Drudge Retort: JeffJ's blog

Travesty in New York

jeffj — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:52:32 -0500

WASHINGTON -- For late-19th-century anarchists, terrorism was the "propaganda of the deed." And the most successful propaganda-by-deed in history was 9/11 -- not just the most destructive, but the most spectacular and telegenic.

And now its self-proclaimed architect, Khalid Sheik Mohammed, has been given by the Obama administration a civilian trial in New York. Just as the memory fades, 9/11 has been granted a second life -- and KSM, a second act: "9/11, The Director's Cut," narration by KSM.

Palin - Her Side of the Story

JeffJ — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:35:13 -0500

"Going Rogue," the title of Sarah Palin's autobiography, refers to the snide remark of an anonymous McCain aide late in last year's presidential campaign. It was used to describe the vice-presidential candidate's move to break free of her media handlers and speak out against the campaign's decision to pull out of Michigan, a state that, in Mrs. Palin's view, was well worth contesting. The "word came hurtling down that I had been 'off-script,' " she writes. The campaign hadn't bothered to inform her of the Michigan decision, which she learned of from a reporter. "Of course," she adds drily, "it's pretty easy to issue candid, off-script messages when there is no script to begin with."

Stimulus dishonesty

jeffj — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:05:24 -0500

....

AP reported that "some jobs credited to the stimulus program were counted two, three, four or even more times." The Bee reported that California State University said "the $268.5 million it received in stimulus funding through October allowed it to retain 26,156 employees" more than half its statewide work force. The Tribune reported that Illinois education officials grossly inflated job-saved numbers, sometimes saying school districts had saved more jobs than their total number of employees.

Not enough about him? Barack Obama skips Berlin

JeffJ — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:02:44 -0500

There was one world leader absent for today's commemorations marking the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Surprisingly enough, it's President Barack Obama, who found time last year to give a campaign speech there last year, which Der Spiegel summed up as "People of the World, Look at Me".

The White House has cited a packed schedule, though looking at it he had nothing much on yesterday (brief chat to reporters about healthcare by far his biggest priority) and just blah briefings and a bill signing today until a metting this evening with Benjamin Netanyahu. This time, Der Spiegel has reported it as "Barack Too Busy".

Will the Real Racist Please Stand Up?

JeffJ — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:29:37 -0400

I used to have a job that felt like Divine Grace. Since I was raised secular, it was as close to a religious experience as I had ever had.

I was fresh out of graduate school in my late 20s, working with black foster families and relatives in dicey areas of Oakland. Not a day went by that I didn't cry -- and not just because of the sorrowful plight of the kids.

I'd never been around people like this before, who loved God, who praised Jesus, who lived to serve him. In retrospect, I think my tears came because deep in my heart, I loved God too, but I didn't know it yet...

Age of Obama: All Falling Down

JeffJ — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 07:35:22 -0400

Money

Obama's mega-borrowing is predicated on a rather thin margin of safety. We can service nearly $2 trillion in additional debt this yearon top the of the existing $11 trilliononly because interest rates are so low.

True Conservative Governance Results

JeffJ — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:56:59 -0400

Imagine a two-term Republican governor from a state carried by Barack Obama who turned an $800 million deficit into a $1.2 billion surplus by cutting overhead and bringing sound business principles to his state's government even as he provided new health benefits for poor citizens. Imagine no longer. Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels accomplished this and more, and he did it all while enacting the biggest tax cut in state history.

The GOP's Dwindling Opportunity

jeffj — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:51:21 -0400

Just who are the Tea Partyers? And how far will the Republican establishment go to prevent the resurgence of Reagan conservatism?

Those are the two questions which will decide whether the Republican Party can make a decisive comeback in the next year...

Perot's "Reform Party" achieved 20% of the 1992 vote, enough to enable Democrat Bill Clinton to gain the White House. Incumbent George H.W. Bush was seen as an ultimate Washington insider who had distanced himself too much from the policies of the president who he had served for the preceding eight years. The Perotistas were people highly distrustful, fed up with Congress and Washington politics which they believed was ignoring them.

Obama vs. The President He Said He'd Be

jeffj — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 07:21:56 -0400

During the campaign Barack Obama vowed he would be a different kind of leader who would move America beyond the "smallness of our politics." That inspired promise was not an insignificant part of why he was elected last November.

In his inaugural address Obama told us that "the time has come to set aside childish things." He promised to bring "an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics."

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Sign Up Tom Bevan RealClearPolitics Barack Obama Not only has President Obama failed to live up to those promises so far, it appears that on more than a number of occasions he's made a conscious decision to break them.

This Mission Is Not McChrystal Clear

jeffj — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 17:28:32 -0400

Deep down, national-security conservatives know President Obama will not wage a decisive war against America's enemies in Afghanistan. They also know that the young men and women we already have there are sitting ducks. Ralph Peters notes that our commanders, obsessed with avoiding civilian casualties, have imposed mind-boggling rules of engagement (ROE) on our forces, compelling them to retreat from contact with the enemy and denying them resort to overwhelming force including the denial of artillery and air cover when they are under siege. As the Washington Examiner's Byron York recently reported, even some Afghans are telling our commanders to "stop being so fussy . . . and kill the enemy."

Who Killed California?

jeffj — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 12:03:22 -0400

The story of California has always been a great American tale of triumph over long odds. Since its entry into the Union, in the aftermath of war and the midst of gold fever, the state has seemed an improbable colossus. But again and again, California has made its way through hours of challenge not only surviving intact, but emerging as a model for the rest of the nation.

Lots of People Love Obama, But Does Anyone Really Fear Him?

jeffj — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:03:09 -0400

It may seem rather unkind to express some serious doubts about US President Barack Obama just now. He is wowing the UN with talk of nuclear disarmament. He is mesmerising the Group of 20 with talk of global recovery. He is leading a policy review that talks of winning in Afghanistan and he will not send more troops in response to the request of the US military commander in Afghanistan, Stanley McChrystal, without deeper talks.

He has stirred hearts in the Middle East with talk of peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians. And from October 1 he will be talking directly with the Iranians in pursuit of his talk of stopping Tehran from getting nuclear weapons. It's a lot of very impressive talk. And yet, and yet...

Time for some clowning around on the DR!

JeffJ — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 08:50:43 -0400

I was hoping for the entire clip. However, this was the best 'highlight-reel' I could find on Youtube. The linked clip is Palin and Clinton on Saturday Night Live, during the campaign. This is seriously funny!

Please, let me be clear: I intend this to be an open-thread.

Anything funny goes.

All I ask is that commentary, links, etc. are relatively non-partisan.

I linked this Youtube video because it made fun of both Clinton and Palin; and it was pretty hilarious overall.

Let's have some fun.

Let's blow off some steam.

As a blog-community, we have been at eachothers' throats WAY too much of late.

Fact-Checking the President on Health Insurance

jeffj — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 09:16:24 -0400

In his speech to Congress last week, President Barack Obama attempted to sell a reform agenda by demonizing the private health-insurance industry, which many people love to hate. He opened by asserting: "More and more Americans pay their premiums, only to discover that their insurance company has dropped their coverage when they get sick, or won't pay the full cost of care. It happens every day."

Obama's Lies Matter, Too

jeffj — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 08:34:38 -0400

The president pushes back against health care misinformation, then spreads a bunch of his own.