Not very hairy, but still.

TEXT

DEBATE FALLOUT: REPUBLICANS DROP NBC They seem to have grown some balls

Joni Sure Has Balls

a major award

“ Joni's Castratos I'm not sure this augers well for the commonweal, coming from the conservative press and all, but it certainly makes the point. ”

A confession and some promise ...

“ “ultimately journalism has changed… partisanship is very much a part of journalism now.” CBS CEO Les Moonves at Obama fundraiser   Which would seem to buttress any attempt by the GOP to sue the DMC (Democrat Media Complex)  for one trillion dollars in actual damages they suffered in 2008 alone through campaign contributions in kind gifted to Barack Obama.  See how easy it is to throw me off tangent?  I began this post to clap clap clapfor  the Tea Party primarying  the GOP's Sen. Lamar Alexander. I've had nothing even remotely nice to say about the GOP for several years, other than they are All Americans next to the DNC. But, I remembered this article from last week, Let's see. Priebus Hits a Home Run Priebus came out and stated the obvious; that if these two operations went forth with their Hillary projects the Republicans would not play ball with them during the 2016 election cycle. That means the Republican primary debates would be held on networks other than NBC, MSNBC or CNN. Well, no.  All he's done is step up the plate with a bat. But that  at least,  is a baby step.  If he actually swings and gets some hits, give me a call. Priebus can hit a Home Run right now by recognizing that it's Tea Party candidates who  offer long term term hope for the party, and the nation.  By throwing support to Joe Carr, he can fundamentally change the political landscape and become a hero.  ”

She's sooooooo dirty

Today's GOP girl. Evidently.

Scott Walker v. Obama

The Scott Walker Identity “ RUSH:  ... The unions -- I was gonna get to Scott Walker at some point in the stack, but I might as well touch on it briefly.  There's a couple of stories here in the stack about the unions losing strength in Wisconsin. "Republican Governor Scott Walker widened his lead over Democrat Tom Barrett to 7percentage points in a new poll."  It's less than a week.  Walker at 52.  Barrett is at 45.  Wall Street Journal:  "Wisconsin Unions See Ranks Drop Ahead of Recall Vote -- Public-employee unions in Wisconsin have experienced a dramatic drop in membership -- by more than half for the second-biggest union -- since a law championed by Republican Gov. Scott Walker sharply curtailed their ability to bargain over wages and working conditions." This Wisconsin recall election, the Democrats, this is their election.  They demanded this.  It's a recall.  They started it. They wanted it. It was gonna be a proving ground. It was where they were gonna demonstrate the power of unions, public-sector employees.  They were gonna get rid of a Republican governor and his ideas, and the exact worst-case scenario is happening.  The Democrat National Committee has pulled all money out.  They are conceding already.  The big risk in Wisconsin, I'll tell you what it is.  The big risk in Wisconsin is that Walker voters get a sense of complacency, think this is over, and don't show up.  That's the biggest risk right now, and that's what the largest concern is.  But this election that the Democrats demanded, this has considerable ramifications for organized labor. BREAK TRANSCRIPT RUSH:  The lesson in Wisconsin is that conservatism works.  Scott Walker has done everything that Obama says is impossible to do.  He cut spending and expanded the economy while lowering taxes and laying off no one.  It's amazing. [Full Rush Transcript] ”

Mike Kelly's Righteous Rant

Mike Kelly's Righteous Rant Statement During Education and Workforce Committee Markup

“ ” Clap        Clap       Clap     cuzzin ricky

Robinson for Congress

GOP Congressional Candidate Attacks Rick Perry on Immigration

"Jesse Helms is back -- and this time he's black!" “ .... "a Mexican Restaurant which hosts a $1000 a plate fundraiser for fatcats undoubtedly celebrating continued access to cheap drywall and other 7 million jobs held by illegals while 14 million Americans look for work." "If Governor Perry's amnesty policy is adopted, it will mark the first time a Texan has surrendered to Mexico in 175 years," continued Robinson. Robinson called for using troops to secure the border, implementing e-Verify, cutting off welfare to illegal immigrants, an end to ballot printed in Spanish and other foreign languages, rescinding birthright citizenship, and restricting the jurisdiction of federal judges who stand in the way. Robinson, who has run for Congress unsuccessfully before, is a conservative firebrand. One of his favorite lines is, "Jesse Helms is back -- and this time he's black!" The district Robinson is running in, currently represented by Democrat Larry Kissel, has been redrawn to make it more Republican. ” I understand the necessity for  any Texas politician to curry the Messican vote,  but when those alliances lead you to ignore the law-  expect to be called on it.  It's a good thing.

The 22 ...

The no votes: 22 principled GOPers who balked Boehner

“ Justin Amash (Mich.) Michele Bachmann (Minn.) Chip Cravaack (Minn.) Jason Chaffetz (Utah) Scott Desjarlais (Tenn.) Tom Graves (Ga.) Tim Huelskamp (Kans.) Steve King (Iowa) Tim Johnson (Ill.) Tom McClintock (Calif.) Mick Mulvaney (S.C.) Ron Paul (Texas) Connie Mack (Fla.) Jim Jordan (Ohio) Tim Scott (S.C.) Paul Broun (Ga.) Tom Latham (Iowa) Jeff Duncan (S.C.) Trey Gowdy (S.C.) Steve Southerland (Fla.) Joe Walsh (Ill.) Joe Wilson (S.C.) ” Clap Calp Clap! Politico

Friday Morning Fights

Friday Morning Fights

“ Potential Debt Limit ‘Plan C’ Emerges, Democrats Say (GOP ready to shaft Conservatives, again) Thursday, July 28, 2011 11:04:31 PM · by tobyhill · 13 replies Fox News ^ | 7/28/2011 | Ed Henry Democratic officials are cautiously optimistic that the outlines of a potential compromise – a “Plan C” – are emerging that could bridge the differences between plans pushed by House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. The officials said President Obama has spent the past couple of days quietly reaching out to leaders in both parties to try and start hammering out the details, though it's clear this is still only in the discussion phase and they are not close to a deal yet. Senate Budget Chairman Kent Conrad, D-N.D., hinted at such a compromise earlier... Romney 'Applauds' Boehner Plan     Thursday, July 28, 2011 10:56:05 PM · by Halfmanhalfamazing · 22 replies National Review ^ | June 26th | Robert Costa Former Bay State governor Mitt Romney supports Speaker John Boehner as House Republicans move forward. His campaign says that he is reviewing the Boehner plan. "Governor Romney thinks President Obama's leadership has been an historic failure. He applauds Speaker Boehner for standing firm against raising taxes when our nation can least afford them," says Andrea Saul, a spokeswoman for Romney, in a statement to National Review Online. What the final deal is likely to look like (Hybrid of Boehner/Reid/ McConnell plans) Thursday, July 28, 2011 10:50:18 PM · by Qbert · 19 replies Washington Post ^ | 07/28/2011 | Ezra Klein [Snip] The smart money in Washington continues to be on some hybrid of the Boehner/Reid/McConnell plans. If I had to place a bet now, I’d say the final deal looks something like this: Cuts: $1.2 trillion in discretionary spending cuts, with somewhat more of the total falling on defense spending than in Boehner’s bill and somewhat less of the total falling on defense spending than in Reid’s bill. Committee: The bipartisan “Supercommittee” will be formed and charged with developing a plan that cuts the deficit by $1.8 trillion or more. Unlike in Boehner’s plan, future debt-ceiling increases will not require... ” Free Republic

Rep. Jim Jordan: The Right Stuff

Today's Greatest Republican Who Ever Lived Jim Jordan:  Next House Speaker?

“ U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan's open defiance of Speaker John Boehner's efforts to solve the debt-ceiling crisis could cost the Urbana Republican his safe seat in next year's election. Two Republican sources deeply involved in configuring new Ohio congressional districts confirmed to The Dispatch today that Jordan's disloyalty to Boehner has put him in jeopardy of being zeroed out of a district. "Jim Jordan's boneheadedness has kind of informed everybody's thinking," said one of the sources, both of whom spoke only on condition of anonymity. "The easiest option for everybody has presented itself." Jordan's rural 11-county district, which has a 60 percent Republican voter index, "is easy to cannibalize because it stretches so far," said the other source. [Payback may be coming for congressman's 'disloyalty'] ” If Boner's a hidebound jackanapes, and he is, then Jordan must be very speciual indeed. Carry on sir.

Town Hall Poll

The Townhall.com Presidential Straw Poll

Town Hall has been doing monthly GOP polls since around March.   Here are the results for the last three months.  Town Hall does not draw muckety–mucks like Jack Welch or George Soros, so this is likely a fair indicator of who conservatives have on their radar.  Take Mitt Romney, the candidate being pushed hardest down people's throats by the GOP and New York Times.  He's trending  ↓  ↓  ↓ with conservatives, who happen to vote in the primaries. Obama understands this, which may explain why he just (illegally) began funding ACORN again.  He needs a huge crossover of Democrats voting in Republican primaries in order to avoid having to face someone actually electable.  ACORN and Soros's Moveon.org excel at producing the right votes where they're need most.  Another battle of good versus evil coming up.  Maybe the last one.

Matt Labash’s Idiot’s Guide

Matt Labash’s Idiot’s Guide to the 2012 Republican Presidential Primary

“   Dear Matt, I’m a conservative who plans to vote in the Virginia presidential primary next year. But I’m torn. There are so many Republicans running for president, I can’t make sense of the field. The non-crazy candidates are all boring, and the non-boring candidates are all crazy. Whom do you think I should support? —Matt C. ”

That, a question asked of Matt Labash on Daily Caller.  Simple answer number one is: "Matt C., you ignorant slut.  Your key words are "next year,"  so don't angst-out already.  By that time it will be manifestly clear that Sarah Palin is the genuine product, and  only choice if you're actually interested in making us great again.."  But, oh no. “ I’m not going to tell you whom to vote for yet, since the cycle is still young, and we’re not even certain who is running. I’m personally keeping a keen eye on the Bolton candidacy. Not John Bolton – Michael. I’m hoping he gets in. He used to date Marla Maples, so he might be due for a Trump-like surge. And I think he has posed some important questions that the other candidates have shied away from, such as “How can we be lovers if we can’t be friends?” John Bolton –  Don’t get me wrong, I loved his work in the Quaker Oats commercials and as a guitarist for the Doobie Brothers. But I never truly trust guys with walrus moustaches. What are they hiding in there? Odds of winning: 10,000— snip Herman Cain – Cain interests me. He’s got executive experience. He’s got the fire. He can pull in black Republicans – all fourteen of them — snip Ron Paul — I like Ron Paul. He’s quirky. He’s un-slick. He says what he means, and has actual convictions ... There are many good reasons not to vote for Ron Paul, as you’ll find out if you ever attend a Ron Paul convention. Newt Gingrich — In many ways, the ‘90s was a great decade. It gave us the Internet, budget surpluses, welfare reform, and The Rachel hairstyle. Some things, however, are better left in the 90s: — snip Sarah Palin — I refuse to say anything negative about Sarah Palin, since every time I do, I spend the next six weeks digging out from vicious hate mail. What her fans lack in perspective [? you fkn a**hole!], they make up for with passion. So here’s hoping that someone, if not Palin, can find a way to harness that passion and change America for the better. — snip Michele  Bachmann  — A rich man’s Sarah Palin. Odds:  18-1 Donald Trump — this morning, I spent much time looking at photos of birds’ nests, and would belatedly like to offer Mr. Trump a retraction. His hair does not resemble an abandoned nest.— snip Blah Blah Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, Tim Pawlenty, Mitch Daniels,Blah , — and funally Chris Christie – Too portly to be president. (Side note to readers: here, I am using tricky reverse psychology. After nearly a year of garnering glowing national press, Christie is so used to everybody fawning all over him, that the best way to make him run, is to pretend that you don’t want him to. And to abuse him. So stop chubby chasing, conservative pundits.) Odds of winning if he runs: 2-1. Odds of running: he said he’d rather commit suicide. Faced with the current crop of candidates, I can relate. [Ful Fun] ”

Cantor's beginning to annoy me

HELL NO!

“   We hope the Speaker remembered to line his britches with asbestos, because the debt ceiling debate is only going to get hotter. The Club for Growth and Sen. Rand Paul will support raising the debt ceiling only in exchange for an all-but-impossible Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution. Americans for Prosperity, which has people in both the Tea Party freshmen's "Hell no" caucus as well as GOP leadership's "Well, OK" caucus, is "confident that the debt ceiling will not be raised unless there is something meaningful attached to it."   While Tea Party Nation founder Judson Phillips said, "I don't know that there's any conditions out there that they can create to get us to support [a debt ceiling increase]." Cantor's office attempted to please all-comers in a statement released Thursday:"Republicans will not agree to raise the debt limit without binding budget reforms and immediate spending cuts that will guarantee we don't continue these bad spending practices in the future." And if GOP leadership caves? Michael Needham of the Heritage Foundation says, "There's going to be a lot of disappointed people." (Daily Caller Fuill Story)

High ProfileTwits

Winning wins you new friends

This, friends, is Newt's official entry into the 2012 presidential sweepstakes.  I liked Newt better back when he led the charge.  Still, his transformation from establishment gain-sayer has been picking up steam for awhile now, and I can name many worse presidential aspirants out there Romney,Huckabee, but won't .

Ryan v RINOs

GOP flinching at budget spending cuts plan The enemy within

“T he fact that [Rep. Paul D. Ryan's 'Roadmap for America's Future' ] only has 13 co-sponsors is a big reason why our folks are agitated against the Republicans as well as the Democrats," he [Dick Armey] said Sunday on NBC's Meet The Press  The difference between being a co-sponsor with Ryan or not is a thing called courage. [read and roar] ” This simple reminder from a news account of the Beck rally jostled me out of a stupor. “ The tea party is essentially a loosely organized band of anti-tax, libertarian-leaning political newcomers who are fed up with Washington ” Fed up with Washington includes pissant GOP leadership, and RINO lickspittles who hope to ride this wave into the majority without any willingness to change themselves. If the number one pressing problem is the economy, and it certainly is, then this is a time for clearing the deck of all impediments to economic growth, and the slashing of budgets. And look! Democrats are dangling their own roadmap to success; their rebuttal to Ryan's 'Roadmap.'  “ Candidates backing this budget plan have shown themselves to be out of touch with struggling families in these tough economic times because they're backing a plan to dismantle Medicare as we know it and turn Social Security over to Wall Street banks," said Jesse Ferguson, southern regional press secretary for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. [Flinching] ” Either you respect the public's ability to spot this hollow "out of touch" prattle for what it is; and realize that the public is receptive to extreme life saving action, or you're just another problem.  If Republicans don't have the steel to trim existing entitlements, what chance is there that they will over-turn Obamacare?  My fervent hope is that we take the House with enough Tea-Party newcomers to deny Boehner Bob Dole  the Speakership, and elect someone like Ryan.

You don't beat a Sicilian when ...

How Vindictive Is This Administration? Withholds $400M in Education Funds over clerical error UPDATE Gov. Chris Christie fires N.J. schools chief Bret Schundler

“ The Obama administration has made a serious mistake here: they’ve given Chris Christie an opening, a reason to take them on directly. And how does the old saying go? Never go up against a Sicilian, when political credibility is on the line? ”

In presenting this video, The Corner's Daniel Foster makes the case for this being another case of a petulant Obama getting even.   Watching Chris Christie here, this morning, convinced me that he is unbeatable, at this point in time, as a presidential candidate.  Unbeatable. Furthermore, his can-do attitude is the pivotal quality necessary for any leader attempting to save us from a looming financial collapse.I believe he could do it.  Time for a band-wagon. Update “ But on Thursday, the U.S. Department of Education released a video of that presentation that showed neither Schundler nor the other four people from New Jersey's delegation were able to come up with the information for the correct budget years. ” While this does not substantively change the story's thrust, it does I think further burnish Christie's rep as a no-nonsense administrator.  I can remember when Bret Schundler himselfwas a shining hope for New Jersey.  Too bad he lost his compass.

Ben Quaye's Lede

This Election's Winning Message Ben Quayle Wins Dems going with "Bush's Failed Policies"

Ben Quayle's campaign assertion that "Barack Obama is the worst president in history," was a winner.  He beat 9 other GOP contestants for the AZ 3rd Cong. District  nomination yesterday.  Ben's dad, former VP Dan Quayle, was the prototype for the template Democrats use to smash rising conservatives they fear, most recently applied to Sarah Palin. Good on you Ben. Just don't go wobbly on us.

A tough lawman

A Modest Proposal

It's not generally known that the Pope does not have to be an ordained priest, nor even be Catholic.  Nor is it commonly understood that a  supreme court justice doesn't need a law degree (or be qualified in any way, as we've learned twice in the past year).   Even lesser known is that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, elected by a majority vote of members; does not himself need to be a member of congress. Theoretically, I could be Speaker tomorrow,  if a majority so voted. I mention this because the Justice Department has ended its six-year criminal probe of former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay without filing criminal charges. If Republicans take control of the House in November, they can make a statement to us, great in number, who see the GOP as merely a different shade of Democrat, and elect DeLay Speaker.  It was Tom De Lay who, in 1994, wanted to impeach activist judges.  He was reined in by Newt.  This time it's more than just bad judges that need tending to.  There's a President of the United States who, almost certainly,  holds an office he is not eligible for.  Worse, there's a body of monumentally bad law the must be overturned.    Must be.  Name someone else better for the job.  You're welcome.

Wanted -Under New Management Sign

Unshackle That Elephant!

I clipped this from Insta-Pundit's post election summary yesterday. Of course, what the GOP apparat does is less important nowadays than it was. As I noted before, there’s a whole lot of disintermediation going on here — Scott Brown got money and volunteers via the Internet and the Tea Party movement, to a much greater degree than he got them from the RNC. Smart candidates will realize that, too. And lies don’t work as well as they used to. Obama promised transparency and pragmatic good government, but delivered closed-door meetings and outrageous special-interest payoffs. This made people angry. If Republicans promise honesty and less-intrusive government, but go back to their old ways, the likelihood that the Tea Party will become a full-fledged third party is much greater. Are the Republicans smart enough to realize this? I don’t know. The Democrats weren’t smart enough to look at Virginia and New Jersey and realize that what they were doing was a mistake that would backfire. And on the third-party front, the Tea Party enthusiasm for Scott Brown bespeaks considerable pragmatism. Republicans who are seen as sellouts may face third-party challenges — or primary challenges, or both — but support for Brown indicates that people aren’t in a “take your marbles and go home” mode yet. Throwing a monkey-wrench into the ObamaCare works was seen as more important than getting the perfect candidate in, and that was a very wise move. I suspect that we’ll see similar pragmatism between now and November, but the GOP should also remember — as was shown in NY-23 — that making an example to encourage the others can be pragmatic, too. ” I'm in no way hinting at an ideo-parallel between the GOP apparat and the commie pigs from Animal Farm, but .. I do obviously think of  Michael Steele's Napoleon,  hiding under the bed until the battle is over, then giving himself a medal after a surprising victory.   The only way the GOP can regain it's vitality IMO, is to give Sarah Palin (sorry, but I can't think of anyone else I'd trust) the job of restructuring the party from the top down.   Restructuring means replacing the apparat with Tea Party veterans.  Axe-chop-whack.  Alear gets to stay. Newt doesn't. Dunderhead

Elephants and Blow jobs

Pssst We're making a break for it -pass it on.

Hell, a few years ago Charles Blow would have been getting us coffee.