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JANUARY 22,  2011

ROMNEY WINS FIRST STRAW POLL, BUT DON'T ORDER YOUR INAUGURATION TICKETS JUST YET – AT 7:55 P.M. ET:  Isn't this silly, holding straw polls this early?  From ABC News:

In the first ever "straw poll" of New Hampshire Republican party committee members sponsored by ABC News and WMUR and sanctioned by the state Republican party, ex-Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney took 35 percent of the 276 valid ballots cast. This is just 3 percent more than Romney took in the 2008 GOP primary, when he finished in second place behind Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

Coming in a distant second was Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, with 11 percent. Paul took 8 percent in the 2008 GOP primary.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who is spending the early part of next week in the Granite State, came in third with 8 percent.

In fourth place was ex-Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who has yet to visit the first-in-the-nation-primary state, with 7 percent.

This is by no means a scientific sample, but it was a good early canvass of the sentiments of the state's most active Republican voters.

The "straw poll" was open only to the 426 registered members of the Republican committee, and 65 percent of those commitee members participated.

COMMENT:  Does this mean it's all over?  No, not exactly.  In fact, it must be pointed out that Romney was governor of Massachusetts, the adjoining state.   Boston TV stations beam into New Hampshire.  Of all the potential candidates, Romney is the best known in New Hampshire, with the possible exception of Sarah Palin.  The fact that Palin hasn't visited is resented because the state's primary is built around retail, flesh-pressing politics. 

So the result is a yawn, but it fills news space.  This victory and $2.50 will get Romney a New York City subway ride, and it's doubtful the other riders would recognize him.

January 22, 2011     Permalink

BIN LADEN THREATENS FRANCE – AT 10:44 A.M. ET:  We are constantly being told by the leftists and the Islamist apologists that it's our "policies" that drive terrorism and the fanatacism of Al Qaeda.  The problem is, it seems to be everyone else's policies as well. 

No nation in Europe has been more supportive of legitimate Muslim causes than France, and the growing Muslim population of the country is increasingly influential.  And yet, France was a major terrorist target as early as the 1980s, and is now being targeted again:

In a purported audio tape aired on Al Jazeera television on Friday, al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden warned French President Nicolas Sarkozy that his refusal to withdraw troops from Afghanistan was a "green light" to kill French hostages.

In a message specifically targeting France, al Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden warned that Paris would pay a “high price” for its policies and that the fate of French hostages would depend on the pullout of French troops from “Muslim lands”, in a purported audiotape broadcast on Arabic news network Al Jazeera on Friday.

“We repeat the same message to you: The release of your prisoners in the hands of our brothers is linked to the withdrawal of your soldiers from our country," bin Laden said. "The refusal of your president [Nicolas Sarkozy] to withdraw from Afghanistan is the result of his obedience of America and this refusal is a green light to kill your prisoners,” he added.

French officials have not yet confirmed the authenticity of the tape. But in a statement released shortly after the broadcast the French foreign ministry said France was "determined" to keep troops in Afghanistan despite a threat from al Qaeda.

COMMENT:  Add to France a list that includes Danish cartoonists and just about everything British, and you get the picture.  We are fighting a rigid ideology, similar to Nazism.  But, like Nazism, it has its sympathizers in the West, especially among "intellectual" elites, who endlessly try to "understand" the enemy...without asking any important questions.

January 22, 2011      Permalink

AND NOW FOR THE BAD NEWS – AT 9:59 A.M. ET:  Reader Gerry Schor alerts us to a news story that follows, by less than a day, the White House's attempt to portray an old Boeing sale of aircraft to China as some kind of major news.  Did the White House see this coming?

Southern California’s once-booming aerospace industry received another blow Wednesday when the Boeing Co. announced plans to cut 900 C-17 workers in Long Beach, reports the Long Beach Press-Telegram.

Separately, Boeing also has notified the state that it will cut an additional 98 workers this month in other programs in Huntington Beach, plus 47 in Anaheim.

The Long Beach announcement follows a major year of layoffs for Boeing in which more than 1,000 jobs in Orange County and the Long Beach/South Bay area were eliminated, outsourced or transferred out of state.

The Press-Telegram says Long Beach’s aerospace workforce, which once numbered 20,000 workers, is now down to 7,000.

Boeing previously announced it would cut 10,000 jobs worldwide to bring its workforce into line with the current market demand.

COMMENT:  The reality is that we're facing years of high unemployment and underemployment, which makes a full recovery impossible.  Countries that succeed are countries that make things, and we have seen our manufacturing base constantly eroded. 

It happens slowly, over time, so it doesn't have the feel of a crisis.  But it's a major crisis.  Compare please with our production during World War II.

January 22, 2011      Permalink

SNIPPET OF THE DAY – AT 9:54 A.M. ET:

From New Zealand media:   A mongrel mob associate's grasp of history was sadly exposed in a Napier court when a judge asked him what he thought the term "sieg heil" meant.  "It's just another way of saying hi to the bros," Fabian Hungahunga, 21, replied when Judge Tony Adeane asked what he thought the term meant.

And we think we have educational problems.

January 22, 2011       Permalink

IRAN TALKS COLLAPSE BEFORE THE BIG DINNER CAN BE SERVED – AT 9:42 A.M. ET:  Another attempt at engagement has failed.  Are you shocked or suprised? 

ISTANBUL (AP) — Talks meant to nudge Iran toward meeting U.N. Security Council demands to stop uranium enrichment collapsed Saturday, with Tehran shrugging off calls by six world powers to cease the activity that could be harnessed to make nuclear weapons.

Announcing the failure of two days of negotiations, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said no new date for another meeting had been set. She blamed what the six consider unrealistic demands by Iran — an end to U.N. sanctions and agreement that Iran can continue to enrich — for the disappointing results.

Wait.  Blaming Iran?  Is that allowed these days?

Proposals by the six for improved U.N. monitoring of Iran's nuclear activities were rejected by Tehran, as were attempts to kickstart dialogue by reviving discussions on Iran's shipping out a limited amount of its enriched uranium in exchange for fuel for its research reactor, Ashton said.

"We had hoped to have a detailed and constructive discussion of those ideas," she said. "But it became clear that the Iranian side was not ready for this unless we agree to preconditions related to enrichment and sanctions.

"Both these preconditions are not the way to proceed," she told reporters.

While no new talks were planned, Ashton said "our proposals remain on the table. Our door remains open. Our telephone lines remain open."

COMMENT:  This, I hope, will be the end to the illusion that you can negotiate with the mullahs.  They have had years to run their nuclear program while we've had "talks."  True, the Iranian program has been set back by sabotage carried out, reportedly, by the United States and Israel.  But other reports, from scientific sources, warn us about overconfidence.  A setback is not a halt, and apparently Iran has overcome some technical difficulties, with the potential to build a crude nuclear warhead this year.

Crude nuclear warheads, when set off, do a lot of crude damage.

We may well be faced with a military decision just before our 2012 election.  Ironically, it would be popular with the American people and...do we dare say it...could be helpful to the president in power.

January 22, 2011      Permalink

KEITH KICKED, WORLD ENDS FOR LIBERALS – AT 9:31 A.M. ET:  Keith Olbermann stunned his two viewers last night by announcing that it would be his last show for MSNBC.  Departure is reported to be involuntary.

Olbermann was, and is, an over-the-top liberal, talented as a sportscaster, but far too inaccurate and undisciplined for adult journalism.  I recall his broadcast, during Hurricane Katrina, lambasting the absence of Secretary of State Condi Rice from hurricane planning.  I hadn't been aware that secretaries of state did weather, but Keith knew better.

So Olbermann is gone.

As Johnny Carson used to ask, "Notice the difference?"

January 22, 2011     Permalink

JANUARY 21,  2011

THUMBS DOWN ON THE ECONOMY – AT 7:49 P.M. ET:  A new Fox News poll shows that the American people have a decidedly negative view of the economy, and the president's handling of it:

Almost all American voters think the country's economy is in bad shape, and few see benefits from the Obama administration’s economic policies. In fact, slightly more voters think the policies have hurt rather than helped the economy -- and many others think they have made no difference either way.

A Fox News poll released Friday found that more than 9 in 10 voters give the economy negative ratings: 40 percent rate economic conditions as “only fair” and another 51 percent say it is in “poor” shape.

Current views are almost identical to those held a year ago, when 39 percent said “only fair” and 52 percent said “poor” (January 2010).

The bright spot for the Obama administration is the large drop in the number rating the economy as “poor.” The week before he took office in January 2009, some 74 percent said it was in “poor” shape and now that’s down to 51 percent.

Still, only 8 percent of voters rate the current economy positively: 1 percent says it is in “excellent” condition and 7 percent says “good.” These ratings match those from a year ago exactly.

More voters think the economic policies of the Obama administration have hurt the economy (32 percent) than think they have helped (28 percent). The largest number -- 37 percent -- thinks they have made no difference.

COMMENT:  The 2012 election season is coming up rapidly.  The president has about a year to make his case economically, and so far the effort if failing. 

That doesn't mean he will be defeated in 2012.  Republicans still have to come up with a winning candidate, and voters may or may not be convinced that a Republican president can do any better.  But 2011, for this president, is not off to a good economic start.

January 21, 2011      Permalink

WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL – AT 6:18 P.M. ET:  Good satire is hard to find.  (George S. Kaufman once wrote that satire is what closes Saturday night.)  But nobody does it better than Iowahawk.  Louisiana reader Mike Melcher alerts us to Iowahawk's parody of off-the-wall Congressman Steve Cohen of Tennessee, who compared Republicans to Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels.  Here's the first example.  Read the others for a good laugh:

Mr. Hector Gutierrez
Gutierrez Bros. Landscaping
Arlington, VA

Dear Mr. Gutierrez:

Nothing could have prepared me for the shock that awaited as I exited the front door of my home early Wednesday morning, where I discovered that your lawn crew had cut a swath of environmental destruction across my yard so horrifying that it only can be compared to the Rape of Nanking. I can scarcely bring myself to describe the killing fields that are my North azalea beds and the brutal degradation and torture suffered by the bluegrass around the locust tree by the rear patio.

No longer will I sit idly while you and your doorknob hangers continue to repeat the Big Lie of "satisfaction guaranteed." I am writing to inform you that I have contacted the US Department of Interior to conduct a full independent investigation into Gutierrez Brothers' actions in this matter. Please be advised that you may be subpoenaed for records pertaining to mower height, pruning shear maintenance, and leaf blower emissions.

I would also advise your crewmen to heed the lessons of the Judgement At Nurenburg: although they may be spared the justice due their superiors, "I was only following orders" is not an excuse.

Sincerely,

Representative Steven Cohen
Washington, DC

COMMENT:  Well done.

January 21, 2011      Permalink

SHOCK.  WHITE HOUSE CAUGHT IN FIB – AT 10:30 A.M. ET:  It is so upsetting when we learn that our political leaders shade the truth.  Who knew?  Especially in the age of Obama we expect purity, goodness, and full transparency.  This must've been a misunderstanding.  From the Seattle Times: 

The claim: A White House fact sheet released Wednesday to coincide with the state visit of Chinese President Hu Jintao said: "In preparation for this visit, several large purchases have been approved including for 200 Boeing airplanes. ... The approval, the final step in a $19 billion package of aircraft, will help Boeing maintain and expand its market share in the world's fastest growing commercial aircraft market."

What we found:

The deal President Hu signed does not include any new jet orders.

Delivering the formal approval during Hu's visit is designed to make the Chinese government appear responsive to U.S. concerns about the balance of trade.

However, all of the airplanes in the sale were announced and booked by Boeing as firm orders over the past four years. Chinese airlines had already paid nonrefundable deposits and signed contracts for the jets, most of them as far back as 2007.

"The only thing new is (Chinese) government approval," said Boeing spokesman Miles Kotay.

Technically, the White House statement is generally correct, but it is one of those cases where the facts are true, and the story is false.  Clearly, the intent was to give the impression that this was a new order, the result of the Obama-Hu summit.  Besides...

The White House announcement said the total value of the orders was $19 billion.

But that's the list price, which airline customers never pay.

Based on market data from aircraft-valuation consultancy Avitas, the actual price for those 200 planes is about $11 billion.

Oh, come on.  What's a measly $8-billion? 

COMMENT:  The Obama propaganda ministry in action again.

January 21, 2011      Permalink

NOT GOOD FOR TOURISM – AT 8:52 A.M. ET:  We reported yesterday how a delegation of mayors visited Washington, hat in hand, asking for financial help.  Now we find that the states, possibly even more desperate, are considering a drastic step to remove all the red ink from their ledgers.  From The New York Times:

Policy makers are working behind the scenes to come up with a way to let states declare bankruptcy and get out from under crushing debts, including the pensions they have promised to retired public workers.

Unlike cities, the states are barred from seeking protection in federal bankruptcy court. Any effort to change that status would have to clear high constitutional hurdles because the states are considered sovereign.

But proponents say some states are so burdened that the only feasible way out may be bankruptcy, giving Illinois, for example, the opportunity to do what General Motors did with the federal government’s aid.

Beyond their short-term budget gaps, some states have deep structural problems, like insolvent pension funds, that are diverting money from essential public services like education and health care. Some members of Congress fear that it is just a matter of time before a state seeks a bailout, say bankruptcy lawyers who have been consulted by Congressional aides.

Bankruptcy could permit a state to alter its contractual promises to retirees, which are often protected by state constitutions, and it could provide an alternative to a no-strings bailout. Along with retirees, however, investors in a state’s bonds could suffer, possibly ending up at the back of the line as unsecured creditors.

COMMENT:  This is going to be messy, and the mess will be concentrated in the largest liberal states, like California, New York, and Illinois.  We may well see powerful unions up against each other, and ugly racial and ethnic conflicts.  Everyone will be fighting over the same pie.

Here in New York, the prospect of defaults on pension payments exists in sharp contrast to huge payouts on Wall Street, something that will not encourage support for the free enterprise system. 

Illinois has just decided to raise taxes dramatically.  Surrounding states are now moving in to lure Illinois companies.  The potential for state financial crises to lead to shifts in population is very real. 

So is the potential for real social disruption.  A good chunk of California's deficit is caused by payments to those here illegally.  If California raises taxes, how long will it take for the immigration issue to bubble to the surface?

January 21, 2011      Permalink

DIDN'T ANYONE NOTICE? – AT 8:40 A.M. ET:  The president needs someone in the White House who will read the papers before personnel announcements are made.  Earlier this week it was revealed that General Electric will voluntarily give China much of the technology of GE commercial jet engines, making it much easier for China to compete with American aircraft manufacturers.  Then we read this, from The Politico:

HOW'S IT WORK, JEFF? -- President Obama will fly to upstate New York on Friday to take a tour of a General Electric branch in Schenectady, the birthplace of the company. Joining him will be the company's CEO, Jeffrey Immelt. Afterward, Obama will speak about "the importance of growing the economy and making America more competitive by investing in jobs, innovation and clean energy," the White House said in guidance to reporters.

The White House announced early Friday that GE CEO Jeffrey Immelt will be the chairman of Obama's new Council on Jobs and Competitiveness. The announcement came shortly after Obama thanked Paul Volcker for leading the President’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board, which will wind down on Feb. 6.

COMMENT:  Say look, isn't this the wrong guy for the job?  GE, under Immelt, hasn't exactly been much of an American symbol.  And the broadcast network GE ran before selling it, NBC, became a big Obama booster, giving rise to the suspicion that this job is a political reward. 

A more imaginative appointment was needed.

January 21, 2011       Permalink

LET THE SWEEPSTAKES BEGIN – AT 8:11 A.M. ET:  Larry Sabato, one of our leading election analysts, has an excellent piece on his website handicapping the GOP's assumed 2012 presidential candidates:

Frankly, it's not an exciting picture.  One is not electrified by the list.  As Sabato says, "Mitt Romney, widely considered to be leading the early pack, starts out as a weak frontrunner."  That pretty much tells the story.  The most interesting name on the list is Marco Rubio, but Sabato notes that Rubio will have had less time in the Senate than Obama did when he ran, and may be too conservative for the general election.  Still, if I had to pick one from the list who had the potential to go all the way, it would be Rubio.  He has about him a sense of inevitability.  The public has shown it is drawn to him.  Remember that Reagan was elected, even though analysts often cautioned that he was too conservative to win.

There are some potentials who aren't on the list.  Paul Ryan is one.  Any chance he has will be determined by what he does in the House to influence his party during the next year.  Of course, no sitting member of the House has ever been elected president. 

This list is fluid, but Sabato's article is the most thorough I've seen about where the GOP race stands right now.

January 21, 2011     Permalink