Another great article by Peggy Noonan. As a side note, Ms. noon will participate in the Robert Morris University Speaker's Series this fall in Pittsburgh. I a hoping I can score tickets.

A couple of my favorite excerpts:

There is a growing meme that Mr. Obama is too impressed by credentialism, by the meritocracy, by those who hold forth in the faculty lounge, and too strongly identifies with them. He should be more impressed by those with real-world experience. It was the "small people" in the shrimp boats who laid the boom.

There is still a sense about Mr. Obama that he needs George W. Bush in order to give his presidency full shape and meaning. In this he is like Jimmy Carter, who needed Richard Nixon, or rather the Watergate scandal, which made him president. Mr. Carter needed Richard Nixon standing in the corner looking like he'd spent the night sleeping in his suit as it hangs in the closet. The image is from Joe McGinnis's "The Selling of the President, 1968." Mr. Carter needed to be able to point at Nixon and say, "I'm not him. He dirty, me clean. You hate him, like me." Carter's presidency was given coherence and meaning by Nixon, Watergate, and without it that presidency seemed formless. Mr. Obama, in the same way, needs Mr. Bush standing in the corner like Boo Radley, saying "Let's invade something!" But Mr. Bush is wisely back home in Texas finishing a book, and the president never sounds weaker than when he suggests his predicament is all his predecessor's fault.

I think Ms. Noonan article highlights the effect of this ineptitude on the view of mainstream media and those just left of center. The complete lack of executive experience of any kind whatsoever has never been more evident during his presidency than during this crisis. Anyone who has ever managed a project knows at the very least the President should be meeting weekly with the governors of the stats who have been impacted to find out what they need and how he can help them. He coud accept the offers of foreign assistance, like that offered by the Dutch, by wiaving the Jones Act. He could do things like make sure that red tape  does not stand in the way of oil vacuums being grounded while the Coast Guard counts life jackets or waiting weeks on end to only approve 2 of the requested barrier island rebuilding that Governor Bobby Jindal requested. His leadership has been absent. Cursing in a TV interview only shows that he thinks he is Patton when he is more like Carter.Perhaps worst of all, instead of problem-solving, he has devoted his energy to pushing his ridiculou National Energy Tax (Cap and trade) which will only further damage our weak economy.

Popularity: 9% [?]

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A group of Minnesotan small business owners seem to be behind a billboard that points out that maybe things weren't so bad under former President George W. Bush. Click here to read the story.

 

Popularity: 46% [?]

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It’s been quite a while since I wrote about politics. Truthfully, it’s because up until Scott Brown came from behind to beat Martha Coakley, there was not a lot of interest occurring. That is primarily because the Democrats have managed to squander a rare amount of political capital. Rarely does a party possess both the presidency as well as the majority in congress. Simply put, if the Democrats had their act together, they could have passed healthcare, cap and trade, as well as immigration bills that favored their agenda. However, they did not have it as together as everyone in a post-Obama election euphoria thought that they did. Instead, we saw the far left ideologues of the Democratic Party do battle with mainstream America. The question really ought to be, “Who woke up mainstream America?” For years, Americans have been oblivious to the dealings of Congress and indifferent to legislation. What was it that finally gripped people who were not political activists to call out their leaders at town hall meetings and march on Washington? I believe it was the greed of the Democratic Party.

The greed I speak of first appeared during the passing of the stimulus bill. Yes, George spent live a Democrat and increased our deficit. I bet he wishes he would have done that a little less in hindsight. However, President Obama and the Democratic majority in Congress have led us recklessly into a national debt that seems nearly insurmountable. This video from Political Math does a nice job explaining the difference in the debt between Bush and Obama.

I think, perhaps, Americans became afraid of the rate at which we were spending. I also think that had our debt not grown to such outlandish levels, Americans would have by and large, save those of us right wing extremists shouting “Socialism!”, would have had a fairly indifferent, passive response. Couple the debt with government bailouts of banks and the auto industry, and Americans smelled something rotten in Denmark. So, by the time the Democrats started working on healthcare, Americans were starting to pay attention. Who grabbed American’s attention and shone a light on the issue of the debt. Like or not Left Wing, I believe it was probably those Tea Party radicals. Yes, those crazy nuts who are by and large first time political activists, who sit by you at work, and coach little league.  Americans saw the contrast of everyday Americans showing up to ask questions and hold their elected officials’ toes to the fire, dressed in everyday clothes, sometimes holding home-made signs. Contrast that too paid Obama supporters and union representatives getting off a bus with matching t-shirts and custom printed signs. Oh, the left leaning media tried to describe the Tea Party members as pawns of large corporations, but it was the opposition that actually looked like it had corporate support. These images flashed before us all summer. As the Tea Party grew, Obama’s approval rating shrunk. He increased his media appearances to bolster his ratings, attempting to once again woo us with his charm, but the ugliness of debt overshadowed the glamour of charm. Though polls indicated Americans did not support the legislation that the Democrats were fiercely pushing, even up until Christmas, Generals Pelosi and Reid led the Democratic brigade in Congress full charge up Capitol Hill to triumph over those of us who were not smart enough to understand their legislation. They cut deals in an unprecedented manner. First it was the “Louisiana Purchase” and then the “Cornhusker Hustle” that proved the Generals had no shame. The charge was abruptly halted when an up and coming foe seemed to fall from the sky, knocking one of their key soldiers off of her horse. In a single night, Scott Brown sent the Democrats back down the Hill, disorganized, confused, and in retreat. Now mainstream America had found her voice and it was shouting out against the ideology of the left, clamoring for more Conservative values. After all, polls have long indicated that Americans associate themselves with Conservative values; it’s the Conservative leaders they could live without.

So, here we are one year after the King has ascended to his throne. He has asked his secret weapon, Captain David Plouffe, to come out of retirement to once again help his reign shine with the luster it first blazed. Will the King try to make peace with his opposition and follow the old King Clinton’s example, or will he marshal the brigade to charge forward, irregarless of the cost? My bet is on the latter.

Popularity: 10% [?]

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So..... it's been a while since I paid attention to the blog.  I think about posting, but I don't do it.  Why?  The lackluster weather has not inspiried me and politics is just too depressing to write about with the liberals tunring us into socialists.  Here are a few quick hits to catch up:

• I still have the best dog in the world.


• President Obama is every bit as bad and as socialist as I feared he might be as president.


• Nancy Pelosi drives me crazy (I know, it's a short drive.)


• I have seen all of my nieces and nephews within the last month, some of them a couple of times.  I can't believe how adult some of them are - yikes!


• Joe Bastardi over at Accuweather has predicted that we will feel winter off and on through April.  I wonder if I will see my tulips before June?


• Mitt Romney won the CPAC straw poll.  That isn't surprising, but I still don't trust him.


• Bobby Jindal's GOP response to the President's speech was horrible.  The setting, production, and speech all seemed as though they were produced by junior high kids.  Come on, we can do better than that, Mr. Steele.


• I can't believe the President had the audacity to claim, on live TV, that the "stimulus bill" (AKA Socialist Agenda Legislation) was "pork free".  Does he really think we are all that stupid.


• Sen. Arlen Specter's offices took their phones off of the hook becasue his constituents were all calling him pleading with him to vote "no" to the Socialist Agenda Legislation.  He ignored us all and voted yes anyway.


• The liberals have nobody left to attack with President Bush enjoying some well-derserved R & R so they have targeted Rush Limbaugh.  Good luck with that one.


• The liberals are also going after Karl Rove.  Won't they be disappointed?


• Now the Democrats have spent the taxes of the next several generations on foolish pork, they are moving on to one of their favorite pet projects: socialized medicine.


• It doesn't appear as though the Israelis will restrain themselves from striking the Iranians much longer.


• It appears as though a 25 year old Allegheny County man has died from flu-related complications.  Don't take the flu lightly this year - it's a tough strain.


• It looks like Pitt will own the number one spot in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournamnet launches March Madness.   Can the Pens and Pirates help make us the City of Champions again, too?  Not likely.


• Authorities are planning to build a new trail from Millvale to Harrison.  This trail will tie into the Erie-to-Pittsburgh Greenway and the Pittsburgh-to-Harrisburg Mainline Canal Greenway. The Pittsburgh to Harrisburg Mainline Canal Greenway is 320 miles.  This adds to the regions rich trails including the Herritage Trails and the Montour Trail wich ties into the Great Allgheny Passage. Pittsburghers can now bike from Pittsburgh to Washing ton D.C., travelling almost exclusively on trails.

Popularity: 18% [?]

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• Another winter event featuring ice and snow is headed our way tomorrow night.  A Winter Storm advisory has already been issued.  Flash freezes are possible later this afternoon and tonight as the cold front rolls in after rain today.  Pittsburgh is sitting right on the snow-rain line in the forecasts.  I am betting on rain, unfortunately.


• Models are stilling showing cold air coming right before Christmas with precipitation coming on Christmas.  we are starting do more than dream of a white Christmas.


• Bethel Park lost a hard-fought game in OT Saturday night in Hershey. Next year is the last year of the PIAA contract with Hershey.   I think it is time for the PIAA to move on.  There were complaints about poor attendance, however, if attendance had been higher, many of us probably would have missed kick-off because traffic was terrible.  Hershey had no uniforms out managing traffic.  Between the traffic from Chocolate World, Hershey Park Christmas, the Hershey Outlets, a job fair at the Giant Center and the PIAA games, traffic was a nightmare.  It took me close to an hour to go a little over a mile.


• The turmoil in Illinois rages, though the media has apparently dropped the story.  The governor has yet to resign and the President-Elect has not been forthcoming about his aides' interactions with the governor over his former seat.


• Russia is sending warships to Cuba.


• OPEC is cutting oil supply in order to try to increase the price of oil.  The falling prices have allowed the OPEC reign on gas prices to drop out of the mainstream discussion.  OPEC has deemed $75/barrel is a fair price.  Oil has been close to $50/barrel as of recent.


• Bernard Madoff's hedge fund scheme exceeded $50 billion.  He is a major Democratic donor.  The media seems to be leaving this one alone, too.  Surprise!


• The Steel Curtain is back.  The Pittsburgh Steelers (11-3) clinched the AFC North division title last night in Baltimore. If the Steelers win the next two games, they will have the home field advantage throughout the playoffs.  We have already seen some crazy weather at Heinz Field this year, we might just have another snow-bowl type of game in January.


• The Republicans in Congress are finally showing some steel and saying, "no" to another government bailout of the private sector.


• President Bush demonstrated great reflexes ducking away from two shoes thrown by an Arab reporter while in Baghdad.

Popularity: 6% [?]

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President Bush announced today that economic stimulus payments will start going out next Monday, one week ahead of schedule.

Popularity: 5% [?]

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