Archive for the 'Politics' Category

Rand Paul: A Unique Approach to Politics

Posted in Public Affairs, wordpress, Politics, campaign, election, Opinion on August 13th, 2010 by Stanford Matthews

thinkingThere are a few posts on this blog discussing Rand Paul. In Mr Paul’s pursuit of a seat in the upper house of the US Congress he has faced some typical challenges. As expressed here earlier he is not shy and has expressed his opinions. It may be refreshing honesty and what politics should embrace but he was, of course, criticized by some for his statements.

With one minor controversy regarding a discussion on civil rights law and perhaps another attempt to create scandal and political fallout Rand Paul marches on. This blogger was concerned about Rand Paul and his father’s libertarian views. He is cast by some as a conservative and has obvious links to the Libertarian party. Whether he is conservative or whether libertarian in today’s politics mirrors libertarian historically certainly raises questions.

The view from this blog finds it surprising that a Rand Paul opinion piece is featured at USA Today if only because the publisher is the Gannett Company. But there it is and here’s an excerpt of Mr Paul stating his case about libertarians and constitutional conservatives. The question that remains for this blogger is still the same. Was he distancing himself from libertarians as a political strategy or has he always been essentially a conservative?

You decide.

Rand Paul, libertarian? Not quite.
By Rand Paul

It’s often repeated in stories about me or my race for U.S. Senate that I am a “libertarian.” In my mind, the word “libertarian” has become an emotionally charged, and often misunderstood, word in our current political climate. But, I would argue very strongly that the vast coalition of Americans — including independents, moderates, Republicans, conservatives and “Tea Party” activists — share many libertarian points of view, as do I.

(Click the excerpt to read the rest.)

Stanford Matthews
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Judge Vaughn Walker’s Personal Preference

Posted in Public Affairs, wordpress, Politics, disclosure, ethics, Law, Justice, Legislation on August 12th, 2010 by Stanford Matthews

justice is blindLeave it to the Politico. While appearing to report on reaction to Judge Vaughn Walker’s ruling on Prop 8 the Politico apparently could not resist, like Walker, in allowing their personal opinion to be embedded in the article. More about that later but what did House conservatives say about the ruling?

Rep Lamar Smith of Texas said, ‘Legalizing an alternative form of marriage dilutes a long-standing and widely accepted standard of marriage as a union between a man and woman. We should adhere to such standards rather than undertake a massive social experiment with perhaps unknown consequences.’

Rep Michele Bachmann of Minnesota said, ‘This is yet one more example of a judge substituting his moral pronouncement under the guise of constitutional law, and I think that’s what people are upset about.’

Rep Steve King of Iowa was not quoted. Rep John Fleming is from Louisiana.

Fleming said he and his fellow conservatives were expressing their genuine displeasure with the ruling.
“I know that these people on the platform for me, we would be up here today if this were unpopular to have this resolution,” he said.”We’ve run no polls. We’ve not discussed this with our leadership. This has to do with our belief in our commitments and it also has to do with the Constitution of the United States.”

The resolution Fleming mentions is a symbolic gesture opposing Walker’s ruling against Prop 8.

Here’s the Politico getting their jab in.

Walker’s ruling was hailed as a step forward for civil rights, though conservative groups said they looked forward to an appeal.

Once again this issue involves homosexual marriage and there is nothing ‘gay’ about it. In terms of civil rights a fallacy exists also. Homosexual marriage and related issues are simply special interest attempts to get special treatment. As for equal protection if a homosexual wants to get married they need a spouse of the opposite sex just like everyone else.

Stanford Matthews
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Fannie and Freddie’s Mortgage Nightmare

Posted in Public Affairs, Money Matters, wordpress, Politics, liberal, Congress, Legislation on August 11th, 2010 by Stanford Matthews

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Decades of mismanagement contributed to the mortgage meltdown in recent years. The information that supports the notion government sponsored home buying is a bad idea keeps piling up. Like the fact that Freddie Mac, one of many GSEs or government-sponsored enterprises, is required to pay the US Treasury a dividend. This quarter Freddie’s ten percent annual dividend payment to the Treasury is $1.3 billion. And Freddie is asking for $1.8 billion in additional aid to cover losses. The taxpayer continues to be scammed.

Current economic conditions and the challenge they pose for the housing market found the leader of Freddie stating the following:

“With that in mind, we continue to focus on the quality of the new business we are adding to our book to be responsible stewards of taxpayer funds.”

Sir, if you were not doing it before how do you expect anyone to believe you now?

On Thursday, Fannie Mae asked for an additional $1.5 billion after posting a $3.13 billion loss, although its losses shrank dramatically in the second quarter, down from $11.5 billion in the first quarter.

And yet those in government are talking ‘overhaul’ rather than abandoning this disaster looking for a place to happen. It would make more sense on many issues that we return to values of years past. As for homebuying a return to successful lending policies of the past may inspire a return to the kind of behavior that rewards hard work and discipline.

You want a house? Come back when you have twenty percent down. Have some skin in the game and commitment to doing the right thing long term. If you cannot afford twenty percent you need to work on that problem. Like raising yourself up and expect it may be the next generation that reaches the goal of home ownership. But you have to start somewhere.

Stanford Matthews
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Democrats Pay for Votes

Posted in wordpress, Politics, Democrats, liberal, conspiracy, disclosure, ethics, obama, Pelosi, Reid, Congress, Legislation on August 10th, 2010 by Stanford Matthews

Graft, CorruptionPardon me if I do not accept the rhetoric of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi or Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) on the matter of a $26 billion spending bill for public sector employees. Pelosi said, ‘This legislation is about creating and saving American jobs, and preventing a double-dip recession.‘ Van Hollen said, ‘It’s not a gamble,” he said, but “it would be gambling our children’s’ education to have them go back to school and find no teacher in the classroom or a larger class size.‘ The gamble part comes from a question posed to the Maryland Democrat about interrupting POLS summer vacation for votes on a spending bill.

Van Hollen had this to say about the opposition. Defining teachers and police officers as special interests while opposing closing a tax loophole for big corporations “defines the difference between our two parties,” retorted Van Hollen.

Well, Mr Van Hollen you might want to consider what the opposition had to say.

Republicans portrayed the special session as the Democrats’ pre-election gift to their labor union allies and objected to provisions to raise taxes on some U.S.-based multinational companies as a way to partially cover the $26 billion cost of the bill.

Democrats love to characterize public sector employees as something we cannot live without. But campaign promises to lure voters and post-election payoffs in the form of spending taxpayer money on those same voters is corrupt. At the very least, this time the GOP is correct. Charging businesses to pay for a liberal voter payoff is a government-sanctioned bribe. The same sort of ethics problem faced by Rangel and Waters.

Here is part of the teacher mindset these Democrats feel compelled to reward.

Despite Budget Cuts, Layoff Fears, Milwaukee Teachers Fight for Taxpayer-Funded Viagra
Published August 06, 2010
Associated Press

With the district in a financial crisis and hundreds of its members facing layoffs, the Milwaukee teachers union is taking a peculiar stand: fighting to get their taxpayer-funded Viagra back.

Does anyone really need an explanation on how pathetic this is?

Stanford Matthews
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Real American Leadership

Posted in Public Affairs, Money Matters, wordpress, Politics, Opinion, Rep Paul Ryan, Gov Chris Christie on August 9th, 2010 by Stanford Matthews

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It takes some work to push the rhetoric aside to focus on the real information and find leadership. A few recent items in the media demonstrate the point. The first item was rather shocking. Peggy Noonan actually expressing something that makes sense. The sad part is you must read past her continued dismissal of the Tea Party to find it.

‘The problem for the Democrats, however, is not a new Contract With America, or the Tea Party. Their problem is Chris Christie.’

She adds, ‘The public thinks we’re sinking as a nation. They want to know someone has a plan to help. The most promising leader in that respect is Mr. Christie, the New Jersey governor, who just closed an $11 billion budget gap without raising taxes.’

Those excerpts are from a column at the WSJ on July 30, 2010. Forget that Noonan thinks the Tea Party and other conservatives have ideas that are too radical if only because few have had the stones to express them in many years. That is why the following excerpt from a piece by Perry Bacon, Jr. has a title that says it all.

Rep. Ryan pushes budget reform, and his party winces

Viewing him as a rising star in the party, Republicans in Congress often talk up Rep. Paul Ryan as a potential governor, senator or House leader. The lanky, youthful-looking congressman from Wisconsin has begged off, citing his young children and limited desire to spend all his time raising campaign money.

Instead, Ryan is running a campaign of a different sort, one his party has so far refused to adopt: He is determined to persuade colleagues to get serious about eliminating the national debt, even if it means openly broaching overhauls of Medicare and Social Security.

With that in mind understand that establishment POLS like John Boehner have said the GOP will unveil the party agenda after the August recess. The Democrats love calling the GOP the party of ‘no’ simply because they oppose the liberal agenda and use the few tools available to the minority party.

The Tea Party demonstrates voter outrage and a call for the return to common sense governing. Chris Christie and Paul Ryan demonstrate the kind of leadership that is lacking but nonetheless what our country needs. So how surprising is it that liberal icons like Paul Krugman would criticize someone like Paul Ryan and look the fool doing it?

Paul Krugman’s latest New York Times column, in which he calls Rep. Paul Ryan a charlatan and his Roadmap for America plan a fraud, is unusally partisan even by Krugman’s standards.

The reference above is a good example of how silly Krugman looks. But you can simply use your favorite search engine and the terms ‘krugman’ and ‘ryan’ to find more. Ryan’s rebuttal to Krugman is linked with an excerpt below.

Krugman’s detour on ‘Roadmap’ to solvency
By Paul Ryan
Aug. 7, 2010

Despite watching European welfare states collapse under the weight of their own debt, those running Washington are leading us down precisely the same path. With the debt surpassing $13 trillion, we can no longer avoid having a serious discussion about how to address the unsustainable growth of government.

Unfortunately, rather than make meaningful contributions to this conversation and bring solutions to the table, Democrats have attempted to win this debate by default. Relying on demagoguery and distortion, the left would prefer that entitlements - often labeled the “third rail” of American politics - remain untouchable, and the column by Paul Krugman of The New York Times is indicative of the partisan attacks leveled against the plan I’ve offered, a “Roadmap for America’s Future.”

Voters of any political stripe should have the sense to support leaders like Paul Ryan and Chris Christie. We dismiss the value of their leadership at our own peril.

Stanford Matthews
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Someone Tell Anthony Weiner to Get a Grip

Posted in wordpress, Politics, youtube, Video, Entertainment on August 8th, 2010 by Stanford Matthews


GOP Hangover: Justice Kagan

Posted in Public Affairs, wordpress, Politics, GOP, Supreme Court on August 7th, 2010 by Stanford Matthews

GOP stuffed

A review of the roll call vote confirming Elena Kagan as an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court is in order. Then the larger problem can be presented.

Not along party lines were the votes of six Senators. Could it be the reason the lone dissent by a Democrat named Ben Nelson demonstrates the political effects of Cornhusker Cash? But since confirmation only required 1/2 to vote in favor the outcome was not in jeopardy. The same question can be asked about the five GOP Senators who voted to confirm Kagan.

Susan Collins, Lindsay Graham and Olympia Snowe were no surprise. They’re RINOs. Lugar presented something of a puzzle but is not a surprise. Gregg isn’t long for the Senate so what risk does he face except the next job interview?

Point is the fall from grace of the GOP before being reduced to the minority in the 2006 midterms HAD and HAS consequences. Whatever gains they thought achievable while in the majority and risks they took proved dramatic in the losses that followed. That includes not having the foresight to understand what costs were involved beyond the immediate.

So the question now is did they know? If they knew they were risking a midterm loss of majority and did not consider implications for life long appointments someone needs a trip to the wood shed. Political failure has long term consequences and not just for the POLS.

Stanford Matthews
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Kalifornia’s Fiscal Madness Spreads

Posted in Public Affairs, Money Matters, wordpress, Politics, disclosure, ethics on August 6th, 2010 by Stanford Matthews

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There are those who favor tax cuts and reduced government spending. There are those who favor uncontrolled spending and tax increases. Those on the right promote tax cuts. Those on the left promote tax increases.

Those on the right do not oppose spending for constitutional requirements like national defense. Those on the left enjoy defining what spending for the general welfare includes.

The liberal majority in the US Congress backed by a Democrat in the White House have passed legislation in this session like healthcare for everyone regardless of ability to pay. And there is the recent extension of unemployment benefits that begs the question at what point do the employed stop subsidizing the unemployed. But then really it’s all borrowed money anyhow so we should understand the nation is broke.

But even news reports out today as in many days gone by will not convince the majority of a need to stop spending. Continuing to borrow money for their agenda on the backs of the wealthy now and future generations to come will fail.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency over California’s finances last week and ordered three days off without pay per month for tens of thousands of state employees. The state’s government is projected to run out of cash no later than October should its budget stalemate persist as expected.

The poster child state for economic ruin will run out of cash. How’s that for reality? And most of the other states are in serious trouble as well. If any state is surviving right now it is probably only a matter of time before their fate mirrors California.

The 50 states have racked up a record $2.4 trillion in bond debt during the economic downturn – the highest level of state and local indebtedness in history, economic analysts warn. State and local bond debt now consume a whopping 22 percent of the nation’s annual Gross Domestic Product – a bigger slice of the economic pie than ever before, say experts.

Here’s another hint for President Obama that he will ignore:

CBO Warns Obama: Exploding US Debt a Huge Risk

Many have said the current situation is the worst since the Great Depression of the late twenties and most of the thirties. Do we really have to experience a full fledged depression before America’s so-called leaders wake up and smell what they’re selling?

The GOP went a little nuts the last time they had the majority and spent way too much. Then the GOP was invited to become the minority at the ballot box. Now the Democrats are following that game plan and taking it to new levels of the absurd. November 2010 is the next opportunity to throw the bums out.

Voters have to do this every two years from now on until POLS learn. Do the right thing or find another job. Hopefully one not paid for with taxpayer dollars.

Stanford Matthews
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Who Pays the Taxes?

Posted in Public Affairs, Money Matters, wordpress, Politics, GOP, Democrats, conservative, liberal, News Media, Opinion on August 5th, 2010 by Stanford Matthews

Ruth Marcus wrote a piece last week entitled, ‘Why Congress should let the Bush tax cuts expire.’ There is very little right and too much wrong in her column. Who is Ruth Marcus?

Ruth Marcus is an editorial writer for The Post, specializing in American politics, campaign finance, the federal budget and taxes, and other domestic issues. She writes a weekly column that appears on Wednesdays.

The best thing about the column is the use of one of Bush 43’s best quotes.

“The people of America have been overcharged, and, on their behalf, I’m here asking for a refund,” Bush told Congress in February 2001.

Marcus claims ‘the social security surplus was spent.’ If Marcus specializes in the federal budget and taxes you might expect her to know what the CBO knows about social security and other government trust funds. They are ‘accounting mechanisms.’ Meaning there is no little piggy bank where everyone’s SSI benefits are waiting for their retirement.

Marcus uses references from the OECD, the OMB and Alan Greenspan to make her points. A breakdown of who pays taxes in the US may have been a more efficient choice. From the IRS via the National Taxpayers Union one fact is clear.

Those whose incomes are in the top 50% nationwide pay more than 95% of US income tax. Those in the bottom 50% pay less than five percent.

The part where Marcus almost gets it is demonstrated in the excerpt below.

I expressed frustration a few weeks back with the denialism among some liberal Democrats about the need to curb entitlement spending and the conviction that simply socking it to the rich would solve the fiscal problem. But the Republican position seems even more intransigently divorced from reality. Perhaps there is some magical point at which Republicans might accept the reality that the government needs more revenue than it is currently set to take in — but I haven’t heard it yet.

Yes, liberals do not want to reduce or eliminate entitlements.
Yes, liberals want to redistribute wealth.
No, the government DOES NOT need more revenue.

Entitlements account for the majority of the federal budget. Government spending will always exceed the ability to pay for it. That is one reason why goverment must be limited. And it is why the government does not need more revenue. It needs to end the spending spree.

Stanford Matthews
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MoreWhat Matters: Upbeat Conservative News

Posted in Public Affairs, Announcement, wordpress, Politics, conservative, News Media, Freedom on August 4th, 2010 by Stanford Matthews

We the People

Highlighting some important issues is good even if politicians do it for the wrong reasons. It is up to the public to pressure their reps to do what is right. Some POLS are finally making statements about the need to examine anchor babies and other misuse of US immigration policy.

We need to remember people like Sheriff Joe are the good guys. Arpaio, Brewer and Pearce have started what needs to be done. While Clinton-nominated Judge Bolton slowed the progress of SB 1070 in Arizona there is reason to believe the fight has just begun in earnest and the will of the people will win as shamnesty advocates will be sent home in November 2010.

For instance, a recent report indicates Sharron Angle is once again gaining on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in Nevada. Opposition to incumbents across the nation indicates voter anger will clean house this fall.

Some of the stories below demonstrate the continued efforts to restore traditional principles and values to our great nation. Be part of the solution, not part of the problem.

Throw the bums out in November 2010, 2012 and repeat as necessary. Liberals and RINOs must go along with illegals. Do not tax our economy into oblivion. Eliminate debt and deficits by cutting entitlements and other waste. Stengthen national security and border control. Return to the founding principles and the rule of law.

Liberal agenda be damned. Restore America. Do the right thing.

Stanford Matthews
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Drain the Swamp in 2010

Posted in Public Affairs, wordpress, Politics, campaign, election, disclosure, ethics, obama, Pelosi, Reid, Congress, Rep Barney Frank on August 2nd, 2010 by Stanford Matthews

Even though White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs expressed what everyone else knows that the Democrats can lose the House and perhaps the Senate this November several stories indicate liberals are in a hole and continue to dig.

corruptionMolly Hagerty’s claim against Al Gore will not move forward in criminal or civil court. The liberal mythical god, Al Gore, shares a reputation with another liberal deity known as Slick Willie (aka: former President Bill Clinton) for bizarre sexual exploits. The credibility of the pair may be as suspect as that of two other liberal POLS; 20 term Congressional representative Charlie Rangel and California Rep Maxine Waters. That may be why the White House is hoping First Lady Michelle Obama’s curious popularity will help the liberal cause in the midterms.

Rangel and Waters are facing public ethics trials. One might expect two other high profile libs should also face ethics charges. The pair responsible for Cornhusker Cash and the Louisiana Purchase during the Obamacare vote shopping spree, Senators Ben Nelson and Mary Landrieu, illuminate the corruption of Reid and Pelosi. The swamp has never been drained.

For Rangel it seems a settlement agreement failed for his 13 ethics charges. For Waters a single charge over $13 million in TARP funds for a bank with connections to her husband is not mentioned on her website. But her focus on troubles in Haiti is well represented. In addition to her 3 references to Haiti characterizing Gulf residents as victims and Wall Street as villains, pushing public housing, AIDS testing, government flood insurance subsidies and other programs are featured.

It seems those who choose the liberal moniker of Democrat are just as likely to ripoff the taxpayer and the ‘little guy’ they claim to represent while accusing others of doing the same.

President Obama is again blaming the GOP for the failures of Democrats. His latest rant criticizes Republicans for opposing HR 5297 or the Small Business Jobs and Credit Act of 2010. Consider it sufficient to say Democrats are willing to exempt paygo requirements for anything they deem an ‘emergency’. Republicans continue to oppose spending given the crushing debt and deficits facing our nation. In other words if you want to spend $20 billion on this legislation you need to cut $20 billion or more elsewhere.

The small business bill is sponsored by Barney Frank and co-sponsored by 20 others including ethically challenged Congress-person Maxine Waters. As if that is not reason enough to oppose the measure.

Charlie Rangel and Maxine Waters face public ethics trials in November. Undoubtedly Obama caused the ninth circuit to delay Arizona’s request for expedited appeal on SB 1070 until November also. Should make for an interesting midterm election during the same time since campaigns will obviously increase focus on these items.

So Mr President, keep digging. You and your party are in a hole. Keep digging.

Stanford Matthews
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BTW, the number of laws passed in this session of Congress stands at 210 as of July 27. And without commentary on how unnecessary that is it is safe to say the party of ‘no’ does not say no all the time. The GOP opposition to this small biz legislation as stated has merit. Government needs to reduce spending. Even if the $20 billion of taxpayer money would be spent wisely it requires cutting spending somewhere else. And that is not to suggest this expenditure would be wise.

MSM Needs a New Label

Posted in Public Affairs, Money Matters, Education, wordpress, Politics, News Media, Advertising, Entertainment, Business on August 1st, 2010 by Stanford Matthews

Sunday seems as good a time as any for another rant about media and the news. Like anyone else who struggles to keep up with what is going on in the world I have my routine. As much as it bothered me Google News was one stop regularly checked for a cross-section of stories from the MSM. Could they leave it alone. Of course not for as useless as it was to begin with they decided to make it worse.

I stopped relying on Google as a search engine with the advent of Ixquick. Seems we should spread the traffic around and while Ixquick is not perfect it is a reasonable alternative and may get better if we use it and submit suggestions for improvements.

news sourcesThis was another day in an effort to alter my news scanning routine. And it was the cause of another lament on the state of media or MSM and content. A roll of the dice so to speak selected USA Today as the first stop. Without a one stop aggregation of news to view from around the planet I was trying a few quick hits for headlines, etc.

Gannett, the owner of USA Today and too many other print sources allows their navigation bar on the main page to highlight part of what is wrong. While the top navbar features general categories of topics like news, travel and money the second navbar suggests what is ‘essential’.

Markets, scores, games, lotteries, video, photos, opinion, blogs, subscribe, classifieds and jobs make the list. After ‘markets’ which seems to indicate business information the rest is not essential nor necessarily worthwhile.

Hey, I have nothing against Chelsea Clinton and I hope she and her husband have a wonderful life. I honestly mean that. But when Chelsea is the obvious big splash on a typical MSM front page and the most popular reads for the USA fishwrap feature three stories about Chelsea and one about the disfunctional Jersey Shore television series something comes to mind. Actually many things come to mind but here’s the second one. (The first was who reads the MSM and why?)

87% Feel Media Covers Celebrities Too Much

Eighty-seven percent (87%) of Americans feel the media pays too much attention to celebrities, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. But 84% of Adults also admit that Americans pay too much attention to celebrity news and not enough attention to news that has real impact on their lives.

Just one percent (1%) do not think media outlets cover celebs enough, while nine percent (9%) say the coverage is about right.

That may explain why traditional media sources are failing. The one and nine percent figures above may reflect the number of people attracted to the trash most media outlets publish or broadcast.

BTW, the rest of USA Today’s front page was populated with other useless or redundant coverage on items that are common knowledge. And of course they offered unwavering support with their coverage of things Obama and liberal.

Fortunately I can get along with the critical content of my routine. The trustworthy sources I use for the bulk of what is important do not fail me. But trying to cover it all and make judgments about decisions to be made is still a challenge and too time consuming.

Too bad so many in the media world refuse to address this simple problem. But then that is not what most of them are about. If their biz model of catering to the lowest common denominator and filling that demand with cheap stories to present is no longer a golden goose you might expect they would change. Or maybe they’re just waiting for their bailout from the Obamanation.

Stanford Matthews
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Ford Has a Better Idea

Posted in Public Affairs, Money Matters, wordpress, Politics, liberal, obama, Ford, Legislation on July 30th, 2010 by Stanford Matthews

Some good news just keeps coming. A testament to the fact big government, bailouts, stimulus and other liberal dreams are not necessary nor wise.  In February this blog pointed to the success of Ford amid troubles all over the auto industry. It seems the old slogan ‘Ford has a better idea’ is once again noteworthy. They never took a bailout and are experiencing a string of very successful quarters.

Stanford Matthews
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Ford posts another quarterly profit as sales climb
07/23/10 5:40 PM

Ford said Friday that it made $2.6 billion from April through June, its fifth straight quarterly profit. The company, which reported record losses in 2008, now predicts it will end 2011 with more cash than debt.

With its two longtime Detroit rivals still finding their way after spending time in bankruptcy last year, Ford, which never took government bailout money, extended its success story.

GM, Government Motors Picks Winners and Losers

Posted in Public Affairs, Money Matters, wordpress, Politics, Democrats, liberal, conspiracy, disclosure, ethics, oversight, obama, Pelosi, Reid, GM, Chrysler, Legislation on July 29th, 2010 by Stanford Matthews

Not like the NAACP calling the Tea Party phenomenon racist or multiple blunders related to the employment of Shirley Sherrod were not enough to fuel more race debates but now another hot button is pushed.

It seems there’s an IG report describing the methods used in determining which dealerships would cease to be after Obama took over government motors, etc.  Besides criteria like how new the dealership or its importance to wholesale parts distribution at least two other factors were considered.  If the dealership was minority or woman-owned.

At first you might say ‘that is reasonable’.  But you may not be considering the fact that successful businesses not meeting the criteria may understandably take offense to such an arbitrary selection process.

And you can also see if the situation was reversed how offended all the liberals would be. That is why criteria based on anything other than the numbers, meaning financial success, is not the way to go.  Let performance be your guide.

If you had 100 dealerships and were forced to eliminate 20 other than keeping a presence in all markets the best performers should stay regardless of ownership demographics. But then that is just common sense talking. Some think we should make those decisions based on personal preferences or other bias rather than impersonal data like performance and viability.

But coming from an administration willing to take over the private sector their action on this is no surprise. Rather than economic survival based on free market principles their preference is to choose the winners and losers.

Stanford Matthews
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Read the rest here. (click)

Judge Bolton Impedes Arizona Law

Posted in Public Affairs, Announcement, Terrorism, wordpress, Politics, Immigration, Tancredo, United States, Law, Justice, Arizona, Border Control, Blogs4Borders, Jan Brewer on July 28th, 2010 by Stanford Matthews

STATEMENT BY GOVERNOR JAN BREWER

PHOENIX – “I am disappointed by Judge Susan Bolton’s ruling enjoining several provisions of “The Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act” — SB 1070; though I am heartened by some findings – including the ban on sanctuary cities.

“This fight is far from over. In fact, it is just the beginning, and at the end of what is certain to be a long legal struggle, Arizona will prevail in its right to protect our citizens. I am deeply grateful for the overwhelming support we have received from across our nation in our efforts to defend against the failures of the federal government.

“I have consulted with my legal counsel about our next steps. We will take a close look at every single element Judge Bolton removed from the law, and we will soon file an expedited appeal at the United States Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.

“For anyone willing to see it — the crisis is as clear as is the federal government’s failure to address it.

“The judge herself noted that the stash houses where smugglers hide immigrants from Mexico before bringing them into the country’s interior have become a fixture on the news in Arizona and that, ‘You can barely go a day without a location being found in Phoenix where there are numerous people being harbored.’”

“When I signed the bill on April 23rd, I said, SB 1070 – represents another tool for our state to use as we work to address a crisis we did not create and the federal government has actively refused to fix. The law protects all of us, every Arizona citizen and everyone here in our state lawfully. And, it does so while ensuring that the constitutional rights of ALL in Arizona are undiminished – holding fast to the diversity that has made Arizona so great.

“I will battle all the way to the Supreme Court, if necessary, for the right to protect the citizens of Arizona. Meanwhile, I also know we still have work to do in confronting the fear-mongers, those dealing in hate and lies and economic boycotts that seek to do Arizona harm.

“We have already made some progress in waking up Washington. But the question still remains: will Washington do its job, and put an end to the daily operations of smugglers in our nation, or will the delays and sidesteps continue? I believe that the defenders of the rule of law will ultimately succeed with us in our demand for action.”

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