Government Cheese

Wisconsin's own Paul Ryan trashes the Freddie/Fannie buyout in rather stark terms:

The core housing bill is dangerous because it would bailout big banks and mortgage lenders that made risky bets in the housing bubble – putting up to $300 billion worth of taxpayer dollars at risk. Many argued that the underlying housing bill was built on the entirely unfair premise of forcing 95 percent of Americans (those who rent, own their own homes outright, or are on time with their mortgages) to bail out the other five percent (those who are near or in foreclosure). There are better ways to help the housing market recover.

Congress is now being asked to further expand this taxpayer unfriendly bill to include a breath-taking bailout of Fannie and Freddie. This bailout could put taxpayers on the hook for as much as $5 trillion dollars worth of risk – that’s larger than the economy of every single country in the world except the U.S. or China. That’s enough money to buy 10 gallons of gas a week at today’s rates for every passenger car in the U.S. for more than the next 17 years. In the worst case scenario of these companies completely failing, though unlikely, taxpayers would see the $9.5 trillion national debt explode with the snap of a finger.

When did it become impossible for major companies* to fail in this country?  Can't we just let badly managed corporations die the death they deserve so fresh, efficient corporations can move in and take over their business?  Of course no; Adam Smith's invisible hand has been replaced by the mailed fist of government and we all know where they're sticking it. 

* - Unless they are politically unpopular like oil companies, etc.

(h/t: Boots and Sabers)

Posted by: Moron Pundit at 03:07 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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What would a dream McCain Administration look like?

Randall Hoven at the American Thinker runs through all the possibilities.  There's a lot to like in it, especially his choices for Vice President, head of the EPA, OMB Director, and Attorney General. 

Posted by: It's Vintage, Duh at 08:34 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Exconservacation: Michael Savage

There are many voices in the conservative movement and most are welcome and refreshing. From time to time, however, a self-proclaimed member of our movement becomes so habitually counterproductive that there is only one thing left to do: exconservacate them. As a public service, it is my pleasure to officially deal with Michael Savage once and for all.

Yeah, Mikey. That's it, you're out.

On his broadcast, Savage called autism "a fraud, a racket ... In 99 percent of the cases, it's a brat who hasn't been told to cut the act out. ... They don't have a father around to tell them, 'Don't act like a moron. ... Act like a man. Don't sit there crying and screaming, idiot.' "

As is often the case, Savage's point is not 100% retarded (more like 99%) but that is beside the point. His resistance to internal consistency, undeserved arrogance, rudeness and propensity to say incredibly inflammatory and stupid things makes him only a liability to everything we are trying to accomplish.

He claims that he's being unfairly attacked by the 'marxists' and that is true but just because our enemies hate someone doesn't mean we should defend them.  That group-think resistance to calling an apple an apple is exactly what we deride in the left.  When someone like Larry Craig broadens his stance, we don't defend him, we roundly criticize and ostracize him. 

Savage deserves the same treatment.  He is an embarrassing tool who's method of 'defending' conservatism is so hostile and confrontational that he can't possibly serve any purpose other than to turn moderates against us.

I say, good riddance.

more...

Posted by: Moron Pundit at 12:17 PM | Comments (12) | Add Comment
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Spirit of '94

Lauraw has this posted at the Moron-in-Chief's, but it should be posted everywhere.  This is exactly the kind of thing that needs to be sent to the GOP.  Lauraw also points out this piece on the obscene spending and government growth coming from our GOP "leadership", again, this is the kind of message that needs to be sent.  This may be a site to watch.

Posted by: doubleplusundead at 11:09 AM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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Jeff Flake's about to have some company

It always makes me happy to hear a candidate for Congress talk like this:

"I'm angry at Republican leadership and I'm angry at the people who have demeaned the political process by claiming corruption," Cannon said during an interview this week.

And it appears his successor plans to follow in the mold of one of the politicians Cannon railed against by name: Jeff Flake. In an earlier interview, Jason Chaffetz, who beat Cannon in Utah's June primary for the Republican nomination, lauded Flake, the anti-earmark crusader, and said he wants to be Flake's "wingman."
   
Cannon says that Flake, an Arizona congressman, is a friend, but has harped on earmarks to the detriment of his own party by not fully explaining the issue.

I haven't blogged about Rep. Flake over here at doubleplusundead, but he is one of my favorite House members.  Chaffetz' use of Flake as a model, especially contrasted with the incumbent's position, makes me proud to support him. 

You can donate to Jason Chaffetz' campaign here. 

(Also, if you know of any other candidates in the mold of Jason Chaffetz of Utah or Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell of Alaska, please tell me and if I will toss up a story or two for them.)

Posted by: It's Vintage, Duh at 01:37 AM | Comments (10) | Add Comment
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Parnell at RedState and Palin on JibJab

Since we are saddled with McCain, one of my pet projects this election season is promoting House candidates who ascribe to conservatism. One such candidate is Jason Chaffetz (see here and here) and another is Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell of Alaska who is seeking to unseat kleptocrat Rep. Don Young in Alaska's GOP primary on August 26.

Today he stopped by RedState to make his pitch. There is a link to donate at the top of the entry.

Also, I noticed that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin shows up in the latest JibJab presidential video.


It's about thirty seconds in, and she appears on McCain's campaign bus with other VP contenders, second in line to Mitt Romney. That's a pretty prominent place to be for someone who has "no name recognition."

Posted by: It's Vintage, Duh at 12:19 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I think it should have been my guy, too.

Karol has started a series of entries on her blog featuring people who have had to face the reality that their chosen candidate didn't make it. 

- Karol explains her transition from "anybody but McCain" to McCain.

- Guest blogger Todd Seavy explains his switch from NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani to Bob Barr.

- A former Romney staffer follows his old boss' lead and supports Sen. John McCain.

- A Paulbot comes to grips with the fall of the rEVOLution, and embraces Bob Barr.  (Barr's level of Jew-hatred isn't where it needs to be, but he's making peace with that.  I keed, I keed.)

- A FredHead from SavetheGOP.com stumps for McCain.

My guy was Rudy Giuliani.  I was with him from January 2007.  It was in that month that I made my first ever donation to a political campaign.  I briefly volunteered for his campaign in Virginia, before I had to move back to Kentucky in October.  His campaign began crumbling shortly thereafter, I like to think it was because I was no longer working for him.  I even kept the bumper sticker on my car until he officially bowed out after the Florida primary.

Right now I plan on voting for Sen. McCain in the fall.  There are only two things that could change that.  First, if McCain chooses to be a mavericky maverick and choose a maverick vice president like Gov. Charlie Crist or (God forbid) Sen. Joe Lieberman he loses my vote.  Second to that would be a move to Washington, DC.  Living in a city that votes 90% Democrat is freeing that way.  I could vote for Bob Barr without feeling I was helping a Marxist like Obama get into office.  (So if you are in a position to hire someone in DC, hint hint.)

I don't know about you all, but I'm ready for 2012. 

Posted by: It's Vintage, Duh at 12:34 AM | Comments (7) | Add Comment
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A (probably) fruitless effort that needs to be made

Former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell has some advice for Sen. McCain if he plans on stopping the 10% of African-Americans who voted for President Bush in 2004 from embracing their inner hopenchanginess.  (There's a run-on sentence for you to diagram.) 

The whole article is worth a read, but Blackwell left out something that I think should be very important to minority communities: the death tax.  Minority-owned small businesses have been on the rise for years.  When the death tax goes back to a 55% rate in 2010, will a President Obama object?  Of course not.  He plans on reinstating the death tax while McCain (umm...as of this election season) wants to kill it. 

I think that is something that Sen. McCain should definitely bring up when he speaks before the NAACP Convention next week.   

(h/t)

Update:  When I was interning in DC, I shared office space with the folks at the American Family Business Institute, whos sole purpose is the elimination of the death tax.  They're great people and do great work.  Go check them out.

Posted by: It's Vintage, Duh at 10:14 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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George Will Defends The Moron Lifestyle!

Normally, I find George Will to be a bit of a dour gasbag who is too content to be accepted by the DC Cocktail Party Circuit. But today, I have found a reason to sing his praises, especially since he seems fit do defend beer!

Now, he masks it in sociological dork-speak and wonkishness, but here is why I have a newfound love of a Cubs fan:

Suffice it to say that the good news is really good: Beer is a health food. And you do not need to buy it from those wan, unhealthy-looking people who, peering disapprovingly at you through rimless Trotsky-style spectacles, seem to run all the health food stores.

So let there be no more loose talk -- especially not now, with summer arriving -- about beer not being essential. Benjamin Franklin was, as usual, on to something when he said, "Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." Or, less judgmentally, and for secular people who favor a wall of separation between church and tavern, beer is evidence that nature wants us to be.

Now, if he endorsed Val-U-Rite Vodka, I may even give him a tongue bath.

Posted by: eddiebear at 12:09 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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Lengthy article and interview with Rush Limbaugh

From the New York Times of all places, and it is actually a pretty good article.  Limbaugh calls Bill O'Reilly Ted Baxter in the interview.

Posted by: doubleplusundead at 02:18 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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