http://www.redstate.com/moe_lane Fri, 10 Jul 2009 20:26:49 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en For some bizarre reason, Rep. Keith Ellison thought that it was a good idea to get Rep. McDermott's opinions on the public option on the public record. Who am I to pass up such an opportunity? Yes, he really is advocating a policy that, to quote a colleague, "prevents insurers from ... http://www.redstate.com/moe_lane/2009/07/10/jim-mcdermott-d-wa-07-on-the-public-option-translated-into-english/ Glenn Reynolds called this graph 'scary': ...which it is, mostly because of the implications of what the male unemployment rate is going to be when general unemployment hits double-digits; but it's not scary enough. So I've improved it a touch: ...which I think will probably help get the underlying message a ... http://www.redstate.com/moe_lane/2009/07/10/male-unemployment-at-105/ That's the quote of the day, and it comes from McQ of Q&O as part of his post on 1972's Thing That Was Going To Kill Us All: The Coming Ice Age! As they review the bizarre and unpredictable weather pattern of the past several years, a growing number of scientists ... http://www.redstate.com/moe_lane/2009/07/10/in-1972-chicken-little-wore-a-parka/ The RNC has decided to get in a kick or two: ...presumably on the principle that you never let a good dip in the polls go to waste. Based on the length, this looks like a web ad, which means... actually, the jury is still out on how effective web ... http://www.redstate.com/moe_lane/2009/07/10/new-rnc-ad-nothing/ So you've heard about the private Philly swim club that had turned away a bunch of day campers after their first (bought and paid for) visit, allegedly for being, well, minorities. And you've heard the part that has gotten a bunch of people up in arms: The explanation they got was either ... http://www.redstate.com/moe_lane/2009/07/09/yes-the-president-of-the-valley-swim-club-is-a-john-g-duesler-jr/ This was picked in honor of Representative Stupak's fierce crusading hearing against the evils of... bottled water*. My wife mocked this one, and she doesn't do politics. Anyway: Talking Heads-Once in a Lifetime Once In A Lifetime, Talking Heads Moe Lane *Seriously. Although I should note that Stupak's fellow-Democrats weren't taking ... http://www.redstate.com/moe_lane/2009/07/09/letting-the-days-go-by-special-bart-stupak-d-mi-01-edition/ [UPDATE]: I'm hearing that Scott Rigell will be working with the NRCC. Another good recruitment pickup for next year. It's amazing how quickly Democratic Congressmen pick up the bad habits of their older colleagues. In Glenn Nye's (VA-02) case, shameless double-talk. The NRCC is happy to point out ... http://www.redstate.com/moe_lane/2009/07/09/glenn-nye-d-va-02-battles-glenn-nye-d-va-02-over-cap-and-trade/ [UPDATE] Rasmussen finally put up an article. Short version: the public trusts the GOP over the Democrats 8-for-10 at this point, and we flipped the Abortion and Social Security categories.  That being said, the numbers readjusted themselves in the Democrats' favor 5-for-10 as compared to last month's. ... http://www.redstate.com/moe_lane/2009/07/09/the-july-rasmussen-public-trust-numbers/ Contra The Other McCain, this is a necessary ad: ...which is not me saying that Smitty1E was wrong to criticize it; merely that his objections address his concerns of the underlying philosophy of the Republican Party. The above is a blunt political ad, and its message -"The Democrats are messing ... http://www.redstate.com/moe_lane/2009/07/09/done-its-job/ It's like this administration goes out of its way to lower expectations (via Andrew Malcolm): (They spelled the President's name as 'Barak Obama.' On an official diplomatic agreement.) This is what happens when you use spellcheck as a crutch; at a guess, somebody added "Ehud Barak" to the relevant computer's custom ... http://www.redstate.com/moe_lane/2009/07/09/white-house-spellcheck-fail/ While I agree with Ed Morrissey that seeing Senator Jim DeMint make Senator Kay Hagan admit several times that there was a double standard in the way that they killed his call for a GAO audit of the Federal Reserve (a very popular House initiative) while not applying the same ... http://www.redstate.com/moe_lane/2009/07/08/shut-up-she-explained/ It's very odd: the farther he is from the Capitol, the less he believes in the concept. Via Glenn Thrush, an eyewitness to the current representative from New Mexico's Second District's discussion of the issues: Only after the assembled citizens in the meeting room moved into the restaurant area and ... http://www.redstate.com/moe_lane/2009/07/08/harry-teagues-d-nm-02-situational-opinion-on-global-warming/ God, I miss the days of the Bush administration, when we didn't do things like this. Referring to the long history of Russia-U.S. trade stretching back more than two centuries, Obama told an audience of business people in Moscow: "Along the way, you gave us a pretty good deal on Alaska. Thank ... http://www.redstate.com/moe_lane/2009/07/08/and-now-the-president-is-reminding-russians-about-alaska/ I tried to stay out of the entire bizarre meltdown that was the Jackson funeral. Really, I did. So when Representative Sheila Jackson-Lee (Democrat. Oh, my, yes: Democrat): introduced a resolution in Congress honoring the - what did you call Michael Jackson, Rep. Pete King (R)? Right: low-life, pervert, child ... http://www.redstate.com/moe_lane/2009/07/08/rep-sheila-jackson-lee-and-two-house-resolutions/ (Via The American Thinker, via Instapundit) The bolded part is the part that you want your eyes to linger over. Ex-contractor with Murtha ties charged over kickbacks Federal prosecutors in Pittsburgh have charged a former executive for a defense contractor with ties to Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) with taking nearly $200,000 in ... http://www.redstate.com/moe_lane/2009/07/07/murtha-d-pa-12-client-indicted-for-taking-kickbacks/ Contra Gateway Pundit (and Hot Air), I am not certain that Senator Bernie Sanders (Socialist-VT) actually meant to imply that the Democrats were going to destroy private health insurers. Given that he is in fact a socialist, it may be that being one has finally killed enough brain cells ... http://www.redstate.com/moe_lane/2009/07/07/bernie-sanders-kinsley-gaffe-or-just-not-paying-attention/ The annoying bit is that we can't even put the Vice President in an undisclosed location, given that he's already gone out and disclosed it.  I would write that it's days like this that make me miss Dick Cheney, except that doing so would imply that I've ever stopped doing ... http://www.redstate.com/moe_lane/2009/07/07/metal-manufacturers-pay-the-price-for-joe-biden-opening-his-mouth/ He arguably has the authority to do so.  And knows it. Groups call on Paterson to appoint Lt. Governor Citizens Union, Common Cause and Assemb. Michael Gianaris (D- Astoria) urged Paterson to exercise the authority given him by Section 43 of the Public Officers Law. The provision reads in part, "if a vacancy ... http://www.redstate.com/moe_lane/2009/07/07/ny-senate-watch-paterson-d-could-end-this-any-time/ He's got those sixty votes, you see.  And he's impatient.  Impatient of the way that people are still getting in the way of his shepherding of a health care plan that neither him nor his will ever have to use. Schumer: With Franken Seated No Need To Compromise On Public Option One ... http://www.redstate.com/moe_lane/2009/07/06/schumer-no-need-for-bipartisanship-on-health-care/ Real quick: NM-02 went for McCain (barely) in 2008; Cook has it at R+6.  It's been rumored for some time that Pearce (who didn't run for the seat in 2008) would be trying to get it back for the GOP, but Harry Teague's vote on cap-and-trade was the triggering event. ... http://www.redstate.com/moe_lane/2009/07/06/its-official-steve-pearce-r-cand-nm-02-wants-his-seat-back/