Laurie Anderson on Hobbies

Senator Ron Johnson on Politically Weaponizing Government

Fundamentally Transformed Illustrated?

On the campaign trail in 2008, Michelle Obama made headlines when she uttered that she had not previously been proud of America.  But when she was campaigning in Puerto Rico, the future First Lady revealed her vision of how America had to fundamentally change "for the children" of course.

After five and a half years of the Obama Administration, certain policies illustrate how our President is seeking to fundamentally transform America.

A quote attributed to Mahatma Gandhi popular with the "Si, se puede" crowd is:  "Be the change that you wish to see in the world."  But considering illustrated Obama actions, one wonders.  Gutting of our space program to be Muslim outreach; transforming the IRS into a political weapon against domestic "enemies"; Obamacare rules which entice businesses to convert employees into part time workers to dump them into public health exchanges; and overwhelming the U.S. Border Patrol with a flood of OTM illegal immigrants along with hamstringed rules which basically turns them into babysitters.

 It would seem that a Pogo-ism is more apropos: "We have met the enemy and it is US."

We are not destined to such flummoxing funny paper fortunes if enough of us can be drawn away from digital bread and circuses and act upon what is truly important and consistent to our time tested values. 

h/t: A.F. Branco

James Comey on Government

Despite FBI Director James Comey's  cautions about the power of government, Comey stonewalled Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) questions about the IRS targeting during the same Senate Judiciary testimony. 

The IRS and the Known Unknown

Yesterday, as millions of Americans rushed to file their taxes to with the IRS before the April 15th deadline, longtime public servant submitted his materials with a sardonic smile.  Along with Rumsfeld's forms, he included a letter which registers his uncertainty about the complexity of conforming with Internal Revenue Service rules.

Rumfeld's bureaucratic broadside includes a nod to the phrase "the known unknowns" which he made famous in executing the War on Terror at the Pentagon. 

Rummy's  bon mot was not only risable but he's right. Who in the world can have surety about a tax code which is ten time the size of the bible and with none of the Good News?

Jay Leno on Spying

A Bit About the Bridge-gate Ballyhoo

Bridge-gate burst into the public eye last week as emails from high level staffer of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (R-NJ) were exposed indicating that four days worth of lane closures which snarled the George Washington Bridge were intentional.  Deputy Chief of Staff Bridget Kelly sent a snarky text message intimating:  "Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee". It has been speculated that the four days of lane closures which snarled the world's busiest suspension bridge was intended as a as punishment to Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich (D-Fort Lee), a Democrat who did not make a cross party endorsement of Christie in is wildly successful 2013 re-election effort.  

For his part, Governor Christie conducted a grueling 102 minute press conference in which he insisted that he did not know about the intentional nature of the traffic jam.  Moreover he fired Kelly along with his longtime friend and political aide Bill Stepien because of their involvement. 

Despite Christie's unequivocal denial of prior knowledge and his swift action at disciplining wrongdoers, the Bridge-gate ballyhoo dominated the headlines for over a week, and inspired comedians to do funny satires such as Jimmy Fallons filique with Bruce Springsteen of  the unoffical New Jersey anthem "Born to Run".

While there is no doubt that the story was newsworthy, as credible accusations of the use of public office for personal revenge is a serious charge, it seems like Bridge-gate is overblown as well as overwrought.

Firstly, consider the coverage.   As Newsbusters reported, in less than 24 hours, the big three broadcast networks devoted 34 minutes 28 seconds to "Bridge-gate".  This is 17 times more coverage than the Lamestream Media broadcast about  the Obama Administration's alleged use of the IRS targeting Tea Party groups for excessive scrutiny over eight months.   The coverage may also have been intensified because of its proximity to New York.  Journalists often become much more  interested when it is affecting their home turf rather than in  "flyover" country.

Secondly, consider the target.  Governor Christie has been generally considered an early front-running for the 2016 Republican Presidential nomination.   Pre-Bridge-gate polls showed Christie leading presumed Democrat front-runner former First Lady/Senator (D-NY)/ and Obama Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

***

Low information voters may be lured into believing where there is smoke there is fire, even if it is blue smoke and mirrors.   Governor Christie's emphatic denials about involvement leave no wiggle room-- if he knew, then the fat lady sings ending his hopes for higher office.  But those who take time to keep informed on current events should see the trend in law-fare, smearing front-runners and the actual use of public offices for partisan pursuits.

SEE MORE at DCBarroco.com

Egregious Obama Administration Priorities

Remember who fights to keep our freedom.  Consider who is slated to vet our healthcare under the distressing disguise of a "tax".

Now who do you want to buy a cup of hot coffee and who ought to be exiled to Gilligan's Island?

Pleading the Fifth to the IRS?

IRS Exempt Division head, Lois Lerner

Lois Lerner, the head of the IRS Exempt Division gave some interesting "non-testimony" at  the House Government Oversight Committee hearing on the IRS Investigations of Targeting Conservative Groups, Chaired by Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA 49th).    

Lerner's attorney had publicized that she would invoke her Constitutional Fifth Amendment privileges of not potentially incriminating herself through testimony.  Yet Lerner gave an impassioned opening statement which was an apologia proclaiming her innocence. 




And then Lerner clammed up, refusing to take questions from Congress by invoking her Fifth Amendment rights. 

Representative Trey Gowdy (R-SC 4th), a former Federal Prosecutor, insisted that Lerner had waived her Fifth Amendment privilege with her opening statement as well as authenticating documents.  Chairman Issa dismissed Lerner and her counsel, with the possibility that she may be called back to testify. 

Newt Gingrich raised an interesting item of intellectual jujitsu--

This celebrity oriented culture ought to ask Wesley Snipes and Lauren Hill how that strategery (sic) works out in the real world. 

Impeach-Mint: A New Flavor for a Hot Summer in the District of Calamity

The summer of 1973 was a hot time in the District of Calamity when it seemed like every day news broke about scandals connected to the White House, which eventually lead to the resignation of President Richard Nixon.

 In the span of one week, three emerging scandals have embroiled the Obama Administration. The long festering Benghazi Bungle became critical, with the straight-forward testimony of three career diplomat whistle blowers before Chairman Rep. Darrell Issa's  (R-CA 49th)  House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.  The fact that Libyian Chief of Mission Gregory Hicks was a Hillary Clinton for President supporter and twice voted for President Obama  added fuel to the fire, as the Congressional probe could not be deftly dismissed as a partisan witch hunt.

Libyan Chief  of Mission Gregory Hicks testifying before Congress

On Friday at an American Bar Association meeting,  the head of the IRS Exempt Organization Division Lois Lerner apologized for targeting conservative groups for special tax-exempt scrutiny.  At first this was attributed to a couple of low level IRS agents in Cincinnati and was part of a Friday DC data dump.  But it became clear that such intimidation occurred all over the country for several years.  Then it came out that right wing groups teaching about the Constitution received the "special" treatment.  This was odd since the educational element was sine qua non for a 501(c)(4) organization.   The drip-drip continued when it was exposed that conservative Jewish groups were interrogated about their feelings about the State of Israel.

If that was not bad enough, the Associated Press reported that , Eric Holder's Department of Justice surreptitiously surveilled a score of journalist's phone records for two months supposedly to plug a leak about a planned terrorist attack.  The Obama Administration scrutinized reporters' home, cell and office phones for two months, without informing the Associated Press.   As the Associated Press was cooperative once it learned of the DOJ investigation which calls into question whether such a broad and secret warrant was necessar. .

With the daily drip of scandal, it seems like it will be a hot summer in the city.  It might be time for Ben and Jerry to craft a culinary creation to make this summer of scandal more palatable with Impeach-Mint.

It is dubious if this fanciful flavor would ever get off the drawing board, as progressives would waffle at profiting from the indiscretions of an ideology whom they idealized as a light worker of hope and change.

h/t:  Mad Magazine

Oz-bamacare Enforcers (sic.)

"I'll get you my pretty...and your little dog too!"





Now that the SCOTUS wizard has spoken, voters in November need to have courage.





h/t: Glenn McCoy

Obamacare's Trojan Horse

Something to remember come April 15th