Content by GreyCloak
Posted at 3:14am on Jun. 5, 2008 Corn Pone at the CTFC
By GreyCloak
An interesting note from today's CSPAN hearings: Congress seems to be interested in the Commodities Trading Futures Commission (CTFC). They were talking about nominations, apparently.
The CTFC Chair was only too happy to point out that they had fewer than 500 employees, and a budget no more than $130 million. They wanted as many as 590, and $150 million.
Now, the current budget translates out to about $270,000 per employee. They've allowed $135/bbl oil, and corn at over $6.00 per bushel. A few years ago, those prices were more like $30 and less than $3.00, respectively.
The CFTC Chairman admitted that at least 30% of the price of oil was due to speculation.
Where's the "pay for performance," here?
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Posted at 7:18am on May 7, 2008 This is too good
By GreyCloak
The Chicago Tribune said it all, this morning. It helps to have the deep understanding of politics that residence in Chicago imbues. And the columnist "gets it all."
The Clintons are like a cat that gets run over but refuses to die. It crawls off the road and makes it to a backyard, hiding under the deck, in the shadows, eyes like slits, panting for days, stubbornly refusing to give it up.
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Posted at 5:33am on May 7, 2008 Hillary's "Popular Vote" Lie Goes Down the Tubes
By GreyCloak
Despite Rush Limbaugh's endorsement, Hillary lost North Carolina by a massive margin (57.5-42.5%) and barely squeaked by in Indiana (51-49%).
While Hillary has been including Florida and Michigan in her "I'm really a winner" totals, she is down by over 89,000 votes, even including elections where Obama didn't campaign (FL) or wasn't on the ballot (MI).
Note: RealClear and Hillary ignore the 238,168 Michigan voters that went out in the cold to vote for "uncommitted."
I just love it when the Democrats tear apart their party to ensure a Republican win.
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Posted at 9:10am on Mar. 18, 2008 What is Wright?
By GreyCloak
I've never been to a Wright sermon ... I don't know whether Barack Obama sat at them, listened to them, or slept through them. It might be interesting to know if he tithed or not.
I belong to the same Church as our President, the baptismal Church of a lady who is running for his office ... the lady who may have converted to her husband's Baptist faith, or who may have maternal [by Law] claim to the Jewish faith, or who may have become Muslim by virtue of kissing the Maronite Christian wife of Muslim Yasser Arafat.
The Methodist Church teaches that war is contrary to the spirit, teaching and purpose of Jesus Christ.
Many years ago, I listened to a sermon based upon that tenet of faith ... after the sermon, there was a traditional "call for prayers" ... I stood alone in my Congregation, and prayed aloud for the safety of a Sargent in Iraq. The preacher and the people were dumbfounded ... until the older half of the congregation ... the ones that had seen or been a part of a World War ... realized that they had heard a prayer they hadn't heard in half a century, and said "Amen." The preacher and reluctant congregants followed, a moment later.
a bit more ....
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Posted at 7:46pm on Mar. 17, 2008 Something Fishy in Colorado
By GreyCloak
I suppose we shouldn't be concerned with the Democrats, but for a party that likes to say "Make every vote count," there's an oddity in Colorado:
The Colorado Democratic Party did not release the results of the Super Tuesday vote by congressional district until this week. Ten of Colorado's 55 delegates had not been pledged to either candidate.
Seven of those went to Clinton and three went to Obama, giving her a gain of four in the overall national count. Obama won the overall Colorado caucuses, getting 35 delegates to Clinton's 20.
But the State went 67% for Obama! Yet Hillary receives 70% of District delegates?
ACTUAL votes in the Colorado Caucus can be found here. Out of 64 counties, Obama won 51 (80%) and Hillary 13. Four (a third) of Hillary's counties were represented by 30 voters or fewer in their caucuses. In the only "large" county to go for Hillary (Pueblo), her margin was only 57%.
There is some very funny post-primary math going on here. As Democrats love to point out: when the race is tight, every vote you can steal counts.
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Posted at 4:17am on Feb. 27, 2008 Obama Wins Texas ... Generally, it's Up For Grabs
By GreyCloak
A better blogger than I remarked that Obama won Tuesday's debate.
I did an unscientific poll of Texans today (before the debate): three of four Conservatives will (or have) cross-over vote for Obama in the Democrat Primary; one Democrat is undecided; one Republican will vote for McCain and the down-ballot, whether it matters or not.
Most everyone agreed they'd wait 'til the General to decide the vote that counts.
Despite comments to the contrary, Obama "denounced" and "rejected" Farrakhan ... turning Hillary's comments into a "what is is" moment.
Hillary finally admitted she regrets her Iraq vote.
Obama turned a turban into a top hat, and agreed with Hillary's sarcasm that he was "bathed in light."
It's going to be a tough case to make, come the General.
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Posted at 9:23am on Jan. 27, 2008 I am Stimulated ...
By GreyCloak
So I wrote the following to my Texas Senators:
Frankly, I think that the "economic stimulus bill" is the stupidest thing Congress could do (and I would benefit from it!): spending even more money that the Federal Government does not have makes little sense; borrowing money from China, Singapore, the Arab States and others to pay for it makes even less sense.
But I am resigned to the political reality of pandering to the populace and pretending that paying "rebates" portends some public good.
I ask only one thing of you and the Senate: pay the political pence, but prevent further spending. I am sick of a government that deems every dollar an "emergency."
Meanwhile, the House is wrapping up a bill, and the Senate is greasing the pig:
Democrats have said they might try to push for the addition of provisions on unemployment benefits, food stamps, road repair and summer jobs for youths.
Ayup ... spend, spend, spend ... it’s not like REAL money!
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Posted at 8:34am on Dec. 7, 2007 Remembering Pearl Harbor
By GreyCloak
Mitt Romney was kind enough to acknowledge his host's service in WWII at the beginning of his speech. Not many vets of that era remain.
We "baby-boomers" came from the aftermath of that war ... soldiers happy to be home, get married, and start a new generation.
What we have is what our next generation has forgotten ... our parents' tales and experiences.
Lest we forget:
In a few hours, 2,340 US military personnel were killed, along with 48 civilians. 1,143 soldiers and sailors were wounded, along with 35 civilians.
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Posted at 6:40am on Dec. 7, 2007 Trantor
By GreyCloak
[originally posted March 23, 2006 ... lost in the relaunch]
Here I sit in Trantor, on a week's vacation in the land also known (affectionately) as "Disneyland East." Having visited with my Senatorial Prince and Princess, I visited the home of Congressional inaction, the Senate Floor. As we sat, we pointed out the Senators, as one would the animals in the zoo: "There's Teddy." "There's Babs Boxer" (to annoyed looks from the row in front of us). Babs, in her bright yellow jacket, scurrying with pumping arms from Rockefeller to Levin to Schumer (who gave her the brush-off) and back to Rockefeller .... in what seemed a vain search for a moment of Floor time, perhaps. Kerry, whispering an audible after the first vote ("We're outa here"), then stomping out toward the wrong door, turning back and trying like a cat caught in a mistake to appear as if he meant to do that, and striding out the correct door. Byrd slowly advancing up the aisle with a cane in each hand, turning to stand beside his podium. Kennedy of the flowing white hair and McCain the jovial, conversing on one side of the Floor, then going to a back row to sit together and chat some more.
Meanwhile, the casual activity of the Floor pales beside the frenzied scurrying to which they have set their minions outside their doors.
More....
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Posted at 5:03am on Dec. 7, 2007 Are we adults?
By GreyCloak
I stopped work this morning to listen to Romney's "The Speech." And wondered all the time ... why are we listening to this? Was this speech necessary, if we are adults?
I thought we had fought this battle forty-seven years ago. I vividly remember the religious contention of another election [sorry, sometimes there's an ad .. be patient], when the Papacy was invoked:
For while this year [September 12, 1960] it may be a Catholic against whom the finger of suspicion is pointed, in other years it has been, and may someday be again, a Jew--or a Quaker--or a Unitarian--or a Baptist. It was Virginia's harassment of Baptist preachers, for example, that helped lead to Jefferson's statute of religious freedom. Today I may be the victim--but tomorrow it may be you--until the whole fabric of our harmonious society is ripped at a time of great national peril.
--John F. Kennedy
more...