More statist "progressive" nonsense

Today's Denver Post editorial page features a "Point/Counterpoint." They ask "is President Obama being unfairly blamed for his handling of the BP oil spill?"

Rafael Reuveny states that "from the onset of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, conservatives have criticized President Obama for not solving the disaster ..."

No intelligent ones have. I am not aware of any one that thinks Obama can "solve" the disaster. Reuveny's statement is absurd.

Reuveny then goes on:

The president had no choice but to rely on BP's data on the size of the oil spill. Unfortunately, this is how the regulatory framework operates in the United States, particularly in the oil industry. By allowing the free market to govern itself, all information comes from companies that have an incentive to hide or distort information

Mr. Reuveny will need to explain what incentive, market or otherwise, BP has to "hide or distort information." The facts are the facts. The damage caused by the oil is BP's responsibility. If BP lies about the amount of oil being released, how does that help them in any way?

The assertion is nonsense.

Live blogging the US v Slovenia World Cup match

Not a minute into the game, a Slovenian gets bonked in the head by Clint Dempsey and rolls around on the ground like he’s the victim of Sarin gas. Get up, son!

The South African vuvuzela’s aren’t that big a deal. They are white noise. I’ve been to a football game with Mississippi State fans and their obnoxious cow bells. I’ll take a South African’s plastic horn over a Mississippi redneck’s bovine clanger every time.

The white sash on the U.S. jerseys is reminiscent of a pageant queen. I don’t think that’s the look they are shooting for.

The zig zag on the Slovenian jerseys is reminiscent of Charlie Brown’s t-shirt. Charles Schulz must be big in Slovenia.

Yay solar!!! Among the electronic ads alongside the pitch is a sign for “Yingli Solar.” Having never heard of them before, I undertook extensive research by entering the name into Google. I discovered that Yingli is a Chinese company that makes solar panels. They sell lots of them in the US. Of course, a buyer in the US has his purchase subsidized by various tax incentives and credits.

Therefore, by subsidizing the American buyer of Chinese solar panels, the American policy puts taxpayer directly money into an oppressive communist tyranny. It’s for the children!

Thirteen minutes into the game, Slovenia’s Birsa scores from about 100 yards away on a laser shot. The US is down in the sport where the phrase “an insurmountable one goal lead” exists.

According to the announcer, you can fit 485 Slovenias into the geographic size of the US. In the announcing business, this is called "killing time."

We just got a shot of an obese shirtless man drinking a beer in the stands. He had on no identifying paraphernalia, but was obviously an American. We lead the world in shirtless fat guys. In fact, we export more shirtless fat guys than China exports solar panels.

In the 35^th minute, Slovenia gets a yellow card giving the US a direct kick near the box. Jose Torres’ excellent shot is deflected by the Slovenian keeper. The best chance yet for the US to score. Alas, to no avail.

The US is falling apart. Slovenia scares on a breakaway in the 41^st minute. It is now 2-0 Slovenia in the first half. This is the football equivalent of being down 112-0 in the first half.

According to announcer John Harkes, the US “is in a bit of a hole.” Yeah, like Uma Thurman was in a bit of hole in Kill Bill part 2. She dug her way out. It will take an equal effort for the US to do the same here.

At halftime, he British play by play guy says the US “has a huge mountain to climb.” What is it? Are they in a hole or do they have a mountain to climb?

How will the US respond? Will they quit and lose 4-0? Or will they fight back and only lose 2-1?

They aired a commercial for the new movie “Jonah Hex.” Boy, does that look bad. Josh Broslin went from “No Country for Old Men” to “Jonah Hex.” There hasn’t been a follow up as bad since Louis Gossett followed up “An Officer and a Gentlemen” with “Enemy Mine.”

IN THE 47TH MINUTE LANDON DONOVAN MAKES IT A GAME!!! The score is now 2-1

A Slovenian goes down with a bump. Four emergency medical personnel in bright yellow raincoats come out with a stretcher to attend to him. If Obamacare is as good as World Cup care, we will all be fine.

Frankly, I’m glad the US does not participate in the “cry like an 8-year-old girl with a skinned knee whenever bumped” mentality that permeates the sport.

Is it just me, or does US goalkeeper Tim Howard look a bit like Vin Diesel?

GOOOOOAAAAALLLLL - Michael Bradley ties it up for the US 2-2

So they dug out of the hole AND then climbed the mountain.

A third US goal is disallowed on a “horrible” call by the referee.

“The referee has had a bit of a nightmare here, and I can speak as a neutral Englishman.”

And it’s a final: a 2-2 draw.

Big government ain't the Democrats' fault. It's the Republicans'.

For example: The race for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in Colorado is between Jane Norton and Ken Buck.

Jane Norton supported Ref C and Ken Buck was the Weld County Chairman of Romney for President in 2008.

Ref C put Colorado state "government growth in overdrive."

Romney brought us state run health care before Obama.

And the Republicans are the "small government" party?

Am I the only one that finds this laughable? What am I missing, people?

(The race between Norton and Buck is just a current example. I'll be glad to provide a list of Big Government Republican programs, but most Republicans acknowledge their failure.)

When so-called conservatives vote for big government politicians, they perpetuate the problem. They are the problem. It's not the fault of "progressive" Democrats. It's the fault of "conservative" Republicans.

Until Republicans stop this inconsistency, they have no one to blame but themselves.

We must reject the big government two-party duopoly. Don't waste your vote on the status quo, because the status quo means more government. The Republican excuse that they don't grow government as fast as the Democrats is not good enough.

We get the government we ask for. I implore you to quit asking for big government. I implore you to quit voting for big government politicians, whether or not they have an "R" by their name.

I only have suggestions. I don't have a magic solution. But I know continuing down this path is pure folly.

I suggest joining a third party. I suggest supporting approval voting. If you don't like those ideas, come up with something else, I implore you. I beg for your creativity in solving this problem. Republicans have a 150 year record of failing to shrink government. Thinking they'll start now is belied by history.

I don't want a flame war. I'm not trying to gore anyone's ox. I'm desperately looking for an answer to save this country. Give me some ideas. Please.

National Cemetery today, national health care tomorrow.

According to the Associated Press (See Chaos at Arlington Cemetery):

Army investigators at Arlington National Cemetery have found more than 100 unmarked graves, scores of grave sites with headstones that are not recorded on cemetery maps, and at least four burial urns that had been unearthed and dumped in an area where excess grave dirt is kept.

The investigators found that these and other blunders were the result of a "dysfunctional" and chaotic management system at the cemetery, which was poisoned by bitterness among top supervisors and hobbled by antiquated record-keeping.

And somehow it is the "compassionate" progressives that want these same government bureaucrats and political appointees to run health care.

The sanctimonious self-righteousness of the statists is completely misplaced and dangerous.

The Greens war on the poor continues

According to an article in today's Denver Post (See Senate candidates generate options on energy policy), Democratic Senate candidate Andrew Romanoff

"... called Thursday for the U.S. to require that 30 percent of electricity be generated by renewable sources within a decade."

"Renewable sources" cost more than our current sources of energy. No matter how many unicorns Romanoff and the Greens conjure up in their vivid imaginations, costs matter.

Those hurt most by higher costs are not evil corporate bankers lighting cigars with $100 bills. Those hurt most are poor people that budget their expenses down to the penny.

Rich people will write a check for higher heating costs. Poor people will get cold.

Today's newspeak translation

According to an article in today's Denver Post (See Lunches, schooled) several Colorado public school lunch ladies are learning how to cook healthier. The Post says

Thanks to federal stimulus dollars and Colorado Health Foundation funding, Colorado could be the first state where leaders from every school district learn to cook from scratch.

Thanks to "federal stimulus dollars?" Sure, that's the accepted newspeak term. It would be more accurate, however, to say "thanks to money borrowed on behalf of your unborn grandchildren and great-grandchildren," lunch ladies are learning how to cook.

"Federal stimulus dollars" are treated by too many Americans as if they were magic beans that cost nothing and provide unlimited bounty.

Unfortunately, their ain't no beanstalk and there ain't no golden goose at the top of it.

Thomas Jefferson on the Federal Reserve Bank

"If the American people ever allow the banks to control the issuance of their currency, first by inflation then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them will deprive the people of all property until their children will wake up homeless on the continent their fathers occupied. The issuing power of money should be taken from the banks and restored to Congress and the people to whom it belongs."

Thomas Jefferson (Quoted in "The 5000 Year Leap," page 188.)

Lesley Hollywood on with Dave and Kelly Wednesday afternoon

Day One of the substitute hosting for Luke Shiltz on KFKA 1310 was outstanding, mostly due to my charming, statist, GOP sidekick, Kelly Maher. :-)

Big thanks to Michael Sandoval of the Peoples' Press Collective for his appearance on the show today.

I'll have the reigns again tomorrow and Thursday from 4-6 p.m. Ms. Maher is scheduled to ride shotgun again. You can listen online at www.kfka1310.com

Tomorrow we have Northern Colorado Tea Party activist Lesley Hollywood as a guest. Lesley is awesome. Don't miss it!

BlueCarp on the radio today, Wednesday and Thursday

I'll be having fun on KFKA 1310 AM today from 4-6 pm - subbing for Luke Shilts - with my radio sidekick Kelly Maher - listen online at www.1310kfka.com. Call in at (970) 353-1310.

PPC's own El Presidente, Michael Sandoval, will be joining us today at 5:00 to discuss PPC, new media and bridging the gap between Libertarians and Republicans.

Ms. Maher, of course, is a GOP consultant and Managing Editor of WhoSaidYouSaid.com. She loves to point out when she thinks I'm wrong. This keeps her busy.

More movie wisdom

According to Mary Rossick Kern and Jerome H. Kern, former chairs of the Colorado Symphony Association, Denver's Boettcher Concert Hall needs repair. (See letter to the editor, "A better Boettcher."

This is because "the symphony deserves a home commensurate with the quality of its playing."

Clint Eastwood, as William Munny in Unforgiven, summed it up nicely when he said, "'deserve's' got nothin' to do with it."