Boker tov, Boulder!

Federal Spending Has DOUBLED Since 2000

 

"Two monks were arguing about the temple flag waving in the wind. One said, 'The flag moves.' The other said, 'The wind moves.' They argued back and forth but could not agree.

The Sixth Ancestor said, 'Gentlemen! It is not the wind that moves; it is not the flag that moves; it is your mind that moves.' The two monks were struck with awe."

 

* * *

 

Federal outlays (spending) amounted to less than $1.8 Trillion in fiscal year 2000. It's exactly DOUBLE that now (FY2012): $3.6 Trillion.

Did anyone complain that the federal government was too small back in 2000?

And are we any better off now, with DOUBLE THE SPENDING and TRIPLE THE DEBT?

This week's Sky-Is-Falling "Sequester" is a drop in the bucket. The federal government is spending $10.5 Billion each and every day, so the "Sequester" only amounts to eight days' worth. Any way you look at it, it's only 2 percent, the same proportion by which Obama just raised payroll taxes. 

I say let the tree fall in the woods. 

 

Republican message? What Republican message?

What are those potted plants behind her? Are they military? And why are they all non-diverse (i.e., Typical White)?

 

On a morning when the "news" is that M/Obama awarded the Oscar for Best Picture last night and that she danced on the Fallon show, it's refreshing to read something thoughtful and important... and with which I agree wholeheartedly. (Todah to DeDo.)

J. Paul Masko, III gives us Three Reasons Conservatives are Losing the Battle for America. The first is The Electorate. In a nutshell:

.... I'm often incredulous at the self-satisfied political ignorance and gullibility of successful, otherwise high-functioning and intellectually curious Democrats.  The range and depth of their ignorance regarding easily ascertainable facts is astounding ("No, President Obama has NOT increased the deficit: that's a lie!  For your information, President Obama has spent less than any President in history!"); and many, in my experience, cite the New York Times as their irrefutable source of information, with phrases like: "The Times didn't mention it so it can't be true or relevant...."

For these people, it really doesn't matter what conservatives or Republicans think or say: they won't hear it!  Republican positions are totally lost - unheard and meaningless - to a growing number of the electorate, including huge swaths of highly-educated and effective leaders in society.  It would be understating the issue to note that the Republican/conservative "brand" has been sullied - but it begins to convey the nature of the problem: it's more accurate to say that the Republican/conservative brand has been effectively nullified for many people.  For a growing number of voters, it doesn't matter what Republicans say: they have bought into the idea - nurtured by the press, educators at every level, and almost the entire entertainment industry - that Republicans are the "bad guys".  Furthermore, and possibly more disturbing, is the fact that this apparently mushrooming group of voters is largely unaware of and unconcerned about their stance.

 

On the other hand, it was pointed out to me by a perennial optimist that Obama's approval is only around half, EVEN WITH the entire array of the mainstream media working tirelessly to suppress scrutiny and keep him propped up (and in your face). In other words, if the mushrooms in the media were ever to crack under his whip, we might just be able to save the republic.

Not being much of an optimist myself, I'm not holding my breath.

Tired of being lectured by your tea bag? Me too!

Of all the things that provoke my ire these days, one of the top slots has to go to the willingness of others to surrender my freedoms. Non-smokers are perfectly happy to surrender my freedom to smoke tobacco, even on [or in] my own property -- with no regard to my individual circumstance (a shrink once told me I was fortunate to "only" smoke cigarettes, that with my background I should have become a heroin addict, or worse!). Likewise, people who are frightened by guns see nothing wrong with their readiness to surrender of my Second Amendment rights, in order that their vision of "the common good" be fulfilled.

I was glad to see another citizen spouting off in a similar vein when Greg Gutfeld went ballistic (figure of speech) over the notion that - for the "common good" - people shouldn't be allowed to use antibiotics as frequently as they do. In this one-size-fits-all, blanket approach, there's no wiggle room for Gutfeld's individual history of chronic sinus infections. He said, rather desperately, "I NEED those antibiotics!"  I suspect we will be seeing more and more of these reactions as BigGubmint rolls ever "forward" over our individuality to create a senseless mush known as the "collective."

Also teeth-grindingly irksome is the increasing tendency of this culture to treat me like an idiot, lecture me, or both. My cell phone doesn't just tell me it's fully charged, it tells me to unplug from the charger "to save energy."  Save it for what? A rainy day? What happens to all that "saved" energy? Where does it go? To the unfortunate poor in Haiti? 

Even my teabags lecture me! Somehow, by drinking Lipton, I am helping the environment. What are they TALKING about? And no, I don't want to go to Lipton.com to find out more. I just wanted a frigging cup of tea. 

To top it all off, no one treats me like an idiot and lectures me like those elected to represent my interests in the government. I remain convinced that the tea party movement began when, in response to Obama's gazillion-dollar "Stimulus" on the heels of multiple large-scale bailouts, regular everyday folks started writing to their representatives in government. The Husband and I certainly did, and with the exception of Shelley Moore Capito they all responded with form letters designed to validate their own positions -without any regard to mine whatsoever - written in the most patronizing and superficial terms, geared toward extremely-low-information voters. Augh & GRRR. And we pay out the wazoo for this "privilege."

So what I'm getting to is that it came as a great relief when someone actually asked my opinion, at this Silly Quiz at ISideWith... 

I hardly needed to take the quiz to know the results, but taking it actually felt like freedom... revisited. How pathetic is that?

 

 

I'm afraid I'm not going to make a very good Socialist...

In fact, I know I'm not.

Will New Gun Control Laws Ban This HAT?

 

  

 

File this under "Who Knew?"

Staying in our right-wing news ghetto, we know a lot more about the Obama administration's efforts to cover up the 9/11 Benghazi Fiasco than your average leftist on the street -- but similarly, there are reports in the left-wing news ghetto that most us have never heard of!

At ISideWith.com you can actually filter your news intake by Ideology. I recommend it as a good exercise. In fact, I came across this story by using their site to filter for Liberal news.

 

It was Jimmy Carter's unemployed grandson, a "Democratic opposition researcher," who "discovered" the "infamous"

47 Percent Video

that, according to the Left, brought Romney down. Watch this:

http://live.huffingtonpost.com/r/segment/jimmy-carter's-grandson/5126ab2e2b8c2a08290004e5

 

The actual source of the video is a well-kept secret, but AJC "blogger" Jim Galloway attributes it to someone "associated with Global Tech," a company that has or had dealings with Bain Capital. 

And get this:

Former president Jimmy Carter told CNN's Piers Morgan that President Obama personally thanked his grandson for his role in the release of the infamous video of Mitt Romney's "47 percent" remarks last week.

"When James went to meet President Obama, President Obama ran across the room, embraced him and thanked him profusely ...."

 

 

Hope on the horizon

Rick Richman, being one of my favorite people, has written a delicious piece about two of my favorite people -- er, public figures: Calvin Coolidge and Dr. Ben Carson.

... Dr. Benjamin Carson’s recent speech at the National Prayer Breakfast.... was Coolidge-like in its understated eloquence, its focus on moral decay and fiscal irresponsibility, its religious power and sense of history, and its warning against trying to build up the weak by pulling down the strong.

 

Read it all at PJ Media. It will fill you with optimism -- and I dare say, HOPE.

 

Learn more about President Coolidge at White House Dot-Gov, but I would urge you to skip the blue "Did you know?" box at the end, inserted by ObamaCult propagandists; it will only serve to diminish your newfound optimism.

Logical Observation of the Day

 

Haman’s “Final Solution” was scheduled for the 13th of Adar. Instead, Haman was hanged, and by royal decree the Jews mobilized in self-defense and successfully defended themselves against all attacks. 

On the next day, the 14th of Adar, the Jews rested, savored their miraculous salvation, and established the holiday of Purim.

Whenever in peril, we are commanded to institute a fast day to repent, pray, and ask for Divine mercy. Thus the 13th of Adar, the day of battle, was a day of fasting.

* * *

 

Today is the Fast of Esther - plus I'm still sick - so I doubt I'll be very apparent here, but I can't resist sharing this observation posted at facebook by our friend and colleague, Tom Glennon (with links-to-the Left added by Yours Truly):

So, a few weeks after the Pentagon announces plans to allow women into front line combat units, a Colorado state lawmaker (Rep. Joe Salazar, D-Thornton) says women cannot be trusted with guns because they might shoot the wrong person. He suggested whistles. I wonder how well the whistles would work against the Taliban in Afghanistan?

And no, this is not about gun control; it is about attitudes toward women."

 

The Illogic of the Left, otherwise known as "progressive" hypocrisy, holds that women have a right to the "privacy" of Abortion, but no right to choose for ourselves which gun(s) we will own -- based on privacy or anything else. We have the right to shoot the Taliban on orders from the Gubmint, but no right to choose our own method of self defense... against rapists, criminals invading our homes, or mass murderers in our children's classroom or the local movie theatre.

 

 

 

When people don't believe in Gd, how could they believe in Gd-given rights? They almost have to believe that our rights can only be determined by government.  What is so astounding is to see how readily the Left has abandoned all skepticism once their Gd-less ideology came to dominate the halls of power (and the celebrity-messiah of their choosing occupied the Oval Office).

 

 

 

Obama Was FOR Sequestration Before He Was AGAINST It

Flashback November 2011, courtesy of Weasel Zippers:

 

“Already some in Congress are trying to undo these automatic spending cuts. My message to them is simple: No,” Mr. Obama said from the White House briefing room Monday evening. “I will veto any effort to get rid of those automatic spending cuts to domestic and defense spending.”

“There will be no easy off ramps on this one,” he added.

 

Yesterday however, Obama claimed that sequestration was never designed to actually happen, and furthermore painted an inaccurate (in the words of the New York Times, "disputed") account of the doom and gloom to be brought down on our heads by those horrible, no good, very bad .... ew-Republicans.

 

Note: As to the lack of much blogging, I have a yucky head-throat-and-chest cold, so I may just "call it a day" already and go back to bed. 

On the day of distress...

 

I received an inquiry from a BtB reader I didn't even know existed, asking if prayers are still needed for Yitzchak ben Bracha. The short answer is, Yes, very much so.

It is such a blessing to get this glimpse of your unseen efforts. Thank you to everyone who is helping in our urgent appeal to Hashem for a miraculous healing and complete recovery.

 

Tehillim (Psalms), Ch. 20

1. For the Conductor, a psalm by David.  2. May the Lord answer you on the day of distress; may the Name of the God of Jacob fortify you.  3. May He send your help from the Sanctuary, and support you from Zion.  4. May He remember all your offerings, and always accept favorably your sacrifices.  5. May He grant you your heart's desire, and fulfill your every counsel.  6. We will rejoice in your deliverance, and raise our banners in the name of our God; may the Lord fulfill all your wishes.  7. Now I know that the Lord has delivered His anointed one, answering him from His holy heavens with the mighty saving power of His right hand.  8. Some [rely] upon chariots and some upon horses, but we [rely upon and] invoke the Name of the Lord our God.  9. They bend and fall, but we rise and stand firm.  10. Lord, deliver us; may the King answer us on the day we call.

 

President "Fair Share"

 

"Everyone pays their fair share. Everyone does their part."

 

 

Obama's Sequestration

 requires that the Defense Department

- at 18.7 percent of the budget -

absorb 50 percent of the CUTS.

 

 

Fair, or not so fair? That is the question.