• Pinboard Links

    Flap’s Links for February 24th from 20:31 to 20:41

    These are my links for February 24th from 20:31 to 20:41:

    • California Little Hoover Commission’s plan rolls back California Public-Employee pensions for current workers – The bipartisan Little Hoover Commission recommended today that California state and local governments roll back pensions for existing employees, dump guaranteed retirement payouts and put more of the pension burden on workers.

      Although any attempt to reduce pensions for current workers would prompt a legal battle, the commission says that public pension funds are in such dire financial straits that they'll never right themselves by reducing benefits for new hires. The recommendation would not affect current retirees. Click here to read the commission's 106-page report.

      The most controversial Hoover proposal would allow state and local governments to freeze existing employee pension benefits and then lower them for future years worked.

      Courts have ruled that pensions are legally protected property and that government has a contractual obligation to follow through with them.

      The Hoover idea echoes a similar plan that the California Foundation for Fiscal Responsibility has said it hopes to put to a public statewide vote next year.

      Such a measure, if approved by voters, would undoubtedly trigger lawsuits that would test government's ability to alter pension promises prospectively. The foundation believes that its ballot measure would hold up in court.

      ++++++

      Will be tied up in the courts for years.

      Reform has to begin with current new workers and quickly implemented.

    • Groups officially begin recall process for seven Wisconsin lawmakers – The clock is now running for groups trying to collect enough signatures to trigger recall elections against seven Democratic senators, state officials said today.

      Reid Magney, spokesman for the Government Accountability Board, said local groups have officially registered recall committees with his agency to try to recall Sen. Bob Wirch of Kenosha and Jim Holperin of Eagle River.

      In addition, a Utah group, American Recall Coalition, has registered electronically to set up recall committees against Wirch and five other Senate Democrats – Lena Taylor of Milwaukee, Mark Miller of Monona, Julie Lassa of Stevens Point, Fred Risser of Madison and Dave Hansen of Green Bay.

      Magney said his office is still waiting to receive paper registrations from American Recall Coalition but that the out-of-state group may begin collecting signatures for the recall elections in those districts.

      "We thought we were going to have a quiet time after the election," Magney said. "Apparently not."

      The only Democratic senator who is not currently the subject of a recall bid is Spencer Coggs of Milwaukee.

      The groups need about 16,000 signatures to force a recall election for a senator, Magney said. The exact number will vary from 11,000 to 21,000 signatures, he said, depending on how many votes were cast in the 2010 governor's race in the targeted district.

      ++++++

      Recall all of the Fleebaggers

  • Pinboard Links

    Flap’s Links for February 24th from 20:05 to 20:13

    These are my links for February 24th from 20:05 to 20:13:

    • Walk-outs illegal for California state legislators – Just in Case You Were Wondering – Wisconsin, Ohio and Indiana have more in common than great college football and basketball teams.  Each has recently seen an out-of-state exodus of state lawmakers in order to stall or foil legislation that they don't want to see passed. Or that they don't want to be responsible for.

           Though I would have rather seen the in-state USC Trojans in the Rose Bowl than the out-of-state Wisconsin Badgers, I've wondered if the fleeing of Democrat lawmakers from those various Midwestern states, to duck tough votes, might have any precedent in California for Republican lawmakers that might otherwise want to avoid their responsibilities in Sacramento.

           I did consult with some esteemed co-counsel, and here is what I found out: in California, legislators are prohibited by state law from accepting payments for work related to the performance of their legislative functions.  Gov. Code 8920(b)(4) and Legislative Joint Rule 44.   Accepting payments that conflict with their work during the legislative session is illegal.   Accepting payments for lodging, meals, etc., for an "out-of-state travel" (i.e., a "walkout") to avoid performance of legislative duties (which is “work related to performance of legislative functions”) would be prohibited by law. 

           The only exception is receipt of travel payments for a bona fide out-of-state speech, and that is regulated by the FPPC.  Under a specific statute, receipt of a payment for travel outside the state to avoid legislative duties is not allowed.  Government Code Section 8922

      ++++++

      Looks like Wisconsin and Indiana need some tightening up of their legislative rules.

    • Glenn Beck doesn’t speak for mainstream conservatives? – Each time I write a post critical of Fox News host Glenn Beck, scores of conservatives e-mail and comment here at Right Turn that he's "not as bad" as the left portrays him and that, besides, there are worse figures on the left.

      The "left is worse" argument doesn't fly. Listen, I am never shy about pointing out hypocrisy by the left — as I did in response to an anti-Beck letter organized by Jewish Funds for Justice. But the argument that "the other side is worse" is not an argument that justifies Beck's conduct.

      So what should thoughtful conservatives do? I've said it before, but it is especially relevant here: Police their own side. Rather than reflexively rising to his defense when questioned about Beck, why don't conservatives call him out and explain that he doesn't represent the views of mainstream conservatives? Conservative groups and candidates should be forewarned: If they host, appear with or defend him they should be prepared to have his extremist views affixed to them.

      Fox News has every right to have whomever it wants on the air, but, likewise, conservatives have every right to and, indeed, should disassociate themselves from his brand of rhetoric.

      +++++

      Perhaps not but does William Kristol, Jennifer Rubin and Ron Paul?

      Everyone has a role – good or bad.

    • Glenn Beck: The Most Disturbing Personality on Cable Television – In the past few weeks Glenn Beck has spoken about the coming caliphate that he believes is about to envelope most of the world. He then dilated on the anti-Christ with a man who says he has “new prophetic understanding into the end times.” In 2009, this self-proclaimed prophet wrote a column titled “What Obama and the Anti-Christ Have in Common.” Then, on a recent show, the discussion focused on the coming Islamic anti-Christ. And earlier this week, an irate, bellicose Beck spoke about the “perfect storm” America faces. “I can’t honestly believe we’re finally here,” he said in praising his own prescience. In his version of events, Beck is the solitary Voice of Truth willing to expose the New World Order (complete with references to Van Jones and Code Pink).

      It’s hard to tell how much of what Beck says is sincere and how much is for show. Whatever the case, and even taking into account the entire MSNBC lineup, Glenn Beck has become the most disturbing personality on cable television

      +++++++

      Sorry, but I do not agree.

      Glenn Beck has a role on the RIGHT just as Ron Paul does – and George W. Bush for that matter

  • Mike Huckabee,  Mitt Romney,  President 2012,  Sarah Palin

    President 2012: Mike Huckabee Probably Won’t Run for President in 2012

    Former Arkansas governor and potential Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee discusses the factors he’s weighing before deciding to throw his hat in the ring for the 2012 election.

    As I have said before Mike Huckabee will NOT be a candidate for President in 2012. But, this time it is the Christian Science Monitor saying it.

    Huckabee was making the case for waiting as long as possible before quitting his day job to launch a campaign. He says he doesn’t want to walk away any sooner than he has to, because he doesn’t have much savings.

    “In order to run for president the last time, I cashed in my life insurance, my annuities,” he said. “You know, I pretty much went through everything that I ever had as an asset that I thought I might one day live on. One thing I committed to myself, my wife, and to God was that if I do this, I’m going to hopefully be in a position where I’m not so completely destitute at the end of it that I have no idea what to do if I get sick, or if I retire, or if I’m retired earlier, have a disability.”

    This is a man who was not born rich (like, say, Mr. Romney) and may feel he’s earned a few luxuries in life. Huckabee was invited to be a speaker on a Christian cruise around Alaska from June 5 to 12, and so he and his wife are going. That’s right around when he might be announcing for president – so does that mean he’s really leaning against running? Who knows.

    In other interviews this week, Huckabee appeared to psych himself out of running, only to change his tune the next day. On Monday, he told George Stephanopoulos of ABC News that Obama will be “tough to beat.” He continued: “This race is going to be like climbing a ladder pointing toward you, because Barack Obama is going to start this race with a billion dollars.”

    There’s the money thing again.

    But on Tuesday, Huckabee told Sean Hannity on Fox that he thinks Obama “can be beat.” Still, he added, “it’s the process of getting to that nomination that’s tough.”

    Ultimately, it may be a question of having the fire in the belly. Does Huckabee have it? Hard to tell. And if it’s hard to tell, doesn’t that point to “no”? After all, we’re not hearing the other nonindependently wealthy candidates ruminate about possibly draining their assets to run. They’re just out there getting ready for a campaign.

    Sarah Palin and Mitt Romney have personal wealth and/or a group of die hard followers that will fund a GOP primary campaign. They would bury Huckabee after the Iowa Caucuses.

    Mike is smart. He will stay on Fox News, build his house in Florida and go on those Christian cruises.

    A much better life anyway.

  • Charles Manson

    Charles Manson’s Attorney Asks President Obama for a Pardon

    3367354239285bae5832o50 Conservative Blogger Colleagues Have IT Wrong on Worst Figures in American History

    Charles Manson in August 16, 1969 Mugshot

    This attorney had better ask California Governor Jerry Brown since Manson was convicted of a State of California crime not a federal one.

    Charles Manson’s attorney, Giovanni Di Stefano aka “The Devil’s Advocate,” has sent President Barack Obama an unbelievable communication.  Di Stefano, who also represented Saddam Hussein, faxed the President a request that his infamous client who is serving a life sentence in California’s maximum security Corcoran Prison be set free. 

    According to TMZ, Di Stefano is seeking a presidential pardon for Manson who was convicted and sentenced to death in 1970 for his role in the infamous Tate-LaBianca murders in Los Angeles.  When the death penalty was temporarily outlawed 2 years later, Manson and his followers–Patricia Krenwinkle, Leslie Van Houten, Charles “Tex” Watson, and the late Susan Atkins–all had their sentences commuted to life.  Manson has maintained his innocence ever since, arguing that he never ordered any of his followers to commit murder.

    Which is exactly what his attorney explained to President Obama in his fax.  “Manson was nothing more than a cult leader, not a murderer,” claims Di Stefano.  “Manson didn’t do the killing.”  According to the lawyer, Manson was at the very worst, guilty only of telling his followers to “do something witchy.”  If they misunderstood and took things too far, it wasn’t the cult leader’s fault.

    Uh Huh. But, the law and U.S. Constitution is clear.

    President Obama does not have jurisdiction.

    Sorry Charlie – rot in jail.

  • Mitch Daniels

    Video: President 2012: Was Mitch Daniels Misinterpreted on Indiana Fleebag Legislators?

    Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels on FNC. February 24. 2011

    Well, was the Indiana Governor misinterpreted?

    “I need to clarify a confusion I personally caused yesterday,” Daniels said.  “Yesterday I began extemporaneous comments by saying that the activities of the last two days — and I think I gestured to the atrium — were entirely appropriate. I was talking about the protestors and those who came to express their views and the strength of those views. They are welcome here, today and every day. What they’ve done is completely appropriate. It was not to condone the activities of the House Democratic caucus, which is completely unacceptable of course. Rereading my own comments, I could see how they could have been misconstrued and a couple of people did. So just for those of you who did misunderstand, my bad, but I don’t want any question left.  Huge distinction between people exercising their first amendment rights and people who take a public paycheck, walk off the job, go to another state, and try to wreck the democratic process.”

    Or was it a faulty pronoun?

    CAVUTO: Governor, maybe you can clarify some things for me, sir, because there have been some critics of yours who’ve said “Well, we don’t quite know where Mitch Daniels is coming from.”

    Specifically, on this issue of Democrats bolting the state. You had said at the time, I believe: “This is a perfectly legitimate part of the process.”

    Did you say that? Because it sounds like what you say now is different.

    DANIELS: Well, they can be forgiven, because I was a little careless with my words. Most people understood exactly what I meant. What I said was legitimate was the protests by union members and others out in the capitol of our state.

    I was just simply saying they were within their First Amendment rights. I have always said what the Democrats did — walking off the job, taking taxpayer dollars over to a swimming pool in Illinois — was unacceptable and outrageous and embarrassing.

    But there was one news story in which those two things were confused, and I’ll take the responsibility for not being clearer about my pronoun.

    Nevertheless, clarification has been made and Mitch Daniels did confront the same issue as Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker did but six years previous. The issue confronting the Indiana Legislature was PRIVATE Right to Work laws.

    Now, the Indiana Fleebaggers want to negotiate MORE issues before they return from Illinois.

    How Mitch Daniels decides this FlAP will be watched as a predictor of Presidential leadership.

  • Pinboard Links

    Flap’s Links for February 24th from 14:06 to 14:17

    These are my links for February 24th from 14:06 to 14:17:

    • Follow the Money – Who Benefits from the Public Employee Unions? – Everyone has priorities. During the past week, Barack Obama has found no time to condemn the attacks that Libyan dictator Moammar Gaddafi has launched on the Libyan people.

      But he did find time to be interviewed by a Wisconsin television station and weigh in on the dispute between Republican governor Scott Walker and the state’s public-employee unions. Walker was staging “an assault on unions,” he said, and added that “public employee unions make enormous contributions to our states and our citizens.”

      Enormous contributions, yes — to the Democratic party and the Obama campaign. Unions, most of whose members are public employees, gave Democrats some $400 million in the 2008 election cycle. The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, the biggest public-employee union, gave Democrats $90 million in the 2010 cycle.

      “Follow the money,” Washington reporters like to say. The money in this case comes from taxpayers, present and future, who are the source of every penny of dues paid to public-employee unions — who in turn spend much of that money on politics, almost all of it for Democrats. In effect, public-employee unions are a mechanism by which every taxpayer is forced to fund the Democratic party.

      So, just as the president complained in his 2010 State of the Union address about a Supreme Court decision that he feared would increase the flow of money to Republicans, he also found time to complain about a proposed state law that could reduce the flow of money to Democrats.

      And, according to the Washington Post, he had time enough to get the Democratic National Committee to organize protests against the proposed Wisconsin law — protests that showed contempt for the law, with teachers abandoning classrooms, doctors writing phony medical excuses, Democratic legislators fleeing the state and holing up in a motel. The lawmakers played hooky without losing any salary, which is protected by the state constitution.

      It’s true that Walker’s proposals would strike hard at the power of the public-employee unions. They would no longer have the right to bargain for fringe benefits, which are threatening to bankrupt the state government, and they would no longer be able to count on government withholding dues money and passing it along to them.

      But what are the contributions that public-employee unions make to our states and our citizens? Their incentives are to increase the cost of government and reduce toward zero the accountability of public employees — both contrary to the interests of taxpaying citizens.

      ++++++

      Read it all

    • Obama’s Gay-Marriage Striptease – The Obama administration’s announcement today that it regards the Defense of Marriage Act as unconstitutional and will not defend it in court is the latest act in a striptease. President Obama favors same-sex marriage — favors its judicial imposition — and is casting off the disguises that have hidden that position one by one.

      The portion of the Defense of Marriage Act on which the administration just opined defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman for the purposes of federal law. So if a state court declares that in Massachusetts men can marry each other, its edict does not require the federal government to provide spousal benefits under Social Security to such couples. Obama, while claiming to oppose same-sex marriage, has also favored repeal of this act.

      ++++++

      Read it all

    • President 2012: Mike Huckabee defends Obama on Jeremiah Wright – In an interview with Christianity Today, Mike Huckabee denounces the line of attack that Republicans opened up against Obama in 2008 concerning his controversial pastor Jeremiah Wright. Huckabee, on Obama:

      He's been very expressive in his statements, even at the Saddleback Forum when he ran in 2008. He spelled out very clearly what his view was, and frankly, it's inappropriate , wrong-headed, and not helpful to the overall discussion when people try to say he doesn't have a birth certificate or he's a Muslim. To me that demeans the entire real discussion—what is he proposing and whether it's good for the country—that ought to be the centerpiece for our entire conversation, not what did he hear when he sat in church. If people went back and heard every sermon I heard when I was a little kid and some of the more fundamentalist pastors were yelling from the pulpit at me, if they took every one of those sermons and lifted out of them certain phrases and things, it could be scandalous, but only out of the context of the bigger picture. That's why I thought that a lot of the focus on Jeremiah Wright was misplaced.

      ++++++

      Still think Huckabee is running for President in 2012?

      Mike will have a hard time winning the GOP nomination and he will not readily give up his fat paycheck at Fox News.

    • Watchdog calls for criminal probe of Governor Walker over prank Koch call – A Washington-based campaign finance watchdog group is calling on Wisconsin prosecutors to launch an investigation of Governor Scott Walker, alleging potentially illegal fundraising activity in an exchange with the prankster who posed as billionaire David Koch, the group says.

      The Public Campaign Action Fund provided me with a letter it has sent to the Dane County District Attorney, who has jurisdiction over state government matters, asking him to probe whether Walker engaged in an effort to solicit "illegal coordinated political spending," as well as whether he illegally did so from state property, i.e., his office.

      +++++++

      Greg Sargent is a lackey for the Far Left and what else do you expect from the Fleebag LEFT.

      This is as stupid as it is moronic.

  • Mike Huckabee,  Mitch Daniels,  Mitt Romney,  Newt Gingrich,  President 2012,  Sarah Palin

    President 2012 GOP Poll Watch: Issues Separate Republican Candidates



    This is an interesting poll from Gallup in how Republican Presidential contenders are perceived by the issues of the day.

    Although Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney, and Sarah Palin lead the field of potential Republican presidential candidates among all Republicans nationwide, there are significant differences in candidate preferences when Republicans are divided by the issue they think is most important. Those focused on government spending and power are most likely to favor Huckabee or Romney, while those focused on the economy favor Romney or Palin. Republicans who say social and moral values are most important favor Huckabee or Palin.

    An intuitive result with the more socially conservative Huckabee (Southern Baptist Minister) and Tea Party favorite Palin doing well with the social cons and Romney (the Mormon) not so much. Here is the summary for each:

    Huckabee:

    wins among the social and moral values issues segment, as might be expected given his background as a Southern Baptist minister. He essentially ties Romney among the group most interested in government spending and power and ties Palin among the national security and foreign policy group, but does less well among those interested in business and the economy. This suggests Huckabee’s possible weakness as a potential presidential candidate is views of his ability to deal with economic issues.

    Huckabee’s stance on the “Fair Tax” and his propensity for Arkansas tax increases while Governor are weaknesses.

    Romney:

    wins among those focused on business and the economy, as befits his former experience as a businessman with a Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard. He ties Huckabee among those interested in government spending and power, but does less well among those focused on national security and particularly so among those focused on social issues. The latter positioning could reflect his switching positions on values issues such as abortion prior to his 2008 run for president.

    Being am accomplished businessman plays to his strength while flip-flopping on social issues and his Mormonism hurt him.

    Palin:

    does slightly better among those focused on national security and foreign policy than on values issues and business and the economy. She performs much less well among those focused on government spending and power, despite being one of the leading public supporters of the Tea Party movement.

    This must be an outlier since Sarah is the least experienced in foreign policy and has been a vocal advocate for the Tea Party, smaller government folks.

    Gingrich:

    does better among Republicans focused on government spending and power, but this is the only set of issues on which his support among Republican segments is in double digits.

    Poor Newt is not doing well in these pre-debate match-ups but look for him to perform better once the field is solidified.

    What are the most important issues for Republicans as the Presidential race begins?

    And, differences by demographic category:

    Maybe Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels is right about the “truce” on social issues since the others seem to trump them.

    There are many ways to segment the Republican voting population as next year’s presidential primaries and caucuses draw closer. One of these is “issues voting groups” — divisions based on the issues voters consider most important in their political thinking. Given four issue choices, Republicans at this point are most focused on two: the role of government and the economy. Fewer Republicans choose national security and moral issues at this point in the 2012 election cycle, even though international and moral issues have often defined the GOP’s political platforms in previous years.

    These issue segments do not totally determine candidate preferences at this point, but some strengths and weaknesses of the leading candidates among Republicans in each of these groups do emerge. Huckabee has his greatest strength among those focused on social and moral issues, and is weaker among business- and economy-focused voters. Romney does relatively well among each issue group except those most focused on moral issues. Palin is strongest among foreign policy-focused voters and is weaker among those interested in government power and spending. Gingrich is modestly stronger among Republicans interested in government power.

  • Pinboard Links

    Flap’s Links for February 24th from 10:36 to 10:41

    These are my links for February 24th from 10:36 to 10:41:

    • New Planned Parenthood Report: Record Abortions Done in 2009 – A new report the Planned Parenthood national abortion business recently released shows the embattled agency did more abortions in 2009 than it has done in any prior year. The report also shows it providing fewer pregnant women with non-abortion services.

      Planned Parenthood Federation of America recently posted on its website what it calls its service numbers for 2009. This document, dated February 2011, shows Planned Parenthood affiliates nationwide did 332,278 surgical abortions or abortions using the dangerous RU 486 abortion during in 2009.

      That’s 2.5 percent more abortions than the September 2010 report the abortion business released covering 2008 and showing it doing 324,008 abortions, which was a 6.1 percent increase over the 305,310 abortions it did in 2007. The 2007 figure was itself a 5.3 percent increase over the 289,750 abortions Planned Parenthood did in 2006.

      With approximately 1.2 million abortions done annually in the United States via surgical abortions or the mifepristone abortion drug, Planned Parenthood has increased its share of the abortion industry to 27.6 percent of all abortions done annually.

      However, the new numbers make it more clear that women who are pregnant who come to Planned Parenthood receive only abortion services rather than help and support.

      The new document the abortion organization posted shows Planned Parenthood provided prenatal services to merely 7,021 women and referred only 977 women for adoption services. These numbers were a 25 percent drop in prenatal care clients and a whopping 59 percent decline in adoption referrals from the 2,405 adoption referrals in 2008. The abortion business helped only 9,433 prenatal clients in 2008, down substantially from the 11,000 women it provided prenatal care to in 2007 — showing health care given to pregnant woman has fallen substantially over the years.

      As a result, 97.6 percent of pregnant women going to Planned Parenthood are sold abortions while less than 2.4 percent of pregnant women received non-abortion services including adoption and prenatal care. That’s up from 96.5 percent of pregnant women going to Planned Parenthood getting abortions in 2008.

      “Despite its protestations that abortion is only a small part of its services,” said Jim Sedlak, vice president of the pro-life group American Life League, “Planned Parenthood has increased its number of abortions for 15 straight years. During that time, it has gone from committing 9.3 percent of all abortions in the United States to committing 27.5 percent.”

      ++++++

      Read it all

    • Obama Backers Given Singing Slots for Motown Bash – Sheryl Crow is Motown? – Some of the performers at tonight’s White House tribute to Motown don’t seem to have much obvious connection to Motown. But they do have a connection: to Obama.

      Tonight’s East Room event is titled, “The Motown Sound: In Performance at the White House – a Thank You from the Obamas to Their Supporters.”

      OK, actually, it’s only titled, “The Motown Sound: In Performance at the White House,” but that hardly seems to do the event justice.

      Let’s start by wondering what white teen idol Nick Jonas is doing on the line up.

      ++++++

      Obama cannot even do Motown right.