Golly it's a 'Great Day' for GOP 'Civil War', Goofy CNN Anchor Gushes

It's gotten to the point where CNN anchor Carol Costello makes Ted Baxter look like Edward R. Murrow.

Costello is dispensing with any pretense of objectivity and has decided to let her left-wing flag fly -- this while the execs at CNN scratch their heads over the network's abysmal ratings. If I want liberal media on cable, I'll turn to MSNBC thanks very much and thereby avoid, to borrow from Lincoln, the base alloy of hypocrisy at CNN.

Here's what Costello posted on her Facebook page earlier today  --

Good morning. Happy Friday! A great day for a Republican civil war in the House of Representatives. The House is expected to vote on a government funding bill that will go exactly nowhere. Basically because the bill includes defunding Obamacare. Congressman Ted Cruz pushed the bill and is now trying to avert a major-league PR disaster.

Anyone else getting the distinct impression that Costello thinks "Congressman" Cruz is a member of the House and not the Senate? As my 12-year-old daughter was once fond of saying, what-ever.

I'm having a hard time envisioning Costello nearly so perky about a possible civil war (!) between Democrats.

More from her annoying Facebook blurb --

In a nutshell: Cruz pushed hard  for the bill, then tweeted it would probably fail. That prompted this tweet from CNN's Dana Bash: "Wow. House GOP leadership aide just told me 'Wendy Davis has more balls than Ted Cruz.

Cruz' (sic) response: "Well I'm always impressed with the courage of anonymous congressional aides."

But, the Cruz abuse continued: Congressman Peter King said, Peter King: "We as House Republicans should stop letting Ted Cruz set our agenda for us. If he can deliver on this fine. If he can't, then he should keep quiet from now on and we shouldn't listen to him."

I could go on ... but, you'll hear plenty more through the day. Lost in all of this is the state of our economy and how a government shutdown would adversely impact it. ...

Looks like Costello labels all members of Congress "congressman" (or "congresswoman" as she sees fit), which spares her from that pesky anxiety of worrying about who's in the House and Senate. It's brilliant!

Costello also predictably resorts to the journalistically threadbare "adversely impact it" -- as opposed to the streamlined "damage" or "hurt."  Then again, why say something with one word when a trio or more will suffice? Words to her are cheap, much like other people's money she's eager to spend through taxes that are never quite high enough.

Costello ends her post with this gem --

Oh, and Miley Cyrus' dad speaks out again. He totally gets his daughter's naked wrecking ball video.

Oh how the mighty have fallen -- from country music singer Billy Ray Cyrus of "Achy Breaky Heart" global fame ... to Miley Cyrus' dad. But hey, he "totally gets" his daughter's new shtick. Like to the max, even though it's grody. Dude!

Via: Newsbusters

Continue Reading....

Mexico Orders Release of Spies Convicted in U.S. Court

The Obama administration has given Mexico enough input and authority over U.S. matters that its lawmakers felt emboldened enough to order the release of four communist spies serving lengthy sentences in federal prison.

The Mexican Cámara de Diputados, which is similar to the U.S. House of Representatives, actually passed a measure this week commanding American officials to free the foreign intelligence officers, agents of Cuba’s communist government convicted in 2001 for espionage, conspiracy to commit murder and acting as an agent of a foreign government. One of the spies is already out on probation after serving a 13-year sentence but four remain in federal jails.

The men ran a network (La Red Avispa) that surveilled vulnerable entry ports to import arms and explosives into the U.S., penetrated anti-communist groups in Florida and infiltrated the U.S. Southern Command, the Defense Department’s operation responsible for military activities in central and South America. A Cuban military intelligence agent named Gerardo Hernandez was the ringleader and he’s serving a life sentence in a California federal prison.

A few years ago the Obama administration quietly granted Hernandez’s wife, also a Cuban intelligence agent, a visa to visit him in jail. After 12 years of denying a visa, the State Department—under Hillary Clinton’s leadership—lifted a ban to allow the communist agent to visit her partner in crime at the California facility where he’s serving his life sentence for leading an espionage cell in the U.S.

The operation constituted a huge national security threat considering Cuba has for years appeared on the State Department’s list of states that sponsor terrorism. According to the United States government, Cuba remains on the list for supporting designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations and for harboring fugitives from U.S. justice, including domestic terrorists.

For some reason Mexican lawmakers feel they have authority over this matter even though it doesn’t even involve any of their nationals. The Cuban spies had an army of topnotch attorneys and were convicted by a jury in a U.S. federal court. The conviction was upheld by an appellate court so they definitely got due process and the verdicts must be respected.

But Mexico’s legislature insists the Cuban spies have been “unjustly detained in the United States” for 15 years and that it’s time to free them. In their measure, Mexican lawmakers actually refer to the convicted foreign agents as “heroes” who must be released. To back up the demand, Mexico’s government cites resolutions passed by the United Nation’s laughable human rights organization and the famously leftist Amnesty International.

Via: Judicial Watch

Continue Reading....

Dem Official Wishes ‘Debilitating, Painful, Incurable Diseases,’ on Kids of Ted Cruz Advisor

Allan Brauer, the elected communications chair of the Democratic Party of Sacramento County, California, is not a fan of Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX). When speechwriter and advisor to Cruz, Amanda Carpenter, took to Twitter to rally Republicans in the Senate to support a bill which would defund the Affordable Care Act, Brauer expressed his frustration with this sentiment in no uncertain terms. 

“May your children all die from debilitating, painful and incurable diseases,” Brauer wrote.

This sentiment ignited a firestorm on Twitter and many attacked Brauer for the inappropriateness of his comment.

RELATED: House Passes Resolution to Defund Obamacare, GOP Calls on Senate to Do the Same

Rather than retract or apologize, Brauer proceeded to justify his actions in a subsequent tweet.

Other organizations have highlighted Brauer’s propensity for making incendiary statements and using offensive language on Twitter to attack his political adversaries in the past.

On Friday, the House passed a resolution to fund the government which would defund “Obamacare” by 230-189 votes. The bill will now head to the Senate where it is not expected to pass in its present form.

UPDATE: After a number of tweets attacking the individuals who lashed out at Brauer for his offensive language, the Sacramento County Democratic official issued an apology to Carpenter.

Via: Mediaite.com

Continue Reading....

[VIDEO] Democrat freaks out over Obamacare defunding vote: ‘We need to believe in this government again!’

WASHINGTON — A Democratic congressman from Virginia raised his voice on the House floor Friday and lamented how the Republican push to defund Obamacare makes him less “proud” to be a member of Congress.

“I used to be really proud of this institution,” Virginia Rep. Jim Moran said before the body voted Friday on a continuing resolution that defunds Obamacare. “I used to be able to go through my community and, many of those who have served as long as I have, know what it was like to be proud to be a member of Congress.”

Moran’s dramatic remarks came before the body voted to continue funding the government through the rest of the year while defunding President Obama’s unpopular health care law.

That legislation now heads to the Democratic-controlled Senate, which is not expected to pass a continuing resolution that includes the defunding of the law.

Moran and other Democrats expressed frustration that Republicans continue to try to defund the health care law.

“We know what the government can do,” Moran said. “This bill doesn’t allow the government to do what it can to improve the lives of our people. We need to believe in this government again. We need to do what this Congress is meant to do!”

Follow Alex on Twitter

Tags: Jim Moran

Via: Daily Caller

Continue Reading.....

LABOR DEPT: SAME-SEX SPOUSES MUST RECEIVE BENEFITS REGARDLESS OF STATE LAWS

On September 18, the Obama Labor Department announced that married same-sex couples must receive the same pensions, 401(k)s, health plans, and employee benefits as heterosexual married couples, regardless of whether they live in one of the 37 states where same-sex marriage is illegal. 

"This decision represents a historic step forward toward equality for all American families,"said Labor Secretary Thomas Perez. "I have directed the department's agency heads to ensure that they are implementing the decision in a way that provides maximum protection for workers and their families."

The Labor Department said its interpretation "provides a uniform rule of recognition that can be applied with certainty by stakeholders, including employers, plan administrators, participants, and beneficiaries."

Gay marriage is now legal in 13 states and the District of Columbia. The new ruling will require the 37 states where gay marriage is illegal to extend spousal benefits to same-sex couples. 

Via: Breitbart

Continue Reading...

California City Flies Flag of China

SAN LEANDRO -- Over the objections of residents and human rights groups, the city will raise the flag of the People's Republic of China on Oct. 1, a day that honors the formation of the sovereign state in 1949 by communist leader Mao Zedong.

The City Council voted 4-3 Monday to approve the request by Councilman Benny Lee, a Chinese-American who said he intended the move as a sign of support for the city's growing Chinese population and a sign the city is open for Chinese business and investment. The approval -- endorsed by Lee and fellow council members Ursula Reed, Diana Souza and Jim Prola -- garnered applause, as well as boos and shouts of displeasure from a packed council chamber.

"Raising the flag gives us the opportunity to show the openness to the people of China, the business people of China, to show that we welcome that investment and we welcome the prosperity," Lee said. Raising the flag also is a way "to acknowledge and accept the people of Asian ancestry, Chinese ancestry" in San Leandro, he said.

Via: San Jose Mercury News

Continue Reading.....

Madison elementary art teacher posts students’ anti-Walker cartoons

MADISON — Some kindergartners, first-graders and second-graders in Madison public schools are apparently preparing for futures in either political cartooning or time on a psychiatrist’s couch.

Kati Walsh, an elementary art teacher at the Madison Metropolitan School Districtin July posted some of her students’ drawings of Gov. Scott Walker  in jail. Walsh suggests her young Rembrandts’ ideas for their sketches popped up out of thin air.

“One student said something to the effect of ‘Scott Walker wants to close all the public schools’… So the rest of the class started drawing their own cartoons and they turned very political. They have very strong feelings about Scott Walker,” the teacher wrote on her blog.

This young student at a Madison, Wis. school drew Gov. Walker behind bars.

This young student at a Madison, Wis. school drew Gov. Scott Walker behind bars.

This student drew Gov. Scott Walker behind bars and, says the student’s teacher, the governor being fitted with an orange  jumpsuit.

“The cartoons started getting a little inappropriate so at this point, we stopped drawing and discussed what a political cartoon was,” she wrote.

If the drawings weren’t appropriate, why did the art teacher publish them on her blog? It turns out these weren’t the inappropriate drawings.

“I did not publish the inappropriate cartoons that depicted any harm coming to Walker,” Walsh told Wisconsin Reporter in an email. “I made them throw them away and we talked about how when you disagree with someone, it’s OK to disagree with them respectfully.”

Walsh said she published the drawings because she thought it was “an amazing teaching moment.”

Via: Wisconsin Reporter

Continue Reading...

Nancy Pelosi Invokes a Priest's Sermon to Say GOP Is 'Preying on People'

Wednesday Nancy Pelosi spoke at the Center for American Progress to help mark the launch the organization's new initiative called “Fair Shot: A Plan for Women and Families to Get Ahead.”  In her remarks, Pelosi referenced the Republicans' plan to scale back the food stamp program, the cost of which has more than doubled in the past four years.  She recalled a sermon she recently heard in Houston where she attended mass:

“I’ve been trying to listen as we – this has been a morning that you can’t even believe.  On the floor of the House the Republicans are trying to cut $40 billion, that’s 50 percent of the nutrition program – largely children, seniors, returning veterans, [and] women.  It’s a most incredible thing.  I said yesterday at a press conference on this subject, I said: unless we – it was in Houston, I go to mass wherever I go, and at the pulpit, the priest said, in Houston, Texas – not one of your liberal bastions – he said: ‘I think it’s important for people, not just to come to mass on Sunday and pray, but when they leave here not to prey on people.’  And it isn’t exactly what they are doing: preying on people.  

The former Speaker of the House went on to reference "all the lack of values that [the GOP] budget presents," and that "basically what [Democrats are] about ... is restoring confidence to the American people."

Via: Weekly Standard

Continue Reading....

Why Starbucks Has To Step In On Guns

Starbucks' firearms decision is the first step to setting boundaries for America's gun-loving culture. Who will be next?

The only way to reduce gun violence in a country that won't give up its guns is to set cultural boundaries on what's acceptable and what's not. And some members of Corporate America have realized it's partly up to them to do that.

Starbucks CEO Howard Shultz this week "respectfully" asked customers not to bring guns into his establishments. The request is the latest, and perhaps highest-profile, example of firearm restrictions put in place by corporate entities for their customers. Starbucks didn't outright ban weapons on its premises, but other companies like Whole Foods and Peets Coffee and Tea have banned them.

Even in open-carry states, such as Arizona, retailers routinely ask that weapons remain off their premises. In Phoenix, for example, it is not uncommon to see a signs on restaurants stating that firearms are not permitted inside.

Gun-control advocates agree that changing the country's cultural view of guns is an important, and often overlooked, factor in curbing gun violence. Legal changes alone, like expanded background checks, won't stop gun-related suicides or accidents.

"You have to change social norms," said Dan Gross, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. "There's not enough focus on this big picture. It doesn't tend to drive enough of the conversation historically."

Corporate America, particularly the retail sector, has a lot of sway in terms of social norms. And their actions have the distinct advantage of being removed, at least a little bit, from the polarized political debate on gun control.

Think about designated smoking areas or dress codes at restaurants. It's a lot easier for a manager of a Starbucks to tell a latte drinker that it's not cool to bring his gun in with him than it is for Congress or state Legislatures to outlaw them at all coffee shops.

Via: National Journal

Continue Reading.....

'Disgraceful:' University suspends prof who hoped for murder of NRA children

Administrators at the University of Kansas have suspended the journalism professor who suggested on Monday he would like to see the murder of the children of National Rifle Association (NRA) members.

KU's chancellor, Bernadette Gray-Little, announced the suspension Friday morning, according to a local radio station, KMBZ.

Professor Guth has been placed on administrative leave.

"In order to prevent disruptions to the learning environment for students, the School of Journalism and the university, I have directed Provost Jeffrey Vitter to place Associate Professor Guth on indefinite administrative leave pending a review of the entire situation,” he said.

“Professor Guth’s classes will be taught by other faculty members," he added.

And on Thursday the school released a statement condemning Guth's tweet. 

“The contents of Professor Guth’s tweet were repugnant and in no way represent the views or opinions of the University of Kansas. "[I]t is truly disgraceful that these views were expressed in such a callous and uncaring way. We expect all members of the university community to engage in civil discourse and not make inflammatory and offensive comment

There is no word whether or not Guth will be paid throughout the suspension.

Guth turned to Twitter on Monday in response the a crazed gunman’s rampage at the Navy Yard in Washington D.C., in which 12 perished.

“#NavyYardShooting The blood is on the hands of the #NRA,” tweeted David Guth, who is an associate professor of Journalism at the university’s William Allen White School of Journalism.

“Next time, let it be YOUR sons and daughters, he continued. “Shame on you. May God damn you.”

Via: Campus Reform

Continue Reading....

“I scared the crap out of them!”: Alan Grayson details how to work with the GOP

In Part 1 of my interview with Rep. Alan Grayson published on Monday, we talked about Syria and national security policy. In Part 2, we turn to domestic matters. Grayson is actually one of the only trained economists in Congress, graduating from Harvard with an economics degree.

We talked about whether Dodd-Frank stabilized the financial system, the role of the Federal Reserve in the economy, and his surprising view on the fears of a government shutdown. We also talked about his recent partnerships with House Republicans. Below is a transcript of our conversation.

With the five-year anniversary of the Lehman Brothers collapse upon us, everyone is talking about whether we remain vulnerable to another crisis. You were on the Financial Services Committee when Dodd-Frank passed in 2010. Has it worked to make the financial system safer, or has nothing much changed?

Yes, nothing has changed. The only thing that has changed is the passage of time. Sometimes time does not heal. We still have the problem of some institutions being too big to fail, and nothing has been done to make them smaller or less interconnected. Nothing has changed the fact that, because of the sense in the market that some institutions are too big to fail, the big get bigger and the small get smaller. The cost of capital is smaller for institutions perceived as government-backed, than for ones not as credit-worthy, with counter-party risk.

The one good thing that’s happened in the past five years, in the sense of making people hopeful that the economy might survive a collapse, is that the Federal Reserve’s unconventional monetary policy put us back on a low-level track toward growth. They showed that monetary policy in extremis can work to some degree.

Via: Salon

Continue Reading....

OBAMACARE, DEMOCRACY, AND THE REPUBLIC

One of the most common category errors in political discourse is referring to the United States of America as a “democracy.”  It is not a democracy, and it never has been.  The Founding Fathers would be absolutely horrified to learn their descendants would routinely use the term.  Democracy is mob rule.  The Founders opposed it as strongly as they opposed monarchy.  The government they created was designed to restrain both the despotic control of a ruling elite, and the transitory passions of the crowd.

How often have you heard it said that we must preserve the rights of minorities against the tyranny of the majority?  This idea is profoundly hostile to “democracy,” in which the majority always gets its way, subject to whatever absolute limits might be placed on the power of the State.  If you are a person of middle age, you may have noticed there is much less talk about protecting the rights of the minority these days, or of placing absolute limits on the power of the State.  Dissent ceased to be the highest expression of patriotism roughly five years ago.

Via: Human Events

Continue Reading...