I Had a Root Canal Yesterday Open Thread

So, what does having a root canal have to do with either the price of tea in China or whether or not you get a good blog entry for the AM? Nothing with the former; for the latter, it just means my jaw hurts and I’m tired – so no good entry.

On the other hand, there were a lot of great subjects to cover:

FDIC Friday – bank failures hit 106 for 2010.

Democrats are raking in lobbyist cash.

Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) joins Rangel in ethics hot water.

59% still back the Arizona immigration law.

And Iowahawk takes on that creepy birthday card for the President thing.

BP to Take $10 Billion Tax Credit

From CBS:

While BP took a $17 billion loss in the second quarter, the financial news isn’t all bad for the beleaguered oil giant.

That’s because the amount the oil company set aside to cover the costs of the oil spill will end up saving the oil giant $10 billion in U.S taxes, according to an msnbc.com report…

This just goes to my point about corporate taxes – they are utterly pointless. Corporations don’t pay them – even if you manage to get a dollar from a corporate bank account in to the Treasury, it is just going to be taken out of the pockets of consumers or employees, or both. Better to just give it up and seek revenues elsewhere.

Tough Fighting in Afghanistan

The troops are in the thick of it:

In a summer of suffering, America’s military death toll in Afghanistan is rising, with back-to-back record months for U.S. losses in the grinding conflict. All signs point to more bloodshed in the months ahead, straining the already shaky international support for the war.

Six more Americans were reported killed in fighting in the south — three Thursday and three Friday — pushing the U.S. death toll for July to a record 66 and surpassing June as the deadliest month for U.S. forces in the nearly nine-year war…

Keep them in your prayers – always remember that while we are safe here at home, the best of America is overseas, fighting for us.

Sen. Leahy (D-VT) Refuses to Investigate Panther Case

Pajamas Media has the run-down on the absurd reasoning from Senator Leahy.

What is happening here is a desperate attempt by Democrats to make this go away – everything is falling apart for them and they don’t want to have a case which promises to upset their own side if pursued – they need donation and as much enthusiasm as they can get from their base. This would be eroded greatly if they went after the truth about the NBPP.

And so, law and justice will be set aside – Democrats have more important hings on their mind…such as their own power and wealth.

This is Obama’s America. How do you like it?

Country Class vs Ruling Class: Border Security Edition

From Rasmussen:

…A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 68% of U.S. voters now believe the United States should continue to build a fence on the Mexican border. That’s up nine points from March when the Obama administration halted funding for the fence and the highest level of support ever.

Just 21% oppose the continued building of the border fence.

Support for the fence is strong across all demographic groups. But while 76% of Mainstream voters think the United States should continue to build the fence, 67% of the Political Class are opposed to it…

Not much more be said than that – the people who presume to rule in our name are, once again, completely off the ranch. Remember, even people like me who do favor a path to citizenship for illegals and a guest worker program are in favor of strict border security. It takes a complete out-to-lunch elitist to be opposed to border security.

And thus the real battle of 2010 – not so much Republican vs Democrat, but People vs Powerful. In this year, the GOP is just the convenient vehicle of popular discontent. And if the GOP doesn’t understand that they are being sent do DC to do the people’s will, then they will be in their turn tossed out.

It is time for we, the people to completely reclaim our government – to make it our servant, not our master.

UPDATE: Amnesty without a vote?

The Culture of Death Tries to Save Barbara Boxer

Because they just can’t stand the thought of having one less pro-abortion vote in the Senate:

…pro-life views run counter to the way in which Boxer has defended everything from taxpayer funding of abortions to partial-birth abortions in the Senate, refusing to vote for or allow even the most modest abortion limits most Americans support.

Kathy Kneer, president of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, told the Associated Press today that her group believes Boxer will come out on top in November because polls show a majority of California residents back legalized abortions.

But the victory she assuredly believes Boxer will win won’t come without a hefty pricetag: one million dollars…

Boxer’s opponent points out that her mother in law was advised to obtain an abortion – which would have meant no husband for Carly Fiorina. That is an important point to make – behind each “choice” is a dead human being, a life cut short – love and devotion for others removed from the world. Abortion is an act of despair which lasts as long as this world will last – we can never repair the mutilation of our society represented by the tens of millions of abortions. Love was given to the world, and it was taken away – and it cannot be made good, ever.

Abortion is also an act of enslavement for women, in to the bargain. A woman who chooses abortion has not made a stand for independence but has instead turned her body in to the merest implement for the pleasure of the most unworthy of men – those men who would see their own child aborted rather than exerting themselves to care for both mother and child.

There is no good in abortion – it is a wicked, inhuman practice. But it does have its defenders, such as Barbara Boxer. And the people and groups who rake it in off despair and death – such as Planned Parenthood – don’t want their gravy train interfered with. And so, they’ll spend bags of money backing their kept Senators – and, dear Americans, it is really your tax dollars at work here. Planned Parenthood is subsidized in part by taxpayers – and that frees up funds for PP to use in politics. Keep that in mind as this election season goes on – any such PP action in politics is your hard earned money.

It won’t work – the Culture of Death is on its last legs. Barbara Boxer is doomed. She is doomed by the utter failure of liberalism in California. Doomed by the rank corruption of the Democrat Party. Doomed by the worthlessness of the Culture of Death.

GOP Retains Slight Edge in Wisconsin Senate Race

From Ramussen:

The Wisconsin Senate race is still a toss-up, with Republican Ron Johnson and incumbent Democrat Russ Feingold in a near tie.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in Wisconsin shows Johnson with 48% support. Feingold, a member of the Senate since 1993, again picks up 46% of the vote…

This is pretty much unchanged from the last poll two weeks ago – but the really important thing here is that Feingold should be having a walk over in this race. This is his fourth run – he’s been a popular Senator in tune with the Wisconsin electorate. If Feingold is in trouble – and he is – then the entire Democrat party is on the brink of disaster.

13 Counts Against Rangel

From The Hill:

The House ethics committee announced 13 charges Thursday against Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.), who is accused of breaking House rules as well as federal statutes.

If he were a Republican, the GOP would be calling for his resignation – as he’s a Democrat, that won’t happen unless his trial starts to adversely affect Democrat chances in November.