Blogs For Victory

From CNN’s Anderson Cooper – when you start ticking off liberal MSMers like Cooper, you know you’ve really stepped in it:

Really miss having a great President.

…I therefore invite the good people of the United States, on the approaching 4th day of July, in addition to the usual observances with which they are accustomed to greet the return of the day, further, in such manner and at such time as in their respective localities and religious associations may be most convenient, to mark its recurrence by some public religious and devout thanksgiving to Almighty God for the blessings which have been bestowed upon us as a nation during the century of our existence, and humbly to invoke a continuance of His favor and of His protection.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the city of Washington, this 26th day of June, A. D. 1876, and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundredth.

U. S. GRANT.

From Rasmussen:

Voters trust Republicans more than Democrats on nine out of 10 key issues regularly tracked by Rasmussen Reports…

The really curious thing is that Democrats are more trusted on ethics. Yes, the party of Reid and Pelosi is more trusted than the GOP. This shows not strong Democrat ethics, but just how badly we screwed up. We must always remember this – how we lost the public’s trust and how hard its going to be for us to earn it back.

The rest of the poll, though, is a disaster for Democrats trying to stave off defeat in November. Republicans hold an 11 point edge in health care, 9 points on the economy, 16 points on taxes, 10 points on abortion, 17 points on national security, 15 points on immigration – and even by two points in education. Democrats have entirely wrecked the glow of good feelings they had on election night, 2008 – the bottom is out of the political tub for them

Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth upon this continent a new nation: conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war. . .testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated. . . can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war.

We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate. . .we cannot consecrate. . . we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.

It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us. . .that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion. . . that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain. . . that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom. . . and that government of the people. . .by the people. . .for the people. . . shall not perish from the earth. – Abraham Lincoln, November 19th, 1863

…Of all the dispositions and habits, which lead to political prosperity, Religion and Morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of Patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of Men and Citizens. The mere Politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connexions with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked, Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths, which are the instruments of investigation in Courts of Justice? And let us with caution indulge the supposition, that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect, that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle… – George Washington, September 17, 1796

From Rasmussen:

Republican Pat Toomey continues to hold a modest advantage over Democrat Joe Sestak in the race to replace Arlen Specter as U.S. senator from Pennsylvania.

A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in Pennsylvania shows Toomey attracting 45% of the vote, while Sestak earns 39%…

There are 11% undecided, so its still anyone’s race – but it is clear that Democrats are on rocky electoral ground that someone as conservative as Toomey can be leading in a moderately blue State like Pennsylvania. Just another indicator that in 2010, one would rather be a Republican when running for office.

From Gordon T. Long via Tyler Durden over at Zero Hedge:

As horrific as the gulf environmental catastrophe is, an even more intractable and cataclysmic disaster may be looming. The yet unknowable costs associated with clean-up, litigation and compensation damages due to arguably the world’s worst environmental tragedy, may be in the process of triggering a credit event by British Petroleum (BP) that will be equally devastating to global over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives…

From what I gather, BP is a large corporation with a lot of fingers in a lot of economic pies. As BP’s exposure has grown while the Gulf oil spill has unfolded, money people have started to aggressively reposition themselves away from BP – this creates a risk of what can best be described as a financial heart attack: BP and associates wind up without sufficient funding to carry on, the whole thing collapses and takes down who in heck knows what.

Not a pretty picture – but, also, not at all unexpected by me. BP really screwed up and does have to pay, but I’ve figured for a while now that BP simply can’t pay the full cost of what the Gulf spill will require. While we might think of BP as an oil-company cash machine with unlimited resources (well, “we” don’t think that – but Obama and his Democrats sure do), the fact of the matter is that BP is finite and even if they have revenues in the tens of billions, they have costs only a bit less than that…and now a huge charge has been added at a time when oil prices are flat or down.

Is there a way out? No. No politician will argue that BP should be let off the hook. There is no way for BP to really make everything good. BP will fail in some way, shape or form – and then we’ll all find out just how exposed the financial system is to a BP collapse.

…They tell us, sir, that we are weak; unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week, or the next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house? Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance by lying supinely on our backs and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot? Sir, we are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power. The millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides, sir, we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable–and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come.

It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace– but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death! – Patrick Henry, March 23, 1775

What to do when your State is bankrupt and Democrats in the legislature refuse to own up to this fact – from the Associated Press:

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Thursday ordered about 200,000 state workers to be paid the federal minimum wage this month because the state Legislature has not passed a budget.

Department of Personnel Administration Director Debbie Endsley sent the order in a letter to the state controller, who refused a similar order two years ago and may try to do the same thing this time. Most state employees will be paid the federal minimum of $7.25 per hour for the July pay period…

California has no money – the bottom is truly out of the tub in that State, and yet the Democrats refuse to make the deep and permanent cuts to spending necessary to just put the fiscal house in order, let alone set the stage for an economic revival.

California is the richest State in the nation – having one of the best educated populations of the 50 States, and vast, little used natural resources…but unbroken Democrat governance in the legislature and RINOism in the governor’s mansion (Schwarzenegger bears a large measure of responsibility for the mess, too – but at least he’s finally awake to what is happening) have managed to destroy California.

What happened to California is what Obama wants to have happen to the whole country – keep that in mind as we go through 2010 and 2012.