It Is What It IS.....

[Warph]

Across the Atlantic, Americans see European economies faltering under enormous debt, overburdened welfare states, governments controlling close to fifty percent of the economy, high taxation, heavily regulated labor markets, aging populations, and large numbers of public sector workers. They also see a European political class that is unable -- and, in many cases, unwilling -- to implement economic reform.

This timely and sobering video explains why Americans cannot ignore the "canary in the coalmine" across the pond in determining our future. We must ask the question: "Is America becoming Europe?"

To learn more read Dr. Samuel Gregg's Becoming Europe: Economic Decline, Culture, and How America Can Avoid a European Future: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1594036373/

"This is a book that every economist, historian, and politician should read."
— Amity Shlaes, syndicated Bloomberg News columnist

"Europe is a terrifying example of what happens when the state gets too large and the money runs out. Don't imagine that it couldn't happen to you."
— Daniel Hannan, British Conservative Member of the European Parliament

[Warph]

Escape From North Korea

It is a crime to leave North Korea. Yet increasing numbers of North Koreans dare to flee. They go first to neighboring China, which rejects them as criminals, then on to Southeast Asia or Mongolia, and finally to South Korea, the United States, and other free countries. They travel along a secret route known as the new underground railroad.

Melanie Kirkpatrick tells the harrowing story of the North Koreans' quest for liberty. Travelers on the new underground railroad include women bound to Chinese men who purchased them as brides, defectors carrying state secrets, and POWS from the Korean War held captive in the North for more than half a century. Their conductors are brokers who are in it for the money as well as Christians who are in it to serve God.

[Warph]

                             

Economist Herb Stein famously said that something that can't go on forever, won't.  For decades now, America has been putting ever-growing amounts of money into its K-12 education system, while getting steadily poorer results.  Now parents are losing faith in public schools, new alternatives are appearing, and change is on the way.

[Warph]

If my parents were alive today, they would be happy to give the U.S. Senate their two cents worth in no uncertain terms.  In other words, they would give them HELL! 

I can see it now....

"All right," said my mother, standing before the members of the U.S. Senate, "it's time for you to get your act together."

"That's right," said my father. "You fools haven't passed an annual budget in more than three years!"

"What is this thing you call a 'budget'?" said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.

"For the love of God," said my mother. "A budget is a framework that sets priorities for spending based on the income or revenue one receives.  In the case of the government, it allocates funds among different programs in a rational and organized manner."

"That is correct, dear," said my father.  "The budget process brings discipline to spending.  Since there is a finite amount of income, a budget forces an individual or organization to make tough decisions."

"Sounds like a lot of work," said Reid.

"It's a tremendous amount of work, but it must be done," said my mother.  "It's because my husband and I established a disciplined budget every year that we managed to raise five children on a single income."

"It was our duty to our children to create and follow a budget," said my father. "It is the duty of the Senate to work with the House and the White House to do likewise."

"We don't need a budget," said Reid.  "We keep passing short-term continuing resolutions, which are funding the government just fine."

"Horsefeathers!" said my mother.  "By passing short-term budgeting resolutions, you are not addressing the deficit, which will be just shy of $1 trillion again this fiscal year.  You are not addressing the need to reform taxes to eliminate red tape, broaden the base and increase revenue.  You are not doing your jobs and you should be ashamed of yourselves for the uncertainty you are visiting on our shaky economy."

"How does this budgeting thing work?" said Reid, with a puzzled look on his face.

"First," said my father, "you look at how much money you are bringing in.  Then you make sure the important items are covered.  In our case, they included our mortgage, utility bills, food and savings for a rainy day.  Regrettably, we hardly ever had money left over to pay for fun things, such as vacations, new cars and other niceties, so we cut those from our budget."

"You cut niceties!  What about golf?  And why didn't you just create more money like our government does?"

"For the love of God," said my mother.  "You numbskulls in Washington need to get your heads examined.  You are spending this country into oblivion.  You are running up debt at an unsustainable level.  At some point, this country will no longer be able to print or borrow enough money and the whole thing will come crashing down and it will be because you lack the discipline to produce a simple budget."

"But we can't prioritize spending and cut government programs!" said Reid.  "People who like these programs voted for us to keep growing them.  If we go through a budgeting process, members of the Senate will go on record showing which priorities they favor and which they don't.  That's bad politics."

"Then bad politics is what the country needs right now," said my father.  "My wife and I have been disciplined about spending throughout our marriage, because we worried about our children's future.  We managed our affairs sensibly and are happily retired, and our children do not have to worry about our future.  But the Senate must produce a budget right now to save our country's future."

"Budget," said Reid.  "What is this thing you call a 'budget'?"[/b]

[Warph]

Barack Obama met with the Queen of England.

He asked her, "Your Majesty, how do you run such an efficient government? Are there any tips you can give me?"

"Well," said the Queen, "the most important thing is to surround yourself with intelligent people."

Obama frowned, and then asked, "But how do I know the people around you are really intelligent?"

The Queen took a sip of tea. "Oh, that's easy; you just ask them to answer an intelligent riddle."

The Queen pushed a button on her intercom. "Please send Tony Blair in here, would you?"

Tony Blair walked into the room and said, "Yes, Your Majesty?"

The Queen smiled and said, "Answer me this please, Tony, your mother and father have a child. It is not your brother and it is not your sister. Who is it?"

Without pausing for a moment, Tony Blair answered, "That would be me."

"Yes! Very good," said the Queen.

Obama went back home to ask Joe Biden the same question. "Joe, answer this for me. Your mother and your father have a child. It's not your brother and it's not your sister. Who is it?"

"I'm not sure," said Biden. "Let me get back to you on that one." He went to his advisors and asked everyone, but none could give him an answer.

Finally, Biden ran in to Sarah Palin out eating one night. Biden asked, "Sarah, can you answer this for me? Your mother and father have a child and it's not your brother or your sister. Who is it?"

Sarah Palin answered right back, "That's easy, it's me!"

Biden smiled, and said, "Thanks!"

Biden then, went back to speak with Obama. "Say, I did some research and I have the answer to that riddle.

It's Sarah Palin!"

Obama got up, stomped over to Biden, and angrily yelled into his face, "No! You idiot! It's Tony Blair!"

...AND THAT MY FRIENDS IS PRECISELY WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE WHITE HOUSE!

[Warph]

NO WHITE HOUSE TOURS BUT SASHA, MALIA OBAMA VACATION AT BAHAMAS' ON THE TAX-PAYERS DIME:

I wonder if ugly first lady Mooch Obuma is also at the resort, or if she is planning to join her kids there


Atlantis spokeswoman Megan Marchesini told Breitbart News that "our company policy is to never comment on guests." Secret Service spokesman Bryan Leary told Breitbart News that the Secret Service does not confirm or deny trips for anyone under the agency's protective detail, including Sasha and Malia.

Sasha and Malia both attend Sidwell Friends School, which is currently on its spring break. That break continues through Friday. It is unclear how long the first daughters will be staying in the Bahamas, or what the cost will be to taxpayers.

Earlier this month, the White House canceled public tours as a result of the recent budget sequester, citing Secret Service staffing costs.

According to Judicial Watch, Malia Obama's trip to Mexico last spring break, during which she was apparently accompanied by Secret Service protection, cost taxpayers $115,500.87. Sasha did not accompany Malia on that trip.

The liberal media has been slamming Big Government since the Breitbart site posted the First Daughters' luxury vacation story, since politician's children should be "off limits" (not to be confused with how "off limits" they treat any Republican politician's children) — here's the latest response from Joel B. Pollack, who takes them to task, Obama's kids off limits–except when public money is wasted:

Our lead story this morning is being attacked by the usual miscreants. No one is disputing the facts; they are attacking us because the story involves the Obamas' daughters, Sasha and Malia. The White House asks that the Obamas' children be off limits "when they are not with their parents and there is no vital news interest."

It's debatable whether the "not with their parents" rule should apply to international travel. But there is certainly a vital news interest. The White House has tried to scare Americans with a parade of horribles that would result from the budget sequester, including job losses and the cancellation of White House tours.

When the public is told that those tours were canceled because of the cost of Secret Service staff, and yet the White House apparently finds a way to send Secret Service agents to a Caribbean resort, that speaks volumes about the willingness of the administration to hurt Americans rather than give up its own perks.

In any case, it is impossible to suppress information about the First Family–the story had already spread on social media by the time we published. Once again, our country's liberal elite–including much of the media — speaks with a forked tongue, pushing for tax-and-spend redistribution while preserving its own privileges.


[....]



2013: Salon Liberal Joan Walsh Slams "Racist Right-Wingers" For Reporting On Obama Girls Vacation –

2001: Joan Walsh Pens Article Implying Jenna Bush Could Be An Alcoholic...

I haven't read anyone on the right even remotely attacking the Obama girls directly (well... only me and their parents, Mooch & Barry)....
sadly for Joan Walsh, she can't say the same thing about the Bush twins.
http://www.salon.com/2001/05/31/twins_2/



From:  http://www.mediaite.com/online/salons-joan-walsh-shrieks-media-must-respect-potuss-daughters-yet-attacked-jenna-bush-in-2001/

On Monday afternoon, Salon's Joan Walsh posted a scathing critique of Breitbart's Matthew Boyle, triggered by Boyle's report on President Obama's daughters' spring break vacation in the Bahamas.

Arguing that Boyle's reporting has a racial undercurrent, Walsh's post is entitled: "How not to seem like a racist: A tip for right-wingers angry about charges of racial bias: Try treating the Obama daughters with decency."

Walsh's general theme, and explicit advice she repeats, is: "Try treating his [Obama's] daughters with respect."

[Warph]

Fashion designer Oscar de la Renta has been a favorite of many U.S. first ladies, including Betty Ford, Nancy Reagan, Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton.  But one name is still missing from his list: Mooch Obuma.

From Associated Press, DE LA RENTA: DRESSING FIRST LADY NOT TOP PRIORITY:

De la Renta says he is not worried about not having Obama on his list of celebrity clients because for him what matters is dressing everyday women.

De la Renta says that "an anonymous woman on the street is the woman who influences fashion today, not a movie star or a first lady."


Hmmmm.... Not what I expected to read about First Lady Mooch Obuma and the media's perpetual swoon-fest over her fashion choices.

Like I really care... NOT.

"Who in the hell is dressing this poor ceature?  And who
killed the pumpkin that gave up its life for this unattractive... er... dress?"

"The planet Jupiter's missing belt has been located"

"Oh... no, Barry.... I just peed my Christian Dior
fashion panties 'cause my boob belt is too tight"

[Warph]

Obama's Religious Freedom Appointee Involved in Muslim Event Calling for Limiting Freedom of Speech

No Sh!t?

From: http://cnsnews.com/news/article/obama-s-religious-freedom-appointee-involved-muslim-event-calling-limiting-freedom

(CNSNews.com) – America's free-speech model is in desperate need of an update, says an American-Muslim human rights activist who recently spoke at an event linked to an Obama administration appointee.
Dr. Qasim Rashid argued that cyber-bullying laws could be used to limit freedom of expression – such as the burning of Korans — in war time:

"When a nation is at war, many things that might be said in times of peace are a hindrance to this effort," Rashid said on March 19 at Howard University. "And their utterance will not be endured so long as men fight and...no court can regard them as protected by any constitutional right."

Rashid began his remarks by personally thanking Dr. Azizah al-Hibri, appointed by President Barack Obama to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) in June 2011. Al-Hibri founded Karamah, a group devoted to the rights of Muslim women, and it was this group that invited Rashid to speak.

Try and contain your shock and amazement.

[Warph]

Pic of the Day...
Taken today outside the Supreme Court.




Seriously, what the f...?

'Queen' a pro gay marriage activist, poses in front of the US Supreme Court March 26, 2013 in Washington, DC. Same-sex marriage takes center stage at the US Supreme Court on Tuesday as the justices begin hearing oral arguments on the emotionally-charged issue that has split the nation. (AFP PHOTO / KAREN BLEIER)

[Warph]

Obama Refers To Himself 7 Times In Short Passover Message

It's all about me!

The Narcissist-in-Chief strikes again. Every 36 words Obama
uses the first-person pronoun "I" in this short 256 word statement marking Passover.

Statement from the President on Passover — WhiteHouse.gov

As we prepare for our fifth Seder in the White House, Mooch and I send our warmest wishes to all those celebrating Passover here in America, in the State of Israel, and around the world.

Tonight, Jewish families will gather with family and friends to celebrate with songs, wine, and food. They will read from the Haggadah, and retell the story that makes this holiday so powerful.

Last week, I visited the state of Israel for the third time, my first as President. I reaffirmed our countries' unbreakable bonds with Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Peres. I had the chance to speak directly with young Israelis about the future they wanted for their country, their region, and the world. And I saw once again how the dream of true freedom found its full expression in those words of hope from Hatikvah, lihyot 'am chofshi be'artzeinu, "To be a free people in our land."

Passover is a celebration of the freedom our ancestors dreamed of, fought for, and ultimately won. But even as we give thanks, we are called to look to the future. We are reminded that responsibility does not end when we reach the promised land, it only begins. As my family and I prepare to once again take part in this ancient and powerful tradition, I am hopeful that we can draw upon the best in ourselves to find the promise in the days that lie ahead, meet the challenges that will come, and continuing the hard work of repairing the world. Chag sameach