This and That: A Review and Comments On What's Happening

Obama taps Kagan to give court historic 3rd female

On Monday, Obama on Monday portrayed Elena Kagan as a guiding force for a fractured court and a champion of typical Americans. She would be the youngest justice on the court and give it three women for the first time in history. Obama,who said Kagan has "one of the nation's foremost legal minds," wanted someone who could counter the court's conservative leaders as well as sway votes with her thinking and temperament.

Kagan strongly criticized the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy regarding gay service members as discriminatory; she joined a Supreme Court case seeking to invalidate the law that put colleges at risk for losing federal money if they banned military recruiters.

Recently, in her brief tenure as Solicitor General, she argued that the federal government has the power, under campaign finance laws, to ban certain books and pamphlets. Responding to this argument of Ms. Kagan, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote, "As a free-floating test for First amendment coverage, that (proposition) is startling and dangerous."  And indeed it is. If Obama doesn’t like something someone wrote then with Kagan’s support and vote it could be banned. Could one also see this as applying to the Holy Bible, since the leftist and progressives find it not to their liking?

This, one could speculate, is a political payback to the Gay front for their votes and to appease those who were growing angry that Obama had not fulfilled his election promises to their group. I don’t think that is much of a stretch on that subject.

This nomination also shows Obama’s disdain for the military as well as the Constitution for certainly if appointed the Constitution will become more of the “living constitution” as desired by those on the left.

Wait — did Obama just diss the iPad?

"And meanwhile, you're coming of age in a 24/7 media environment that bombards us with all kinds of content and exposes us to all kinds of arguments, some of which don't always rank that high on the truth meter. And with iPods and iPads and Xboxes and PlayStations — none of which I know how to work — information becomes a distraction, a diversion, a form of entertainment, rather than a tool of empowerment, rather than the means of emancipation. So all of this is not only putting pressure on you; it's putting new pressure on our country and on our democracy."
“…With so many voices clamoring for attention on blogs and on cable, on talk radio, it can be difficult at times to sift through it all; to know what to believe; to figure out who's telling the truth and who's not. Let's face it, even some of the craziest claims can quickly gain traction. I've had some experience in that regard."
So is the president saying that iPods, iPads and PlayStations are bad  (as one outlet put it, “on his axis of evil list)?

 

New coverage for young adults will raise premiums

Letting young adults stay on their parents' health insurance until they turn 26 will nudge premiums nearly 1 percent higher for employer plans, the government said in  an estimate released Monday. The new benefit will cost $3,380 for each dependent.
Premium increase will come on top of hikes employers already expect for next year. Large companies forecast that premiums will rise between 6.5 percent and 7 percent without the impact of the health care overhaul.

Greece is in flames, but if you look around, you can smell the smoke here as well."

"Greece has cultural problems that contribute to its economic implosion. But there are similarities to the U.S. as well -- and because we have elected Democrats, they are growing. By the end of 2011, Greece's debt will be 150 percent of its GDP. According to a March report by the Congressional Budget Office, President Obama's 2011 budget will generate nearly $10 trillion in cumulative budget deficits over the next 10 years -- $1.2 trillion more than the administration projected -- which will increase our debt to GDP ratio to 90 percent by 2020.  And we are giving away money to BAIL THEM OUT?  Who will bail the US out? 

Barack Obama Ignores Tennessee Flood Victims In Favor of Haiti and Chile

“Let us remember in our thoughts and prayers those suffering from natural disasters in Haiti, Chile, and elsewhere, and the people from those countries and from around the world who have worked tirelessly and selflessly to render aid. Let us pray for the families of the West Virginia miners, and the people of Poland who so recently and unexpectedly lost many of their beloved leaders.” Obama’s declaration of Day of Prayer.
If that had been George Bush the media would have been all over it. Had Bush not flown immediately to Nashville he would have been condemned just as he was during Katrina. Fearless leader, Obama, was playing golf and spending $125 per person for dinner, but not a word from the Lame Stream Media.
Instead he sends a stand in: Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano listens as Ruthie Hostetler describes the flood damage done to her home in Nashville, Tenn.. Napolitano visited Nashville to view the flood damage and talk with homeowners and cleanup workers. Can you imagine the uproar if Bush were President or for that matter any Republican? Wonder if the reason he sent a stand in is because Tennessee folks didn’t seem to care enough for his “hope ‘n’ change” to vote for him. 
With a record 13-inch rain, the Cumberland River overflowed its banks last Sunday, yielding dramatic pictures of houses floating along interstates and residents stuck in torrid waters. Ten people died in Nashville alone of 31 total. The cleanup could be one of the costliest in US history.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano went to Nashville Saturday,(almost a week later) and President Obama has declared 53 counties as federal disaster areas, clearing the way for residents to receive federal aid.
Political response has been mostly by the book. Relief efforts have been intensely local. Water, food and money have come mostly from individuals.

While the Nashville, Tennessee, flood will bring federal aid, some complain the area became the nation's hidden disaster. But many Tennesseans are happy to clean up the mess on their own.  Nope you don’t hear those folks screaming to be put up in hotels in Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas or elsewhere. You don’t hear them whining that FEMA hasn’t arrived with care packages and water (remember NO and the water issue). You don’t see them rioting in the streets, looting stores, and raising general mayhem.   

One Nashville resident and blogger sums it up this way: "A large part of the reason that we are being ignored is because of who we are," writes Patten Fuqua on the hockey blog Section 303. "Did you hear about crime sprees? No … you didn't. You saw a group of people trying to move two horses to higher ground. [We] weren't doing anything to draw attention to ourselves. We were handling it on our own."

 

C'mon, how big is the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, really?

Official estimates for the flow of oil out of the Deepwater Horizon well may be just a drop in the bucket. Critics call for release of worst-case scenario data to describe the oil spill disaster. Of course the enviro-nuts and the Obama administration are calling it a “great disaster” and there will be hearings on the subject until the cows come home but only for show. Obama prepared to visit the affected area this weekend ( for a photo op, days after the tragic event), as the government began wresting control of the relief operation from BP.  I would surmise that he will be giving the experts there advice on how to bring the situation under control. I am sure that with his experience as a Community Organizer he would at least be able to organize the coffee line for the workers. Now making the coffee is a different story.
The only thing the government has done is to criticize BP for its efforts and claim that they were there on day one to stop the damage.  It should be noted that immediately the Obama Administration began the comparison to Katrina. Guess that means we can see more money funneled into NO to be wasted. Of course it also is a political payback for the health care vote which of course went along with the initial bribe. Wow it pays to have voted for “the One”. 

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Gas prices rising nationwide, but maybe not for long

Gas prices are up an average of four cents a gallon nationwide during the past week – and 78 cents a gallon from last year.
 I wonder if the left and Obama will attempt to blame this on Bush?  Would it surprise anyone?  In fact on a few of the blogs sponsored by newspapers such blame has already been established by the kooky leftist. They claim that Bush “deregulated” energy to pay back his Halliburton buddies (note they said energy, not oil, which only proves they don’t have a clue) and thus caused the disaster in the Gulf which caused gas prices to rise. The facts of the matter are gas prices typically rise every year as Memorial Day approaches. Refineries are switching over to their summer blend, which is more expensive, and companies expect a rise in demand during the summer driving season. But of course the leftist never let little things like facts stand in their way of blaming anyone and everyone but their own ignorance and  foolishness for a problem.

And the most ridiculous things of the week

What Senior Moment? Center Denies Prayer to Elderly

When it comes to meal-time prayers, Georgia's Senior Citizens Inc. may have bitten off more than it can chew. In a ridiculous new decision, the organization told its elderly that it "violates federal rules" to pray before meals. Because Port Wentworth's Center receives government money, one local official said the individuals’ prayers compromised the group’s funding arrangement.. Mayor Glenn Jones said he was irate about the decision and will try to find a solution with the city's attorney. "For me to look at their eyes and tell them they can't thank God for their food, it's unheard of." It's also unlawful. Several members of Congress qualify as "senior citizens," and they open every day with prayer provided by an official government chaplain! We've gone from seniors in high school not being able to pray at graduation ceremonies to seniors at retirement centers unable to pray over food. This is truly a new era of religious intolerance.  Now that is totally ridiculous! What next? If you pray, the prayer police will come in and snatch your plate of food away?  Or perhaps you will be denied medical care as punishment, oh, forgot that has already been covered under OBAMANOCARE.

Nancy Pelosi On Immigration

Nancy Pelosi, speaking on the so called Immigration Reform bill which is in all actuality nothing more than an Amnesty bill:  “We can’t just deport 12 Million Illegal Aliens”.  And pray tell Nancy, just why not?  Eisenhower deported 3 million illegals during his tenure of office. Could it be Nancy that you are actually saying, “We can just throw away 12 Million Democrat votes?”  Take a look as this.  You may have to copy and paste it into your browser but I assure you it will be worthwhile. It certainly explains much about the so called Immigration Bill : http://d.yimg.com/kq/groups/17260182/1610997888/name/ftc-vi26.wmv