrats don't want a further investigation. Dems have as much to 'fear' as Republicans in this matter, as we learn many signed off on the interrogations.

At this point it would behoove the president to do what he does best, appease, and put an end to a public inquiry.

As to the use of torture, frankly, America needs to get real. The rules of the Geneva Convention were based on the rules of conventional warfare. Terrorism and terrorists are not conventional warriors. America can no longer fight conventionally. And really, does anyone think this sort of thing hasn't been going on behind closed doors all along?

I am shaking my head in disgust - yes, disgust - at the stupidity, naïveté, weak-minded, holier-than-thou attitude of Americans in this matter.

We'll see how good you feel the next time our country is struck by one of the terrorists you want to free because you don't like the conditions under which they're being held. Particularly, if the one struck down is one of your own.

Meow!

Posted: April 23, 2009 9:09 A.M. (comment

WELL HILLARY GAVE HER TWO SENSE TODAY

Well, Ms. SOS Hillary Clinton gave her two sense today when she questioned former VP Dick Cheney's credibility on the torture memos recently released by the Obama Administration. She testified on the Hill today and was feisty as all get out! Now, if she would only be as feisty and stand up to the president on his middle east policy, then I'd say we have a winner at the head of State. Still, she hasn't come into her own, though her appearance today was surely a first step. I particularly liked her stand against the right winger (can't remember who it was) when she talked about the failed Bush policies on the matter of abortion and contraception. Whoa, she was just great! Give 'em hell, Hill...

Posted: April 22, 2009 8:09 P.M. (comment

POTUS SAYS AHMADINEJAD'S RANT HURT IRAN NOT DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS

The failure of President Obama's Middle East Policy is best reflected on the pages of blog comments, now rampant with anti-Israel, anti-Semitic statements. Perhaps the anti-Semitism has always been simmering below the surface. But it appears that Obama's positions have given the haters of Israel and the Jewish people the freedom to reveal their hatred. Now, if Obama's dreams are realized we will have not one, but two more Arab states to arm themselves against the Jewish State of Israel -- one in Gaza and one in the West Bank. And, of course, the lunatic regime in Iran ready, willing, and happy to aim that bomb to end the Jewish State, with the back-handed aid of the misguided American president. Ahmadinejad harmed himself? He's laughing all the way to becoming a nuclear state, no laughing matter.

Posted: April 21, 2009 8:02 P.M. (comment

ELIE WIESEL VERBALLY ABUSED AS "ZIO-NAZI"

From yesterday's Jew-Bashing day. By the way, apparently the speech Ahmadinejad gave was a cleaned up version. Imagine what the original version sounded like. LINK & LINK & LINK & LINK

Posted: April 21, 2009 2:58 P.M. (comment

ANTI-SEMITIC MATERIAL TO PROMOTE TEA PARTY IN CA. CTY

Posted: April 21, 2009 1:49 P.M. (comment

IT'S HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY

Note, this is Holocaust Remembrance Day...and the President of the United States is entertaining King Abdullah of Jordan?!

A disgrace.

Posted: April 21, 2009 1:49 P.M. (comment

HELLO, CALLING THE SECRETARY OF STATE

President Obama must be thin-skinned. He made it to the presidency but  no one ever bought into him as a man who knew much about foreign policy. He appears he's out to prove the world wrong, wrongly. He has a Secretary of State who at this point seems completely innocuous. Where are you Hillary? The best photo we have of Ms. Hillary since becoming SOS is the former presidential contender sitting at at bench on the White House lawn with the Pres. But Mr. Obama is seen talking with all the leaders of the world, Clinton barely an asterisk to history these days.

So with a president being so available, why bother with a SOS at all? Consider that when its time to really talk turkey, there will be no trade up to talk to the "big guy" because everyone has been talking to him right along.

There are, by the way, grumblings amongst the Hillary camp. Those who stood steadfastly behind her to the end are wondering why she is standing by and allowing Obama to make her irrelevant. And, more importantly, why she is standing by while the president apologizes for what he needn't apologize for, America defending herself. Or why she's allowing the president to bow to the Arab world at the expense of Israel. Note, the President is entertaining King Abdullah today. When was the last time an Arab was "entertained" before the Prime Minister of Israel.

Posted: April 21, 2009 1:23 P.M. (comment

HAMAS KILLING PALESTINIAN FOES

President Obama, in his new not-so-smart support of the Palestinian cause, pledged almost a billion dollars in aid to rebuild Gaza after the Israelis did what they should have done sooner about Hamas’ rocket attacks lobbed on its citizens during the winter. The pledge seems to have done what many feared it would do, help Hamas, the group holding Gaza in its grip.  The BBC reports that Hamas, instead of moderating through the indirect aid offered by Obama, has marshaled its forces to conduct violent purges of those who dare to question their leadership. LINK

Posted: April 20, 2009 4:51 P.M. (comment

BREAKING

Chrysler refused $750 million federal loan because of limits on executive pay. LINK

Posted: April 20, 2009 4:34 P.M. (comment

YEAH, LET'S TALK WITH THIS YAHOO

DID OBAMA CAMP LEAK THIS STORY TO EMBARRASS AIPAC?

First read this story on Jane Harman  and how she was wiretapped cutting a deal with AIPAC telling a suspected Israeli agent that she would lobby the Justice Department to reduce espionage-related charges against two officials of the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee, the most powerful pro-Israel organization in Washington. In exchange for Harman’s help, the sources said, the suspected Israeli agent pledged to help lobby Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif., then-House minority leader, to appoint Harman chair of the Intelligence Committee after the 2006 elections, which the Democrats were heavily favored to win.

Learn how the Bush Administration's Alberto Gonzalez got involved and learn why Harman was passed over by the Obama administration for top jobs at the CIA and Homeland Security despite her credentials.

But again, why was this story leaked now? AIPAC is holding a huge meeting this week, and isn't likely to sit back and smile as President Obama and team try to throw Israel under the bus.

There are no such things as leaks in the Obama Administration...only deliberate moves.

LINK

Posted: April 20, 2009 10:14 A.M. (comment

DURBIN II AND OBAMA'S LA-LA FOREIGN POLICY

Our dear President Obama who appears to have a penchant for making friends of our enemies and enemies of our friends, might take note that the keynote speaker at the racist U.N. Conference is the Holocaust-denier, I-will-do-what-I-can-to-see-Israel-wiped-off-the-face-of-the-earth, Iranian President Mahmoud Amadinejad. And that no Arab countries boycotted the conference. Actually, only The Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Australia, Canada, and, of course, Israel boycotted the conference. Maybe if he opens his eyes, President Obama will understand the truth that the Palestinians already have a host of friends willing to go to the mat for their brethren, unlike the Jewish state who has almost none, particularly now that the United States is firmly in the Palestinian's camp. Unfair.

By the way, Obama's boycott was tactical, assuming it was ideological. He was a bow to the Israeli's in lieu of all the other hits he gave them. Cheap move.

Also, a note about PM Netanyahu putting on the table that the Palestinian's must first recognize Israel's right to exist before engaging in talks, POTUS's immediate trashing of that idea, and Netanyahu quickly taking back the offer. It was a smart move by Netanyahu who can now say that he gave in on the first go around, leaving the Palestinian contingent to have to come up with a counter-proposal. On the other hand, I still say the Israeli's should refuse to take part in negotiations until Obama changes his position. Obama can threaten the Israeli's with  holding back money and arms, but would that be smart? Rendering Israel powerless won't help Obama with the voters he'll need to get re-elected and will only give the right fuel with which to fire at the nubile president, already taking flak for his la-la foreign policy style.

UPDATE: Israel Recalls Its Ambassador to Switzerland LINK

Posted: April 20, 2009 9:38 A.M. (comment

NO ONE SHOT SENSATION THIS ONE

Posted: April 18, 2009 4:50 P.M. (comment

OBAMA'S STANCE WORRIES ISRAELI'S

I've been warning about President Obama's hostile new approach to Israel for months. I warned that this change would come during the election process. It's here now. As the mainstream media has moved from reporting of the news to reacting to the news a day late and a dollar short, Obama's stance on Israel is finally making it to the papers. Here's a story everyone should read and pass along. LINK

It seems to be that we have a president who thinks that our enemies are our friends, and our friends our enemies. His decisions are political, of course. The Democratic Party needs the Cuban community in Florida and the Hispanic community nationwide, so it is important politically to make friends with the Hispanic world (although I agree it is high-time we dropped the embargo with Cuba). On the other hand, even oil is not a reason to trade alliances in the Middle East. And I can think of no reason to humiliate our friends the Israeli's, and humiliation seems to be the card Obama is playing these days -- along with cornering. The shame is on our President for enlisting such smarmy tactics to get his short-sighted way.

Posted: April 18, 2009 8:16 A.M. (comment

IS THIS SUSAN BOYLE'S FIRST RECORDED SONG?

LINK

Posted: April 17, 2009 1:33 P.M. (comment

NORM COLEMAN, A DISGRACE

The polls are clear. Norm Coleman's fellow Minnesotans want him to concede the race to declared winner of the senate race, Democrat Al Franken. But Coleman is now playing the holier-than-thou card, saying he owes it to his constituents to fight for their votes and take his case to the Supreme Court. Liar, liar house on fire. You have options, Mr. Coleman. Let's start with, concede and file your claim with the court. If you win, you can reclaim your seat. You won't do that, of course. LINK

Posted: April 16, 2009 7:09 P.M. (comment

CHANGE YOU CAN'T BELIEVE IN

Bank lending to consumers and businesses for many types of loans fell in February despite the billions of dollars in government support the banks received. Foreclosures soared 24%. The American taxpayers are being taken on a bad ride while the big guys start to rack up the big profits once again. Now the banks who took the TARP funds want to repay the government to rid themselves of the conditions the funds were given including caps on bonuses and rules for  helping stressed borrowers. So, once again the big guys walk free, and the little guy suffers unmercifully. President Obama, what's changed? LINK

Posted: April 16, 2009 9:25 A.M. (comment

MORE TROUBLES FOR SARAH PALIN

Someone should turn the Sarah Palin saga into a TV show. Entourage writers, where are you? It would be hilarious!

Posted: April 16, 2009 9:09 A.M. (comment

ON THE TEA PARTIES

I'm all for free speech, but I think these tea parties are absurd. They aren't worth anymore discussion than that.

Posted: April 15, 2009 4:13 P.M. (comment

ANNOUNCING A NEW ADDITION TO CJPR

Please checkout our new Arts 'n Lettres section, which will feature the artwork of some very talented people. We begin with photographer Benita Keller's photo essay on Cuba. Find the link on the explore page.

Posted: April 15, 2009 4:10 P.M. (comment

CAN REASON PREVAIL FROM THE RIGHT?

Posted: April 14, 2009 11:32 A.M. (comment

CUBA

After a half-century of an embargo imposed against Communist Cuba, today President Obama took the first steps in lifting restrictions on Cuban-Americans who want to travel and send money to their homeland. U.S. telecommunications firms will now be free to seek business with the tiny island nation.

In a celebration of this long overdue change, my good friend and photographer Benita Keller is sharing some of her extraordinary photos taken on her many trips to the island.

Please note this slide show is viewed best using Internet Explorer.

http://www.thecjpoliticalreport.com/The CJ Political Report Website/The CJ Political Report Website/CUBA_files/frame.htm

Posted: April 13, 2009 7:32 P.M. (comment

OUT OF THE MOUTH OF...

This from scribe Joe Klein in describing POTUS: "...Our socialist, pacifist, crypto-Muslim President." Looks like he got two our of three correct. You decide.