Pork-a-palooza Passes Senate UPDATED With No votes

The final vote tally was 61-37... The 'No' voters will be posted when available...

The bill only passed because 3 'Republicans' changed sides... Arlen Specter (PA), Susan Collins (ME) and Olympia Snowe (ME).

Once again, a thanks who voted for O-Fraud and those Conservatives who stayed home to teach the GOP a lesson in nominating their candidate.

The 'No' Votes...

NAYs ---37
Alexander (R-TN) Barrasso (R-WY) Bennett (R-UT) Bond (R-MO) Brownback (R-KS) Bunning (R-KY) Burr (R-NC) Chambliss (R-GA) Coburn (R-OK) Cochran (R-MS) Corker (R-TN) Cornyn (R-TX) Crapo (R-ID) DeMint (R-SC) Ensign (R-NV) Enzi (R-WY) Graham (R-SC) Grassley (R-IA) Hatch (R-UT) Hutchison (R-TX) Inhofe (R-OK) Isakson (R-GA) Johanns (R-NE) Kyl (R-AZ) Lugar (R-IN) Martinez (R-FL) McCain (R-AZ) McConnell (R-KY) Murkowski (R-AK) Risch (R-ID) Roberts (R-KS) Sessions (R-AL) Shelby (R-AL) Thune (R-SD) Vitter (R-LA) Voinovich (R-OH) Wicker (R-MS

Stimulus Bill: Old and Sick? Well, Die Already

So, in the last 24 hours, we have found that the Spending Stimulus Bill contains some very interesting provisions for health care. Actually steps toward Universal Health Care and they are not good...

Former NY State Lt. Governor Betsy McCaughey writes about it on Bloomberg.com.

Basically the bill contains provisions to establish a National Coordinator of Health Information Technology which will oversee and monitor treatments to assure that doctors are providing services that are cost effective within the future government run healthcare system...

The problem? If you are old and sick and need specialized treatment, it will be rationed based on need. If you are not viable for treatment, you won't get it. Just like Euro healthcare systems.

This is a true emergency.

Tuesday Morning Sky

Here's a funky sky for your Tuesday morning...

Gov. Mark Sanford - Telling It Like It Is...

Yesterday, South Carolina (R) Governor Mark Sanford, already starting to make a name for himself in a crowded young-gun GOP governor field, was on CNN and provided some incredible commentary on the current economic situation...

“We’re moving precipitously close to what I would call a savior-based economy."

Nice quote... His point being that the more and more government intervenes, it is perceived as the solution. When the solution SHOULD BE the American people...

“A savior-based economy sort of is definitial of what you see in Russia or Venezuela or Zimbabwe or places like that where it matters not how good your
product is to the consumer but what your political connection is to those in power. And if you think about the power that’s been granted to the fed of the treasury, it has savior-like qualities. Everybody knows that we’re in an economic slowdown. But the consideration now is, if I can just get my word, if I can be the plaintiff to the right person in Washington D.C., I can get these things fixed. That is quite different than a market-based economy where some rise and some fall but there’s a consequence to making a stupid decision.”

Enjoy The Weekend!

Stay safe, stay sane!

Mitt Romney: Obama Plan Stimulates Gov't., Not Economy

Former Presidential Candidate (and my choice) Mitt Romney, pens a commentary on CNN.com where he states:

1. That the Obama/Democrat Spending Plan will stimulate the government but not so much the economy.

2. Giving the American taxpayers PERMANENT tax relief is better for the economy than increased government spending.

3. Private business is more effective than bureaucratic government in job creation.

Mitt is right. This man is a brilliant economic mind. It's a damn shame that he was a GOP afterthought in the Primaries...

Porkulus Maximus - CBO Says Bad Deal

From the Washington Times.

President Obama's economic recovery package will actually hurt the economy more
in the long run than if he were to do nothing, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said Wednesday.

CBO, the official scorekeepers for legislation, said the House and Senate bills will help in the short term but result in so much government debt that within a few years they would crowd out private investment, actually leading to a lower Gross Domestic Product over the next 10 years than if the government had done nothing.

Thus, Michelle Malkin's term for this bill 'The Generational Theft Act of 2009'. So true, so true.

Friday Morning Breakfast Update

OK, so a big story in the NYC area today is that the source of a maple syrup smell which has been permeating parts of the City for years now is actually from a food additive factory in New Jersey...

Here are all your tasty, syrupy details...

Do It or REALLY Bad Things Will Happen...

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama warned on Thursday that failure to act on an economic recovery package could plunge the nation into a long-lasting recession that might prove irreversible, a fresh call to a recalcitrant Congress to move quickly.

I call Bulls**t...

Acting on the bloated pork package is bad news. It will likely lengthen the amount of time we are in recession.

Cut taxes for all taxpayers (not those who don't pay). Cut the Capital Gains tax. Hell, eliminate Capital Gains taxes. That's it...

Thursday Morning Hazardous Condition

Thursday, finally... Here's a little danger on the road... Just look at that patchwork!

Drive safely!

Vice President Cheney's Sober Warning

Former Vice President Dick Cheney sat down with Politico yesterday for his first interview post office. In it, he offered quite the sobering assessment of what he sees after two weeks of Hope and Change...

Some quotables...

When we get people who are more concerned about reading the rights to an Al Qaeda terrorist than they are with protecting the United States against people who are absolutely committed to do anything they can to kill Americans, then I worry,”

Ouch. That one hurts. Sadly, he is right.

Protecting the country’s security is “a tough, mean, dirty, nasty business. These are evil people. And we’re not going to win this fight by turning the other cheek.”

Darn right. Not going to happen.

"The United States needs to be not so much loved as it needs to be respected. Sometimes, that requires us to take actions that generate controversy. I’m not at all sure that that’s what the Obama administration believes.”

He's right. I am sure that at some point in the future, a US President will be forced to make an extremely controversial decision for the sake of national security... Our popularity among the 'Global Community' should not really be the forefront of our decision-making process.

Don't Like Your Job, Neither Does The One...

Things have been very turbulent for young President Obama in his first 2 weeks in office. Between tax cheats, pork-laden spending bills and controversial Executive Orders, things are rough for the unqualified One.

Well, yesterday, he and wife Michelle headed out to a school in DC. Upon arriving, he said, "We were just tired of being in the White House..."

Come again? Tired of being in the White House? I can't imagine what the media reaction would be if George W. Bush had uttered those words...

I guess running for President is a lot differed than actually ACTING like the President... I told ya' so...

Hump Day Snow Scenes

Good Wednesday morning... Here are some pics from yesterday's snowfall here in the NY area.

Enjoy!

The scene from my front door...

Scene from the Forest Ave. Station.

The MTA's property... Why bother to shovel today? Uber classy!

BREAKING: Daschle Out for HHS

Former Senator Tom Daschle has withdrawn his nomination for Secretary of Health and Human Services today, after it was revealed in recent days that he has also not paid up on his taxes...

This is a good thing, as Sen. Daschle is a huge proponent of government run socialized medicine. That is the last thing we need when we are spending ourselves silly.

In addition, the amount of tax cheats being nominated and vetted by the Obama Administration, what the heck is going on?

Government Spending-Fest to Grow?

Today's Wall Street Journal notes that Washington lobbyists (you know, the ones who are supposed to have ZERO access to the Obama Administration) are working their Senate contacts to actually ADD proposals to the Government Pork and Spending Festival...

Eh, why the hell not... If we're going to go broke, why not go all the way...

Florida citrus growers, California wine growers and a range of agricultural interests are pushing a tiny change that would allow farmers to more quickly depreciate new fields. High-tech and pharmaceutical companies want to save billions in taxes by including a plan that would allow them to bring overseas profits back home at lower tax rates. Labor unions are pressing Congress to make sure that new government funding for green technology results in jobs with good pay and benefits for workers.

Tuesday Morning Sunrise

A good morning to you all... Here's a sunny sunrise to start your day...

Quote of the Day...

“Make no mistake, tax cheaters cheat us all, and the IRS should enforce our laws
to the letter. ”

Sen. Tom Daschle, Congressional Record, May 7, 1998, p. S4507

It's kind of like the ol Steve Martin bit, 'You Can Be a Millionaire and Never Pay Taxes'...

'First, get a million dollars.
Then, when the IRS audits you and comes by and asks why you have not paid
your taxes, you answer...

'I forgot'

Apparently, it gets you into the President's Cabinet.

Why We Love The Groundhog...

There is always this curiosity surrounding Groundhog Day. I don't know why... The groundhog either 'predicts' 6 more weeks of Winter or an early Spring...

Well, this morning, Punxatauney Phil, fresh off celebrating the Steelers 27-23 last-minute Super Bowl win last night, actually saw his shadow and predicts 6 more weeks of Winter.

Here in New York, Staten Island Chuck, did not see his shadow and predicts an early Spring... The great thing is, one of them is actually right... More effective than The Weather Channel? Perhaps...

Maybe SI Chuck is a Global Warming advocate...

Morning in the Citi

Monday morning. Hope you had a good weekend. The Pittsburgh Steelers are Champions of the NFL.

Have a Ball This Weekend...

Well, off for the weekend!

Here's a pic of the Times Square Ball (now there all the time, year round)...