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JULY 9,  2011

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE:

ROMNEY TAKING OFF?   There's a new respect for Mitt Romney starting to emerge in a number of internet posts.  Romney's campaign ads are excellent.  His quick replies to President Obama, especially on economic matters, are sharp.  Hes well organized, with a smooth-running machine.  Is the guy learning to fight?  It's too soon to say, but Fox will have another campaign debate within weeks, and we'll be able to assess how he does, when a lot of fire is directed at him.

THE JAWS OF VICTORY?  Eyebrows are being raised over new Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta's comment that we are within reach of defeating Al Qaeda.  Some analysts are saying the statement is premature, but others agree that the terror group is in poor shape in the Afghan/Pakistan region, although active elsewhere.  Panetta's statement can be read as justification for Obama's troop withdrawals from Afghanistan.  On the other hand, it can be seen as an endorsement of further effort to finish the job.  No doubt Panetta will be asked about this in coming days, and we'll get a sense of where he sees the Afghan mission.

July 9, 2011       Permalink

SPEAKER PULLS OUT OF DEBT TALKS – AT 8:43 P.M. ET:  The speaker of the House has pulled out of crisis debt talks scheduled for tomorrow at the White House, plunging the talks into uncertainty.

Speaker John Boehner is pulling out of negotiations for a large-scale deficit reduction plan.

In a statement released by the Ohio Republican Saturday night — just a day before talks with President Barack Obama — Boehner said the “White House will not pursue a bigger debt reduction agreement without tax hikes.”

The statement read: “I believe the best approach may be to focus on producing a smaller measure, based on the cuts identified in the Biden-led negotiations, that still meets our call for spending reforms and cuts greater than the amount of any debt limit increase.”

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) was pushing for a smaller scale deal, wary of how the GOP would be able to pass a larger deal.

COMMENT:  The debt debate currently in progress is one of the most important debates in our recent history.  If we can't get our fiscal house in order, we're going to turn into, as the old phrase goes, a pitiful, helpless giant.  Historically, Republicans have caved in on economic negotiations to get a deal, often abandoning party principles.  They seem to be toughing it out this time, in part because they have the power of a House majority behind them...and all money bills must originate in the House.  But let's see what happens when crunch time comes.  The Dems, with their press allies, will blame any failure on the GOP.

July 9, 2011       Permalink

REMEMBER THESE BOYS? – AT 8:49 A.M. ET: 

(Reuters) - Iran said on Saturday it test-fired two long-range missiles into the Indian Ocean earlier this year, the first time it has fired missiles into that sea, according to state television.

"In the month of Bahman (Jan 21-Feb 19) two missiles with a range of 1,900 km (1,180 miles) were fired from Semnan province(in northern Iran) into the mouth of the Indian Ocean," Amir Ali Hajizadeh, head of the Revolutionary Guards' aerospace division, told a news conference some of which was shown on television.

Iran usually tests its missiles in extensive deserts in the heart of the country, so the firing into the Indian Ocean is an unusual move, aimed to prove Tehran's longstanding claims it can hit targets beyond its borders.

Television showed a missile being fired but the announcer did not specify if the pictures were of the Indian Ocean test-firing. No pictures were shown of a target being hit at sea.

The announcement came after a 10-day military exercise by the elite Guards that was designed to deter Iran's enemies by showing Iran is ready and able to hit back at U.S. bases in the Middle East and at Israel.

The United States and Israel have not ruled out military strikes on Iran if necessary to stop it getting nuclear weapons.

COMMENT:  Iran has literally disappeared from the front pages.  No one in Washington even talks about it, but the Iranians are forging ahead with their nuclear program and missile development.  Our attention has turned to budgetary matters.  They're important, of course, but they become unimportant if a few cities are leveled. 

We've noted before that the Great Depression was one of the causes of World War II.  The democracies averted their eyes from the German and Japanese buildups in order to concentrate on economic problems.  Are we seeing a repeat now?  Some would argue that Iran is neither Japan nor Germany.  But nuclear weapons create a great power overnight.

What Iran sees when it looks at Barack Obama's America is a country that is cutting its defense budget and pulling forces out of the region.  If the mullahs are smiling, they have good reason.

July 9, 2011       Permalink

NEWARK ACTS ON RISING CRIME – AT 8:22 A.M. ET:  What a sad commentary on what is happening in cities around the country – flash mobs and rising numbers of robberies.  At least one city is taking action:

On the heels of an uptick in violence that claimed the life of an off-duty cop, Newark's city council voted Thursday to require all late-night restaurants that serve less than 20 people at a time to have an armed security guard posted from 9 p.m. to closing.

The vote comes less than two months after veteran Newark police officer William Johnson was gunned down standing at the counter of a fast-food restaurant in New Jersey's largest city waiting for a slice of pizza. He was off-duty at the time and not the intended target of the drive-by shooting.

Fast-food joints like the pizza spot where Johnson was slain are all over Newark. Chicken shacks, pizza parlors and Chinese restaurants serve hot, cheap food late into the night.

Newark's city council says these late-night eateries attract customers, but also crime.

"I think it's a wonderful idea. I really do," Newark resident Myra Dixon said of the initiative. "I hate that it has had to come to this, and the community because Newark used to be a nice place to live. But we gotta do what we gotta do."

But the new action comes with a cost, a cost that will drive out businesses:

Restaurant owners feared hiring security guards would strangle their finances.

Newark has tried to drive crime down, touting a 25 percent drop in the murder rate compared with last year.

But on Monday, three people were killed in various shootings within an hour of each other.

I've seen too many stories come across in the last month about rising crime in some urban areas.  We recall that one one of President Obama's friends, a professor at Harvard, didn't feel that the police treated him right one night, a "beer summit" was held at the White House to resolve this weighty matter.  How about a real summit about the stunning flash-mob hits of the last month.  Any time for that?

July 9, 2011       Permalink

ADVENTURES IN PARENTING – AT 8:08 A.M. ET:  For those readers who are parents of young children, or have close relatives or friends who are, or if you expect to be parents in the future, please examine the following wisdom from government carefully, so you can truly do justice for the little ones: 

New rules proposed by the Colorado Department of Human Services include a requirement that all day-care centers in the state make available dolls representing three different races.

The 98-page document, obtained by 7News, features a slew of rule changes. Among them: children over age two must not be served whole milk without a note from a doctor, kids over age one can't drink more than six ounces of juice per day, TV and computer time will be capped at twenty minutes daily, and staffers must wear clothes that cover their lap and shoulders. But arguably the most unusual suggestion pops up on page 77: "Dolls shall represent three (3) races."

After posting this item, we were able to reach Human Services spokeswoman Liz McDonough, who provides background on the project as a whole.

"These are national child care standards that we are proposing," she says. "They come from national standards that are entitled 'Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale.' They're minimum standards for quality in childcare -- and the process was actually started by statute back in 2000.

COMMENT:  I had a professor at the University of Chicago, an ordained minister, who used to utter the prayer, "Protect me, o Lord, from those who would protect me."  Most parents are remarkably unaware of what is being taught to their children in school.  They should make themselves aware.  And they should now make themselves aware of proposed rules for day-care centers, which will inevitably be extended to elementary schools. 

To the best of my knowledge, the three races required for dolls have not been specified.  But someone will be left out.  You can be sure of that.

Does the word "lawsuit" come to mind?  You may be sure that it will enter many minds.

July 9, 2011     Permalink 

JULY 8,  2011

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE:

WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE CANAVERAL –  Space Shuttle Atlantis was launched today, the last launching in America's space shuttle program.  The first was in 1981.  When Atlantic returns, the only way for Americans to get into space will be aboard a Soviet Soyuz spacecraft.  Incredible, isn't it?  We beat them to the moon, now we have to hitch a ride at an exorbitant rate.  (The old reds have learned that when you have a monopoly, you can charge anything.)  Maybe there's a rational reason for this, and we do have space travel planned for the distant future, but where will the inspiration be for young kids who want to be astronauts?  I guess those dreams don't count anymore in Barack Obama's America.

A PERRY ERROR? –  A Mexican was executed in Texas yesterday for the unspeakable rape and murder of a 16-year-old girl.  The White House, State Department and others, including former President George W. Bush, asked for a stay, because there were some possible errors made in the handling of the case.  The Supreme Court rejected that argument, 5-4.  Texas Governor Rick Perry could still have granted a stay, but refused.   Did Perry make a mistake?  I think he did.  He will probably jump into the presidential race, and hardly has to prove his conservative credentials.  But the question is whether he can rise above local politics.  By granting a brief stay so that all questions could be answered, he would have shown himself the statesman, not the local prosecutor.  Execution is the most profound act a state can perform, and even we law-and-order types should approach it with awe.  Perry, who must appeal to independents to win a national election, missed a chance to show some size.

ABOLISH JURIES? –  I've never heard such questioning of the jury system as I've heard in the last few days, since the Casey Anthony verdict.  People recall the farcical O.J. Simpson verdict, and just a few days ago a similar farce played out in New York.  Some legal wags on TV have even ridiculed jurors themselves.  One defined a jury as 12 people too stupid to get out of jury duty.  I still believe in the jury system, but modern tactics employed by slick lawyers – including a former presidential candidate named John Edwards – may be overwhelming the best intentions of that system.  We need some improvement in the selection and qualifications of jurors, the the interpretation of scientific "evidence," and in reassuring the public that the system actually functions.

FUTURE LEADERS FOR AMERICA – One of the most valuable uses of our presidential nomination process is identifying future presidents.  It's not usually listed as a purpose of the process, but it is.  Consider:  John F. Kennedy was spotted as a future president in 1956, when he allowed his name to be entered at the Democratic convention as a candidate for vice president.  He lost to Estes Kefauver, but made an impression.  Ronald Reagan ran in the primaries in 1976 against incumbent President Gerald Ford.  Reagan lost, but his future became apparent.  Barack Obama made his first national impression at the Democrats' 2004 nomination, in a keynote address.  Many felt they were looking at a future president, and, regrettably, they were.  So watch the process carefully.  Watch Thaddeus McCotter of Michigan.  And watch the maneuverings of Marco Rubio of Florida.  They are making their names.  We'll hear from them.

July 8, 2011       Permalink   

RUBIO RISING? – AT 10:05 A.M. ET:  Are you getting the same impression I am, that we're seeing a lot of Marco Rubio these days?   After months of relative silence, Rubio, one of the most charismatic individuals in the Republican Party, has moved front and center, all the while denying he has any ambitions for 2012.  Here's a late quote from him:

“We don't need new taxes. We need new taxpayers, people that are gainfully employed, making money and paying into the tax system. And then we need a government that has the discipline to take that additional revenue and use it to pay down the debt and never grow it again. And that's what we should be focused on, and that's what we're not focused on..."

And...

"I have never met a job creator who told me that they were waiting for the next tax increase before they started growing their business. I've never met a single job creator who's ever said to me I can't wait until government raises taxes again so I can go out and create a job.

"And I'm curious to know if they say that in New Hampshire because they don't say that in Florida. And so my view on all this is I want to know how many jobs these tax increases the president proposes will create because if they're not creating jobs and they're not creating new taxpayers, they're not solving the problem."

COMMENT:  Hmm.  Did the man say "New Hampshire"?  Isn't that where the first primary will be held?  I mean, for a guy who's not interested, why pick New Hampshire to be curious about.

Why do I get the feeling that Marco Rubio will be on the national ticket next year?  Why do I get the feeling that this is a very good idea?

July 8, 2011       Permalink 

NEW POLL GRIM FOR OBAMA – AT 9:34 A.M. ET:  A new survey shows a darkening mood in the American public, based on economic reality.  Word of caution:  This is a poll from a GOP polling firm.  From The Politico:

RESURGENT REPUBLIC FINDS DARKENING MOOD – Independents, Hispanics and other swing voters may be running out of patience with President Barack Obama and the pace of economic recovery, according to a new set of data collected in focus groups by the GOP polling outfit Resurgent Republic. In four battleground focus groups held last month, Resurgent Republic found that voters “were unanimous in their overwhelmingly negative descriptions of the economy, and unlike our focus groups a year ago, these voters could not see an end to the nation’s economic decline,” according a memo from former RNC Chairman Ed Gillespie and pollsters Whit Ayres and Leslie Sanchez. But voters differ on who to blame for the weak economy: Independents “did not hold President Obama primarily responsible,” the memo states, while “Hispanic voters were more likely to say President Obama made the economy worse, joining Republicans and Tea Party voters.”

And...

MORE – OBAMA’S WEAK POINTS – It’s not just the economy where the president has to contend with deep and growing skepticism from some important voting blocs. Participants in the Resurgent Republic study generally agreed that Obama “has made the national debt worse” and were unsympathetic to arguments for raising the debt ceiling. And while the “intensity” of voters’ focus on the health care law has lessened, the perception that the Affordable Care Act is “complicated and bureaucratic” remains. The Resurgent Republic data was gathered from focus groups in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Florida and Colorado.

COMMENT:  This pretty much confirms what we've seen elsewhere, although some of the language is clearly biased toward the GOP.  With today's dismal job figures, the impression of the economy is bound to get worse.

At the same time, we stress what we've stressed before – that companion surveys show that the GOP remains an unpopular party, and none of its potential candidates for president has caught fire.  Obama's misfortunes won't necessarily translate into Republican fortune unless the message is right, and appealing from right to center.  Ditto the candidate.

July 8, 2011       Permalink

STRANGE MEN IN WHITE SUITS – AT 8:58 A.M. ET:  Have you ever noticed how many high-ranking jihadists are physicians?  I have no idea why this is so, but Michelle Malkin has written a very well-reported piece on the phenomenon.   It's chilling:

Splendid news: Our homeland security officials have sent fresh warnings to foreign governments that "human bombs" may try to board planes with surgically implanted explosives. The ticking terrorists are reportedly getting help from murder-minded Arab Muslim physicians trained in the West. Infidels beware: Dr. Jihad's version of the health care oath omits the "no" in "Do no harm."

And...

...radical Islam's bloody perversion of the medical profession traces back to the Egypt-based Muslim Brotherhood, the global terror operation that wooed wealthy young docs and other intellectual elites with cushy union benefits.

-- Ayman al-Zawahiri, a surgeon from a family of doctors, was raised in the Muslim Brotherhood; helmed the murderous Islamic Jihad; and masterminded myriad al-Qaida plots before succeeding Osama bin Laden this summer.

-- Former Hamas leader Abdel Rantissi, bent on wiping out the children of Israel, was a pediatrician.

-- Convicted al-Qaida scientist Aafia Siddiqui studied microbiology at MIT and did graduate work in neurology at Brandeis.

-- Rafiq Abdus Sabir was a Columbia University grad who served as an emergency room physician in Boca Raton, Fla., before his terrorism conviction in 2007 for agreeing to provide medical aid and treatment to wounded al-Qaida fighters so they could return to Iraq to kill American soldiers.

-- Rafil Dhafir, an Iraqi-born oncologist, practiced in New York before being convicted in 2004 on 59 criminal counts related to violating Iraqi sanctions and committing large-scale medical charity fraud.

-- A den of well-heeled jihadi doctors from around the world was implicated in the 2007 London/Glasgow bombings. At least one of the convicted terror MDs worked for Britain's National Health Service.

-- Mahmoud al-Zahar, another bloodthirsty Hamas biggie and medical doctor, described his specialty to a New York Times reporter in 2006 this way: '''Thyroids: I'm very good at cutting throats,' Dr. Zahar said, drawing his forefinger across his neck as a rare smile spread across his face."

And...

Closer to home, Army psychiatrist Nidal Hasan starkly diagnosed the ideological fanaticism of every soldier of Allah in a Koranic-inspired PowerPoint presentation that concluded: "We love death more then (sic) you love life!"

Military officials plagued by political correctness ignored Hasan. Thirteen Fort Hood soldiers and civilian personnel, and one unborn child, paid with their lives.

COMMENT:  Let us remember that there were many physicians in the Nazi regime who carried out hideous experiments on prisoners. 

The medical jihadists are an extension of that tradition.

And I guarantee you that they will make house calls.

July 8,  2011     Permalink

AND THE TITANIC IS UNSINKABLE, CAPTAIN SMITH – AT 8:36 A.M. ET:  The Obama political team is very highly regarded, but illusions like this do nothing to sustain its image.  From The Hill:

President Obama’s senior political adviser David Plouffe said Wednesday that people won’t vote in 2012 based on the unemployment rate.

Plouffe should probably hope that’s the case, since dismal job figures aren’t expected to get any better for Obama and the economy on Friday.

Most economists expect a report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to show that the nation added about 100,000 jobs in June. That’s not enough to keep up with population growth, let alone lower the unemployment rate or make a dent in the 9 million jobs lost during the so called Great Recession.

It’s looking more and more like Obama will have to do something no president has done since Franklin Roosevelt: Win reelection with unemployment around 8 percent.

Ronald Reagan, another president Obama is sometimes compared with, was reelected in 1984 when unemployment was 7.2 percent. Obama isn’t likely to see a number that low.

BULLETIN:  Just in as this is being written:  The U.S. economy added only a pathetic 18,000 jobs in June, much, much worse than the expected 100,000.  The unemployment rate has gone up to 9.2 percent.

This may interfere with the president's golf game.

July 8, 2011     Permalink