Obama to Kansas Supporters: “It’s Great to be Back in Texas!”

Obama told an audience in Kansas today-
“It’s great to be back in Texas.”
The National Journal reported:

thegatewaypundit.com

Obama: Congress Shouldn’t Go Home Until Payroll Tax Cut Is Extended… (I’ll Be In Hawaii)

In his Weekly Address Barack Obama told Congress they shouldn’t go home for the holidays until the payroll tax cut is extended.

Meanwhile… The Obama family announced they will be in Hawaii for 17 days this Christmas.

Leadership.

thegatewaypundit.com

Emails Show Energy Dept. Asked Solyndra to Keep Layoffs Quiet Until After 2010 Elections

It’s a special Tuesday edition of a Friday night email dump, and it comes near mid-week because Democrats don’t control the House committee in question.

Energy Secretary Steven Chu is scheduled to appear before a Solyndra inquiry on Thursday, so I’m sure he’ll be asked about this:

The Obama administration urged officers of the struggling solar company Solyndra to postpone announcing planned layoffs until after the November 2010 midterm elections, newly released e-mails show.

Solyndra, the now-shuttered California company, had been a poster child of President Obama’s initiative to invest in clean energies and received the administration’s first energy loan of $535 million. But a year ago, in October 2010, the solar panel manufacturer was quickly running out of money and had warned the Energy Department it would need emergency cash to avoid having to shut down.

The new e-mails about the layoff announcement were released Tuesday morning as part of a House Energy and Commerce committee memo…

As you read content of one of the emails, keep in mind that the 2010 election was on November 2nd:

“DOE continues to be cooperative and have indicated that they will fund the November draw on our loan (app. $40 million) but have not committed to December yet,” a Solyndra investor adviser wrote Oct. 30. “They did push very hard for us to hold our announcement of the consolidation to employees and vendors to Nov. 3rd – oddly they didn’t give a reason for that date.”

This particular “investor adviser” posessed the kind of lack of inquisitiveness that probably contributed to the excitement level in the VP’s office.

As instructed, Solyndra announced the layoffs and a factory shutdown just after the elections were over. In spite of that, the DoE continued to give Solyndra installments of their taxpayer backed loan.

We all know how the 2010 elections turned out, so not disclosing the layoffs to the public until after the election didn’t exactly save Nancy Pelosi’s gavel.

Update: Rahm Emanuel still doesn’t remember anything about Solyndra… whatever that was.

Doug Powers - michellemalkin.com

The White House Christmas Tree’s Enormous Carbon Footprint

This year most Americans, presuming they’re buying a new tree and not re-using last year’s fake tree, will likely pick out their Christmas tree locally and haul it back to their homes for decoration.

But the White House will have its official Christmas tree hauled all the way across the country from California on a flatbed truck. From the official USDA blog:

The 65-foot white fir from California’s Stanislaus National Forest was harvested and embarked on its journey toward the nation’s capitol on Nov. 5.

While this is the fourth time California will provide the Capitol Christmas Tree, it is the first time that the Forest Service has partnered with a local American Indian tribe to bless the tree. Prior to its harvesting on the Stanislaus, an elder from the Tuolumne Band of Me-wuk Indians blessed the splendid tree and its journey in a private ceremony.

After the blessing, local businesses and arborists teamed up to lift the tree and set it on a double flatbed truck that will eventually deliver it to Washington, D.C. on Nov. 28. But first, the tree started its in-state tour in Sonora, Calif. where it was met with various exhibits, booths and activities. Many attendees signed the tree’s “Christmas card to the nation,” a huge banner that will be hung and displayed on the flatbed truck during the 4,500-mile cross-country road trip.

After visiting communities in California, the tree will head east. During its 20-day trip, it will make a total of 23 stops in nine states, including New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Indiana, North Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland.

The country is broke, the environmentalists tell us every aspect of our lives must be regulated in the name of fighting off some sort of global warming apocalypse, but the White House Christmas tree is on a 4,500 mile national tour on a flatbed truck.

How’s that for hypocrisy?

sayanythingblog.com

Obama thinks Hawaii is in Asia

While promoting socialism at the APEC Summit in Hawaii, Barack Obama thinks he’s in Asia.
“Here in Asia…”

It’s OK. He’s a democrat.
Hat Tip Susan.

thegatewaypundit.com

Humorless Obama Breaks Tradition, Nixes APEX “Silly Shirts” Photo

Wearing traditional ao dais, U.S. President George W. Bush, top row left, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Thai Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont, Chinese President Hu Jintao, bottom row left, and Chilean President Michelle Bachelet wave during a group photo with leaders of the APEC summit in Hanoi, Vietnam, in 2006. (LA Times)

This year Obama shelved the annual “silly shirts” tradition.
He didn’t even give his guests the traditional Hawaiian lei for the photo.
The LA Times reported:

For most of the last two decades, world leaders at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit would don exotic garb chosen by the hosts. The costumes made for a light moment at the picture-taking session — sober leaders in bomber jackets or pajama-style robes.

This year’s summit, hosted by Obama in his native Hawaii, broke with tradition. As the leaders assembled for the photo, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard was overheard talking about grass skirts; Obama, coconut bras.

“We are ending that tradition,” Obama told his foreign counterparts.

Later in the day, Obama gave a news conference and was asked about his decision to end the “dress-up” tradition launched by President Clinton.

Given the location, a reporter asked, why no aloha shirts and grass skirts?

“I got rid of the Hawaiian shirts because I had looked at pictures of some of the previous APEC meetings and some of the garb that had appeared previously, and I thought this may be a tradition that we might want to break.”

What a stick in the mud.

thegatewaypundit.com

CNN Reporter Asks Obama If GOP Candidates Are “Uninformed, Out Of Touch, Or Irresponsible?”

I caught this question earlier today on Keith Koffler’s site, but you really have to see the video to believe it:

“Last night at the Republican debate, some of the hopefuls, they hope to get your job, they defended the practice of waterboarding which is a practice you banned in 2009. Herman Cain said, quote, ‘I don’t see that as torture.’ Michele Bachmann said that it’s, quote, ‘very effective.’ So I’m wondering if you think that they’re uninformed, out of touch, or irresponsible?” CNN’s White House correspondent Dan Lothian asked President Obama in Hawaii.

I’m told the follow up question was, “Do you think you’re awesome, really awesome or super-duper awesome?”

sayanythingblog.com

Michelle Obama: Kids Need To Get Their “Palates Adjusted” To Government-Approved Diets

Michelle Obama’s war on fat kids continues, this time suggesting that Americans can’t just eat what they want. We need to get their palates adjusted to what the government wants them to eat.

“Childhood obesity is one of my signature issues,” she said. “Our goal is to eliminate childhood obesity in a generation. And our view is that if we teach young people early about how to eat, and we give them a connection to the food that they eat, that they’re more excited and interesting, and interested, in what’s going on, and that in turn opens up a broader conversation about nutrition and health and movement–but also deeper issues of access and affordability, which are some of the primary causes of obesity. Because many of our communities–in underserved communities, kids aren’t growing up with vegetables because there are no grocery stores.

“People don’t have that connection,” Mrs. Obama said to her fellow panelists, who included a group of workers and student interns at the organic farm. “And we’re finding, through our contact with kids, that it is in fact working–like you guys: You now eat vegetables. You actually know what arugula is. And you eat it.”

One of the farm’s workers then told Mrs. Obama that arugula was a “favorite” of his.

“That’s right,” said Mrs. Obama. “My favorite, too. Arugula and steak. I like it a lot. That’s good stuff.”

Mrs. Obama then segued back to the importance of properly adjusting the palates of children.

“But we find the same thing is true with young kids, and if they get their palates adjusted to those very interesting flavors, they stay connected,” she said.

I think it’s interesting that Michele Obama says that the problem is a lack of access to vegetables, etc. That must be that “food deserts” thing the USDA was hyping a few months ago. Which was ridiculous. According to the USDA, I live on the edge of a food desert. And yet, I also live just two blocks from two separate, large grocery stores each of which has an excellent produce section.

To the extent that there’s a childhood obesity problem, and I don’t think it’s nearly the problem some claim it is, it’s probably because in America expenditures on food are the lowest (as a percentage of overall household expenditures) in the world:

On one hand, low food prices are not a bad thing, and the fact that they’re such a small part of expenditures speaks to just how affluent we are as Americans compared to the rest of the world. On the other hand, it’s likely a reflection of just how thoroughly ag subsidies (among other government policies) have distorted food markets.

If we want to address obesity issues, and I maintain that obesity is a personal problem not a public policy problem, then stop ag subsidies. Ending the government’s distortions of the food markets would go further to address obesity than any of the government’s efforts to force us into eating certain diets.

sayanythingblog.com

Harper Tells Obama Canada Will Sell Oil to Asia Since His Administration Delayed Pipeline (Obama Loses Another 1 Million US Jobs)

The Keystone Pipeline project was expected to create up to 1,000,000 high-paying US jobs in the oil manufacturing and associated industries. The project itself would create 20,000 construction jobs.

But it was just a big pipe dream.

Obama refused to sign the Keystone agreement last week. Today Canadian Prime Minister Harper told Obama that he would look to Asia to sell its oil.
The Republic reporteed, via Free Republic:

Canada’s prime minister says he made it clear in a meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama that Canada will step up its efforts to sell oil to Asia since the Obama administration delayed a decision on an oil pipeline.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper says Canada will continue to push the U.S. to approve the $7-billion Keystone XL project.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper says Canada will continue to push the U.S. to approve the $7-billion Keystone XL project. Last week the U.S. State Department ordered that the pipeline be rerouted and subject to further environmental review, delaying a decision until 2013.

Harper says the U.S. move highlights why Canada must increase its efforts to diversify its exports to Asia. He says he communicated that clearly to Obama.

Nice work, Barack.

thegatewaypundit.com

Obama Won’t Comment on G20 Conversation Where He Blasted Israeli Leader Netanyahu

Obama told reporters yesterday that he won’t comment on his private conversation with French President Nicolas Sarkozy where they ripped on Netanyahu.

The far left president’s outrageous comments hurt him with Jewish-American voters.

Weasel Zippers reported on this from News24

US President Barack Obama on Sunday refused to discuss an overheard conversation he was party to in which French President Nicolas Sarkozy called Israel’s leader Benjamin Netanyahu a “liar”.

In the chat picked up by an open microphone at this month’s G20 summit in France, Obama also appeared to show frustration with the Israeli prime minister, with whom he has had a tense relationship.

“With respect to the ‘hot mic’ in France, I’m not going to comment on conversations that I have with individual leaders,” Obama said.

thegatewaypundit.com

Obama Supporter’s Company Wins $433 Million No-Bid Contract for Experimental Smallpox Drug

“I will finally end the abuse of no-bid contracts once and for all. The days of sweetheart deals for Halliburton and the like will be over when I’m in the White House.” – Senator and presidential candidate Barack Obama, October 2, 2008
*****

Hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars being given to an experimental project involving high cost, questionable necessity and a major party donor — Why does that sound so familiar?

From the Los Angeles Times:

Over the last year, the Obama administration has aggressively pushed a $433-million plan to buy an experimental smallpox drug, despite uncertainty over whether it is needed or will work.

Senior officials have taken unusual steps to secure the contract for New York-based Siga Technologies Inc., whose controlling shareholder is billionaire Ronald O. Perelman, one of the world’s richest men and a longtime Democratic Party donor.

When Siga complained that contracting specialists at the Department of Health and Human Services were resisting the company’s financial demands, senior officials replaced the government’s lead negotiator for the deal, interviews and documents show.

When Siga was in danger of losing its grip on the contract a year ago, the officials blocked other firms from competing.

Siga was awarded the final contract in May through a “sole-source” procurement in which it was the only company asked to submit a proposal. The contract calls for Siga to deliver 1.7 million doses of the drug for the nation’s biodefense stockpile. The price of approximately $255 per dose is well above what the government’s specialists had earlier said was reasonable, according to internal documents and interviews.

In addition to being a major party donor, Perelman also coughed up $50,000 to help fund Obama’s inauguration bash. But Perelman also dabbles in Republicans. The prudent billionaire always hedges his bets.

The Times goes on to point out that smallpox was eradicated globally in 1978 but the virus does exist in labs in the US and Russia. Siga’s drug isn’t a vaccine, but a pill that’s supposed to help people who have been exposed to the virus for too long of a period of time to be aided by a vaccine. The pill is on top of the smallpox vaccine stockpile the US already has on hand — and the drug has never been tested on human beings (who wants to be first in line for that one?).

One final note… guess who is on Siga’s Board of Directors? Two hints: He used to wear purple and visits the White House frequently.

Forget about smallpox — we need a vaccine against crony capitalism.

Doug Powers - michellemalkin.com

Obama Trashes Israeli Leader Netanyahu to Sarkozy: “You’re Fed Up With Him… But I Have to DEAL WITH HIM Every Day”

French and American Leaders Tell Press Promise Not to Report the Story–
It took three days for it to come out!

Barack Obama and French President Nicolas Sarkozy trashed Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu this past weekend at the G20 meetings.
YNet News reported:

French President Nicolas Sarkozy reportedly told US President Barack Obama that he could not “stand” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and that he thinks the Israeli premier “is a liar.”

According to a Monday report in the French website “Arret sur Images,” after facing reporters for a G20 press conference on Thursday, the two presidents retired to a private room, to further discuss the matters of the day.

The conversation apparently began with President Obama criticizing Sarkozy for not having warned him that France would be voting in favor of the Palestinian membership bid in UNESCO despite Washington’s strong objection to the move.

The conversation then drifted to Netanyahu, at which time Sarkozy declared: “I cannot stand him. He is a liar.” According to the report, Obama replied: “You’re fed up with him, but I have to deal with him every day!”

The remark was naturally meant to be said in confidence, but the two leaders’ microphones were accidently left on, making the would-be private comment embarrassingly public.

The communication faux pas went unnoticed for several minutes, during which the conversation between the two heads of state – which quickly reverted to other matters – was all but open to members the press, who were still in possession of headsets provided by the Elysée for the sake of simultaneous translation during the G20 press conference.

“By the time the (media) services at the Elysée realize it, it was on for at least three minutes,” one journalist told the website. Still, he said that reporters “did not have a chance to take advantage of this fluke.”

The surprising lack of coverage may be explained by a report alleging that reporters present at the event were requested to sign an agreement to keep mum on the subject of the embarrassing comments.

And the press gladly went along with the cover-up.

thegatewaypundit.com

Obama Administration Refuses To Comply With Congressional Subpoenas Over Solyndra

After losing half a billion in tax payer dollars on an investment in Solyndra that Obama once described as a “good bet,” Congress not surprisingly wanted to figure out just how it was that the Obama administration determined that it was a “good bet.”

To that end, they want documents from the White House. The White House has refused to divulge them, so Congress issued a subpoena. Now the White House is refusing to comply with that saying it’s motivated by “partisan politics.”

The White House counsel refused Friday to comply with a subpoena as issued by a House panel regarding the failed solar energy company Solyndra, saying that the initiative “was driven more by partisan politics than a legitimate effort to conduct a responsible investigation.”

Kathryn Ruemmler expressed her views in a letter to Reps. Fred Upton and Cliff Stearns, members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. A day earlier, one of its subcommittees requested internal documents regarding the government’s decision to issue more than half a billion dollars in federal loan guarantees in 2010 to Solyndra, which later filed for bankruptcy.

The White House counsel on Friday did not rule out disclosing additional information related to Solyndra, saying that “we remain willing to work with the committee to accommodate its legitimate oversight interests in a balanced manner.”

At the same time, Ruemmler said unequivocally that the subpoena, as written, was unacceptable.

“The committee’s extremely broad request for documents — now a subpoena — is a significant intrusion on executive branch interests,” Ruemmler wrote.

Refusing to comply with a subpoena – which can result in contempt of court charges – is a big black eye for the Obama administration. So you have to wonder what it is in the documents the Obama administration is refusing to turn over that makes this black eye preferable to complying with the subpoena.

And the charges of “partisan politics” ring a little hollow when you consider that our political system is an adversarial one on purpose. The best way to promote accountability among the weasels is to pit the weasels against one another, as far as I’m concerned. To be sure, subpoenas and investigatory power can be abused by Congress, but in this instance we’re talking a specific decision the Obama administration made that cost taxpayers a lot of money and has the stink of crony politics about it.

Are Republicans looking to score political points? Of course they are. Does that mean that the Obama administration doesn’t have to divulge the pertinent documents? Uh, no.

sayanythingblog.com

Obama Had NO REGRETS About Solyndra… In Fact He Wanted to Give It Another $469 Million

Worst. President. Ever.
On May 26, 2011, the White House posted this video praising Solyndra as a Recovery Act success story. In August, Barack Obama’s gleaming example of green technology – Solyndra – filed for bankruptcy. The solar panel manufacturer squandered $535 million of stimulus money in a little over a year.

Why Solyndra?
Top Obama bundler George Kaiser made multiple visits to the White House in the months before the company was granted a $535 million loan from the government. And top Solyndra officials also made numerous visits — 20 — to the White House, according to logs and reporting by The Daily Caller. Solyndra officials in the logs included chairman and founder Christian Gronet and board members Thomas Baruch and David Prend. The company secured the $535 million loan despite the fact that it was widely known Solyndra was in deep economic trouble and had negative cash flows since its inception.

Kaiser said he did not use political influence or talk to administration officials about a massive government loan to Solyndra. However, the Solyndra investor made multiple visits to the White House in the week before the Department of Energy approved a $535 billion guaranteed loan to Solyndra on March 20, 2009

But, Barack Obama had no regrets.

In fact, Barack Obama was so impressed with the failed solar company that the administration wanted to give it another $469 million on top of the $535 million to make it an even billion dollars in taxpayer cash.
The Washington Post reported:

The Obama administration’s Department of Energy was poised last summer to give Solyndra a second major taxpayer loan of $469 million, even as the company’s financial situation was growing more dire.

The Energy Department was actively pushing to provide the second loan guarantee to the troubled solar-panel manufacturer in April and May 2010, when Solyndra’s auditors warned the company was in danger of closing due to its rapidly mounting debts and expenses, according to complete e-mails just released by a House committee investigating the original loan.

White House career staffers, who had first raised concerns in the fall of 2009 about the Department of Energy providing Solyndra with its first taxpayer-backed loan of $535 million , wrote e-mails in gallows humor in April 2010 about the prospect of giving Solyndra more money. That spring, industry analysts were publicly questioning how the Silicon Valley startup could so quickly be running out both the federal loan and $933 million in private capital.

“Apparently the loan size for Phase II is $469 million,” one Office of Management and Budget analyst wrote of DOE seeking a second loan for Solyndra. The analysts’s name was not released by the committee. “I’ve been told we should expect the see that project soon for conditional commitment.”

Another joked: “Possible to close and default on one before closing on a second??? Could be a new record.”

The agency didn’t shelve the idea for a second loan until October 2010, a Department of Energy spokesman has confirmed. That was the month that Solyndra executives and investors first warned the department that the company was facing the threat of having to liquidate without emergency cash.

thegatewaypundit.com

Michelle Obama Listed Daughters As “Senior Staffers” To Justify Expensive African Vacation And Safari

The most accountable administration evah:

Judicial Watch said the U.S. Air Force provided a C-32 – a Boeing 757 modified by the military for the purpose of flying big-wigs around the world – to fly the First Lady and her entourage to and from Africa, at a cost of $424,142. Another $928.44 was listed as the cost of providing 192 meals for the 21 people who made the trip

The Obama daughters were listed on the manifest as “senior staff.”

“This trip was as much an opportunity for the Obama family to go on a safari as it was a trip to conduct government business,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “This junket wasted tax dollars and the resources of our overextended military. No wonder we had to sue to pry loose this information.”

I missed this story yesterday, but it’s worthy of our attention. The nation is suffering with the economy sputtering, the national debt soaring and Obama’s economic rescue policies not only failing but actively making things worse.

Meanwhile, the First Lady justifies an expensive trip to Africa to take a vacation and safari with her daughters by saying it’s “official business” and even going so far as to list her children as “staffers.”

The level of arrogance and dishonesty on display here is nothing short of shocking.

But, er, “hope for change” and “yes we can” or something.

sayanythingblog.com

U.S. first lady Michelle Obama stands with Karen Dudley, right, at her restaurant “The Kitchen” as she makes an unscheduled stop for lunch in Cape Town, South Africa, Thursday, June 23, 2011. Also pictured, left to right, daughters Malia and Sasha Obama, niece Leslie Robinson, nephew Avery Robinson. (AP/Charles Dharapak, Pool)

Obama Stops By School To Read Kids A Book About Himself

Could this guy be more full of himself?

Before his speech Tuesday at Eastfield College in Mesquite, Texas, President Obama stopped by an early childhood education laboratory to read to children ages 3 to 5.

Among his reading selections: A book about the presidential dog Bo, including a drawing of the president himself.

After the reading the President hung around to autograph copies of “Of Thee I Sing,” written by one Barack Obama.

Which basically means this was a taxpayer-funded book signing appearance for the President.

We didn’t elect a leader. We elected a celebrity.

sayanythingblog.com

More:

This isn’t the first time he’s read to kids about himself.


In December of last year, Barack Obama read the book he ‘authored’ “Of Thee I Sing” to a group of second graders. The book includes a letter he wrote to his daughters.

thegatewaypundit.com

Voters Should Definitely Blame Barack Obama For The Economy Says…Joe Biden?

“Right now, understandably — totally legitimate — this is a referendum on Obama and Biden and the nature of the state of the economy,” says Vice President Joe Biden. “Even though fifty-some percent of the American people think that the economy tanked because of the last administration, that’s not relevant.”

“What’s relevant is we’re in charge. And right now we are the ones in charge and it’s gotten better, but it hasn’t gotten good enough.”

I think Biden is exactly correct. This issue of this election isn’t what George W. Bush’s policies did and did not do to the economy. Bush isn’t on the ballot. The issue of this election is whether or not the policies Obama/Biden have put in place have worked.

And, of course, they haven’t.

sayanythingblog.com

Obama DOE Warns: We Can’t Let China Dominate Solar Industry… Then Awards $337 Million to Firm That Uses Chinese Company’s Solar Panels

Obama DOE Warns: We Can’t Let China Dominate Solar Industry…
Then Immediately Awards $337 Million to Firm That Uses Chinese Solar Panels


On September 14, 2011, Jonathan Silver, Executive Director Loan Programs Office, U.S. Department of Energy warned the House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Committee on Energy and Commerce that we cannot allow China to dominate the solar industry. This came after US company Solyndra went bankrupt despite blowing $537 million in US stimulus cash.

That’s odd?
If the Department of Energy was so worried about China’s domination of the international solar industry then why did they award Chinese firm Suntech with a major US contract back in February.
The New York Times reported, via Free Republic:

Suntech, the Chinese solar giant, has won a contract to supply photovoltaic panels for a 150-megawatt project in Arizona, marking China’s entry into a lucrative United States power-plant market dominated by American companies.

The project is the first phase of a planned 700-megawatt project called Mesquite Solar to be built about 40 miles west of Phoenix and operated by Sempra Generation, a subsidiary of Sempra Energy. A California utility, Pacific Gas & Electric, will buy the electricity produced by the power plant’s first phase, called Mesquite Solar 1.

…While Chinese companies like Suntech, Yingli Green Energy and Trina Solar have grabbed a significant percentage of the American residential solar market — supplying nearly 40 percent of panels in California — they had shied away from huge utility-scale projects.

And this week the Obama Administration awarded a $337 million loan guarantee to Sempra Energy’s Mesquite Solar I project in Arizona, about 45 miles west of Phoenix.

That 150-megawatt facility will use solar panels made in Arizona by Suntech Power, which is based in China.

thegatewaypundit.com

Obama’s Commerce Secretary: We Can’t Afford Not To Subsidize Green Energy

Given the millions we’re spending per job “kept or created” most reasonable people believe, rightly, that we can’t afford any more of that kind of spending.

But according to President Obama’s commerce secretary, we can’t afford not to spend that money:

(CNSNews.com) – Acting Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank said that in a global race for green technology, the United States “can’t afford” not to spend taxpayer money on such projects, and that the price of that spending is an occasional failure. One of those failures was a $535-million federal loan guarantee to the Solyndra company that makes solar panels but which recently filed for bankruptcy.

“The U.S. can’t afford to not be a major winner in this race,” Blank said Thursday on a conference call with reporters. “That necessarily means that there’s going to be some capital investment by the U.S. government. But it is new technology and that means that there is sometimes risks.”

Blank said that because green technology can sometimes be untested, the risk of failure will always be there when government subsidizes green companies.

“Make no mistake, that when you’re in a new innovation race of the sort that we are with every other advanced country in the world you are always out there on the cutting edge,” she said, “and that involves both big returns but sometimes involves some risks [of failure] as well.”

But why should the taxpayers be subjected to that risk? Why should the government get to play investment games with our tax dollars?

The false assumption here from Blank is that these sort of investments wouldn’t happen if the government didn’t make them. Which in the case of Solyndra is true as most private sector investors, unlike the government, are smart enough to avoid bad investments like that one.

But here’s reality: Reliable, practical, cost-effective energy initiatives will get investment because those sort of investments will work. Most green energy initiatives are unworkable. They’re expensive, unreliable and often have other problems too. That’s why private investors don’t embrace them without the backing of the government.

If other countries want to squander the tax dollars of their citizens chasing these green energy boondoggles they’re welcome to it. Here in America we ought to trust the free flow of capital in a free market to guide us to our energy future.

sayanythingblog.com

Flashback: Obama Blames US Guns For Mexican Violence… Then Runs at Least 2,000 Guns to Mexico

In April 2009 Barack Obama traveled to Mexico and blamed US gun sellers for “This war being waged with guns purchased not here but in the United States.” Just to be sure, a few months later the Obama Administration started running their own guns to Mexico, at least 2,000.

Barack Obama, April 16, 2009:

“This war is being waged with guns purchased not here but in the United States… more than 90 percent of the guns recovered in Mexico come from the United States, many from gun shops that lay in our shared border. So we have responsibilities as well.”

Also today… Mexican Attorney General told reporters that Obama is more involved with Operation Fast and Furious than he is admitting.
The Cypress Times reported:

President Barack Obama appears to be getting it from all sides regarding a government snafu dubbed Operation Fast and Furious. Besides both houses of the U.S. Congress and a number of public-interest groups investigating what is being characterized as a rogue federal law enforcement operation, Mexico’s attorney general is infuriated over the allegations that the U.S. was behind the smuggling of weapons into Mexico that ended up killing her countrymen.

In a statement released by Mexican Attorney General Marisela Morales, she called Operation Fast and Furious “an attack on Mexicans’ security.”

Morales told Mexican reporters that she is demanding a full and honest explanation from the United States government especially since evidence is being gathered that reveals the Obama administration was more involved in Operation Fast and Furious than top officials admitted in their sworn statements.

If what is being reported is true, U.S. Attorney General and other government officials may have committed perjury and/or obstruction of justice if it’s proven they lied when testifying before House and Senate committees.

Operation Fast and Furious was a botched Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives covert operation initiated in order to track more than 2,000 smuggled guns to Mexican drug cartels by allowing gang members to purchase them illegally from U.S. gun stores then take them back to their leaders.

However, according to Congressional reports by both Rep. Darryl Issa (R-CA) and Senator Charles Grassley (R-NE), the federal agency lost track of many of the guns. Some later were traced to murders of police and civilians in Mexico and the killing of a U.S. Border Patrol Agent, Brian Terry.

thegatewaypundit.com

Obama Mocks Texas Fires at Fundraiser But Refused to Offer Emergency Assistance Back in April

Barack Obama mocked Governor Rick Perry and Texas last night in a fundraiser speech for the recent fires.

He said it was climate change.
The LA Times reported:

“You’ve got a governor whose state is on fire denying climate change. It’s true.”

Because we all know global warming climate change is real!

This is the same president who refused to declare a national emergency disaster zone in the Lone Star state in April despite wildfires raging across 2 million acres that month… Even after federal employees started one of the fires.

thegatewaypundit.com

Obama Mixes Up Jews With Janitors

Maybe President Obama has Jews on the mind after the NY-09 special election in which Jewish voters through their support behind a Republican.

Via Andrew Malcolm, here’s an excerpt from the official White House transcript of the President’s comments before the Congressional Black Caucus.

When you start saying, at a time when the top one-tenth of 1 percent has seen their incomes go up four or five times over the last 20 years, and folks at the bottom have seen their incomes decline — and your response is that you want poor folks to pay more?

Give me a break.

If asking a billionaire to pay the same tax rate as a janitor makes me a warrior for the working class, I wear that with a badge of honor. I have no problem with that.

Now here’s video of what the President actually said, in which he said “Jews” initially instead of “janitors.”

Whoops.

Meanwhile, it doesn’t sound like President Obama made a very good impression with the CBC with Maxine Waters suggesting that the President wouldn’t have told other groups – like Jews or gays – to stop griping.

sayanythingblog.com

Governor Gary Johnson: My Neighbor’s Dogs Have Created More Shovel-Ready Jobs Than Barack Obama

Best line of the night–
At the FOX News-Google GOP Debate Governor Gary Johnson says his neighbor’s two dogs have created more shovel-ready jobs than Barack Obama.
Obviously, the crowd loves it.

thegatewaypundit.com

Obama pitches jobs bill in front of bridge that won’t benefit from jobs bill

Go figure. Remember, this is the same guy who was surprised to learn there’s no such thing as “shovel-ready projects” for public works after he signed a nearly $800 billion stimulus.

Although some press accounts have described Brent Spence as “crumbling,” and the White House says it’s an example of “ur gently needed” repairs, the bridge isn’t falling apart. In fact, it’s designed to last for decades more.

It is, however, “functionally obsolete,” which in this case means it’s too small to handle the daily traffic load. While designed to handle 85,000 cars and trucks, it now carries more than 150,000, leading to regular backups.

So the plan isn’t to do extensive repairs on the bridge, but to build an entirely new one right next to it and keep the old one in use.

The problem is that construction work on the $2.3 billion bridge isn’t scheduled to start for three or four years, according to the project’s official website.

That would appear to put it outside the “immediate” timetable in Obama’s jobs bill, which requires the Transportation secretary to “obligate” all the highway funds “not later than two years after enactment” of the bill.

Here’s video of him in front of the bridge today, following Maxine Waters’s advice to “fight” by stuttering his way to class-warrior glory. Speaking of things that are crumbling: His approval’s at 39/57 in Florida, which not long ago was a swing state if you can believe it, and a new Democratic poll of 60 battleground congressional districts held by Republicans finds that 50 percent support the GOP incumbent compared to 41 percent who support a Democratic challenger — a slight increase since the midterms last year. The One’s approval rating in those districts? Just 41 percent. Good luck, progressives. Exit quotation from a House Democrat who wanted to be anonymous for obvious reasons: “It didn’t have to be this way. Obama’s presidency has fizzled. It’s going to be every person for himself in 2012. There just won’t be any coattails, and any effect he does have on the ballot will hurt us.”



hotair.com

Obama Ag Secretary: Americans Must “Adjust” To What The Government Wants Them To Eat

Remember, according to the Obama administration, Americans do not have a fundamental right to obtain whatever food they wish (video at the link).

(CNSNews.com) – U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told members of the National Restaurant Association on Monday that Americans need to “adjust” their tastes so that they like the kind of food the government believes they should eat—and “we have to make sure that what we do is create the appropriate transition.”

“You know, as we deal with this issue of reducing sodium and sugar, it sounds simple to do, but you all know better than I do, it’s not as simple as it sounds,” said Vilsack.

“It’s going to take time for people’s taste to adjust and they will adjust over time, but it will take some time,” he said. “So, we have to make sure that what we do is create the appropriate transition.

“At the end of the day, though, we’ve got to deal with this,” said Vilsack.

Or, we could just let people eat what they want and expect that they deal with the consequences of their lifestyle choices.

Because how can we say that we live in a free country if we have to “adjust” our food tastes to what the government wants?

sayanythingblog.com

Obama Administration Protecting Teachers Who Can’t Speak English

America has no official language, but predominantly we are an English-speaking nation. Thus, it makes sense that our teachers should speak English fluently for the sake of removing any barriers to our children grasping the instruction offered.

But the Obama administration doesn’t want teachers who can’t speak English fluently to be fired, arguing that it’s discriminatory to Hispanics and other non-English speakers. Which makes me wonder, what about the students who do speak English? They don’t matter?

Public school teachers with unacceptable English pronunciation and grammar are being protected by the Obama Administration, which has forced one state to eliminate a fluency monitoring program created to comply with a 2002 federal education law.

Singling out teachers who can’t speak proper English in American schools—funded by taxpayers, no less—discriminates against Hispanics and others who are not native English speakers, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ). As a result it violates the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the teachers must remain in their current position.

Unbelievable as this may seem, it’s a true story reported this week by Arizona’s largest newspaper. Ironically, the state launched the fluency monitoring program to comply with the bipartisan-backed No Child Left Behind Act, which requires states to create standardized tests that show public school students are reaching proficiency in core subjects like English, math and science.

With only a small proportion of low-English proficiency students (reading between the lines they are referring to illegal immigrants) passing the state’s standardized reading test, Arizona education officials started to look at the teachers in those classrooms. They found a common thread in dozens of districts throughout the state; many instructors don’t speak proper English and, in fact, teach in Spanish, using Spanish-language materials. Some have “unacceptably heavy accents” that causes them to mispronounce words. Others use poor English grammar.

I’ve no particular love for No Child Left Behind. I’d argue that the one-size-fits-all federal policy is an affront to state’s rights. Education ought to be a local issue, governed by parents and school boards.

That said, one of the objectives of that policy is proficiency in the English language. How can we expect that students be proficient in English if their teachers aren’t proficient in English? The Obama administration is fighting, expending our tax dollars along the way, to saddle our kids with teachers who can’t speak properly.

Absurd, and exactly why we need school choice in this country.

sayanythingblog.com

Obama’s new Snitch Central: AttackWatch

In 2009, the White House launched an effort to get people to snitch on those who expressed opposition to President Obama through a new official e-mail, flag@whitehouse.gov, and a web page on the official White House site. It didn’t quite last a fortnight, thanks to an outcry of anger over the idea that a President would be so petty and so paranoid as to need an official informant bureau in the White House. They dropped this about the same time that Obama finally dropped his war on Fox News, having lost on all fronts to control opinion.

Did they learn a lesson? Apparently not, or at least they learned the wrong lesson. The “flag” program is back, but this time it’s being run out of the Obama re-election campaign:

This is, at least, not nearly as offensive as running a Snitch Central out of the White House. It’s just as silly, though, and every bit as petty. The categories for passing along an “attack” include significant events like a TV interview or broadcast ad, but also include such trivial categories as “forwarded e-mail” and “rumor.” Presumably, the campaign would then debunk the “rumor,” which would then give it a lot more attention and oxygen than it otherwise might receive. In fact, it’s not inconceivable that people who really wanted to spread “rumors” would do so by reporting them through AttackWatch and waiting for the campaign to publicize rumors through their response.

This President and his team still haven’t learned the problems that come with punching below one’s weight. Besides, their big problems don’t come from rumors; they come from the record of abject failure that Barack Obama carries into this campaign. They’d do better to spend the money to hire better economists to consult the President than the coterie of academics that keep pushing the same Obamanomics that have flopped for the better part of three years. In the meantime, this serves as a good reminder as to just how thin-skinned and paranoid this President has been.

Update: Why wait to be reported? Send your picture to Bill Whittle and he’ll create your entry in the Gallery of Unrepentant Enemies of Dear Leader’s Glorious Worker’s Paradise.

hotair.com

A fun fact about Michelle Obama’s chummy fries police

In her latest flexing of federal “Let’s Move” muscle, First Lady Michelle Obama has strong-armed several major restaurant chains into re-designing their menus to her exacting healthy standards.

Move it or lose it!

Michelle Obama said Thursday that a pledge by the Olive Garden and Red Lobster restaurants and their sister chains to serve healthier meals is a “breakthrough moment” for the industry.

Darden Restaurants Inc. is pledging to cut calories and sodium in its meals by 10 percent by 2016, and 20 percent over a decade. Among promised changes for children: no more french fries. A fruit or vegetable side will become standard with kids’ meals. One percent milk also will be served, including free refills, unless an alternative drink is ordered.

“With this new commitment, Darden is doing what no restaurant company has done before,” said the first lady, who joined executives of Orlando, Fla.-based Darden for the announcement at an Olive Garden restaurant in Hyattsville, Md., just outside Washington.

…The kids’ menu changes have begun and are to be in place by July at Darden’s 1,900 restaurants in 49 states. Its other brands are LongHorn Steakhouse, The Capital Grille, Bahama Breeze and Seasons 52. The Capital Grille and Seasons 52 do not have children’s menus. The children’s menu will also include at least one 600-calorie or less option with reduced fat and sodium.

“We want to ensure that those who dine with us find the choices that they desire,” said Clarence Otis Jr., Darden’s chief executive officer.

In a normal, free-market environment, of course, business executives take their cue from customers — not from the East Wing.

But this is no normal, free-market environment.

And, I might add, Darden Restaurants is no normal restaurant chain.

At a time when most food service providers are struggling under the weight of increased taxes, health care mandates, and regulations, Darden Restaurants just happens to be one of the few and fortunate businesses to obtain one of those coveted Obamacare waivers.

Remember? I do. Flashback November 2010:

In early October, the Obama administration announced it had granted waivers not only to McDonald’s, but also to several other firms and labor unions.

Now comes word that Torquemada HHS Secretay Kathleen Sebelius has approved a whopping 111 waivers for businesses of all sizes, along with more unions and other providers of health insurance. The escapees include employers of many low-wage and part-time workers whose health insurance plans would otherwise be dropped, including Darden Restaurants — the parent company of the Olive Garden and Red Lobster and other chains, which employ some 34,000 people.

Among the waivers recently granted were for employers like Darden Restaurants, which operates the Red Lobster and Olive Garden restaurants, for 34,000 of its workers. Federal officials have granted 111 waivers to employers, insurers and union plans, who are responsible for covering about 1.2 million people.

Darden said the waiver would allow it to offer employees access to affordable coverage as the health care law is started.

Quid pro quo: It’s what’s for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

michellemalkin.com

OBAMA MUGSHOT – Obama’s Illegal Uncle Has a Valid Driver’s License and SS Number

Onyango Obama’s was arrested for driving drunk.
He is currently being held by ICE.


The Framingham Police Department in Massachusetts just released Onyango Obama’s mugshot photo to The Washington Times Water Cooler. Mr. Obama, President Obama’s uncle, was arrested by Framingham police last week and charged with a DUI. He is being held by ICE authorities, as he is an illegal immigrant from Kenya.

The Howie Carr Show told listeners today that Onyango was driving with a driver’s license and has a Social Security number.

President Barack Obama’s aunt, Zeituni Onyango, also an illegal immigrant was granted asylum last year.

thegatewaypundit.com

Obama’s Illegal Alien Uncle Onyango Nearly Hits Cop Car Drunk; Asks to Call White House

Barack Obama’s illegal alien Uncle Onyango Obama was arrested in Massachusetts this past week after he nearly hit a cop car. He wanted to call the White House.
Kerry Picket at The Washington Times reported:

A number of media outlets have already reported that an illegal immigrant from Kenya by the name of Onyango Obama, 67, was arrested last week on Wednesday after he nearly rammed his SUV into a police car in Framingham, Massachusetts.

He was later charged with DUI among other violations. I spoke to Framingham Public Information Officer Lieutenant Delaney who told me that when Onyango Obama was asked at booking if he wanted to make a telephone call to arrange for bail, the Kenyan immigrant replied: “I think I will call the White House.”

The Boston Herald has more on the arrest.

thegatewaypundit.com

Obama Administration Covering Up Cost Of Michelle Obama’s African Safari

With all the flak the Obama administration is getting over the cost of the first family’s vacationing, who can blame them for wanting to keep the cost of Michele Obama’s “family outing” to Africa for a safari a secret:

Judicial Watch has filed a lawsuit over the federal government’s refusal to disclose how much taxpayers spent to send Michelle Obama on a “family outing” that included a safari in Africa. …

“How much did the American people spend to send the First Lady on a family outing in Africa? That’s what we want to know,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “On the surface, the trip seems to have been totally unnecessary and was as much an excuse for the Obama family to go on a safari as it was a mission intended to advance the nation’s business in Africa.”

The organization requested information in June regarding the expenses for the trip. The request included records for the mission taskings for the June 21-27 trip to South Africa and Botswana, the transportation costs and all passenger manifests for the trip.

The government had until Aug. 3 to respond, but did not, so Judicial Watch now has followed up with a lawsuit.

“The professed purpose of Mrs. Obama’s trip was to encourage young people living in South Africa and Botswana to get involved in national affairs,” the Judicial Watch report said. “The First Lady’s remarks focused on education, health and wellness issues.

“However, accompanied by her daughters Malia and Sasha, her mother, Marian Robinson, and her niece and nephew, Leslie and Avery Robinson, the trip also included such tourist events as visits to historical landmarks and museums as well as a visit with Nelson Mandela,” the Judicial Watch report said.

“The trip ended with a private family safari at a South African game reserve before the group returned to Washington on June 27,” Judicial Watch said.

The nation is going broke, but by all means let’s fly Michelle Obama to Africa to mumble something to the kids about “getting involved” before hitting up the tourist stops and visiting celebrities.

sayanythingblog.com

Queen Michelle Obama Wore $156 T-Shirt For Bike Workout

Let them eat peas.
Her Royal Highness Queen Michelle Obama was out biking this week near Martha’s Vineyard.
She wore a $156 (was $200) T-shirt for the workout.

First Lady Michelle Obama prepares to dismount her bicycle along with her daughter Sasha Obama, foreground right, following a bike ride in Manuel F. Correllus State Forest in West Tisbury, Mass., on the island of Martha’s Vineyard, Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2011. The first family, including President Barack Obama and daughter Malia Obama, both not shown, participated in the outing. (AP/Steven Senne)

She wore the same shirt painting on 9-11.

thegatewaypundit.com

Facebook Removed Jan Brewer Post Criticizing Obama’s New Immigration Policies

Facebook removed Governor Jan Brewer’s post criticizing Barack Obama’s lawless new immigration policies.


Facebook did not approve of her illustration.

Barack Obama announced this week that his administration would not enforce the current immigration laws. Just last month Obama admitted he did not have the authority to make such a decision.

Jan Brewer later posted on Obama’s actions but Facebook removed the post.
KFYI reported:

Facebook said Friday it mistakenly removed a post in which Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer criticized a controversial policy decision by President Barack Obama’s administration to limit deportations of illegal immigrants.

The Republican governor had said in a post Friday that Facebook censored the item she posted Thursday because it apparently violated Facebook’s community standards.

Brewer didn’t elaborate in her post, but she said Friday in an interview that an email she received from Facebook said the post was removed because of an included illustration.

The email, which she read aloud, didn’t specify how the illustration violated standards.

“I’d like to know why it happens,” she said of the removal.

Facebook spokesman Andrew Noyes responded to a query by The Associated Press by saying in a brief email that Brewer’s post was removed in error and that Facebook was sorry.

Noyes did not provide further details, including whether the removal of the post on Thursday resulted from complaints received from other Facebook users.

Brewer reposted the item Friday, saying the original post was “censored” by Facebook. Both versions included a statement in which she criticized the Obama policy decision and the illustration, a color drawing of Brewer in a Rosie the Riveter pose.

Brewer used the drawing in her 2010 election campaign. Its headline of “doing the job the feds won’t do” refers to Brewer’s clashes with Obama’s administration on immigration and border issues.

“Something that’s been posted on there a lot of times,” Brewer said of the illustration during the interview.

thegatewaypundit.com

Despite Promise To Stop, Obama Administration Still Issuing Obamacare Waivers

And why not? After all, the President clearly doesn’t feel like he’s governing a constitutional republic. He’s instituting laws now without Congress, as though he were an elected monarch, so why not pick and choose who the laws passed by Congress will apply to as well?

Of course, the Obama administration promised to stop…in September (conveniently right before Congress re-convenes) so I guess these new waivers aren’t technically a broken promise.

The Obama administration granted another 106 waivers last month from part of the healthcare reform law — the first round of three-year waivers the Health and Human Services Department has approved.

The new approvals bring the total number of waivers to 1,472, according to HHS. Those figures cover waivers granted through the end of July. HHS will stop granting new waivers after September. …

The department announced it would cut off applications after September, but let companies that received one-year exemptions extend their waivers through 2014. The 106 waivers approved in July will last three years.

Obama apologists can certainly argue that these are only temporary waivers, and that all must be in compliance with the law by 2014, but that’s hardly an excuse. The law is the law, and the President doesn’t get to pick and choose who it applies to. A temporary waiver is no more legitimate than a permanent waiver.

If Obamacare were too stringent to be followed by these companies then the law should have been modified before passing. Or not passed at all. But that’s not the attitude Democrats too. They wanted to jam it through, and fix any problems later.

sayanythingblog.com

Obama Says He Has a “Very Specific Plan” to Fix Economy… Then Goes Golfing

Earlier this week Obama told an audence in Iowa that he has “a very specific plan” to fix the American economy.

But, first a round of golf or two.


President Barack Obama tees off while playing golf at the Vineyard Golf Club in Edgartown, Mass., on the island of Martha’s Vineyard, Friday, Aug. 19, 2011. Obama is vacationing on the island with his family during the last half of August 2011. (AP/Steven Senne)

More… Obama Tries to Shield Press From Golf Course but Fox News Cameras Were There

thegatewaypundit.com

Obama Administration Spent $1 Million Tax Dollars Advertising Obamacare Before 2010 Election

It’s just a coincidence, I’m sure, that the Department of Health and Human Services made a big, taxpayer-funded ad buy to direct internet users to their propaganda information about the health care law right before the 2010 election.

On October 25, 2010, HHS New Media Communications Director Julia Eisman sent an email to Ogilvy Senior Vice President Imani Green, reading, “Given the high performance, we’re wondering if we should we consider reallocating resources from the lesser performing words and put more $$ to ‘Obamacare’ – at least for the next 7 days.” Seven days from October 25, 2010, was November 2nd, Election Day.

“There is nothing special about November 2nd other than the fact that it was Election Day,” Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton told The Examiner. “What possible reason could the Obama HHS have for maximizing their propaganda dollars in the seven days before Election Day other than to elect Democrats? This seems to be a blatant violation of the Hatch Act, among other laws. Congress needs to get on the ball and investigate,” he concluded.

I think it’s a little silly to advertise about government programs and policies anyway. The government should have information available about laws and policy, absolutely, but the politicians get plenty of campaign contributions to defend the laws they make. There’s no need to fleece the taxpayers this way.

sayanythingblog.com

Obama bus tour finally stimulates something: More photoshop mockery

President Obama can head to Martha’s Vineyard flush with pride at the success of his jobs bus tour. It has finally stimulated something: More photoshop mockery!

Doug Powers kicked things off earlier this month with this classic:

My Twitter friend anthropocon served up these one yesterday:



And citizenbrad added this one:


Doug Ross obtained the exclusive blueprints of the Tragical Misery Tour express:

Heckuva jobs bus tour, Barry!

***

Another one from debsinger2:

michellemalkin.com