What Media Bias? Part 193

Mark Noonan9 Comments

Walter Russel Mead lays it out:

…The news from Afghanistan is grim. With the latest round of deaths, we pass a milestone: 2,000 US combatants have died in what is now the longest war in American history. The milestone has been reached just as the surge in troops has come to an end without achieving the goals of pacifying the country or even launching peace talks with the Taliban. Our Afghan “allies” remain as corrupt and ineffectual as ever, with the added wrinkle that the most dangerous place in Afghanistan for US troops these days seems to be the neighborhood of US-armed and trained Afghan forces, who are shooting and blowing up their nominal allies faster than the Taliban can do it.

This is all bad news and very disturbing, but there is a crumb of comfort to be had. Because these failures happened on President Obama’s watch, the mainstream press isn’t particularly interested in relentless, non-stop scrutiny of the unpleasant news. If George W. Bush were president now, and had ordered the surge and was responsible for the strategic decisions taken and not taken in Afghanistan over the last four years, the mainstream press would be rubbing our noses in his miserable failures and inexcusable blunders 24/7…

And every last one of you reading this – especially your liberals – knows this is true.  You can say all you want that the war started on Bush’s watch; you can say this, that and the other thing to excuse Obama – but you all know darn well that if a Republican were President right now, the stories about the collapse in Afghanistan would lead the news day after day after day.  Just think for a moment what it would be like if McCain had won in 2008 and Obama was just now taking his second shot at the Presidency.  The MSM would never let this pass, not for a second…and we’d have days of news reports marking the 2,000th American death in Afghanistan.

I really do think I have to retire the title of this post – as you can see, its been going on for a long time.  But a more correct title these days would be “What Venal and Corrupt Press?”.  Because this has gone beyond bias.  This is far more than just a willingness to soften the blows for liberals and turn up the heat on conservatives – this is a disgusting failure to do the very basics of journalism:  at least attempt to bring the truth to the people.

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The Audacity Of Corruption

Cluster86 Comments

Pat Caddell is spot on!  –

“I think we’re at the most dangerous time in our political history in terms of the balance of power in the role that the media plays in whether or not we maintain a free democracy or not.”

This is a must read, and Pat is 100% correct. In my opinion the North Korean News Agency is more objective than our media, and without an objective, unbiased, hard hitting media – we have no democracy, or more accurately, a representative republic.

Two Different Worlds – Open Thread

Cluster156 Comments

Never before in my lifetime have I seen such a disconnect in this country between conservatives and liberals, and it’s important to point out that 95% of this current disconnect is driven by the media, ie; the liberal white media, and their purely agenda driven mission. There are some very important, and serious issues to have adult conversations on in this country, including but not limited to the recent embassy attacks in the ME, and the death of our Ambassador that coincided with September 11 and of which our President lied about. The ever growing and unsustainable debt, the soon to be bankrupt Medicare and Social Security programs, the $1 trillion dollar deficits that have established new unsustainable baseline government spending, the dramatically increasing food stamp rolls, the persistent high unemployment, the persistent high gas prices which financially hurt everyone, the reluctance by this administration to do anything serious about becoming energy independent, the labor force which is at an all time low, tax reforms, regulatory reforms, and the list goes on and on. But if you listen to much of the mainstream media, the top story of the day is the latest “game changing” gaffe by Mitt Romney of which the completely biased, and liberal pundits spend the next hour on,  coupled with more adoring coverage of what Obama did that day. The liberal media has abdicated all responsibility and I believe this fact needs to be seriously addressed at some other time, hopefully after the adults take over and start resolving the other more serious challenges to this country.

The first Presidential debate is just a few days away, and I for one am looking forward to it. Feel free to discuss whatever is on your mind and please keep it civil.

Two Great Americans Are Dead

Cluster25 Comments

Unfortunately, the Obama regime is more interested in protecting their own hide, than they are in telling the truth, and letting the American know exactly what unfortunate events led to Border Guard Brian Terry’s and Ambassadors Chris Steven’s untimely deaths. Thanks to the journalists at Univision, who continue to pursue this issue unlike our own “journalists”, it is now being learned that the size and scope of Fast & Furious gun walking scandal is growing, and resulting in more Mexican National deaths than previously known. In fact, we are now learning that guns purchased in Phoenix found their way into hands of drug traffickers in Honduras, Puerto Rico and Columbia. Of course, when the Congressional investigation of this issue became uncomfortable for the regime, Obama invoked Executive Privilege in an effort to protect himself and his close friend Attorney General Eric Holder, with little to no regard to the Terry family. Disgusting, doesn’t even begin to describe it.

Now let’s look at the most recent death of Ambassador Chris Stevens, which we are learning could have been prevented had the administration heeded warnings in advance of potential unrest, Steven’s own warnings in his journal of which I have to think he let someone know, and the fact that the Obama regime didn’t see fit to provide any additional security on the anniversary of September 11, despite the fact that Gaddafi was recently deposed and the country is still in turmoil. Obama chose instead to ignore common sense, in favor of fund raising, campaigning, and schmoozing with Jay Z and the ladies on the View, and then rushed out UN Ambassador Susan Rice to lie, and say that the attacks were spontaneous and unexpected. Disgusting again, doesn’t even begin to describe it.

Folks, we need to do better, and Romney deserves your vote in November.

Citizens Pay Taxes

Mark Noonan77 Comments

And if you don’t pay taxes then you are honestly not fully a citizen.  This Fox News poll indicates that a massive majority of people instinctively grasp this fact:

A large majority of likely voters believes all Americans should pay some federal income tax — even if it is as little as one percent of what they make.

Seventy-nine percent say everyone should pay something, according to a Fox News poll released Thursday.  That includes 85 percent of Republicans, 83 percent of independents and 71 percent of Democrats.

According to the IRS, last year approximately 41 percent of tax filers did not pay federal income tax.  The Tax Policy Center estimates that will increase to 46 percent this year…

It is just being part of a self-governing nation – every adult who is physically capable of contributing should contribute, even if its only in a tiny, symbolic manner.  The fact that tens of millions of people pay no federal income tax is a scandal – unless you starved to death last year, you had some sort of income and you should have paid some part of it in to the common fund.  Citizenship is only secondarily about the exercise of rights – it is primarily about the exercise of responsibilities.  And this, indeed, is what scares people about it – especially liberals:  that every man shall be a king (and every woman a queen).  It is frightening to think that you are personally responsible for yourself and even more frightening to think if yourself as responsible for everyone else.  And so it has always been easy for frightened people to prefer a tyrant who will take responsibility for the group and the individual.

I’m heartened by this poll – I had thought that only about 60% of Americans still got what it means to be a citizen.  This poll indicates that nearly 80% still do.

UPDATE:  Off topic here but since you liberals are considering polls to be holy writ:

Rasmussen polled voters to find out which candidate is trusted more to handle the US economy. Mitt Romney leads Obama by seven points, 51-44.

Bloomberg polled the question of which candidate do Americans trust more on terrorism. The Obama administration is rapidly becoming engulfed in charges that it has attempted a cover-up after the terrorist attacks in Libya and Egypt left four Americans dead. President Obama had expected, prior to the attacks, that authorizing the mission that ultimately killed Osama bin Laden would allow him a cushion on foreign policy and especially on terrorism. Bloomberg found that there is no such cushion. In fact, Mitt Romney leads Obama on trust on terrorism by six points, 48-42.

Obama Lies And Liberals Are Stupid

Cluster82 Comments

This is a continuation of the “Why Romeny Will Win Thread” and I admittedly am violating my new rule of only speaking positively of Romeny and trying to stay away from posting Obama bashing threads, but as I previously mentioned, there is a lot of material to bash Obama over, so once again I succumb to the target rich environment.

Obama is not even trying to conceal his lies anymore as he continue to get away with it, so like any criminal, he is becoming more brazen. Add to that, his minions don’t seem to care, or worse, don’t know the difference, and of course, most of the Obama loving media will gloss right over it. Let’s start with his most recent lie on the embassy attacks in Benghazi, of which for days, his regime continued to define the attacks as “spontaneous”, and continued to blame the attacks on the Internet video, of which everyone knew from the onset that neither of those statements were true. Yet he even continues to parrot that line at his most recent UN speech just the other day, and again, not much mention in the media, or from his completely stupid base. Let’s continue with his lie about Romney’s taxes, of which he is still lying about Romney’s tax rate being lower than the middle class, which in reality, it is not. The net effective tax rate for those making $50,000 to $75,000 is approximately 7% -8%, and those making $75,000 – $100,000, pay approximately 10%- 12% effective rate. Romney paid approximately 14%, which was his effective  cap rate tax, and is obviously higher than the other effective tax rates, so once again, Obama lies and his base is stupid.

Now let’s move on to the Affordable Care Act, which contained the personal mandate that was questionably constitutional, and was sold to the American people as a mandate and not a tax. This also dovetails into Obama’s pledge not to raise any taxes on those making $250,000 or less. Enter the Supreme Court, which passed the mandate by turning it into a “tax”, following the arguments put forth by the Obama regime. So, Obama lied twice on this issue – once by selling it as a mandate, not a tax, and secondly, by breaking his promise not to raise taxes on those making $250,000 or less. Finally, let’s revisit Obama’s 2008 campaign promise to cut the deficit in half, of which he hasn’t even tried, by submitting budgets that contain $1 trillion plus deficits, and raising the debt by more than $5 trillion dollars in one four year term. So once again, Obama lied and his base is stupid.

These are just four blatant examples of Obama’s dishonesty, and his loyal bases ignorance. I invite everyone to add more. Have fun.

Why Romney Will Win

Cluster149 Comments

Well first of all, let’s take into account that this is a center right country and always has been. In June of 2010, Gallup conducted a poll wherein, 42% of Americans self identified themselves as conservative, and just 20% self identified themselves as liberal. This fact was never more evident than in November of 2010, when conservatives swept local and national elections. And despite what you will hear in the media, and from the Obama regime, the November 2010 election was a referendum on Obama, and Pelosi’s management of the economy which by most measures, has become worse. From CNN Money – “Only 29% of CEOs said they expect to hire more employees in the next six months, down from 36% in the last quarter. Company leaders are also cutting back on capital spending plans: just 30% expected to increase spending, compared to 43% last quarter.”, and a lot of this uncertainty stems from the “fiscal cliff” issue, and Obama’s inability to convince Americans, or even members of his own party that raising taxes on the “rich” will resolve our problems. Of course, everyone knows that it won’t, but that fact hasn’t stopped Obama from demagoguing the issue. Set aside the fact that Obama has never submitted a serious budget, with his last attempt earlier in the year, not receiving one single vote in either Congressional Chamber, not even from his own party. Not one single vote!!! How can anyone be reelected, or even elected for that matter,  that is incapable of submitting a serious budget? Finally on this note is the fact that a conservative Governor just held off on all out liberal assault and won a recall election in a very blue state. Thank you Governor Walker.

Now let’s bring into question the only issue that Obama may have had the upper hand on, and that was foreign policy. That is until just recently when his misguided policies are now literally blowing up in his, and our faces. Relations with the ME are at an all time low, and Obama surrogate and UN Ambassador Susan Rice outright lied to the American people for days following the Embassy attacks, a fact of which is well known by many, no thanks to the sycophantic, Obama loving media. Obama has never visited Israel, denigrated Netanyahu in an off mike conversation with Sarkozy, continues to give Iran more time and confidence, and has done nothing in regards to Syria, where the real massacre is taking place. Outside of allowing the military to take out UBL, of which his braggadocio has helped incited current ME violence, his foreign policy has been confusing and ineffective.

Now we  need to consider Obama’s plan for the next four years, because this is after all, a referendum on Obama, not Mitt Romney. Although Mitt Romney does have a comprehensive plan, and the background and experience to get the job done, this election will be decided on Obama’s plan, which by all accounts, is more of the same. He just needs more time, according to pundits and himself. Well thinking people realize that nearly 4 years is enough time to see some positive results, of which there just hasn’t been enough, set aside the fact that some economists are thinking that hyperinflation may be headed our way soon, gas prices have more than doubled, unemployment is headed upward, and family incomes are on the decline. And what is Obama’s answer? Higher taxes, higher insurance premiums due to Obamacare, more regulation, and more redistribution, and according to him, it just needs more time to work. I don’t think many people are buying that.

Finally the polls, which are misleading to say the least, mostly because they over sample Democrats and base their expected turn out on 2008 numbers, which by any measure was a very unusual election with unusually high turn out numbers in several categories. Also, I believe the most recent swing state polls are over sampling Democrats by a minimum of 5 percentage points. The following is the conclusion of a very good Hugh Hewitt interview with Jay Cost: “How do you get a 4 point Democratic advantage for this president on the top line number with a tie among independents? The only way you get that is through an overwhelming advantage in terms of partisan identification for Democrats.”

Most of the mainstream media will do everything they can to see that Obama is reelected, and they prove that daily in their polling and in their analysis. I base my opinion on the fact that we are a center right country, the November 2010 election outcomes, the Walker win in WI, and the failed policies of Obama. I could be wrong, but I do expect a Romney victory in November.

Romney At Clinton’s Global Initiative

Cluster145 Comments

This morning Romney spoke at Bill Clinton’s Global Initiative, and not only received a standing ovation from a room full of Democrats, but clearly demonstrated his understanding of the need for “effective” government/private sector partnerships in developing and improving third world countries. Romney’s successful experience in the private sector and government are the perfect blend for what is needed to take this great country over, and restore what America was, and can be. We don’t need to “fundamentally transform” this country, as the current occupant is doing, and plans to accelerate in the next four years. What we need to do, is restore what made this country the envy of the world, ie; our compassion, our innovation and our freedom to not only strive to reach our own individual potential, but to extend American Exceptionalism to everyone, and in order to do that, one needs to fully understand and believe in American Exceptionalism. Romney does. Obama never has.

The entire video is 20 minutes long and well worth the time, or the transcript is in the link as well. I have grown tired of bashing Obama, because quite honestly, the material is endless and too easy. What I will strive to do from this point forward, is to make the case for Romney, and that too, shouldn’t be too difficult. He is a man of incredible integrity, knowledge, compassion, and wisdom, and he truly believes that our best days are ahead of us. As the 20th century was America’s century, so to will be the 21st century, and it will start with a Romney Presidency.

 

Monday Morning Open Thread

Mark Noonan174 Comments

Really doing this because there are several things I want to shine our tiny spotlight on:

Andrew Sullivan actually writes and article entitled “President Obama:  the Democrats Reagan“.  Here’s the challenge – I had to stop at the end of the second paragraph because going any further would have brought on fits of laughter so extreme as to be health-threatening.  So, how far can you get in to it before you have to stop?

There is a poll for Pennsylvania showing Obama only up by 2 and under 50%.  My prediction?  Obama will win Pennsylvania…but if you do see the State called for Romney then we’re in for a Reagan-style, 1980 landslide.  And it could happen.

Now, just why would people turn to Romney in such large numbers?  Perhaps it is because our President is a complete fool?  Calling what has happened in Libya a “bump in the road” is an idiot’s statement.  Seriously – I see your “47%” Democrats and raise you this.

Or maybe its because our President lives in a fantasy world?

Why Wisconsin is in Play.  More important for me is the fact that Wisconsin is in play.  Obama won the State by 14 points in 2008.  It should be a walkover for him.  It isn’t – in fact, its probably no better than 50/50 that Obama will win it.  So, going from 14 point lead to zero point lead in a blue State and yet we’re supposed to believe that Obama’s on an easy track for re-election?  Sure, whatever you say…

Camden, NJ (Obama by 34.8 in 2008) our poorest and most crime-ridden city is looking to disband its police force because of budget constraints.  I haven’t been able to find the information so I will place a bet with anyone who asks:  I bet it has been at least 40 years since Republicans ran the place.  Any takers?  I’m sure of winning because it is only liberal Democrats who can take a prosperous American city and turn it in to a crime-ridden, impoverished pest hole.  And what liberals have done for Detroit, Camden, Los Angeles, etc, etc, etc, is precisely what they want to do to the rest of America.  Oh, do I hear a liberal whine of “no, we don’t”?  Ok, fine – then you explain to me why when you gain exclusive political control things always work out like Camden?

In Regard to the Muslim World, What Do We Do Now?

Mark Noonan99 Comments

The key take-away of the recent events in the middle east, for me, is that whatever we were trying to do in the Muslim world, it is now in shambles.  Whether one wants to take the leftwing/Islamist view that Islam is angered by our wrongdoing or if one wishes to point out that Islam has been the aggressor for more than a thousand years is immaterial – whether it is war or the olive branch we were trying to bring to the Muslim world, both our war and peace policies have failed.  We have no victorious war while also having no peace.  However we go forward, we should go forward as a blank slate.  The first thing for us to do, then, is to figure out what we want.

The Muslim world is a billion people sitting on a strategic crossroads and also containing a very large amount of the exceptionally valuable substance, oil.  This reality is just there – it can’t be argued with.  Whatever we might want, our policy has to take in to consideration that it is there and has to be dealt with.  So, the first thing we can dispose of is any concept that we can just entirely walk away and pretend it doesn’t matter.  For good or ill, the United States will be involved in the affairs of the Muslim world.  That said, we still have to define what we want our involvement to be.

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