Links and Minifeatures 2009 03 27 Friday
So much for Obama's campaign promise to increase transparency.
Don Surber: Open government hits women, minorities hardest:
It is pathetic to watch Democrats backtrack on Barack Obama's pledge for more openness by appropriating Obama's wife. Apparently, if the first lady is at a meeting, the public is not going to be allowed in.
I agree with Don:
Excuse me, but when an Ivy League-educated lawyer enters the political ring to lobby for legislation, she is fair game. I don't care who she is married to.Ain't that right, Hillary?
I agree. Bring this guy to the US, or at least clone him. Watch the video.
What the heck, here's an embed:
Via neo, Presidential Straw Man Argument
Powerline
How Non-Political Can You Get?
But an e-mail and flyer recently circulated to Justice Department employees indicate Attorney General Holder has an interesting definition of what it means to be "less political." The flyer invites all employees to attend a speech in the main Justice building on Pennsylvania Avenue. In fact, it notes, all "[s]upervisors are encouraged to grant official time to employees to attend this event."And what pillar of the legal profession will be lecturing Justice employees to help them "serve justice" in a "less political" way? Why, none other than Donna Brazile, whose own website biography describes her as a "[v]eteran Democratic political strategist" and a Vice Chairman at the Democratic National Committee."
I think that the folks at Powerline are correct in that the only possible fig-leaf to make this appear non political would be to give the employees official work time to listen to a speech by Karl Rove. But since both of these people are mouthpieces for political parties, that wouldn't be non-political; it would merely be balanced. The current situation is neither.
Actually, it's quite a bit worse
Under this reasoning, anyone who says we should secure our borders, enforce our employment laws, and deport illegal aliens is engaging in criminal oppression and intimidation. Should anyone who has expressed his views on this subject, particularly in connection with an election, expect to be called in front of a federal grand jury to answer for his "crimes?" While the views espoused by Walsh, Blumberg, and Kappelhoff are well outside the mainstream, they are perfectly aligned with liberal groups who do not believe that voter registration applicants should have to answer questions about their citizenship, and who in fact make a point of not advising registrants of citizenship requirements.
NEW PREZ FLUNKING GLOBAL TESTS
All new administrations stumble a bit as they seek their footing. But President Obama's foreign-policy botches have set new records for instant incompetence.Contrary to left-wing myths, I wasn't a fan of the Bush administration. (I called for Donald Rumsfeld to get the boot in mid-2001.) But fair's fair. Despite his many faults, Bush sought to do good. Obama just wants to look good.
Vice President Dick Cheney was arrogant. Vice President Joe Biden is arrogant and stupid. Take your pick.
Don't worry about the new administration's ideology. Worry about its terrifying naivete.
Consider a sampling of the goofs O and his crew have made in just two months:
Read the whole thing.
Video: If government doesn't work, why expand it?
Freddie Mac's Duel With Regulator: Does It Report Government's Role in Its Losses?
But when Freddie Mac's executives concluded a few weeks ago that they had to disclose that the government's management of the McLean company was undermining its profitability and would cost it tens of billions of dollars, the firm's regulator urged it not to do so, according to several sources familiar with the matter.Freddie Mac executives refused to bend. The clash grew so severe that they threatened to go to the Securities and Exchange Commission, which oversees corporate disclosures, to secure a ruling that the regulator's request was out of line. The company's regulator backed down, the sources said.
Expert Financial Advice Cuts Brain Activity
I hope I'm not cutting anyone's brain activity. That would be one thing that might me consider not writing any more. Because I agree with the conclusions and warnings given:
"This study indicates that the brain relinquishes responsibility when a trusted authority provides expertise, says Berns. "The problem with this tendency is that it can work to a person's detriment if the trusted source turns out to be incompetent or corrupt."It is hard to know whether someone is an expert. Those confident-sounding types might just be wishful bettors. Sometimes they stand to profit if they can get more people to listen to them and so they strive to sound credible.
You can not escape the need to think - at least not without paying a price.
I always try to provide evidence and reasoning that others can follow as to why I recommend the path I do as opposed to others.
At least that way, if I'm full of it, somebody else can see it and point it out. Or at least decide they don't believe me on the basis of insufficient evidence.
In addition to all the other deficit spending, The Social Security surplus goes deficit
All of this money we've all been lending Congress? They're going to have to start paying it back. Any bets on when they start to delay eligibility for Social Security and reduce benefits still further?
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