New!!! Virginia Blog Roundup – Old Dominion Blogs – now online and FREE! Read all the Virginia Blogs in one place.

The Virginia Right! News Hound surfs the ‘net to take the pulse of the world every day. The links published below are opinions and takes on the news that we find interesting. By design, these links are mostly outside of the Mainstream Media. This feature is designed to save you the time of sifting through dozens of websites and blogs. Buckle up. It is going to be a bumpy ride.

With summer drawing to an end, the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced the August employment numbers today, showing that the jobless situation is little changed from June and in some aspects is worse. According to BLS, 54,000 jobs were lost in August, while the unemployment rate ticked up to 9.6%. Sadly, 14.9 million Americans remain out of work.

Back in June, the White House dubbed this “Recovery Summer.” CNN wrote at the time, “Vice President Joe Biden . . . helps kick off what the White House calls ‘Recovery Summer,’ a six week long push to highlight what the administration says will be jobs created this summer and fall by a surge in federal stimulus spending across the country.” Just a month ago, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner wrote in The New York Times, “Welcome to the Recovery.”

Unfortunately, it’s been a summer of dismal economic news. There are 283,000 fewer jobs now than when “Recovery Summer” was declared. Just last week, the AP reported, “The economy turns out to be weaker than we thought, and the outlook for the rest of the year is now looking dimmer. New figures issued Friday show the economy struggled this spring, growing at a meager 1.6 percent annual pace. The initial estimate was 2.4 percent, and even that was anemic.” Also last week, The Wall Street Journal reported, “Existing-home sales plunged to their lowest level in 15 years in July as inventories soared, painting a grim picture for the housing market absent government support in a stubbornly sluggish economy.” A month ago, Bloomberg News reported, “The number of Americans who are receiving food stamps rose to a record 40.8 million in May as the jobless rate hovered near a 27-year high . . . .” In July, the Los Angeles Times reported that American home foreclosures “hit a record high in the second quarter.”

This is why so few Americans are inclined to take President Obama’s assurance this morning that “[W]e are moving forward because of the steps that we’ve taken.” A recent Gallup poll found 59% disapprove of Obama’s handling of the economy. And CBS News pointed out last week, “Americans are more pessimistic about the country’s economy than they were last month . . . . Thirty-four percent now say the economy is getting worse, up from 26 percent [in July]. Only 20 percent now say the economy is getting better, according to the poll, conducted Aug. 20 – 24.”

Clearly there’s been little to no “recovery” during this summer and Americans are frustrated. As Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said Monday, “[I]t’s no surprise that most Americans think the country is on the wrong track and that Democrat policies have failed to do anything to fix their top concern, the economy. It’s time to listen to the American people, lower the deficit by reducing out-of-control spending, prevent tax hikes and . . . create the environment necessary to grow sustainable, private sector jobs.”

Bureau of Labor Statistics: 54,000 Jobs Lost In August, Unemployment At 9.6%

The Wall Street Journal: Wyden Defects on ObamaCare

FreedomWorks, the D.C. based thorn in President Obama’s side is hosting Blog Con 2010 next week at the Sheraton Hotel in Crystal City. Somewhere around 160 bloggers – including Virginia Right! – will join politicians and press at the event which ends with the 9/12 rally in D.C.

Several of the bloggers we have already heard from were CPAC Bloggers this past February, so we can pick up the discussions at the receptions, or during the events and sessions.

Thursday starts with a meet and greet with House Communications Directors at the Capitol Visitors Center and ends with a reception with Erick Erickson, Matt Kibbe and Steven Crowder back at the hotel.

Friday starts with breakfast followed by the Opening Session hosted by Stephen Kruiser with Speakers: Mary Katharine Ham, Melissa Clouthier, John Hawkins, Jim Hoft and Scott Ott. There are a number of workshop sessions with various speakers and a lunch hosted by Matt Kibbe who will speak on the topic Austrian Economics: Why we’re right.

More sessions during the afternoon are followed by a reception at the FreedomWorks offices downtown.

FreedomWorks held a Bloggers reception at their offices during CPAC and Michelle Malkin and Dick Armey were two of the more interesting attendees, along with an array of bloggers from all over the country. Good food, cold beer and an office space full of right wing bloggers. What more could you want?

Apparently Friday night will take some recovery time because Saturday is going to be pretty quiet. Dick Armey will have an afternoon book signing and supplies will be available to make signs for the 9/12 event Sunday.

Sunday starts with a Worship Service at the Washington Monument and the main event – 9/12 – begins at noon with a stroll down Pennsylvania Avenue to the West Lawn of the Capitol.

Stay tuned for live updates from the FreedomWorks event and the 9/12 event.

Posted at Disrupt the Narrative –

Received this email a minute ago.  I wholeheartedly agree with statement. Greetings Patriot! My experiences in Iraq go back to 1991 with Operations Desert Shield/Storm as a young Army Captain. I returned to Iraq in 2003 as a combat Battalion Commander for Operation Iraqi Freedom. It is a bittersweet moment for me to watch our Commander-in-Chief declare an end to Operation Iraqi Freedom and further combat operations. I have studied and been a part of half-measured warfare, and have seen its residual effects. My fear is that the heroic efforts of my fellow Warriors will fall to this lesson of history.   Ending combat operations is not just a convenient political decision.  As Carl von Clausewitz stated, “War is the imposition of one’s will upon another.” I found President Obama’s address on Iraq unnecessary, confusing, conciliatory, and lacking focus. There was never a definitive outline of strategic objectives to defeat the global conflagration against the radical Islamic theocratic-political ideology and non-state, non-uniformed belligerents against which we combat. Furthermore, the reference to the …

See more here:
LT. Col. Allen West on Obama’s speech

Posted at Disrupt the Narrative –

Well looky there, ACORN has its own little nut in the Texas House.  The Texas Republicans peeled her bark in a press release today. Thibaut’s past is not unlike that of President Barack Obama; she too started out as a community organizer. And both did work for ACORN. Kristi even appeared at the State Capitol as a paid lobbyist for ACORN during the 2007 Legislative Session. ACORN activities have attracted the attention of law enforcement and prosecutors around the country, after they were exposed in a series of stings by a couple posing as a prostitute and a pimp, soliciting ACORN’s advice on how to operate their illegal enterprise without getting caught. Even the United States Congress condemned ACORN’s actions and cut off

More:
Even in Texas, Democrat state Rep. Kristi Thibaut’s ACORN doesn’t fall far from the tree

CUTTING FUNDS FOR TROOPS IN IRAQ

In 2007, Then-Senators Obama And Biden Joined Fellow Dems Who Voted Four Times To Cut Funding For Troops Deployed In Iraq

SEN. RUSS FEINGOLD (D-WI): “And What The Feingold-Reid Amendment Was — Started With Was A Proposal To Use The Power Of The Purse To Try To Use Congress’ Power To Bring This Mistake To An End.” (Sen. Feingold, Press Conference, 5/16/07)

S.AMDT. 1098 KEY PROVISION: “PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS.–No funds appropriated or otherwise made available under any provision of law may be obligated or expended to continue the deployment in Iraq of members of the United States Armed Forces after March 31, 2008.” (S.Amdt.1098, Roll Call Vote #167, Cloture Motion Rejected 29-67; R 0-48; D 28-19; I 1-1, Obama & Biden Voted Yea, 5/16/07)

S.AMDT.2924 KEY PROVISION: “Use of Funds.–No funds appropriated or otherwise made available under any provision of law may be obligated or expended to continue the deployment in Iraq of members of the United States Armed Forces after June 30, 2008.” (S.Amdt.2924, Roll Call Vote #345, Cloture Motion Rejected 28-70; R 0-49; D 27-20; I 1-1, Obama Voted Yea, 9/20/07)

S.AMDT.3164 KEY PROVISION: “Use of Funds.—No funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be obligated or expended to continue the deployment in Iraq of members of the United States Armed Forces after June 30, 2008.” (S.Amdt.3164, Roll Call Vote #362, Cloture Motion Rejected 28-68; R 0-46, D 27-21, I 1-1, Biden Voted Yea, 10/03/07)

S.AMDT.3875 KEY PROVISION: “Use of Funds.–No funds appropriated or otherwise made available under any provision of law may be obligated or expended to continue the deployment in Iraq of members of the United States Armed Forces after the date that is nine months after the date of the enactment of this Act.” (S.Amdt.3875, Roll Call Vote #437, Amendment Rejected 24-71; R 0-49; D 24-21; I 1-1, 12/18/07)

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SENATE REPUBLICAN COMMUNICATIONS CENTER

According to today’s New York Times, “For only the second time since he took office, President Obama  will speak to the nation from the Oval Office on Tuesday night, in an address meant to convey that he has kept one of the central promises of his campaign: withdrawing American combat troops from Iraq.” But, The Times notes, “Mr. Obama will still strike a promises-kept theme, aides said, even as he seeks to reconcile his opposition to the Iraq war — and his opposition to the so-called troop surge, which Republicans and many military officials credit for the decrease in violence in Iraq — with his role as a wartime commander in chief seeking to credit his troops with carrying out a difficult mission.”

Politico reports that both House Republican Leader John Boehner and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell will have comments on President Obama’s speech today, pointing out the success of the surge, our troops, and General David Petreaus, and noting how many Democrats opposed this plan. “‘Some leaders who opposed, criticized, and fought tooth-and-nail to stop the surge strategy now proudly claim credit for the results,’ Boehner says in remarks prepared for delivery to the American Legion’s 92nd national convention, in Milwaukee. ‘[T]oday we mark not the defeat those voices anticipated – but progress.’ . . . “McConnell underscores the contribution of President George W. Bush’s troop ‘surge’ in Iraq: ‘By adopting the Bush administration’s plan for winding down the war and transitioning security responsibilities to the Iraqi military over time, the president has enabled us and the Iraqis to build on the gains our troops have made. … Thankfully, we can say today that our troops, the surge, and the Petraeus plan all succeeded where many in Washington thought they would fail.’”

Indeed, Democrats continually branded the surge a “failure.” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) famously declared, “[T]his war is lost and … the surge is not accomplishing anything.” Then-Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) said, “It has failed.” Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) said, “President Bush promised us his troop surge was going to improve security and allow Iraqis to stabilize their own country, but that is not working.” Then-Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) vented, “This whole notion that the surge is working is fantasy.” And a year after the surge was announced, then-Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) said, “Tonight we heard President Bush say that the surge in Iraq is working, when we know that’s just not true.”

Many Democrats even attempted to stop the surge before it could get underway. Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) announced early on, “The surge has to be stopped. It is a reckless, almost mindless approach to a desperately difficult situation.” And he proceeded to introduce multiple bills and amendments that would have cut off funding for troops in the field.

In fact, beginning in 2007, Congressional Democrats forced more than 40 votes to either require troops to withdraw, to micromanage forces instead of letting the generals adapt to conditions on the ground, or to outright condemn the surge strategy.

Where would our troops, where would Iraqis, and where would the United States be today if Democrats had their way in 2007? As Sen. McConnell pointed out, “The surge in Iraq helped create the conditions that resulted in the security agreement between our two counties, which took a lot of hard work and back in 2007 some, including the current President and Vice President, thought it could not be achieved. The credit, of course, goes to General Petraeus, General Odierno, our fighting forces, Ambassador Crocker and our Iraqi partners. It is their sacrifices that we should remember today.”

How quickly things change. Just over a week ago, we wrote:

As of today, August 22, 2010 Republicans could pick up a maximum of 12 seats in the US Senate giving them a total of 53 seats. And not one seat more.

Well, we also said:

With two and a half months remaining before election day, a lot can and will happen.

With a new Rasmussen poll out, a lot happened in West Virginia.

A week ago, West Virginia’s popular Democratic governor Joe Manchin was sitting at 51% of the vote to only 35% for Republican challenger John Raese for the Senate seat vacant due to the death of Senator Byrd.

When a candidate polls over 50% with a double digit lead over his opponent, the race is pretty much in the bag for the leader.

At least that is the conventional wisdom.

The new poll now shows Manchin with 48% of the vote and Raese has risen to 42% – the lead is now only 6 points, and within Republican reach.

One of the most astonishing findings in this poll is the fact that Manchin is seen as favorable or very favorable to 73% of those polled while Raese receives only 60% favorable (or very favorable) rating. Additionally, 32% see Raese as extreme, while only 17% see Manchin as extreme.

So Manchin is more favorable and less extreme than his Republican opponent, yet Raese has closed the gap to 6%.

How can that be explained?

In a word, Obama.

Only 29% approve of the job Obama is doing while 70% disapprove.

West Virginia voters overwhelmingly disapproves the aspects of the Health care law (69%) and favor keeping the Bush tax cuts (66%). And a majority (51%) would rather keep the Bush tax cuts for all Americans – including the rich – than allow the tax cuts to expire for the rich, while keeping the cuts for the non-rich (40%).

Clearly, West Virginia voters are starting to think they would rather have an extreme conservative in the Senate to counter the left wing agenda Obama, Pelosi and Reid are pushing.

Bad news indeed for Democrats.

Posted at Disrupt the Narrative –

Obama to address the nation about withdrawing American combat troops from Iraq. President Obama has scheduled his second oval office address to let the American people know that he can now officially check off another campaign promise. In February Barack’s right hand man Joe Biden prepared us for this day; “I am very optimistic about — about Iraq. I mean, this could be one of the great achievements of this administration. You’re going to see 90,000 American troops come marching home by the end of the summer. You’re going to see a stable government in Iraq that is actually moving toward a representative government.” Let me be clear about this, this is a great achievement but I disagree with the attribution. Nearly every morning I begin my day with a brisk walk through our neighborhood.It is a fairly large and there are…

Continued here:
Let Us Honor Those to Whom Honor is Due

Posted at Disrupt the Narrative –

Dude.  You’re not fooling anyone.   We all know you’re just Obama in boots. Obama on Tuesday will visit Fort Bliss to mark the end of combat operations in Iraq. He will meet with soldiers in anticipation of a new phase of military action that begins in September with about 50,000 soldiers staying to “advise and assist” the Iraqis. … Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill White will be absent. So will New Mexico’s Democratic nominee for governor, Diane Denish. White says he’ll be in Fort Worth, which is about 600 miles away from El Paso.  That’s one heckuva duck and cover routine.

See the rest here:
Obama comes back to Texas, Bill White runs away AGAIN

Posted at Disrupt the Narrative –

And neither does Brian Williams  Matt Lauer , apparently.  I’ve tried to find a clip of this unsuccessfully, but Williams Lauer asks our boy genius President why a growing number of Americans think he’s a Muslim.  The man who can bend spoons with his mind responded that he can’t go around with a copy of his BIRTH CERTIFICATE pinned to his forehead.  Let me explain something to you, sir.  A birth certificate is a document that denotes, among other things, your place of birth .  It does not identify your religion .  Brian Williams Matt Lauer fell for another Jedi mind trick as there was no follow up that I know of. Add this to the growing list of questions about the IQ of this supposedly brilliant President. Jeffrey S. Howard over at Investor’s Business Daily is challenging the purported brilliance of this President as well.   He does a good job of chronicling Obama’s gaffes, missteps and miscalculations. The media has drummed the notion that Obama is a man of astounding intelligence and many have…

Go here to read the rest:
Smartest President EVAH doesn’t know the difference between religion and country.

Posted at Disrupt the Narrative –

UPDATE: Usually these go to the bottom of the post, but I’m trying to arrange for a cab ride from the hotel in Arlington and the front desk just informs me that the cab companies are NOT accepting pickups (5:50 AM was what I was hoping for because their waaaaay overbooked.  AND.  All the roads are blocked.  I asked for a special service to drop me on the Virginia side of the Memorial Bridge and I’m awaiting a call back on this.  DC Metro, the love of my youth as you know, doesn’t start rolling until 7am)  No matter what.  I was in a cab today and the driver was bitching about the fact that SOMEBODY somehow affiliated with the event is telling people to stay away from certain DC neighborhoods, as reported on the local all news …

Read the rest here:
Restoring Honor 8/28

As the media begins to hype polls for the November elections, one thing stands out to anyone that compares the polls. There is a huge variance between the different polling outfits.

For example, Real Clear Politics, a group that averages the polls and tries to use that average as a measure of how the public may vote in November shows a wide margin between polls in the President’s approval rating as illustrated below.

President Obama Job Approval

As you can see, the results go from a low of -12 in a poll by Rasmussen to a high of +1 in a Time poll. A 13 point swing.

Why the huge difference?

One of the main factors is the likelihood that the respondents will actually vote in the election. The column showing the number of voters polled also shows one of three identifying characteristics of  those polled.

“A” denotes the respondents were Adults, “RV” means Registered Voters and “LV” is used for Likely Voters.

The determination of who is a “likely voter” is revealed by their answers to certain questions. Some come out and ask if you plan to vote in November, others are less direct, asking if you voted in previous elections, primaries, etc.

And the accuracy varies a good bit between a sample of Adults and those likely to vote. The assumption is that the likely voters pay more attention to the news, are better informed and actually motivated to cast a ballot.

So, if Likely Voters are a more accurate way to judge an election’s outcome, why doesn’t everyone use only Likely Voters?

Well, some polls are not looking for accuracy, they simply want to sway public opinion, or at least public perception. Rasmussen is concerned with accuracy. This is their bread and butter. Most of their polls use only likely voters, and they are very strict on determining who is likely to vote.

Others, like Time, a left wing publication, are likely more interested in their left wing agenda than an accurate prediction.

Fordham University analyzed the accuracy of 23 polls in the 2008 presidential election. Rasmussen and Pew were #1 and #2 respectively. Looking at the bottom of the list, it seems the more liberal outfits – Newsweek, ABC, CBS, NBC – all overestimated the size of Obama’s victory.

Now most of these pollsters shifted to Likely Voters towards the election, which should tell you something to begin with, as far as accuracy. And they will shift in this election as well. Some of them.

More people begin to pay attention after Labor Day, and more polls shift to the more time consuming method of polling only likely voters as well.

But based on the 2008 results, it is pretty clear that Rasmussen is the least politicized of the pollsters and is more interested in accuracy than influence.

So, most polls using Likely Voters have more credibility, but Rasmussen will again prove to be the most accurate.

Posted at Disrupt the Narrative –

I am going to give you some straight dope.  From the gut.  It’s about November and what’s at stake. You may live in an area where you have to vote Democrat to have any say.  There are still lots of areas like that all over Texas and all over the otherwise conservative South and up into Virginia.  And because of that, you may as a natural conservative have a view of the Democrats locally or in your district that’s somewhat benign.  Sure, Obama and Pelosi are awful, but my local guy, he ain’t so bad.  That’s what you may tell yourself. But. If your legislative goals and priorities include a business-friendly economic environment, clean elections, educational choice, excellence in public education, fixing the financial problems at big state agencies…

Continued here:
Reminder: There is no such thing as a “friendly” Democrat incumbent

Posted at Disrupt the Narrative –

This slipped past my radar when it first came out back in April, but thanks to Fran for sending it to me. Professor Robert Weissberg, was struggling to define his growing sense of unease about Barack Obama and his administration.  It goes deeper than disagreeing with his policies and has nothing to do with his race. But I think he nailed it. After auditioning countless political terms, I finally realized that the Obama administration and its congressional collaborators almost resemble a foreign occupying force , a coterie of politically and culturally non-indigenous leaders whose rule contravenes local values rooted in our national tradition. It is as if the United States has been occupied by a foreign

The rest is here:
Alien Rule

Posted at Disrupt the Narrative –

What is the Republican platform this year?  I keep waiting to hear it. “We Suck Less” really doesn’t cut it, but that seems to be the mantra coming from most Republicans this year.  Where is the bold agenda with fresh ideas or even tried and true old ideas?   The American people are horrified with the statist/socialist agenda that the Democrats are ramming down our throats and we’re ready for a Republican sweep in November, but to simply say that we’re not Democrats is a far cry from the visionary leadership that we crave. Where is the boldness?  Where is the courage? Our friends at Trifecta are saying, if you run without a platform then even if you win you have no mandate to do anything.  Bill Whittle says the platform should be to roll …

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Republican Messaging

Monday August 23, 2010 Roundup:

New!!! Virginia Blog Roundup – Old Dominion Blogs – now online and FREE! Read all the Virginia Blogs in one place.

The Virginia Right! News Hound surfs the ‘net to take the pulse of the world every day. The links published below are opinions and takes on the news that we find interesting. By design, these links are mostly outside of the Mainstream Media. This feature is designed to save you the time of sifting through dozens of websites and blogs. Buckle up. It is going to be a bumpy ride.