The Government Will Come Out Tomorrow

The WaPo describes the deal that keeps Washington running:

...the measure would cut $37.8 billion from the federal budget through the end of September, congressional aides said.

Democrats had wanted to cut billions less: they assented to the larger figure, and in return Republicans dropped a demand to take federal funds from the group Planned Parenthood, according to aides in both parties.

However, Republicans did win the inclusion of a policy rider that forbids public money from going toward abortion procedures in the District of Columbia, a restriction that had previously been enacted when Republicans held power in federal Washington. The deal also adds money for one of Boehner’s favored projects, a program that provides low-income District students with money to attend private schools.

Michael Shear of the NY Times described the role of Obama as the "First Mediator":

President Obama has now assumed the role of mediator in chief in the efforts to avoid a government shutdown.

Over the course of 24 hours and three separate meetings, Mr. Obama has cast himself as the sober one in the room, prodding the two sides to get past their dispute — even though he is a key player on one of them.

...

Positions on both sides appear to have hardened overnight. But as far as the president’s role is concerned, it is a pattern that is becoming a regular one: He keeps his distance during long-running legislative disputes, largely reserving both his intense personal involvement and his imposing real estate — the White House and the Oval Office — for the final days or hours.

The president used that approach during the lame-duck session of Congress last December, when he negotiated with Republicans to seek a compromises on a bill that extended the Bush-era tax cuts.

Well, Obama also flipped the keys to Nancy and Harry rather than work on the original stimulus bill.  And more recently, the Libyan adventure has been subcontracted to NATO.

The immediate goal is clear. In the current dispute over the budget, Mr. Obama wants to try to show that a government shutdown, if it happens, would be the result of a disagreement between the two sets of lawmakers — not a failure of his own.

But there is a long-term goal as well: to convey to a restless public, and especially to moderate voters, that Mr. Obama is above the petty Washington bickering that many Americans say turns them off. That will be especially important for Mr. Obama as his re-election campaign tries to woo back independents who had become disillusioned with him.

For Obama to run once again as the telegenic outsider who can get Washington to work may not be quite so plausible.

 

Comments

[Melinda Romanoff]

Small correction, but I believe Nancy had already bolted for the coast.

[Jane]

Nancy was in Boston yesterday.

I do some work as a mediator and I can honestly say the success of the mediator depends on both parties trusting him. If one side thinks or gets some whiff that you are favoring the other side, the mediation is lost.

So I'm pretty sure Obama was a hazard not a help.

[Gmax]

Did you see Eleanor Holmes last evening? She was her liberal nasty self in full view. She is not very articulate and through the rage, I really did not get what she was fuming about.

NOW I KNOW.

Abortions in DC and school vouchers in DC. In a vacumm one might think a black delegate from DC would be all for helping out poor black DC children get a decent education. But one would be wrong...

[clarice]

Love the title..yeah "mediator in chief". That'l work.."leader" is so yesterday.

[Thomas Collins]

Are these real cuts, or simply reductions in planned increases?

The United States' current fiscal, budgetary and monetary policies are reflective of a body politic in denial. This deal is not even a small step in ending denial, but given the party of the progs' continuing control of the Senate, mainstream media and much of our education system, it's probably the best to be hoped for at this time. I happen to think, however, that time is running out, and that the election of 2012 will be a watershed one in the history of our country.

[Danube of Thought]

Mr. Obama is above the petty Washington bickering that many Americans say turns them off

A president can achieve that goal by remaining in bed 24 hours a day.

TC, it's my understanding that these are actual cuts--less money spent this year than last year.

[Danube of Thought]

Andrew Stiles at The Corner:

President Obama’s 2011 budget called for a spending increase of $40 billion. Tonight, he touted a bipartisan agreement on “the largest annual spending cut in our history” — some $38.5 billion [emphasis added]. All told, he got $78.5 billion less than he originally requested.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) didn’t want to cut anything at first. But bowing to political reality, eventually ponied up about $4.7 billion in cuts. He ended up with $33.8 billion less spending than he wanted. And he called it an “historic” accomplishment. (Not surprisingly, the left is appalled).

[Danube of Thought]

The emphasis added in the Stiles quote was on cut.

[Thomas Collins]

Thanks, DOT. One of the things I hope the GOP emphasizes in the upcoming budget battles is that actual spending reductions are needed, not increases that are less than the fantasies of those with the worldview of, say, the Massachusetts Congressional delegation. I also hope Paul Ryan's entitlement reform proposals are front and center of the GOP's efforts.

[daddy]

OT Apologies but I'm unsure if TM's going to do a Saturday Open thread and I'm about off to bed.

Don't have a hard fast opinion on that Nat Born Citizen thing, but in the convoluted world of definitions, thought it interesting in my book reading yesterday (Why I killed Pluto and Why it Had it Coming) the myriad arguments for what is or what isn't considered a Planet in our Solar System.

IN 2005 when they officially met to decide on the newly discovered object out in the Kuiper belt that is larger than Pluto (Sedna), their prelim determination was that they were going to say there were now 12 Planets!

They had decided to use a definition for Planet that said that essentially it had to be big enough mass-wise, that the combined force of gravity within it was strong enough to make the object naturally round. This allowed the apparently round Asteroid Ceres, which had been officially called a planet after its discovery back in the 1850's, to officially again become a Planet, while excluding the majority of smaller oblong and erratic looking asteroids.

They also made the determination that the object had to be orbiting the Sun, with the center of gravity of the pull between Sun and object residing somewhere within the perimeter of the Sun. This apparently was why they bizarrely added Chiron, the moon of Pluto, to the list of new planets. Chiron's size and orbit around Pluto made the center of mass between those 2 frozen objects outside of the perimeter of Pluto, therefore definitional logic concluded that Chiron (created round by gravity) now failed to fit the definition of being a satellite of some other body, and therefore according to the new definition was now an orbiting Planet of the Sun, with center of mass between Chiron and Sun residing within the Sun's perimeter, same as former Asteroid Ceres.

Lastly they added Sedna, (the large newly discovered Kuiper body object,) to the list of Planets, (I think under the exact same qualifications mentioned above, tho' the book was so poorly written on this point that it was difficult to verify Sedna's center of Mass in relation to the Sun--author left that bit out which is part of what frustrated me so much with this book). Anyhow, with Ceres, Chiron and Sedna, now thrown in, we now had 12 Planets.

Author says that as the discussion were ongoing in this big sort of Council of Nicaea of International Astronomers in Prague in 2005, counterpoints were raised effectively that:

1) Jupiter was so big so that its center of rotational mass with the Sun lay outside of the Sun's perimeter, so under the new definition Jupiter would no longer be a Planet.

2) Next point was that our Moon's center of rotational mass is only about 1,000 miles down in Earth's crust, and since the Moon is very slowly moving away from Earth (I think about an inch a year tho' the author didn't say so) that in a Billion years that center of mass would have migrated outside of Earth's perimeter so the moon would become a 13th Planet.

Ultimately they rescinded that pack of definitions and decided to kill Pluto, but sadly in this book saying "Why I Killed Pluto and Why It had It Coming", the author never gave a well stated statement of Why He Killed Pluto (I don't think he did) nor why it had it coming. I can surmise and guess, but the title failed to live up to its billing.

Would happily stand to be corrected on any of this above and to have recommendations of better reads on this topic if anyone here has some.

[All the News that's Left to Print.]

Hmmm, didn't another Barbara predict just this kind of shit?

Oh, please, aren't any of you Times owners overleveraged?
===============

[Melinda Romanoff]

kim-

They have two classes of shares. One that gets all the dividends and votes, the other just trades on the NYSE, until it's delisted for trading too long under $5.

[clarice]

Iowahawk takes on Lindsey Graham
http://iowahawk.typepad.com/iowahawk/2011/04/manners.html

[narciso]

btw, they 'found' +5,000 votes for Kloppenberg, 'move along, these are not the droids you're looking for'

http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/119486574.html

[Janet]

One week until Soylent is home!!!

[caro]

Janet,it is just a year and a day since we saw him in DC. Such great news!

[narciso]

Really, daddy, as you know space was my big interest, before history and politics, and that seems like a lame brained decision, so maybe some of these supposed planets that we've discovered around certain stars, aren't even that, by that criteria.

[mark.wauck]

Color me surprised--NOT!

Acton Institute has a decent article: A Sugar Coating for the Bitter Pill of ObamaCare.

The sugar-coated rhetoric in this announcement from HHS cannot disguise the bad medicine in this part of this part of the Affordable Care Act, which intends to bureaucratically cut as much as $960 million in Medicare spending over three years. This ObamaCare prescription threatens patients, the physicians who care for them, and the common good. The only clear winners are the consultants and lawyers busy trying to decipher this 429-page tome of acronyms and encrypted methodology that will compromise the doctor-patient relationship and is contrary to the principle of subsidiarity.

This is a perfect illustration of the point I was making yesterday--not exactly contra Hayek, but in correction of him: in "democracies" the really big beneficiaries of reckless government spending are often not in government but are the lobbying groups. Like the lawyers, in this case. Sure piddly bureaucratic jobs are created to form and maintain voting constituencies for elected officials, and a few elected officials get long term wealth out of the deal, but the big money--money that is often extorted from the real economy--finds its way elsewhere. And that, in a way, is the big scandal, too--how much money politicians have to waste compared to how much actually comes back via campaign contributions.

[J Karson]

"btw, they 'found' +5,000 votes for Kloppenberg, 'move along, these are not the droids you're looking for'"

She gained 5k, Prosser gained 12k for the net of +7k for Prosser that has been in the news.

[narciso]

For a more morose view,

http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/264310/youre-kidding-right-andrew-c-mccarthy

[henry]

Narciso, even better I got a chance to talk to the R's campaign numbers guy last night-- The city of Milwaukee canvassing is complete, only the Milwaukee county suburbs (very R) left to verify next week. He expects the left to ask for a recount anyway but thinks it's a big strategy error for them to do so.

[daddy]

narciso,

I didn't see that she picked up +5000, tho' I did see that the lead from Prossers is now down to 6,744.

Having seen the illegality that surrounded our Primary recount by Lisa Murkowski's hired hands, (cel-phones illegally in the tabulation rooms, illegal lists of write in voters to be called and hounded, figuring out how to illegal identify the Miller votes so that only those ballots would be challenged by "Independent tabulators) I sure hope we have a Team of Repub Lawyer's looking over this Franken Lawyer's back so that this whole thing doesn't get stolen. I say keep on offense.

Narciso's link says "there is no (statewide or congressional) recount over 400 that ever flipped"

Franken's Lawyer I think would say "there is no (statewide or congressional) recount over 400 that ever flipped YET!"

[Cecil Turner]

Are these real cuts, or simply reductions in planned increases?

That's what I want to know as well. Both sides have an incentive to overreport the savings here (the Dems because they floated that accounting trick to begin with, the GOP because it makes them look like tougher negotiators). It'll be interesting to see how much of this is actual vs. phantom cuts.

[Rocco]

OT: Not to fuel the fire but for those interested in Obama's birth certificate.

Be back later, right now I have to burn some brush!

[mark.wauck]

Here's an interesting article re the North Caucasus: From Moscow to Mecca: As this part of Russia’s empire frays, fundamentalist Islam takes a stronger hold

[anduril]

I seem to have forgotten who I am. Weird.

[daddy]

"so maybe some of these supposed planets that we've discovered around certain stars, aren't even that, by that criteria."

Excellent point Narciso.

It just seems a big definitional jumble. Hopefully there is a decent book or 2 out there that explains the science better.

[Cecil Turner]

For a more morose view,

http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/264310/youre-kidding-right-andrew-c-mccarthy

He's out to lunch. The only way the Tea Partyers can lose on the cutting issue is to look like they're just obstructionists, which is exactly what Andrew's suggesting. Yeah it's a pittance, but it's just not feasible to make major cuts out of the current budget, and excessive fighting over it is silly. The main event is the upcoming budget battle, and the GOP loses nothing by: 1) looking reasonable; and, 2) getting the conversation focused on how much to cut. This was good. Maybe not all good, but then what is?

[Threadkiller]

From narciso’s link:

Fuller details also emerged Friday about Nickolaus' former legislative work. Assembly Chief Clerk Patrick Fuller said in an email Friday that Nickolaus started working for the Legislature on March 6, 1989. On Feb. 20, 1995, she started work with the Assembly Republican caucus, one of four GOP and Democratic legislative groups that were shut down after a criminal investigation into state staffers doing campaign work on state time. Prosser served as Assembly speaker in 1995 and 1996, giving him oversight of the GOP caucus in that house. Nickolaus left the Assembly GOP caucus in December 2001, shortly before it was dissolved. She then worked in the office of the Assembly chief clerk - before Fuller's tenure - until May 2002, when she resigned. Ray Carey, now a Madison attorney and lobbyist, was hired by Prosser to serve as director of the Assembly GOP caucus in January 1995. Carey said he hired Nickolaus shortly after that without input from Prosser. "It was my call. My decision," he said. Carey said that Nickolaus did computer and data management work, performing such tasks as making maps, and that he never saw her have "any significant interaction" with Prosser. Prosser said he does know the Waukesha County clerk, having "met her a number of times in the last few months." "Did she ever work for me? If she ever worked for me I don't remember. I can't say it didn't happen, but I don't remember," Prosser said. Beginning in 2001, the caucus investigation eventually led to the resignations and criminal convictions of leaders in the Senate and Assembly for directing caucus and staff employees to engage in illegal political activity during their state employment. Nickolaus, who earned roughly $55,000 a year in her data analyst job, was granted immunity in 2001. Nickolaus was first elected as county clerk in 2002. She makes $67,787 a year.”

I am always amazed at what the media can find when they decide to look into a person’s past.

[Danube of Thought]

Need some help. I'm now on FF 4.0, and the Narcisolator is working just fine. However, (a) I can't get the Add-ons toolbar to show; and (b) more important, I can't open the Narcisolator to add a new name.

Any suggestions?

[Melinda Romanoff]

TK-

Heh.

[Danube of Thought]

I'm really kind of pissed at this Nickolaus person, who seems to be something of a pig-headed fool. While I am simply delighted that the radicals had several hours in which to celebrate, only to be crushed by the Brookfield development, she has handed these assholes an issue with which they can fire themselves up and increase turnout for years to come.

I guess I'll just have to savor their frustrated rage, and let it go at that.

[clarice]

Cecil, every time I see Andy's name on an article I skip it, remembering how he swore all along to us that Fitz was a reasonable and fair prosecutor.

[I'd laff my ass off.]

Rocco, that's very interesting. Haggman's beliefs are about as poorly supported as Ray's from Sara's earlier link, but with much other similarity and two entirely different themes, the one about his sexuality and the other about his communism.

So, I discount both to some degree. However, there is fire under all the smoke, and I'm particularly intrigued by one detail in both accounts, that is that Barry Soetero got a Conn. SS# and new name in order to dodge NYC taxes.
=============

[Threadkiller]

DoT, Clarice, and others this is from Rocco’s link:

I urge those reading this and those who are pursuing the truth to avoid “battlefield myopia” and not merely cling to the existence or lack thereof of the long form, authenticated birth certificate. The issue is much greater than the birth certificate or where Obama was physically born, as he could have been born in the Lincoln bedroom during the Kennedy administration and still be ineligible to hold the office of president under Article II, Section I, Clause 5 of the United States Constitution. Our founders determined that future presidents must be born to two parents who are both U.S. citizens. Clearly then, the place of Obama’s birth is merely one concern, while the citizen aspect of his parents remains another.

Based on investigative findings that are not discussed in the media, it would appear that the selection and election of Barack Hussein Obama was indeed the greatest scam ever pulled off against the American people. The above provides just a small portion of the critical issues surrounding Obama’s eligibility, identity and his place in U.S. and world history. The story is much larger than a single piece of paper, but that paper, if properly authenticated, will serve as the thread that will unravel the larger tangled web of the Obama legend.

To those who have just awakened to the constitutional crisis we are facing at the hands of this president, we’d like to say once again, “welcome to the party, pal.”

I am going to go out and weed whack.

[Cecil Turner]

I can't open the Narcisolator to add a new name.

Not entirely coincidentally, I just did this. Go to "tools--greasemonkey--manage user scripts." The "add-ons manager" tab opens, where you have to right-click on the "narcisolator" script and select "edit." That opens up the "narcisolator-user" file in your text editor, and you can paste in your desired text line in the obvious spot.

For example:
knownTrolls.push("mark.wauck");

[narciso]

Do we dismiss the Toensings for their vouching for Holder, I give McCarthy a onetime pass on that. Now someone like Noonan, has slipped into double dodecahedron
probation, re her last column

[PD]

Saw an unusual thing at the coffeeshop this morning, or at least it seemed so to me. Perhaps you JOMettes will say otherwise.

A woman came in with her two young kids, they got their stuff and sat down at a table. A few minutes later, another woman came in to get her coffee. Apparently they new each other and went up to each other to exchange greetings.

They shook hands.

[clarice]

HEH.

[Ignatz]

I'm halfway between McCarthy and those saying the Dems took a pasting.
The continued funding of PP is counterbalanced by the ban on DC abortion funding (is this the Hyde amendment or part of it?) and the reinstitution of the DC voucher plan and a stand alone vote on funding PP which as CH noted force them to go on the record.
All of that is tempered however by the all too familiar feeling of the Repubs being hopeless negotiators who leave billions on the table. After all they came in with a plan to cut $100 billion and got less than $40 billion. Just once I'd like to think Harry Reid and Schumer aren't high fiving in the conference room right before they step up to the dais and put on their glum "oh the poor widows and orphans" look for the presser.
This is a far superior outcome to Newt's half hearted 1995 tomfoolery of forcing a shutdown and then blinking as soon as the press and the Dems said "boo".
But as we approach the 2012 budget battle I defy any conservative or libertarian to say they don't feel just a little Charlie Brown flutter in their heart and see a fleeting glimpse of Lucy's face hovering over that of Speaker Boehner as he sits their smiling at us with his finger on the campaign football we're supposedly about to kick off.

[PD]

Obama's above pettiness all right.

"I won."

"We're going to punish our enemies."

"They can sit in the back."

Thinking ahead to the 2012 elections, it shouldn't be too difficult for the Republican challenger to put together some pretty devastating ads, at least for anyone willing to commit the breach of ettiquette known as using a leftist's own words against him.

[BR]

I haven't followed the Brookfield clerk story closely, but did get a chuckle at a strategy (planned or not, I don't know) of holding R votes in reserve, until you're sure all the D fake votes are in, and then pulling out the R votes.

[Danube of Thought]

Thanks TC--worked like a charm. Next entry will be "Threadkiller" if there is one more probation violation.

[clarice]

Ignatz--remember the Rs control just one-half of one-third of the federal govt right now, as Boehner notes. I really think he did a great job.

As for O--it's time to give this poseur the hook:
http://legalinsurrection.blogspot.com/2011/04/strangely-detached-from-reality.html#comments

[Ignatz]

--Obama's above pettiness all right.--

Don't forget the Slurpees PD.

[Danube of Thought]

If Ezra Klein is unhappy, the Gods must be smiling:

The substance of this deal is bad. But the way Democrats are selling it makes it much, much worse. The final compromise was $38.5 billion below 2010’s funding levels. That’s $78.5 billion below President Obama’s original budget proposal, which would’ve added $40 billion to 2010’s funding levels, and $6.5 billion below John Boehner’s original counteroffer, which would’ve subtracted $32 billion from 2010’s budget totals.

[OK, where's the lantern?]

DoT, I prefer to think her action deliberate and inexcusable except under 'All's Fair in Love and War' rules. The Dems stole Wash Guv, Minn. Sen. and the same tactics stole Alas. Sen.

If it was deliberate, not only did it work, but she covered it well. Several observers noted a discrepancy from Waukesha that evening of the election, even several here. I'm personally amazed that this wasn't figured out sooner than her own disclosure, because all those votes were hiding in plain sight. The local paper even reported the news, presumably something even Google could find.

So maybe it was a useful, nay, necessary 'bad'. How do we avoid such use or prevent it?

My coy suggestion would be to have honest politicians.
===================

[anduril]

Andy McCarthy, in addition to his comment re the big GOPer victory on the budget, has his usual good commentary re our GWOSomethingorother: We’re There to Help.

His deconstruction of Petraeus is always welcome, and he ends with two pertinent questions:

First, why should we give a damn about the Afghan people? And second, why are we sacrificing American blood and American treasure to build an Islamist post-nation that hates America?

Come to think of it, maybe the Lefties unconsciously lurched into the truth when they nicknamed him Betray-us.

Anyway, here's my answer to McCarthy: as Christians, of course we should care about the Afghan people, even love them. But that doesn't mean pandering to their barbarism. As to assisting them in building an Islamist state, no way. Enabling dehumanizing behavior isn't love. Andy's on the right track, but he needs to make distinctions.

Note to all: don't bother with your narcisolators. I'm not about to change my identity, so the panic on the part of those who are afraid of my views--and are technology challenged--is totally unnecessary.

[Ranger]

DoT, check out Althouse. She has pictures of the Demonstrators yesterday. They all look pretty dejected. I was at a dinner a few days ago that included a tenured faculty member from UW who explained how what Walker is trying to do will completely destroy both the organizational structure and the financial foundation of the Democrat party in WI. The entire operating model for the WI Dems is to help themselves to as much of the state treasury as they want by laundering it through the PEUs, who turn around and give that money back to the Dems both in direct cash controbutions and in electioneering activies. Given how high the states are for the Dems in all this, I am not convinced Prosser would have the lead today if those votes had been reported to the AP on election night.

[Danube of Thought]

The whole Klein column is worth reading.

[PD]

For FF 4 on Mac OS X, I get to narcisolator.js like this:

Tools > Greasemonkey > Manage User Scripts ...

In the Add-ons Manager window, control-click the "narcisolator" entry to bring up the contextual menu and select Show Containing Folder. That gets me to the folder containing the narcisolator.js script, and then I can open it in an editor.

I find that selecting Edit from the context menu just brings up an open-file dialog to navigate to the script, but then I have to know where it is, and I can never remember.

I am going to go out and weed whack.

The preceding instructions can be used to wauck whack.

[Threadkiller]

That truly saddens me, DoT. Is Rocco in jeopardy?

[Danube of Thought]

DoT, I prefer to think her action deliberate

I would prefer that too, but I don't believe it. I think she's just a dunce, but I guess we'll never know.

[Ignatz]

--Ignatz--remember the Rs control just one-half of one-third of the federal govt right now, as Boehner notes. I really think he did a great job.--

Agreed on the first, clarice. I'll withhold judgement on the second until next year or 2013.
If Barry is whipped in 2012 and the Repubs hold both houses in 2013 and do not fundamentally change the country in the general direction of Ryan's plan or something similar I suspect it will be the last chance we have to avert a Greece-like disaster and the Repubs will be deservedly finished as a political party.

[Sue]

Obama went to high school in Hawaii using the name Barry Obama. That fact being missed in both linked articles, Sara's and Rocco's, makes everything else they report suspect.

[PD]

Don't forget the Slurpees PD.

That was his schtick from which the "they can sit in the back" line comes, no?

[PD]

Next entry will be "Threadkiller" if there is one more probation violation.

I seem to remember you made a promise, too.

[Cecil Turner]

OT, IowaHawk lambasts Lindsey Graham over his recent free speech idiocy with just the right combination of derision and humor (H/T: Instapundit):

On behalf of my colleagues, please allow me to express our deepest shame at the blasphemous action of one our citizens in the incident that so rightly vexed you and other devout followers of the Prophet. Please rest assured that as a civilized nation we in no way condone or tolerate this type of behavior. Although we cannot undo the unimaginable hurt his thoughtlessness caused, we will leave no stone unturned until he has made amends. Your recommendations for a just punishment will of course be given every consideration.

[Jim Ryan]

For some reason, I've pidgeon-holed Andy McCarthy as "really good on the Islamofascist thing, otherwise ignore."

[PD]

From the LI article: "Obama gave a campaign speech, with the Washington Monument in the backdrop, and with the now-typical story of some letter Obama received from someone. That is one of his favorite rhetorical devices. The letter in question was from a mother who was worried that her child's school trip to the Washington Monument might have to be canceled if the government shut down. Obama expressed pride in accomplishment that the school trip could take place."

I'm so glad to know that the purpose of the Federal government is to facilitate school trips.

[clarice]

Ranger, Taranto says this means it is the last election in Wis where union funds will play a role. I think he's right and end Sunday's column on that note. The Prosser win is a BFD

[Jim Ryan]

But McCarthy is right about the $105B. Can anyone explain why the GOP didn't put that in the bill?

[Danube of Thought]

I seem to remember you made a promise, too.

I did, and it went into effect at 12:30 PDT yesterday. I am now being a very, very good boy. And if I lapse I will narcisolate myself.

[Rocco]

Didn't Obama receive federal aid at Occidental as Barry Soetoro?

I'm out before I burn the whole neighborhood down!

[Something stinks, and it ain't just Barry.]

Nice catch, Sue.

Let me tell you something. I think they both might be disinformation. Look how they take similar allegations and build two different themes from them. If I wanted to be paranoid, I'd wonder if this were an attempt to solicit reactions to the two entirely different memes in order to combat them in the future.

They are just too damn much alike, and oddly different, too. And, of course, I don't know Ray or Hofmann from Adam.
==================

[Threadkiller]

Too, too wet to weed whack. Should we have a beer martini summit sometime, DoT?

[clarice]

Me, too, Jim.

[Rick Ballard]

Selfnarcisolation seems a rather harsh measure for what I am sure would be an inadvertent error. Perhaps simply writing I've been a naughty boy. one thousand times (without posting it) would be sufficient.

Or, you might consider the purchase of an indulgence...

[anduril]

what Walker is trying to do will completely destroy both the organizational structure and the financial foundation of the Democrat party in WI.

This is at the heart of my beef with the GOPers and especially Bushie. Walker has put first things first--delenda est Carthago--and is going for the jugular with single minded determination. How many years did the GOPers have a huge measure of control at the national level? And what did they do with the power they had? Any reform of the electoral system? Any defunding of the system by which money flowed to community (= Democrat) activists?

[So yeah, let's celebrate the outbreak of dunciness. Heh, and laugh up our sleeves.]

However much a dunce she may have been, DoT, the whole affair points out that the Dems and the Press were even worse dunces.
============

[DebinNC]

Talk about chutzpah! How will long-planned family trips to Williamsburg be impacted by the Obama entourage and their security requirements?

[They'll get answered eventually. Maybe not here.]

Hey arsonist Rocco, you'll need a lot of gasoline to quell all the questions.
==========

[Rocco]

One last thing...I don't care what his birth certificate says or doesn't say. But what I do care about is his connection to communists and if this subject sheds light on those connections, I'm all for it. If you have any doubt about his connections, I urge you to read Trevor Loudon's blog, New Zeal, The Obama Files

[Jim Ryan]

OBAMA: [UNDER HIS BREATH] Screw this, I've got a tee time tomorrow at one of the finest courses in the country. [ALOUD] Harry, I think this is a good deal.

REID: But B, if we give them-

OBAMA: Look, just give it to them. I'll get on the tube and give us all the credit for the cuts.

REID: But-

OBAMA: Whatever, yada yada, whatever, I don't care. It's enough. Judy? Tell the travel office it's a go.

AIDE: Yes, sir.

REID: [UNDER HIS BREATH] God help me, please God, help me.

[PD]

Rocco, have you read Radical-in-Chief (Stanley Kurtz)?

[BR]

Wasn't Obama still in LA at Occidental in 1980 when he registered with the Selective Service using that Conn. SSN on Sept 4, 1980? I.e., not NY.

[Rick Ballard]

Ranger,

The corollary to the destruction of the Dem funding in Wisconsin is the destruction of the PEUs as well via not withholding the dues extorted from members. It really is the beginning of a very pleasant death spiral for parasites.

[anduril]

From a vanity at FR (not sure whether this is technically true):

With the passage of the continued funding at FY2010 levels through the end of the year, the Congress has endorsed the spending of the Stimulus, and incorporated it into the baseline figure for the FY2012 budget.

That is why nobody wanted to produce a FY2011 budget. In 2011, they would have either had to explicitly incorporate the stimulus spending into the budget or pass a baseline budget with a one-year stimulus on top. By not passing a budget, the Congress is able to carry the entire amount of spending forward without having to pass a temporary stimulus package. Now that combined figure will become the basis of the 2012 budget, and we will have stimulus spending forever.

[PD]

Mmm, the Cuban trade unions do not approve of what is happening in Wisconsin.

I say, let the Cuban trade unions keep their colonialistic hands off my state.

[narciso]

Btw, PD, who won the mayorship, Kang or Kodos,

[Rocco]

Here's some more on Obama at Occidental.

kim...i may be an arsonist before the days over...if I don't get back out there!

PD, not yet, it's on my list however

[BR]

Hm, interesting, Kim. If Obama's damage controllers are putting out red herrings to muddy the already murky waters, it's not working. We're too smart for them :)

[anduril]

The Lubbock Avalanche Journal has what I think (hope?) is a balanced take on the budget thang: What Did the Republicans Get With the Budget Agreement?

A compromise was reached on the 2011 Budget on Friday night. What did the Republicans gain and what did they lose in compromising with the Democrats?

Compromise in itself is a very major problem with Republicans. The Republicans have been compromising with the Left for decades, transforming the United States into a nation that has become progressively more Liberal and has accumulated a national debt greater than $14 trillion.

...

Speaker Boehner did manage to intimidate President Obama, which may have been the primary reason the Democrats agreed to the compromise. Obama has been absent from the process until he realized this week that a critical problem was developing. Obama has begun to understand the fact that the American people really want both spending cuts and tax cuts, but Obama does not accept it. As a final effort to intimidate the Republicans, Obama threatened to interfere with the payment of salaries to our military troops if our government were to have shut down.

Republicans who vote for the budget compromise may have an increased chance of 2012 Primary Election challengers. However, if good courage can be maintained and increased among the Republicans in Congress, significantly more cuts may be achieved with the 2012 Budget. Massive cuts in the 2012 budget could redeem many Republicans and sink many Democrats. There is still much hope.

That issue of decades of compromise is the real sticking point. Have the GOPers truly got true religion? Dare we hope?

[MarkO]

The word of the moment seems to by ululate.

Origin of ULULATE
Latin ululatus, past participle of ululare, of imitative origin
First Known Use: circa 1623

I credit Steyn and plan to use the word with infuriating frequency.

[anduril]

New article at AT takes the downside view: The GOP Made a Bad Deal. Good quote:

"If you believe that the GDP will start growing at a healthy rate and continue at that rate forever, and if you manage to reform Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, and if you reform the budget process, and if you reform the tax code, and if you accomplish all these reforms in FY12, then you might be able to pay off this year's spending within 11 to 12 years. Or maybe the decade after. This is what the President and his crackerjack economic team have wrought. A one-year deficit that is so large that it can only be paid back if everything goes exactly right."

In the broader "spending-us-into-oblivion" context, last night's compromise struck exactly the wrong note. Forget "runaway spending." Ever seen Unstoppable?

[MarkO]

Above the ululating of the stricken Dems, I saw His Obamaness do the usual thing. He pretended to vote present and then, after failing to lead, took credit for a massive reduction in his own budget. That seems to be his way. He dissembles until he can see which position will lead to credit and he takes it.

[anduril]

Origin of ULULATE
Latin ululatus, past participle of ululare, of imitative origin
First Known Use: circa 1623

Which would tend to show that Latin has never ceased to be a living, growing, organic thing.

[Janet]

As for O--it's time to give this poseur the hook:

Thud. After almost every sentence his hands go "thud" on the podium.
"blah,blah, blah!" thud.
"blah, blah." thud.
I can't remember which blogger pointed that out, but it is SO true.

[Jim Ryan]

Here's Allen West. He's a no vote on the deal, according to The Hill.

[Ranger]

Rick, yes, exactly. It is through the structure of manditory dues deductions that Dems have ensured the money from the public treasury keeps flowing into their party, even during periods when they are out of power. Based on past incidents when unions lost their manditory dues, the WI PEUs will probably lose about 2/3rds of their funding right off the top.

[anduril]

Janet, I think he copied that from Rush.

[Jim Ryan]

Allen West

[anduril]

It is through the structure of manditory dues deductions that Dems have ensured the money from the public treasury keeps flowing into their party, even during periods when they are out of power.

Imagine that. And what have the GOPers been doing when they had the power? Compromising on the very lifeblood of liberalism.

[DebinNC]

He dissembles until he can see which position will lead to credit and he takes it

Having the negotiating at the WH helps BO. Boehner and McConnell should try and insist on a neutral venue like the Russell Office Building, or wait until the Obamas are out of the country or leaving for vacation so that at least BO and MO pay for his bogus "mediator in chief" schtick.

[narciso]

Like I said, we need a new term for chutzpah,
because the original doesn't cover it.

[Ann]

AJ Strata has a very interesting take:

Negotiating Dems Into A Corner

[Danube of Thought]

May the gloating never end:

[MarkO]

Obama as a mediator? Why not pick GWB as the mediator? This is akin to suggesting that George Snuffleupagus on ABC is an objective observer, or that Cokie, daughter of the Democratic Congressman from Louisiana who was Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, has no bias, or that Chris, the Thrill, who was a speech writer for Carter and top aid to the Democrat Speaker of the House of Representatives, can report objectively.

Because Obama’s just not that smart, he would not work well as a mediator. Indeed, the televised meeting on Obamacare showed him to be a hectoring bully without even basic manners. It was there that his deft touch showed when he reminded everyone that he won. His entire history is one of avoiding blame and taking massive credit for nothing. This has to have been his path to the presidency of the HLR.

He is a one trick pony and the trick is stale.

Ululate.

[Janet]

Thanks for the AJ Strata link, Ann.

[DebinNC]

The Health Care Summit perfectly illustrated Obama the Mediator...Call the two parties in and allot himself as much time as he wants, plus the right to cut off Reps midsentence while letting the Dems speak without interruption.