conservatism

Stephen F. Hayes at The Weekly Standard:

In a 75-minute meeting Sunday night, President Obama once again demanded that more than $1 trillion in tax increases be part of any deficit reduction package attached to a vote on the debt ceiling. In the session, Obama rejected a Republican proposal to seek $2.5 trillion in spending cuts and reforms, and insisted on higher taxes on businesses and wealthy individuals.

We must not be in a recession, then:

[In 2009] Obama agreed with Ferguson’s premise – raising taxes in a recession is a bad idea. “First of all, he’s right. Normally, you don’t raise taxes in a recession, which is why we haven’t and why we’ve instead cut taxes. So I guess what I’d say to Scott is – his economics are right. You don’t raise taxes in a recession. We haven’t raised taxes in a recession.”

Mr. President, have you seen the unemployment rate recently? Or inflation? Or debt? We are in a recession. Please, take your own advice.

Great piece by Aubrey Vaughan at News Busters.

Doug Powers for Michelle Malkin (quoting Warren Buffet):

“I could end the deficit in 5 minutes. You just pass a law that says that anytime there is a deficit of more than 3% of GDP all sitting members of congress are ineligible for reelection.”

I rarely agree with Buffet on anything related to politics. I have to say—while this has virtually zero chance of ever becoming law—this is one of the best ideas I have heard on ending our deficit. I’ve seen the proposals to freeze pay for congress members if they can’t pass a budget, but destroying their ability to run for reelection—that is pure genius. This is the kind of law that would make a great amendment to the constitution. I’ve long been an advocate of ending the culture of career politicians we have today.

Lori Montgomery at The Washington Post:

Instead, Senate Democrats are proposing to stabilize borrowing through sharp cuts at the Pentagon and other government agencies, as well as $2 trillion in new taxes, primarily on families earning more than $1 million year, according to a copy of the plan obtained by The Washington Post.

Translation: Senate Democrats would like to cut military spending because it’s politically expedient, and are also proposing $2T in new taxes for the most productive members of society because “it’s fair”. Coincidentally these are the same people that provide vital jobs to the American people.

“The very strong feeling was we needed to get this into the conversation, because it provides an alternative view,” said a Senate Democrat familiar with the blueprint, who spoke on condition of anonymity because it has not been publicly released. “What’s striking is how modest the changes need to be to get us back on track.”

No, Senator. What’s striking is the amount of money we spend above and beyond the amount of money we collect.

Matthew Knee at Legal Insurrection:

In Fall of 2009, the Obama Administration conceived Operation Fast and Furious, in which the ATF sold thousands of advanced weapons to Mexican drug cartels in order to track them once they were used in crimes.

Isn’t there something fundamentally wrong with that strategy?

And which guns did the ATF sell to the cartels? AK-47-type assault rifles and Barrett .50 BMG sniper rifles. Exactly the types of guns that Obama hoped to ban due to their use by the cartels.

Coincidence, I’m sure.

I’m not saying that the Obama Administration intentionally magnified the precise circumstances that they were using to justify their gun control proposals.  However, their reckless policy not only had this effect, but provided guns to criminal gangs that were used to murder U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry, ICE Special Agent Jaime Zapata and about 150 Mexican law enforcement personnel.  Those involved in this tragic irony must be punished accordingly.  It is vital that the public comes to know who in the administration knew what and when they knew it.  Kudos to Congressman Issa for bringing this deadly scandal into the light.  Shame on the MSM for not making this a top story.

This is absolutely amazing. If a Republican were in office the media and liberal politicians would be demanding an impeachment trial.