Does the ghost of Ronald Reagan like today's Republicans? I think not.

For those who keep praising Clinton's balancing of the budget, I have news for you. It was a Republican Congress that can take credit for that too. This was part of Newt's Contract With America. Clinton did sign off on it though, so both parties can take credit. We were actually beginning to pay off our debt. This goes to show that it takes two to tango, and those were the days when, despite the Democrats and Republicans hate for each other, they worked together to do good things. Those were the days when politicians put America first, once in a while. Today is a different story. Both parties should be ashamed of themselves, but especially Republicans. Ronald Reagan frequently reached across the aisle, and he and Tip O'Neill frequently used to drink beer together at the end of the day. Republicans - You have squandered any legacy you believe to have come from Ronald Reagan. If he were still alive, he'd shoot the damn lot of you and start over. LOL.

House Republicans have shot themselves in the foot

In years past, it has always been the Democrats screwing themselves on the issues, but what's good for them is also good for the GOP.  Here is a case in point. From the Washington Post:

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says a bipartisan compromise reached by the Senate is the “only viable way” to prevent a tax increase on Jan. 1.  In a surprise appearance in the White House briefing room on Tuesday, the president said a “faction” of Republicans in the House is refusing to vote on a Senate bill that would extend a payroll tax cut for two months. Obama said, “The clock is ticking. Time is running out.” The president said House Republicans are trying to “wring concessions” from Democrats on issues that “have nothing to do with the payroll tax cut.”. Obama says lawmakers owe it to the American people “to come together and do the right thing.”

And of course, although I disagree with Obama on a lot of things, sometimes strongly, I have to say that he is right on this one. After all, Speaker Boehner originally kicked this over to the Senate, demanding that Democrats compromise. Democrats in the Senate DID compromise to the extent that the unemployment tax bill passed the Senate with a LOT of Republican support. When it came back to the House, Boehner could not keep the extremists in his party in line, and the compromise failed. I can't fault Boehner for attempting to kick this back to the Senate, and demand more compromises again, even though GOP Senators managed to already extract compromises. Boehner is over a barrel, and his leadership is weak. In the end, almost all of the House Republicans revolted against the bipartisan Senate plan, which was endorsed by no less than Mitch McConnell himself.

Now, instead of forcing Obama's hand, as they hoped to do, House Republicans have put themselves in the hot seat, because the failure here is certainly going to be a red meat issue for Obama and the Democratic party in 2012. When you only hold one House and not the Presidency, "my way or the highway" is not going to work. This was a serious miscalculation on the part of House Republicans, who will suffer consequences for their actions next year. This can still be avoided. Don't attempt to call Obama's bluff. Just go back into session and pass the damn thing. You will look like heroes if you do, and goats if you don't.
 

Not voting means you voted? OK, whatever you say, but the court disagrees.

An Appeals court has made an interesting ruling on union voting rules for companies that fall under the Railway Labor Act.  But first some background:

House Republicans pushed this year to revert to the old rules, under which workers who did not cast ballots in union elections would be counted as “no” votes. The effort, which came in the form of an amendment to the FAA’s funding bill, led to a protracted fight with Democrats and union groups and to a brief shutdown of the FAA this summer. 

That's right. You heard it correctly. Republicans have always supported a rule that says if you didn't vote, then you voted, and of course, you voted "our" ideological way too. That rule was changed to say that if you didn't vote, you didn't vote. Of course, this had to go to court. The Court of Appeals ruled on it yesterday. The court made the following earth shattering announcement:

If you didn't vote, then you didn't vote.

Gee, what a surprise. In another move, the court is going to take up the issue on whether the sky is blue, or as Republicans claim, it is purple with yellow polka dots.

President Obama's Detroit Intervention

From the Detroit Free Press this morning:

This year, for the first time since 1988, all three Detroit automakers have gained market share in the U.S.

There are a number of factors which contribute to the automakers becoming profitable again, including the earthquakes in Japan, which decimated the Japanese auto industry, and the Obama bailout....... Ahh, the Obama bailout. I want to talk about this one.

To be honest, the Obama bailout of the auto industry is something that I was rather torn on. After seeing the results of the bankster bailout, I was more than a little pissed when Obama decided to bail out Detroit. However, one cannot argue with results here. OK, OK, I can admit when I am wrong. Should the government intervene and attempt to prop up or otherwise save a failing sector of the economy? Generally, I still say no, but now with more nuance in my answer. There are times when government intervention is needed, especially when the end result is that sector paying back the money to the government, becoming more profitable, and yes, saving jobs too. OK, I will give Obama the credit on that. I still don't like him, but even a broken clock works twice a day. Well done, Mr. President.

Yeah, yeah, you can call me a flip-flopper now.

War on Christmas Rhetoric is Anti-American

I would call the war on Christmas rhetoric by Limbaugh and others anti-Semitic. Jews do not celebrate Christmas, but Hannukah. This is the main reason I tend to say "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas". There is no war on Christmas. There is only a war by nutters against Jews, and others who do not celebrate Christmas, but their own religious holidays.

I always thought religious freedom in America was important enough to stand up for, so I am standing up for it. No doubt some self-righteous assholes will call me an anti-American Communist Nazi that makes baby Jesus cry, but I would call myself someone who is standing up for religious freedom, which is one of the reasons we have founding fathers, a Constitution, and America itself.