Going after the public sector unions in California:

hat’s how the LA Times is characterizing the latest act in the California budget drama. I would characterize it as “The Unions vs. Fiscal Sanity.”

Reporting from Sacramento – Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has put organized labor squarely in his cross-hairs in 2010, opening a fight that will largely determine the shape of his final year in office.

Schwarzenegger’s proposals would cut the size of the union workforce, reduce pay, shrink future pensions and roll back job protections won through collective bargaining.

Labor and the unions’ Democratic allies are already girding for battle.

To quote The Matrix, “What do you need? Besides a miracle.”

The news comes on the heels of a report that, for the first time, the number of union members working for the public sector is larger than the number of union members working for the private sector. As one observer told the New York Times, “There has been steady growth among union members in the public sector, but I’m a little bit shocked to see that the lines have actually crossed.”

A crazy person might observe that unionization appears to be associated with growing government and shrinking private industries. Kudos to Schwarzenegger for trying to buck the trend.

Public sector unions are the bane of good government and fiscal sanity – ever since we allowed government employees to unionize (I believe it was back in the 60’s, under JFK, that we let this plague lose in our nation), things have simply gotten worse. Government is more costly, more corrupt, more inefficient because unions don’t exist to produce good work – and with the money unions pour in to Democrat politics, they have a mortal lock on one of the two major political parties.

Think about it: Is a government union ever going to advocate budget cuts? The elimination of a department of bureau? Pay cuts for government workers? Reductions in the gold-plated government employee pension plans? Are unions, to put it bluntly, ever going to advocate policies which help the people as opposed to helping the unions? Of course not.

Public sector unions are driving cities and States in to bankruptcy with their absurd pay and benefits. Public sector unions corrupt our politics by essentially diverting our tax dollars to support people who will jack up our taxes and increase government spending. Public sector unions are no good, and need to be brought to heel.

Schwarzenegger has done a lot of wrong things as governor – but if he carries this fight forward, he’ll have set himself a place in history as a great governor, whatever else happens.

Just like everyone with even so much as half a brain said they would:

Sales of previously occupied homes took the largest monthly drop in more than 40 years last month, sinking more dramatically than expected after lawmakers gave buyers additional time to use a tax credit.

The report reflects a sharp drop in demand after buyers stopped scrambling to qualify for a tax credit of up to $8,000 for first-time homeowners. It had been due to expire on Nov. 30. But Congress extended the deadline until April 30 and expanded it with a new $6,500 credit for existing homeowners who move.

“It’s ‘exit stage left’ for first-time homebuyers,” wrote Guy LeBas, an analyst with Janney Montgomery Scott.

Because the tax credit just accelerated the pace of buying, it didn’t bring any new buyers in to the market. Its just like with car sales – “cash for clunkers” just speeded up what was going to happen, anyway. Someone send Obama a note and explain that we don’t need people doing what they’re doing – we need people to starting doing new things; you know – creating wealth, and all that.

Its like dealing with the most obtuse set of people in human history; our modern liberals. They just don’t or won’t see what is going on.

Because we have to make certain that the people who created this mess – in and out of government – are protected from the consequences of their actions:

The White House stood firm on the renomination of Ben Bernanke Monday, saying a second term for the Federal Reserve chief was vital to demonstrating stability in the US financial system.

“Chairman Bernanke helped the president and the economic team steer through some very turbulent times and rough waters,” White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said.

“I believe that it sends a signal to greater and overall stability to have his nomination approved without political games. And that’s what we expect will happen later this week.”

What is it with liberals and their demand for “stability”? Its like they’re chicken. Look, we don’t need stability and we don’t need “too big to fail” banks to continue existing. We need to clear away the mess, cut taxes, spending and regulation, and just let the people get back to work.

Well, we won’t get any of that while Obama is in office – he’s too beholden to the liberal, corporate fat cats. I don’t know if he’s just in awe of rich people or that he’s hoping for a cushy job once out of the White House – whatever it is, it is the people who will pay the price for keeping Bernanke and those like him in office.

The rising tide of pro-life sentiment:

According to the estimates, the annual March for Life attracted over 250,000 people yesterday, drawing wide participation in the rally against legalized abortion.

This year’s march began with prayer offered by Anglican Priest Martin Mims.

“Forgive us for the many ways in which we have failed to respect the sanctity of every human life,” he began. “Give us courage to be a voice for the voiceless. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. We gather today to pray for our leaders. We pray especially for those who even now are making decisions about providing healthcare for all our people. Protect them from choices made out of political expediency with no mind for your truth,” Mims requested. “Remind them of your promises. Turn their hearts to the children. Lord in your mercy hear our prayer. And now to the God who showed his love for the whole world, to the gift of his only son, Jesus the Christ, and who calls us to do the same, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority before all time and now and forever, Amen.”

To quote from a rather famous American document:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness – that is what we’re fighting for, once again. I believe our Founders would be proud of us, the way we have risen up and shaken the corrupt powers-that-be in our nation. But now we must drive it home – and remember that human rights are mutually supportive. If we don’t have a right to life, then our right to free speech is moot – and so, too, is our right to life if we have not the right to speak out in defense of it. We can be all free, or all slave – there is no half way in these matters.

I know a great many of my fellow conservatives feel otherwise about abortion – that it is not a good thing, but a thing they are unwilling to ban. I understand – but it is time we all started to change and realize that we are all in this together – from the unborn child to the 90 year old lingering in a nursing home, we are all humans, we are all endowed with our rights and that if the rights of one are betrayed, so are the rights of all.

Just disgraceful:

Under questioning from Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions, the top Republican on the judiciary panel, about why special interrogators weren’t used (on the Christmas bomber) Mr. Mueller said: “There was no time to get a follow-up group in there. If one had had the opportunity over a period of time, we may well have had a specialized group do the interrogation.”…

…A task force last summer laid out plans for the new interrogation teams, but none yet exist, administration officials said. The FBI is trying to create the teams with assistance from the Pentagon and intelligence agencies, officials said Wednesday.

Of course, given this is the MSM reporting, the actual news waits for the last paragraph: Mueller can say all he wants that we should have got a team up there, but the fact is we don’t have a team to send. Obama dismantled the Bush Administration interrogation regime, and has not replaced it! We’re at war with bloodthirsty killers and we have no regular method of obtaining information via high value captives. This is dereliction of duty.

Because some pinhead liberals decided that waterboarding is torture, the lives of our soldiers and our fellow citizens are placed at risk. This war, not a parlor game – and, darn it all, Obama had better wake up to his responsibilities.

HAT TIP: NRO’s The Corner

The news:

Allahpundit noted the likelihood of J.D. Hayworth’s primary challenge to John McCain last night, and today the AP makes it official … or officially non-official. While emphasizing that he didn’t want to officially declare his candidacy — which would create a set of legal obligations that he’s not quite ready to assume — Hayworth quit his radio show on air and later stated his intention to challenge McCain:

Former Arizona Congressman J.D. Hayworth says he is planning to run against John McCain for his U.S. Senate seat.

Hayworth, a Republican, told The Associated Press late Friday he stepped down as host of his radio program on KFYI-AM, a conservative radio talk show in Phoenix. Legally, he would not have been able to remain host of the program and be an active candidate. …

“We will formally announce at a later time, but we’re moving forward to challenge John McCain,” he said. “I think we all respect John. I think his place in history is secure. But after close to a quarter-century in Washington, it’s time for him to come home.”

It’s not the first time that a former member of a major-party presidential ticket found himself challenged within his party for his existing Senate seat the next cycle. The same thing happened, ironically, to one of McCain’s closest friends in the upper chamber, Joe Lieberman. Lieberman lost his primary to Ned Lamont, who mostly self-financed from his personal fortune. Lieberman won the seat in the general election by running as an independent, but still caucuses with Democrats, even though Lieberman campaigned for McCain in 2008.

This is why McCain is so keen to have Brown and Palin campaign for him – but Hayworth does make a strong point just in the fact that McCain has been there so long: perhaps it is time to allow someone else to take a hand at it? None of us are indispensable and the times have changed mightily since McCain first came to the Senate. Maybe its time that Arizona had someone more in tune with the current state of affairs?

I respect John McCain and I voted for him in 2008 – but simply because he is a Republican Senator doesn’t mean he should always be a Republican Senator. McCain should ponder the way things are and whether or not he’s really the best man to represent Arizona’s interests in what will be a revolutionary political period.

UPDATE: At Noonan for Nevada I expand on the concept of ending “career politicians”.

Demonstrating that a majority is clearly awake to what is going on:

A majority of Americans oppose the economic stimulus program, according to a new national poll.

Fifty-six percent of people questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Sunday say they oppose the stimulus package, with 42 percent supporting it.

In all my life, I’ve never seen so many poll results consistently showing that the American people are decisively rejecting the paradigm established during the Great Depression: That government can lead the way out of economic troubles.

That paradigm was false to begin with – we got out of the Depression in spite of government and were, indeed, hindered by government from recovering sooner. Now, with trillions of dollars in debt and the economy in the sink, the people are realizing that it was always stupid to think that you can borrow and print your way to wealth. Only hard work creates wealth – government’s sole purpose in economics is to encourage wealth creation. If the government is not fostering wealth creation, then it is simply robbing the people of their substance.

Democrats have their fingers crossed, hoping that an improving economy will rescue them in November. First off, the asinine policies implemented by Obama are, if anything, guaranteed to make things worse rather than better and (b) even if the economy does show some improvement, I don’t think that will serious limit the peoples’ desire for some fundamental change in government.

Good for Kucinich to actually be paying attention:

The New Ledger titles its coverage of two interviews with the uber-progressive Ohio Congressman using a distinct understatement: “Kucinich Shreds Democrats for ‘Selling Out’.”

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) is not happy with the direction of his own party and he is telling them to wake up. In an interview with Rawstory.com, Congressman Kucinich blasted away verbally and shredded his fellow Democrats with his words for failing to follow through on the change they promised in Washington…

…He went as far as to mention the Tea Party movement in a separate interview, warning fellow Dems on the Ed Schultz Show not to ignore financial issues.

“I met with people who were, you know, unfairly ridiculed as being just a bunch of teabaggers and frankly they had basic economic concerns just like everyone else, they felt that government wasn’t listening to them, and this is where the Democratic Party better wake up,” he told the radio audience.

As I’ve said before, there is a chance that even a liberal Democrat can tap in to TEA Party support – it wouldn’t be easy, but it could be done. All that it requires is a realization that the TEA Party people are patriots acting from love of country, and then address at least some of their concerns. I don’t know if Kucinich is actively seeking such support, but he’s just put himself miles ahead of any other Democrat on this – and given that Democrats are in for a rough November, that will just work to Kucinich’s advantage (though now Kucinich may come to seriously regret dumping a lifetime’s pro-life activism in order to make his quixotic run for the White House).

Its nothing new that people are angry over government – what is new is that people can swiftly find out they are not alone in this, and then set up events to publicize their concerns. And this can all be done on a shoe string and with no establishment leadership. The people are furious with government – its just disgusting to watch Obama, Pelosi and Reid actively lying to us and screwing over America while they tell us, with a straight face, that they are doing nothing of the kind. This fury is building, and it will carry to November – even if the economy gets better.

Anyone can hop on this revolutionary bus – anyone who cares about America; anyone who wants more local control; anyone who wants the crooks in DC and Wall Street sent to jail…there is no room on this bus, however, for anyone who lies or who tries to sell the concept that our grossly incompetent government can make things better for us.

We’ll see how this all plays out – but when a kook leftist like Kucinich breaks ranks with the Democrat leadership, you know that the times are, indeed, a-changing.

The whole thing is falling apart rapidly, now:

The London Times continues to follow the glaciergate story–and it keeps getting worse.

The latest disclosure: Rajendra Pachauri, chairman of the UN’s (formerly) prestigious Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (known as the IPCC), may have raised millions of dollars for his New Delhi institute on the basis of the totally bogus ‘glaciergate’ claim by the IPCC that the Himalayan glaciers would melt by 2035.

According the the London Times, Pachauri’s institute got money from the European Union and the US-based Carnegie Corporation to investigate a prediction that never had any scientific backing whatever, and one which all serious glacier scientists instantly recognized as impossible. The bogus claim was frequently repeated in the fundraising efforts — and reiterated as recently as January 15 when the IPCC was already under intense pressure to admit it had blundered.

This is now more than an example of eye-popping incompetence and gross neglect of elementary scientific standards by a body on whose authority the world is expected to make multi-trillion dollar decisions affecting every business and every person on the planet.

It is now, potentially, a criminal issue.

It certainly is – and we need to start investigating, from Gore on down, for possible fraud. These people have been running a confidence game…maybe they didn’t start out, and maybe some of them were bamboozled in to it, but we need to know. And those who knew it was false from the start and/or became aware of its falsehood and failed to expose it, need to go to jail.

How much money have we spent on this scam? Money which could have been used for other, much better purposes? If it can be shown that people died for lack of support because money was diverted to the bogus claims of global warming, then we might have manslaughter cases to make against the hucksters.

Just burns me up that they got away with it for so long – and are still trying to defend their fantasy, at least long enough to rake in some more billions of dollars. This must be stopped and the guilty must be made an example of in order to keep people honest on these issues in the future.

This is pathetic:

Obama has suspicious number of letter-writing fans named ‘Ellie Light’

By Sabrina Eaton, The Plain Dealer

In recent weeks, Light has published virtually identical “Letters to the Editor” in support of President Barack Obama in more than a dozen newspapers.Every letter claimed a different residence for Light that happened to be in the newspaper’s circulation area.

“It’s time for Americans to realize that governing is hard work, and that a president can’t just wave a magic wand and fix everything,” said a letter from alleged Philadelphian Ellie Light, that was published in the Jan. 19 edition of The Philadelphia Daily News.

A letter from Light in the Jan. 20 edition of the San Francisco Examiner concluded with an identical sentence, but with an address for Light all the way across the country in Daly City, California.

Variations of Light’s letter ran in Ohio’s Mansfield News Journal on Jan. 13, with Light claiming an address in Mansfield; in New Mexico’s Ruidoso News on Jan. 12, claiming an address in Three Rivers; in South Carolina’s The Sun News on Jan. 18, claiming an address in Myrtle Beach; and in the Daily News Leader of Staunton, Virginia on Jan. 15, claiming an address in Waynesboro. Her publications list includes other papers in Ohio, West Virginia, Maine, Michigan, Iowa, Pennsylvania and California, all claiming separate addresses.

We here at Blogs for Victory have been wondering where our liberal commenters have gone. Especially since the Brown victory, we haven’t heard much of them. Have they been re-tasked? Has the liberal noise machine decided to eschew the blogosphere for a while and concentrate on the dinosaur media? Trying to buck up the MSMers – make them think that there still is popular support for their man?

Whatever it is, this is just pathetic – its like having someone write you fan mail.