On the Political Front

Did you read Bob Beckel today? Heartening to learn he felt the need to warn his party, “Beware of Michael Steele.” Then Peggy Noonan said, “One senses in a new way the disaster that is Nancy Pelosi.” And Rich Lowry went after the prez with, “On the stimulus, when Obama says, “I won,” he’s out of better arguments.”

Not only was it a good morning on the editorial front but the president had a very calm hissy fit calling it “inexcusable and irresponsible” that the stimulus bill has been delayed despite the overwhelming opinion of the American people that the bill is the most pork-laden disaster in our history. Maybe people really are listening. With those “500 million Americans” out of jobs each month (Hey, I didn’t make that up – Pelosi did!), there are plenty of folks with tons of time to participate in the latest polls. They can see what’s what and they aren’t falling for the rhetoric. Go team!

More:

The Anchoress: Anchoress stimulus plan a hit! – UPDATED

Power Line: President Obama — diminishing himself to serve Speaker Pelosi

The Next Right/Patrick Ruffini: What Can Republicans Do? Win.

The Washington Times/Stephen Dinan: CBO: Obama stimulus harmful over long haul

 

We are “One Nation”

The current financial situation is explained very well by Gordon Chang at Commentary.com in his post, “The Real Reason the World Financial System Is Collapsing.” He concludes with

Yet one thing is obvious: we’re not going to get where we need to be if we let the presidential candidates avoid the real issues by blaming the greed of Wall Street’s financial intermediaries.

Indeed. The list could be expanded to include Paulson, Cox, Reid, Pelosi and others. Any discussion would serve us all better if done in a non-partisan way. Blaming either the left or the right perverts the truth and that compounds the misunderstandings and the mistrust that permeate current political discourse. We are “ONE NATION.” McCain, Obama and the others have forgotten this fact and we are all the worse for it.

 

Even liberals now doubt Speaker Pelosi

Partisan Pelosi is finally becoming recognized as Toxic Pelosi even on the left side of the aisle. Pin the tail on the donkey!

Katie Allison Granju of KnoxNews.com makes the case in her post “Pelosi needs to go” and she does that despite being in agreement with Pelosi’s 95% of the time. She ties removing Pelosi to improving “the mean-spirited and debilitating partisan malaise that seems to have settled over our Congress.” Indeed.

With her tirade before the bailout vote on Monday, Pelosi cemented her image as the epitome of what ails Washington. It doesn’t matter whether Joe and Jane Voter saw the dozens of replays on FOX News. What does matter is that this is how Pelosi runs the House and keeps divisiveness at the fore. Compromise as an exercise in bullying rather than a consensus toward the greater good isn’t governance but schoolyard-style intimidation.

Kudos to Granju for breaking with the ranks. Both parties as well as the American public would be better served by a Speaker of the House who is more adept at herding cats than getting into hissing and spitting fights with them.

(H/T – Jennifer Rubin)

 

Pelosi deserves a vote of “no confidence”

Pelosi’s vitriol was on full display yesterday. Before the vote on the behemoth bailout, she unloaded on anything and everything Republican. It was indeed awesome.

It does give one pause to wonder what could possibly be behind such a tirade especially when it appeared she’d gotten exactly what she wanted. The Dems would have enough Rep votes to easily lay any blame on the opposition should the bailout fail to deliver the economy from its slide toward a recession. In addition Dems in tough races were able to vote against the bill as their constituents wanted. So what would cause Pelosi to unload on the Republicans?

Guilt comes to mind first. Partisan Pelosi and her cronies are every bit as responsible for the current state of the economy as she would have you believe the Republicans are.

Then there is the fear she might in some way get blamed for the recession. She is after all committed to the “never take responsibility when you can blame someone else” theory of survival. Her tactics are lacking in sufficient finesse to carry that off with the independent voters but her loyal minions will accept the subterfuge.

Or maybe she felt it was a final opportunity before the Republicans became her partners in crime. Even in politics it is considered bad form to attack one’s partner at least overtly.

Whatever reason justified that destructive urge, hyperpartisanship and paranoia do not belong in Congress most especially in its leaders. Steny Hoyer would be so much better for the country during this time of uncertainty. Pelosi deserves a vote of “no confidence” and a demotion to back bencher. Of course, it won’t happen but it is satisfying to entertain the thought.

More: The Atlantic/Megan McArdle – The politics of the bill

And more: The Washington Times/Wesley Pruden – A job for the right woman

 

Obama, the First Amendment and Censorship

There is great cause for concern about the future of the First Amendment under an Obama presidency. Powerline has the facts on Obama’s efforts to intimidate Missouri television stations by threatening criminal prosecution if they run anti-Obama ads.

Add to that strong-arm tactic MSM censorship in the blogosphere. Darke Blog and Gateway Pundit have evidence that ABC News on its Political Punch blog is removing anti-Obama posts.

Then there is Partisan Pelosi’s intention to revive the Fairness Doctrine limiting free speech for “radio talk show hosts and much of the new alternative media.”

This is chilling and telling evidence that dissenting opinions are at risk and that we are at the precipice of a very, very slippery slope.

Update: Little Green Footballs is on the case, too.

More: Bloomberg.com/Ann Woolner: Silencing Critics Using the Barack Obama Method

 

Pelosi and Reid – Republican Assets?

Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid might just be two of the best assets the Republicans have considering the decline of the Democrat’s brand. But don’t take my word for it. Andrew Cline, editorial page editor of the New Hampshire Union Leader, writes in “Pelosi and Reid Blew It“

This election year should have produced a Democratic sweep of historic proportions, delivering the White House and massive majorities in the House and Senate. But thanks to the incompetence of Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, Republicans might pull a respectable showing.

It is getting harder and harder to see the duo benefiting Democratic candidates in any significant way. Does that justify pulling a disappearing act till after the election? Voters might disagree with Congress taking a vacation during a crisis especially when Republicans showed a willingness to tough it out in D.C. over the summer. But no doubt the Democratic leadership knows best.

Still if Pelosi and Reid want time in front of the cameras, it’s a safe bet the Republicans will take all the help they can get.

 

Pelosi – Not Responsible or Irresponsible

Speaker Pelosi had a pithy answer when asked if Democrats have any responsibility for the current financial mess.  “No,” was her simple reply. She also blamed the current financial mess on President Bush’s “mismanagement” of the economy. She must have missed John Gibson yesterday on FOX News.

Fannie and Freddie have been creations of the congressional Democrats and the Clinton White House, designed to make mortgages available to more people and, as it turns out, some people who couldn’t afford them.

Fannie and Freddie have also been places for big Washington Democrats to go to work in the semi-private sector and pocket millions.

Yet Democrats claim no responsibility for the current financial mess. Zero, zip, nada. Is this leadership or is this subterfuge?

 

Bye-bye Pelosi

The best thing Speaker Pelosi could do for her party is resign. The Democrats need a fall guy and a Pelosi resignation would go a long way toward reviving the party’s brand.

Consider the numbers if you don’t think the Dems are in trouble. First there is the dismal approval ratings (RCP average rarely even 20%) Congress has suffered under the Nancy Pelosi/Harry Reid leadership. Then there is the 8 point drop in the generic congressional poll. Don Surber has the Gallup and Real Clear results and sees a Speaker Boehner in our near future.

Well, that’s an optimistic view to be sure but a Steny Hoyer leadership might be an improvement both for the party and the country. Unfortunately, Pelosi lacks the altruism to make it so. This is one member of Congress who is all about the power but it does provide an opening for the opposition. Will the Republicans take advantage of that weakness? It could happen and wouldn’t that shake up the status quo!

 

Call Back Congress? #dontgo? Say what?

Despite all the rah-rah blog posts and growing number of online videos, there are currently only 29,705 signatures at Call Back Congress. Given the outrage over prices at the pump, the total ought to be twenty times that many. Are over 300 million Americans out on holiday just like House Democrats? Or is the scant coverage by the major news outlets keeping this movement from reaching its full potential?

True this issue paints the Democrats and especially Speaker Pelosi in the worst self-serving light. True it could make the shoe-in Dem landslide a tighter fit. But since Ms. Pelosi has volunteered to take the heat over her party’s failure to address this issue, the MSM is free to promote, er, report the petition and what is happening in Congress. Still near silence prevails.

However, should a few Democrats join the Republicans on the House floor, the MSM would finally see this issue as worthy of coverage. So heads up, Dems! Want some national press? Go back to D.C., show up Monday on the House floor and make some noise. The folks back home will call you a hero and vote accordingly come November. All for the price of plane fare, you can get the best bang for the buck in campaign coverage. More importantly you could prove that both sides really can come together to solve our energy issues and that would be a very, very good thing.

 

Amazon tinkers with book ratings?

Amazon.com deletes negative ratings to bolster Nancy Pelosi’s book? That sure taints site-wide credibility if true. http://www.bucksright.com/amazon-deleting-negative-pelosi-book-reviews-en-masse-304