• Pinboard Links

    Flap’s Links and Comments for May 2nd on 21:26

    May 2, 2011 /

    These are my links for May 2nd from 21:26 to 21:39:

    • Mitch Daniels: Does he have any foreign policy views? – Right Turn – The Washington Post – Mitch Daniels: Does he have any foreign policy views?
    • Mitch Daniels: Does he have any foreign policy views? – The 2012 Republican presidential candidates and potential candidates are weighing in on the most significant development in the war on Islamic terrorism in years. Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty and Newt Gingrich have commented on the news of Osama bin Laden’s death, offering praise for our magnificent armed forces and intelligence team. Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) and Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) have issued statements as well. Mike Huckabee’s comments included the best line of the day: “Welcome to hell.” New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) had extended remarks, and his staff put out the video.

      The one noticeable exception? Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels (R). I was surprised and e-mailed his staff. I received a one-word answer as to whether he had comment on the killing of Osama bin Laden: “No.”

      This response does not strike me as one from a guy who envisions himself as commander in chief. Other than mouthing Ronald Reagan’s now very shopworn slogan (“Peace through strength”), Daniels speaks only of national security when he describes the need to cut defense spending.

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      Maybe Jennifer the Daniels folks just did not want to respond to you. Everyone on the right knows you are not Mitch's favorite fan.

      Think about it…..

  • Pinboard Links

    Flap’s Links and Comments for April 5th on 06:36

    April 5, 2011 /

    These are my links for April 5th from 06:36 to 07:58:

    • Top 10 dumb arguments against Paul Ryan’s budget – Liberals with furrowed brows are conjuring up attacks (many contradictory) on Rep. Paul Ryan’s (R-Wis.) budget. To save them time, I’ve come up with 10 of these that don’t pass the laugh test ( and I even explain why the arguments aren’t worth making):

      1. It doesn’t balance the budget in 10 years. Ryan’s budget puts us in “primary balance” ( the term President Obama is fond of using) in 2015; Obama’s never does. In 2012 the deficit is less than $1 trillion; Obama’s is over a trillion in 2012, the fourth straight year of trillion-dollar deficits. If you want to balance the budget in a decade you are looking at massive tax increases and substantial cuts in entitlement benefits for current retirees. Does Obama want to make that proposal?

      2. It favors the rich. Actually, the rich are “hurt” by items such as Medicare means testing and by wiping out corporate welfare. The White House’s plan to do nothing on Medicaid will eventually leave the poor with a defunct health plan.

      3. Ryan spares defense. He follows Obama’s defense spending cuts — $178 billion in the 2012 budget. Considering we are now fighting three, not two, wars under Obama, that seems rather draconian actually.

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      Read it all.

    • Charlie Cook: Warning Signs Among the GOP – Until recently, Republicans were taking solace in a number of things as they looked forward to 2012. For one, Republicans knew that the party not holding the White House rarely suffered large House and Senate losses in presidential reelection years.
      In fact, the only time that has happened in recent history was to Republicans in 1964 when Lyndon Johnson won the White House a year after the assassination of President John Kennedy. 
      Republicans also took comfort in knowing that they would control redistricting efforts in states with 202 congressional districts, compared to Democrats who have control over the lines in states with just 47 districts. 
      The huge Republican redistricting gains many had predicted before the new year appear less likely today. Republicans will be able to protect a number of their freshmen in redistricting, but Democrats could reap a bonanza of new seats in Illinois and possibly in Florida and California, if new processes in those two jackpots play out as Democrats believe they will.
      In the end, the GOP’s remapping gains might not be large enough to offset losses among some of the more exotic and problematic freshmen who won narrowly in swing districts.
      Finally, Republicans have had even more reason to feel secure since redistricting was occurring the year after a huge wave benefited them, and Democrats have to win 25 seats for control in the House to flip.

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      Sorry Charlie – but there are no signs of concern.

      The economy is not improving and except in California., Obama is toxic and Pelosi is more so.

  • Pinboard Links

    Flap’s Links and Comments for April 1st on 05:13

    April 1, 2011 /

    These are my links for April 1st from 05:13 to 05:31:

  • Pinboard Links

    Flap’s Links and Comments for March 28th on 09:30

    March 28, 2011 /

    These are my links for March 28th from 09:30 to 13:45:

  • Pinboard Links

    Flap’s Links and Comments for March 24th on 05:40

    March 24, 2011 /

    These are my links for March 24th from 05:40 to 07:44:

    • MO-Sen: Sen. Claire McCaskill sees tax bill increase – Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill's tax bill continues to grow, much to the delight of Republicans.

      The first-term Democrat will likely have to pay close to an additional $40,000 to St. Louis County to cover interest and penalties related to her failure to pay personal property taxes on a private plane stored at the Spirit of St. Louis airport.

      McCaskill has already sent the county's Department of Revenue checks for more than $287,000 to cover the personal property taxes owed on the plane for 2007 to 2010.

      That left her with an outstanding balance of $32,000, although that could change, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 

      The senator has yet to receive a final tax bill and has been making payments proactively to rectify the matter, according to her office.

      ======

      The private plane that keeps on giving

    • In-Sen: There is a reason for a primary challenge to Sen. Dick Lugar – But NOT this Reason – Sen. Dick Lugar (R-Ind.) has never been a favorite of movement conservatives, and certainly not since President Obama was elected. He’s been a pushover on Obama’s extreme nominees (both on judges and on State Department picks such as Harold Koh, whose writings on deference to international law set off alarm bells on the right.) He’s flacked for the administration on START. But until now, he has not played the isolationist card. That appears to be changing. He’s put out yet another cringe-inducing statement on Libya:

      “There needs to be a plan about what happens after Gadhafi,” Lugar said. “Who will be in charge then, and who pays for this all. President Obama, so far, has only expressed vague hopes.”

      “Congress has been squabbling for months over a budget to run the federal government for a fiscal year that is almost half over,” Lugar said. “We argue over where to cut $100 million here and there from programs many people like. So here comes an open-ended military action with no-end game envisioned.

      With the Arab League already having second thoughts, and Turkey nixing NATO taking over, today there are even more questions. We also have to debate how all this effects the Saudis, Bahrain and Yemen.”

      “The facts are that our budget is stretched too far and our troops are stretched too far,” Lugar said. “The American people require a full understanding and accounting, through a full and open debate in Congress.”

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      Sorry Jennifer, I cannot agree.

      There is NO national interest in involvement in Libya. Let Europe carry the ball.

      And, if Afghanistan does not turn around soon, I say get out of there too.

      This is not only a conservative position but the common sense one as well.