Where is the Recovery?

Remember how Obama was promising that with the TARP program, unemployment wouldn't go above 8% and the economy would be again growing in no time?  Well, like past Keynesian experiments, this one also failed.  Contrast Canada which has controlled government spending, had a limited stimulus package, cut taxes for individuals and business, and has maintained sensible regulations that do not overly burden financial institutions or capital markets.

In the US, the complete opposite is taking place.  Health Care, Dodd-Frank, the EPA, and other regulations are drowning economic growth and investment.  Instead of reducing the cost of business, the Obama administration has done the exact opposite: they have increased the cost of business and placed a greater burden on wealth generators, companies, and individuals.  How then can the economy get back on track?  Larry Kudlow has answers:

 

Limbaugh: Obama is Easily Beatable in 2012

Rush Limbaugh thinks President Obama is easily beatable in 2012 despite that many think the current GOP field doesn't pose much of a threat to Obama.  Greta Van Sustren interviews El Rushbo on Fox News:

OPP Crosses the Line on Civil Liberties

The murder of Sonia Varaschin is a tragedy and every law abiding citizen surely hopes that the guilty party is caught, tried, and convicted for this brutal and senseless murder.  However, the Ontario Provincial Police have used a frightening tactic in an effort to solve this case.  They are going door to door and asking for citizens to give voluntary DNA samples.  While this may seem harmless and a worthy goal to solve a crime, it is a gross violation of the Charter of Rights and an infringement on the civil liberties of innocent citizens.

What is worse, the OPP has used intimidation tactics to get people to comply with the DNA requests.

"If you have nothing to hide, then it is your obligation to provide that DNA sample," OPP spokesman Peter Leon said.

Constable Leon is completely wrong.  You, as a free citizen of Canada, have absolutely no obligation to provide a DNA sample.  There is, however, a legal and moral obligation of the police to respect the Charter and the freedoms and liberties of those they purport to serve and protect.

Const. Leon went on to add: "We respect the fact that someone may wish to say no", but "each and every person who is approached has a moral obligation to participate."

The OPP needs to be reigned in from such flagrant behaviour that is directly opposed to the rights and freedoms protected by the Charter.  Mr. Leon should resign along with those who support his tactics and language.

There is a legal way to obtain DNA, and that is through a warrant signed by a judge.  There is a reason why DNA must be obtained this way, for the same reasons that the police may not arbitrarily search homes or private property.  We are not a police state, but a nation of laws where the sovereignty of the individual is paramount.

Paul Ryan Sets the Record Straight on Medicare

One glaringly obvious fact is that Medicare costs are entirely unsustainable in the US.  Obama, the Democrats, and a few spineless (read moderate) Republicans are intent on heading down the same path that leads to a cliff known as the US debt.   The demagoguery, falsities, lies, and distortions are typical tactics the left uses in order to keep as many people dependent on government as possible.  Never mind that this runs contrary to the entire American experiment.

So, Rep. Paul Ryan took to the morning shows to get some truth re-injected into the debate on reforming entitlements.  At least, we can now say that reforming entitlements is on the agenda.  This is a major step forward in itself.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Netanyahu's Speech to Congress

In case you missed it, here's Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's full speech to the US Congress.  Bibi is one great leader and Israel is lucky to have him.

Obama has made a major strategic error in his support of the pre-1967 borders.  It was these borders that left Israel at a strategic disadvantage to its enemies.  Returning to such borders would hasten the road to war, or at least make it more probable.

Should Israel ever surrender the Golan Heights or depend on the Palestinian security forces for security, the result would be nothing short of disastrous.  Obama is living with his in the clouds which wouldn't be a problem if he was living in sheltered academia, but he's supposed to (at least pretend) to be the leader of the free world.

A Loser for the Losers

Bob Rae, the worst premier in Ontario's history, has taken over as the interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada.  After a devastating election which saw the party reduced to the third largest party with just 34 seats, far behind the socialist NDP, the Grits dropped Professor Michael Ignatieff who will be ready to start teaching at the University of Toronto in time for the fall semester.

 

 

It's rather remarkable that Rae has even managed to stay in politics considering his track record of failure as a politician.  From "Rae Days", to labour unrest, to skyrocketing deficits, and flip-flops on Free Trade, Rae has repeatedly been in the loser's column.  However, he is a Rhodes Scholar although he's barely done any "real" work in the private sector.  Nevertheless, most of Canada's politicians have never had real jobs, they've gone from government job to government job gladly suckling from the public teat as though it were their entitlement in life to "serve the public".  However, politicians are hardly public servants, they're far more self serving by the looks of their massive, gold plated pensions that the average serf like you and I could only dream of while taking summers off and enjoying the hoity toity life of cocktail parties and tax-payer funded car service.

According to CTV, Rae will be the interim leader over the next 18-22 months as the Libs look for a new leader to take the helm of their slowly sinking ship.  For Rae, it must be somewhat of an accomplishment to be selected leader after having twice failed to be elected as the leader of the federal Libs.

 

 

Rae has been in government in one form or the other since 1978.  Yes, 1978.  In that time he's enjoyed building up his pension for the Ontario legislature and most recently in the House of Commons.  He came from a wealthy family and you can be sure that he's never had to flip burgers or work retail to make ends meet during his pampered life. 

 

 

Despite my criticism of Mr. Rae, I will give him credit for being a staunch supporter of Israel, which goes a long way for me personally.  In light of Obama's forsaking Israel, the lone democracy in the Middle East needs all the help and support it can muster.

Bring Atlas Shrugged the Movie to Canada!

I hope someone is trying to bring this movie to Canada for release.  It's been released in the US since April 16th.  The lessons of government tyranny never get old, and Atlas Shrugged is a great reminder of how important the protection of individual freedoms are.

Author Ayn Rand was a libertarian and philosopher who knew all too well the dangers of statism and tyranny.  However, in my opinion she glorifies selfishness and greed to some extent.  Nevertheless, her illustration of the importance of the sovereignty of individuals is timeless. 

Atlas Shrugged is a must read for conservatives, libertarians, classical liberals, fans of Hayek, and pretty much everyone else.

Obama Rejects Israel

President Obama has backed the Palestinian negotiating position and stabbed Israel in the back.  Obama's position is shocking in that no previous president has ever taken such an anti-Israeli stance before.  Obama believes that Israel should return to its pre-1967 borders.  These borders would leave Israel severely weakened in regards to their national defences, one of the main reasons for the 1967 War itself. 

For Israel to handover the Golan Heights is inconceivable.  This would provide Syria, which supports Hamas and Hezbollah, a key strategic advantage that could pave the way for an invasion of Israel proper.  Furthermore, since 1967, the border along the West Bank has been significantly altered so that it would make little sense to return the border as it was over 40 years ago.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu stated that such a withdrawal would jeopardize Israel's security and leave major West Bank settlements outside Israeli borders.

"The status quo is unsustainable," Obama said. "A lasting peace will involve two states for two peoples." 

Perhaps, but there will be no lasting peace when Israel is vulnerable to destruction.  While a Palestinian state may be a future step towards a peace agreement, it is by no means a guarantor of security or a force for stability when the Gaza strip is ruled by the Islamist fanatic group Hamas.

Obama's statements on Israel would be shocking for an American president would they not be coming from him.  Little by little, Obama has been rolling back support that America has traditionally offered Israel as the sole democracy in a sea of oppression and tyranny that is the Middle East.

Gingrich Announces Bid for Presidency

Newt Gingrich stated today: "I'm announcing my candidacy for president of the United States because I believe we can return America to hope and opportunity."

"We Americans are going to have to talk together, to work together, find solutions together, and insist on imposing those solutions on those forces that don't want to change."

Always the idea man, Gingrich will bring a great deal of debate, thought, and discussion to the nomination process for the GOP. He's been a severely harsh critic of Obama's policies, but has gone beyond criticism to offer conservative ideas on what we should do instead along with replacements to Obamacare, taxes, and government spending.

"He is a polarizing figure (who) comes with a fair degree of baggage," Ford O'Connell, who worked on the 2008 McCain-Palin ticket, told CNN. He said Gingrich has to make himself relevant to the current political climate. "He does represent the past but has to show why he represents the future," O'Connell said, adding that he thinks right now Gingrich is having difficulty doing that.

Watch Newt's announcement below.

Krauthammer: Obama the Ditherer

The socialist left sees President Obama as the messiah of statism, but Charles Krauthammer points out that Obama's prophecies virtually never come to pass.

Conservatives Win Majority

Prime Minister Harper will have a majority government with over165 seats.  The NDP will have approximately 104 and the Liberals 31.  Michael Ignatieff will likely lose his seat to the CPC challenger.
The Bloc have suffered even more egregious losses than the Liberals and Duceppe will have much to explain to his party faithful.

Liberals are facing considerable losses in Quebec and Ontario, especially in the 905 belt around Toronto.  Even in some urban ridings in Toronto, the Libs have lost seats to Conservative and NDP challengers.

This is a great day for Canada, and especially for the economic prospects of the nation as businesses and individuals can hope for restrained government, lower taxes, and more prosperity from sea to sea to sea.

Election Update - Verging on a Majority

The Conservatives appear to be on the brink of a majority government, leading in 152 ridings as I currently watch the results come in.  The Liberals have been decimated by the NDP surge.  Mr. Layton's party stands at 104 seats right now, and Ignatieff's is only 33 with a very real possibility that Mr. Ignatieff will lose to the conservative candidate in Etobicoke.

The Bloc has also suffered heavy losses as a result of the socialist tide.  However, all Canadians can rejoice that the separatist (treasonous) party is facing stiff losses in Quebec, with Duceppe currently trailing in his riding to the NDP.

So, I'm taking bets: will Iggy be back teaching at Harvard next semester?  I think yes.

More updates will follow.