Elliot Ness, Where Are You?

Maybe just politics as usual in Illinois. But it is pretty convenient.

From Atlas Shrugs:

http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2010/10/chicagoland-dirty-politics-obama-stumping-for-gangster-alexi-giannoulias.html


A good friend of mine, a Democrat, told me he wasn't going to vote in the Mid Terms. I told him. "It's OK. you just did."

Read all of the above carefully. Follow all of the links. Interesting reading, to say the least.

In Liberty,
Skeez

BREAKING NEWS: Khadr sentenced to 40 years

Omar Khadr has just been sentenced to 40 years by the military jury in GITMO. He will not serve that, because of a plea deal prior to his admission of guilt to all charges as the military commission reached its final stages. From the BBC:

31 October 2010 Last updated at 18:02 ET

Guantanamo Bay's youngest militant Omar Khadr jailed

Omar Khadr pleaded guilty to five war crimes charges last week

A US military tribunal has sentenced a self-confessed Islamist militant to 40 years in jail on charges that include murdering a US soldier and conspiring to commit terrorist acts.

Canadian Omar Khadr, now 24, pleaded guilty to the charges at the Guantanamo Bay tribunal last week.

However, Khadr's plea deal limited his sentence to eight years.

Caught in 2002 at the age of 15, he is the fifth Guantanamo inmate to be convicted at the military tribunals.

A seven-member military panel deliberated for nearly nine hours over a two-day period before reaching its decision on Sunday...(more here)

I will have more. Stay tuned.

VIDEO- Sharron Angle Ad: 'Welcome To Nevada Mr. President'

Awesome ad that ties Harry Reid with Barack Obama.

Welcome to Nevada, Mr. President, via YouTube.



Hard hitting, to the point and one of the best Sharron Angle ads to date.

H/T Table9.

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Ouch.. Latest Whitman Ad Shows Jerry Brown Admitting Campaign Promises All Lies

Major freaking Hat Tip To Hot Air for the video below.



Via Hot Air.

The Michael Kinsley definition of politcal gaffe is the accidental telling of an embarrassing truth — and if that’s the case, Jerry Brown committed the ultimate gaffe. Only Brown didn’t commit the gaffe in this campaign; he committed it fifteen years ago in an interview with CNN. Brown told the network that politicians in his experience don’t really have plans for governing, or at least specifically in his own experience. He admitted that he lied in order to win election in 1974, and Meg Whitman pounces on it in this eleventh-hour ad:

Transcript:

Interviewer: You said something a moment ago that I have to follow up on and I have to draw you out on. You said you don’t have to lie anymore now that you’re not a politician. What did you lie about when you were governor?

Jerry Brown: It’s all a lie. You’re pretending there’s a plan…

Interviewer: What did you lie about?

Jerry Brown: You run for office and the assumption is “Oh, I know what to do”. You don’t. I didn’t have a plan for California. Clinton doesn’t have a plan. Bush doesn’t have a plan.

Interviewer: You said you had a plan for California and you lied because you didn’t have a plan?

Jerry Brown: You say you’re going to lower taxes, you’re going to put people to work, you’re gonna improve the schools, you’re going to stop crime… crime is up, schools are worse, taxes are higher. I mean be real!

the hardest hitting ad to date because Whitman is using Brown's own words, his own confession about telling whatever lies he has to in order to win an election.

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Obama Cannot Fill Seats Anymore

Via The Hill's Ballot Box, headline "Thousands of empty seats for last Dem voter rally by Obama, Biden."

Photo:



A far cry from when Obama had standing room only for his speeches.


(Saint Paul, Minnesota-2008)



The pictures speak for themselves. The honeymoon is over.

.

Arkansas Senate Race: Obamacare Is Key Factor In Decline Of Blanche Lincoln Chances For Reelection

Rasmussen reports that Republican Congressman John Boozman is ahead of Senator Blanche Lincoln in the Arkansas Senate Race, 55 percent to Lincoln's 36 percent.

Boozman has kept a consistent lead over Lincoln since February 2010. In early voting Boozman continues to lead over Lincoln with 55 percent to 38 percent.

It is clear that Lincoln's vote for Obamacare, which was opposed by the majority in Arkansas, has been an influence in her decline.

Lincoln, who is seeking a third six-year term, was reelected in 2004 with 54% of the vote. But her procedural vote to keep the Obama health care bill alive in the Senate last December appears to have been a key factor in her declining political fortunes in a state where the president and many of his policies are highly unpopular.

Seventy percent (70%) of Arkansas voters favor repeal of the national health care law, while 28% oppose repeal. This is much higher support for repeal than is found nationally and includes 61% who Strongly Favor repeal and 20% who are Strongly Opposed.

Yesterday it was reported that Democratic politicians that voted for Obamacare were suffering and likely to lose seats in the upcoming midterm election, held November 2, 2010.

Democratic Reps. Ann Kirkpatrick (Ariz.), Suzanne Kosmas (Fla.), Debbie Halvorson (Ill.), Kathy Dahlkemper (Pa.), Carol Shea-Porter (N.H.), Mary Jo Kilroy (Ohio), Steve Driehaus (Ohio) and Betsy Markey (Colo.) were all late yes votes on health reform. Most, if not all, of them will lose on Tuesday, according to nonpartisan campaign experts.

Other Democrats who announced their support in the last few days before the March 21 vote are in tossup races, including Reps. Harry Mitchell (Ariz.), Paul Kanjorski (Pa.), Chris Carney (Pa.) and Bill Foster (Ill.).

Blanche Lincoln is suffering from her betrayal of her constituents, as many other Democratic politicians are.

I wonder if on November 3, 2010 she will think it was worth going against the will and wishes of her constituents.

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Achorage CBS Affiliate Conspiring to Manufacture News To Influence Election? UPDATE KTVA Admits To Call, Denies Interpretation

If this proves to be true it will be one of the major media/ CBS scandals to rock the 2010 midterm elections.



Headline: "Anchorage CBS Affiliate Caught on Voicemail Conspiring Against Alaska's GOP Senate Candidate."

The following voice mail message was inadvertently left on the cell phone of Joe Miller campaign spokesperson Randy DeSoto.

The voices are believed to be those of the news director for CBS Anchorage affiliate KTVA, along with assignment editor Nick McDermott, and other reporters, openly discussing creating, if not fabricating, two stories about Republican nominee for U.S. Senate, Joe Miller.

The following is a transcript of a call recorded after CBS Alaska affiliate KTVA called Joe Miller’s Senate campaign spokesperson. The call failed to disconnect properly. It was later authenticated by McDermott, who sent a text to Randy DeSoto stating, “Damn iPhone… I left you a long message. I thought I hung up. Sorry.”

There is a transcript of the call provided of the YouTube audio above.

Hot Air's Ed Morrissey has a request in to Nick McDermott and news director Staci Feger asking for confirmation and comment and will update their post with any response they get.

Miller's website issues a press release:

Anchorage, Alaska. October 30, 2010 – In an apparent accidental voice mail message left on the cell phone of Joe Miller’s spokesperson, Randy DeSoto, what is believed to be the news director for CBS Anchorage affiliate KTVA, along with assignment editor Nick McDermott, and other reporters, openly discuss creating, if not fabricating, two stories about Republican nominee for U.S. Senate, Joe Miller. The voice mail message was later authenticated by Mr. McDermott, who sent a text to DeSoto stating “Damn iPhone … I left you a long message. I thought I hung up. Sorry.”

“Frankly, when I first heard this I was shocked,” said DeSoto. “Though a bit garbled at times, there are disturbing comments in this conservation that never should have occurred.”

In the first discussion, the KTVA reporters discuss getting a list of Miller campaign supporters in order to ‘find’ a “child molester.” “You have to find that one person,” says the male reporter, to laughter in the news room. The reporters at KTVA then discuss creating a “Rand Paul” incident at the then upcoming Miller Rally (held on October 28, 2010) and hoping for violence so that they can “send out a tweet” and “Facebook” that “Miller got punched” at the rally.

Attached is a transcript of the conversation from KTVA reporters.

Here is a link to the audio where you can hear the discussion

Sarah Palin calls them "corrupt bastards", via twitter.


Palin also discusses this in an interview, via Right Scoop, shown below.



Via the Contact page for KTVA, the information should readers wish to contact the station itself to ask for answers about their alleged deliberate collaboration to manufacture news to influence the Alaska election.

Alaska Broadcasting Company, Inc

1007 W. 32nd Avenue
Anchorage, Alaska 99503
Phone: 907-273-3192
Fax: 907-273-3189


Sales and Administration Office
3330 Arctic Boulevard, Suite 206
Anchorage, Alaska 99503
Phone: 907-646-2100
Fax: 907-646-2166


Vice President & General Manager: Jerry Bever

General Sales Manager: Laurie Bruce

Marketing Director: Shelley Byrd

Business Manager: Susan Sinclair

Programming Manager: Cyd Terhune

Traffic Manager: Monica Bouvier

Operations Manager: Bush Houston

Manager of Information Systems: John Berglin


News Department

1007 West 32nd Avenue
Anchorage, Alaska 99503
Phone: 907-273-3186
Fax: 907-273-3188
E-mail: 11news@ktva.com


News Director: Staci Feger

Assistant News Director: MJ Thim

Assignment Manager: Nick McDermott

Executive Producer: Carolyn Kuckertz

Web Producer: Colleen Kelly


[Update] CBS Affiliate releases a statement denying the allegations, reported by The Politico, while admitting the call was real and originating from KTVA .

A press release issued Saturday October 30, 2010, by the Joe Miller campaign claims that KTVA personnel, "openly discuss creating, if not fabricating, two stories about Republican nominee for U.S. Senate, Joe Miller." KTVA General Manager Jerry Bever says, "It's unfortunate that this recording has happened. It's unfortunate because it does not accurately reflect the journalistic standards of our newsroom and the garbled context will no doubt leave more questions than answers. The Miller campaign's analysis of the recording is incorrect in many material ways ranging from personnel involved in the conversation, the interpretation of conversation snippets and the reported transcript of the perceived garbled conversation."

"While the recording is real, the allegations are untrue," said Bever. "The recording was the result of a cell phone not being hung up after a call was placed to Randy DeSoto, Joe Miller campaign spokesperson, Thursday afternoon to discuss Joe Miller's appearance on that evening's newscast. That phone call was placed near the end of a coverage planning meeting in our newsroom regarding that evening's Miller rally in downtown Anchorage. The group of KTVA news personnel was reviewing potential "what-if" scenarios, discussing the likelihood of events at the rally and how KTVA might logistically disseminate any breaking news."

Bever continues, "The perception that this garbled, out of context recording may leave is unfortunate, but to allege that our staff was discussing or planning to create or fabricate stories regarding candidate Miller is absurd. The complete conversation was about what others might be able to do to cause disruption within the Miller campaign, not what KTVA could do."

While Bever would not discuss any personnel issues linked with the recording, Bever says "Have we had internal discussions about the level of professionalism we need to bring to our conversations, internally and externally? Of course we have, this is a lesson to learn from."

Not looking good for KTVA at this point.

Back to the transcript which shows how weak an argument KTVA provides:(H/T Hot Air)

FEMALE REPORTER: That’s up to you because you’re the expert, but that’s what I would do…I’d wait until you see who showed up because that indicates we already know something…
[Laughter]
[INAUDIBLE]
FEMALE REPORTER: Child molesters…
MALE REPORTER: Oh yeah… can you repeat Joe Miller’s…uh… list of people, campaign workers, which one’s the molester?
[INAUDIBLE]
FEMALE VOICE: We know that out of all the people that will show up tonight, at least one of them will be a registered sex offender.
[Laughter]
MALE REPORTER: You have to find that one person…
[INAUDIBLE]
FEMALE REPORTER: And the one thing we can do is ….we won’t know….we won’t know but if there is any sort of chaos whatsoever we can put out a twitter/facebook alert: saying what the… ‘Hey Joe Miller punched at rally.’
FEMALE REPORTER: Kinda like Rand Paul…I like that.
[Laughter]
FEMALE REPORTER: That’s a good one.

They are going to have to do better than saying it is a matter of interpretation.

(Minor adjustments made to this post)

NFL 2010 Week 8 Recap

NFL 2010 Week 8 Recap, updated throughout the day.

http://www.tygrrrrexpress.com/2010/10/nfl-2010-week-8-recap/

For Hal Levine (Halloween for the non-Jewish), tonight is the freak show in West Hollywood, always a fun time.

eric aka the Tygrrrr Express

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll: GOP Has 10 Point Advantage In Generic Ballot

Two days before the midterm elections and CNN/Opinion Research Corporation publishes the results of their latest poll showing the GOP has a 10 point advantage in the congressional generic ballot, where voters are asked whether they will vote for a Republican or Democrat without any names given.

Republicans do better in the likely voter model than they do with all registered voters, with 52 percent of likely voters saying they will cast their vote for the Republican and 42 for the Democrat on the ballot.

Majorities of Republicans and Democrats both state they will vote for their own party candidate, which is why Independents are the voting blog to watch.

Among Independents, those not affiliated with either party, 55 percent will vote for the Republican choice with only 32 percent saying they will vote for the Democratic choice.

"Six in ten suburban voters say they plan to vote for the Republican candidate for the U.S. House on Tuesday,” says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. “That's not good news for the Democrats since most of the seats in play are in suburban districts."

Full poll results can be found at this link. (PDF)

While I have often said polls are simply a snapshot and are not always correct, they are a great indicator of patterns, meaning if polls all head in one direction consistently, then a pattern emerges that gives those watching the polls a general idea of how an election will turn out.

The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation polling numbers are on the high end of the scale for Republicans, with a Washington Post-ABC News poll showing the GOP with only a 4 point advantage among likely voters and Democratic advantage among registered voters.

The pattern is still there, the actual figures differ but two interesting portions of the Wapo article written about their poll stood out.

A narrow majority of likely voters, 52 percent, also disapproves of the way Obama is handling his job as president.

[...]

Among voters who are inclined to skip Tuesday's vote, Obama boasts a heartier 58 percent approval rating.

What this tells us is all the stumping around the country by Barack Obama to help Democrats limit the projected losses, hasn't helped.

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Harry Reid To Try To Pass DREAM Act During Lame Duck Session

Stunts like trying to pass the DREAM Act during the lame duck session (the time between the election and when new Senators take over their positions) is the exact type of disrespect Harry Reid has shown to the American public since he became Senate Majority Leader and why many want to see Sharron Angle defeat Reid in the Nevada Senate race.

“The DREAM Act would give a group of young immigrants here without immigration status through no fault of their own the chance to attend college, serve in the military and earn citizenship,” said Frank Sharry, executive director of America’s Voice. “These valedictorians, future scientists and future soldiers are Americans in all but paperwork, and we are thrilled that Senator Reid is committed to moving this common-sense measure before the end of the year.”

“We support and will be looking for viable efforts to pass the DREAM Act after the election,” said Center for American Progress Vice President for Immigration Policy Advocacy Angela Kelley. “In order for that to happen however, like-minded Republicans will have to step forward and show their support for this modest measure to provide relief to young people. There hasn’t been a lot to suggest that bipartisan constructive conversation on immigration is possible, but I’d love to be proven wrong.”

Notice how they use the term "young people"?

To be eligible for the DREAM Act, illegal immigrants must be between the ages of 12 and 35 at the time the bill is enacted.

Reid tried attaching the DREAM Act to the Defense Bill and it was filibustered and now he is promising to bring it back up during the lame duck session, amazingly enough, this announcement is made right before Tuesday's election... subtle huh?

Republicans that even consider joining in or helping this bill pass in any way, shape or form, during the lame duck session, would be smart to remember exactly what is happening to Democrats this election cycle by passing legislation the majority of Americans were opposed to. Because in 2012, I guarantee voters, the Republican's constituents WILL REMEMBER and will replace them also.

If Reid loses his reelection bid, he not only loses his Senator status in January but he can no longer damage our country with his back room deals and bribe and showing complete disdain for voters of this country by abusing his Senate Majority Leader status with these type of stunts.

In between November and January though, Reid could do a lot of damage unless we stay on our Senators and Representatives.

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Catch Phrase

Before I open this piece. Please stand, place your hand over your heart, and recite "The Pledge Of Allegiance. As told by the most famous comedian, and truest Patriot, Red Skelton. ALL words included, and explained.


Amazing Man, with the fore site of what we deal with today. We have become a people of Catch Phrases. No more brilliant soliloquy. Who knows where it started? "Hell No! We Won't Go!"? How about "I Like Ike"? I'm sure it was a lot longer back, probably to save time and space in the newspapers.
Catch phrase of the day seem to be, "The Last 8 Years". I'll counter, "The Last 2 Years!". We also have "We Warned You", "Miss Me Yet", "Hope And Change", "How Is That Change Working Out".
Many more,...but one of my faves is "Bumper Sticker Politics". (This one would not have worked 200 years ago)

But probably the oldest, and truest today, as in the past. "DON'T TREAD ON ME". It goes along with what Red was explaining about Government. We the people, are the Government. Not the other way around.
Maybe Barack should watch something like this. I doubt it happens, and wouldn't make a bit of difference if he did. But we can Hope! :)

In Liberty, and Freedom in 3 days.
VOTE! and tell your friends.
Skeez

Had to add something.


Last Catch Phrase "Hell's Comin' With Me!" November 2nd, 2010

Hal Levine 2010--Pimps, Players, Mack Daddies, Hotties, Hootchies, and Doofuses

Hal Levine (Halloween for the non-Jewish) 2010 shall be dedicated to pimps, players, mack daddies, daddy macks, hotties, hos, hootchies, and doofuses. I have no idea what I just said.

http://www.tygrrrrexpress.com/2010/10/hal-levine-2010-pimps-players-mack-daddies-hotties-hootchies-and-doofuses/

eric aka the Tygrrrr Express

A Few Democratic Obamacare/Pelosi Sacrifices

When Nancy Pelosi needed votes for Obamacare to get it passed through the House of Representatives without any bipartisan support, many Democrats were leery of doing it in case it came back to bite them on the ass, but Pelosi pushed, twisted arms and eventually got the 219 votes it took to pass the legislation.

Now, those politicians that Pelosi/Obama was willing to sacrifice, seem to suffering from that huge fall off the cliff they forced them to jump off.

The Hill reports:

Democratic Reps. Ann Kirkpatrick (Ariz.), Suzanne Kosmas (Fla.), Debbie Halvorson (Ill.), Kathy Dahlkemper (Pa.), Carol Shea-Porter (N.H.), Mary Jo Kilroy (Ohio), Steve Driehaus (Ohio) and Betsy Markey (Colo.) were all late yes votes on health reform. Most, if not all, of them will lose on Tuesday, according to nonpartisan campaign experts.

Other Democrats who announced their support in the last few days before the March 21 vote are in tossup races, including Reps. Harry Mitchell (Ariz.), Paul Kanjorski (Pa.), Chris Carney (Pa.) and Bill Foster (Ill.).

If losses for these politicians are part of the wave expected to hit the Democrats and the GOP takes control of the House of Representatives, not only will Pelosi have sacrificed their political careers to Obamacare, but she will have also sacrificed her own gavel as Speaker of the House.

I still wonder how many of these Democratic politicians, when alone, put their hands to their heads and ask themselves "what have I done?"

If they aren't now, perhaps they will ask themselves that question on November 3, 2010, the morning after the midterm election.

The answer is simple, they betrayed their constituents and then called that betrayal an "accomplishment."

[Update] As a side note here, one of the paragraphs in The Hill's report states:

It is unclear whether lawmakers will survive or fall solely based on their support of healthcare reform. But polling shows that Democrats have lost the message war this year on the landmark health law and in tight races, the yes votes could be the deciding factor.

It may be unclear to The Hill's writer, but it is not unclear to those of us that predicted, at the time of the Obamacare passage, that Democrats that voted for it would suffer in November. It is not unclear to those of us that showed poll after poll showing the majority of the country opposed to Obamacare at the time of passage.

The only people this seems to be unclear to are Obamacare proponents that insists American voters are "detached", "ignorant", "scared", and "not thinking clearly".

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Sarah Palin Spanks Lisa Murkowski For Her Intimidation Tactics Against Radio Show Host

Yesterday we saw over 100 people file as write-in candidates in the Senate race for Alaska after a judge gave Lisa Murkowski an unfair advantage by allowing polling officials to provide a list of name of write-in candidates after another judge had already ruled that went against Alaska laws.

The idea to encourage people to file as write in candidates came from multiple sources, Dan Reihl at Big Government, Conservatives4Palin and a radio talk show host, Dan Fagan.

Sitting Senator, Lisa Murkowsi, who lost her bid for reelection in the GOP primary against Joe Miller, then decided to run as a write-in candidate, sent her "hired guns" over to threaten the radio station, which without the money for a defense, folded and took Fagan off the air.

Palin stands up for Dan Fagan's right to free speech in a Facebook posting titled "Lisa, are you going to shut down my Facebook page for writing this?"

Teaser:

The concept of “electioneering” involves several issues, but typically refers to campaigning at the polls, which is appropriately banned. Under federal law, it can also mean paying for advertising on broadcast media during a federal election cycle, and it requires disclosures if done by groups and corporations. Fagan used satire to mock Murkowski’s write-in efforts and encouraged Alaskans to run as write-in candidates. That is not illegal. That is free speech.

Individuals like Dan Fagan have a fundamental right to speak their minds without threats from the incumbent Senator from Alaska. It is hard to find a constitutional right Americans cherish more than the right to free speech. This was a right Joe Miller, as a decorated combat veteran – a tank commander tested in battle, was willing to die to defend. Dan Fagan has not always agreed with me, but I will gladly defend his right to speak freely on his radio show, which he has often used to criticize me. In fact, Fagan has actually used his radio show to attack and insult me, my husband, my children, and my family in just about every way possible. He was especially insulting to my son, who left for a war zone to defend Fagan’s right to attack our family. But when I was his governor, I never would have dreamed of threatening his right to free speech. I support him in this fight because this D.C. Beltway thuggery, as exemplified by Lisa Murkowski’s latest threat, is ruining our country. The powers that be want ordinary Americans to sit down and shut up and let the ruling class ride us right off the debt cliff we’re heading towards with Obama, Pelosi, and Reid steering the nation’s car. We can’t let them. Now is the time to put aside our past differences and stand up to the establishment powers.

Murkowski has shown time and again her disrespect for her constituents, with lies claiming if Miller won the GOP primary she would "respect" that decision, she didn't, instead she decided to ignore the will of those constituents and run as a write-in.

Now she is is showing just as much disrespect for the right of free speech by using intimidation tactics again a man who was using his right of free speech.

[Update] The unfair advantage Murkowski could have had by the write-in list being provided at the polls, is now not a problem, because of the amount of names on the list.

Lawyers on both sides of the fight conceded that the rush of new write-in candidates lowered the stakes in the dispute over whether to give voters the list.

Given all the new candidates since Thursday, said Ms. Paton-Walsh, "I don't think that list could really function in a meaningful way as electioneering."

The Republican Party attorney Kenneth Kirk said that, given the spike in the number of write-in candidates, all the fuss over handing out lists of their names could "become a moot point at this point."

The playing field is now level and Murkowski has shown her true colors at the last minute, so to speak, by using her intimidation tactics against Fagan too late to stop the last minute additions to the list provided.

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"Canadian Fallen Hero" by Haggarty and Hutchings

Canadian Fallen Hero

Canadian Fallen Hero


From Canadian Fallen Hero Project:

Press Release

TORONTO, October 27, 2010 – Canadian Fallen Hero Project. In response to the unwavering support of the Canadian Troops, we have brought together two talented individuals singer songwriter Barry Haggarty and lyricist Harold Hutchings the originator of the project. Together they have created a truly heart felt song and slide video to honour the Canadian Military and their families.

“As a part of our ongoing commitment to provide support to the widows and orphans of Fallen Troops; we have created the - “Fallen Hero Project”. All proceeds from the sale of our song and video, or funds raised through sponsors or donations, will go directly to the Canadian Forces Personnel and Family Support Services.” – Harold Hutchings – Lyricist.

[...]

A Tribute to the Military and their Families. All proceeds from the sale of the song will go to the Support the Troops Foundation. Website address for donations is: www.militaryfamiliesfund.ca "Fallen Hero Project" any ­donations over $10.00 will receive a receipt. You can purchase the song on iTunes –​ “Canadian Fallen Hero” -​ Barry Haggarty.

[...]

For many years we as Canadians have enjoyed the benefits from the sacrifices that our military have provided by creating a safe and a free society. This freedom comes at a price. We truly feel that we do live in the best country on this earth. All Canadians should be proud of the way our military have performed. This in our small way of honouring our troops.

- 30 –

There is much more about this great project here at the Canadian Fallen Hero site. There was a news story about the genesis of this great song on the Haliburton Echo:

Song to raise funds for soldiers' families

By Jenn Watt

It was a trip down the Highway of Heroes that first inspired lyricist Harold Hutchings to pen the words to Canadian Fallen Hero, a nearly five-minute song honouring the lives of those who fought and died for Canada.

After witnessing the mixture of sadness and pride as the convoy passed along the corridor of Highway 401 between CFB Trenton and the Toronto coroner's office, Hutchings, who lives part-time in Wilberforce, had to get his feelings on paper.

"I pulled [the car] over afterwards and I started writing," he said in an interview.

The song starts: "Black car takes them to their new home/Green grass, flowers and rows of headstones/Proud soldiers who have fallen, women and men/And we pray it will end."

Those words would wait a few years until the circumstances were right to become a song – and music video – launching Oct. 27 online and on iTunes.

"I wanted to donate 100 per cent of the money" to help soldiers' families, he said, so it wasn't until he hooked up with songwriter Barry Haggarty that he was able to make the song happen.

Initially, the idea was to sell the song with proceeds going to the Military Families Fund, but the project kept getting bigger until it grew into a music video and website: www.canadianfallenhero.com.

"It's getting bigger than I ever thought it was going to be," Hutchings said...

Read more here.

Suspicious Cargo Triggers Terror Alarms

AP:

Authorities on three continents thwarted multiple terrorist attacks aimed at the United States Friday, seizing two explosive packages addressed to Chicago-area synagogues and packed aboard cargo jets from Yemen. Parts of the plot might remain undetected, President Barack Obama's counterterror chief warned.

Obama called the coordinated attacks a "credible terrorist threat" amid worldwide fears that al-Qaida was launching a major new campaign of assaults.

"The United States is not assuming that the attacks were disrupted and is remaining vigilant," Obama adviser John Brennan said at the White House.

Wapo:

The packages, mailed via UPS and FedEx, were addressed to two places of Jewish worship in Chicago, the president said.

Obama, speaking four days before the midterm elections, did not specify any new security measures that would be taken or say that the nation's terrorist alert level had been raised. But he described the threat as serious, and pointed once again to Yemen as the source, saying his top terrorism adviser, John Brennan, had been in touch with that country's president.

The two packages were intercepted at different locations, one on a UPS plane at the East Midlands airport near Nottingham, England, and the other at a FedEx facility in Dubai. Officials provided no detail on the kind of explosives found.

U.S. counterterrorism officials believe the foiled attack may have been orchestrated by the al-Qaeda affiliate in Yemen, which has been behind a series of recent attempts to strike the United States.

NYT:

The wide-scale alert spread to the United States on Friday morning, when officials isolated two cargo planes at airports in Newark and Philadelphia and searched them for packages originating in Yemen, and New York police searched a delivery truck in Brooklyn. None of the shipments reaching the United States from Yemen were found to contain explosives.

CBS:

A source told CBS News that the packages in the U.K. and Dubai contained a syringe, powder and cell phone components. (Scroll down to see a photo of one of the cartridges.)

A Joint Terrorism Task Force source told CBS News that investigators were looking for between 10-20 packages shipped out of the UPS office in Sanna, Yemen during the same time frame.

Fox News:

Given the origin of the packages, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula "is at the top of the list" of suspects, a U.S. official told Fox News.

"Since two of the suspicious packages that were intercepted were addressed to religious institutions in Chicago, all churches, synagogues and mosques in the Chicago area should be vigilant for any unsolicited or unexpected packages, especially those originating from overseas locations," Chicago FBI spokesman Ross Rice said.

More at Memeorandum.

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Democrats Call Them Accomplishments, Others See It As Betrayals

I see a running theme throughout the blogosphere on the far left progressively liberal sites claiming Americans are "detached from reality", "confused," and/or "ignorant", because they do not consider the legislation passed through Congress as "accomplishments."

For example, some guy named Steve Benan titles a piece called "THE CHALLENGE OF OVERCOMING IGNORANCE, PART II," where he states:

"A plurality of Americans, though, perceive this Congress as having done less than usual. I'm not even sure how a political system is supposed to function with an electorate so far detached from reality."

He is speaking of two polls taken recently, one from Gallup and one from Pew, where pluralities in both polls believe Congress has "accomplished" less or the same amount as usual for Congress.

He also states this:

Evaluating the quality of these accomplishments is a subjective question, open to all kinds of competing opinions. Evaluating whether the accomplishments exceed the norm is an objective question and the answer, whether people realize it or not, is unambiguous.

WRONG

The problems stems from which definition of "accomplishment" one chooses to look at.

Dictionary.com- Accomplishment

1. an act or instance of carrying into effect; fulfillment: the accomplishment of our desires.

2.something done admirably or creditably: Space exploration is a major accomplishment of science.

Dictionary.com - Admirably

1. worthy of admiration; inspiring approval, reverence, or affection.

2.excellent; first-rate.

People like Benan choose the first definition, people like myself, and obviously those respondents that were polled by Pew and Gallup use the second definition, because many see nothing "admirable" about a Democratic majority going against the will of the people, a majority of Americans opposed to legislation, such as Obamacare, and passing it anyway.

Many believe our Representatives are supposed to actually represent us, the voters who elected them, and when they do not do that, but instead vote along party lines against our opposition, we do not see it as "admirable" nor as an accomplishment but instead it is seen as a betrayal.

To arrogantly assume that just because Benan and liberal Democrats believe the legislation passed can be considered "accomplishments" that the discussion is over and therefore they are accomplishments obviously shows that it is Benan and those pumping this crap out that are ignorant.

The only people that actually think of the recent legislation as accomplishments are liberals and liberals are the smallest ideological group in America (20 percent), which is why those that were opposed do not see it as accomplishments, but rather a betrayal by Congress upon those they are sworn to represent.

Dictionary.com- Betrayal

1. to deliver or expose to an enemy by treachery or disloyalty: Benedict Arnold betrayed his country.

2. to be unfaithful in guarding, maintaining, or fulfilling: to betray a trust.

3. to disappoint the hopes or expectations of; be disloyal to: to betray one's friends.

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November 2, 2010 will determine how many agree with Brenan about Democratic so-called accomplishments and how many agree with me in calling them betrayals.

Example: A man, a gang member, goes out with the intention of robbing someone, hits the person, takes their wallet and runs and divides the proceeds up with his gang. To the robber and the gang he accomplished his goal... it was his accomplishment.

To the rest of us and especially the guy who had his wallet stolen... meh , not so much!

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Democrats Loaded A Gun, Shot Themselves, Now Wonder Why They Are Bleeding

I ask myself, "Do Democratic leaders even realize what they have done to themselves?"

I see the spin Democratic politicians, especially the leaders like Obama, Pelosi and Reid say publicly but I have to wonder if when alone, no cameras or microphones, they actually believe their own hype or if they truly understand how badly they have screwed up and what they have done to their own party?

Obama insists people are scared and not thinking clearly and that is why the GOP is projected to win massive gains on November 2, 2010 and predictions all say they will take control of the House of Representatives.

I see Nancy Pelosi refusing to acknowledge how bad things are, then again, until after election day, what else can she do publicly? Harry Reid is fighting for his political career with his Republican challenger taking a four percent lead against him in all the last minute polls.

It is reported that in the eight districts where a Democrat switched from “no” to “yes,” vote on Obamacare, only one race shows a Democrat in the lead in polling.

By The Numbers

Look at the numbers:

Forty-three percent (43%) of all Likely Voters say someone who voted for the health care law deserves to be reelected. Fifty percent (50%) oppose their reelection.

Thirty-six percent (36%) say if their local representative voted for the taxpayer bailouts of General Motors and Chrysler, he or she deserves to be returned to Congress. Fifty-three percent (53%) say that person does not deserve reelection.

Similarly, 41% say their representative in Congress should be reelected if he or she voted for the stimulus plan. But 50% don’t see it that way and say the individual should not be reelected.

[...]

But, tellingly, voters not affiliated with either party also feel strongly that supporters of the health care law, the auto bailouts and the stimulus should not be returned to Congress.

59 Percent of Americans believe it's always better to cut taxes than to increase government spending because taxpayers, not bureaucrats, are the best judges of how to spend their money."

Only 12 percent of Likely U.S. Voters now think Congress is doing a good or excellent job.

Nancy Pelosi recently was quoted as claiming she believes Democrats are not getting the "credit" they deserve for what they have done.

Change the word credit to blame and yes, they are getting it in spades.

Healthcare

Polling at the time of the passage of the Democrats health care law aka Obamacare shows the majority of the American public was opposed to the passage of the law, yet Pelosi and Reid made backroom deals, twisted arms and obtained the votes they needed from Democrats alone to pass the bill to which Barack Obama signed into law. (Scroll down at that link to see polling done at the appropriate time frame)

Some Democratic politicians even admitted they hadn't read the entire bill and now some that voted for it are saying it needs to be fixed or repealed, now that their political careers are on the line.

“I don’t think you want me to waste my time to read every page of the healthcare bill,” Baucus said, according to the Flathead Beacon. “You know why? It’s statutory language. ... We hire experts.”

(Source)

Auto Industry Bailout

61 percent of Americans opposed the auto industry bailout, according to a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. Yet Democrats fought hard for it and passed the bill in the House and Senate which were both Democratically controlled at the time, and Bush compromised and it was done against the will of the majority of Americans.

Time and again Democratic leaders in the House and Senate have ignored the American public's opposition and in most cases the will of their own individual constituents in their districts and passed legislation that was unpopular.

Those are just a couple examples.

Other things Democrats are getting "credit" for is broken promises, as the one where Nancy Pelosi said "After years of historic deficits, this 110th Congress will commit itself to a higher standard: Pay as you go, no new deficit spending."

Debt Has Increased $5 Trillion Since Speaker Pelosi Vowed, ‘No New Deficit Spending’

At the close of business on Jan. 4, 2007, Pelosi’s first day as speaker, the national debt was $8,670,596,242,973.04 (8.67 trillion), according to the Bureau of the Public Debt, a division of the U.S. Treasury Department. At the close of business on Oct. 22, it stood at $13,667,983,325,978.31 (13.67 trillion), an increase of 4,997,387,083,005.27 (or approximately $5 trillion).

Pelosi, the 60th speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, has added more to the national debt than the first 57 House speakers combined.

$3 Trillion of added national debt has been added since Barack Obama became president, via CBS News.

New numbers posted today on the Treasury Department website show the National Debt has increased by more than $3 trillion since President Obama took office.

The National Debt stood at $10.626 trillion the day Mr. Obama was inaugurated. The Bureau of Public Debt reported today that the National Debt had hit an all time high of $13.665 trillion.

The Debt increased $4.9 trillion during President Bush's two terms. The Administration has projected the National Debt will soar in Mr. Obama's fourth year in office to nearly $16.5-trillion in 2012. That's more than 100 percent of the value of the nation's economy and $5.9-trillion above what it was his first day on the job.

Everything added together shows a clear picture of why Americans are headed to the polls on November 2, 2010 in what predictions are projecting as a massive "wave" for Republicans and Democrats can spin it any way they like but it is their own fault.

Democrats forgot one very important fact, they are voted in to represent their constituents, above and beyond party and instead they have ignored their voter's opposition to legislation and done exactly what they, the politicians, wanted instead. They did this strictly along party line votes making it theirs.

They own, lock, stock and barrel things like Obamacare.

They forgot, or simply did not care that voters always get the last word.

Republicans better remember this if they take control of the House and/or the Senate.

One has to wonder if when alone, when looking in the mirror at night, do they ask "what have we done?" If they are not asking themselves that now, perhaps they will on November 3, 2010, the morning after.

Democrats picked up a loaded gun, shot themselves repeatedly and now they look at the mess and wonder why they are bleeding? I think they know the answer, they just refuse to admit it.

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Election 2010--My message to liberals

As Election 2010 approaches, I have a very simple message to liberals.

http://www.tygrrrrexpress.com/2010/10/election-2010-my-message-to-liberals/

Monitoring the story of suspicious packages sent to Synagogues. Not writing anything until we know more facts.. The mainstream media could learn from me in this regard.

eric aka the Tygrrrr Express

More Than 100 Alaskans File As Write In Candidates To Thwart Lisa Murkowski

Background- Joe Miller won the GOP primary to run as the Republican candidate for the Alaska Senate seat currently held by Lisa Murkowski.

Murkowski said prior to that win she would accept the results of the primary, until she lost. Soon afterward, Murkowski announced she would run as a write- in candidate to retain her seat in the Senate.

Recently Alaska Superior Court Judge, Frank Pfiffner ruled that a list of write-in candidates could not be handed out at polling sites, calling it a "clear violation" of Alaska's regulation. Immediately following the Alaska Supreme Court stayed that order and allowed polling officials to provide a list of write-in candidates.

I am not clear on the order of events after that but a number of people stepped up. Dan Reihl, wrote about the situation at Big Government, providing links to registration and financial disclosure forms to become a write-in candidate and KFQD 750 AM radio host Dan Fagan told his listeners "Rush on over there before 5 o’clock and register as a write-in candidate. Especially if your last name is Murkowski. That would really help the cause."

Conservatives4Palin also headlined a piece titled "Attention Alaska Readers: Assist Joe Miller Through 'Operation Alaska Chaos.’"

Results

As of now, over 100 people have managed to put in their registration as a write-in candidate, list here of names.

More at The Politico and Anchorage Daily News.

Next Tuesday, midterm election day, promises to be a huge mess in Alaska.

Irony here would be if one of those last minute write-ins actually win.

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Sharron Angle Poised To Defeat Harry Reid In Nevada Senate Race

First the first time we see, via Real Clear Politics, three separate polls from different polling organizations, all conducted in late October, showing Sharron Angle with a four point lead over the Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

The polls:

LVRJ/Mason-Dixon- Angle 49 percent, Reid 45.
Rasmussen Reports- Angle 49 percent, Reid 45.
CNN/Time- Angle 49 percent, Reid 45.

If Angle wins, this will be the biggest upset in the 2010 election and as the latest Sharron Angle ad shows (shown above), her closing argument to the people of Nevada is simply to tie Harry Reid to Barack Obama stating at the end, "it's our turn."

Via Las Vegas Review Journal, we see that handicapper and director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, Larry Sabato, has rated Nevada as "leaning GOP," although he readily admits Nevada is one of the hardest races to call at this point.

Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, is one of the few national pundits to risk predicting Angle could pull off the biggest upset of the 2010 election. On Thursday, he put out his "crystal ball" picks that has the Nevada race leaning GOP for the first time.

"Of all our predictions, I'm least certain about the Senate race in Nevada," Sabato acknowledged in an interview. "Our assumption is, independents around the country have moved solidly behind the Republicans. But the Democrats are throwing everything they've got at the effort to save Reid. If Reid survives, it will be an escape worthy of Houdini. If Angle wins, it's a measure of the strong anti-Democratic trends of the 2010 mid-term elections.

"This is a referendum on Reid and Obama."

Angle gets 85 percent of the Republican vote and Reid 84 percent of the Democratic vote and Angle holds a double digit lead over Reid with Independents, 55 percent to 38 percent.

This one is going down to the wire and Democrats have been throwing everything but the kitchen sink at Nevada to help drag Reid over the finish line, yet polling patterns show Angle still continuing to pick up percentage points, albeit one-to-two points at a time.

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The Crystal Ball’s Final Calls; GOP +55 House; GOP +8 Senate

Handicapper Larry J. Sabato issues his final predictions for the House and Senate.

GOP +55 House; GOP +8 Senate

Personally I think the GOP will take a few more than that, but the GOP needs only 39 to take control of the House of Representatives and strip the gavel of Speaker of the House right out of Nancy Pelosi's grubby hands.

While 8 falls two short of taking control of the Senate, as reported earlier, Sharron Angle is now ahead of Harry Reid in the polls for the Nevada Senate seat and if she wins, no more Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid either.

Having control of one of the congressional chambers is enough to stop Barack Obama's agenda from being rubber stamped and jammed through Congress to become unpopular laws.

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Obamacare Takes Key Benefit Away From Taxpayers Starting January

Insurance buyers used to be able to get reimbursed for over-the-counter drugs used for certain ailments, and now approximately 15 thousand over-the-counter products will be subject to a new procedure under Obamacare which will cost the taxpayers addition money.

Considering this was deliberately written into the Obamacare law, passed by Democratic party line vote in the House of Representatives and the Senate, both controlled by Democrats, then signed by Barack Obama, no one can claim this was an "unintended consequence."

Some 45 million people are about to lose a key tax break in health care. Starting in January, they'll have to get what amounts to a prescription from a doctor in order to get reimbursed for over-the-counter medications such as cold and flu remedies or allergy medicines.

As recently as yesterday it was being reported that Barack Obama was still insisting that negative publicity is the reason voters are opposed to Obamacare, that it is politics via "negative ads" that is forming voter's opinion on the issue.

"I think that you've seen a couple hundred million dollars of negative TV ads that make it very difficult to do so," Obama told radio host Michael Smerconish when asked about many congressional Democrats' efforts to distance themselves from the legislation.

The new health reform law has been a political albatross for many Democrats facing tough reelection challenges. Polls show that a not-insignificant number of voters would like to repeal the law in part or in whole.

Reps. Gene Taylor (D-Miss.) and Bobby Bright (D-Ala.) have joined with Republicans in demanding the law's repeal, and West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin (D), who's campaigning for Senate, has said the law should be repealed if it can't be fixed.

The president blamed "misinformation" during the congressional debate over healthcare for having negatively cast the reforms, misinformation that Obama said had carried over through present day.

But Obama expressed confidence that, as the reforms in the bill gradually go into effect, the public's negative opinion of the legislation would fade.

Obama would do well to remember, articles about the consequences for American taxpayers, like the one above, has nothing to do with negative ads and everything to do with Obamacare, a horrible piece of legislation that was passed over the opposition of the majority of American voters and in a completely partisan vote.

Bottom line, Democrats passed it, Obama signed it into law and now the public is getting a taste of what is in it.

National Journal explains what Obama means for the 2010 midterm elections.

Election Day isn’t until Tuesday, but the postgame spin has already begun. Conventional wisdom is blaming Democrats’ expected poor performance on the lousy economy. Democrats blame the influx of outside money. And Republicans are thanking Nancy Pelosi.

But the reality that Democrats hate to discuss – and even some Republicans have been hesitant to fully embrace – is that the party’s signature health care law is what’s turning a bad election year into a disaster of potential history-making proportions.

It was the debate over health care that propelled now-Sen. Scott Brown’s unlikely special election victory in Massachusetts back in January. And it’s the growing unpopularity of the new law that’s fueling Republican energy, turning off independents and jeopardizing the prospects of dozens of Democrats who looked like locks for reelection just a year ago.

There’s no doubt that the health care bill is unpopular. A new Battleground Poll shows 54 percent opposed to it, 40 percent strongly. This weeks' Society for Human Resource Management/National Journal Congressional Connection Poll, conducted with the Pew Research Center, showed voters favor repealing the law by a 10-point margin, 51 to 41 percent. Republicans have been hammering Democrats across the country over their votes for the legislation, even in solidly Democratic states and districts. Of the many Democratic lawmakers in trouble, only a brave and principled few, such as Sen. Russell Feingold, D-Wis., and Rep. Scott Murphy, D-N.Y., have even mentioned their support for the bill – and the latest polls have both trailing in their reelection bids.

The article goes on to explain that politicians, Democratic politicians, that opposed Obamacare are in better shape politically than their counterparts that did vote for it.

Barack Obama is living in an alternate universe and completely disconnected with the reality of this one.

Perhaps that is why 56 percent of likely voters want him fired and 48 percent believe Bush was a better President than Obama is.

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Polling Blockbuster- Majority Wants Obama Fired And Bush Was A Better President Than Obama Is

Recently Barack Obama admitted that while he was not on the 2010 election ballot his agenda is and via US News & World Report we see that Obama is very lucky his name is not on the ballot this November, because if it was, 56 percent of likely voters would fire him.

That isn't even the worst of the news for Barack Obama, according to former Clinton pollster Doug Schoen 48 percent of those likely voters say Bush was a better president than Obama has been with 43 percent saying Obama has been better.

More on that poll from James Pethokoukis.

Polling data can be found here.

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GOP Election Day advantage aided by surge in independents who lean Republican

The title is the sub header for the new Gallup report issued titled "2010 Electorate Still Looking More Republican Than in the Past."

In this report Gallup confirms that those that will be voting in the midterms will be similar to the demographics of those that voted in the 2006 election which gave control of Congress to the Democrats.

Only this time, they leaning towards Republicans.

At the same time, they will be substantially more Republican in their party orientation, and more conservative than has been the case in the past several midterms.

Further findings:

Specifically, 55% of likely voters in Gallup's Oct. 14-24, 2010, polling are Republicans and independents who lean Republican. This is higher than the Republican showing in the past four midterm elections, although not too dissimilar to the 51% found in 2002. The corollary of this is that the 40% of likely voters now identifying as Democratic is the lowest such percentage of the past several midterms.

Notably, this year's high Republican representation among likely voters stems mainly from a substantial increase in Republican-leaning independents in the likely voter pool -- now at 16% -- reflecting the broader shift toward the Republican Party among independents evident since 2009.

Independents will be key on election night which is confirmed by a CBS News/New York Times poll.

With the midterm elections less than a week away, a new CBS News/New York Times poll finds that Republicans continue to hold an advantage over Democrats in the generic House ballot. Forty-six percent of likely voters say they plan to vote Republican, while 40 percent say they will vote Democrat. (Learn more about how to interpret the generic House ballot here.)

The advantage can be attributed in large part to independents, who are breaking hard for the GOP. Forty-seven percent of independent likely voters say they plan to vote Republican, while just 32 percent plan to vote Democrat. Seventeen percent haven't made up their minds.

More than four in five Democrats and Republicans, meanwhile, say they are sticking with their party.

Side Note- While projections give the GOP control of the House of Representatives, the Senate majority still most likely will be held by Democrats with a much smaller majority.

With that said, in one of the most closely watched races, Nevada's Senate race, Sharron Angle now has a four point lead on Harry Reid, in two separate polls, one done by TIME/CNN/Opinion Research and another Rasmussen Reports.

A loss for Reid means Harry Reid would no longer be Senate Majority leader.

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Election 2010--Lower Level Races

All politics is local. Here are some local races around the country that I care about simply because those running are good people.

http://www.tygrrrrexpress.com/2010/10/election-2010-lower-level-races/

Speaking tonight to the San Bernardino GOP Central Committee.

eric aka the Tygrrrr Express

Obama Admits His 'Agenda' Is On Ballot In Upcoming Midterms

Despite White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs' claim that the midterms and the projected outcome is all about local issues and not Barack Obama and his far left liberal agenda, Barack Obama knows differently and has admitted it on an appearance on the Rev. Al Sharpton's radio show.

"My name may not be on the ballot, but our agenda for moving forward is on the ballot.... Barack Obama

Another quote from Obama:

"Essentially, in 2008, we won the ability to start making change, and that's what we've done over the last two years."

Obama is right, his name is not on the ballot until 2012 and when people cast their votes on November 2, 2010, just five days from now, they will be doing for one of two reasons.

1.) Because they agree with Obama's agenda and allowing it to continue to move forward with a Democratically controlled Congress or;

2.) They will be replace the leadership in Congress and prevent Obama's overreaching agenda from being rubber stamped and jammed through as Obamacare, bailouts, tax increases, stimulus and massive spending has been over the last two years.

The legislation passed over the last two years, since Barack Obama became president, has been done along party lines with no bipartisan support as Democrats had control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate and done so against the opposition of the majority of Americans shown in polls conducted at the time.

62 percent of Americans believe the country is going in the wrong direction, that is the average from every poll conducted asking the question.

On November 3, 2010, if as projected the Democrats lose control of the House of Representatives, Democrats and liberal pundits can use the excuses they have already been preemptively spewing, such as rain on election day, outside groups advertising, it was all about "local issues" or any other justification they may try to spout, but Barack Obama understands, the real reason will be because it is his agenda of socialism is on the ballot and voters are primed to vote it out.

He has finally admitted it.

PS

Even after the people speak up and make their wishes known on election day, Barack is already arrogantly and publicly stating that he expects to use the lame duck session of Congress to further his agenda before he can be stopped.

(The time period between election and when the new batch of politicians take over their jobs is considered the lame duck session)

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Remember and Honour Sgt 1st Class Christopher Speer

*cross-posted from Assoluta Tranquillita*

Sgt First Class Christopher Speer is an American hero who was killed in August 2002. As I write here, the terrorist who is responsible for Speer's death sits in GITMO, having finally admitted in a military courtroom that he is the murderer most of us have always known he is. Today, he is not my focus. The husband, father, brother, son and hero is who I want to share with you.

Tuesday, February 05, 2008

Who Is SFC Christopher J. Speer?

"Six days before he received the wounds that killed him, Sgt. 1st Class Christopher J. Speer walked into a minefield to rescue two wounded Afghan children, according to fellow soldiers. He applied a tourniquet to one child and bandaged the other, they said. Then he stopped a passing military truck to take the wounded children to a U.S. Army field hospital. Speer saved those children, his colleagues said.
...
Speer, a Special Forces medic, suffered a head wound during a search of the Ab Khail village in Afghanistan on July 27. He was evacuated to Germany, where he died Aug. 6. He was 28.

(Source)

Soldier remembered for Courage, Humor, Faith

A former medic with the 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)

Soldiers from Headquarters U.S. Army Special Operations
Command carry the body of Sgt. 1st Class Christopher
J. Speer from the Village Chapel in Pinehurst, NC
on Tuesday

On Tuesday, Speer was remembered as a capable and confident soldier with an unflappable sense of humor. When the chips were down, friends said, he could pick up his co-workers with a smile and a laugh.

They remembered him as a loving husband and father who had a sparkle in his eyes whenever he talked about his family.

Survived by Wife, Tabitha, two small children, Taryn and Tanner and brother Todd

Chaplain Keith Jackson escorts

Christopher Speer’s wife, Tabitha, from the church.

Todd, his older brother and fellow soldier, said Christopher Speer was a "hero, not only for his professional conduct, but his family life. There's not more you can ask.
"I look up to him."

Before deploying to Afghanistan, Speer wrote notes to his wife, Tabitha, and their two small children, Taryn and Tanner, Jackson said.

"You are always on my mind and forever in my heart."
He wrote a note to his children on a card that had two whispering puppies on the cover, Jackson said. One puppy said to the other, "Do you want to know a secret?"
The card said, "I love you."

Speer then wrote, "It's no secret how much I love you. Take care of each other.

"Love Daddy"

(source)

Christopher's widow has remained very low profile since her beloved husband was killed, but on the Fallen Heroes Memorial site, I found this:

"I was given the honor of not only knowing Chris, I spent the happiest years of my life with him. We married and had two beautiful children. Chris made all my dreams come true, it was as though he completed me. It has been two years and seven months since his death and I still find it hard to believe that he won't be coming home. Our Daughter is now almost six, she talks about her Daddy constantly, our Son who is three has so much trouble understanding why his Daddy won't be coming home! He asks for his Daddy daily, can he see me? Does he hear me? Can he hold my hand if I reach up to Heaven? Will he come home after he's done in Heaven? My Daughter and I do our best to answer his questions.
We miss you so much and love you more than any words could ever possibly express. I can see you in their faces, with each and every smile and silly little smirk. You are so alive in them both, it amazes me! We have a little three year old version of you, he becomes more and more like you every day. They both have your sense of humor and are always smiling.
We love you, you are our true HERO!
I Love You Today, Tomorrow and Forever!"
Tabitha

To read some of the other comments from those who knew and love this hero, is to get a small measure of the huge loss. You can find them here.

I heard last night that Tabitha is in GITMO. I am not sure if she will give an impact statement at this time, but I found this:

...she plans to speak at his sentencing hearing, people close to her say.

In a powerful indication of her unbreakable devotion to the man she married in 1997, she continued to pay the bill of his cellular phone after his death so she could hear him speak in voice mail, a confidante told Postmedia News.

"Any time the children wish to talk to Daddy, we send helium balloons into the sky," she wrote in a 2005 affidavit about Taryn, now 11, and Tanner, who was not yet a year old when his father died from the wounds he suffered in the firefight in Afghanistan...(read more here)

Tabitha Speer and Sgt Layne Morris - who was injured in the fight that killed his friend, - launched a civil suit against the murderer's family:

...Tabitha Speer's victim impact statement painfully described the days after her husband's death and how she had told her two young children that their dad wasn't coming home. "Any time the children wish to talk to daddy we send helium balloons into the sky," she wrote. "The children talk to their daddy each night before they go to bed, gazing up at the stars."

"Surviving every day without Christopher has been utter hell."...

The Khadr family was ordered to pay $102 million, but patriarch Ahmed Said Khadr was killed by Pakistani forces in 2003, and the rest of the family has returned to Canada and live on welfare in a Scarborough apartment – so no money has been paid.

More here.

No matter what sentence Omar Khadr gets from the military trial in GITMO, nothing will ever bring Sgt 1st Class Christopher back for his wife Tabitha, their children, or his brother Todd. Sgt 1st Class Christopher Speer died at the hands of a terrorist, and the weight of his loss will reverberate down the years for all who knew and love him.

Remember and honour this hero and his family.

Rest in peace, sir.