The Emperior Has No Clothing!

By Findalis of Monkey in the Middle

Book of Obama: Chapter 13

His Excellency, The Most High, Master of the Nation, President Barack Hussein Obama (May He Reign Forever) spoke to the peons of the population.  None of this problem is MY fault, the Great One exclaimed.

"I blame Bush! He spent $1 Trillion in 8 years. And there was the Recession. We had to spend, spend, spend to Save the Nation. It is the fault of the Republicans. Those nasty TEA Partiers. It is the fault of everyone else. I am your King. Nothing is MY fault. It never is.

We need to make the rich give up their money. The Corporate CEOs with private jets need to give all their money to ME. The Billionaires and Millionaires have too much money, I need it more.  I need much more.

Although I am Omnipotent, I need your help.  If I don't get the debt ceiling raised, the world will come to an end.  The elderly will be forced to eat cat food.   The military will not be paid.  Veterans will starve while being thrown on the street. All this because the evil Republicans with their allies the rich fat cats, will not do as I order them to.

Every President for many years has gotten what I demand.  The Great Reagan spoke thus:

"Would you rather reduce deficits and interest rates by raising revenue from those who are not now paying their fair share, or would you rather accept larger budget deficits, higher interest rates, and higher unemployment? And I think I know your answer."

And yet these evil men will thwart MY plans, MY desires, what I want.  It is very simple.  Without this ceiling raise, we will DEFAULT on our debt.  The nation will be destroyed.  It will not be MY fault!  We have only a week.  I need you to call Congress and demand that they raise the ceiling.  Raise it enough so that We don't have to do this until after November 2012 (So I don't have to bring this up again until I am reelected!). Only you, the Middle Class, the Poor need to do this.  Together We can defeat the rich, the ignorant, the Republicans.

Thank you MY subjects.  I bless you!"

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
-----Thomas Jefferson, Declaration of Independence

Thus the Anointed One spoke to the people.  And they would have listened to Him but for the voice of the House Speaker, Boehner of Tears.  He spoke quietly, passionately, and with a firm voice.  His words bespoke of the truth and the people listened:

"I am not a fat cat, I was just a small business owner before I came to Congress.  I am one of you, the Middle Class, the people who find all of this too complicated to understand.  But it isn't too complicated.  It is as easy as your own home budget.

The President wants us to raise the debt ceiling for the next 18 months. This is so He will not have to face this problem during an election. The President swears that if we don't raise the ceiling the nation will end. We will default on our debts, the old will starve, the military will not be paid and veterans will be homeless. This is a lie. None of this will happen. What will happen is that for the first time the nation will have to live within our means. We will have to cut spending. We will have to trim the fat.

The President refuses to cut the fat, the port, the earmarks. We had a deal, but the President threatened to veto it. We have another deal, but it forces the President to cut spending, and will only raise the debt ceiling for 6 months.

The President is acting childish. He is carrying on a temper tantrum: "Do it my way or face the consequences!" The President can quote Ronald Reagan, but he will never be Ronald Reagan. Nor does he understand what Reagan stood for.

We will call his bluff. The President will be taught the lesson of the Constitutionality of this issue. He will be denied. He believes to be our King. But he forgets. We are Americans! WE HAVE AND WILL HAVE NO KINGS!!!!

And with that, the American people awoke to the truth of the argument.  The did call the Congress telling them to stand firm, don't give in to Obama's demands.  If we can stop him now, he will be destroyed. And they remembered this:

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury.

A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

---Thomas Jefferson, The Declaration of Independence

Yes President Obama has become a Tyrant.  It is time to take down the tyrant.  Call your Congressman or woman.  E-mail him or her.  Let them remember what happened in 2010.  You put them into Congress and you can take them out.  Time is running out. the nation and our freedoms are at risk.  It is time to stop the Tax and Spend culture of the Presidents and Democrats now.

Sphere: Related Content

The Awakening!

By Findalis of Monkey in the Middle

Book of Obama Chapter 9

All through the first year of The Anointed One the people of the land did grumble.

"You are spending too much!"
"Increasing the debt!"
"The jobs are gone, make more!"
"The banks will fail again!"
"The car companies will fail!"
"HEALTH CARE!"

And did The Anointed One listen to the people of the land?  No He did not.  For He was told by Pelosi the Loud and Reid the Inept that they can do what they want, for the people will forget.

So while all through the Summer of Discord,. while tempers ran wild, The Anointed One just plowed forward with His own New Deal.

"We will push it through Congress!" The Anointed One shouted to His staff.  "We will force this on the people."  And the Progressives did laugh.

"We will change the nation, turn it into Europe-lite.  By the time We are finished, those idiots in the street will not be able to change it back."

"For Nanny is the name of the New Welfare Plan.  Total Cradle to Grave, We will do to them as well.  I know best, that everyone can see.  My way is the Right Way.  That is what I say it will be!"

All through the summer and into the fall, the warning signs were there for all to see, but The Anointed One became blinded to the truth.

He ignored the disaster of the Olympics, how His city of Chicago was turned down.  Or when He went to campaign for Virginia and Jersey of New, He couldn't turn those races around.

He put on the tears for the victims of Fort Hood, but refused to call it terror.
He ignored the Christmas bomber, it upset His plans for golf and fun that week.
But when His friend's son received a boo-boo, He ran back as fast as He could.
He partied day and night in the warm Hawaiin sands.

But on the eve of His first year anniversary.  He has received the worst news.
The Fiefdom of the Kennedy's:  Massachusetts has left the color blue.
The Fiefdom that old Joe the Bootlegger bought for his own son.  A piece of land that was the birthplace of the progressive slant.
The land of Harvard (the school The Anointed One attended.), of Barney the Frank and Kerry the Swiftboater, plus other illustrious names.
The Fiefdom of John the Martyr and Teddy the Lecher, both of Camalot fame, did hold court.  Those names plus Tips, remained true in count.

Yet of the day before the anniversary of the anointing by John of Roberts, the Holy Chief of Justice, where He was endowed with the Mantle of Power, did the news break unto Him.  His party just lost the Fiefdom of Massachusetts, and may never get it back.

There goes the New Deal for the Nation.  The Nanny must go!  The people have turned against us.  Our seats will be given to another.  The people have spoken in Massachusetts, a Fiefdom so blue it was nearly black.  The Kennedys don't run this Fiefdom any more.  The people have taken it back!

"We are fed up with your nanny, spending and lies.  You promised us openness on C-SPAN!  You said no smoke-filled rooms, transparency.  Yet you haven't delivered these.  What we want is good government.  Lower taxes, more jobs, less waste, less debt.  We didn't get that.  We want to feel safe when we fly.  Yet we don't feel safer too.  You treat those who cause harm to us like the common criminal.  Giving them rights they are not entitled to, setting them upon our shore.

For all these reasons and more, we have chosen our new champion Brown of the Body Politic.  He is our champion.  He is our Redeemer!"

The Anointed One reeled in horror.  He was the chosen.  He wore the Mantle of Power.  He was the one they had to worship.  He would see to it that the people would have this nanny nation to live on.

But it is too late for the false Messiah He has become, His oration will fail.  For the people of the nation have awakened.  Now they will just count the days to the next election where they can correct the mistake they made in 08!

Dedicated to the late Roger W. Gardner of Radarsite.  Massachusetts was his home state!

Sphere: Related Content

Action Alert: Contact AIG Today!

Cross posted by Findalis of Monkey in the Middle


From Act for America

The news that AIG is now promoting Shariah-compliant products in America is spreading fast. Our friend and colleague Jeffrey Imm has been writing about this for some time now. His commentary below provides additional insight into this situation.

In his commentary he urges us, as taxpayer owners of AIG, to make our disapproval of AIG's entanglement with Shariah known. We agree. Because of the government bailout of AIG we are all "shareholders" now.

There are two things you can do. First, read Mr. Imm's commentary below. Second, either call AIG or sign the online petition - or both. The preferred course of action is to place a phone call. If you can't make the time to call today, do so on Monday or Tuesday next week.

There are two people we can call. Peter Tulupman is AIG's Public Relations Manager. His number is 212.770.3141. Jim Crain is listed on AIG's press release as the person to call for more information about the Shariah-compliant insurance now being offered. Mr. Crain can be reached at 617.345.4105. When you call please be respectful but unequivocal in expressing your strong disapproval with how AIG is entangling itself with Shariah.

AIG needs to hear from us. Thousands of calls into AIG will not only send a message to AIG, it will send a message to other companies that are considering or beginning to wade into the morass of Shariah-compliant finance.

Let's do what we do best! ACT! today!

AIG Defies U.S. Taxpayers by Promoting Sharia in America

December 4, 2008
by Jeffrey Imm
Anti-Jihad League of America
http://anti-jihad.org/blog/2008/12/aig-defies-us-taxpayers/
http://www.unitedstatesaction.com/blog/imm-articles/118.html

For the third month in a row, AIG is in the news regarding its promotion of Sharia-compliant finance (SCF) products, which promote the Islamic supremacist, segregationist ideology of Sharia. For a company struggling with its financial survival, it remains astounding that AIG would want to incite its American taxpayer owners by promoting products that are based on an Islamic supremacist political ideology. In October 2008, I wrote how the U.S. government gave an $85 billion loan to AIG, without demanding divestment of its business ventures reselling Sharia mutual trusts and its AIG Takaful division selling Sharia-based insurance. In November 2008, I wrote about how the U.S. government purchased $40 billion in AIG stock, making you as a taxpayer, an owner of a company promoting Sharia through such businesses.

For two months, I have warned that AIG's Takaful division was planning to expand to offer such AIG-specific Sharia products here in the United States. Now AIG has announced that it has Sharia-based insurance products for the United States, and AIG is promoting them.

On December 1, 2008, AIG announced that it was "introducing a Takaful Homeowners Policy, the first installment in Lexington Takaful Solutions, a series of Shari'ah-compliant (Takaful) product offerings in the U.S. The newly announced Takaful products are compliant with key Islamic finance tenets and based on the concept of mutual insurance." Note that AIG indicates that such Sharia insurance products are the "first installment" in a series of Sharia products. In the AIG press release, AIG Takaful's Abdallah Kubursi expresses his pride in AIG's ability to promote Sharia within the United States, stating "This is truly a global effort on the part of AIG."

This is our company, using our taxpayer dollars, to promote Islamic supremacist Sharia-based products in our country. As we are $40 billion owners in AIG, this is our problem as Americans. What is our government and AIG going to do about this?

First, let's remember what Sharia is and is not.

Sharia is a legal codification of the political ideology of Islamic supremacism. This Sharia legal codification is intended to enforce discriminatory and segregationist practices against women and non-Muslims and to suppress the liberties of those living in Islamic theocracies. As a legal codification of a supremacist ideology, Sharia is incompatible with democratic values and the inalienable human right that "all men are created equal." In 2001, nearly two months before the 9/11 attacks, the European Court of Human Rights determined that Sharia law was incompatible with democracy and human rights. The President of the European Court of Human Rights stated that "the Court found that sharia was incompatible with the fundamental principles of democracy as set forth in the Convention... Principles such as pluralism in the political sphere or the constant evolution of public freedoms have no place in it. According to the Court, it was difficult to declare one's respect for democracy and human rights while at the same time supporting a regime based on sharia...". Even British courts have ruled that Sharia is "discriminatory."

In a nation such as the United States, based on the inalienable human rights of equality and liberty, why would American taxpayers seek to fund a business selling products that promote a discriminatory, segregationist, and supremacist ideology that is "incompatible with democracy and human rights"?

Sharia is not merely "cultural beliefs," "religious beliefs," or "social preference." In the AIG press release, AIG's Abdallah Kubursi would have Americans believe that the goal of promoting such Sharia products is to expand "social preference." But America has rejected those who would label supremacist values as "social preference," just as they rejected white supremacists who once called for racial segregation and discrimination. America's society, businesses, government, and law rejects supremacist ideologies. Just ask President-Elect Barack Obama.

This is the same Sharia ideology that has been used by the Islamic supremacist Taliban to murder those who they believe have committed moral crimes, the same Sharia ideology that was used to murder a 13 year old girl last month who was raped in Somalia, and the same Sharia ideology supported by the Taliban, Al Qaeda, and Islamic supremacists around the world. It is the same Sharia ideology whose zakat charities have been used to fund jihadist terrorist organizations. On September 18, 2008, Congressman Tom Tancredo's office introduced "Jihad Prevention Act" (H.R. 6975). According to the press release from his office on this bill, "the legislation would make the advocacy of Sharia law by radical Muslims already in the United States a deportable offense."

But now American taxpayer dollars are being used to promote products based on Sharia?

In fairness to AIG, there are many who do not understand the political Islamic supremacist nature of Sharia.

Stop Sharia Now (FAQ item 17) provides a quote regarding an "Islamic Finance conference" in New York City where an attendee asked the meaning of Sharia. One of AIG's Sharia advisors, Sheik Nizam Yaquby, ambiguously responded by stating that "Shariah is the path on which we walk, the water which we drink." Those of us who are aware that Sharia is a legal codification for all aspects of Islamic supremacist life grasp what Yaquby was trying to communicate; certainly none of the supremacist aspects of Sharia was communicated by Yaquby. It is then reported that "Not one person in the room followed up with a question. The group went back to looking at flowcharts and graphs." So it should be little surprise that few people involved with Sharia finance products actually understand the ramifications of promoting Islamic supremacist Sharia.

To give AIG an opportunity to respond to this, I called the individual listed on AIG's press release for its Sharia Takaful Homeowners Policy, Jim Crain, and talked to him about the AIG product. My impression is that AIG's Jim Crain is a businessman, and I got the distinct feeling that he was uncomfortable with being named as the AIG point of contact on a product with political connotations. I told AIG's Jim Crain about the online petition signed by over 100 individuals calling for the Federal Reserve Board and the Department of Treasury to call for AIG to divest itself of its Sharia businesses. I also told AIG's Jim Crain about how the Islamic supremacist Taliban and other groups are seeking to promote Sharia.

AIG's Jim Crain told me that he had no comment on AIG's Sharia product linkage to the Islamic supremacist Sharia ideology, but stated that with "this business venture" it was not AIG's intent "to enter into the political arena at all." Jim Crain stated that he did understand that Sharia is viewed as a political ideology, and commented "that is becoming more apparent as the days go on." (I would conclude from this that I was not the first person who has called Jim Crain about this.) He stated that "it is entirely possible" that the public is going to think that AIG is taking a political position that is pro-Sharia. Jim Crain concluded our discussion by stating "I am going to pass your concerns on to our senior management and legal."

Now it is your turn. American taxpayers own $40 billion worth of AIG stock. This is your company and your responsibility to contact AIG about both its Sharia finance businesses and its efforts now to promote Sharia-based insurance in the United States.

Let AIG's Jim Crain know that the calls he has gotten thus far complaining about AIG's Sharia based business is the tip of the iceberg. Jim Crain's phone number and email address are provided on the AIG press release to discuss AIG's Sharia-based Takaful Homeowners Policy. Let him know precisely what you think of it as a shareholder in AIG, and ask Jim Crain to make certain that his senior management also is aware of your concerns as well.

Sign our online petition demanding that the Federal Reserve, Securities Exchange Commission, and Department of Treasury carry out their fiduciary responsibilities under H.R. 1424 to act as the Financial Stability Oversight Board in America's interest - and demand that AIG divest itself now of its Sharia businesses. This is an opportunity to make American commitment to human rights a part of how companies do business in America. It is our responsibility to let AIG know our concerns.

Let's make our voices heard on this outrage, just as we would if AIG was offering a white supremacist financial products, black supremacist financial products, or any other products or services linked to a supremacist ideology. We need to make our voices heard because supremacism is fundamentally against the inalienable human rights of equality and liberty, as defined in America's Declaration of Independence... and declaration of our identity as well. By the very definition of America, we are responsible for equality and liberty, and we are responsible for confronting Islamic supremacism.

From Monkey in the Middle:

AIG received billions in a bailout from the US Taxpayers. This was to help keep it in business, not perpetuate a scam that will cost the US Taxpayers even more money. Shar'ia financing is one of the biggest scams that has come along in years. Banks are running towards it knowing that if they go under because of it, the US Government will just bail them out again.

We must finally take a stand and say NO! This is not acceptable to us. Not when your bank is facing ruin. Not when the US taxpayer is throwing money at you. Not now, not ever!

Sign the petition and call today!

Sphere: Related Content

SING IT FRED BARNES

~Snooper~

An astonishing turnaround occurred in the Senate onTuesday: 70 senators voted to fund the Iraq war with a fresh $70 billion and no strings attached. Think about this a moment. Last winter, after Democrats captured the Senate and House, it seemed likely they'd succeed in limiting or ending the Iraq war, probably by setting a firm timetable for withdrawal of American troops. After all, both President Bush and the war itself were highly unpopular. The Democratic triumph in the election made that clear, even to those who doubted opinion polls. And Democrats made the anti-Iraq crusade their top priority in the new Congress. Now, the 70-vote approval of the war by the Senate represents the breathtaking dimension of their failure.

link

Sphere: Related Content

House and Senate Democrats at Each Others Throats

Lets start with the titled reference first, Senate and House Democrats are starting to get nasty with each other, each side making accusations against the other.

The House Democrats accusations:

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.) accuses Senate Democratic leaders of developing "Stockholm syndrome," showing sympathy to their Republican captors by caving in on legislation to provide middle-class tax cuts paid for with tax increases on the super-rich, tying war funding to troop withdrawal timelines, and mandating renewable energy quotas. If Republicans want to filibuster a bill, Rangel said, Reid should keep the bill on the Senate floor and force the Republicans to talk it to death.

What Rangel seems to be forgetting is Reid tried that exact method last summer, over war funding and it didn't work out quite the way he was hoping, it didn't gain him anything but a sleepless night.

The accusations from the Senate Democrats against the House Democrats is something I have pointed out many times. The house consistently takes their famous roll call votes, supposedly proving that they are doing their jobs, ignoring the basic, simple, fact that if the bill holds no compromises, it will not pass the Senate and neither house has enough votes to override a Presidential veto, even it did manage to get passed the Senate, which means the House didn't do their job at all.

Senate Democrats have fired back, accusing Pelosi and her liberal allies of sending over legislation that they know cannot pass in the Senate, and of making demands that will not gain any GOP votes. Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) noted that, this summer, Reid employed just the kind of theatrics Rangel and other House Democrats are demanding, holding the Senate open all night, pulling out cots and forcing a dusk-till-dawn debate on an Iraq war withdrawal measure before a vote on war funding. Democrats gained not a single vote after the all-night antics.

"I understand the frustration; we're frustrated, too," Bayh said. "But holding a bunch of Kabuki theater doesn't get anything done."

It has gotten so nasty that David Obey (D-Wis), told Roll Call, "I'll tell you how soon I will make a decision when I know how soon the Senate sells us out."

The House continues to send bill after bill to the Senate, knowing before it every gets there that the Senate does not have the votes to pass the bill and many simply die there and the ones that don't die, are compromised to garner enough votes to pass.

A perfect example of this is the AMT (Alternative Minimum Tax), the House passed it with major tax increases (instead of simply reducing spending to pay for it) and the Senate scaled it back, cut the tax increases out of it and passed it, which meant it had to go back to the House.

The house, added in another clause,to stop hedge fund managers from deferring compensation in offshore tax havens, once again knowing it cannot pass the Senate, and now it goes back to the Senate where in order to get it passed, that clause has to come out, or it will be vetoed and neither house has the votes to override the veto.

The House continues to play this game, knowing full well that the Department of Treasury told them, in writing, back in late October, that if the AMT wasn't passed by mid November, million upon millions of American taxpayers may have their refunds delayed.

Another example of this, the SCHIP (State Childrens Health Insurance Plan), like gerbils running on that stupid little wheel in their cage and getting nowhere, the politicians pass a bad bill meant for children, which in actuality covers over 500,000 adults, meant for children of low income families, which in actuality covers children from families that earn up to 300% above poverty level, it gets vetoed and they did not have the votes to override the veto. (Which they knew before they started this process)

What did they do next?

They passed a bill that still did not address those concerns and yesterday it got vetoed and, once again, they do not have the votes to override the veto.

The House seems to think that their supporters are so stupid they cannot tell the difference between a 'record number" of house votes that have no chance of becoming law, and passing legislation that can actually be signed into law.

The games keeps getting played and nothing gets done, then right before their vacation they go on a mad dash to get everything passed and because they shot for the moon the first dozen times around, when they finally compromise as they should have done to begin with, they are accused of caving in, or of bowing to Bush's demands, as the two headlines from The Hill and the Washington Post state.

All these political games the House is playing could be the reason that in the latest Gallup poll, Bush's approval ratings have risen and Congressional approval ratings have not.

Bush's numbers could have risen for a number of reasons, the recent progress in Iraq, the economy, the low unemployment rate, maybe even because he is fighting against raised taxes and possibly a combination of all of that.

It is no surprise at all though why the numbers for Congress remain virtually unchanged.

The politicians will definitely need their Christmas vacation to recover from the major blitz that has followed these last chaotic days in session.

Cross posted from Wake up America

Sphere: Related Content

Apportionment on Citizen Census Only

Say NO to Basing Congressional Seats on Illegal Aliens: Click below to Demand Congress Support Only Counting U.S. Citizens! Take Action Now!

This CONSERVATIVE ALERT is a special message for Ben Powell from RightMarch.com:

ALERT: As you may know, the U.S. Constitution requires the Census Bureau to count everyone in the census. The once-a-decade population count is then used to apportion seats in Congress and to appropriate billions of dollars in federal spending each year.

What you may not know is that the Census Bureau also counts illegal immigrants in their population count -- and those illegals help determine Congressional seats too!

Because illegal immigrants are counted in the process of apportioning districts, they skew Congressional Representation by giving districts with very few citizens the same voice as districts that sometimes have up to three times the number of citizens.

Furthermore, because the Constitution allows for illegal immigrants to weight district size, certain illegal immigrant-heavy states enjoy undue influence in Presidential elections because they are granted more Congressional seats, and therefore more representation in the Electoral College than they would have if illegal aliens were not considered.

This makes absolutely no sense. Apportioning Congressional seats, divvying up taxpayer dollars and determining the President of the United States should be based on numbers of citizens, not illegal aliens!

Thankfully, there IS something we can do about this.

Rep. Candice Miller (R-MI) has introduced H.J. Res. 6, to amend the U.S. Constitution so that only legal citizens are represented in Congress and in Presidential elections. The bill calls for an amendment to ensure only citizens of the United States are counted and considered when Congressional Districts are allocated. It simply reads: "Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, which shall be determined by counting the number of persons in each State who are citizens of the United States."

Rep. Miller has introduced this bill -- now WE have to push our Congressmen to PASS it!

TAKE ACTION: It's simply common sense: Rep. Miller's proposed amendment would reverse the unfair advantage that states with inflated populations have when it comes to Congressional Representation, and would prevent these states from having such undue impact on Presidential races.

As Rep. Miller stated, "I find it absolutely outrageous that people who are in our country illegally are having such a profound impact on our political system. Every 10 years the census determines the number of Congressional districts allocated to each state. If we continue to include illegal aliens in that count, we'll allow others to steal the Congressional voice of American citizens. This is about fundamental fairness and the American ideal of 'One Man, One Vote.'"

A district that has tens or hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants dilutes the voice of citizens in other areas of the nation and enhances that of those who live in such areas. That is just not right.

It's time to correct this injustice, by demanding that Congress support this common-sense amendment. Click below NOW to send a FREE message to your Congressman, asking him or her to support H.J. Res. 6, to amend the U.S. Constitution so that only citizens of the United States are counted and considered when Congressional Districts are allocated:

http://capwiz.com/sicminc/issues/alert/?alertid=10221026&type=CO

NOTE: Be sure to send this Alert to EVERYONE you know who wants to help say NO to basing Congressional seats on numbers of illegal aliens. Thank you!

Sphere: Related Content

The Democrats are ERASING House Votes Now? Updated: BUSTED

[Major Update on top] The Corner tells us that they just replayed the whole thing on C-Span and the Democrats DID cheat!!!! (A huge thank you to Snooper from Take Our Country Back for the comment in comments section, alerting me to this whole story)

They just replayed the whole mess from the House last night on C-Span. I spoke to Novak and he doesn't remember anything quite like this happening before. Pretty outrageous, really. It is about as blatant an abuse of power as you can have in a legislative body, to cheat on a vote total.

Republicans were playing a game that the minority usually plays — you have your guys vote with the other side, then have them change at the last minute. This forces the majority to come up with votes quickly. Although on close issues they would rather spare their endangered members in swing districts and give them a free vote, the majority leadership then has to tell their endangered members to bite their tongues and vote the party line.

Two Democrats changed their votes to ensure that the measure would fail, but then three Republicans did the same. The vote total was 215-213 in favor of the Republican motion to recommit. At that moment, Rep. Mike McNulty ( D-N.Y.), who was in the Speaker's chair, gavelled out the vote, thinking that it was a tie and the motion had failed. But he had miscounted — the motion had actually passed. The Democrats were only able to change this by cheating and changing more votes after the gavel.

[End Update]

[Update #2]
(Via Hot Air) From The Hill we see that McNulty apologizes (Maybe because C-Span replayed the entire thing and the Dems knew they were busted?)

McNulty took to the floor Friday morning to apologize for his action.

“I want to express regret that I gaveled the vote too early,” McNulty said and apologized for his role in the confusion that rocked the House floor last night.

McNulty gaveled the motion to recommit closed at 214 to 214, when the final vote tally on the board was 213 to 215 after Florida Republican Reps. Mario Diaz Balart, Lincoln Diaz Balart and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen changed their votes from a “no” to a “yes.”

“We went to the front of the House [to change our votes],”Rep. Mario Diaz Balart said, adding that the board had changed to the count of 213 to 215 in favor of the motion to recommit, and that the gavel went down but McNulty hadn’t seen the change.

“It stayed there for several minutes …then the votes started to change again,” he said, causing the vote to flip. “That’s when there was the meltdown.”

Let me repeat...BUSTED

[End Update #2]

[Update #3] An additional thought after watching the comments on C-Span about last nights fiasco, is the underlying issue behind that vote. It was the Republicans attempt to STOP ILLEGAL ALIENS FROM BEING GIVEN WELFARE, with us, the American people, footing the bill. It is an important issue. Our tax dollars should not be used to support illegal aliens, those that have broke our laws in coming here and are here illegally. Now, the Democrats think we should pay for their foodstamps and healthcare also? Nope, not happening. [Update ended]

I rarely do this, but because of how I titled this post, I am going to quote the last paragraph first, from Politico, then move along with the story.

When Democrats finally moved to consider the spending bill as the last vote of the night, furious Republicans left the chamber en masse to protest the maneuver. The House eventually recessed at 11:18 p.m. But Republicans quickly discovered that there was no longer any record of the controversial vote and immediately charged Democrats with erasing the bad result.

So, the Democratic politicians have hit a new low, even for themselves. If they cannot win a vote, they will simply cheat.

No big surprise actually, but it is good their hands are being called on it.

(Continued below the advertisement)



(Continued from above)

In a massive flare-up of partisan tensions (video link courtesy Breitbart.tv), Republicans walked out on a House vote late Thursday night to protest what they believed to be Democratic maneuvers to reverse an unfavorable outcome for them.

The flap represents a complete breakdown in parliamentary procedure and an unprecedented low for the sometimes bitterly divided chamber.

The rancor erupted shortly before 11 p.m. as Rep. Michael R. McNulty (D-N.Y.) gaveled close the vote on a standard procedural measure with the outcome still in doubt.

Details remain fuzzy, but numerous Republicans argued afterward that they had secured a 215-213 win on their motion to bar undocumented immigrants from receiving any federal funds apportioned in the agricultural spending bill for employment or rental assistance. Democrats, however, argued the measure was deadlocked at 214-214 and failed, members and aides on both sides of the aisle said afterward.

One GOP aide saw McNulty gavel the vote to a close after receiving a signal from his leaders – but before reading the official tally. And votes continued to shift even after he closed the roll call - a strange development in itself.

Whatever the final tally, acrimony quickly exploded between lawmakers on either side of the aisle as Democratic leaders tried to plot a solution, while parliamentarians on either side argued over protocol.

Wow.

The Corner has an email that a house aide sent in, explaining things:

An outrage was committed on the House [last night].

While voting on a motion to recommit for the agricultural appropriations legislation, the presiding chair (who is a Democrat member) gaveled the vote closed. The tally was clear and the vote was over. The Republicans had won. Then, realizing what had happened - the Dems allowed just their people to keep voting to change the result. Let's be clear, this wasn't holding the vote open - they change the results of a vote that was legally declared over.

Rep. Cantor wrote a blog post describing what happened.

This is an insult to our democracy, something that Stalin would recognize. It is an unprecedented violation of our democracy that can not be allowed to stand. Do we live in a democracy or a dictatorship?

And, what was so important that the Dems went to all this trouble — it was vote to ensure that illegal immigrants couldn't get taxpayer funding in the agriculture bill. The Dems are so opposed to this, that they would violate our democracy.

Eric Cantor's blog says this:

High drama on the house floor tonight. Dems brought an Agriculture appropriations bill to the floor greatly expanding government programs, yet again. Republicans moved to recommit the bill to committee, in order to add language prohibiting any taxpayer funds under the agriculture programs from going to illegal immigrants.

The Democrat chair closed the roll call when Republicans had won – as the electronic voting tally indicated enough votes to return the bill to committee. Shouting erupted on the floor, as the Democrats attempted to change the outcome of the vote after the gavel had come down – the vote was closed.

Republicans attempted to adjourn, but we were ruled out of order. Confusion set in as members waited at least five minutes for the chair’s decision.

Republicans members then began to leave the floor in protest, after Democrats proved they would go to whatever lengths necessary to further their agenda. A bad call by the chair, the vote was closed. Then the Democrats allowed their members to continue voting to change the outcome. An outrage. Is this a democracy or a dictatorship?

All but a few Republicans refused to vote on final passage since it became obvious that a fair vote would not happen.

UPDATE:Republicans are conferencing this morning after the travesty that occurred last night on the floor of the house. The overwhelming sense of the members is, we have to stand up and reject the democrats manipulation of the rules of the house to further their attempts to thwart Republican efforts to stop government benefits from flowing to illegal immigrants. Republican house members are demanding that democrats right their wrongs..

Compliments of Captain's Quarters, we have the video of Cantor's response on the floor, afterwards:

If we all thought there was massive partisanship before this, count on it being worse now, because once the old rules of procedure are stripped away like this, nothing but chaos can be left over.

Then again, after these maneuvers, if this manages to get past the Senate where the Republicans can demand a 60 vote threshold, the president can and should veto it and force them to do it right as they should have to begin with. With such a close vote, there is no way in hell that either house will be able to obtain the two-thirds majority needed to override a presidential veto.

I am sure more will be coming out about this, so check back for updates.

Cross Posted from Wake up America

Sphere: Related Content

The President Rises as Congress Falls Part #2

Cross Posted from Wake up America

In part #1 we showed you the latest AP poll, which followed up with the latest Rasmussen AND Gallup polls and now we bring you the latest Reuters poll, showing the President has gained 4 points while the Democrats continue to drop in their freefall with no net to catch them. (I cannot wait for the next one after last nights fiasco)

TODAY:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Most U.S. voters think the country is on the wrong track and remain deeply unhappy with President George W. Bush and Congress, but still feel good about their finances and optimistic about the future, according to a Reuters/Zogby poll released on Wednesday.

[...]

Eighteen months before Bush leaves the White House, nearly two-thirds of Americans say the country is headed in the wrong direction and give the president negative marks for his job performance.

An even bigger majority, 83 percent, say the Democratic-controlled Congress is doing only a fair or poor job -- the worst mark for Congress in a Zogby poll.

But despite their dim views of government, majorities of Americans remain upbeat about their personal finances and security, and nearly two-thirds are very or fairly confident their children will have a better life than they do.

Pollster John Zogby said the split between voters' views of government and of their personal well-being has grown in recent years, particularly after the failed federal response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

"Americans feel their government is not accomplishing the people's business," Zogby said. "They feel the system is seriously broken."

In the national survey of 1,012 likely voters, taken July 12 through July 14, about 66 percent said Bush had done only a fair or poor job as president, with 34 percent ranking his performance as excellent or good.

That is up slightly from his low of 30 percent in early March and in line with other national polls showing Bush's approval ratings lingering at or near historically low levels amid continued chaos and bloodshed in Iraq.

But the marks for Congress, mired in gridlock over a series of partisan political battles after Democrats took power in the 2006 elections, continued to drop.

(Emphasis mine)

No worries, the liberals and media will tout Bush's low numbers and continue to ignore that Congress has LOWER numbers and they deserve them.

Sphere: Related Content

Recap of the Senate All Nighter: The Next Day:UPDATED with Reax

Cross Posted from Wake up America

First I want to give Snooper, from Take Our Country Back and huge THANK YOU for live blogging the pathetic Senate All Nighter for Wake up America.

We started with Fighting fire with Fire, then yesterday afternoon, had the Senate All Nighter Part #1 and Snooper finished it off with the Senate All Nighter Part #2.

The news is full of articles about it and after having spent two days watching it, I came away with a sense of two separate types of politicians in Washington, one set that wishes for no more than failure on the behalf of our military and is willing to ignore all the progress that General Petraeus and our troops and coalition members have been achieving over the last month and has but one true desire: To surrender to our enemies so that they can pick up a few votes for themselves.

It was pathetic watching them beg to be allowed to encourage the enemy and demoralize our troops as well as to send a message to the whole world that they are weak.

The other side of what I saw were men and women that are willing to fight, here at home, for the only thing our troops ask of us, the people of America: Time to finish what they have started and acknowledgment of the progress and successes they have been seeing.

One group would sell America down the river for a vote or because a "poll" tells them to and the other group willing to forgo votes in their next election to do what they believe is right.

The Democrats as well as 3 Republicans that joined them to commit political suicide have proved time after time that they are more interested in furthering their own careers than helping our country be safe and fight the Global War on Terror, yesterday they proved that by completely ignoring a group of individuals that we told you would be going to the Capitol yesterday to speak with the leadership.

Who are these people that the Democratic leadership deliberately ignored yesterday?

VETERANS FROM THE IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN WARS.

Vets for Freedom Continues Marching On The Hill

Tuesday, July 17, 2007 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Adriel Domenech 501-412-1224

Vets for Freedom expresses disappointment that veterans were not able to meet with Congressional leadership from both sides of the aisle in Congress today. While many Republican Senators, including leadership, made themselves available for questions and input, interaction from Democratic leadership was noticeably absent. In spite of that, Vets for Freedom members remain committed to speaking with elected leaders on both sides of the aisle.

Republican leadership (and some Democrats, although not leadership) made room in their busy schedules—on very short notice—to speak with veterans. These veterans flew in on their own dime to ask Congress to give General David Petraeus the time he needs to fully implement the surge of American forces in Iraq. Veterans are very grateful and thankful for the time that these Senators took to spend with them.

Five days in advance of today's events, Vets for Freedom meeting requests—for 5 minutes—were submitted to the Majority Leader and the Speaker of the House. Repeated attempts were made to contact and meet with the Democratic leadership. "In the end, they made a disappointing decision to decline meeting with veterans who have first-hand knowledge of the situation on the ground" said Pete Hegseth, an Iraq War veteran and executive director of Vets for Freedom. "It is especially disappointing because Democratic leadership's misguided policy—a declaration of defeat—will lead to a national security disaster for the United States."

Vets for Freedom is a nonpartisan organization established by combat veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Its mission is to educate the American public about the importance of achieving success in these conflicts by applying our first-hand knowledge to issues of American strategy and tactics—namely "the surge" in Iraq. Vets for Freedom is the leading voice representing troops and veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. For more information, please visit http://www.vetsforfreedom.org/.

The Democratic leaders had plenty of time to visit with others for a publicity stunt of a candlelight "vigil" with a group like MoveOn.org, but could not be bothered to give 5 minutes to the men and women that actually went to Iraq and Afghanistan and fought valiantly for our country.

Says quite a bit doesn't it?

Just as they continue to ignore Generals Petraeus, Lynch and Pace, they deliberately snubbed our fighting men and women.

Think about that the next time you even think of defending one of those pathetic lowlifes.

So, Reid, in his typical fashion of throwing a temper tantrum has decided that since his little stunt didn't work, he will pull the whole Defense Authorization bill off the floor until he gets his way on ONE amendment, the Levin/Reed amendment that would set time lines on our military in Iraq.



Fat chance. Just another publicity stunt that won't work, just as last nights didn't.

Funny thing is, just like with the Emergency Supplemental back in May, even if he has managed to get this amendment in the Defense Authorization bill, the President would have vetoed it.

They learn nothing and they have once again proven, without a doubt, to the whole world that they are, have been and will continue to be: Weak on National Security and not prepared to do what has to be done to win the War On Terror.

So, while the Democratic majority leader played his little game and lost, again, our brave troops, coalition members and the Iraqi security forces were busy fighting to WIN, and, indeed, are doing a wonderful job of it as we witnessed with last nights news that they captured Khaled Abdul-Fattah Dawoud Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, also known as Abu Shahid, back on July 4th.

BAGHDAD - The U.S. command said Wednesday the highest-ranking Iraqi in the leadership of al-Qaida in Iraq has been arrested, adding that information from him indicates the group's foreign-based leadership wields considerable influence over the Iraqi chapter.

Khaled Abdul-Fattah Dawoud Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, also known as Abu Shahid, was captured in Mosul on July 4, said Brig. Gen. Kevin Bergner, a military spokesman.

"Al-Mashhadani is believed to be the most senior Iraqi in the al-Qaida in Iraq network," Bergner said. He said al-Mashhadani was a close associate of Abu Ayub al-Masri, the Egyptian-born head of al-Qaida in Iraq.

Bergner said al-Mashhadani served as an intermediary between al-Masri and Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida No. 2 Ayman al-Zawahri.

"In fact, communication between the senior al-Qaida leadership and al-Masri frequently went through al-Mashhadani," Bergner said.

"Along with al-Masri, al-Mashhadani co-founded a virtual organization in cyberspace called the Islamic State of Iraq in 2006," Bergner said. "The Islamic State of Iraq is the latest efforts by al-Qaida to market itself and its goal of imposing a Taliban-like state on the Iraqi people."

The Fourth Rail tells us more about this man and his role as an al-Qaeda front in Iraq:

Mashadani has a long pedigree in Iraq’s Salafist terror networks, and had direct contact with Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri. “Mashadani was a leader in the Ansar Al Sunna terrorist group before joining AQI two and half years ago,” Brig. Gen Kevin Bergner said in a press briefing. “ He served as the al-Qaeda Media Emir for Baghdad and then was appointed the Media Emir for all of Iraq, serving as an intermediary between AQI leader al-Masri, Osama Bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri. In fact, communication between senior al-Qaeda leadership and al-Masri went through Mashadani.”

During interrogations, Mashadani admitted that the Islamic State of Iraq was merely a puppet front group established by al Qaeda in order to put an Iraqi face on the insurgency. Mashadani cofounded the Islamic State of Iraq with al-Masri in 2006. “The Islamic State of Iraq is a ‘front’ organization that masks the foreign influence and leadership within AQI in an attempt to put an Iraqi face on the leadership of AQI,” said Brig. Gen Bergner.

The headlines tell us exactly how the Democratic leadership is being and will be portrayed in the MSM, in the weeks to come, or maybe for the years to come.

The NYT- "Democrats Fail to Force Vote on Iraq Pullout"

Another NYT Article headline- "Democrats Lack Support to Force Vote on Pullout"

Wapo Headline- "Senate Rejects Troop Withdrawal Measure"

Those are just a few and make a good example. The Democrats are known as "failures" that stage "political stunts" while ignoring our Veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

Talk Left has been continuously touting that the only way to force us into surrendering Iraq to al-Qaeda is by using the power of the purse, I have seen them make this argument over and over and over again.

One simple question here: If the Democrats cannot manage to pass an amendment, what on EARTH makes Talk Left think, for a moment, that they would have enough votes (60 to bypass a filibuster) to defund anything?

Simply another strawman argument although I truly believe the writer believes what he is saying.

Lets say this simply so everyone can understand it: THEY. DON'T. HAVE. THE. VOTES

One specific speech made last night, out of so many, should be seen by all and is brought to us from Captain's Quarters, and that is McCain's, I am not his greatest fan but have always maintained that I respect the hell out of McCain. He would rather lose an election that sell out our troops.

His last speech last night:

Mr. President, we have nearly finished this little exhibition, which was staged, I assume, for the benefit of a briefly amused press corps and in deference to political activists opposed to the war who have come to expect from Congress such gestures, empty though they may be, as proof that the majority in the Senate has heard their demands for action to end the war in Iraq. The outcome of this debate, the vote we are about to take, has never been in doubt to a single member of this body. And to state the obvious, nothing we have done for the last twenty-four hours will have changed any facts on the ground in Iraq or made the outcome of the war any more or less important to the security of our country. The stakes in this war remain as high today as they were yesterday; the consequences of an American defeat are just as grave; the costs of success just as dear. No battle will have been won or lost, no enemy will have been captured or killed, no ground will have been taken or surrendered, no soldier will have survived or been wounded, died or come home because we spent an entire night delivering our poll-tested message points, spinning our soundbites, arguing with each other, and substituting our amateur theatrics for statesmanship. All we have achieved are remarkably similar newspaper accounts of our inflated sense of the drama of this display and our own temporary physical fatigue. Tomorrow the press will move on to other things and we will be better rested. But nothing else will have changed.

In Iraq, American soldiers, Marines, sailors and airmen are still fighting bravely and tenaciously in battles that are as dangerous, difficult and consequential as the great battles of our armed forces’ storied past. Our enemies will still be intent on defeating us, and using our defeat to encourage their followers in the jihad they wage against us, a war which will become a greater threat to us should we quit the central battlefield in defeat. The Middle East will still be a tinderbox, which our defeat could ignite in a regional war that will imperil our vital interests at risk there and draw us into a longer and far more costly war. The prospect of genocide in Iraq, in which we will be morally complicit, is still as real a consequence of our withdrawal today as it was yesterday.

During our extended debate over the last few days, I have heard senators repeat certain arguments over and over again. My friends on the other side of this argument accuse those of us who oppose this amendment with advocating “staying the course,” which is intended to suggest that we are intent on continuing the mistakes that have put the outcome of the war in doubt. Yet we all know that with the arrival of General Petraeus we have changed course. We are now fighting a counterinsurgency strategy, which some of us have argued we should have been following from the beginning, and which makes the most effective use of our strength and does not strengthen the tactics of our enemy. This new battle plan is succeeding where our previous tactics have failed, although the outcome remains far from certain. The tactics proposed in the amendment offered by my friends, Senators Levin and Reed – a smaller force, confined to bases distant from the battlefield, from where they will launch occasional search and destroy missions and train the Iraqi military – are precisely the tactics employed for most of this war and which have, by anyone’s account, failed miserably. Now, that, Mr. President, is staying the course, and it is a course that inevitably leads to our defeat and the catastrophic consequences for Iraq, the region and the security of the United States our defeat would entail.

Yes, we have heard quite a lot about the folly of “staying the course,” though the real outcome should this amendment prevail and be signed into law, would be to deny our generals and the Americans they have the honor to command the ability to try, in this late hour, to address the calamity these tried and failed tactics produced, and salvage from the wreckage of our previous failures a measure of stability for Iraq and the Middle East, and a more secure future for the American people.

I have also listened to my colleagues on the other side repeatedly remind us that the American people have spoken in the last election. They have demanded we withdraw from Iraq, and it is our responsibility to do, as quickly as possible, what they have bid us to do. But is that our primary responsibility? Really, Mr. President, is that how we construe our role: to follow without question popular opinion even if we believe it to be in error, and likely to endanger the security of the country we have sworn to defend? Surely, we must be responsive to the people who have elected us to office, and who, if it is their wish, will remove us when they become unsatisfied with our failure to heed their demands. I understand that, of course. And I understand why so many Americans have become sick and tired of this war, given the many, many mistakes made by civilian and military leaders in its prosecution. I, too, have been made sick at heart by these mistakes and the terrible price we have paid for them. But I cannot react to these mistakes by embracing a course of action that I know will be an even greater mistake, a mistake of colossal historical proportions, which will -- and I am as sure of this as I am of anything – seriously endanger the people I represent and the country I have served all my adult life. I have many responsibilities to the people of Arizona, and to all Americans. I take them all seriously, Mr. President, or try to. But I have one responsibility that outweighs all the others – and that is to do everything in my power, to use whatever meager talents I posses, and every resource God has granted me to protect the security of this great and good nation from all enemies foreign and domestic. And that I intend to do, Mr. President, even if I must stand athwart popular opinion. I will explain my reasons to the American people. I will attempt to convince as many of my countrymen as I can that we must show even greater patience, though our patience is nearly exhausted, and that as long as there is a prospect for not losing this war, then we must not choose to lose it. That is how I construe my responsibility to my constituency and my country. That is how I construed it yesterday. It is how I construe it today. And it is how I will construe it tomorrow. I do not know how I could choose any other course.

I cannot be certain that I possess the skills to be persuasive. I cannot be certain that even if I could convince Americans to give General Petraeus the time he needs to determine whether we can prevail, that we will prevail in Iraq. All I am certain of is that our defeat there would be catastrophic, not just for Iraq, but for us, and that I cannot be complicit in it, but must do whatever I can, whether I am effective or not, to help us try to avert it. That, Mr. President, is all I can possibly offer my country at this time. It is not much compared to the sacrifices made by Americans who have volunteered to shoulder a rifle and fight this war for us. I know that, and am humbled by it, as we all are. But though my duty is neither dangerous nor onerous, it compels me nonetheless to say to my colleagues and to all Americans who disagree with me: that as long as we have a chance to succeed we must try to succeed.

I am privileged, as we all are, to be subject to the judgment of the American people and history. But, my friends, they are not always the same judgment. The verdict of the people will arrive long before history’s. I am unlikely to ever know how history has judged us in this hour. The public’s judgment of me I will know soon enough. I will accept it, as I must. But whether it is favorable or unforgiving, I will stand where I stand, and take comfort from my confidence that I took my responsibilities to my country seriously, and despite the mistakes I have made as a public servant and the flaws I have as an advocate, I tried as best I could to help the country we all love remain as safe as she could be in an hour of serious peril.

(Emphasis mine)

Well said Senator McCain and I am proud to have you as my Senator, here in AZ.

I have no doubt that Baghdad Reid and his merry band of surrender monkeys will continue to try to see America down the river, surrender to our enemies as well as do everything in their power to demoralize our troops in the field, but for today, after last nights pathetic attempt to do so, they have been shown, once again, for the worthless, spineless and weak politicians that they truly are.

Not only are they the party OF defeat, they are the party that keeps getting defeated and I must admit, it is fun to see the GOP make a mockery of Baghdad Reid in such a public way.

Later I will be bringing you the Good News From Iraq, the news that the Democratic party wishes to ignore.

REMINDER FROM CASSY: Remember to vote today and once every day for the Wounded Warriors Project... they deserve the money.

[Update] Yesterday I did promise you reactions from around the blogosphere and in the news, so lets get to keeping that promise:

Let me start with one of my favorite bloggers/journalists, Don Surber:

Our American troops are risking their lives in a war to fight al-Qaeda — a war they are winning — a war that Harry Reid voted to authorize and a war that Reid wants to give up on. For 2 years he has been crying “change the course.” Here’s the proof.

When will he change his course? When will this senator from Nevada open his mind, review the facts and change his course from the cut-and-run whining he has made for 2 years now?

So the Senate stayed up last night? Thousands of troops stay up every night. They put in 12-hour days. They are beating an enemy that wants to kill us.

Reid’s stunt — his word — showed the American people what pampered babies senators are — and how incompetent the Democratic Party’s leaders are.

Bush’s approval is 29%? So what? That is still double the 14% confidence rate of the Democratic-controlled Congress. Bush may be nearing Carter levels on job approval, but Congressional Democrats have already bested the 19% record low they set a 14 years ago.

How dare Reid complain about the Iraqi government? He cannot even pass a budget. The immigration bill went poof on him. The sole bill that he’s passed was a minimum-wage amendment tacked onto an Iraqi funding bill.

Read it all.

Jules Crittenden:

That doesn’t appear to have worked too well. The voters who have been the most upset are the ones who expected more of their narrow majority of Democrats in Congress than impotent flailing, half-measures and making futile gestures. Of course they, like the Democratic leadership they voted in, think the lawful exercise of constitutional checks and balances and congressional rules is an outrage.

Captain's Quarters:

So what did this accomplish? Nothing. After midnight, most of the Senate disappeared. It turned into nothing more than a huge bluff, and Reid lost.

Here's what Reid wanted. He knew that he didn't have enough votes for a quorum; he only has 49 Democrats available, with Tim Johnson's disability. Reid counted on Republicans forcing an end to the session by having a single member present to challenge for a quorum. No votes could take place without one, including the instruction motion to the Sergeant-at-Arms to arrest recalcitrant members and drag them back to the chamber. That would have allowed Reid and the Democrats to accuse Republicans of dodging the debate, calling them cowards to take the spotlight off of their insistence on retreat.

Many expected the Republicans to do just that, but it turns out that Mitch McConnell is a little smarter than Harry Reid. Instead of denying Reid a quorum, the Republicans showed up for the debate, perhaps charged up by John McCain's earlier speech on the floor. Once Reid figured out that the Republicans would not give him the satisfaction of walking out the door, he caved. In fact, Reid didn't even bother to attend his own No Snooze Until We Lose party after the first instruction motion, choosing to hit the sack instead while Republicans took the podium all night long.

The cloture vote has been scheduled for around 11 am this morning. The overnight session has done nothing except to annoy Republicans into a more unified caucus, and to make Harry Reid look like a fool. One might have expected a Senator from Nevada to recognize a busted flush when he saw it.

Just One Minute:

Playing politics with this? Geez, do they mean to suggest that the same party that gave us Clinton, Kerry and Edwards supporting the war resolution in 2002 in order to burnish their "tough on security" credentials is still playing politics?

Take Our Country Back:

Reid lost. Spree allowed me to live blog on her site. I stopped after the GOP stopped the cloture issue and they did so. Now, the whiner Reid is whining. The dude with the LOWEST approval rating in history is frustrated. He is a TOTAL idiot!!

Demediacratic Nation:

So, to Reid and the Rosies, the UN, and the MSM thanks for making the assured destruction of many a possibility with your lack of seriousness in these grave issues.

Michelle Malkin live blogged the senate debate also:

Jim Hoft notes that the Dems would not meet with anti-surrender veterans. Power Line has more.

(For those that don't know yet, Jim Hoft is from Gateway Pundit.)

Neo-Neocon:

Of course, it also focuses attention on the willingness of the Democrats to push for what Republican Orrin Hatch called the “political abandonment . . . of the biggest threat we face of the 21st century.”

Hot Air:

Update: Our crap politics — having failed to get his up or down vote, Reid throws a tantrum by yanking the entire defense policy bill from the floor.

Just a small example of how we see the left's attempt to surrender to our enemies.

Sphere: Related Content

Open Letter to Congress and the Senate

It is that time again where our public officials, the retreat in defeat crowd will once again make a big show voting on bills with timelines that they already know will be vetoed and that they do not have the votes to over ride.

This post is following up on Miss Beth's previous post found here.

Beth has asked me to publish my letter that has been sent and will continue to be sent to members of both the Senate and to Congress, on a daily basis, until they understand that defeat is not an option and trying to snatch defeat from the amazing progress we have been seeing just as General Petraeus has gotten the troops he requested for the new strategy, will cost them their political positions in the next election.

The Letter:

The Senate should not vote to start withdrawing troops from Iraq within 120 days.

General Petraeus has started implementing the new strategies and is seeing tremendous success and anyone, ANYONE that tries to undermine that success will be held publicly responsible by EVERY conservative blog for every man, woman and child that dies as a result of a premature withdrawal, OR the tying of our troops hands so ensure defeat.

al-Qaeda has just recently been outed by Michael Yon as having fed people their own children for lunch, with those poor childrens mouths stuffed like pigs at a feast, and this is who the Democrats and some wobbly Republicans wish to abandon the innocent men, women and children of Iraqi to?

We will see to it that those images are blasted across the world and along with those images, the politicians names, each and every one of them will be shown side by side with the horrible pictures of the atrocities said politicians helped al-qaeda accomplish.

COUNT ON IT.

Anyone that votes with Baghdad Reid and his ilk against our continued efforts in Iraq will be forever associated with the chaos and consequences of what follows, just as Democrats have been associated, since we withdrew from Vietnam, with the Cambodia killing fields.

Make no mistake, voting for a timeline, is encouraging our enemies to believe we are weak and cannot stomach a fight when it gets tough and it also serves to demoralize our troops.

My blog as well as other blogs have those words published from OUR TROOPS themselves in letters and emails we received asking us to "keep congress off their backs", so that they can get the job done, which THEY say is possible.


We Win, They Lose.

This is the only outcome acceptable.

Sending emails, calling, faxing can all be tiring, but it is what needs to be done to be heard over the screeching from the left.

Feel free to use this letter or write your own, but we must rise up, stand tall, be firm and make our voices heard.

The silent majority will be silent no more.

Lets roll folks.

(Note: At the top of this page is a link to join a google group, Beth has made available, every email for every staffer of the 24 targeted Republicans that needs to hear your voice, I would suggest joining the group, because these emails are divided up so you can simply copy them, paste them into the "send to" line and send them out, 50 at a time, enmasse.)

[Update] Gallup has the President's approval rating down to 29%, second term, country at war, I perfectly understand this number, what I do NOT understand is how a NEW Democratically controlled Congress, in a poll by the same organization, Gallup, has an approval rating of under HALF the Presidents... Congress approval rating is down to 14%, the lowest in the history of Gallup for congress.

So the president, in a time of war, on his second term is TWICE as popular as Congress....in the recent examples from the far left liberals, isn't that some kind of "mandate", telling Congress they are heading in the wrong direction and perhaps they should be trying to help America win instead of trying to force us into defeat??

Heh.

.

Sphere: Related Content