And Now For The Delusional World Of Nancy Pelosi

By William Teach August 3, 2013 – 7:18 am

She says Obama is the practically the most non-partisan person ever

(Daily Caller) Democratic House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said that President Obama is “one of the most practically non-partisan presidents” that she has ever seen in her career and that he “really is working” to forge a budget agreement.

“Here’s the thing — the president is one of the most practically non-partisan presidents I have seen in the White House. I’ve been there since Ronald Reagan, and he really is working to try to get some bipartisan agreement. They’ve been working very hard to try to get the Senate consensus or some agreement on how we can avoid a shutdown of government but also how you can even remove all doubt that we’re not going to honor the full faith in credit of the United States of America by lifting the debt ceiling,” Pelosi said Friday in an interview with the USA Today editorial board.

Apparently Nancy has missed most of Obama’s speeches and Weekly Addresses, where he constantly Blames Congressional Republicans, excoriates them, denigrates them, etc and so on, to the point that he’s no longer going after just the elected Republicans, but everyone who votes for them. Perhaps she missed when he referred to TEA Party members as “teabaggers”. Perhaps she’s missed his whole agenda.

“The president didn’t postpone the mandate. He postponed the penalties for not engaging in the mandate,” Pelosi said.

She, um, ah, well, I don’t even know how to respond to this level of delusion. Do you?

We had to pass the Affordable Care Act, even if everybody loved their health care and they loved their insurance company, which they didn’t, but even if they did, the costs were unsustainable to individuals, to families, to businesses, to our country’s competitiveness in the world. (from the USA Today link)

Anyone getting the feeling that if you like you health insurance plan you won’t be able to keep it, and that was intentional, despite all the protestations from Obama and the Dems?

Read: And Now For The Delusional World Of Nancy Pelosi »

Posted in Beyond Moonbat, Democrats, Queen Nancy | 4 Comments | Trackback URL

Obama Surveillance State: FBI Putting Pressure On Internet Providers To Install Metadata Software

By William Teach August 3, 2013 – 7:00 am

Eh, this is probably just one of those “phony scandals” we keep hearing about

(CNET) The U.S. government is quietly pressuring telecommunications providers to install eavesdropping technology deep inside companies’ internal networks to facilitate surveillance efforts.

FBI officials have been sparring with carriers, a process that has on occasion included threats of contempt of court, in a bid to deploy government-provided software capable of intercepting and analyzing entire communications streams. The FBI’s legal position during these discussions is that the software’s real-time interception of metadata is authorized under the Patriot Act.

Attempts by the FBI to install what it internally refers to as “port reader” software, which have not been previously disclosed, were described to CNET in interviews over the last few weeks. One former government official said the software used to be known internally as the “harvesting program.”

And there’s virtually nothing a judge can do to stop this, although the FBI software will capture way more than is allowed by law, and providers are concerned with exactly what the software can further capture without being told. Make sure to read the whole thing.

And, speaking of “phone scandals”, Chump mentions this again in his weekly address to other Democrats, because, as we all know, the deaths of 4 Americans, murdered by Islamic extremists in Benghazi, and the deaths of over 200 Mexicans, including children, along with at least two US federal agents, are “phony”.

Crossed at Right Wing News and Stop The ACLU.

Read: Obama Surveillance State: FBI Putting Pressure On Internet Providers To Install Metadata Software »

Posted in Barry Obama, Current Affairs | 4 Comments | Trackback URL

House Votes To Stop Any White House Emplaced Carbon Tax

By William Teach August 2, 2013 – 4:54 pm

Of course, the Democrat run US Senate will never even allow a vote on this

(The Hill) The House approved an amendment to legislation Friday that would prevent the White House from imposing a carbon tax without congressional approval.

The lower chamber agreed to Rep. Steve Scalise’s (R-La.) amendment by a 237-176 vote, with 12 Democrats crossing the aisle to support it.

The amendment was added to an underlying bill that would require Congress to OK regulations that carry a $100 million economic impact or greater. That bill is dead in its tracks in the Democratic-controlled Senate, and the White House has threatened to veto it.

As The Hill notes, the vote does serve the purpose of putting Democrats on record for supporting a “carbon” tax.

Read: House Votes To Stop Any White House Emplaced Carbon Tax »

Posted in Carbon Credits, Democrats, Global Warming | 1 Comment | Trackback URL

If All You See…

By William Teach August 2, 2013 – 1:00 pm

…is a horrid plastic cup destroying biodiversity which means we need a carbon tax, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is Legal Insurrection, with a post noting that Obama’s DREAM policy is illegal.

Read: If All You See… »

Posted in If All You See | 1 Comment | Trackback URL

“With The Recovery Entering Its Fifth Year…”

By William Teach August 2, 2013 – 10:04 am

We certainly should recall that “it is important not to read too much into any one monthly report and it is informative to consider each report in the context of other data that are becoming available.”

(Bloomberg) Employers added fewer workers than anticipated in July even as the U.S. jobless rate dropped to 7.4 percent, indicating uneven progress in the labor market.

The 162,000 increase in payrolls last month was the smallest in four months and followed a revised 188,000 rise in June that was less than initially estimated, Labor Department figures showed today in Washington. The median forecast of 93 economists surveyed by Bloomberg called for a 185,000 gain. Workers spent fewer hours on the job and hourly earnings fell for the first time since October. …

So, why did the jobless rate drop? Good question

The labor participation rate dropped to 63.4 percent from 63.5 percent.

So, even more people dropping out of the jobs market in despair.

(White House) With the recovery entering its fifth year, we need to build on the progress we have made so far and now is not the time for Washington to impose self-inflicted wounds.

The only progress has been the ever diminishing labor participation rate and the increasing number of people in low wage part time positions.

The across-the-board budget cuts known as the sequester continue to be a drag on the economy now and in the future. The Administration continues to urge Congress to replace the sequester with balanced deficit reduction, and promote the investments our economy needs to put more Americans back to work, such as by rebuilding our roads and bridges.

And excuse in a storm, eh? It’s always something with this crowd, except for the notion that Mr. Obama’s policies have been a disaster. And, as Erika Johnson points out, hourly earnings and the length of the time worked decreased. The first step in fixing a problem is admitting you have a problem. The second step is diagnosing what the root problem(s) is. So, 5 years into the recovery the economy stagnates along. Let’s not forget that the 2nd quarter GDP was an anemic 1.7%, following a 1st quarter GDP of 1%.

This all seems to be a repeat of the Big Government policies of FDR

The slow economic recovery made possible by New Deal programs suffers a setback as unemployment rises. FDR’s detractors call it the start of the “Roosevelt recession.”

That was March, 1937, 5 years after Roosevelt was first elected. Then Congress gave him more money to spend, and unemployment stayed high. It wasn’t until WWII rolled around that things started to change. Let’s home we don’t need the same thing.

Read: “With The Recovery Entering Its Fifth Year…” »

Posted in Barry Obama, Economy | 1 Comment | Trackback URL

Bummer: A Warmer World Will Destroy Biodiversity Through Infectious Disease

By William Teach August 2, 2013 – 9:36 am

It must have been really warm as the Black Death rolled through Europe and Asia…oh, wait, it was cooler and wetter during that time period. Anyhow, here’s super-Warmist Bryan Walsh at Time (via Tom Nelson)

The venerable Science magazine has a special issue out today on climate change. Some of the content is free, and it’s well worth checking out. That includes an article on one of the most important and perplexing areas in global warming research: the possible connection between a changing climate and a growing threat from infectious disease.

It’s been known for awhile that warming temperatures could help certain diseases. Malaria, which kills about 650,000 people a year, thrives in the hot and humid areas where the Anopheles mosquito can live (WT-good thing the 1st World nations essentially banned the use of DDT). As the climate warms, the territory where the mosquito and the malaria parasite will be able to live will likely expand, putting more people at risk. Already dengue fever, another mosquito-borne tropical disease, has reestablished itself in the Florida Keys, where it was wiped out decades ago. Tropical diseases will loom that much larger in a warmer world, as host-parasite cycles accelerate. In the Arctic, which is warming faster than any other region on the planet, higher temperatures are allowing parasites like the lungworm, which afflicts muskoxen, to develop faster and be transmitted over longer periods. (snip)

Climate change is likely to impact infectious disease just as it will impact other areas of life. Human beings—especially relatively rich ones—will muddle through, adapting to a warmer, more parasite-ridden world. Plants and animals, though, won’t be able to adapt as fast, or perhaps at all. Good thing we don’t need them. Right?

I wonder how life came into being before, considering that for a good chunk of the planet’s history it was much warmer. In fact, tropical regions, which tend to be pretty warm, have the greatest biodiversity. The greatest threat to biodiversity is actually cooler, wetter conditions. But, life finds a way, it isn’t going to freak out like Warmists over a tiny increase in the average temperature.

Read: Bummer: A Warmer World Will Destroy Biodiversity Through Infectious Disease »

Posted in AGW Scaremongering, Global Warming | 1 Comment | Trackback URL

Congress Gets Their Own Obamacare Exemption

By William Teach August 2, 2013 – 8:56 am

Some are calling this a waiver: it’s not. Senators, Representatives, and their aides and staff will still have to get their insurance through the Exchange

(Politico) Lawmakers and staff can breathe easy — their health care tab is not going to soar next year.

The Office of Personnel Management, under heavy pressure from Capitol Hill, will issue a ruling that says the government can continue to make a contribution to the health care premiums of members of Congress and their aides, according to several Hill sources.

The problem was rooted in the original text of the Affordable Care Act. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) inserted a provision which said members of Congress and their aides must be covered by plans “created” by the law or “offered through an exchange.” Until now, OPM had not said if the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program could contribute premium payments toward plans on the exchange. If payments stopped, lawmakers and aides would have faced thousands of dollars in additional premium payments each year. Under the old system, the government contributed nearly 75 percent of premium payments.

As Bryan Preston points out, this ruling by OPM is illegal, as they don’t have power to change the law. But, then, they’re just following the lead of the White House and other Executive Branch agencies which change/don’t follow the law all the time.

But, how much is going to be covered? That’s the question, and we won’t know until next week, when OPM is expected to issue guidance and guidelines (I bet very, very quietly). Congress Critters, based on their salaries, would, under the terms of Obamacare, receive no government government tax credit, and would pay around $11,257 for a typical Bronze level plan (2 adults, 2 kids), based solely on the Critter’s government salary.

Based. On. The. Law., Congress should be on it’s own for payment. And, even if Congress likes their own health insurance plan, they can’t keep it. OMB has no statutory authority to provide any taxpayer funds to use to subsidize Congress and their staffs. Period.

Crossed at Right Wing News and Stop The ACLU.

Read: Congress Gets Their Own Obamacare Exemption »

Posted in Healthcare | 4 Comments | Trackback URL

Sigh: Yet Another “Hotcoldwetdry Causes Violence” Fable

By William Teach August 1, 2013 – 6:26 pm

Because, remember, there were no wars or fights or violence before CO2 was at 350ppm

(Bloomberg) Climate change will probably trigger more human conflict, according to an article in the journal Science.

An examination of 60 separate studies, including one stretching back to 10,000 B.C., found that individuals, groups and nations are “substantially” more likely to become involved in physical conflict in hot weather and heavy rain.

Climate change is expected to drive up temperatures in many regions, which will “systematically increase the risk of many types of conflict” ranging from barroom brawls and rape to civil wars and international disputes, according to the article.

“The strongest evidence is that high temperatures really matter,” said Solomon Hsiang, one of the study’s authors. “A few degrees warmer is always worse.”

Wait, wait, wait, you mean that there have been warm periods over than the current one previously? Weird.

But, yeah, so many cultures in the past 10K years tended to leave the wars till it was warm. No one wanted to fight in the cold and snow. Look back at ancient Greece during the time of the Spartans: for much of the year everything was calm, but, then came fighting season, almost like how baseball is played mostly in the summer.

Of course, the whole point of the article is supposed to say that things are going to get really bad unless Other People are forced to adhere to Warmist doctrine and there needs to be lots and lots of carbon taxes.

Read: Sigh: Yet Another “Hotcoldwetdry Causes Violence” Fable »

Posted in AGW Scaremongering, Global Warming | 3 Comments | Trackback URL

If All You See…

By William Teach August 1, 2013 – 1:00 pm

…is a sea that will rise up and swamp the land with 1000 feet of water, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is Public Secrets, with a post on how Obama’s statist economy hurts jobs.

Read: If All You See… »

Posted in If All You See | 2 Comments | Trackback URL

NC DHHS Suspends Asheville Abortion Clinic’s License

By William Teach August 1, 2013 – 11:34 am

Obviously, this has “pro-choice” folks freaking out

(News And Observer) As abortion politics continue to roil North Carolina, state health officials Wednesday suspended the license of an Asheville abortion clinic.

The third sanction against a North Carolina abortion clinic since April came two days after Republican Gov. Pat McCrory signed a controversial abortion bill while protesters held vigil outside the governor’s Executive Mansion.

Obviously, that’s more important than

In a 49-page report, the Department of Health and Human Services found “egregious violations … that revealed an imminent threat to the health and safety of patients” at the clinic.

Violations included failure to maintain anesthesia delivery systems and ensure regular checks of emergency equipment.

In fact, that’s about all we get in the story. The rest revolves around the current legislation passed and signed by Gov. McCrory. WRAL did slightly better

DHHS director of health service regulation Drexdal Pratt said inspectors found FEMCARE Inc., failed to comply with 23 separate rules. Among the violations, the agency said FEMCARE failed to maintain anesthesia delivery systems in good working condition, with torn masks and tubing held together with tape. The inspection further revealed that the clinic didn’t have an agreement or contract with an anesthetist or anesthesiologist.

Inspectors also found the clinic failed to ensure emergency equipment had weekly checks to ensure the equipment was suitable for use in patient care and failed to ensure that emergency medicine wasn’t expired.

The ultra-far left hysterics at The Raw Story say that the clinic was shut down (it wasn’t, just license suspended until they fix the issues), and that the law literally just signed is to blame (it’s not: these are long standing laws).

The HuffPo is concerned that FemCare might have been the only abortion mill left standing after the passage of the abortion safety law. Is this the kind of clinic they want open? From the NC DHHS press release

In addition to other findings, the survey found the facility:

  • Failed to maintain anesthesia (nitrous oxide gas) delivery systems in good working condition, with torn masks and tubing held together with tape.This could lead to patients not receiving the intended dosage and risk patients not being fully sedated during surgical procedures, leading to pain and physical harm.
  • Failed to ensure emergency equipment had weekly checks to ensure the equipment was suitable for use in patient care and failed to ensure that emergency medicine wasn’t expired.
  • Failed to have a resuscitator available.
  • Failed to sweep and mop the operating room floor and failed to properly clean operating room beds.
  • Failed to have a director of nursing responsible and accountable for all nursing services.
  • Failed to have an agreement/contract with an anesthetist or anesthesiologist.
  • Failed to have an agreement/contract with a registered pharmacist to assure appropriate methods, procedures and controls for obtaining, dispensing, and administering drugs.

FEMCARE, Inc.’s last inspection was on January 16, 2007, a follow up inspection of a previous survey, which found the clinic in violation of personnel and quality assurance rules.

A follow up inspection 6 years from when they previously had lots of problems. Furthermore, if one looks at the full PDF, we find that “the facility failed to follow standard infection control practices as recommended by the CDC.” Proper sterilization procedures were not being followed. Would you be OK with your personal doctor or dentist failing to follow standard practices? But, abortion supporters prefer to put their political position above safety for women.

Safety meetings were not being held and documented. Abortion supporters may think this is silly, but it is The Law, and is required at most medical facilities, and even private companies (they have to do it at my current company).

There was a think layer of dust on the top of a crash cart, on suction machines, and on nitrous oxide machines in multiple ORs. The floors were not mopped in-between patients. The facility is only cleaned a few days a week.

A physician had no idea if a “big clean” was being done in the operating rooms. A non-licensed person was responsible for (supposedly) sterilizing instruments. With little training. And was filling in for another person on vacation. Very few personnel files, mostly incomplete per the law, missing things like training and certifications.

It keeps going and going and going. Some violations were statutory (such as failure to hold a quarterly fire drill since March 2011), some medical (like large amounts of dust in operating rooms). They failed to do weekly checks to make sure that the medical equipment worked and that medicine wasn’t expired.

And this was an abortion clinic the abortionistas held up as a model clinic. What they’ll focus on is not that this medical clinic is a disaster, but that women might not be able to get (medically unsafe) abortions.

Read: NC DHHS Suspends Asheville Abortion Clinic’s License »

Posted in Liberal World, NC News | 2 Comments | Trackback URL
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