Time for Thorns

You must read Mark Styen on the stimulus:

http://www.ocregister.com.nyud.net:8090/articles/stimulus-economy-percent-2295331-bill-pelosi

The last line –  “Big government is where nations go to die…” — ought to be the preface of every remark on this piece of excrement.

One reason for the success of the Welfare Reform Act of 1996 was a cap on the amount of federal cash that can be sent to states each year for welfare payments.  Someone slipped a provision into the bankrupt-us-really-fast bill which would do away with the cap:

http://www.nypost.com/seven/01302009/news/columnists/change_for_the_worse_152723.htm

Color me unsurprised.

And while we’re on the worst piece of legislation ever to hit Congress, read here to see what His Oneness thinks FDR did wrong — I confess I yelled several cuss  words when I did.  See if you’re more temperate than I am, perhaps settling for, oh, banging your head on the wall.  But it does explain a few things:

http://www.nypost.com/seven/01302009/news/columnists/change_for_the_worse_152723.htm

Tevi Troy, who until last week was the Deputy Secretary of HHS, has an excellent run-down on the negative effects of the stimulus package on health care:

http://www.weeklystandard.com.nyud.net:8090/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/016/074nsbzs.asp

Have you noticed that whenever Al Gore goes to testify about his new religion, which has made him very wealthy, there’s an ice storm, or snow, or some definitively COLD weather event?

His streak continued in DC this week.  Ian Murray has a short piece on it:

http://www.openmarket.org/2009/01/28/liveblog-of-al-gore-climate-hearing/

Gore also wanted the stimulus bill in its entirety passed, apparently thinking his medical records will be safe.  They won’t — see here:

http://www.forhealthfreedom.org/

But I’m certain Gore agrees with the Davos participants that capitalism isn’t a very good thing, and the government should run things:

http://wnd.com.nyud.net:8090/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=87405

Walter Williams has a straightforward, easy to read piece on the economy and the Steal-From-Your-Grandkids bill, here:

http://wnd.com.nyud.net:8090/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=87261

And the Wall Stret Journal editors can’t believe what’s in the “40 Year Wish List”, here:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123310466514522309.html

And Ellis Washington has a wonderful line:  “Why don’t the Republicans understand that they are playing checkers while Obama and the Democrats are playing chess?”.  His column is here:

http://wnd.com.nyud.net:8090/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=87317

Read the incomparable Thomas Sowell on what Obama’s  non-stimulating stimulus really is:

http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NTc5ZWE2ZWIzMWZiM2NiZTc2NzNkM2E4MjY2ODkxNDQ=

And David Freddoso has a timely stimulus primer, here:

http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NTc5ZWE2ZWIzMWZiM2NiZTc2NzNkM2E4MjY2ODkxNDQ=

Jim Manzi has more:

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=NDBiYjY3OWJjOWMyMWFjYmZjMjU2MTAwNDg1OGExNTA=

The House Republicans offered up an alternative stimulus plan which would actually work, but it was of course voted down.  The Stalinist Plan passed, but EVERY Republican voted against it, along with some blue-dog Democrats.  Call and thank them, and ask them to get after the Senate.

Why is Hamas suggesting a year-long truce with Israel?  Because they got a good whipping and they need to re-arm.

http://www.newsmax.com/international/ml_israel_palestinians/2009/01/25/174996.html

The U.S. Navy is making that more difficult:

http://wnd.com.nyud.net:8090/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=87102

One has to wonder if such interdiction will continue under Obama, since he has already called for Israel to open the border crossings.

There are rumors that State is pushing for Hamas to be involved with the Egyptian efforts to close the smugglers’ tunnels into Gaza.

I told you His Oneness would govern as a permanent campaign:

http://www.newsmax.com/politics/obama_army_supporters/2009/01/28/175959.html

It appears Obama staffers are still running it, but it will now be housed at the Democratic Party HQ in Wash9ington.  I presume the reason nobody will talk about it is because of the legal issues potentially involved.  I doubt any of them care about the moral ones.

A number of people are devising more fitting name for THE STIMULUS BILL.

The Heritage Foundation has opted for the it the Pelosi-Reid-Obama Debt Plan.

Michelle Malkin’s preferred term is the Generational Theft Act, while   Cato’s Dan Mitchell has settled for the So-Called Stimulus.

Whatever you call it, it isn’t stimulating anything but liberal salivary glands.

Nag everyone you know to call their Congress critters.  I remind you that amnesty for illegals was considered a done deal BOTH times the Democrats tried it last, but half a million incensed, well-informed citizens shut down the Senate switchboard TWICE within a week, and both attempts failed.

We can do the same thing again, particularly because most Democrats already realize the bill is a stinker, and the reason for haste is because the more the public learns about it, the less they like it.

By the way, Glenn Beck just calculated that for the same $825 billion, every mortgagor in the country could get a check for $17,000, or every vehicle could be filled with gasoline for FIVE years.  Point that out to your reps.

Obama’s first formal TV interview will reportedly be with Arabic cable TV network Al-Arabiya:

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/01/president-ob-10.html

Israelis need to vote for Binyamn Netanyahu for president there, because His Oneness is clearly not going to support Israel when push comes to shove.  Israelis best get themselves a leader who can and will do his own shoving.