• Pinboard Links,  The Morning Flap

    The Morning Flap: February 27, 2013

    Sequestration liberation

    These are my news headlines for February 26th through February 27th:

    • Detained immigrants released; officials cite sequester cuts – Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials have released “several hundred” immigrants from deportation centers across the country, saying the move is an effort to cut costs ahead of budget cuts due to hit later this week.Announcing the news Tuesday, ICE officials said that the immigrants were released under supervision and continue to face deportation. After reviewing hundreds of cases, those released were considered low-risk and “noncriminal,” officials said.The releases took place over the last week and were an effort “to ensure detention levels stay within ICE’s current budget,” said ICE spokeswoman Gillian Christiansen, citing uncertainty caused by a budget standoff in Washington.

      “All of these individuals remain in removal proceedings. Priority for detention remains on serious criminal offenders and other individuals who pose a significant threat to public safety,” she said.

    • Politicians declare sky falling; meanwhile, D.C. real estate market booms
    • Phil Gramm: Obama and the Sequester Scare – WSJ.com – Phil Gramm: Obama and the Sequester Scare #tcot
    • 3 steps: How Dems plan to make Texas a battleground by 2016 | The Daily Caller – 3 steps: How Dems plan to make Texas a battleground by 2016 #tcot
    • Phil Gramm: Obama and the Sequester Scare – President Obama’s message could not be clearer: Life as we know it in America will change dramatically on March 1, when automatic cuts are imposed to achieve $85 billion in government-spending reductions. Furloughed government employees, flight delays and criminals set free are among the dire consequences the president has predicted. If the Washington Monument weren’t already closed for repairs, no doubt it too would be shut down.Scare tactics such as these are similar to the ones that were made when I co-authored the first sequester legislation in 1985, the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act. The 1986 sequester was triggered anyway, but the predicted disaster never came. The nation survived then. It will now.
    • Bob Woodward blasts President Obama ‘madness’ – Obama overplaying his sequestration hand.
    • 3 steps: How Dems plan to make Texas a battleground by 2016 – Today, Hispanics make up 41 percent of Texas’ citizenry, while whites made up 43 percent. The white electorate’s plurality, however, will not last — because the Hispanic population’s birth rates are higher, the Hispanic population is still growing through immigration, and the Hispanic population is younger (with a large population not yet at voting age). If legal Hispanic immigration stays consistent with 2000-2010 levels, Texas could be a plurality Hispanic state by 2017, and a majority Hispanic state by 2036.Both parties know that Hispanics are not a monolithic group, and they are not all Democrats. Though nationally they lean toward the Democrats (67 percent in 2008, 71 percent in 2012), in Texas, Democrats hold less sway (63 in 2008, and unknown in 2012 because there weren’t any exit polls).
    • Wary of crises, Americans tune out budget cut talk – President Barack Obama is pulling out all the stops to warn just what could happen if automatic budget cuts kick in. Americans are reacting with a collective yawn.They know the shtick: Obama raises the alarm, Democrats and Republicans accuse each other of holding a deal hostage, there’s a lot of yelling on cable news, and then finally, when everyone has made their points, a deal is struck and the day is saved.Maybe not this time. Two days before $85 billion in cuts are set to hit federal programs with all the precision of a wrecking ball, there are no signs that the White House and Republicans in Congress are even negotiating. Both sides appear quietly resigned to the prospect that this is one bullet we just may not dodge.
    • Club for Growth targets Republicans – The Club for Growth, the anti-tax group that has spent heavily in Republican primaries in the past few cycles, is launching a new website that names nine GOP Congress members in safe seats and urges people to help find challengers to them.Tethered to the group’s congressional scorecard that was released this week, the site, www.PrimaryMyCongressman.com, goes live later Wednesday. It names people in districts where Mitt Romney notched more than 60 percent in the 2012 presidential race, but got a lifetime rating of below 70 percent from the Club.
    • Flap’s California Blog @ Flap Twitter Digest for 2013-02-26 – Flap’s California Blog – Flap’s California Blog @ Flap Twitter Digest for 2013-02-26
    • Flap’s Blog @ Flap Twitter Daily Digest for 2013-02-26 – Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Flap’s Blog @ Flap Twitter Daily Digest for 2013-02-26 #tcot
    • Perry’s Texas Cancer Fund Mired in Pay-to-Play Claims – Bloomberg – Perry’s Texas Cancer Fund Mired in Pay-to-Play Claims #tcot
    • Perry’s Texas Cancer Fund Mired in Pay-to-Play Claims – Six years ago, Texas Governor Rick Perry persuaded voters to approve $3 billion in taxpayer-backed bonds to research cures for cancer.Now, after the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas spent $836 million with no major advances to show, its research has been halted by allegations of favoritism toward people that contributed to Perry and other leaders. A district attorney, lawmakers and the attorney general are investigating.
    • No CPAC Invite for Christie Because of ‘Limited Future’ in Republican Party – New Jersey governor Chris Christie was not invited to address the Conservative Political Action Conference because of his position on gun control, according to a source familiar with CPAC’s internal deliberations who requested anonymity to speak freely.Christie has a “limited future” in the national Republican party given his position on gun control, the source tells National Review Online. As a result, the CPAC insider says, the focus of this year’s conference, “the future of conservatism,” made Christie a bad fit.Christie, the source adds, is simply not a conservative in the eyes of organizers.
    • U.S. frees illegal immigrants from custody – The federal government released groups of illegal immigrants from custody across the country Monday at the same time the White House was making its case that impending budget cuts would harm efforts to protect the border and enforce federal immigration laws.Advocates reported “waves” of illegal immigrants being released from at least three detention centers in Texas, Florida and Louisiana.U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement confirmed the release of some illegal immigrants Monday night but would not say how many or from which detention centers.
      “In order to make the best use of our limited detention resources in the current fiscal climate and to manage our detention population under current congressionally mandated levels, ICE has directed field offices to review the detained population to ensure it is in line with available funding,” said ICE spokeswoman Gillian Christensen. “As a result of this review, a number of detained aliens have been released around the country and placed on an appropriate, more cost-effective form of supervised release.”
    • ObamaCare: Squeezing Medicare Advantage – The Obama administration is sparing no effort to scare people about the automatic spending cuts that are scheduled to hit this Friday.But the Obama administration doesn’t want to talk about its own devastating cuts in Medicare. On Friday, February 15, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced $716 billion in cuts over the next ten years. Instead of being put toward the debt, most of the money will go toward a new entitlement: Obamacare’s vast expansion of coverage for the uninsured.
    • Republicans & Immigration – Victor Davis Hanson
    • Immigration and Customs Enforcement Frees Detainees As Sequester Looms – mmigration and Customs Enforcement released some people from immigrant detention facilities across the country on Monday in response to looming federal budget cuts.”In order to make the best use of our limited detention resources in the current fiscal climate and to manage our detention population under current congressionally mandated levels, ICE has directed field offices to review the detained population to ensure it is in line with available funding,” agency spokeswoman Gillian Christensen said in a statement.ICE and the Department of Homeland Security are analyzing spending as congressional inaction increases the likelihood of so-called budget sequestration — across-the-board spending cuts that begin on March 1. Detaining immigrants is an expensive business, with an average daily cost of $122 to $164 per person, according to the American Civil Liberties Union. Alternatives, including ankle bracelets and parole, are far cheaper.
  • Pinboard Links,  The Morning Flap

    The Morning Flap: February 20, 2013

    McCain Defends Immigration amnesty

    U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., listens to a question during a town hall, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013, in Sun Lakes, Ariz. McCain defended his proposed immigration overhaul to an angry crowd in suburban Arizona in the latest sign that this border state will play a prominent role in the national immigration reform debate AP (Photo/Matt York)

    These are my news headlines for February 20th:

  • Chris Christie

    Video: Chris Christie Says HE Doesn’t Agree with Cuomo 98 Per Cent of the Time

    [youtube]http://youtu.be/Jd-e0-dOdc4[/youtube]

    Yeah, when I saw the Tweet of the post this morning that the New Jersey Republican Governor Chris Christie agrees with Democratic New York Governor Andrew Cuomo 98 per cent of the time, I didn’t believe it.

    Christie is a RINO like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jeb Bush but NOT a 98 per center.

    As you can guess, I won’t be supporting Christie for ANYTHING beyond his re-election as Governor of New Jersey.

  • Chris Christie

    Chris Christie Yells at Former White House Physician Over Weight Comment

    Good Grief!

    You remember the Flap?

    Well, the Governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie, phoned Dr. Connie Mariano and pretty much told her off.

    The public conversation has been something like this.

    “I worry that [Gov. Christie] may have a heart attack, he may have a stroke,” Mariano told CNN earlier this week. “It’s almost like a time bomb waiting to happen unless he addresses those issues before running for office.”

    Christie did not take the criticism well, firing back at the doctor from a news conference he held in New Jersey.

    “If she wants to get on a plane and come here to New Jersey and ask me if she wants to examine me and review my medical history I will have a conversation with her about that,” Christie said. “Until that time she should shut up.”

    “She must be a genius,” the Republican governor continued sarcastically. “She should probably be the surgeon general of the United States, I suspect, because she must be a genius. I think this is – listen, this is just another hack who wants five minutes on TV.”

    After these comments, Mariano said Christie called her and yelled at her.

    “It was essentially the tone of the press conference only louder,” she said. “It was hard to get anything across.”

    “I don’t think he realized who he was talking to,” Mariano told 3TV, adding that it’s common for medical experts to weigh in on the health concerns of potential presidential candidates. “I think I’m qualified to make a comment.”

    And, so does the good doctor still think that Chris Christie is a Presidential contender?

    I would say that would be a NO.

    Ironically, Mariano has been a Christie supporter and identifies herself as a Republican.  However, she said her future support for a potential Christie run in 2016 is damaged.

    “The way he acted lately I don’t think so.  He wasn’t very nice to me,” she said. “Politically if this is the way [he handles] stress… is this presidential?  I’ll have to think about that.  Is this a presidential way to behave?  C’mon.”

    Americans don’t like a BULLY and certainly one that controls the White House. The damage that Christie has done to any future national run for office is probably more fatal than his obesity.

    Put a fork in Christie for President – He’s Done!

  • Chris Christie

    Chris Christie Tells Republican And Ex-White House Doctor to Shut Up About His Weight

    Now, come on. The New Jersey governor can laugh it off with David Letterman, but not with this Republican physician?

    New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is lashing out at a former White House doctor who said she worries about the governor dying in office because he is so heavy.

    Former White House physician Connie Mariano made the comment in an interview with CNN. The Scottsdale, Ariz., doctor says she’d like to see Christie run for president in 2016 but that he needs to lose weight. She worries he could have a heart attack or stroke.

    The 50-year-old Republican governor said Wednesday that unless Mariano gives him a physical exam and takes his family history, “she should shut up.”

    Christie joked about his weight this week with David Letterman.

    Governor Christie should worry less about what others are saying and take a walk to the gym.

  • Chris Christie

    Video: Chris Christie Melts Down Over Pork-Laden Sandy Relief Bill

    [youtube]http://youtu.be/1eyOf8-jDtc[/youtube]

    In the above video, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie goes after Republican House Speaker John Boehner for among other things not taking his phone call.

    While we understand Christie’s frustration and escalation in what is obviously a personal vendetta between the two men, as so often happens, much was left unsaid. For example the fact that the proposed bill was also chock full of pork spending such as:

    • $150 million in funding for fisheries in Alaska,
    • $5.3 billion to the Army corps of engineers,
    • $56.8 million for charting the debris from last year’s Japanese tsunami,
    • $100 million for the federal Head Start day care program,
    • $20 million for a nationwide “water resources priorities study”,
    • $4 million for the … Kennedy Space Center?

    And others. Some more from the Weekly Standard:

    I grow tired of Christie’s histrionics. He obviously lacks discipline and restraint looking at him not getting his own way and his obesity.

    The voters of New Jersey may accept this type of conduct, but I won’t if he chooses to run for the Presidency.

  • Day By Day

    Day By Day November 13, 2012 – Dive, Dive!

    Day By Day for November 13, 2012

    Day By Day by Chris Muir

    Chris, you remember the story and the saying President Ronald Reagan used to tell on the stump:

    “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.'”

    The same here with Hurricane Sandy.

    Folks are seeing first hand that “Big Government” even in Blue States is not always the answer to their problems.

    On the other hand, Governor Chris Christie who was sketchy for re-election as New Jersey Governor may be winning favor with his constituents.

  • Chris Christie,  Jeb Bush,  Marco Rubio,  President 2016

    President 2016: Insiders Say Bush, Rubio or Christie

    Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio

    Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and Florida U.S. Senator Marco Rubio

    The National Journal has one of its Political Insiders polls up and this time it is the Presidential race in 2016.

    GOP insiders:

    • Marco Rubio 40%
    • Jeb Bush 27%
    • Paul Ryan 9%
    • Rick Santorum 9%
    • Chris Christie 8%

    Democratic insiders:

    • Jeb Bush 47%
    • Chris Christie 28%,
    • Marco Rubio 13%

    And, we all know that if Hillary Clinton wants the Democratic nomination that she will be the nominee.

    What do I envision?

    A Hillary Clinton vs. Jeb Bush race.

  • Chris Christie,  Marco Rubio,  Mitt Romney,  President 2012

    President 2012: Romney Might Convince Me to Accept Vice Presidency – Chris Christie

    New Jersey Governor Chris Christie arrives for a March 2012 Town Hall

    Mitt Romney could NOT do worse than Marco Rubio or Chris Christie.

    New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on Monday said Romney “might be able to convince” him to serve as his No. 2 on the Republican presidential ticket.

    “He might be able to convince me. He’s a convincing guy, but I really love this job. I really want to stay in this job” Christie said during a high school visit in Plainsboro Township, New Jersey.

    The popular Republican governor and early Romney backer said he is not interested in serving as vice president, but that he would be open to discussing the position with Romney.

    “I really have no interest in being vice president, but if Governor Romney calls and asks me to sit down and talk to him about it, I’d listen because I think you owe the nominee of your party that level of respect and who knows what he’s going to say,” Christie said. “We’ll wait and see.”

    I predicted four years ago that John McCain would pick little known Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. This time I think Mitt Romney will choose ……..

    Marco Rubio.