No Runny Eggs

Here we go again…..

Since the last debate there has been media wrestling by the candidates or their spokespeople over who the real Reagan protege is. Is it:

Newt – “I taught Reagan about Reganomics”
or
Mitt – “I didn’t like anything about Reagan when he was President but he’s dead now.”
or
Paul – “Reagan should have left the Soviet Union alone. They never did anything to us!”
Or
Santorum – “Reagan? Yeah, I think I’ve heard of him.”

Once again, join Steve and me as we make fun out of these four candidates and the people who pose as intelligent enough to ask inane questions.

It’s a new state and that must mean a whole new set of debates. Steve and I will attempt to be on time…but we both have engagements tonight. If you bear with us, I promise you will have fun as we snark at each of the GOP candidates

Not to get in the way of the NRE awards ceremony but, this was too good to pass up:

Why not?

This is the Emergency Blogging System. It has been activated because Steve forgot to tell you this last night. Unlike the EAS activation set to interrupt Rush Limbaugh later this week, this is not a test.

For those of you in the US (and not in those parts that don’t observe Daylight Saving), Daylight Saving Time ended at 2 am local time. If you have a WordPress blog (whether it is on WordPress.com, a WordPress stand-alone, or WordPress MU – this includes Blogivists and Conservablogs), and you had the time changed for Daylight Savings, you need to change it back to Standard Time (Central UTC -6, Mountain UTC -7, Eastern UTC -5, Pacific UTC -8, and check your clock for other locales). To do so, go into your wp-admin panel, select “Settings”, and under the “General Settings” page that pops up, select the right time zone. Don’t forget to hit “save” when you’re done.

Again, this is not a test. Had this been a test, you wouldn’t have been given official news, instructions or information. This concludes this broadcast of the Emergency Blogging System.

I’m actually surprised that California isn’t the first one out of the gate with the latest effort to make marriage no more consequential than a cell-phone contract. From Reuters:

Mexico City lawmakers want to help newlyweds avoid the hassle of divorce by giving them an easy exit strategy: temporary marriage licenses.

Leftists in the city’s assembly — who have already riled conservatives by legalizing gay marriage — proposed a reform to the civil code this week that would allow couples to decide on the length of their commitment, opting out of a lifetime.

The minimum marriage contract would be for two years and could be renewed if the couple stays happy. The contracts would include provisions on how children and property would be handled if the couple splits.

Why 2 years? It’s because in Mexico City, the average marriage lasts as long as a cell-phone contract. There’s no word on what the early cancellation fee will be, or if it will be pro-rated if one makes it past the first year.

Perhaps the best part of the late, great Badger Blog Alliance was the get-togethers the gang had at Benno’s Microbrew Tent at the Wisconsin State Fair. Much like the BBA itself, and frankly, the posts here while I was (mostly unsuccessfully) hunting walleye the past week, it sort of faded away. That fade was a shame because while Drinking Right is great, not everybody (cough…Wiggy…cough…Owen…cough…) can make it out on a Tuesday night.

Thankfully, Kevin Binversie is back in the land of cheese and beer full-time, and wanted to get the gang back together. The father of the BBA, Jib, has given his blessing, so it’s back.

The 2011 BBA State Fair Get Together is set for Sunday, August 14, around 1 pm at The Micro (or for those of you who haven’t been there yet this year, what was Benno’s Microbrew Tent). If memory serves, it’s at Second Street and Central Avenue It’s right behind Benno’s on Central, so you can look for that, the Cousin’s Ampitheater sign, or Benno’s Micro Alley (the extension of First Street, which is at the north end of the cream puff building), conveniently near the New Berlin Lions Corn and the Super Slide. It’s the State Fair, so bring the family.

See you there.

Revisions/extensions (11:24 pm 8/13/2011) - Gave a better location after some recon, and bumped the post up to the top (originally posted at 8:42 am 8/10/2011).

Sorry, I missed it Steve….I was out of the country…Really!

If I had to describe the fishing on Ontario’s Eagle Lake last week in one word, it would be “workman-like”. The weather wasn’t exactly cooperative, and neither were the larger fish. Still, the crew limited out on walleye as always, northern for the first time (not that we usually spend any time going after them), and we got a few “bonus” fish (perch and whitefish).

Let’s see; what did I miss the last week?

• JoAnne Kloppenburg actually admitted reality and conceeded on the last day of decision. All but 28 of you were wrong in my little poll on the left side of the page (don’t worry; I was wrong as well – I thought she would go for Grand Theft Courts.
• The ‘Rats were successful in upsetting the one-day Mega Recall, with all 6 elections targeting Senate Republicans happening on 7/12 (or at least primaries on that day), and the 3 potential ones targeting Democrats potentially happening on 7/19, but the Republicans are taking a page out of the DPW playbook and recruiting faux Rats in at least 2 districts where Pubbies are up for recall to extend the clock.

  A fair bit of explanation is required. The faux party candidate gambit was opened by the DPW last year when they tried to squeeze Rep., Bob Ziegelbauer (I-Manitowoc) out of the Legislature after bumrushing him out of their party. The reason why it would extend the clock is, if more than 1 person runs for the Democrat, Republican or Constitution Party nomination (the 3 parties who are eligible to have a state-run primary through 2014), the 7/12 election would be a primary election instead a general election, with the general happening on 8/9.

• The Supreme Court is holding oral arguments on whether to take jurisdiction of the budget-repair/bargaining-limiting bill today. As WTMJ’s Jeff Wagner (a former assistant US attorney) noted, one could go broke very quickly by predicting what will happen, but since I don’t have a lot of money anyway, I’ll go with them taking the case and staying Dane County circuit judge Lawgiver-In-Black Maryann Sumi’s various rulings.
• The ChiComs were serious about dumping their Treasury securities, or at least their short-term securities. After bankrolling TARP and Porkulus via short-term T-bill purchases, they pulled that part of their holdings to 2004 levels as of March.

  I will note that, also as of March 2011, their total Treasury security holdings was still over $1.14 trillion, a significant increase over $895 billion in March 2010. However, that is down from the October high of $1.18 trillion.

• When C^BS notes that people are staying unemployed longer than they did during the Great Depression, the economy can’t exactly be termed in recovery. I will, however, look the other way if you say it’s in wreckcovery, though Shoebox would say that it’s still being held hostage.
• If only the Brewers could beat the Reds, they probably woudl be in first. Still, comfortably above .500, leading the wild-card portion of the race, and nipping on the heels of the Cards for the division is pretty cool.
• Speaking of bailouts, according to the CBO, Fannie and Freddie’s bailout is costing twice as much as the White House says, or $317 billion.
• Neptunus Lex takes a look at one v one maneuvering versus multi-ship proficiency. Do follow the further link to look at the restrictions being put on the F-16 Block 52 aircraft the Pakistan Air Force is getting.

As Barack Obama prepared to take his oath of office in early 2009, there was a fairly active debate amongst the political elite and bobbleheaded idiot box pundits.  The debate was over what type of President Barack Obama would be.  Would Obama be a lean left President who would continue the country along its leftward walk or, would he feel the gravity of his office and become a centrist once in office.  Ironically, no where in the discussion was the option of “leaping off the most leftward edge” opined on.

Since his arrival in office, it has been clear that Obama is not content in continuing the steady leftward walk or in becoming a centrist.  Every time Obama has had a opportunity to put his stamp on the Presidency and this country, he has chosen an option that is as far left as he could jam or manipulate through.  With the auto industry, banking, energy or foreign relations Obama has implemented policy and programs that are nothing but a run to the left, dare I say, Socialist ideal. 

Socialist?  Yes, I said Socialist!  Can you find any policy or program that Obama has offered or implemented that didn’t have the government taking a bigger role and control of the matter discussed?  Can you find a policy or program that Obama has offered or implemented that wasn’t about giving “workers” or ”the poor” an elevated status in society simply because they were a “worker” or part of “the poor?”

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against helping the poor.  I am against policies and programs that enshrine ”the poor” as perpetually “the poor.”  Obama, on the other hand, not only assumes that “the poor” will always be ”the poor,” he holds them out as that which should be aspired to.   

Yesterday, during arguments over the constitutionality of Placebocare, Obama’s solicitor general defended the government’s position with a new and unique argument: If you don’t like the individual mandate, then become poor!

So it’s a penalty on earning a certain amount of income and self insuring. It’s not just on self insuring on its own. So I guess one could say, just as the restaurant owner could depart the market in Heart of Atlanta Motel, someone doesn’t need to earn that much income.

Now, the solicitor general qucikly attempted to cover his tracks by suggesting that this was “a fanciful” option….Yeah, right.

If Obama had his way, Cap and Trade would be the law and we would be seeing dramatic rises in electric costs. Obama has had his way in the oil industry and we can see the impact of that on gas prices. Obama has had his way with the federal budget and monetary policy and we can see the impact of that on our economy, the value of the dollar, overall inflation.

Example after example of Obama’s policy result in higher costs or lower buying power for all Americans. Obama’s solicitor general may think making people poor or poorer is a fanciful option but I’ll bet most Americans don’t see it as fanciful. As a result of just 2 1/2 years of Obama, being poorer is a reality for most American families.

Sorry about taking the unplanned break this week – i had to prep for the first fishing trip of the year. There’s a “few” items that need commenting upon:

• David Prosser won the recount by 7,004 votes, a drop of 312 votes from the pre-recount 7,316-vote margin. JoAnne Kloppenburg is now on the clock for what is widely expected to turn into Grand Theft Courts, and we’ll know one way or the other on Tuesday.
• Fiat needed some serious federal refinancing in order to get to a near-majority position in UAW Motors. They tried and failed to get $3.5 billion on the private market, so they reduced their planned Energy Department loan to $3.5 billion and used that to pay off the higher-interest-rate loan from the Treasury Department. I will note that they did put in $2.4 billion of their own money to finish paying off the Treasury part of the loan, and that it apears the entire $1.7 billion owed to the Canadians was out of Fiat’s pockets entirely.
• The day after the Department of Justice suggested Maryann Sumi recuse herself from the collective bargaining case because she filed a prejudicial brief on the DOJ/Department of Administration petition to the Supreme Court, she decided to prove that suggestion justified. It’s not surprising she did that, because compliance with the state Constitution is voluntary in the Kingdom of Dane, but the most nitpicky of nitpicks apply with devastatingly-harsh force to the enemies of the Kingdom.
• It looks like the Rats will have their Rolling Recalls after all. They managed to throw up enough smoke to delay consideration of the three targeting their kind, and something tells me even if the GAB asks for a further extension of the deadline to call for elections, the Dane County judge that gave them the first extension and opened the possibility of the first 8 happening on the same day won’t do that again.
• DOOM! Part 1 – Initial unemployment claims went up unexpectedly again. Just as “unexpected”, the prior week’s numbers were revised upwards the 11th week in a row.
• DOOM! Part 2 – The Senate Rats once again believe no budget is necessary. After all, the continuing resolutions are continuing the $1.5 trillion deficits, and DOOM!sday is expected to be August 2 (coincidentally, I’ll be out of town that day as well).
• At least the Legislature is moving right along. The FY2012-2013 budget is taking shape, voter ID is about to become law (on June 9 unless another Lawgiver-In-Black decides to have a hissy fit), and multiple versions of concealed carry are percolating up and out of committee. Life is good in Wisconsin.
• On the Presidential horserace front, Tim Pawlenty (I wish it were T’Pau) is in, Mitch Daniels is out, and Rick Perry is waffling on whether to get in or not. Meanwhile, the conservative glitterati are acting like children on a road trip continuing to ask Paul Ryan if he’s in yet.
• The Brewers went from pretender to contender with the just-busted 6-game winning streak. Now watch them go back to pretender before I get back.

Have a good weekend everybody. Do take some time on Monday to remember those who gave all so we can live in the greatest country in the history of mankind.

Luke 24:1-12 (NIV):

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!” Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’” Then they remembered his words.

When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

Have a blessed Easter

(H/T – Little Miss Atilla)

Yes, I’m a little late to this party, but somebody put up a page touting the 2011 Chevy Cruzeless. My favorite part is the “More Performance” section -

Steering is for sissies. You want performance and Cruzeless delivers. With the fuel economy of a compact car and the amenities of a mid-size, the Cruzeless is the ideal driving machine for really, really wide open spaces like the Bonneville Salt Flats.

Not so well.

Investigative journalist Richard Moore offers keen analysis.

WOW!

Of all places, the Capital Times reports:

State on pace to hit Walker jobs target

Earth to the Pulitzer Prize winning MJS: The above is NEWS!

Here are, in my view, interesting, noteworthy columns and articles from the past week that I highly recommend:

Drop protest and pass the ketchup

“Of all the things to protest — Brat Fest!?

Can we not even enjoy a brat for charity in Wisconsin without partisan politics rudely intruding?

So what if a handful of Johnsonville Sausage executives, family members and employees donated $44,250 to Republican Gov. Scott Walker over the last five years.”

School lunch madness

“The principal, Elsa Carmona, is quoted as saying that her students can either eat the school cafeteria food or ‘go hungry.’ Wow! Tough dietary deal. Carmona went on to say that some parents are morons who allow their children to eat garbage and that is not going to happen on her watch.”

On this aborted fetus, the Democrats plant their flag

“(Senator Jon) Kyl said: ‘You don’t have to go to Planned Parenthood to get your cholesterol or your blood pressure checked. If you want an abortion, you go to Planned Parenthood. That’s well over 90 percent of what Planned Parenthood does.’

The entire mainstream media immediately rose in angry denunciation of Kyl — based on Planned Parenthood’s claim that abortion constitutes less than 3 percent of the services it provides.

Apparently, that depends on the meaning of ‘services it provides.’ If taking 30 seconds to write a prescription for birth control pills is considered the equivalent of a two-hour, multiple-visit $450 abortion, then perhaps abortion does constitute only 3 percent of Planned Parenthood’s work.”

Taxes are not too low: It’s the spending, stupid!

“ If Congress, rather than borrowing or cutting spending, raised income taxes by the $1.3 trillion necessary to pay for 2010 deficit spending, it would need to more than double income tax collections. In fact, income tax revenue would need to increase by 144% to cover the overspending.”

Who pays for government?

“It’s Tax Day, a time when Americans briefly think about how much their government costs, instead of daydreaming about all the wonderful things it promises to do for them.  

Who pays for government?  The Evil Rich provide the lion’s share of the income taxes.”

The Trump rebellion

“I saw The Donald open up a can of verbal whup ass on Obama on Hannity last Thursday and Friday night. It was extremely convincing in that he had refreshingly solid, no-BS answers for the multifaceted debacles ‘the worst president ever’ has entrenched us in and explained how he sees himself as the crap-cutting dealmaker to pull us out.”

Oil without apologies

“We’re going to need oil and gas and coal for a long time if America wants to keep the lights on.”

A missing detail

“Wouldn’t you think if you were going to do a front page story about a teacher retiring early because of the hardship posed by Scott Walker’s bargaining changes you might want to give the story some context by saying how much the person experiencing this agony actually makes?

Well since the Journal Sentinel won’t do it for us, I will.”

Here are, in my view, interesting, noteworthy columns and articles from the past week that I highly recommend:

Landslide!

“It looks like Waterloo in Wisconsin for government unions.”

President Obama blames you for high gas prices“For the president to suggest that a taxpayer’s inability to buy a new $40,000+ hybrid vehicle (that still requires gas) is the root problem, rather than his price-increasing oil policies is shameful.”

The GOP Path to Prosperity

“America is facing a defining moment. The threat posed by our monumental debt will damage our country in profound ways, unless we act. No one person or party is responsible for the looming crisis. Yet the facts are clear: Since President Obama took office, our problems have gotten worse.”

Got a Better Plan?

“If Democrats think the Ryan budget is too radical, let them offer a credible alternative.”

Two Americas: Public vs. Private Employees

“If you want to understand better why so many states—from New York to Wisconsin to California—are teetering on the brink of bankruptcy, consider this depressing statistic: Today in America there are nearly twice as many people working for the government (22.5 million) than in all of manufacturing (11.5 million).”

The swift death of the new tone“During the most heated month of the health care uprising, when more than 500 town halls took place over one month across the country, there were exactly 10 instances of documented violence. Most of them were confined to the ripping of signs and minor tussles (though there were a handful of punches thrown), and seven of 10 incidents were perpetrated by ObamaCare supporters on protesters, according to photos, police reports and witnesses.”

“Study hard, but party harder”

“Rutgers University last week contributed to the growing debate on whether higher education is worth its surging costs, when it paid the fabulous Nicole Polizzi (a.k.a., ‘Snooki’) of MTV’s ‘Jersey Shore’ television show $32,000 to speak to its students.”

Misogynist Video Games“Karen’s nine-year-old son came home from a birthday party at a locally owned ‘family fun’ center with plenty to tell. The party was great, especially the laser tag and the pizza. But he didn’t like the arcade games, one in particular.”

Coerced abortions affect men, too

“For every woman who has had an abortion a man has been involved. For me it was two abortions.

My story begins at 16 when I heard that first ‘I’m pregnant’ from my girlfriend. I can remember being scared and a little confused about how it all happened. I asked all of the questions like, ‘I thought you were protected,’ and anything else I could think of to say rather than taking responsibility for my actions.

I can remember when the phone call came to my parents. My feelings of being scared and confused changed to terrified and ashamed. I don’t know how much time passed from the phone call until my parents came to talk with me, but it felt like an eternity. I remember putting on my headphones with the music cranked up, not wanting to face the consequences of my actions as my parents were trying to talk to me. I wanted it all to go away.”

Tax Time Coming“Will any of these jokes cheer you up?”