Riehl World View

Celebration

TrogloPundit celebrates 50,000 hits. Check it out.

Believe me, I'm not saying this to be a jerk in any way. But I actually meant to note passing 13 million hits and 24 million page views recently but forgot. Still, every bench mark is important to most every blogger. Don't let them fool you. The hit to page view ratio number is the one I always watch the most - 1.3 just now, which is actually pretty high. It gives one a sense of actually being read by those who do come by, via Google, or otherwise.

I still remember the day I first discovered blogs over five years ago and thought, hey, I could do that better then this,or that one! ha! Typical. But there is no "better," in blogging, so much as there is "different."

The early days and even years can be long and lonely. I can recall visiting the sitemeter and figuring that once I subtracted out my own visits, things looked pretty sad! And there are still days, or even stretches, when you feel - man, I ain't got it right now. Or, I really screwed that one up. But you still go on.

For me, that single thing - going on to keep going is what makes someone a blogger. Success can be measured in almost as many ways as there are blogs, few of them having to do with one's visit count. I've done TV appearances, radio shows, been linked by Rush, am mentioned by Mark Levin often enough, been linked by MSM pubs, had more Instalanches than I ever thought I would and appear often in Michelle's buzzworthy sidebar - along with being linked by numerous smaller blogs and on Memeorandum everyday. I've made friends and enemies. And I've inspired several people to start their own blogs. That might be the most satisfying accomplishment of all.

But it always just comes back and down to the blog, just you and a blank page. There's something special about that challenge that has never gone away. If it ever did, I guess I'd go away, too.

Fifty-thousand and counting. And, hopefully, so it goes. In my mind, if you always just keep it honest and make it your own you can't really go wrong.

The War On Science, Industry And BPA

Via The New York Times, in a pseudo-scientific, public relations war funded by liberal interest groups and trial lawyers, abetted by a mostly liberal media, Science, American industry and U.S. consumers appear to be on the verge of losing a costly fight many might not have realized was even being waged.

The costs to American industry and consumers may be incalculable as BPA, or Bisphenol A, used to harden plastics for containers and line metal cans, is at risk of being banned in the U.S., even as Europe, Australia, Japan and other governments insist there is no scientifically documented risk at all.  

Missing in this debate is that it’s not just ‘industry groups’ that think BPA shouldn’t be banned — or just industry-sponsored studies that say it’s safe. Scientists, regulators, politicians in Europe, Australia, and Japan have all rejected the evidence that the chemical is harmful as methodologically flawed, badly conducted, or irrelevant — with some warning that banning it could actually endanger the public.

Now, America's own National Institutes of Health has been forced to admit to funding faulty research, often picked up by popular media to win an ideologically-driven anti-business, anti-science public relations war that appears to have nothing to do with the best interests of American consumers in the end. Yes, these are the government entities to which we want to entrust our health care options in the future, I'm sure.

Now that the National Institutes of Health has acknowledged that it funded a lot of poorly-designed research on BPA — the very research that is touted as evidence that the chemical is deadly — it’s time to ask whether America has been spun by clever marketing rather than clever science.

More details available in the brief NY Times item and a study they link in pdf by STATS.

The claims about the dangers of the chemical bisphenol-A, or BPA , get a skeptical look in a report by a nonpartisan, nonprofit group, STATS.

It's been well argued that millions have since died, primarily from Malaria, due to the unnecessary banning of DDT back in 1972 that resulted from a similar campaign fueled by some of the very same liberal interest groups. Unless government can find a way to base decisions on science uninfluenced by interest groups of any stripe that reach conclusions first, then develop studies to support their agendas, regardless of the truth, the less control we give government over our lives, choices as consumers and especially our health care options, the better.      

All You Need To Know About Sarah Palin Today

Forget the pundits with varying opinions today, from Ross Douthat and Fred Barnes to Andrew Sullivan, People Magazine, along with countless blogs.

Mark Sanford could be back in Argentina dating twins while North Korea launches more missiles and people are still dying in the streets of Iran - and all anyone is talking about is Sarah Palin.

And that's about all we actually know about her, or need to know about her future possibilities. For better or worse, Barack Obama won the presidency in large part due to the politics of celebrity we have today. And there is no greater celebrity in politics right now than Sarah Palin, not even Obama himself. Don't fool yourself into thinking that's a bad thing for any future Palin ambition.

How Instapundit Blogs

Ever wonder how Glenn Reynolds blogs all day, every day, 365 days a year?

... I quit to disassemble the dishwasher (well, the filtration part), clean out all the limestone scale with vinegar and a toothbrush, and put it back together — and it felt like fun! 

The word is tweaking, a common behavior exhibited by methamphetamine users. Better blogging through chemistry. I think I finally understand his interest in the sciences, now.

From Tea Parties To Levin: The Media Doesn't Get It

While Obama's aggressive political agenda isn't to be ignored for the purposes of this Politico item on Right-side publishing and Mark Levin's book Liberty and Tyranny, I would have liked to see a reference to the Tea Party movement, especially as both the book and the Tea Parties began while Bush was in office. (Much news on the weekend's Tea Parties here and here). And I don't believe the parties, or Levin's book sales are all and only about conservatives, or Barack Obama.

Point being, what many perceive as a betrayal of sorts on fiscal responsibility and limited government by Republicans for years under Bush fueled much of the current sentiment across the country as it seems neither party can be trusted to do what many Americans most want. Left to their own devices, they are taking to the streets and reading books that help inform their view.

As much as both men might hate to admit it, Barack Obama has been very, very good to Mark Levin.

Levin is living the talk-radio dream: His three-hour broadcast is aired on more than 150 stations to more than 5 million listeners a day. And he has the hottest subject in the world: Obama.

The feeling in America might be coming to a head under Obama. But I believe it's about far more than just him. Rather than deliver a truly informed look at what's happening, they seem to have taken the easy way out and delivered just another article about Obama, again. Okay, regarding Michelle's pending book, that might not be the case. But still....

In July, Regnery will put out commentator Michelle Malkin’s “Culture of Corruption: Obama and His Team of Tax Cheats, Crooks, and Cronies.”

If you read the whole thing, you'll see they also try to marginalize the Right somewhat by cherry picking comments from Mark's fan site. And in suggesting that every Right-side book just jumps off the shelves because of Obama, they fail to mention Scarborough, whose book has tanked. What's happening in America right now is not about mindless Obama-bots determined to bring the Democrat down. It's about a very large number of thinking people, in the Center and on the Right, who believe in a particular style of governance that has served America pretty well throughout her history. And they'd like to see at least one major political party actually represent their views.

Reuters Running Staged Photo?

Is Reuters running a staged bloody photo from Honduras?

Will Palin Sue?

The thinking at the Rhetorican is that Palin will indeed go after someone on defamation charges. Not sure I agree.

Some people are blogging about that letter from Palin’s attorney being “odd”, or “pointless”. Ask your neighborhood law professor: there’s nothing even close to “wacky” about it.

Rush On Palin

Wait and see.

Obacare By The Numbers

Some interesting numbers via Doug Ross.

More Tea Party Reports

Images, video and plenty of links to Tea Party reports.

Big tea parties across the country today, and check this out: "Over 15,000 attend Freedom Rally Tea Party in Tulare."

Here Comes Sarah!

While skeptical at first, if one looks at Palin's actions since announcing her resignation and can get beyond said resignation to look at the practical reality, it's possible to see that Sarah Palin did what she absolutely had to do to make a competitive run for president in 2012.

Twenty-ten will be a pivotal year and Romney, Gingrich, Huckabee and potentially others with their eye on 2012 will be using it to campaign for various politicians and build the network they envision helping them in 2012. It would be impossible for Palin to participate in that process as the sitting governor of Alaska. The logistics, bad press and potential ethics complaints were she to spend a large amount of time out of the state as she held the governorship would work to her great disadvantage.

More than ever, I'm growing convinced she sees this as resigning for a higher office, just as the Utah governor recently resigned to take on a role in the Obama administration. I'm not saying she assumes she has it won by ay means. But I am starting to believe she correctly saw it as a necessary step to compete effectively in 2012. The fact is, given the distance of Alaska from the lower 48 and the logistics involved if she remained in office, it was. She also appears to be prepared to come out fighting given the recent statement of her legal counsel. I suspect liberals and the main stream media are going to have Sarah Palin to kick around at least for the next few years. And free from the governorship, I also suspect she is intent on kicking back. If so, we're in for some interesting and entertaining political years directly ahead.

After staying out of the public eye for most of Saturday, a day after abruptly announcing she would soon give up her job as governor, Palin indicated on a social networking site that she would take on a larger, national role, citing a "higher calling" to unite the country along conservative lines.

"I am now looking ahead and how we can advance this country together with our values of less government intervention, greater energy independence, stronger national security, and much-needed fiscal restraint," the former Republican vice presidential candidate wrote in a posting on her Facebook page. Palin's spokeswoman, Meghan Stapleton, confirmed Palin wrote the entry.

FBI On Palin: No Investigation

Regarding rumors of a pending Palin investigation - not as far as the FBI is concerned.

Via the LA Times:

Reporting from Washington -- A day after Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin resigned, a federal official in her home state dismissed one potential explanation for her sudden and unexpected resignation -- a rumored FBI investigation into the former Wasilla mayor on public corruption charges.

Despite rumors of a looming controversy after Palin's surprise announcement Friday that she will leave office this month, some of them published in the blogosphere, the FBI's Alaska spokesman said the bureau had no investigation into Palin for her activities as governor, as mayor or in any other capacity.

"There is absolutely no truth to those rumors, that we're investigating her or getting ready to indict her," Special Agent Eric Gonzalez said in a phone interview Saturday. "It's just not true."

A Fitting Close

Courtesy of Mr. Ray Charles. Happy Birthday, America.

Tea Party Round Up

Plenty of links and images via Glenn.

Meanwhile, Michelle gives a nod to History. It occurs to me that if we want the kind of future for America that many of us generally support, in a sense, we need to remember our history and celebrate it more than ever just now. In large part, it is that very history that is at the heart of today's Tea Party movement. Not that we want to take any government down, but we do want to preserve as much individual freedom as possible under our current system. It is a quest that has been at the heart of many American endeavors and fundamental to the very best of our ideals. It's time to make that which is old, freedom, new again, or risk too much of its loss forever.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

As If They Care

Jules has some advice for the Brits on the 4th. They might want to stop financing the Queen for starters.

A Brit pal … I’ll call him “Basil” … spent several years living and working in the United States, but due to some conflict between his family situation and his immigration status, and against my advice that he was climbing the wrong way back up the evolutionary tree, he opted to return to the U.K. I told him it was like wanting to start knuckle-walking again once you’ve mastered bipedalism. He wouldn’t listen.

July 4, 1775: Duty, Honor, Country Before Its Time

Duty, Honor, Country before its time had come. Without these things this Holiday would not be possible. George Washington's General Orders, July 4, 1775. A quick read, some excerpts below. For the soldiers, smallpox, a funeral, don't drink or curse, go to church and be assured of your ration of hay to sleep on. Evidently a soft bed, let alone a home or health insurance wasn't yet seen as one of their civil rights!

It is required and expected that exact discipline be observed, and due Subordination prevail thro' the whole Army, as a Failure in these most essential points must necessarily produce extreme Hazard, Disorder and Confusion; and end in shameful disappointment and disgrace.

The General most earnestly requires, and expects, a due observance of those articles of war, established for the Government of the army, which forbid profane cursing, swearing and drunkeness; And in like manner requires and expects, of all Officers, and Soldiers, not engaged on actual duty, a punctual attendance on divine Service, to implore the blessings of heaven upon the means used for our safety and defence.

All Officers are required and expected to pay diligent Attention to keep their Men neat and clean; to visit them often at their quarters, and inculcate upon them the necessity of cleanliness, as essential to their health and service. They are particularly to see, that they have Straw to lay on, if to be had, and to make it known if they are destitute of this article. They are also to take care that Necessarys be provided in the Camps and frequently filled up to prevent their being offensive and unhealthy. Proper Notice will be taken of such Officers and Men, as distinguish themselves by their attention to these necessary duties.

The commanding Officer of each Regiment is to take particular care that not more than two Men of a Company be absent on furlough at the same time, unless in very extraordinary cases.

Col. Gardner36 is to be buried to morrow at 3, O'Clock, P.M. with the military Honors due to so brave and gallant an Officer, who fought, bled and died in the Cause of his country and mankind. His own Regiment, except the company at Malden, to attend on this mournful occasion. The places of those Companies in the Lines on Prospect Hill, to be supplied by Col. Glovers regiment till the funeral is over.

[Note 36: Col. Thomas Gardner. He was colonel of the Lexington Alarm and, later, of a Massachusetts regiment. He had been wounded at the Battle of Bunker Hill and died July 3.]

No Person is to be allowed to go to Fresh-water pond37 a fishing or on any other occasion as there may be danger of introducing the small pox into the army.

How Palin Could Become President

My only concern in the Palin fiasco is that there's no genuine corruption story coming out, and that's because I'd hate to see a lot of people disappointed. Assuming there are no big secrets, Palin has a great path to the presidency, though perhaps not the patience to pursue it. And I don't think she quit over the kids, Trig, or otherwise. But, who knows.

She could raise a ton of money for Republicans in 2010 and do the same for the strongest horse on the GOP side in 2012, cutting a deal for Energy Secretary, without running herself. If they win, she can effect the kind of change she supports for both Alaska and America, develop a much stronger image and profile - and she'd only be 52 in 2016 and 56 in 2020. Win, or lose, she'd be in great position for a future run and more than young enough to do it.

Either way, that everyone is waiting for another shoe to drop, good or bad, is testament to her power to captivate people's attention. That's never a bad thing for a politician, despite her critics. Most every other prospective GOP nominee for 2012 has the opposite problem.

Barring some future scandal, her future remains her's to control.

More On Afghanistan

Via Hershel at Captain's Journal - one of the most insightful blogs when it comes to war and all things military.

We learn several things from this article. First we learn the limitations of Woodward’s reporting, or the editing at the Washington Post, or both. This report is monumental. Obama ran against the campaign in Iraq, unequivocally stating that the troops needed to be in Afghanistan. This was stated too many times to count, in too many different venues and publications to recite. It’s now clear that he will allow somewhat less than 70,000 U.S. troops to deploy to Afghanistan at any one time, regardless of what might have been advocated half a year earlier.

Liberals Never Learn: Trig Photoshopped At FDL

Update: Also see Richard Fernandez here.

Update: I guess they had to get their hate on for Palin today in case she disappears. HuffPo goes over the top. See headline here at Memeoradum. The Freepers claim they made them take it down.

Meanhile, Bill Jacobson says the Tbogg photoshop came from a Something Awful thread.

Photoshopped image of the Palin family at Tbogg/Fire Dog Lake. Note lower left portion of image.

Here's the original photo.

Update: A Palin round up via Fausta.

Also a round up of Leftist reax by Donald Douglas.

Palin Tweets: More Info To Come

Update 2: Via The Anchoress -- Talk about conflicting news.

Sources close to Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin tell MSNBC that she is “out of politics for good.”

Update: The Fix headlines: Palin To Resign, Focus on Presidential Run

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin will resign her office later this month, according to several sources familiar with her decision, freeing her to build a national political team and travel the country in support of an expected 2012 presidential bid. The first term governor is stepping down "so that she can take the fight for her issues elsewhere," according to a Palin aide.

h/t Michelle for this:

Hmmm: Sarah Palin on Twitter -- We'll soon attach info on decision to not seek re-election... this is in Alaska's best interest, my family's happy... it is good, stay tuned

Palin: Is It Over?

Jim Geraghty - and apparently Ace think it's over for her future. I think it's way to early to presume that, assuming she ever does plan on running. At her age, 45, she doesn't even have to be thinking 2012. Heck, she'd only be 56 in 2020, for heaven's sake. A Fox interview with her Brother shed some light on her reasoning. She was telling him off the record that it was eating up 80% of her and her staff's time fighting spurious ethics charges and national battles over media attacks. And it was costing Alaska a great deal of time and money.

She could spend the next eight years raising her kids, writing books, getting rich and developing any national GOP identity she wants. Bill Kristol, an obvious fan, thinks this is an opening shot for 2012. Could be, though she has a lot of work to do in a short time, if so. But she isn't going to lose a lot of core support over this. I don't think she sees politics the way most politicians do.

Like her, or not - she does things her own way and this is another example of that. I've no idea what her future holds, not sure I even care that much about any of the so called 2012 GOP possibles. But I'd never under estimate her, either. I will say this. If Romney gets the nod in 2012, I expect his weak political instincts, inability to connect on the stump and tendency to look bad in debates could give us 4 more years of Obama. That would leave the door wide open for 2016 - we know Biden won't be the Democrat running, unless the Dems have decided they've had enough of the White House for a while.

Lastly, if she does want to run in 2012, yes, this is a big gamble. But it's far too early to simply assume she's lost.

UPDATE: David Schuster is offering a typical sneering tone, but it doesn't make it any less accurate: "If it's true that she's leaving the governorship before her first term is complete, her national political career is done."

A broken clock can be right twice a day, and Schuster is right here. If Sarah Palin wishes to someday be President of the United States, then she had to serve at least one full term in statewide office. (Yes, Obama had been in the Senate for about two years before running for president, but he had a lot of stars align for him at the right moment. Beyond that, at some point, "but Obama did it that way" isn't a persuasive argument.)

Updated: Palin Announcement: Resignation Effective In Two Weeks

Palin spokesperson saying she isn't running away, will continue to be out there, etc etc ....

Video via Gateway Pundit:

Donald Douglas adds his analysis: Too soon to tell about the future. Obviously, I agree.

Resignation effective in two weeks. AP story.

Just listened to the video. My take - she's not done and will look to go national in some way setting up for a possible 2012 run.

Took no questions. Feel's she can be more effective outside of government?? Said a lot of the national focus on her is costing Alaska money? A quote. "We know that we can effect change outside government. I've nevr believed that I or anyone else needs a title to do this. You are naive if you don't see an effort by the national press picking apart a good point guard."

It's official - she isn't running again - is resigning in a month.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Gov. Sarah Palin will resign her office in a few weeks, she said during a news conference at her Wasilla home Friday morning.

Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell will be inaugurated at the Governor's Picnic at Pionner Park in Fairbanks on Saturday, July 25, Palin said.

There was no immediate word as to why she will resign, though speculation has been rampant that the former vice presidential candidate is gearing up for a run at the 2012 Republican presidential nomination.

Palin made the announcement flanked by Parnell and most, if not all, of her cabinet.

Parnell ran unsuccessfully against Rep. Don Young in the Republican primary last year.

The stunning announcement by Palin opens the floodgates for the 2010 gubernatorial race. Speculation that Palin might not seek re-election had fueled further conjecture of who might run.

CNN is saying GOP sources say she's going to announce that she isn't running for re-election.

A Palin announcement from her home at 3 PM. Interesting, I guess. I wouldn't be surprised if she walked away from the whole thing.

But we'll see. Maybe she's pregnant. That would be priceless just to watch Andy's head explode. ; )

Of course, he'd then have something worthwhile to blog about for the next nine months!

July 4th Blog Round-up

A blogospheric July Fourth celebration, possibly incuding links to some blogs you haven't read before.

More On Health Care Reform

From Darleen Click at PW.

When Wal-Mart and its bitter antagonist, union SEIU, issued a joint letter supporting Washintgon D.C. controlled healthcare, it was welcomed by the Left but little surprised those who have watched Wal-Mart feed the crocodile these past years.

Obama's Foreign Foreign Policy

Foreign to America, that is. Suddenly we're the country that stands with dictators over small D democratic movements? The Honduras move is a disgrace. Just what we need in the WH, our own little Hugo Chavez. Everyday I trust this guy less and less.

With each passing day, the vapidness of the Obama administration's foreign policy becomes more clear.

Hey, Let's Cancel The Fourth Of July!

No, it isn't the end of the world, but how many Americans can still remember attending their city or town's fireworks display as a child, recalling what a wonderful celebration of America and freedom it can be? Not to mention sharing the partcular experience with family, friends, and even the commuity as a whole?

While no fan of government spending money needlessly, you would think Tucson could find plenty of ways to save $55,000 without canceling their Fourth of July festivities. I put some of the more ironic bits from a longer article in bold. Figures aren't given for all the other cities. While not as bad, the Middletown, CT decision to move them to Thursday is priceless - to cut back on city employee overtime. And Milwaukee's decision to up the fine for backyard fireworks to precisely $676 is an insult to the very day itself only a government bureaucrat should find funny.

In Joliet, IL, businesses were too strapped to make their usual donations to support the celebration. At least when it comes to tax policy, just who's to blame for that? And as is always the case, the government turned to individuals to make up the difference.

(CNN) -- What's a July Fourth celebration without fireworks? Many cities across the United States will find out Saturday.

As municipalities grope for ways to shore up budgets, expensive pyrotechnics displays are becoming the latest victims of the economic downturn.

"There's a lot of other things that I think could be cut, maybe changed, but for some reason they decided to cut the fireworks, and I think there's going to be a lot of people complaining about it," Tucson, Arizona, resident Terry Mertins told CNN affiliate KVOA-TV.

City officials say the cancellation will save Tucson about $55,000.

In Illinois, CNN affiliate WLS-TV reported that Harvey, Berwyn, Elgin, Gurnee and North Riverside had canceled their shows.

Middletown, Connecticut, also held its celebration early, on Thursday -- but for a different reason.

Holding the celebration on Saturday would have meant $20,000 in overtime pay for city workers,on top of the $65,000 bill for the actual show, Mayor Sebastian Giuliano told CNN affiliate WTNH-TV.

However, those who aren't mindful of the laws in their city could find the economic downturn taking an even greater toll. Milwaukee Alderman Bob Donovan told CNN affiliate WTMJ-TV that the city is serious about stopping backyard fireworks.

Because no one respected the ban last year, the city is "going to hit them in the pocketbook," he said. The fine for each citation? $676.

Blue Springs, Missouri, a suburb of Kansas City, also 86'ed the pyrotechnics to give the city "some immediate budget relief," city officials told CNN affiliate KCTV.

Joliet, Illinois, almost canceled its 63rd annual skyrocket display because businesses weren't able to send their customary donations.The show had a $23,000 price tag, but local businesses could muster only about $14,000, according to WGN.

City residents were not content to go without fireworks Saturday.

"It's a tradition in Joliet. It's an American tradition. You can't give up on that," said Robert Svarz, who has been attending fireworks shows in Joliet for 50 years, according to WLS.

Residents scraped together the remaining $9,000 to make sure the city staged its show, which draws thousands to Joliet Memorial Stadium and the surrounding parking lots each year.

"Not only did they send in contributions, but they all sent notes on how important it was to keep this thing alive," Russ Slinkard, CEO of the Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce, told WLS.

Who Wouldn't Believe Chris Dodd?

Given Chris Dodd's existing problems, you really have to wonder how smart it is to have him release the news of yet another could be health care plan said to cost much less than previous estimates at $610 billion over ten years. In another item below, it took the Washington Post less than 24 hours to throw water on the news and reveal even more troubling problems for the Obama administration as regards health care reform.

Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee and Senator Christopher J. Dodd, Kennedy’s chief deputy on health reform, today announced that the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has rescored the Affordable Health Choices Act. CBO’s new score of the bill - which would reduce health costs, allow Americans to keep the coverage they have if they want it, and make health insurance affordable to those who do not have it today - would be $611 billion over 10 years, a significant reduction from earlier, incomplete estimates. The new estimate includes a provision on employer responsibility and a strong, national public option, the Community Health Insurance Option.

The $611 billion figure doesn't include hundreds of billions of increased Medicaid costs, or account for how to pay for the complete plan. There's also a $750 penalty for firms employing over 25 people, which amounts to a new tax during an economic downturn. And the news for head of the White House Office of Health Reform, Nancy-Ann DeParle is even worse. Read the last four graphs below. She may not be one of the individual Americans will want to trust when it comes to determining the future of their health care options. But then, I'm not convinced most Americans really want to turn that decision over to anyone, especially anyone in government right now.

The Finance Committee bill has not been released and aides would not discuss what provisions may be in the final plan. Outside experts say a Medicaid expansion could add hundreds of billions of dollars to the cost.

"The figures presented in this letter do not represent a formal or complete cost estimate for the draft legislation," CBO Director Douglas W. Elmendorf wrote. The draft legislation does not include details on how to pay for expanded coverage or administrative fees.

Also yesterday, msnbc.com and a reporting group based at American University published an article examining connections between several health-industry firms and Nancy-Ann DeParle, head of the White House Office of Health Reform. The Investigative Reporting Workshop concluded that DeParle served on the board of several companies "that faced scores of federal investigations, whistleblower lawsuits and other regulatory actions."

The story said that five of the firms paid more than $500 million over a five-year period to resolve fraud or product-liability suits and four signed "corporate integrity agreements" promising to improve internal oversight of billing practices.

The reporting unit is run by Charles Lewis, the founder of the Center for Public Integrity, a journalism group.

In the 18 months prior to joining the administration, DeParle earned more than $2.3 million from several health-related firms and a private equity firm with holdings in the industry, according to her financial disclosure filing.

Obama's Right Track Wrong Track Numbers

After reading Ed's post on the new Rasmussen poll, I clicked through to the poll item. This is interesting in light of an April CBS item.

Thirty-seven percent (37%) say the country is heading in the right direction.

Now, back to April via CBS. It would appear the honeymoon is over and people have begun to move below the superficial, pegging Obama's policies to his popularity. He was able to escape that only so long as he didn't really have much in the way of policy, relying more on rhetoric to sustain his numbers. I guess talk is cheap after all.

WASHINGTON (CBS) ― For the first time in years, more Americans than not say the country is headed in the right direction, a sign that Barack Obama has used the first 100 days of his presidency to lift the public's mood and inspire hopes for a brighter future.

Nobody knows how long the honeymoon will last, but Mr. Obama has clearly transformed the yes-we-can spirit of his candidacy into a tool of governance. His ability to inspire confidence - Mr. Obama's second book is titled "The Audacity of Hope" - has thus far buffered the president against the harsh political realities of two wars, a global economic meltdown and countless domestic challenges.

The Public Option

Fred Bauer takes a look at a recent poll on a public option for health care.

NJ Tea Party Schedule

This below from World Net Daily's list by state. Note the Summit gathering is tomorrow from 3 - 6 pm. There's a mention of the Margate party herethat suggests a time on the 4th. Say hello to Lucy if you hit the Margate beach! Also, there are 11 various NJ event scheduled, not all of them Tea Partyies, according to this. It includes upcoming protests of Chris Smith and Jon Corzine.

Margate – Saturday, July 4, time to be announced, Washington and Amherst Avenue

Jackson – Saturday, July 4, 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., John F. Johnson Park, Kierych Memorial Drive, just south of S. Cooks Br. Rd.

Morristown – Saturday, July 4, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., The Green, 10 Park Place

Summit – Friday, July 3, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., The Village Green

Appel Explains Andrew's Obsession

Writing at The Dish, Patrick Appel attempts to rationalize Andrew Sullivan's obsession over Trig Palin's birth. But there is a problem with this rationale.

I suspect With few writers around to counter Andrew's analysis, he wasn't cut short and forcefully rebuked before things got out of control, and he was therefore free to construct his own narrative.

For that to be true, one would have to assume that reality doesn't exist. Just because Andrew has lost touch with it doesn't make it go away when cobbling together a narrative of observable events. And I'm not convinced Heisenberg really applies in this case.

Access: WaPo Selling Its Assets

Update: Obama's Lewinski?? ha!

Whatever it takes in a bad economy while your business model is tanking?

For $25,000 to $250,000, The Washington Post has offered lobbyists and association executives off-the-record, nonconfrontational access to "those powerful few": Obama administration officials, members of Congress, and — at first — even the paper’s own reporters and editors.

Politics Daily has word on an internal WaPo memo in response. Without the newsroom, much of the value is lost. I guess WaPo wasn't planning on covering it?? ha What a sad joke.

The paper's editor, Marcus Brauchli, responded by sending a memo to all Post employees saying that the language in the flyer advertising the pay-for-play event precluded participation by anyone in the newsroom. (Duh.):

Colleagues,

A flyer was distributed this week offering an "underwriting opportunity" for a dinner on health-care reform, in which the news department had been asked to participate.

The language in the flyer and the description of the event preclude our participation.

We will not participate in events where promises are made that in exchange for money The Post will offer access to newsroom personnel or will refrain from confrontational questioning. Our independence from advertisers or sponsors is inviolable.

There is a long tradition of news organizations hosting conferences and events, and we believe The Post, including the newsroom, can do these things in ways that are consistent with our values.

Marcus

One For The Record Book

Regarding the AmConwhateveritis v Levin kerfuffle, it occurs to me that much of the issue has to do with their general immaturity - not as individuals, so much, but simply because of their age. If anything really bothers me about it, it's their apparent desire to tear down some of those who came before them, as opposed to standing upon their shoulders. Hopefully that might change as they mature, though I doubt they'll enjoy hearing it and might disagree.

Heck, I was nearly a stone cold liberal at 19.

To constantly harp on some humorous aspects of a Levin, or even a Limbaugh radio personality they don't particularly like (keyword radio), while giving short shrift to both of their significant contributions to the conservative movement over many years, may be a folly of youth. Nevertheless, folly it is and I don't mind pointing it out, however I choose to do so. I like to retain a certain amount of immaturity myself. It's good for the soul.

In an all too wordy and self-indulgent response to me, this Nathan Origer linked my post linking to his Facebook page. It now has a bad photo of me from, I believe, a CNN appearance. Good heavens, I didn't alter anything as regards Nathan, I simply linked his own Facebook page. That's hardly the type of juvenile game Nathan felt compelled to play. Yet, he's happy to drone on and on telling us how mature and intellectual he is. zzzzz What a bore.

At their age I was writing editorials for a college newspaper that mostly no one read. And I'm not suggesting some of them haven't had similar experiences, as well. But new media does seem to be giving many young folks the potential for a broader voice before they are actually ready to use it. Conor is another example of that. But that is what it is.

The choice for me, and I assume Mark, is to either engage them, giving them broader exposure - or ignore them completely. I think poking them with a sharp stick once in a while is actually the more kind and generous response.

At best, it may become part of their on going maturity and education. And at worst, it's just harmless fun. They might want to consider not taking themselves so seriously, a lesson as valuable for the old, as it is the young. But I expect that, like many things, is a lesson always to be mostly lost on the young. After all, it's just a part of what being young is.

As a group, they simply aren't that wise, yet. Hopefully over time that will change.

State Budgets: Devil In The Details

Two particularly interesting bits from this story on state budget failures around the country.

Arnold's argument that California isn't the only state that can't "manage the budget" is hardly a sound defense. And the stimulus money mentioned in the second graph below. Weren't critics of the stimulus plan saying the money would be used to fill in existing state budgets, as opposed to creating jobs? And wasn't the response a firm No?

If it's being used to fill existing budget gaps, it would seem the critics were correct and a part of it was just a giveaway to the states.

Also in the article, I can't wait to watch the PA elections if they raise taxes by the 16% the governor is proposing.

"I'm proud of California, even though we have our crisis," the governor said. "No one can point fingers, because as you can see, there are 30 states right now that have their fiscal year starting today that also don't have a budget, so I mean let's not get carried away and just look at California as we are the only state that cannot manage the budget."

The recession has taken a devastating toll on tax revenues and state finances. States had a cumulative $121 billion budget gap in crafting this year's budgets — and the gap would be even bigger without federal stimulus money, said Todd Haggerty, a research analyst at the National Conference of State Legislatures.

But the pain extends far beyond the West Coast. The governor of Pennsylvania is proposing a 16 percent tax increase. A budget veto by the Illinois governor left the state with no spending plan at all. Indiana barely avoided a shutdown.

SPLC: You Are The Terrorists

No agenda here, of course. Perhaps I'm missing it, but using their site search feature for Philadelphia, the SPLC seems to have remained silent on the New Black Panther Party voter intimidation case in Philadelphia Obama's Justice Department dropped. Of course, HuffPo is on this, as well.

Terror from the Right 75 plots, conspiracies and racist rampages since Oklahoma City

What follows is a detailed listing of major terrorist plots and racist rampages that have emerged from the American radical right in the years since Oklahoma City. These have included plans to bomb government buildings, banks, refineries, utilities, clinics, synagogues, mosques, memorials and bridges; to assassinate police officers, judges, politicians, civil rights figures and others; to rob banks, armored cars and other criminals; and to amass illegal machine guns, missiles, explosives and biological and chemical weapons. Each of these plots aimed to make changes in America through the use of political violence. Most contemplated the deaths of large numbers of people — in one case, as many as 30,000, or 10 times the number murdered on Sept. 11, 2001.

Indian Court Decriminalizes Gay Sex

This particular ruling isn't binding outside Delhi. It was a two judge panel. So there's still some dispute as to when, or how the issue might be resolved across the nation. There's a new government in place, so it'll be interesting to watch how the issue plays out. The previous government was against decriminalization. No mention of a reaction by fundamentalist Muslim clergy. The criminalization is actually attributed to British Colonialism, as that's when the law went into effect - 1860. As they say, the wheels of justice grind slow. 

An Indian court has ruled for the first time that consensual gay sex is not a crime, signalling an historic breakthrough for the country’s largely closet homosexual community, as well as anti-HIV/Aids campaigners.

Under a British colonial law, introduced by Lord Macaulay in 1860, homosexual intercourse is ranked alongside paedophilia and bestiality as “sex against nature” and punishable by up to ten years in prison.

India is one of the few democracies in the world to still have such a law.

But the Delhi High Court ruled today that applying the law - known as Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code - to consenting adults violated the Constitution and international human rights conventions.

Taliban Capture US Soldier

Let's hope this doesn't end as badly as it might. The soldier was not involved in the major offensive in the South. It's unclear if this is in response to it, or the Taliban just taking advantage of an opportunity. An AP video report on the offensive below.

KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) -- A U.S. soldier has been captured by militants in Afghanistan, the U.S. military and the Taliban said Thursday.

A soldier mans a weapon at the rear of a U.S. Army helicopter over Afghanistan in May.

 The unidentified soldier has been missing since Tuesday. U.S. forces are exhausting all resources to find the soldier, the military said.

"We are not providing any further details at this time, in order to protect the welfare of the soldier," a military statement said.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the abduction. The U.S. soldier was kidnapped along with three Afghan soldiers, Taliban commander Mulvi Sangeen said.

Commander In Bleep?

Via Jules Crittenden.

Woodward reports that the mantra is security, economic development and reconstruction. Killing the enemy is secondary. They may think they need up to 32,000 more troops in addition to the 68,000 already authorized, but … WTF? Jones tells jarhead commanders in Afghanistan: “The piece of the strategy that has to work in the next year is economic development.”

Railroading Amtrak's IG

Michelle's column today deals with the on going Amtrak IG shenanigans.

So, who is behind the railroading of the Amtrak inspector general? As with the story of the AmeriCorps firing, which has First Lady Michelle Obama’s fingerprints on it, the Amtrak case smells like cronyism. Investigative journalist Robert Stacy McCain, who has watch-dogged the watchdog stories, noted last week that Amtrak’s vice president and general counsel is Eleanor Acheson.

Joe Who?

Dang. You'd think people would have showed up for Biden just to catch whatever the next gaffe might be! I guess not.

Wattsburg, Pa. — Vice President Joe Biden visited a small town on the outskirts of Erie today to talk to rural folks about federal stimulus money that can be used to expand broadband access to the Internet for rural areas that typically have poor connections.

Apparently stimulus money and broadband are not all that interesting to the local folk here: Only around 100 or so people have showed up so far to hear Biden talk at noon at Seneca High School off Route 8 in Wattsburg.

The room looked so sparse that about 30 or so chairs were removed by volunteers to give the illusion of a full house.

The effect didn't exactly work.

Debby Smith

Update 4: And they wonder why even Helen Thomas is asking questions? At the very least, she's been working with the administration for months. They let her go all this time without help? It had to fall to Obama today? That's nuts!

Update 3: Apparently she was moderating events in December of 2008:

Published: December 23, 2008 In line with President Obama’s health-care campaign and the new administration, he has directed Senator Tom Daschle to form a committee to report on health care issues important to those in Virginia. Debby Smith will be moderating the Southwest Virginia town-hall discussion in Appalachia at Town Hall on Dec. 30 at 7 p.m. According to Smith, the information from the meeting will be reported back to Daschle to be included in his report to the President. Congressman Rich Boucher and Daschle are scheduled to attend the meeting as well, barring schedule changes. News Channel 11 will be on the scene Tuesday night, look to tricities.com for more coverage.

Update2: Can't access the full article: scroll down.

There will be a community discussion on health care issues tonight at Appalachia Town Hall. The open forum begins at 7 p.m. and will be moderated by Debby Smith. According to Smith, information from the meeting will be reported back to Sen. Tom Daschle, who has been directed by President Elect Barack Obama to form a committee to report on health care issues.

Update: The article is from April, so this was no surprise.

Debby Smith is the Cancer patient Obama hugged today at his health care town hall. It at least appears that she would currently qualify for assistance but doesn't want it. That's assuming her income doesn't preclude it.

ABINGDON, Va. -- Debby Smith spent four years serving in the U.S. Marine Corps and 25 years working as an accountant before she found out she had cancer -- and now she can't get health insurance.

"Since ... I can't work, of course, I don't have health insurance, which means I have to pay out of pocket for ... all my prescriptions and all my doctor visits and everything, and if you don't work it's hard to do that," said Smith, 51, of Appalachia, Va.

"A lot of people, they think that people are just sitting around not doing any work just getting government assistance ... and don't try to do anything for themselves and ask the government to pay for everything," she said. "I'm not one of those people. ... I'd rather be working and doing my job and making a decent wage, but I'm not able to do that."

With 12 years to wait for age-related Social Security benefits, she relies on a hospital charity fund for twice-yearly cat scans; a pharmaceutical company's patient assistance program for help with her cancer drugs and her fiance, who pays $515 a month for her remaining medication and regular doctor visits.

She says she's lucky; those like her who have no loved ones to help can't get the care they need -- and, ultimately, they die.

Her horror at what she calls a broken health care system is what drove her to get involved in a growing regional and national effort to mobilize people on the need for comprehensive health care reform.

Sanford: Just Go, Already

What on earth is he waiting for? Geesh! Just go, already!

Military Kids Blog

Familes United has launched a Military Kids blog.

I Thought Obama Fixed This?

Remember Obama's bold initiative with the Chicago Public Schools? Epic fail (pdf). Go to page 2 for the key findings. Most students drop out, or fail. The improvement claimed over the past ten years isn't there. They just made the evaluation tests easier.

On page 16 you'll find that newer Charter Schools are doing much better on average.

Re-Branding The GOP

From email: What should the Republican Party stand for?

I was involved with a brief RNC effort along these lines recently in a conference call. You'll find much agreement on smaller government, a prudently low tax structure and less regulation. But there are some issue to discuss within the mix, as well. Let them know what you think.

Patrick J. Ford: Newest Idiot In The Crib

Oh Patsy, have I offended you? Folks - look at the full url. This mature moron initially entitled his alleged intellectual post: http://www.amconmag.com/postright/2009/07/01/mark-levin-a-loud-mouthed-retard/

What a shining light of civility and latest dim bulb of the Right blogosphere to jump on the anti-Levin bandwagon is our boy, Patrick. Not only does he insult his Father, I doubt he even completely understands the term neo-conservative, as neither Mark, nor I are one. And his post continues on in the same ignorant drone of the rest of them there. Is this site a Web-zine, or a day care center? I understand the print edition stinks.

Ah, now I get it, he seems to still be in high school, perhaps one of his favorite films explains his problem: Arrested Development: The Movie.They really do have a bunch of pretty clueless pups at this AmConwhateveritis. Their favorite past time seems to divide between giving group hugs and having group cries. Why they seem to insist upon playing with the adults by linking them is beyond comprehension.

I was hoping to stay out of the Mark Levin discussion, but a particularly anti-intellectual and incendiary piece of online garbage has motivated me to make a few simple points.

To start, I have listened to hours and hours of Mark Levin’s show. My father is, I’m sorry to say, an avid fan of his and when i was a politically-immature New Right neocon (in high school) I enjoyed his show in particular.

At any rate, I’ll take Nathan Origer, a self-admitted nobody who has never advised White House staff and never appeared on the bestseller list, over Levin any day.

EDIT: I replaced the original title of the post–Mark Levin, a Loud-Mouthed Retard–because it was correctly pointed out to me that it would be misinterpreted. I think without it the point still stands up.

More From California: "We control our 'means!'"

Give CA Democrat Noreen Evans credit for honesty. For government to live within it's means means nothing. They control their means! h/t Twitter.

SEIU: Tax Everybody

Just got this in email from Josh Trevino. He requested a link to Chuck Devore, who is taking on Boxer, in exchange for using it. ha

The smaller square placard in the middle of the photo (click it to enlarge) is an SEIU worker in California demonstrating against budget cuts at the State Capitol: "I Can't Make It - Tax Everybody". Call it, the politics of personal wealth destruction!

I'm standing on the west steps of the CA State Capitol right now, and there's a huge SEIU rally underway, opposing the budget cuts that will make SEIU a neutered force in politics -- and none too soon. There are literally thousands of purple-clad "workers" here.

Update: From comments - the SEIU out in force in Illinois, too. With video: Yes We Can!

Noted Ob-Gyn Makes Levin's List

As if Sullivan isn't deranged.

The American Perversative, Nathan P. Mental Case

The American Perversative - John Schmuckler

ANDREW SULLIVAN - THE DAILY SQUISH

CONOR FRIEDERSDORK - THE AMERICAN OBSCENE

Patrick Hynes On Sarah Palin

Patrick worked for McCain. He's posted on the Palin bashing issue. Scarborough is an irrelevant goof who can't give away his new book. The guy's a genuine buffoon.

Take a look at this Wednesday Morning Joe exchange between Willy Geist, Joe Scarborough and Mike Allen of the Politico. You’ve got the full range of Sarah Palin two minutes hate in this one. Mike Allen calls her a “circus act.” Joe calls her a “joke” and compares her to Dan Quayle. Allen proceeds to advise her to go back to Alaska. Willie says she needs to study the issues and then informs viewers that they haven’t written her off yet.

And what did the lovely Governor of Alaska do to deserve this morning thrashing? Um … she had the gall to be the subject of a Vanity Fair hit piece by Todd Purdum.