Fighting to Preserve Liberty in America
Judging by the two mail pieces I just received from my congressman, Tim Bishop, it looks like he has settled on his reelection strategy. After all, he doesn’t want to run on his record (ObamaCare, bailouts, Stimulus, trillions in deficit spending); with the demise of earmarks he can’t say he’s bringing home the bacon; since he is facing a re-match in his reelection bid, using the same smear tactics this time around will be harder; so let’s scare the bejeezus out of the seniors.
As the brinksmanship over the debt limit heats up, we can still hear the progressives saying that we are in this fix because we cut taxes without “paying” them. Let’s drive a stake through the heart of that one.
Democrats, who held an unofficial hearing on Thursday on the now-defunct operation of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, have focused on what they see as a lapse in American laws involving firearms purchases.
Let’s put this to a common sense test. The Mexican drug cartels are an enormous business, raking in billions upon billions of dollars. Their business is so lucrative that they can afford to ship drugs into a particular remote area by plane and because it may be too difficult to fly out of, just burn the plane. Imagine, having so much money that you can destroy a plane as a routine cost of doing business.
Mexico has two long coasts and besides the border with the U.S. has a southern border that is equally porous. So let’s recap, billions of dollars in money, countless routes over which to bring in guns, some cartels have what could be called their own fleet of planes. The Democrats want us to believe that these cartels send people into the United States to to buy guns at retail from the local gun dealer. These cartels would go into a gun shop in Nogales, Arizona to buy a semi-automatic AK-47, paying full retail price, instead of buying a case of fully automatic AK-47s from Yemen at wholesale. We’re supposed to believe that? Why would they do that?
The “Fast and Furious” program was designed to allow illegal purchases of guns from U.S. gun dealers and follow those guns as they are transported into Mexico to find the heads of the drug cartels. One problem was that no one in government on the Mexican side of the border was aware of the program and so the ability to keep track of the weapons was a myth. Some gun dealers reported the suspicious sales to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and said they were dangerous. The government told them to play along. A border patrol agent Brian Terry ended up dead with some of these guns found at the scene.
So what is the point of the sting? Here is an alternate theory. Create these sales to send guns to Mexico. After a while publicize the amount of guns that are involved. Blame the U.S. gun dealers for the problem. Pass more gun control laws to further infringe on the rights of American citizens.
Almost as if on cue, Elijah Cummings (D-MD) released a report calling for more gun control
The report is an attempt by Cummings and other Democrats on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to raise the issue of gun control in the investigation of “Operation Fast and Furious,” the ATF program that focused on following people who legally bought weapons that were then transferred to criminals and destined for Mexico.
Let’s see, we have a Democrat president who is strongly anti-gun (“cling to their religion and guns”) whose administration creates this program. When uncovered a group of Democrats launch into a campaign to pass more gun control laws. Coincidence? Ask the family of Agent Brian Terry.
That’s my opinion; I’d lilke to know yours. Please comment below.
The above question could and should be applied to a number of individuals including Attorney General Eric Holder and even President Barack Obama. The subject is a program, run out of the Justice Department, called “Fast and Furious.”
Actual Unemployment vs. Stimulus Sales Pitch
It was a very close race, one of the last decided in the country. Out of 180,000 plus votes the final margin of victory was just under 600 votes. In that election Tim Bishop successfully managed to hide from his record and instead he took advantage of a late Republican primary that was hotly contested and pounced with a campaign of personal attacks on his opponent that was just enough to carry the eight weeks until Election Day. His opponent, Randy Altschuler, wants a rematch and it appears the race will be decidedly different.
Martin Luther King, Jr. gave a great oration with his “I Have a Dream” speech that moved millions of Americans to action. Howard Dean gave a puzzling oration with his “I Have a Scream” speech that moved millions of Americans to laughter and derision. Tim Bishop flops at oration with an “I Have a Scheme” remarks that will leave hundreds (he’d be hard pressed to reach millions), scratching their heads.
In article in the New York Times titled, “Squandering Medicare’s Money,” the article itemizes a number of procedures that are routinely perfomed under Medicare, but have little or no medical value. So why are they done? One reason is alluded to in the article while another is not.
The Democrats are banking on the American people returning to the days of voting by sound bite. They believe the Tea Party is an anomaly that will go down as a blip in the history books, rather than a force for educating the electorate on the issues. It is a strategy that has worked for them, even as recently as the 2010 election. In the First Congressional District of New York, Congressman Tim Bishop ran for reelection entirely on bashing his opponent, and not mentioning his record of voting with Nancy Pelosi 97% of the time.
Newt Gingrich may have just killed his presidential bid in less than a week after announcing it. Aside from his support of ethanol subsidies, the old commercial sitting on the couch with Nancy Pelosi, he tops it off by attacking Paul Ryan’s budget that was approved by all but four Republican members of the House of Representatives.
He says the Ryan plan is too radical. Compared to what? ObamaCare?
While Medicare savings under the Democrats’ health care law and pending proposals would come mainly from reduced federal payments to doctors, hospitals and insurance companies, the budget put forth by House Republicans would cut spending by turning Medicare into a system of vouchers for future beneficiaries to buy private insurance, but in amounts that would not keep pace with the projected inflation of health costs.
The Democrats’ plan is to pay doctors, hospitals, and insurance companies less. How does that work in the real world? Doctors will refuse to accept more Medicare patients as will hospitals. So Medicare recipients may have coverage, but won’t have a doctor to serve them. You cannot bring down the cost of medical care by government fiat.
Ryan’s plan actually brings the free market into play by putting the decision making in the hands of the consumer. Of course, the Democrats say that amount Ryan proposes will not keep up with the rising costs of medical care. Aren’t these the same people who said if we did not spend nearly a trillion on the stimulus, unemployment would rise to 9%, wheras if we did, it would go no higher than 8%?
Paul Ryan showed the courage to tackle entitlements and with a credible plan. It may not be perfect, but it is a solid start. The Democrats’ “plan” is just more politbureau control from Washington dictating to the rest of us their failed solutions. It’s time for a change.
As for Newt, he can go back to the think tank, and re-think some of his positions.
That’s my opinion; I’d like to know yours. Please comment below.
When did the distortions start? Was it with Officer Crowley and the Cambridge Police Deparment “acting stupidly”? Was it with the distortions over ObamaCare? How about dressing down the Supreme Court while the camera catches Samuel Alito saying “not true”. His assault on Paul Ryan’s budget blueprint after inviting Congressman Ryan to come hear his speech, brings to mind Joe Wilson’s outburst, “You Lie!” during another Obama address in Congress. It is becoming all to common to hear the lies and distortions from this president, but they keep coming. The good news is that Congressman Ryan is not afraid to counterpunch.
