No Runny Eggs

The repository of one hard-boiled egg from the south suburbs of Milwaukee, Wisconsin (and the occassional guest-blogger). The ramblings within may or may not offend, shock and awe you, but they are what I (or my guest-bloggers) think.

Archive for July 14th, 2008

Ryan responds to the Midwest job slash

by @ 20:47. Filed under Energy, Politics - National.

In case you missed the big local news, Midwest Airlines announced it is going to slash 40% of its work force. The office of my Congressman, Paul Ryan, passed along the following press release:

WASHINGTON – Wisconsin’s First District Congressman Paul Ryan expressed grave concerns at the insistence by Congressional leadership to continue to put off-limits vast supplies of domestic energy. Earlier today, President Bush announced that he will lift the executive prohibition on energy exploration along the Outer Continental Shelf, but Congress has refused to follow suit. Coupled with today’s sobering news that Oak Creek-based Midwest Airlines will be laying off over 1,200 of its hard-working employees, Congressman Ryan has had enough. Ryan issued the following statement in light of today’s troubling developments:

“Unless Congress takes action to lift its own moratorium, President Bush’s decision to lift an executive ban on offshore drilling is meaningless. For nearly three decades, Congress has made it illegal to drill for oil and natural gas along the Outer Continental Shelf. Those I serve in Wisconsin can no longer afford to put up with our misguided energy policies. In addition to the pain at the pump felt by families across Wisconsin, high fuel costs have led directly to announced layoffs for workers at GM in Janesville and Midwest Airlines in Oak Creek. Enough is enough: we need a comprehensive energy policy – and we need one today. Congress can start by ending its stubborn resistance toward boosting domestic energy supply, and lift its moratorium on offshore drilling.

“Today’s announcement from Midwest Airlines is devastating, and comes at a time when folks are already struggling in our current economic downturn. As we prepare for the difficult months ahead, I will do all that I can to provide assistance to the employees of Midwest Airlines hit hardest by today’s painful decision."

For more on Congressman Paul Ryan’s call for a comprehensive energy plan, please visit: http://www.house.gov/ryan/energy/

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Bonus coverage – Ryan’s energy plan –

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vsht3-Hiu-w[/youtube]

In sum, and in order; drill, refine, streamline the boutique fuels (including the very-special blend of the Algore/Whitman Memorial RFG we in the Milwaukee area have to suffer with), no food-for-fuel, invest in R&D for a replacement, invest in R&D for conservation.

God Didn’t Tell Him to Run

by @ 20:29. Filed under Politics - Minnesota.

Dang, Jesse Ventura told Larry King he isn’t going to run for US Senate.

In explaining his decision, Jesse rambled about all kinds of issues. The one that seemed to clinch it for him was that he didn’t want to subject his family to the Minnesota press.

As with all of his complaints about Minnesota media, Jesse’s shot tonight should have been pointed back at himself. The media aggressively and rightly followed up on stories about Jesse’s son’s escapades. Shortly before he needed to attempt a reelection campaign Jesse’s son, Tyrel was accused of using the Governor’s mansion as a party house in a tell all book by the mansion director. By the time this book came out it was already apparent that any positive that Jesse may have had, had ebbed from the memories of most Minnesotans.

Jesse told Larry that unlike President Bush, God had not spoken to him in his 57 years. But, and this is the way Jesse handles nearly everything, he left the door open that if God talks to him before 5 PM CST tomorrow, he could yet get into the race.

I’m going to be praying from now until 5 PM tomorrow. I’ve got enough stuff to talk to God about that it should keep Him too busy to get to Jesse.

You can thank me later.

Larry and the Loons

by @ 18:03. Filed under Politics - Minnesota.

For all of you who thought CNN viewers were in the tank for the Dems…guess again!

Larry King, Almost Alive, has Jesse Ventura on tonight.   Jesse has promised to tell the world, on national TV, whether he’ll run for Senate in Minnesota.

To honor Ventura’s latest publicity grab and ego pat, larry’s folks have a poll out letting you vote on who should be elected as Senator.   Remember that recent polls show Ventura at about 25% support in the state. Here were the poll results as of about 5:30 PM.

I’m sure glad they told us this wasn’t a scientific poll! I would have hated to see the A/P and Reuters stories retracted!

 

Let there be floor votes

by @ 12:29. Filed under Politics - National.

(H/Ts – Allahpundit and Ed Morrissey)

CQ Politics is reporting die-hard Clintonistas want a floor vote on the nomination at the convention. Do remember that neither Hillary Clinton nor presumptive nominee Barack Obama have enough pledged delegates to win on the first ballot; Obama got his presumptive status by virtue of stealing some superdelegates who were previously supporting Clinton.

Trailortrash beat me to the Comment of the Day™ – “i (sic) think i (sic) am going to need a bigger bag of popcorn"¦”

The Morning Scramble – 7/14/2008

by @ 11:15. Filed under The Morning Scramble.

I know; I did this song before, but Tony Snow’s flute brings a different perspective…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1PEyzk4ADU[/youtube]

I really need to either start doing a weekend Scramble or start cutting back on the 200+-feed feed reader; this one’s going to be scattershot:

  • With all the focus on Tony Snow’s passing, it’s easy to miss that a pioneer in heart surgery, Dr. Michael DeBakey, also passed away this weekend. Fortunately, lawhawk didn’t miss this.
  • Patterico asks whether Howard Kurtz will declare bad for the gander what he declared bad for the geese. I highly-doubt it.
  • Tom McMahon 4-Blocks Snow and the guy he replaced as White House Press Secretary.
  • Gary Gross cheers the increasing belligerence of the House GOP on drilling.
  • Lemur King found a purveyor of nuts that was perfectly-positioned for the Jackson-Obama rift.
  • Learned Foot does the math on Norm Coleman’s DC apartment that’s been the subject of a Tin Foil Alert among the Minnesota lefties.
  • Moron Pundit has the idiots of the weekend. I’ll leave it up to you to decide whether the idiot who used a stolen Taser for some “fun” with his father, the idiots in Madison who won’t let us have “electric weapons”, or the idiot in Waukesha County who charged the shocker with possession of an “electric weapon” rather than the theft of that weapon.
  • Jeff Wagner proves why baseball and unorganized volunteerism are dying.
  • Soren Dayton exposes the online hypocrisy of Nancy Pelosi.
  • Failed Africa by lawhawk, Part 1 – he declares the International Criminal Court attempt to prosecute Sudan’s President “too little, too late”.
  • Lady Logician has evidence of whiplash among the ‘Rats on drilling. Nothing like a blindsiding by the voters to get them off their duffs.
  • Dave Casper caught a transit boss not practicing what he preaches. Why, after all, high-flying gubmint honchos can’t be tied to the very-limited schedule they want to tie the rest of us to.
  • James Wigderson replays the Burr vs. Hamilton duel with modern video equipment.
  • Capt. Karl makes the Constitutional case against the income tax.
  • John McCormack notes that Mr. Spanish-For-Your-Children Barack Hussein Obama can’t speak anything beyond English.
  • Patrick McIlheran answers the question of whether the US or the UK is more violent. Hint; it’s the assaults that seal the deal.
  • Jim Hoft has the Fading Glowbama pic of the weekend.
  • Patrick Ruffini explains why the Obamination Campaign made a mistake on not taking public financing.
  • Christopher Chantrill pokes a few more scientific holes in Gorebal “Warming”.
  • John Hawkins and Dennis Avery pump a lot of lead into Gorebal “Warming”. Do not miss the effect of adopting Kyoto or cap-and-trade.
  • Mark Block calls for some turnabout on the Wisconsin leftosphere.
  • Failed Africa by lawhawk, Part 2 – he notes that the ChiComs and the Sovi…er, Russians are standing by their fellow Marxist in Zimbabwe.
  • Dad29 notes the “R” model for the youth movement isn’t working. I think the insiders at the RNC and the WIGOP need to take a second look at efforts like Wisconsin Institute for Leadership and The Next Right (yes, I’m looking at you, Rep. Vos.)
  • Why? Ed Morrissey points to a clarion call from John Fund about how the Pubbies are about to have their lunch handed to them.
  • More Gateway Pundit – he notes a Clintonista Lawgiver-In-Black is roadblocking a single wellhead in Michigan because a particular bird is within a mile of it.
  • Failed Africa by lawhawk, Part 3 – he found the ChiComs fueling the military run by the guy the Europeans want to string up (see Part 1).
  • James T. Harris is wondering why he’s still in the central city.
  • Phelony Jones doesn’t miss all the gunshots from her old neighborhood.
  • Stephen Green caught Reuters rooting for retreat and defeat.
  • Emperor Misha I has the latest thing being blamed on Gorebal “Warming” – Black Hawk Down. And here I thought it was a bunch of Islamokazis.
  • Lance Burri ran the numbers on Obama’s service in the Senate, and by the time the 44th President is sworn in, he will have served 73% as long as the time John McCain spent in POW camps in North Vietnam.
  • Owen found a town where death is illegal. If only it were that easy to satiate the lust of those who want to live on this planet forever,….
  • Michelle Malkin tells Obama to grow a pair and take his satirical lumps like conservatives do on a regular basis.
  • I know, I’ve gone over this one before, but MataHarley explores who we bloggers do and do not influence. I don’t like to brag, but I know I have regular readers in both Wisconsin’s and the nation’s Capitol Building.
  • Patrick found that Milwaukee has a special set of taxes for retail business that want to have a “going out of business” sale. Considering they also want a $20/car/year wheel tax so they don’t have to make any tough decisions, and considering that this is WisTAXsin, I’m not the least bit surprised.
  • Even more Jim Hoft – he caught Obama admitting to a backward 2 1/2-flip gainer with a twist in an attempt to snow-job the Jewish vote.
  • More Captain Ed – he found distance between Obama and McCain on immigration; Obama has tossed the “terrorizing” (Obama’s word) ICE all the way under the Obamination Express.
  • Tracy Coenen notes we bloggers have rights.

Nancy Pelosi – “Check”

by @ 10:45. Filed under Energy.

President Bush finally kicked a leg out from under the shaky stool Pelosi and her “DOPES” are sitting on by saying he will lift the Executive restriction on offshore drilling.   This has been an issue that the DOPES have been attempting to use to point a gnarled finger back at Bush i.e. “If he doesn’t remove the restriction, he’s not serious about drilling!”

Bush to Nancy, “Check”

Your move Nancy.   All of America is watching to catch a glimpse, any glimpse of what might pass for leadership from yourself and Harry.

There’s a part of me that is pleading that Nancy continues her obstinate ways.   It won’t help my family finances but that short term pain may well be worth seeing the backlash tsunami that is growing everywhere outside of the beltway.

Now I can Finally see “The Horse Whisperer”

by @ 5:49. Filed under Politics - National.

There are very few people whom I am unable to separate their leftist views from the rest of their careers.   While Hollywood is full of the hardcore left, I still see many movies that have well known lefties in them.   Heck, I even see movies that have Tim Robbins or Alec Baldwin  associated with them….I loved them both in “Team America!”   Robert Redford has been an exception to that rule for me.

Redford seems unable to separate his hard left views from his work projects.   This has become more evident as he gets older.   Perhaps the most egregious of his insertion of  political perspective was in his acting and directing of “Lions for Lambs.”  

Now however, I may have to rethink my position on Redford. I think we may actually agree on something.

In an interview over the weekend, Redford stated that if Redford’s Messiah doesn’t win the election in November,

you can kiss the Democratic Party goodbye

The facts are these:

  • The Dems should be walking away with this election
  • The driving force of the Democrats has become the extreme left, think DailyKOS and Huffington Post folks.
  • Contrary to what he wants people to believe since he eeked past Hillary, Obama is the poster child candidate of the extreme left.   Every position he took during the primaries (and that he still honestly holds) are unrecognizable to the vast majority of Americans, think late term abortion, gun controls, religious “clingers.”
  • Obama won the nomination with support of many new, untested voters i.e. young or previously not voted.
  • While taking in the new voters, Obama’s recent attempts to move center have left him “not dancin’ with the ones that brought ‘im.”

The point is that the extreme left is what the Democrat party has become and this election will be a competition about allegedly running away from Republicans and running to their ideology.   With the supposed built in “anti-R” sentiment, what message gets sent if Obama loses?   I’d say a worse message that what was supposedly sent to the Republicans in ’06.   If Obama loses, the left will have permanently alienated some portions of their core base and will never again see many of the “New Voters” who are involved simply based on emotion.

I’ll quibble with Redford in that while I think it would be a huge setback for the left’s ideology, Obama’s defeat, by itself won’t be “The End” of the Democrats.   However, if you add the gas price issue to the mix, and Nancy and Harry continue to tell Americans to “Pay more, Do less and Shut up,” I think the risk to the Dems could well be as severe as Redford paints.

Come to think of it, I may not change my position on Redford, but not because of ideology.   I can’t remember any of his films that I’ve been interested in since “The Sting.”

 

Apparently We Can’t Have it All

by @ 5:02. Filed under Politics - National.

Thursday of last week, Michelle Obama was in Kansas City.   Her speech, made to a group of mostly women, was focused on reinforcing the empathy that her Baby’s Daddy has for women’s issues.   As part of her remarks she said:

His own mother, she said at the beginning of her remarks, was “very young and very single when she had him.” And, Obama added, he has observed his wife’s attempts to reconcile motherhood with her career aspirations.

As Michelle is wont to due, she attempted to make herself appear “one of the club” by saying:

He sees me, his wife, who struggles every day with that guilt that we all hold deep in our hearts as women,” she said. “That guilt that you don’t have the choice to stay home, and even if you do, you feel guilty

Michelle, just another victim in a campaign and party full of victims. Michelle, so full of guilt from not having a choice to be a stay at home mom.

What the hell?

In 2004, the Obamas had gross income of approximately $207K. I’ve never heard that they had financial issues so I’ll have to assume they were able to “get by” on that income. At the time, Barack was still an IL legislator and a “Constitutional Professor” and made about $85K. Michelle was a hospital administrator and made, around $122K gross. After tax, they made about $167K

In 2005, things got much better for the Obama’s. Barack’s income rose to about $154K as a US Senator, Barack’s book brought them about $1,141K, Michelle made about $361K. Their after tax income rose significantly to $910K.

Even in 2006 the Obama’s did well. Of a total gross income of $984K, Barack made $157K as a US Senator and $551K from his book. Michelle made $333K.

If $167K after tax was getting them by in 2004, they would have had $743K of excess income they could have invested from their 2005 after tax earnings and $530K from 2005. They could have had nearly $1.3M invested from those two years alone.

Barack now makes $162,500 a year as a US Senator. Let’s bake in a little inflation and say that the Obama’s gross of $207K in 2004, would now need to be about $220K. To make up the difference between Barack’s Senator salary and the  inflated gross, they would need to take, let’s call it, $60K each year from their savings to make up the delta if Michelle chose not to work.

Wow! if they had $1.3M in the bank and drew it down at the rate of $60K each year, they could do that for 20+ years and not run out of money….even without considering interest.

Yes they could, except for this one other little event of 2005. The Obama’s decided to trade up a bit. They decided they needed to trade up to a $1.65M home! The result of that one transaction increased their annual expenses for mortgage interest and real estate taxes from $18K in 2004 to $76K in 2006.

I have no doubt that Michelle feels guilty. Michelle probably even feels guilty due to her choice. However, for her to suggest that her guilt is because she doesn’t “have the choice to stay home,” is preposterous and shows her again to be nothing but a pandering elitist.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a neandrathal who thinks women should be chained to a stove. Women should make career and family choices that are the best for them and their families, whatever they and their families think that should be.

Michelle’s choice, was to buy an expensive house. Michelle’s choice could have been to be satisfied to live in the home they had, invest their gain and allow her to stay home with her children…if she had chosen to. If Michelle had chosen not to buy the big house, stay home and use savings…if they really couldn’t get by on $165K each year, the Obama’s would use about half of their savings as income supplement by the time their youngest daughter had graduated from high school.

Yes, Michelle had a choice.   However, unlike the claims of her speech, for Michelle, material goods and personal fame won out over her desire to be a stay at home mom.

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