Blogging Will Be Minimal Until Further Notice

[Update 6/1/11] The Geek Squad are my new heroes, 24 hrs and I am back up and running.... well until motherboard blows.... lol[End Update]

Individual contributors will still be posting here at Wake up America but my computer sparked and died an instant death today. Will be back to blogging regularly when/if I get it fixed and if it is not fixable, then when I get another computer.


Susan Duclos

Jews, Obama, 2012, DLFs, and DJLFs

Despite Obama attacking Israel, liberal Jews will still blindly support him in 2012 because they are DJLFs.

http://www.tygrrrrexpress.com/2011/05/jews-obama-2012-dlfs-and-djlfs/

eric aka the Tygrrrr Express

The Brilliance Of Sarah Palin: Confusing The 'Lame Stream' Media

"Congratulations, Sarah Palin, you have turned the Washington press corps into a bunch of paparazzi stalking your every move." – Jay Newton-Small

I am not sure if Sarah Palin will announce a run for the presidency in 2012 or not. I am also not sure if I would vote for her if she does. What I am sure of is that Sarah Palin is nothing the political world has ever seen before and has the media running in circles and confused. Although, if they had an ounce of sense they would understand instinctively what the rest of us do.... Palin is brilliant, unconventional and is playing the media like a fine tuned piano.

The old "lame-stream media" is confused because Palin announced a "bus tour" for her and her family, yet didn't give a set schedule. They are upset she hasn't given them the chance to dog her footsteps and question her at each stop just so they can edit her answers and spin their stories the way they want to.

In the meantime she gives insider scoops to those she chooses and the rest spin, talk, complain and create media buzz and speculate the only way they can...... by running around behind the news, reporting events after the fact.

The media seems peeved that the only straight up original news is found at SarahPac, where the donation buttons are prominent and she can get people to sign on for her email list giving her a bigger pool of email subscribers.

Yes, all this is too confusing for the media outlets to understand... right. Let us not even mention the stories that have the information wrong where even their corrections screw the whole story up...no, we will leave that to Conservatives4Palin to point out.

Palin has them all running in circles, fighting to keep up and failing miserably.

Palin is not only getting all the media attention she wants, she is doing it on her terms. She is showing everyone, very clearly just how "lame" the lame stream media has become.

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Obama Gets Low Marks From Vets And Active Military

Quick link to the Gallup poll which finds that Barack Obama, Commander-in-Chief, gets lower marks from Veterans and Active Military members than the overall civilian population.



Noel Sheppard over at NewsBusters seems to get the irony of the Gallup poll timing considering that just this weekend Time magazine's Joe Klein tried to float the idea that Obama has a better relationship with the military than George Bush did.

BlackFive explains the "Cognitive dissonance" between people like Klein and, well, reality.

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Memorial Day 2011--Honor the fallen

A peaceful Memorial Day to all as we honor our fallen soldiers.

http://www.tygrrrrexpress.com/2011/05/honor-the-fallen-on-memorial-day-2011/

eric aka the Tygrrrr Express

Memorial Day Heartbreak: In memory of Howard Langer

On this Memorial Day, I am eulogizing my former college professor Howard Langer. He was a fantastic human being who was loved by all. He left us way too soon. God bless you Howard forever.

http://www.tygrrrrexpress.com/2011/05/memorial-day-heartbreak-in-memory-of-howard-langer/

eric aka the Tygrrrr Express

The Republican Messaging Problem

We find it amazing that the Democrats and the mass media are not making a big deal out of how much trouble the Republicans are in at the moment. Even liberal leaning pundits seem to think that the Bin Laden bounce for Obama has run its course. We do not know where they get this idea because we cannot find one poll that is not positive for Obama and they actually are getting stronger for Obama with every passing day. If the presidential election were to be held now, Obama would be a shoo-in.

Now it is true that the Democrats and the media tried to convince the public that the special election held in New York's district 26 showed that the Ryan budget plan is the kiss of death for the Republicans in 2012 and most pundits did not buy that. The problem is not with the Ryan budget plan but rather with the Republican messaging. They are trying to sell it as as a necessary reform to balance the budget. They keep pushing that line and not only will they not gain control of the Senate in 2012, but they will not defeat Obama and will come close to losing the House of Representatives as well.

At the time of the 2010 elections, the generic congressional ballot was running from 7 to 15 points in favor of the Republicans depending upon which poll you looked at. Right now our average of those polls is actually slightly in favor of the Democrats. Clearly the Republicans have a gigantic messaging problem. How about a message that proclaims they are try to SAVE Medicare before it goes bankrupt? Is that too much to ask of the Republican leadership? The voters voted for Republicans in 2010 in hopes that the Republicans would jam the brakes on all that the Democrats had done in the previous two years.

What have they gotten in exchange for this vain hope? They have gotten Democrat-lite from the Republicans instead. As Obama has said, Democrats bring a gun to a knife fight. The Republicans do not bring a knife or even martial arts to the fight. The Republicans are wimps and they have no clue on how to go for the Democrat jugular. The Democrats run ads proclaiming that the Republicans are trying to destroy Medicare and kill granny. How do the Republicans respond? They point to charts and figures that there is a problem with the financing of Medicare. How about proclaiming that the Democrats are sitting idly by while Medicare goes broke and that this is what will kill granny?

Republicans seem to think that the baby steps they have taken towards controlling government spending are all it takes to win public approval. How about wielding a meat axe instead? Whole departments need to be axed as they are doing more harm than good. Polls showed that a majority of the likely voters did not have a problem with shutting down all but the essential parts of the federal government if that was what it took to get the Democrat's attention to their habit of spending other people's money like a whole carrier group of druken sailors. What did the Republicans give them instead? They gave them cuts that did not even come to the amount the government borrowed while they were arguing about it.

The debt ceiling hike is the last chance the Republicans have to make good on their promises for the 2010 elections. They have just one chance to make believers out of the voting public that they are serious about cutting government spending. They need to refuse to raise the debt limit no matter what cuts the Democrats agree to. The public will support this stand. The folks in Congress need to learn to live within their means just like everyone else has had to do. The Republican leadership (and that means you, Mitch McConnell) need to get in the Democrats' face and stay there no matter how much the media beats up on them for doing that. Frankly, we doubt that the Republicans have the guts to do this and that means that we get four more years of Obama and continued Democrat control of the Senate and perhaps the Democrats regaining control of the House to boot.

The Top 10 most insufferable sports franchises

Here is my list of the top 10 most insufferable sports franchises, ones that many fans take glee in watching lose.

http://www.tygrrrrexpress.com/2011/05/the-top-10-most-insufferable-sports-franchises/

eric aka the Tygrrrr Express

Obligatory: Weiner's Weiner Becomes 'Weinergate'

(All newer Weinergate posts can be found on one page here)

ANDREW BREITBART VINDICATED

[Update 6/6/11] More women step forward and more photos published.

[Update 6/3/11] Weinergate Goes From Amusing To Sickening, Daily Kos Founder Markos Moulitsas Refused To Protect Identity Of Minors

[Update 6/2/11] Weiner's Weiner still a hot topic across media and blogosphere.

Screen shot to the left captured by BigGovernment, who broke the story.

I know news is slow this weekend, I understand this. I also understand when a politician enters politics he is tossing out any hope of privacy. I also get that when a bad joke slaps you in the face, you have to go with it and have a little fun.

But to turn photos of Representative Anthony Weiner's underwear covered bulging weiner into 'Weinergate' surpasses boredom and makes me want to bleach my eyes.

Quick rundown, Weiner's yfrog account (an online image-sharing site) produced a photo of a man in underwear sporting a bulge. Weiner says his yfrog account and his Twitter account was hacked and he didn't put those photos up.

Just to add more punchlines to this joke, the photo was sent to a female co-ed that Tweeted earlier "I wonder what my boyfriend @RepWeiner is up to right now." (See screen shot of that tweet here)

Doug Ross at Director Blue puts everything into a time line:

4/09/2011 00:00 @GennetteNicole tweets "I wonder what my boyfriend @RepWeiner is up to right now"
04/10/2011 20:15 @Solzilla observes that "@GennetteNicole's @RepWeiner crush is cute."
04/12/2011 00:00 @maggiehenning, a school girl, tweets "talking to Rep Weiner ... right now! is my life real?"
04/13/2011 00:00 @patriotusa76 jeers "@repweiner talking to high-school girls now. Freak."
04/19/2011 00:00 @patriotusa76 notes that "@RepWeiner ... unfollowed 1 school girl. Now has 1 left ... initials: GN..."
04/19/2011 00:00 @GennetteNicole replies: "Are you insinuating that I'm a child? Don't mention in anymore tweets..."
05/13/2011 00:00 @maggiehenning, a school girl, tweets "@RepWeiner you used to follow me :( don't forget me!!!"
05/27/2011 16:00 @RepWeiner tweets that he is "Heading to 30 Rock to chat with Rachel at 9. #Thats545InSeattleIThink"
05/27/2011 19:30 @GennetteNicole re-tweets @RepWeiner's "30 Rock" message along with "#Thats545InSeattleIThink"
05/27/2011 20:00 @RepWeiner tweets "@GennetteNicole http://yfrog.com/h25m3luj"; the skinny white male erection photo
05/27/2011 20:04 @RepWeiner tweets "Killng me!! RT @kknapp1: @RepWeiner that is a tragedy! #EpicGame"
05/27/2011 20:05 @RepWeiner tweets "my tivo ate the hockey game! #WhoCanISue?"
05/27/2011 20:08 @RepWeiner tweets "@kknapp1 just kill me now."
05/27/2011 21:00 @RepWeiner tweets "Tivo eats the hockey game and Versus taunts me with endless postgame."
05/27/2011 21:10 @RepWeiner tweets "Followers of my lame hockey tweets recall i picked tb and nashville. #NotSoBrilliant"
05/27/2011 21:24 @RepWeiner tweets "Tivo shot. FB hacked. Is my blender gonna attack me next?"
05/28/2011 14:00 Gennette Nicole Cordova's social accounts are deleted (Twitter, Facebook, etc.)
05/28/2011 14:00 Congressman Weiner's yfrog photo albums are completely deleted along with suspicious tweets
05/28/2011 18:00 Gennette Nicole Cordova's web references, including her byline on school news stories, are deleted

New York Post definitely has the headline of the day on this one with "Undies in a twist over ‘Weiner wiener’ ".

[Update] OMG, Twitter now has a Weinergate thread... yes, seriously!! Boy are they having fun with it.

[Update#2] Piece listing 8 Things to know about this story from The News Junkie who thinks after looking at everything in the order it happened, then Weiner's denials, says the verdict is that Weiner denials are "far-fetched".

Bottom line: Three people know the whole truth, the co-ed, Weiner and his wife who would know what his weiner looks like in undies and whether or not he even owns gray undies.

This has been the obligatory Weiner's weiner post..... now back to regularly programmed holiday festivities.

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In Memory

By Findalis of Monkey in the Middle

In Flanders Fields

by John McCrae, May 1915

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields

Never forget their sacrifices.  Not only on Memorial Day, but everyday.

Rick Amato Show--My May 2011 Podcast

Here is my podcast from guest hosting the Rick Amato Show yesterday.

http://www.tygrrrrexpress.com/2011/05/rick-amato-show-my-may-2011-podcast/

eric aka the Tygrrrr Express

A Sad Memorial Day - 2011

Over the last few days, I have been watching discussions what Memorial Day really means to my American 'family.' Much has been said about the disconnect, the ignorance of so many Americans who see this most solemn of days as just another day off, or a day to catch retail sales, with no thought (nor sometimes even knowledge) of the significance of this day in the heart of America.

As always, it takes a Veteran to oh so eloquently share what Memorial Day should mean.

From War on Terror News:

05/28/2011

A Sad Memorial Day - 2011

This Memorial Day is not only somber for me, but also brings more sadness. I was given the opportunity to observe a Military ceremony for Memorial Day.

As a Soldier, I was never a fan of ceremonies, but this is the one that should be given great importance. It is not to say that other Military ceremonies shouldn't. I have a high regard for many of the ceremonies of the Military, but too many have lost their significance.

Perhaps, as a Veteran, I put more value on Memorial Day than I did as a Private, but it was my NCO's as a Private that taught me the meanings, that put an emphasis on the "why's" of the ceremonies, not least of which was Memorial Day. Perhaps, when one has a particular person they remember, Memorial Day is more important. I don't share those names with the public. They are for me to remember.

So, it saddened me to watch this ceremony, which included the families of the fallen, because few seemed to have put much thought or weight into the meaning of it. It seemed they were going through the motions, but not the meaning. This is a leadership issue. It is the leader's responsibility to teach the Troops why we do the things we do. The Leadership seemed more concerned with the picture before the ceremony than the ceremony they used as an excuse to take the picture. I do not expect this is a military wide problem, but I was particularly disturbed with the attitudes of leadership at multiple levels....

There is much more, and it IS a MUST READ here.

“They shall grow not old as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.”

Yes, I WILL remember, and HONOUR, them all..

Saturday Cartoons- The News, Cartoon Style

Political cartoons representing the latest news are an entertaining way of describing the week or months events and on a slow Saturday news day, I find it amusing to see some of the great cartoons out there.

Recently Obama was taught a little history lesson, very publicly, by Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It was like Bambi meeting Godzilla. Netanyahu carried his momentum on with an awesome speech at AIPAC and then received a wonderful welcome by the U.S. House of Representatives, where Democrats and Republicans alike gave him over 25 standing ovations.

Glenn McCoy accurately captured the moment brilliantly.



The last time the Senate passed a budget was April 29, 2009, over 750 days ago and Harry Reid, Democratic Senate Majority Leader, was recently quoted as saying it would be "foolish" for Democrats, who control the Senate, to propose a budget for 2012.

Nate Beeler provides the visual for this story.



Jobless claims rose by 10,000 last week and the unemployment rate is at 9 percent. Recent news showed that Texas, over the last ten years, was the only state to hit a private-sector job growth number in the six figures with 732,800 and California had the worst decline by losing 623,700 private-sector jobs. Doing the addition and subtraction, I found that 22 Red States, controlled by Republicans had totaled a 451,600 private-sector job increase from April 2001 to April 2011. 21 Blue States and DC (for 22) totaled a decrease of 2,041,300 private-sector jobs in the same time frame.

Should say something to what policies work better than others and who understands how to increase job creation and who is very good at decreasing it.

Dr. Helen wonders why so many "now hiring" signs are out, yet unemployment keeps rising.

Eric Allie creates the cartoon visual on the new unemployment "normal".



In other news, the Supreme Court, in a 5 to 4 ruling, ruled that 46,000 inmates over the next two years be released due to overcrowding in the California prison system.

What Could go wrong? ummmm.... perhaps mistakenly releasing an estimated 450 inmates with "a high risk for violence? Oh and another 1,000 presenting a high risk of committing drug crimes, property crimes and other offenses were also let out.

Oooops?

Bob Gorrell presents the "get out of jail free" cartoon for this idiocy.



Another week in politics bites the dust.

Cartoons from TownHall Political Cartoons

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Students Suspended For Wearing White T-Shirts: School Contact Info Provided

H/T Jim Treacher @ Daily Caller

Evidently, in the mind of Ken Lawrence-Emanuel, the Soquel High School principal, students wearing white T-shirts for a group photo is indicative of those students being "white supremacists".

Yeah, seriously.

"All the girls wore pink, all the sports guys wore tank tops," says Soquel High Senior Mikey Donnelly. "We were all going to wear white so that was the plan. Just wear white t-shirts to identify ourselves and look back and say that was our group of friends right there."

Soquel High Senior Mikey Donnelly wore a white t-shirt for his senior class photo Tuesday. About 10 of his friends did the same. That decision may seem harmless. But Soquel High suspended Donnelly for three days because of it.

Donnelly said the school told him people were offended and intimidated by his group, claiming they're a white supremacist gang.

The students apparently aren't going to take being labeled as white supremacists laying down and High school senior Mike Donnelly says he will not only appeal the decision but if he has to, he will take it to court.

Soquel High Senior David Mine, another one of the kids suspended is also speaking out:

"I feel disrespected," says Soquel High Senior David Mine.

Mine also wore a white t-shirt and was also suspended. He's missing out on finals and that could jeopardize his graduation.

"I'm Asian," says Mine. "I don't see how I can be a white supremacist. I'm against it completely."

Soquel High School
401 Old San Jose Rd. :: Soquel, CA 95073
(831) 429-3909 :: fax (831) 429-3311

Contact Info:

Ken Lawrence-Emanuel This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it	Principal	429-3909 x123
Viyada Weng This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it	Administrative Assistant to the Principal	429-3909 x124
Craig Miller This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it	Assistant Principal Student Services/Security/Safety/Discipline	429-3909 x126
Cheryl Walton This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it	Assistant Principal's Secretary	429-3909 x129
Rod Martin This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it	Assistant Principal – Counseling Services	429-3909 x125
Suzanne Williams This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it	Counseling Secretary	429-3909 x132
Stu Walters This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it	Athletic Director	429-3950

Names above linked to email.

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Rapist Pisses Off Mother Of Victim, She Sets Him On Fire

Lesson: It is never a good idea for a convicted rapist to get in the face of a rape victim's mother.

The proof of that statement comes from an article in The Telegraph:

A Spanish mother has taken revenge on the man who raped her 13-year-old daughter at knifepoint by dousing him in petrol and setting him alight. He died of his injuries in hospital on Friday.

Antonio Cosme Velasco Soriano, 69, had been sent to jail for nine years in 1998, but was let out on a three-day pass and returned to his home town of Benejúzar, 30 miles south of Alicante, on the Costa Blanca.

While there, he passed his victim's mother in the street and allegedly taunted her about the attack. He is said to have called out "How's your daughter?", before heading into a crowded bar.

Shortly after, the woman walked into the bar, poured a bottle of petrol over Soriano and lit a match. She watched as the flames engulfed him, before walking out.

The woman fled to Alicante, where she was arrested the same evening. When she appeared in court the next day in the town of Orihuela, she was cheered and clapped by a crowd, who shouted "Bravo!" and "Well done!"

A judge ordered her to be held in prison and undergo psychiatric tests, provoking anger from friends and neighbours, who have set up a petition calling for her release.

I would vote for temporary insanity.

H/T Drudge@Twitter

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Chuckle Worthy: No Recess Appointments For Obama

A recess appointment is the appointment, by the President of the United States, of a senior federal official while the Senate is in recess. The U.S. Constitution requires that the most senior federal officers must be confirmed by the Senate before assuming office, but while the U.S. Senate is in recess the President can act alone by making a recess appointment.

The Hill reports "GOP forces Senate pro-forma session, blocking Warren recess appointment."

Republicans are preventing the Senate from completely adjourning for the Memorial Day recess. Instead, the chamber will come in for three pro-forma sessions over the next 10 days.

The cursory sessions are a formality that will ensure President Obama does not make recess appointments, a prospect that was considered unlikely anyway because the recess is scheduled for only a week.

Some Republicans feared that Obama would use the recess to appoint Elizabeth Warren to head the controversial Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which will have broad powers over Wall Street.

Most presidents, if not all, make appointments while the Senate is adjourned, especially if they feel their nominee won't be confirmed by the Senate.

It is an end run around the Senate and isn't in any way illegal.

But on a slow news day, I will take my chuckles where I can get them.

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Heartland Heartbreak: Help Hank Hamil!

Tonight I will be guest hosting the Rick Amato show on KCBQ 1170 and KTIE 590 from 7-9pm PST. Meanwhile, tornadoes are devastating middle America. Hank Hamil in Oklahoma lost his 2 young sons. Please help this man.

http://www.tygrrrrexpress.com/2011/05/heartland-heartbreak-help-hank-hamil/

eric aka the Tygrrrr Express

VIDEO added: Will Texas Governor Rick Perry Jump Into 2012 And Shake Up The GOP Field

Video added below the post of Perry's press conference.

"Texas added more jobs in the past 10 years than the total jobs of the 19 states, including the District of Columbia, that were positive for job growth."--- The Business Journals

There has been buzz, rumors and speculation as to whether Texas Governor Rick Perry would toss his hat into the ring as a presidential candidate for 2012, despite his prior rejection of the idea.

Reports today show that the thought is there and the possibility is not as unlikely as many once thought it was.

Via Statesman:

Gov. Rick Perry today gave his strongest indication yet that he may run for president.

“I’m going to think about it” after the legislative session ends Monday, Perry said. He added, “But I think about a lot of things.”

More:

Perry was asked about the presidency during a press conference to hail a voter-identification law that he has signed into law.

The presidential talk began when a reporter asked Perry for his reaction to the fact that the Hispanic Republican Conference of Texas, a group of state legislators, endorsed him for president on Thursday.

“I don’t make a lot of anything dealing with that until we get past the Monday deadline for this legislative session,” Perry said. “That’s our focus. I appreciate everybody’s interest. All of us know that the work at hand is the most important thing we have to do in getting this balanced budget finalized and passing pieces of legislation like this.”

Unemployment is a huge issue and promises to be one the top issues going into the 2012 campaign season, with unemployment at 9 percent now and estimates from experts believing unemployment will not be under 8 percent by Nov. 2012. Job growth has also been the focus of the latest plan put together by the GOP, unveiled yesterday with "America's Job Creators".

Recent reports with data obtained by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show that Texas over the last decade has seen private-sector job growth of 732,800, the highest of all 50 states and DC.

No other state even topped 100,000.

Perry is into his third term as Governor, making him the longest serving governor in Texas history and would benefit greatly from Texas' job growth over the last 10 years as well as his reputation as a social and fiscal conservative.

Others have noted that recently Perry has been weighing in on national issues as well which could been indicative of a 2012 presidential run.

More on Perry's stances and votes on individual issues can be found here.

This is definitely a story to watch if for no other reason than if Perry enters the race, the campaign season would get much more interesting.



More at Ballot Box.


Job Growth Related:

Red States Add More Jobs Than Blue States: Part 1 and Part 2

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Obama Vs Netanyahu: Bambi Meets Godzilla

Meadia presents one of the most harsh slap downs of Barack Obama's middle east peace position that I have seen in a while. Not only did Obama alienate Congress members, Democratic and Republican, but now large Jewish Democratic donors are saying they will not help him in his campaign for reelection.

Whose word no man relies on.
Who never said a foolish thing
Or ever did a wise one.

What a perfect description of Barack Obama.

Teaser:

Where he has failed so dramatically is in the arena he himself has so frequently identified as vital: the search for peace between Palestinians and Israelis. His record of grotesque, humiliating and total diplomatic failure in his dealings with Prime Minister Netanyahu has few parallels in American history. Three times he has gone up against Netanyahu; three times he has ingloriously failed. This last defeat — Netanyahu’s deadly, devastating speech to Congress in which he eviscerated President Obama’s foreign policy to prolonged and repeated standing ovations by members of both parties — may have been the single most stunning and effective public rebuke to an American President a foreign leader has ever delivered.

Netanyahu beat Obama like a red-headed stepchild; he played him like a fiddle; he pounded him like a big brass drum. The Prime Minister of Israel danced rings around his arrogant, professorial opponent. It was like watching the Harlem Globetrotters go up against the junior squad from Miss Porter’s School; like watching Harvard play Texas A&M, like watching Bambi meet Godzilla — or Bill Clinton run against Bob Dole.

The Prime Minister mopped the floor with our guy. Obama made his ’67 speech; Bibi ripped him to shreds. Obama goes to AIPAC, nervous, off-balance, backing and filling. Then Bibi drops the C-Bomb, demonstrating to the whole world that the Prime Minister of Israel has substantially more support in both the House and the Senate than the President of the United States.

OUCH.

Go read the whole thing.

In the meantime, In Israel, Netanyahu's popularity soars after his Washington visit.

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DC Liberals: Free Speech For Me But Not For Thee?

Hat Tip to StephenKruiser@Twitter for a link to the video below.

>

Video from MRCTV who conducted an experiment to see how many would sign a petition to allow the federal government to ban free speech on sites like Hot Air, Breitbart, Instapundit and Drudge.

After hearing news the other day that the Obama administration had appointed a new position to monitor and push back against negative online press we thought some liberals in DC might think it wasn't enough. So we sent Joe Schoffstall out to see just how far liberals would go to silence conservative speech. Joe went around Georgetown in DC with a petition to "Ban Conservative Hate Sites" that said this:

"The undersigned hereby adamantly demand that the United States government shut down right wing hate sites. The hate speech propagated by sites like the Drudge Report, Hot Air, Instapundit, Big Government, and others must not be allowed to corrupt our political discourse any longer. These sites are dangerous not only to truth and freedom but also to our society as a whole. BAN THEM NOW!"

Since Hot Air is mentioned, it is only appropriate that we quote their reaction:

“There has to be some control,” one young woman says. “I mean, freedom of speech is good, but, there is a certain modicum of control — I mean, look at the Tea Party.” Yeah, look at that freedom of assembly and freedom of political speech that garnered so much support that Republicans won more new seats in a midterm election than either party had in 72 years. We have to control that kind of thing! I particularly liked the one woman who signed the petition because sites like ours “cause a lot of debate.” Oh, heavens, no! Not debate! Why, then one might have to actually pay attention and think for one’s self!

Reminder to DC Liberals- Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.--- First Amendment

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Sarah Palin: News, Speculation, Bus Tour And More

Sarah Palin is having another good news day as she announces the start of Nationwide Bus Tour amid speculation as to whether she has bought a home in Arizona, or whether or not she intends to run for presidency in 2012, a movie project, and to top it off, Gallup finds her in the top two with Romney in the newly reduced GOP field.

The film should premiere in June. Gallup finds 17 percent support for Romney and Palin comes in second at 15 percent, but since Palin hasn't yet announced her candidacy one way or another yet, I will wait before looking at polling patterns. (A few others in the Gallup poll also have not formally announced either)

I don't think word on the Arizona home is confirmed yet but some seem to saying it like it is a done deal, we shall see.

Starting this weekend, Sarah Palin will embark on a One Nation Tour of historical sites that were key to the formation, survival, and growth of the United States of America. The tour will originate in Washington DC and will proceed north up the east coast. More information will follow. Please follow the tour on SarahPAC.com.

Quite a bit of discussion going on surrounding the Gallup poll and Sarah's bus tour, over at Memeorandum.


NOTE to Palin and Family: If the news is true, let me be one of the first to say "welcome, Sarah, Todd and family to Arizona." The weather is beautiful here and the people are great.

[Update] Sneak Preview, Hat Tip Hot Air for the video of Sean Hannity showing a little piece of the "Undefeated" Palin film.

Video below:



Also head over to Top of the Ticket to read Andrew Malcolm's awesome take on this.

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Supreme Court Backs AZ Law Punishing Employers For Hiring Illegals

In a 5-3 Supreme Court ruling, the high court has backed the Legal Arizona Workers Act from 2007, a law which punishes employers that hire illegal aliens by taking away the business licenses of companies that knowingly them.

This is one of the laws that the Obama administration opposes and is fighting against, claiming the state law tramples on federal authority.

The Supreme Court disagreed and ruled against that argument.

"Arizona has taken the route least likely to cause tension with federal law," wrote Chief Justice John Roberts. "It relies solely on the federal government's own determination of who is an unauthorized alien, and it requires Arizona employers to use the federal government's own system for checking employee status."

Roberts also said:

"Arizona went the extra mile in ensuring that its law tracks (the federal law's) provisions in all material aspects."

Those opposed to the Legal Arizona Workers Act claimed that federal law said states may not impose "civil or criminal sanctions" on employers, to which Roberts pointed out that another portion of that same law that opponents cited made clear that states were free to use their "licensing" laws to punish employers.

From the Ruling (Pages 5-6 of the 69 Page PDF)- Chamber of Commerce v. Whiting (09-115):

Federal immigration law expressly preempts “any State or local law imposing civil or criminal sanctions (other than through licensing and similar laws) upon those who employ . . . unauthorized aliens.” 8 U. S. C. §1324a(h)(2). A recently enacted Arizona statute—the Legal Arizona Workers Act—provides that the licenses of state employers that knowingly or intentionally employ unauthorized aliens may be, and in certain circumstances must be, suspended or revoked. The law also requires that all Arizona employers use a federal electronic verification system to confirm that the workers they employ are legally authorized workers. The question presented is whether federal immigration law preempts those provisions of Arizona law. Because we conclude that the State’s licensing provisions fall squarely within the federal statute’s savings clause and that the Arizona regulation does not otherwise conflict with federal law, we hold that the Arizona law is not preempted.

Score One For State Sovereignty- Hugh Hewitt

[Update] Arizona Governor Jan Brewer responds to the ruling (PDF):

Immigration Victory for Arizona as Supreme Court Upholds Employer Sanctions Law

“I could not be more gratified by today‟s decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold the legality of the Legal Arizona Workers Act and the principle of federalism, more generally. Despite the Obama Administration‟s opposition at the U.S. Supreme Court, Arizona and all states are now free to take down the „Help Wanted‟ sign for illegal aliens in their states. Arizona‟s employer sanctions law allows the vast majority of businesses that want to play by the rules to comply with federal and state laws against hiring illegal aliens, and seeks to punish those employers who take advantage of the federal government‟s immigration failures. One result of the Legal Arizona Workers Act: Arizona employers now lead the nation in the use of the federal E-Verify system for determining the legal status of new employees.

“Today‟s decision also acknowledges that federalism is alive and well. The Court validated this long-standing principle by noting that „a high threshold must be met if a state law is to be preempted for conflicting with the purposes of a federal Act.‟ Likewise, Judge Carlos Bea‟s dissent in Arizona‟s appeal on S.B. 1070 to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals stated that the intent of Congress was „to provide an important role for state officers in the enforcement of immigration laws …‟ While S.B. 1070 and the Legal Arizona Workers Act are obviously different laws, I am hopeful and optimistic that the U.S. Supreme Court will hear Arizona‟s future appeal of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals‟ decision against S.B. 1070 and apply the same general principle of federalism by rejecting claims of federal preemption. “In light of today‟s decision, I am more adamant than ever that states do have a complimentary role in enforcing federal immigration laws, despite the Obama Administration‟s opposition at every turn. I want to assure Arizonans, and all Americans, that the State of Arizona will not rest until the federal government secures our border and enforces federal immigration laws.”

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Republican's Plan For Job Growth Unveiled: America's Job Creators

The video above is 3:24 minutes long of Majority Leader Eric Cantor discussing the newly unveiled "America's Job Creators".

A one page summary can be found here and the ten page PDF showing the whole plan with problems and solutions and backgrounds listed can be found here.

The areas the plan focuses on are to; Empower Small Business Owners and Reduce Regulatory Burdens, Fix the Tax Code to Help Job Creators, Increase Competitiveness for American Manufacturers, Encourage Entrepreneurship and Growth, Maximize Domestic Energy Production to Ensure An Energy Policy for the Twenty-First Century and Pay Down America’s Unsustainable Debt Burden and Start Living Within Our Means.

Other problems listed with solutions are: Visa System For Highly Skilled and FDA Product Approval Process.

Read the plan, the problems and the proposed solutions for yourself to determine your own opinion on whether you believe these are addressing the issues preventing job growth and if you think the solutions will help solve those issues to create more jobs.

Unemployment is at nine percent and that is the official number which excludes people able and willing to work but have not actively sought a job in the four weeks prior to the survey (2.5 million), the real number is far above that, and reports from CNBC today show that jobless claims are continuing to rise and Reuters reports corporate profits are falling.

As I said, read the summary, delve into the ten page plan, decide for yourself. Don't let media spin, one way or the other, or your favorite blogger or pundit tell you whether it is good or not.

PS- On a personal note, I think it is a good start to addressing job growth, but I would ask that my opinion, nor anyone elses, replace your judgment.

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Democrats And Taxes: Welcome Back To The 1970's If Dems Could Have Their Way

If Democrats have their way, which they won't as long as Republicans hold the House of Representatives, but if they did have their way, the impact of their proposed tax policies would increase taxes to 62 percent.

Imagine that, 62 percent of what you make going to the government.

Here is the breakdown of the calculations:

If the Democrats' millionaire surtax were to happen—and were added to other tax increases already enacted last year and other leading tax hike ideas on the table this year—this could leave the U.S. with a combined federal and state top tax rate on earnings of 62%. That's more than double the highest federal marginal rate of 28% when President Reagan left office in 1989. Welcome back to the 1970s.

Here's the math behind that depressing calculation. Today's top federal income tax rate is 35%. Almost all Democrats in Washington want to repeal the Bush tax cuts on those who make more than $250,000 and phase out certain deductions, so the effective income tax rate would rise to about 41.5%. The 3% millionaire surtax raises that rate to 44.5%.

But payroll taxes, which are income taxes on wages and salaries, must also be included in the equation. So we have to add about 2.5 percentage points for the payroll tax for Medicare (employee and employer share after business deductions), which was applied to all income without a ceiling in 1993 as part of the Clinton tax hike. I am including in this analysis the employer share of all payroll taxes because it is a direct tax on a worker's salary and most economists agree that though employers are responsible for collecting this tax, it is ultimately borne by the employee. That brings the tax rate to 47%.

Then last year, as part of the down payment for ObamaCare, Congress snuck in an extra 0.9% Medicare surtax on "high-income earners," meaning any individual earning more than $200,000 or couples earning more than $250,000. This brings the total tax rate to 47.9%.

But that's not all. Several weeks ago, Mr. Obama raised the possibility of eliminating the income ceiling on the Social Security tax, now capped at $106,800 of earnings a year. (Never mind that the program was designed to operate as an insurance system, with each individual's payment tied to the benefits paid out at retirement.) Subjecting all wage and salary income to Social Security taxes would add roughly 10.1 percentage points to the top tax rate. This takes the grand total tax rate on each additional dollar earned in America to about 58%.

Then we have to factor in state income taxes, which on average add after the deductions from the federal income tax roughly another four percentage points to the tax burden. So now on average we are at a tax rate of close to 62%.

Democrats have repeatedly stated they only intend to restore the tax rates that existed during the Clinton years. But after all these taxes on the "rich," we're headed back to the taxes that prevailed under Jimmy Carter, when the highest tax rate was 70%.

There is much more, so go read the rest.

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Do any liberals respect women?

I am speaking at lunch in Orange County to the Brea GOP ladies. Meanwhile, liberal men from DSK to Ed Schultz continue to violate women while the hags and harpies at the NOW stay silent. Do any liberals respect women, and does anybody respect them less than the liberal women themselves?

http://www.tygrrrrexpress.com/2011/05/do-any-liberals-respect-women/

eric aka the Tygrrrr Express

MSNBC Issues Statement About Ed Schultz Calling Laura Ingraham A 'Right-Wing Slut'

Ed Schultz, MSNBC host, on his radio show called conservative personality Laura Ingraham a "right-wing slut", which had even liberals calling him out about it as well as media and bloggers from the right wondering what MSNBC was going to do.

Rain, thunderstorms, winds getting whipped into tornadoes of horrific proportions. Hot weather, all of this stuff. And what are the Republicans thinking about? They're not thinking about their next-door neighbor. They're just thinking about how much this is going to cost. President Obama is going to be visiting Joplin, Missouri, on Sunday. But you know what they're talking about? Like this right-wing slut, what's her name, Laura Ingraham? Yeah, she's a talk slut. You see, she was, back in the day, praising President Reagan when he was drinking a beer overseas. But now that Obama's doing it, they're working him over.

MSNBC just issued a statement:

25 May 2011 5:51 PM
STATEMENT FROM MSNBC REGARDING ED SCHULTZ

STATEMENT FROM MSNBC REGARDING ED SCHULTZ:

MSNBC management met with Ed Schultz this afternoon and accepted his offer to take one week of unpaid leave for the remarks he made yesterday on his radio program. Ed will address these remarks on his show tonight, and immediately following begin his leave. Remarks of this nature are unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

For more information contact:

Lauren Skowronski
NBC News/MSNBC
t:212-664-2432
e: lauren.skowronski@nbcuni.com

Ingraham also responded , via Facebook:

Re. the crude comments made about me by Ed Schultz on his radio program: First, I was surprised to learn that Ed Schultz actually hosted a radio show. Is it only available online? Second, I have to get back to recording the audio edition of my new book "Of Thee I Zing." Now I'm tempted to insert one additional zing--about men who preach civility but practice misogyny.

The Daily Caller reports that Women’s Media Center has requested MSNBC suspend Schultz:

Ms. Ingraham is no friend to the Women’s Media Center, but a sexist and misogynist attack based on her gender and not her political views or comments is harmful to women in media, politics, and beyond.”

A big to-do for some but I figure, just consider the source.. does anyone even listen to Schultz? What does he have, like 2 whole listeners?

When Obama Screws The Hooch He Goes Big- Senate Dems To Rebuff Obama On '1967 Lines'

Gotta hand it to Barack Obama, when he screws up, he does it big and not only did the House of Representatives send their own little message to Obama over his ill chosen Israel/palestinian "1967 lines" wording but now Senate Democrats are in major damage control mode and might issue their own rebuke of Obama by supporting a resolution intended as a rebuff to Obama.

The Hill reports:

Senate Democrats are expected to support a resolution intended as a rebuff to President Obama’s call for basing Middle East peace talks on the 1967 Israeli-Palestinian borders.

More:

Democrats in both chambers are scrambling to fix the damage caused when Obama called for the 1967 borders and land swaps as a basis for peace.

Some Democrats have tried to downplay the rift, but Israel’s strongest supporters in Congress say there’s no denying that Obama made a tactical mistake in handling the relationship.

Talk about an understatement.

Also, according to The Hill, the resolution would show broad consensus within Congress that the 1967 Israeli-Palestinian borders are not only “indefensible,” as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated, but also contrary to U.S. national security interests.


Now, just for fun because I liked it soooooo much:



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This Is BS- Giffords' Shooter Ruled Incompetent To Stand Trial

I call bullshit.

The man accused of wounding U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and killing six is mentally incompetent to stand trial, a judge ruled Wednesday after U.S. Marshals dragged the man out of the courtroom because of an angry outburst.

People died that day. Lives were completely destroyed. Families are mourning and Jared Lee Loughner planned and executed his plan, making it premeditated and he throws a hissy in court, babbles to some shrinks incoherently and the judges rules him incompetent to stand trial?

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Red States Add More Jobs Than Blue States- Part 2: By The Numbers

Part two to my previous piece showing The Business Journals' data obtained by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics which found that Texas over the last decade has seen private sector job growth of 732,800 while California shows a private sector job decrease of 623,700.

The whole thing got me to thinking about the totals of all the blue states,red states and purple (swing) states, and I added up the numbers.

The final totals show 22 states considered "red", adding the private-sector jobs increased, subtracting the private-sector jobs decreased, left the red states with a plus 451,600 private-sector job increase over the last decade.

The 21 states considered "blue", and DC (making 22)adding the private-sector jobs increased, subtracting the private-sector jobs decreased, left the blue states with a minus 2,041,300 decrease in private-sector jobs.

Only 7 states are listed as purple, considered swing states which on any given year could swing blue or could swing red and those states total up to a 589,900 private-sector job decrease.

BY THE NUMBERS

Red States
Utah +90,000
Idaho +28,600
Wyoming +28,200
Nebraska +27,000
Alaska +34,400
Oklahoma +13,000
Kansas -42,500
North Dakota +49,600
Alabama -72,900
Texas +732,800
Mississippi -42,700
South Dakota +17,600
South Carolina -21,500
Montana +35,300
Kentucky -36,600
Indiana -165,500
Georgia -174,600
North Carolina -95,800
Tennessee -99,000
Arizona +90,200
Louisiana -5,700
Virginia +61,700

Total: +451,600 private-sector job increase from April 2001 to April 2011


Blue States
Massachusetts -140,700
Rhode Island -14,700
New York -17,000
Hawaii +26,500
Vermont -5,700
Maryland +9,900
Illinois -363,100
Connecticut -54,400
California -623,700
Delaware -13,300
Maine -16,300
New Jersey -175,600
Washington +63,000
Michigan -619,200
Minnesota -56,800
Oregon -5,500
Pennsylvania -20,400
New Mexico +34,300
Wisconsin -80,500
Iowa +1,300
New Hampshire -12,200
DC +42,800

Total w/DC added: -2,041,300 private-sector job decrease from April 2001 to April 2011

Purple (Swing) States
Arkansas -4,000
Nevada +39,600
West Virginia +7,200
Colorado -64,800
Florida -16,500
Missouri -98,500
Ohio -460,900

Total: -597,900 private-sector job decrease from April 2001 to April 2011

Page 1

(Correction made to this post)

Red States Add More Jobs Than Blue States: Texas Adds Highest Number Of Jobs Over Decade, California Suffers Biggest Decline of Jobs

Part two- By The Numbers found here.

The Business Journals' On Numbers provides a chart showing private-sector employment trends between 2001 and 2011, as well as the one-year changes from 2010 to 2011, state by state.

From April 2001 to April 2011 Texas has increased it's private-sector jobs by 732,800 and in the last year alone, from 2010 to 2011, the increase is listed at 251,700 private-sector jobs increased.

California, while enjoying a one year gain from 2010 to 2011, has suffered the biggest decline over the decade, losing 623,700 private-sector jobs.

The runners-up to Texas in private-sector growth were Arizona and Utah, which added 90,200 and 90,000 jobs respectively, during the decade from 2001 to 2011.

The data was obtained by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for the chart used by The Business Journal.

The latest data shown by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics also shows that Texas holds 8.0% unemployment, which is 1% lower than the national average and California holds 11.9% unemployment which is 2.9% above the national average.

Hot Air's Ed Morrissey makes this argument:

What do Texas, Utah, and Arizona all have in common? They are all right-to-work states. Among the top five states, only Washington does not have right-to-work laws allowing employees free choice whether to join unions. Seven of the top ten job-growth states are right-to-work. The only right-to-work state in the bottom 10 is Georgia. Earlier this month, Jim DeMint issued a report showing the correlation between right-to-work legal environments and growth:

Could be. I am sure some would argue against it but the data doesn't lie, it is just interpreted differently by those with different political agendas.

What cannot be argued is Texas is a long time Conservative state and California is well known to be a Liberal one. Politicians elected in each state are directly responsible for state politics, budgets, spending programs, spending cuts and job creation ideas.

In fact the top ten states in the On numbers list, in order, are:

Texas- RED
Arizona- RED
Utah- RED
Washington- BLUE
Virginia- RED
North Dakota-RED
District of Columbia -BLUE
Nevada- PURPLE
Montana- RED
Alaska- RED

(Technically, Washington D.C is a special district, not a state- added here only because On Numbers included it)

Conservative State-Red
Liberal State-Blue
Swing State-Purple

Apply state-by-state politics to the national argument that has been raging over the the federal deficit, government spending, spending cuts and job creation, where both sides of the political spectrum have their own opinion, for lack of a better word, on what needs to be done to address each issue, especially job creation.

It comes down to what set of ideas work and while everyone has their own opinion, if we go by the actual numbers, only one set of ideas seems to consistently provide the desired results in regards to private sector job creation.

"Texas added more jobs in the past 10 years than the total jobs of the 19 states, including the District of Columbia, that were positive for job growth."--- The Business Journals

It is up to voters to decide in 2012, more jobs or more "stimulating" experiments.

Page 2

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Joplin, Missouri and more--What do we do?

As I speak today to the Oxnard GOP ladies North of Los Angeles, I implore everybody help those suffering from deadly tornados.

http://www.tygrrrrexpress.com/2011/05/joplin-missouri-and-more-what-do-we-do/

eric aka the Tygrrrr Express

Nate Beeler's Hysterical Netanyahu- Obama Cartoon

Best cartoon ever!!




Yes Bibi, us too.

Shalom

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Full Video Of Speech To Congress Added- Netanyahu: "Israel Will Not Return to The Indefensible Boundaries Of 1967"

[Update] Finally, thank you GOPUSA who provides the video of Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to Congress, in full.

Video below:



Netanyahu's best point out of quite a few wonderful ones was when he said "Courageous Arab protesters, are now struggling to secure these very same rights for their peoples, for their societies. We're proud that over one million Arab citizens of Israel have been enjoying these rights for decades. Of the 300 million Arabs in the Middle East and North Africa, only Israel’s Arab citizens enjoy real democratic rights. I want you to stop for a second and think about that. Of those 300 million Arabs, less than one-half of one-percent are truly free, and they're all citizens of Israel!

This startling fact reveals a basic truth: Israel is not what is wrong about the Middle East. Israel is what is right about the Middle East."

Another great point that needed to be addressed was after the 36 minutes mark when Netanyahu said "But you know very well, that in the Middle East, the only peace that will hold is a peace you can defend.

So peace must be anchored in security. In recent years, Israel withdrew from South Lebanon and Gaza. We thought we'd get peace. That's not what we got. We got 12,000 thousand rockets fired from those areas on our cities, on our children, by Hezbollah and Hamas."

Netanyahu: "Israel Will Not Return to The Indefensible Boundaries Of 1967"

Go watch either video, (The RCP link shows just the specific line and the video above is the entire speech)the standing ovation and applause are deafening and an outright rejection of Obama's Palestinian goal stance in his initial speech before Netanyahu gave Obama a little history lesson, followed by Obama's attempt to backtrack and "clarify" his stance in his AIPAC speech which fit better into the realistic possibilities.

"The border will be different than the one that existed on June 4, 1967. Israel will not return to the indefensible lines of 1967."

I will try to find the text and video (Found them, linked and video at the top!) of Netanyahu's whole speech in front of Congress.

Previous piece: This is why we stand with Israel- Netanyahu Speech to AIPAC.

[Update] The Prime Minister of Israel's Facebook page provides Netanyahu's speech as prepared for delivery but doesn't show the the ad-lib moments like when a protester tried to heckle him (Around the six minute mark of the first video shown above), Congress stands to applaud him, and he uses that protester as evidence that free speech is part of Democracy yet would have been punished in certain Arab countries.

[Update] YID With LID thanks the House of Representatives on behalf of the Jewish people and the Jewish state.

[Final Update] Finished listening to the whole speech and was left thinking "Go Bibi!!!"

Related, via Memeorandum:

ABC's The Note- President Obama got 25 standing ovations from Congress during his 2011 State of the Union address. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu got 29 today.

The Politico with "Benjamin Netanyahu wows Congress"

(Updates have been added, the prepared remarks and at the top is the full speech to Congress. also a few memorable portions of the speech as I finish listening to it are being added..)

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AIPAC 2011: Bibi!

Our child president was hiding in Ireland, unable to accept that the leader of the free world is now Israeli PM Bibi Netanyahu. Bibi lit up AIPAC and Congress not with teleprompters or phony platitudes, but with intellectual honesty and moral clarity.

http://www.tygrrrrexpress.com/2011/05/aipac-2011-bibi/

Flying from Rhode Island to Atlanta to Los Angeles. After 1 month, finally home!

eric aka the Tygrrrr Express

This Is Why We Stand With Israel- Netanyahu Speech to AIPAC

[Update] Full video of Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to the House of Representatives, on follow up post.

Benjamin Netanyahu whole AIPAC speech will be shown below the post.

Barack Obama either miscalculated badly or simply didn't understand the ramifications of his words in his speech where he took the Palestinian position of peace negotiations starting along the 1967 lines between Israel and it's neighbors.

After being publicly rebuffed and given a history lesson by Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Democratic and Republican lawmakers spoke out in support of Netanyahu's position and against Obama's poorly chosen words.

Democratic lawmaker, the Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, is the latest to break with Obama in Reid's public speech made at AIPAC 2011, where he states "The place where negotiating will happen must be the negotiating table – and nowhere else. Those negotiations will not happen – and their terms will not be set – through speeches, or in the streets, or in the media.

"No one should set premature parameters about borders, about building or about anything else."

Obama seemed to realize his mistake when he spoke at AIPAC after his initial highly criticized speech and he tried to reaffirm his words but attempted to change the meaning of them when he said hsi reference to the 1967 lines with mutually agreed swaps "by definition" meant the "Israelis and Palestinians - will negotiate a border that is different than the one that existed on June 4, 1967."

I kid you not, that is a direct quote.


Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has now given his speech at AIPAC, which he will followup by speaking before Congress today, but in his speech he made many good points, thanking America for all it has done for Israel as well as what Israel has supplied America with via technology and the very basic fact that support for Israel unites Republicans, Democrats and Independents, which is confirmed by the latest Gallup poll showing a majority of all three being more sympathetic to Israel as is to the Palestinians.

80 percent of Republicans, 57 percent of both Democrats and Independents, totaling and overall 63 percent "continuing to say their sympathies lie more with the Israelis. Seventeen percent sympathize more with the Palestinians"

Much more on the breakdown's over at Gallup showing that Israel currently enjoys popular U.S. support across all major party groups and most major societal subgroups.

Obama's contempt has been duly noted, publicized, rejected and rebutted.


Full AIPAC speech by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, via The Algemeiner:

When tragedy strikes America, Israel mourns.

Tragedy has struck America.

In recent days, tornadoes and floods have claimed the lives of hundreds of Americans.

Israel grieves with you.

To all our supporters in this great hall, and to the millions of our supporters across this great land, the people of Israel thank you.

Thank you for your staunch commitment to Israel’s security.

Thank you for defending Israel’s right to defend itself.

Thank you for standing by Israel as it seeks a secure peace.

You know that Israel is America’s indispensable ally.

You understand that Israel and America stand shoulder to shoulder fighting common enemies, protecting common interests.

You know that Israeli innovators help power computers, fight disease, conserve water, and clean the planet.

Your support for Israel flows from the heart.

It’s not just what Israel does. It’s what Israel is.

Yesterday, they let me out.

My wife got to visit Washington’s majestic memorials.

I read Jefferson’s timeless words, “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal.”

I read Lincoln’s immortal address reaffirming “Government of the people, for the people, and by the people.”

You know why these words resonate so powerfully with me and with all Israelis.

Because they are rooted in ideas first championed by our people, the Jewish people.

The idea that all men are created in God’s image.

That no ruler is above the law.

That everyone is entitled to justice.

These revolutionary Jewish ideas were spoken thousands of years ago when vast slave empires ruled the earth.

Israel is the cradle of our common civilization, crucible of our moral ideals.

The Jewish state was founded on these eternal values.

This is why Israel’s more than one million Muslim citizens enjoy full democratic rights.

This is why the only place in the Middle East where Christians are completely free to practice their faith is in the democratic State of Israel.

And this is why only Israel can be trusted to ensure freedom for all faiths in our eternal capital, the united city of Jerusalem.

My Friends,

Israel and America have drawn from this deep wellspring of common values.

We have forged an enduring friendship not merely between our governments but between our peoples.

Support for Israel doesn’t divide America.

It unites America.

It unites the old and the young, liberals and conservatives, Democrats and Republicans—and yes, Joe Leiberman, it even unites Independents—

This broad support for Israel is a source of great strength for my country.

Since Harry Truman, Israel has looked to American Presidents to stand by its side to meet unfolding challenges of a changing world.

President Obama has spoken about his ironclad commitment to Israel’s security.

He rightly said that our security cooperation is unprecedented.

He spoke of that commitment not just in front of AIPAC, but in two speeches heard throughout the Arab world.

And President Obama has backed those words with deeds.

I know these are tough economic times.

So I want to thank the President and Congress for providing Israel with vital assistance so that Israel can defend itself by itself.

Thank you for supporting the Iron Dome missile-defense system.

A few weeks ago, Hamas terrorists in Gaza fired eight rockets at Ashkelon and Be’er Sheva.

The rockets never reached their targets.

Iron Dome intercepted them.

For the first time, a missile defense system worked in combat.

Thank you, America.

America and Israel are cooperating in so many other ways.

In science, in technology, in trade, in investment.

Its not only American companies investing in Israel.

It’s Israeli companies investing in America.

In the last decade, Israeli companies have invested more than $50 billion in America.

One of those investments is happening just down the road in Richmond.

An Israeli company is building a food factory there.

That means more business, more jobs and yes, more Hummus.

Well it’s not just food we’re bringing to America.

Take medicine.

Israel is advancing cures for multiple schlerosis, cancer and alzheimer’s.

We’ve developed the mechanical means to make paraplegics walk again.

We placed a tiny diagnostic camera inside a pill.

A Jerusalem start-up company has developed a bandage to rapidly stop bleeding.

A million of those bandages have been supplied to the US army.

They are saving American lives and limbs.

But not just on the battlefield.

A few months ago, one of those bandages was carried by a policeman in Tuscon, Arizona.

It helped save the life of a great friend of Israel, Congresswoman Gabriel Giffords!

Israel and America are also cooperating to end the world’s worst addiction — the addiction to oil.

This dependence fuels terrorism.

It poisons the planet.

We’ve launched a ten-year program to seek a substitute for gasoline.

If we succeed, we can change history.

My Friends,

The American people’s support for Israel is reflected in my invitation to address a joint meeting of Congress tomorrow.

I will talk about the great convulsion taking place in the Middle East -

I will talk about the dangers of a nuclear-armed Iran.

I will also outline a vision for a secure Israeli-Palestinian peace.

I will speak the unvarnished truth.

Now, more than ever, what we need is clarity.

Events in our region are finally opening people’s eyes to a simple truth.

The problems of the region are not rooted in Israel.

The remarkable scenes we are witnessing in town squares across the Middle East and North Africa are occurring for a simple reason.

People want freedom.

They want progress. They want a better life.

For many of the people in the region, the 20^th century skipped them by.

Now 21^st century technology is showing them what they missed.

That desperate fruit vendor in Tunis didn’t set himself on fire because of Israel.

He set himself on fire because of decades of indignity, decades of intolerable corruption.

The millions who poured into the streets of Tehran, Tunis, Cairo, Sanna, Benghazi and Damascus, were not thinking about Israel.

They were thinking of freedom.

They were yearning for opportunity.

It’s time to stop blaming Israel for all of the region’s problems.

Let me stress one thing.

Peace between Israelis and Palestinians is a vital need for us.

Peace would be the realization of a powerful and eternal dream.

But it is not a panacea for the endemic problems of the Middle East.

It will not give women is some Arab countries in the Middle East the right to drive a car.

It will not prevent Churches from being bombed.

It will not keep journalists out of jail.

What will change all this? One word.

Democracy. Real, genuine, democracy.

By democracy, I don’t just mean elections.

I mean Freedom of Speech. Freedom of the Press. Freedom of Assembly.

The Rule of Law. Rights for women, for gays, for minorities, for everyone.

What the people of the Middle East need is what you have in America, and what we have in Israel.

Democracy.

It’s time to recognize this basic truth:

Israel is not what’s wrong about the Middle East.

Israel is what’s right about the Middle East.

My Friends,

Israel wants peace because we know the pain of terror and the agony of war.

We want peace because we know the blessings peace could bring to us and to our Palestinian neighbors.

But if we hope to advance peace with the Palestinians, then it is time that we admitted another truth.

This conflict has raged for nearly a century because the Palestinians refuse to end it.

They refuse to accept the Jewish state.

This is what this conflict has always been about.

There are many issues that must be resolved between Israelis and Palestinians.

We can and must resolve them.

But I repeat. We can only make peace with the Palestinians if they are prepared to make peace with the Jewish state.

Tomorrow, I will speak more about what such a peace could look like.

But tonight I wanted to express Israel’s gratitude for all you are doing to help strengthen Israel and its great alliance with America.

*You help maintain our Qualitative Military Edge.

*You back sanctions against Iran.

* You support a genuine peace.

*You oppose Hamas.

*You’ve joined President Obama and me in denouncing Hamas and demanding that it release, Gilad Shalit.

That’s another outrageous crime of Hamas.

Keeping a young soldier locked in a dark dungeon for five years without even a visit from the Red Cross.

Hamas must release Gilad Shalit!

My friends,

I spent my high school years in Philadelphia.

I went many times to see the Liberty Bell.

Now, as Prime Minister of Israel, I can walk down the street and see an exact replica of that bell in Jerusalem’s Liberty Park.

On both bells is the same inscription.

It comes from the Bible, from Leviticus.

“Proclaim Liberty throughout the Land.”

My Dear Friends,

This is the essence of the great alliance between our two nations.

Two peoples bonded in Liberty, and seeking freedom and peace for all.

That ladies and gentlemen, is why we stand with Israel.

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