Washington DC webcam image shows a massive September 12, 2009 protest against government overspending, debt, and national healthcare. How's that hope and change working out for you?The Snarky Files. Snarky means several things. I prefer the definition of "sharply critical." Here's my take on some news stories this past week. No real news here, just snark.
Astroturf
A whole gob of people showed up in Washington DC on September 12, 2009 to protest government overspending and Obama's policies. Michelle Malkin claims 2 million protesters. Another report from the DC police claims around 1.2 million.
Whatever the numbers, it does my heart good to see so many people protesting for what's right and fair and good in this country. Alas, the mainstream news agencies will never see it that way. I suspect we'll see and read about the angry mob and how unfairly Obama has been judged. Case in point are these snippets from the NY Times:
The atmosphere was rowdy at times, with signs and images casting Mr. Obama in a demeaning light....(Demeaning light? Shocking!)Despite the protest, Obama will do what his statist mentality dictates and Congress will continue to spend taxpayer money like drunken sailors. Can we please get some of these jokers out of office before they do some real damage? And just how many protesters does it take to make Obama and Nancy Pelosi take Americans seriously?
While there was no shortage of vitriol among protesters, there was also an air of festivity....(Happy vitriolics?)
For the most part, Democrats stayed silent on Saturday, with the exception of a small group of counterdemonstrators who gathered behind a roadblock to protest what they called a “right-wing rally.” Many were members of the clergy, who said they were concerned about misinformation propagated by opponents of health care legislation. (NY Times)
ACORNed
Many of you have read of the latest drama unfolding with the release of two videos showing criminal conspiracy on the part of ACORN workers in Baltimore and Washington DC. (Here's a link in case you've missed the videos. They represent terrific investigative journalism.)
Two college students, Hannah Giles and James O'Keefe, decided to "infiltrate" two ACORN offices and ask for assistance in buying a house and with filing taxes. The catch? The students posed as a prostitute and her pimp and filmed the proceedings. The videos show ACORN employees in not one, but two different offices, in different cities, conspiring to commit felonies. These ACORN employees "helped" the couple by instructing them how to lie about Giles' stated profession, how to form an LLC, and how to show a profit on taxes. Bad enough you say? What about the ACORN employees telling a prostitute and her pimp how to hide their plans to import 13 underage, El Salvadorian girls to help with business?
The employees have been fired, and better still, the US Census Bureau severed its ties with ACORN for the 2010 US census. (Breitbart)
Here's my take on the story. First of all, Hannah Giles is far too pretty to be taken seriously as a prostitute. James O'Keefe is too young and innocent to play to pimp. The fact that the ACORN employees bought their story simply amazes me on these fact alone.
Second, I cannot believe how amoral the ACORN employees were. How far do you have to sink to help out a prostitute, her pimp, and their plans of putting underage El Salvadorian girls into sexual slavery? What kind of blindness does it take to help and encourage such blatant felonies?
Third, ACORN's response, while expected, stymies the intellect. Here are some quotes from Bertha Lewis, Chief Organizer. These come from the ACORN website:
An international entertainment conglomerate, disguising itself as a "news" agency (Fox), has expended millions, if not tens of millions of dollars, in their attempt to destroy the largest community organization of Black, Latino, poor and working class people in the country.....I really hadn't bought into the ACORN conspiracy and connection with President Obama. I'd guessed that ACORN had some inherent corruption within its ranks, just as many large corporations. Yet, Ms. Lewis' blatant lies against O'Keefe and Giles and her misplaced outrage against Fox News have shifted my opinion against the group. ACORN's "hurt" response and threat of legal action against Fox is enough to make me a believer that the entire corporation is corrupt from bottom to top.
But it is clear that the videos are doctored, edited, and in no way the result of the fabricated story being portrayed by conservative activist "filmmaker" O'Keefe and his partner in crime. And, in fact, a crime it was - our lawyers believe a felony - and we will be taking legal action against Fox and their co-conspirators. (ACORN.com)
Moore? Too Much!
I wish I had as much money as Michael Moore. Then I could sit back in my comfy place and make news by making fun of George Bush, the US healthcare system, or capitalism. In fact, I could travel the world over, visit my buddies in Cuba, and still have time to rip on the system that created my own wealth. I could do all that, but I wouldn't because I'm not a bald-faced hypocrite, like Michael Moore.
Case it point is Moore's latest movie entitled "Capitalism: A Love Story." It holds Moore's peculiar own views on the world:
Despite mixing an economic ideology (capitalism) with a political one (democracy), the movie propagandizes Michael Moore's own love affair with communism (both an economic and political ideology). Obviously Moore benefits from the capitalist system as opposed to his pipe dream utopia. Might I suggest he give away all his money to ACORN and become a Cuban citizen? At least we wouldn't have to hear about any more of his movies."Capitalism is an evil, and you cannot regulate evil," the two-hour movie concludes.
"You have to eliminate it and replace it with something that is good for all people and that something is democracy." (Reuters)
Hope for Change
Bloomberg analysts announced that the jobless rate hiked up to 9.7 percent in August and that the underemployment rate also reached a record 16.8 percent. (Bloomberg) Yet the mainstream media and the White House keep telling us that the economy has "bottomed out" and we are now in the midst of an economic upswing.
Such economies have killed off many politicians. Politically ignoring the economy doesn't help. Let's not let such a crisis in the economy go to waste and push for real reform in Washington - in the form of congressional unemployment.
Healthcare Redux
Since Obama can't leave healthcare off the table for more than, say, ten minutes at a time, I'll once again review the highlights of the week's news on the topic.
After a summer break of protests that left many congressional representatives reeling, Congress returned to session with a new mandate from Obama: "the time for bickering is over." (AP) What he really meant to say was: "Stop listening to those pesky Americans and pass my legacy bill now!"
Despite his disingenuous speech to Congress, his "legacy" healthcare bill is far from a sure thing in spite of Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid's assurance that they have the votes to pass the bill. (ABC News) Obama's healthcare disapproval rose to 52 percent while his approval on the issue sank to 42 percent. (AP) Clearly the pesky Americans aren't accepting Obama's wool pulling.
During Obama's speech to Congress, Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina actually shouted out "You lie!" While embarrassing and out of place for a member of the House, Wilson spoke up for a lot of Americans. Joseph "Put My Foot In It Again" Biden said of the outburst that he was "embarrassed for the chamber and a Congress I love." (AP) (I'm impressed that Biden can still get embarrassed.) Also, it is clearly a shame that Joseph "Love Me" Biden doesn't feel the same way about the American people whom he represents.
Bloomberg notes that what Obama really needs to push his healthcare bill through is a good crisis and notes that, except for those who lack health insurance, we really don't have a healthcare crisis. Since modern liberal theory requires a crisis in order to act, Obama will have to concoct one pretty soon before the healthcare bill dies. Case in point: Has anyone heard anything about the cap and trade bill that the House rushed through because of the global warming "crisis?" Of course not, since it has to now compete with the dying healthcare bill and with Obama's legacy.
Nice Sentiments
Obama's speech to the students of America held some nice sentiments about setting goals and persevering and student responsibility. Now if Obama and the huge federal education bureaucracy would just move out of the way, students would be able to do those things. Here's the full text of the speech if you haven't read it.
Oops
Former California Assemblyman Mike Duvall resigned over explicit sexual comments he broadcast over a hot microphone. (CNN) Apparently, he couldn't keep from bragging about affairs with women lobbyists. His whole conversation was broadcast and recorded.
Also, in the true style of politicians everywhere, his apology lacks a certain...well...apology:
"I am deeply saddened that my inappropriate comments have become a major distraction for my colleagues in the Assembly, who are working hard on the very serious problems facing our state." (CNN)Amoral and corrupt politicians - where have we seen them before?
Offended
I understand that my writings offend a lot of people. In the true style of the politician or the liberal, I offer my own apology:
"I am deeply saddened that my comments have become a major distraction for some of you, who are working hard to preach the gospel of liberalism to the poor, benighted people of the United States."I feel better already - well on the road to accepting myself for who I am. And isn't feeling good about myself what's most important in life?
Not to Harlan James Drake, who couldn't quite come to grasp with differing viewpoints than his own and who shot and killed Jim Pouillon because Pouillon's pro-life sign offended him. (CNN) Chalk up another kill for the "tolerant" left and chalk up another blow to peaceful discourse on the subject of abortion.
Coolness
NASA astronauts repaired and upgraded space telescope Hubble last May. As a result of the upgrades, NASA recently released some new and spectacular Hubble photos. These have a clarity and resolution that outdo Hubble's previous masterpieces. Here's a glance at some of the new photos. Check out the HubbleSite for more and larger versions of these amazing images.
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