Monday Brief
Remembering Breitbart
The Foundation
"The right of freely examining public characters and measures, and of free communication among the people thereon ... has ever been justly deemed the only effectual guardian of every other right." --James Madison
Inspiration
Andrew Breitbart (1969-2012)
Editor's Note: Friday marked the one-year anniversary of Andrew Breitbart's death. He never feared to ask the tough questions and seek the accountability in politics that so few "journalists" today pursue. May his legacy be remembered and inspire others to defend Liberty.
"Andrew Breitbart's quest for the truth served as an inspiration to people around the globe. It had a profound impact on both of us as well. Andrew not only served as fellow warrior in the trenches of journalism, but he also made an impact on our lives and both of the organizations where we work. ... [W]e are excited to announce the Franklin Center and Heritage Foundation will once again sponsor this year's Breitbart Awards. In the months following Andrew's death last year, Franklin and Heritage teamed up for a summit on the future of media. ... Today, as we mourn the loss of Andrew and pay tribute to his accomplishments, we're calling on you help ensure his legacy lives. Please take a moment to visit BreitbartAwards.com to nominate someone whose efforts advance the spirit of Andrew Breitbart's work. We're accepting nominations for individuals who are driven by an indomitable pursuit for truth and accountability, and whose work has broken meaningful ground in advancing those causes on behalf of the public good. ... As you think about who best to nominate, consider these questions: Who has the courage and honesty to tell the real stories that matter to people's lives? When the legacy media fails to do its job, who among the army of bloggers stands out when holding the institutions of power accountable? Who is the citizen activist who uses information to dig up the truth and serve as a watchdog in your community? Andrew was incredibly kind, devoted to his family and work, and most importantly, enthusiastic about life. He cherished freedom and liberty. And his work had a profound impact on American politics, media and culture. Help us keep his legacy alive." --Heritage Foundation's Rob Bluey and Erik Telford
Re: The Left
"President Obama has been criss-crossing the country proclaiming the dire effects of [the sequester] if the Republicans in the House didn't bow to his demands. We don't know what his demands are, but he spent a lot of money accusing the GOP of not caving into them. The Department of Homeland Security is made up, apparently, of the only group of people in America that believed Obama. A division of DHS got a jump on Sequester Day by letting 'several hundred' illegal aliens who were in jail, out of jail and into what a spokesperson called 'placed on an appropriate, more cost-effective form of supervised release.' Putting aside the fact that if this more cost-effective form of supervised release were available before the sequester, why didn't DHS take advantage of this money-saving capacity? Maybe using NON cost-effective, NON appropriate forms of keeping track of illegal aliens awaiting ... is yet another example of worthless Federal programs that, when added together, lead to a $16.5 trillion national debt. ... If nothing else DHS should be sent to the Cabinet Penalty Box for astonishing stupidity in the face of a growing public relations crisis by announcing his long-planned retirement on the same day as the prisoner release." --columnist Rich Galen
Editor's Note: The number of illegals released was actually more like 2,000.
For the Record
"Actually, the GOP bill wasn't designed to avert cuts, it was designed to avert these cuts by giving Obama the power to replace them with equivalent cuts of his choosing. He's been screaming for weeks that the sequester will chop crucial services by hitting agencies indiscriminately across the board, right? Well, there's the solution -- let O protect the important stuff, like naval deployments, by reinstating the Pentagon's money and cutting stuff like cowboy poetry festivals instead. Result: The bill fails, 38-60. So terrified was the White House of the political responsibility of deciding which arms of government should bear the burden of an $85 billion haircut that they actually threatened to veto the bill if it passed. No need to worry about that; Senate Democrats, who've been shirking political responsibility for years by not passing a budget, were happy to kill this thing for him. Imagine how awkward it would have been if they hadn't and O had to explain to the public that he had the power to save money in ways besides, say, releasing illegal immigrants from detention centers but chose not to exercise it. His whole strategy in this process is to impose maximum pain on Americans while blaming Republicans for supposedly tying his hands in trying to avert it. They offered to untie his hands. He refused. Leadership." --HotAir's Allahpundit
Government
"In 2007, the government was 40 percent smaller than it is today. Were poor people sleeping under bridges? Were the elderly starving? Were planes grounded? Was food unsafe to eat? Here's another question: Are Americans really this gullible? ... Democrats like to pretend that every last penny of government spending is wise, benevolent and essential. ... Sure, the government performs some necessary functions, but it is also vulnerable to abuse because nobody is watching. Consider the example of Al Gore. Upon leaving the vice presidency, Mr. Gore's net worth was estimated at $2 million. But with the advent of Mr. Obama's 'investments' in green energy, Mr. Gore has profited handsomely. His company, General Investment Management, invested in a number of companies that received 'green' subsidies. Gore's net worth (before the sale of Current TV to Al Jazeera) was estimated by the Washington Post to be $100 million. The Obama economy has been awful for average Americans but exceedingly profitable for the well connected. Some government spending is necessary, much is sinfully wasteful, and the remainder is corrupt. If Americans have stopped believing that then a key aspect of the American character is dead." --columnist Mona Charen
The Gipper
"I believe in your right to know all the facts concerning the people's business. ... I know that you can face any prospect and do anything that has to be done as long as you know the truth of what you are up against. We will put our fiscal house in order. And as we do, we will build those things we need to make our state a better place in which to live, and we will enjoy them more, knowing we can afford them and they are paid for." --Ronald Reagan
Reader Comments
"Mark, The 'Republican Sequester' Setup is the most stinging yet factually accurate rebuke of this regime that I have read anywhere, period. Kudos to you, fellow Patriot, for telling it like it is. May God help our nation realize the error of its ways before it is too late!" --Kent in Addison, Illinois
"All but the low information crowd and the left-wing Kool-aid infused can see the hysteria churning going on here by Obama and his minions. True that the Republicans don't have clean hands, but the left is off the charts here on the sequester that the White House suggested, sponsored, supported and threatened to veto anything that tried to stop it. Now, sadly, the sequester is an orphan. No one will acknowledge parentage." --PK in South Carolina
"Once again Mark has hit the nail on the head about Obama's macro socialist agenda; I have been saying for years Obama's plan of 'fundamentally transforming the United States of America' goes way beyond just implementing socialism here. It is part and parcel of his 'anti-imperialist' agenda which employ(s) his classist 'politics of disparity' to the world as a whole; the end game would have 'economic equality' apply to every person on the planet." --Ron in Vancouver
"As usual, the Friday Digest tells it like it is. The frustrating thing is the simpleton Republicans can't seem to articulate the argument this easily. Why is that?" --David in Evergreen, Colorado
Political Futures
"One reason liberals aren't interested in solving problems is because they are so totally invested in using them. Rahm Emanuel, Barack Obama's first White House Chief of Staff, made that clear when he voiced the cardinal rule of liberalism, 'Never let a serious crisis go to waste.' How do politicians 'never let a crisis go to waste?' They use it to get elected. They use problems of all sorts to get elected by blaming their political opponents for causing the problem and by selling themselves as the saviors of those of us whom they can convince are victims of said problem and of the 'villains' whom they say perpetrated it. And once elected, they use this same blame game to get their policies enacted, increase their political power, and enhance their chances of getting re-elected. ... Continuing to elect politicians who have nothing to sell but blame, hate, and 'issues' gives us a society in which it pays to invent crises -- so you can blame them on your opponent." --columnist Dan Dagget
Essential Liberty
"On Feb. 28, the House passed the Senate's version of the Obama administration's expanded Violence Against Women Act. Left-leaning pundits proclaim that the new law will somehow provide additional protections for American Indian women, gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgender people and immigrants. In short, you are covered by this 'new protection' as long as you can prove you are not a heterosexual white male. Congressional and Obama administration proponents apparently want us to ignore that the new law adds $650 million in spending to the already bloated federal budget. Nor has anyone noted an obvious inconsistency: While we're passing new laws to protect women, we're putting them into U.S. military ground combat units. Perhaps fear of prosecution will prevent enemy combatants from raping our female soldiers and Marines on the battlefield." --columnist Oliver North
Opinion in Brief
"[T]he crucible of everyday competition makes you acutely aware of forecasts and results. This is HUGELY different from the climate fight, where people who will not forecast, but try to make a living by telling you why something happened after it did, seem to populate the scene. ... While I can see my rival's point in the weather, I can't see why there is a climate debate, yet alone why we are committing economic suicide as a nation. There is a big difference between weather and climate. In weather, we make forecasts that are tested DAILY and we certainly can see how the other guy says what he says. In the climate fight, apparently no forecast is ever tested and policy will be implemented even when it's wrong. In my job, if I am not right enough, people fire me. That's life in the competitive private sector. I pay for my mistakes. With the climate fight, WHEN they are wrong, policy is implemented anyway. And guess who pays? All of us!" --meteorologist Joe Bastardi
Culture
"He who controls the textbooks, teaching guides and tests controls the academic agenda. That is how the propagandistic outfitting of students in Islamic garb came to pass in the unlikely setting of the conservative Lumberton, Texas, school district. As Fox News reporter Todd Starnes noted [last] week, a 32-year veteran of the high school led a world geography lesson on Islam in which hijab-wrapped students were banned from using the words 'suicide bomber' and 'terrorist' to describe Muslim mass murderers in favor of the term 'freedom fighter.' ... Top-down federalized 'Common Core' standards are now sweeping the country. ... Grassroots activists in Indiana, Alabama, Utah and nearly a dozen other states are now educating themselves and their state legislatures about the centralized education racket, whether it's under the guise of Common Core or any other name. ... As Texas goes, so goes the nation. The fight against the federalization of academic standards is a national education Alamo." --columnist Michelle Malkin
The Last Word
"'The worst-case scenario for us,' a leading anti-budget-cuts lobbyist told The Washington Post, 'is the sequester hits and nothing bad really happens.' Think about that. Worst case? ... Oh, the humanity! ... The administration has every incentive to make the sky fall, lest we suffer that terrible calamity -- cuts the nation survives. Are they threatening to pare back consultants, conferences, travel and other nonessential fluff? Hardly. ... Because of this year's payroll tax increase, millions of American workers have had to tighten their belts by precisely 2 percent. They found a way. Washington, spending $3.8 trillion, cannot? If so, we might as well declare bankruptcy now and save the attorneys' fees. ... [F]or Obama, this is not about deficit reduction, which interests him not at all. The purpose is purely political: to complete his Election Day victory by breaking the Republican opposition. ... Break them now and the road is open to resume enactment of the expansive, entitlement-state liberalism that Obama proclaimed in his second inaugural address. But he cannot win if 'nothing bad really happens.' Indeed, he'd look both foolish and cynical for having cried wolf. His incentive to deliberately make the most painful and socially disruptive cuts possible ... is enormous. And alarming. Hail Armageddon." --columnist Charles Krauthammer
Semper Vigilo, Fortis, Paratus et Fidelis!
Nate Jackson for The Patriot Post Editorial Team
70 Comments
Lowell in Johns Island, SC
Monday, March 4, 2013 at 10:49 AM
Too bad the sequester isn't deep enough that Congressmen can't afford their plane tickets BACK to DC after their weekend off.
MNIce in Minnesota
Monday, March 4, 2013 at 3:55 PM
Mr. Obama should also be stranded somewhere far away from Washington or other media hangout. Let's send him on a three and a half-year vacation to Nome, Alaska, and give him a cabin without a telephone to minimize the mischief and damage he can do.
wjm in Colorado
Monday, March 4, 2013 at 10:54 AM
Hail Armageddon indeed, the people have spoken and they must be punished. FORWARD over the cliff, destroy America. We are headed the way of European bankrupcy. Who will bail us out? Red Dawn anyone?
hay in port orchard wa
Monday, March 4, 2013 at 11:33 AM
Even though the volume of the whining is increasing, I am unable to find facts in the noise. At what .gov site can I find line by line where the people's money is being spent? If I could see it, I could support or reject each item that may be important to me.
Rifleman in Nawth Jawja
Monday, March 4, 2013 at 11:36 AM
GOOGLE “Government Waste”:
The government spends $25 billion for maintenance on empty buildings it owns.
The federal government owns approximately one-third of all U.S. land. It does not need more land and it could be argued that it should not own 80% of Nevada and Alaska, and more than half of Idaho. That said, it wants to spend $2.3 billion to purchase more land and the National park Service currently has a backlog of maintenance tasks totaling $5 billion.
Homeland Security’s Janet Napolitano was issuing statements about the sequestration cuts to her department, but according to Tom Schatz, president of Citizens Against Government Waste, the department has $9 billion in unspent preparedness funds. How much of that will be spent on purchasing more DHS ammunition? They have already purchased enough to shoot every American five times.
Rep. Tom Coburn (R-OK) is a leading budget hawk who identified programs to fund a space ship to another solar system, funds for advancements in beef jerky from France, and $6 billion for research to find out what lessons about democracy and decision-making can be learned—from fish!
While you’re trying to figure out how to pay your 2012 taxes, give a thought to the National Science Foundation $350,000 grant to Purdue University researchers on how to improve your golf game.
Not to be outspent, the National Institutes of Health gave a $940,000 grant to researchers who found that the production of pheromones in—wait for it—fruit flies, declines over time. Turns out that male fruit flies were more attracted to younger female fruit flies. The NIH also paid researchers to find out why gay men in Argentina engage in risky sexual behavior when they’re drunk and spent $800,000 in “stimulus funds” to study the impact of a “genital-washing” program on men in South Africa. You can’t make up this stuff.
For reasons that defy sanity, various elements of the government have spent $3 million for research on video games; $2.6 million to train Chinese prostitutes to drink responsibly; a whopping $500 million on a program that would, among other things, try to figure out why five-year-olds “can’t sit still” in a kindergarten classroom; and grants such as $1.8 million on a “museum of neon signs” in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Sanity does not apply to the $2 billion given annually to U.S. farmers to not farm their land.
Rifleman in Nawth Jawja
Monday, March 4, 2013 at 11:41 AM
Please forgive the capitalization. That was not my intent. This iMac optical mouse has a mind of its own.
Am headed to the store to replace it.
RedLeg in M"boro
Monday, March 4, 2013 at 12:08 PM
No problem. It happens. Still a good read.
Diane in Tx
Monday, March 4, 2013 at 12:37 PM
You might copy and paste into a plain text document (not word or its mac equivalent) before into TPP comment window, that tends to remove the formating from text.
Lisa in MD
Monday, March 4, 2013 at 12:41 PM
Yeah this is something that you won't see in the newspaper. It is really amazing the waste that goes on that no one knows about.
Patriot1775@patriott1775 in MD
Monday, March 4, 2013 at 2:33 PM
barry's ( and when I say barry I mean the whole mess we have in washed out d.c) plan for no program left behind! What a deal! Keep it up Rifleman.
Senator-Blutarsky in texas
Monday, March 4, 2013 at 2:50 PM
Go Find RUMSFELDS missing 2.3 TRILLION in the Defense-Pentagram budget, for starters
Honest Abe in North Carolina
Monday, March 4, 2013 at 5:41 PM
" Rep. Tom Coburn (R-OK) is a leading budget hawk who identified programs to fund a space ship to another solar system...". Dear Tom, we have names of several Washington people to suggest for going on that expedition. It may cost some money, but I am sure Barack, Michelle, Nancy and Harry will enjoy running another solar system in debt. You did say it was a one-way expedition?
M Rick Timms MD in Georgia
Monday, March 4, 2013 at 7:44 PM
Obviously you don't need to know. They want it to be a great mystery that only the wise ones in Washington are capable of understanding. Of course, anytime that there is any reduction in the ability of the wise ones to spend the money you so graciously send them, then there must be serious consequences. Meaningful consequences such as releasing criminals from jail, and canceling military missions,, not just some administrative consulting, travel, entertainment cutbacks mind you.
Get yourself elected and then you too can join the inner circle and see the list of important spending priorities. Good luck in the campaign.
Rifleman in Nawth Jawja
Monday, March 4, 2013 at 11:34 AM
He is a man of his word. What amazes is that We, the People, didn't -- don't -- believe him.
"I want you to help me to fundamentally transform the most prosperous Nation in the history of the world." -- 2008
"The Constitution is just words...It is a Document of 'negative liberties.' It says what the government CAN'T DO TO YOU. It doesn't say what government CAN DO ON YOUR BEHALF." (emphasis mine) -- 2009
"Under my plan, electricity costs will, of necessity, skyrocket." -- 2009
"Americans are going to have to learn to live on less." -- 2010
"We're flying under the radar." -- whispered to Sarah Brady regarding enacting more "gun control" laws (2012)
"I can't wait for Congress to act. I'm going to work around [them]." -- 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012.
Mr Keith O. White in Casper
Monday, March 4, 2013 at 1:30 PM
Rifleman in Nawth Jawja hit most of Obama's quotes on the head. He is working hard at distroying America and breaking the spirit of all Americans.
BGinGA in GA
Monday, March 4, 2013 at 11:37 AM
Minimum Wage
Most Americans will not realize (until after the fact) the ramifications of what a 24% minimum wage increase will do the economy until it’s too late.
Obama's proposal, a 24% increase in the minimum wage will bring a lot of his now Obamcare-collateral-damaged reduced to 29-hour a week low information voters, back to where they started, income wise.
Or maybe, their hours will be reduced even further with higher productivity expected.
Or maybe, higher productivity expected with more workers laid off.
Or if, productivity has already been maximized and there is very little profits from which to give increases, companies may just close.
For those companies that can pass along a pay increase, the results will be some inflation. How much is unknown, but those on set incomes will be hit the hardest.
Coming To The Streets Near You. (with 1.6 billion rounds) The Department of Homeland Security (through the U.S. Army Forces Command) recently retrofitted 2,717 of these ‘Mine Resistant Protected’ vehicles for service on the streets of the United States. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pS9aw5pcJo&feature=player_embedded#!
Rifleman in Nawth Jawja
Monday, March 4, 2013 at 11:43 AM
When San Fran Nan Pelosi ramed through the last MW increase, she excluded the Pacific Islanders who work in her husband's company's tuna cannery.
He is a big dog with Star-Kist.
The Pelosis claim a net worth in excess of $60M.
Rifleman in Nawth Jawja
Monday, March 4, 2013 at 11:50 AM
Speaking of Obama's nominee to direct the EPA who is a fervent believer in and manipulator of "climate change"....
Because of their intimate personal and financial involvement with Shorebank, Goldman Sachs and with the now-defunct Chicago Climate Exchange and the Joyce Foundation, on whose Board Obama once sat, had "cap and trade" passed into law, Obama and algore would have taken in between $8 and $12 Billion in royalties.
Does anyone remember the California, ocean-side, cliff-top, 8 bathroom bungalow which algore bought for $8M?
Algore’s net worth -- before his sale to al Jazeera -- was in the neighborhood of $150M.
Let's not forget Obama's near-trillion dollar debacles with "green" energy -- at taxpayers' expense.
Let's not forget how Obama was subsidized by those "green" energy companies.
It never was about "saving the planet."
It never was about “global cooling” or “global warming” or ‘climate change.”
Patricia in Idaho
Monday, March 4, 2013 at 11:55 AM
Now, if we can get some smart citizens to understand what you've written, maybe we can get somewhere.No wonder they have been dumming down our schools. People no longer have the ability to think and see the hand writing on the wall.......
Linda in Palm Coast, FL
Monday, March 4, 2013 at 11:58 AM
I think most Americans are wondering why we are paying Congress to do nothing. Sequester should mean no pay or benefits for the remainder of the year for a Congress that does not submit a BALANCED federal budget on time.
Dave Mather in Troy,MI
Monday, March 4, 2013 at 12:02 PM
Obama has never been a leader and that is why we are in such troubles in America! His irresponsibility has helped make him the worst president ever of the U.S.!!! I am only sorry that I and my kids have to live through it. Maybe Woodward should be the reicipient of the Brietbart award. He is surely fitting of the honor and hopefully can help bring down Obama!
Paulrod in Kansas City MO
Monday, March 4, 2013 at 3:05 PM
Dave, you're right on. A leader operates from the phrase, "Follow me.". Obama operates from, "It's not my fault!".
James Pogue in OK
Monday, March 4, 2013 at 12:10 PM
I would like to thank the members of congress for not bowing to another threat by the president. I like the idea of holding him responsible for the sequester. Finally, he is responsible for something.
Telezer in Eastern Orygun Blue Mountains
Monday, March 4, 2013 at 12:14 PM
Democrats love a strong central government that does their thinking for them and requires of them only to stand in line for their government handouts. Anything that threatens their free government 'stuff" is bad. They feel (not think) that the national debt is no problem because it doesn't affect them. Raising taxes is no problem because it doesn’t' affect them. Their mantra is “What can my country do for me.” There is no flip side of the coin. Obama plays into their hands by giving them what they want so they can continue to put their heads in the sand like Ostriches. The only problem with that posture is that leaves lots of exposed bird above the ground. But as long as they cannot see the problems, the problems do not exist. If America continues on its current path, the entire country, with the exception of gated, secure compounds for the wealthy, will resemble Detroit and other imploded cities.
Bud in Yalesville CT
Monday, March 4, 2013 at 12:27 PM
Mr Rich Galen, forgive me if I am reading this incorrectly: "NON appropriate forms of keeping track of illegal aliens awaiting ... is yet another example of worthless Federal programs that, when added together, lead to a $16.5 billion national debt. ..." Shouldn't that be more like $16.5 TRILLION?
Merry Colin in Cave Creek
Monday, March 4, 2013 at 4:04 PM
I noticed that glaring error too and no one commented until you! Do people not READ anymore?
Diane in Tx
Monday, March 4, 2013 at 4:21 PM
I saw it and commented on it on Rich Galen's page. ;-)
Bud in Yalesville CT
Tuesday, March 5, 2013 at 8:50 AM
Merry: Sometimes people READ as quickly as some WRITE in these comment sections. In both cases, there are errors of both co-mission and omission ... lol
Still, we caught it and that should help others too.
hoodoo in st george, utah
Monday, March 4, 2013 at 12:39 PM
Whatever the does, it is in HIS best interest only--He cares not one whit about the country nor the population. He is trying to perpetuate a dynasty of Democrat malfeasance in office, and O M G! OBAMA MUST GO. Start the impeachment proceedings at once. His lies and treasonous behavior are sufficient.
austin farrell in bellevue,washington
Monday, March 4, 2013 at 12:45 PM
The 38 to 60 Senate vote aginst the Housebull thatwouldhave given the President authortity to move around the Sequester cuts must have attracted Repub votes . Why? More importantly why are the Repubs satisfoed d with Obamss apparent determination to fire not a single Governmental employee. Instaed some numbers- most ofwhom serve the public direct will instead suffer some days off without pay. The Obama and Dems presumption is that the sequester "reductions" will be made up later and those civil servans who have had those upoaiddays off will lbe reinstaed and rewarded after the sequester is over. How about no continuing resolution a all or perhaps one conditioned so that in in the event te senate does not pass one meeting OPbama and the theCongressional budget offices vetting, submitte d to the Congress for considieration within a state period theHouses budget asutomatically goes into effect The purpose: no legitimate budget process, no unconditiinal House continuing resolution.
Bill eFelice. in McKeesport,PA.
Monday, March 4, 2013 at 12:49 PM
The sequester was nothing more,than a pause to drink some water.Those who made a big thiingof it,prooved to be all wet. Seriously,we need to replace McConnel,and Speaker Bonehead.They are not our friends.