GOP: No Loretta Lynch rubber stamp

From the files of Jeff Crouere at Ringside Politics.com

Read the Crouere file at Ringside Politics - New Orleans, Louisiana

The first two months of the new Republican Congress has been extremely disappointing. The only significant accomplishment has been the passage of the Keystone Pipeline bill. Unfortunately, when the Republicans caved on the issue of stopping President Obama’s executive amnesty for millions of illegal aliens, it sent a strong signal to conservatives across the country that the party leadership will not stop the radical policies of this administration.

This begs the question, why did voters send Republicans to Congress? It certainly was not a mission to be a rubber stamp for the most liberal President in our nation’s history. They were sent to Washington D.C. to stop Obama’s liberal policies and serve as a check and balance to the expansive agenda of the White House.

Next week, the Senate Republicans will have an opportunity to redeem themselves and improve their tattered reputation. To replace the outgoing Attorney General Eric Holder, President Obama has nominated another extreme liberal, Loretta Lynch, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. In testimony before Congress, Lynch expressed support for everything Eric Holder has done. In fact, she told U.S. Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), that as Attorney General she would pursue an agenda that “would not be different” from Eric Holder.

While continuing Holder’s liberal policies is extremely troubling, Lynch’s support of the President’s lawless executive amnesty should be more than enough to disqualify her for the important position of Attorney General. The President decreed, without congressional approval, the halting of deportations for five million illegal aliens, who will immediately qualify for work permits and benefits totaling $35,000 per year.

In testimony before Congress, Lynch made the incredulous statement that all illegal aliens have a “right to work.” The vast majority of Americans would disagree with Lynch. Illegal aliens do not have the right to enjoy benefits or secure employment. Instead, they have a right to return to their country of origin, posthaste.

After receiving approval from the Judiciary Committee with the support of three Republicans, Lynch now has the support of four Republicans in her battle for confirmation. This nefarious “Gang of Four” includes Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Jeff Flake of Arizona, Orrin Hatch of Utah and Susan Collins of Maine.

If nothing changes, those four Republicans will be enough to confirm Lynch if she receives the unanimous support of all 46 Senate Democrats. In the case of a 50-50 tie, Vice President Joe Biden will cast the deciding vote in favor of Lynch.

Along with the four Republican Senators in support of Lynch, there are also several uncommitted Republican Senators including Mark Kirk of Illinois and Lamar Alexander of Tennessee. However, Alexander is somewhat uncomfortable with Lynch, especially her “refusal to put limits on the president’s executive power.”

Another undecided Senator is Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. McConnell previously promised to oppose Lynch if she supported the President’s executive action granting amnesty to millions of illegal aliens.

Now that the vote is nearing, McConnell is non-committal. This is another reminder that the Republicans are so very poorly served by McConnell in the Senate and Speaker John Boehner in the House. Neither of these “leaders” are committed to conservative principles and neither of them have the courage to take on President Obama on issues of substance.

Next week will be an important test for the Republican Party and will determine how the remainder of Obama’s term will progress. Let’s hope Republican Senators finally decide to represent the voters who elected them and reject Loretta Lynch. It is time they stopped being intimidated by the liberal news media, their Democratic colleagues, and, most importantly, the President of the United States.

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Jeff Crouere is a native of New Orleans, LA and he is the host of a Louisiana based program, “Ringside Politics,” which airs at 7:30 p.m. Friday and 10:00 p.m. Sunday on WLAE-TV 32, a PBS station, and 7 till 11 a.m. weekdays on WGSO 990 AM in New Orleans and the Northshore.

For more information, visit Jeff's web site at www.ringsidepolitics.com or email him at jeff@ringsidepolitics.com.

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Netanyahu brought down Iran and Obama

ROOT for Liberty ~ ROOT for Freedom ~ ROOT for America by Wayne Root

Speaker of the House Boehner Stands with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu

The media will concentrate on the substance of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin (Bibi) Netanyahu's speech. But let's first look at the style. I am a business and motivational speaker who speaks all over the globe, often to audiences in the thousands. I understand communication, charisma, chutzpah and salesmanship. Bibi gets an A+ in all four categories. He delivered the speech of a lifetime.

Americans and the world just got a lesson in CHUTZPAH. That's the Jewish word for "balls." No one else in the world could have pulled off what Bibi just did. Talk about a masterful speech. He walked into a joint session of the U.S. Congress like he owned it. Like he was the President of the United States. He received 29 standing ovations. If you just dropped in from another planet, you might have assumed you were watching U.S. President Netanyahu give his State of the Union.

Keep in mind Bibi is the leader of a tiny nation with the population of some anonymous, obscure African nation. Yet he held court over the U.S. Congress for almost an hour like he was the most powerful man in the world. Like he was the leader of America, Russia, China, UK or Germany. That takes chutzpah.

Can you imagine the look on the faces of Obama, Michelle and Valerie Jarrett. I'd have paid a million dollars to be a fly on that wall!

Can you imagine the looks on the faces of the leaders of every Muslim nation on earth? The anger, shock, jealousy. Why Bibi? Why is he presiding over the U.S. Congress? Why are they fawning over his every word? Oh to be a fly on the wall of the leaders of Iran or Qatar or Afghanistan.

How about the looks on the faces of the leaders of ISIS. Can't you picture them saying, "Israel's leader gets the attention of the world by addressing a joint session of Congress...we have to set fire to prisoners in cages to get anyone's attention!"

And that vibe. Bibi gave off the vibe that he alone holds the key to saving the world. And just maybe...he does.

Now to the substance of Bibi's speech. Bibi walked onto the biggest stage in America and embarrassed Obama. He schooled him. He took him to the woodshed. And here's the masterful part- he killed him with kindness! Bibi pulled off a speech ripping America's president to shreds, in front of the political leadership of America...in front of Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi...in front of the American people...and he did like only a master of communication, chutzpah and salesmanship could- by first praising him. By thanking Obama. By showering him with compliments. Then he proceeded to strip him naked and pummel him into submission.

What was the main takeaway of the speech? That you can't reward bad behavior. That you must punish bad behavior. That you can't agree to deals with tyrants, terrorists, liars, thieves and murderers whose word cannot be trusted.

That the only deal worth doing punishes Iran and takes away their nuclear capabilities until they change their behavior...until they stop supporting and funding terrorism...until they stop vowing to annihilate their neighbor Israel and kill all the Jewish people...until they check their aggressive support of militant, radical Islam all over the world. That to allow any nuclear capability for a militant Muslim nation is suicide for the entire world.

Do you understand the chutzpah of Bibi. The leader of tiny Israel was giving Obama lessons in negotiation. This was more entertaining to conservatives like me than watching "American Sniper." I asked my family to pass the popcorn.

Bibi made three great points that emasculated Obama:

#1) The art of negotiating. Bibi compared negotiating with Iran to negotiating at a Persian bazaar. Hilarious, and so true. "If they threaten to walk away, let them." Bibi said. "Because they'll be back." It takes an Israeli to understand the human nature of Persians. That threat of walking away is just part of a negotiation. Bibi understands that.

Can Obama be that stupid? Bibi sure made him seem that stupid. But I know Bibi knows what I know. He just can't say it in public. Obama is not stupid. He knows exactly what he's doing. He's not on Israel's side. So Bibi had to play a masterful game of chess with Obama. So he painted him as naïve and stupid. He embarrassed him in front of the world. He made it clear the deal Obama has negotiated is Neville Chamberlain all over again. It's a repeat of the worst deal ever agreed to- Chamberlain's deal with Hitler.

#2) Secondly, Bibi made it clear that Iran is not a normal country. It shouldn't be treated like a normal country. It is a militant Islamic country. Obama can't even use those words. He thinks "Islamic" is some kind of compliment. Remember we're dealing with a man who claims Islam was a founding religion of America. Bibi understands who he is dealing with.

Bibi pointed out that Iran is a rogue terrorist state no different than ISIS. Iran is the enemy of ISIS, so Bibi had to make a very interesting point. Iran and ISIS are the same people. They want the same thing. They say it. They tweet it. Iran wrote it in their constitution. They are dedicated to killing, conquering, converting and enslavng first the entire region, then the world. Iran is only fighting ISIS to determine who gets to do it in the name of Allah. Bibi then drove the nail home, "The enemy of your enemy...is your enemy." Great line! I hope Obama was wearing a cup. If not, he may be down for a while.

#3) Thirdly, Bibi made a simple clear point that the American people can understand. Forget intellectual arguments. Forget the fancy words of lawyers and Ivy Leaguers like Obama, meant to obscure, confuse, distract and deceive the people.

Bibi spoke from the heart. He painted a picture of militant radical Muslims like ISIS and how they act- they cut off heads...they torture...they throw gays off buildings...they parade prisoners in cages...they set people on fire...they kill women and children...even babies are cut in half and mutilated at the hands of militant radical Muslims.

And Obama wants to allow them to possess NUCLEAR WEAPONS? And he thinks that's okay? He thinks they'll change? He thinks they'll stop being angry and aggressive with a nuclear weapon now in their hands?

No wonder Obama didn't show up at the speech. At this point the whole world could see our emperor has no clothes.

No one watching can forget Bibi's lesson: No militant Islamic state can ever be allowed to possess nuclear weapons...or they will certainly use them. No one in the world will be ever again sleep soundly. No one's children will ever again be safe. Bibi made it clear Obama's deal with Iran allows them to possess nuclear weapons. It's only a matter of when. That cannot be allowed to pass.

I think I could hear Obama and Valerie Jarrett screaming at the TV set inside the White House "war room." Bibi embarrassed them. Thrashed them. Emasculated them. By the way, not only is it clear Obama does not like Israel...that Obama is a Muslim sympathizer...that Obama is trying to weaken Israel and put her people in danger...but the ruler of Obama's White House is Valerie Jarrett. Where was Valerie born? Iran.

Obama's actions and negotiations are no mistake...fluke...coincidence...not done out of naivete. Bibi knows that as well as I do. So he had to deconstruct this president and his Iranian-born svengali in a nice way...in front of the Congress...in Obama's own house.

Bibi had to kill Obama with kindness. He could not win over the American people by ripping our president in our own home stadium. So he never once named Obama as the bad guy. He never once blamed Obama for a bad deal, or bad negotiations. He never said out loud "Your president is trying to hurt Israel." But he didn't have to. We all know.

Bravo Bibi. You just showed us all what a real leader looks like - someone who stands up to evil, instead of negotiating and compromising in the face of another Hitler. Bibi made his point subtly...as subtly as a jackhammer and blowtorch. Congrats Bibi, you made a lot of smart Americans wish you were our president instead of Obama.

And the bonus is...we all got a 2 for the price of 1. Bibi's speech destroyed both Iran and Obama. A 2 for 1 sale on the floor of the U.S. Congress? It's kind of like a Persian bazaar.

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Barack or Bibi: Who is really Chicken S**t?

Will the Real Chicken Shit Leader Acknowledge Himself from the art studios of A.F. (Tony) Brano at Legal Insurrection.com

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Our political class: 114th Congress

Our Political Class: 114th Congress from the Warning Signs by Alan Caruba at Facts-not-Fantasy

Boehner Listenes to Obama Tell More Lies

I have a theory that ties in with John Boehner’s third election as Speaker of the House on Tuesday.

Could it be that the newly elected congressmen and women are greeted by one of the members who has been there long enough to be the chairperson of one of the many committees of the House and quickly informed that they now belong to a very exclusive group in which they can, with relative safety, ignore the voters who just elected them?

In the House there were 58 freshman members and in the Senate, there were 13, some of whom were formerly members of the House. In total, the opening session of Congress welcomed 246 Republicans and 188 Democrats.

Those contesting for the job of Speaker in addition to Boehner were Reps. Ted Yoho and Daniel Webster of Florida and Louie Gohmert of Texas. The Democrats nominated Rep. Nancy Pelosi. Four Democrats did not vote for her. Meanwhile Webster received 12 votes, Gohmert earned three, and Yoho won two. Of the 408 votes cast, Boehner won 216.

My other theory is that enough members of the House had concluded that Boehner had done as good a job as possible under the circumstances and saw no reason to turn the job of Speaker over to someone who might rock the boat. His opposition came mostly from the strongly conservative bloc in the House.

What we likely have in the 114th Congress is a very pragmatic leadership who are not likely to do anything dramatic regarding immigration, energy, or any of the other issues about which conservatives want action. In both the House and the Senate, they know what they are up against. They will put forward legislation, but all it will do is demonstrate what we already know about Obama.

In his first speech on the floor of the Senate, Mitch McConnell (KY-R), the Majority Leader, said “Bipartisan compromise may not come easily for the President. The President’s supporters are pressing for militancy these days, not compromise.” Those supporters are the Far Left. I doubt that he or John Boehner met with the President that much over the past six years.

The Founding Fathers created a republic in which the business of legislating was intended to move slowly, subject to debate and the need for compromise. Obama has made it clear he has no intention to work with Congress, especially now that it is controlled by the GOP. So gridlock will continue and conservatives will stay angry.

Regarding my theory that our political class doesn’t really worry that much about what the voters want, do you recall the omnibus budget that was passed in the last hours of the previous Congress? That was 2,000-plus pages crammed full of things we are not likely to ever learn about until well after the money is spent. Does that suggest that the members of Congress think it wiser to keep us in the dark? Yes.

Think of it another way, Over the course of the last six years with Obama as President, the House passed some fifty resolutions calling for the repeal of ObamaCare. Were we supposed to take that seriously? Are we going to see legislation repealing, for instance, Obamacare’s medical device tax? Maybe. I will be very interested to see any legislation aimed at undermining ObamaCare because I believe the 114th Congress would prefer to wait for the courts to do that for them.

Know the Warning Signs

Boehner knew early on that Obama was a President who had little regard for Congress or, for that matter, the Constitution.

Despite a major rejection of the Democratic Party and Obama’s policies in the 2013 midterm elections, Obama has been acting as if the Party won those elections and they had confirmed his agenda. He has let it be known he has no intention of negotiating, preferring to use his veto power, unilateral executive orders, and to get what he wants via various federal agency regulations.

One of the most important functions of the 114th Congress will be oversight of departments and agencies. Has anyone heard from the Justice Department’s Lois Lerner lately? Any word about the Benghazi tragedy?

Little wonder that, after being elected to his third term as Speaker, Boehner said “All I ask is that we disagree without being disagreeable.” There are 435 members in the House of Representatives and Boehner is responsible primarily for its Republican members. If there are Democrats who are willing to cross the aisle, he will welcome their votes. As in the Senate, they will be needed on occasion.

Regarding the passage of legislation, Boehner said “It’s the real work. It’s a grind. The battle of ideas never ends and frankly never should. We Americans never quit,” adding “Let’s once and for all prove the skeptics wrong.”

It is worth keeping in mind, as Karl Rove reminded us in a Jan 7 commentary, "Every Republican senator and virtually every congressman challenged as insufficiently conservative won their primaries." The voters have spoken.

As unhappy as many conservatives are with Boehner and those they call RINOs (Republicans in Name Only), Boehner did not sound like a man expressing great joy at having been reelected to what appears to be a very difficult job. That this is his third term suggests that his colleagues in the House have a measure of respect for him that his critics do not.

The House and Senate used to be exclusively an old white man’s club. Now the Speaker and the Senate Majority Leader are looking at an extraordinarily diverse membership.

The same day Boehner was reelected Speaker the Congressional Black Caucus hosted a swearing-in ceremony to welcome new and returning members of the House and Senate. There were 46 of them.

Rep. Mia Love (R-Utah) will make history as the first black Republican woman in Congress. She and the others represent the largest Black Republican class in Congress since the Reconstruction era. Makes you wonder what those blacks rioting in the streets are so angry about? More than 125 blacks have been elected to Congress over the past forty years, including of course, Barack Obama.

The 114th Congress has been hailed by The Hill as the “Most diverse Congress in history to take power.” There are a record number of female lawmakers at 104, alongside 420 men. Hispanic lawmakers will number 33 with 30 in the House and Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) in the Senate. There are 12 Asian-Americans and Oklahoma has contributed two Native-Americans.

The Hill reports that “A vast majority of lawmakers identify as Christian, either Protestant or Catholic, along with 16 Mormons.” There are 28 Jews, two Buddhists, two Muslims, and one Hindu.

Think you’d like to have John Boehner’s job or Mitch McConnell’s? To all that diversity add political points of view that range from Far Left to Far Right.

Let me return to my original theory. In the House, though they must face election every two years, I suspect they quickly conclude that there is no satisfying the voters so they might as well vote as they wish. In the Senate where they face election every six years, that goes double or triple.

These are professional politicians. Of the new Congress, ten have been governors, 32 were mayors, and 251 served in state legislatures. It’s a job they have chosen and, frankly, I am glad it is them, not me.

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Leftist evaluate Congress with widget method

Why the Widget Method of Evaluating Congress Is a Leftist Plot from the files of Michael Shannon at Newsmax.com

Stay Ahead of the News with the Shannon Files

Conservatives don’t want Congress to do more to control control our lives, they want Congress to govern and that’s a big difference. In the country’s current state a Congress that governed wisely would be analyzing previously passed laws and repealing the counter–productive, the wasteful and the unnecessary.

So why do many conservatives, and worse conservative media outlets, use a measure designed by the Left to evaluate the productivity of Congress?

It's time to change how we evaluate Congress.

Complete details at (incidentally, ignore the Newsmax headline, it has almost nothing to do with the column)

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Should the GOP compromise on anything?

Should the GOP compromise on anything? from the political art studios of A.F. (Tony) Branco and featured at Comically Incorrect.com

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Mr. Speaker: Is this a fork in the road?

Mr. Speaker: We've come to a fork in the road from the art studios of A.F. (Tony) Branco and featured at the Net Right Daily

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Just how lame is this lame duck?

Just How Lame is this Lame Duck? from the political art studios of Dan Youra at Utoons.com

Get Your Daily Dose of Humor fron Dan Youra at Utoons.com

Dan Youra is one of the outstanding conservative cartoonists in the trade today who follows in the footsteps of the great political cartoon masters, whose quotes inspire a new generation of followers.

"Outside of basic intelligence, there is nothing more important to a good political cartoonist than ill will." ~ Jules Feiffer, Pulitzer Prize winning cartoonist.

"Too many of today's artists regard editorial cartooning as a trade instead of a profession. They try not to be too offensive. The hell with that. We need more stirrer-uppers." ~ Bill Mauldin.

Youra was one of the first recipients of a Fulbright Scholarship and worked in Latin America. He served as an editor of Current Thought on Peace and War at the United Nations in New York.

"As long as there are politicians who continue to try and fool the voters, there is no chance of ever running out of material to work with because they create it themselves and about themselves," says Dan Youra.

Dan is the small business owner and operator of the Youra Studios located in the State of Washington.

Visit the Youra Studios at Utoons.com

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Obama: Kicks oil and gas while its down

Obama Administration kicks the oil-and-gas industry while it is down by Marita K. Noon and featured at Breibart.com

Marita Noon at Energy Makes America Great

For the past six years, the oil and gas industry has served as a savior to the Obama presidency by providing the near-lone bright spot in economic growth. Increased U.S. oil-and-gas production has created millions of well-paying jobs and given us a new energy security.

The president often peppers his speeches with braggadocio talk about our abundant supplies and decreased dependence on foreign oil.

So now that the economic powerhouse faces hard times, how does the Administration show its appreciation for the oil-and-gas industry boon to the economy over the past six years?

By introducing a series of regulations—at least nine in total, according to the Wall Street journal (WSJ)—that will put the brakes on the US energy boom through higher operating costs and fewer incentives to drill on public lands.

WSJ states: “Mr. Obama and his environmental backers say new regulations are needed to address the impacts of the surge in oil and gas drilling.”

U.S. oil production, according to the Financial Times:

“caught Saudi Arabia by surprise.”

The kingdom sees that US shale and Canadian oil-sand development “encroached on OPEC’s market share” and has responded with a challenge to high-cost sources of production by upping its output—adding to the global oil glut and, therefore, dropping prices.

Most oil-market watchers expect temporary low-priced oil, with prediction of an increase in the second half of 2015, and some saying 2016. North Dakota Petroleum Council President Ron Ness believes “We’re in an energy war.”

He sees “the price slump could last 16 months or even one to two years as U.S. supply stays strong, global demand remains weak and OPEC continues to challenge U.S. production.”

However, Ibrahim al-Assaf, Saudi Arabia’s finance minister, recently said:

“We have the ability to endure low oil prices over the medium term of up to five years, even if it means delving into fiscal reserves to cover a large deficit.”

While no one knows how long the low-price scenario will last—geopolitical risk is still a factor.

Many oil companies are already re-evaluating exploration, reining in costs, and cutting jobs and/or wages. “In the low price circumstance like today,” Jean-Marie Guillermou, the Asian head of the French oil giant Total, explained:

“you do the strict minimum required.”

In December, the WSJ reported:

“Some North American companies have said they plan to cut their capital spending next year and dial back on exploring for new oil.”

It quotes Tim Dove, President and COO for Pioneer Natural Resources Co.:

“We are seeking cost reductions from all our suppliers.”

Last month, Enbridge Energy Partners said:

“it has laid off some workers in the Houston area”—which the Houston Chronicle (HC) on December 12 called: “the latest in a string of energy companies to announce cutbacks.”

The HC continued:

“Other key energy companies have also announced layoffs in recent days as oil tumbles to its lowest price in years. Halliburton on Thursday said it would slash 1,000 jobs in the Eastern Hemisphere as part of a $75 million restructuring. BP on Wednesday revealed plans to accelerate job cuts and pare back its oil production business amid crumbling oil prices.”

Halliburton said:

“we believe these job eliminations are necessary in order to work through this market environment.”

Civeo, a lodging and workforce accommodation company for the oil-and-gas industry has cut 30 percent of its Canadian workforce and 45 percent of its U.S. workforce. President and CEO Bradley Dodson said:

“As it became evident during the fourth quarter that capital spending budgets among the major oil companies were going to be cut, we began taking steps to reduce marketed room capacity, control costs and curtail discretionary capital expenditures.”

I have warned the industry that while they have remained relatively unscathed by harsh regulations—such as those placed on electricity generation—their time would come. Now, it has arrived. The WSJ concurs:

“In its first six years, the administration released very few regulations directly affecting the oil-and-gas industry and instead rolled out several significant rules aimed at cutting air pollution from the coal and electric-utility sectors.”

According to the WSJ:

“Some of the rules have been in the works for months or even years.”

But that doesn’t mean the administration should introduce them now when the industry is already down—after all, the administration delayed Obamacare mandates due to the negative impact on jobs and the economy.

Greg Guidry, executive vice president at Shell, recently said that he doesn’t want the EPA to “impose unnecessary costs and burden on an industry challenged now by a sustained low-price environment.”

Different from Obama, Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper gets it. Under pressure from the environmental lobby to increase regulations on the oil-and-gas industry, he, during a question session on the floor of the House of Commons in December, said:

“Under the current circumstances of the oil and gas sector, it would be crazy—it would be crazy economic policy—to do unilateral penalties on that sector.”

He added:

“We are not going to kill jobs and we are not going to impose a carbon tax.”

Introducing the new rules now kick the industry while it is down and shows that President Obama either doesn’t get it, or he cares more about burnishing his environmental legacy than he does about American jobs and economic growth.

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The author of Energy Freedom, Marita Noon serves as the executive director for Energy Makes America Great Inc. and the companion educational organization, the Citizens’ Alliance for Responsible Energy (CARE). She hosts a weekly radio program: America’s Voice for Energy - which expands on the content of her weekly column.

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Ringside Politics 2014 - 'Turkey of the Year'

Ringside's 2014 Turkey of the Year: John Boehner from the file of Jeff Crouere

Speaker of the House, Honorable John Boehner

Each year during the Thanksgiving season, Americans enjoy turkey as the main course in cherished family dinner traditions. However, at Ringside Politics, we evaluate political or media “turkeys” who have been nominated for our annual award.

As usual, we had plenty of nominees to consider for the 2014 “Turkey of the Year Award.” Unlike most honors our award is not coveted, for the honoree should hold his or her head in shame. The winner is someone who engaged in especially dumb behavior, befitting of the pea brained fowl we carve up each year at the holiday dinner table.

Past winners have included political “turkeys” like former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin and former New Orleans Congressman Bill Jefferson, who both sit in federal prison today; filmmaker Michael Moore, who continually embarrasses himself; and former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, whose idiotic statements could be cataloged into several volumes.

At Ringside Politics, our awards are bestowed in a bi-partisan manner, so, this year, it is especially appropriate that we give the “Turkey of the Year Award” to a Republican, Speaker of the House John Boehner.

When Mr. Boehner is not crying during an interview, tanning at the salon, or playing golf with Barack Obama, he is “leading” congressional Republicans. He is the most powerful Republican in the country today, as he is third in line to the presidency, but he does not exude confidence or leadership ability. He is a dyed in the wool member of the establishment, so he holds the Tea Party in low regard.

Sadly, the Speaker is bereft of courage, principles and political instincts. Despite the overwhelming Republican victory on November 4 and the President’s unconstitutional executive amnesty order, Speaker Boehner abdicated his authority and left for Thanksgiving vacation.

While the President is running roughshod over a Congress that has been called “inert” by constitutional professor Jonathan Turley, Boehner refuses to act decisively. For example, it took almost two years for a special house committee to be established to investigate the Benghazi attack.

When Attorney General Eric Holder refused to provide Congress the needed documents on the Fast and Furious investigation and former IRS official Lois Lerner refused to cooperate on the charges her agency harassed Tea Party groups, both were held in Contempt of Congress. Unfortunately, nothing else has happened to either transgressor.

In the most recent outrage, President Obama creatively expanded executive power to grant amnesty to 5 million illegal immigrants. In response, Boehner did nothing, which is how he responds whenever the President violates the constitution.

He has moved to the left by signing a climate change agreement limiting our carbon emissions, appointing a very liberal Attorney General, and offering a bold plan to increase government oversight of the Internet. All of these initiatives are threats to this country and they should be met with a confident and clear response as Republican leaders should explore all political and legal remedies.

Since losing the mid-term election, the President has become emboldened, acting aggressively on a range of issues. He is not compromising; he is pursuing his agenda, regardless of Congress.

The Republicans just won the mid-term elections, but they are acting like the losers while the President, the big loser, is acting like the winner. Boehner is advising caution, while Obama is swinging for the fences. Republicans won the mid-term because Americans wanted the GOP to stop the Obama agenda, but, to stop it; Boehner needs to show courageous leadership.

Unfortunately, while he is reluctant to tangle with the President or illegal immigration activists, Boehner is more than willing to fight the grassroots conservatives in his own party. Maybe conservatives looking for a champion can find one in the 2016 presidential line-up of candidates, but they do not have one as House Speaker or incoming Senate Majority Leader for that matter.

Conservatives flocked to the polls in the mid-term election to restore Republicans to leadership positions in the U.S. Senate and retain control of the House, but to what avail? If the GOP in Congress will not stand up to Obama, what good is having the leadership positions?

Some in Congress have called for impeachment, lawsuits or defunding all of the activities associated with the executive amnesty. The least attractive option is to do nothing, but that has been the congressional response to date. Boehner says that the House “will act” and that Obama is “damaging the presidency,” but such rhetoric is just empty words if it is backed up by no response.

In the mid-term races, many Republican candidates campaigned on the illegal immigration issue, claiming they would stop amnesty. Now, efforts to eliminate funding for executive amnesty are being opposed by House GOP leaders who claim they do not have the power to deny funding. Baloney, according to U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL), who asserts that Congress “has the power” to remove such funding and that “it can be done.”

Maybe Boehner and the GOP establishment are worried about a government shutdown or too afraid of their big business donors who demand cheap labor. Maybe they are scared of Hispanic leaders who will cry racism if Republicans advocate following the existing law, building the border fence and prosecuting businesses that knowingly hire illegal labor. Who knows the exact fears, but while the GOP is frozen with inaction, the President will move forward with the next radical item on his agenda, oppressive environmental regulations for example.

This inaction could split the tenuous Republican coalition that assembled for the mid-term elections. Without action on key issues such as executive amnesty, Tea Party conservatives may start to bolt from the GOP.

At the current time, bold action is required from the Republican Party, but Americans should expect little to nothing since the GOP is saddled with John Boehner at the helm.

Thus far he has proven to be a perfect “Turkey of the Year” but not much of a Speaker of the House.

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Jeff Crouere is a native of New Orleans, LA and he is the host of a Louisiana based program, “Ringside Politics,” which airs at 7:30 p.m. Friday and 10:00 p.m. Sunday on WLAE-TV 32, a PBS station, and 7 till 11 a.m. weekdays on WGSO 990 AM in New Orleans and the Northshore.

For more information, visit his web site at www.ringsidepolitics.com or email him at jeff@ringsidepolitics.com.

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Electorate expects GOP to ride the wave

The voters expect that the GOP will ride the election wave and get the right things done from the political art studio of Dan Youra at Utoons.com

Get Your Daily Dose of Humor from Dan Youra at Utoons.com

Dan Youra is one of the outstanding conservative cartoonists in the trade today who follows in the footsteps of the great political cartoon masters, whose quotes inspire a new generation of followers.

"Outside of basic intelligence, there is nothing more important to a good political cartoonist than ill will." ~ Jules Feiffer, Pulitzer Prize winning cartoonist.

"Too many of today's artists regard editorial cartooning as a trade instead of a profession. They try not to be too offensive. The hell with that. We need more stirrer-uppers." ~ Bill Mauldin.

Youra was one of the first recipients of a Fulbright Scholarship and worked in Latin America. He served as an editor of Current Thought on Peace and War at the United Nations in New York.

"As long as there are politicians who continue to try and fool the voters, there is no chance of ever running out of material to work with because they create it themselves and about themselves," says Dan Youra.

Dan is the small business owner and operator of the Youra Studios located in the State of Washington.

Visit the Youra Studios at Utoons.com.

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President Obama is playing with matches

Obama is Playing with Matches from the files of Jeff Crouere at Ringside Politics.com

Click on This Link to Visit Jeff Crouere at Ringside Politics.com

The mid-term election should have been a resounding wake-up call to President Obama to change from his liberal agenda and start working with an emboldened Republican Party. On Tuesday, the GOP took over control of the U.S. Senate, expanded its majority in the House and gained governorships in such blue states as Maryland and Illinois.

The voters delivered a clear repudiation of the Obama presidency and his quest to remake America. Amazingly, the tone deaf President did not admit his role in the Democratic Party defeats. At a Wednesday news conference, the President refused to acknowledge the message from the voters and continued to admit that executive amnesty was on the horizon for millions of illegal immigrants.

The President is continuing on a path that will bring chaos and ruin to this country. House Speaker John Boehner cautioned the President against executive amnesty and said that President should not “play with matches.” If he does grant amnesty and ignores the electorate, Boehner believes that Obama will “burn himself.”

In Boehner’s view, if Obama grants amnesty, he will be acting “unilaterally” and exceeding “his authority.” How should Congress react to such a provocation? It can defund the presidential action or launch impeachment proceedings. At the very least, the GOP leadership should stop acting like Republicans and actually fight back against President Obama.

On the issue of immigration, Republicans have been fearful of Hispanic groups and being labeled racist by the media. They have listened to their big donors in the business community who have championed the “cheap labor” of illegal immigrants. All the while, the majority of Americans have been calling for an end to this influx of illegal aliens and the securing of our borders.

In Tuesday’s stunning vote, the American electorate repudiated Obama’s immigration policies and called for Republicans to stand firm against him, not compromise. Nevertheless, the President will not listen to the voters and will continue to pursue his unpopular policies at any cost. Once he grants executive amnesty, it will be a “slap in the face” to all legal citizens, especially Hispanic Americans who entered this country legally.

The Republican Congress needs to act swiftly once the President imposes amnesty. Along with defunding his plans, the Congress should commit to finishing a border fence, increasing the border patrol and prosecuting businesses who knowingly hire illegal workers.

Sadly, too many Republicans want to work with the President on “comprehensive immigration reform.” Last year, the Senate passed an immigration bill that called for a pathway to citizenship, but, fortunately, the House refused to pass it. While some Republicans want to revisit this issue, the reality is that a secure border will make a comprehensive bill unnecessary and the problem will gradually dissipate.

Unfortunately, the problem is growing today because the border is not secure. This summer, thousands of illegal youngsters from Central America flooded into our country burdening public school systems in dozens of states.

We have a bad situation that the President is going to make worse with executive amnesty. In defying the American people, he is acting like a child and, as noted by Boehner, playing with matches on this issue. While he may believe that executive amnesty will be good for the Democratic Party, it will cause more economic and cultural strain in the country, and create a “constitutional crisis” according to U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX).

The showdown is coming and Republicans have to prepare their response. An immense battle is brewing that will have major consequences for our country. Hopefully, the Republicans will listen to the people and not to special interests. It would be a refreshing change that will benefit their party and, most importantly, their country.

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Jeff Crouere is a native of New Orleans, LA and he is the host of a Louisiana based program, “Ringside Politics,” which airs at 7:30 p.m. Friday and 10:00 p.m. Sunday on WLAE-TV 32, a PBS station, and 7 till 11 a.m. weekdays on WGSO 990 AM in New Orleans and the Northshore.

For more information, visit his web site at www.ringsidepolitics.com or email Jeff at jeff@ringsidepolitics.com.

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Caution: Entering a lame duck session

Warning: Lame Duck Ahead by Judson Phillips, Founder of The Tea Party Nation

Meet Judson Phillips

Congress returns to Washington for a lame duck session in the next few days. The American public has sent a message but will Republicans listen?

The message is simple. The American people want Republicans not Democrats running the nation’s affairs.

But in the lame duck session, Harry Reid and the Democrats will still be in charge of the Senate. So what is the GOP to do?

From Fox News:

The aptly named lame duck session of Congress will be short this year --- probably about a month.

"I don’t think the lame duck session is going to last long," said Darrell West of the Brookings Institution, a Washington, D.C. think tank. "There will be a lot of members who just want to get out of Dodge. This has been an unhappy election, especially for Democrats."

Sen. Jerry Moran. R-Kan., leader of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said many issues should be left to the new Congress,which begins January 3rd. But, he added, the year-end session will do what it must.

Moran said the lame duck Congress will do the "things that are necessary to operate the government -certainly the appropriations bill is one that will be front and center."

And providing the necessary money to combat Ebola. Many also believe there's support to make sure defense is properly funded while the U.S. is trying to stop radical Islamists from marauding through the Middle East.

The lame duck session is necessary to keep the government running, but what is done with the lame duck session is the Republican’s choice.

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Tag team results from mid-term elections

A tag team of Republicans emerges from the mid-term elections from the art studios of Dan Youra at Utoons.com

Get a Days Worth of Humor from Dan Youra at Utoons.com

Dan Youra is one of the outstanding conservative cartoonists in the trade today who follows in the footsteps of the great political cartoon masters, whose quotes inspire a new generation of followers.

"Outside of basic intelligence, there is nothing more important to a good political cartoonist than ill will." ~ Jules Feiffer, Pulitzer Prize winning cartoonist.

"Too many of today's artists regard editorial cartooning as a trade instead of a profession. They try not to be too offensive. The hell with that. We need more stirrer-uppers." ~ Bill Mauldin.

Youra was one of the first recipients of a Fulbright Scholarship and worked in Latin America. He served as an editor of Current Thought on Peace and War at the United Nations in New York.

"As long as there are politicians who continue to try and fool the voters, there is no chance of ever running out of material to work with because they create it themselves and about themselves," says Dan Youra.

Dan is the small business owner and operator of the Youra Studios located in the State of Washington.

Visit the Youra Studios at Utoons.com.

________________________________________________________

Click Here - Become a Truth Serum Partner Now

Hold their feet to the fire

We Won: We Must Hold Their Feet to the Fire from the files of Lloyd Marcus at The Conservative Campaign Committee

Read the Marcus Files Online

My lovely wife and I shared a victory toast and a kiss in front of the fireplace in the lobby of the hotel that we are staying in Colorado, upon the announcement that the GOP won the Senate.

Our Conservative Campaign Committee team has been here for weeks working to elect Cory Gardner for U.S. Senate. Gardner won!

Folks, please do not get me wrong: I am elated that the GOP has won control of the Senate. Despite their faults, the GOP is closest to our principles and values. Also, we desperately needed to dethrone evil madmen Harry Reid as Senate Majority Leader.

However, I must confess that it was annoying to watch Karl Rove on TV pounding his chest in victory about how he and his group pushed the Tea Party nut candidates out of the race. Rove had the nerve to say he and his people wanted the best electable conservative candidates. That simply is not true.

Chris McDaniel, to name one, in Mississippi was an awesome extremely electable Tea Party conservative who was pushed out of the race with GOP dirty tricks which included race-baiting. Yes, you heard me correctly.

The GOP establishment machine engaged in the Democrat-gutter, tried and true, despicable tactic of race-baiting to screw McDaniel. I know. I know. You're saying, C'mon, Lloyd, that's in the past. We won. Celebrate and get over it. Sorry, folks. I expect better from our side.

Rove and his deep-pocketed homey’s strategy of the GOP keeping a low profile and letting Obama hang himself worked okay. Unfortunately, exit polling revealed that the GOP is still viewed unfavorably by a majority of voters.

Given the horrors and scandals of the Obama regime, the Republican wave should have been a tsunami. What if the GOP had offered an agenda inspiring people to vote FOR them rather than AGAINST Obama? What if the GOP boldly articulated why conservatism is the best and most direct path for each and every American to achieve their American dream?

Two remarkable things happen this election that strongly suggest that blacks are open to hearing what Conservatism has to offer over Liberalism. A video of urban blacks in Chicago trashing Obama and the Democrats went viral.

My lifelong Democrat 86 year old black dad called from Maryland to tell me that he did not like any of the candidates, but voted Republican. Folks, that is huge. Dad has always believed that a vote for a Republican is a vote for the KKK. So something is up.

Republicans now control the House and the Senate. Praise God! Now what? Word on the political street is the GOP plans to give the Tea Party the finger.

Patriots, we must be more mobilized and engaged than ever. We must do everything in our power to push the GOP into doing what we worked our butts off for them to do: Stop Obama's Agenda!

D.C. insiders say that the GOP strategy is not to push back too soon or too hard against Obama's agenda as not to be called arrogant, aggressive and mean by the MSM. The game plan is to play nice with Obama as not to hinder our chances of winning the White House in 2016.

These D.C. insiders also say repealing Obamacare is impossible and the best that we in the Tea Party can hope for is for the GOP to fix it. Mitt Romney said upon the GOP winning the Senate an immigration bill would be top priority. You see where this is headed folks? The GOP plans to go swishy on us and implement a Democrat-lite agenda.

We can not and will not allow them to get away with it. I am proposing that the united forces of the Tea Party launch “Operation Hold Their Feet to the Fire”. Every individual, group and organization must use their gifts, talents, skills and passion to force the GOP to do the right thing.

Folks, we have brilliant minds on our side. I have met many of you traveling on over a dozen national bus tours, attending over 400 tea party rallies. I challenge you to think of strategic ways to turn the GOP's agenda to our agenda; repeal Obamacare, secure our borders, fiscal responsibility, restoring our freedom and liberty and turn us back to one nation under God.

Ronald Reagan: “There is no limit to the amount of good you can do if you don't care who gets the credit.” Patriots, I am calling for an all hands on deck drill to save our country by holding the Republicans' feet to the fire. Frankly, I do not care which Tea Party group, organization or individual that leads the charge. Let's just get it done!

Everyone pulling together is how we (Conservatives) won big in 2010, shocking Washington D.C., despite being ignored by the MSM.

As I said, we are in Colorado, too busy campaigning to enjoy the world renowned hot springs. In celebration of the Republican wave, America's push back against socialism, we can relax a bit. Mary and I plan to enjoy a few relaxing therapeutic soaks in the sulfur smelling hot springs.

Then, we will be ready to pack our bags and hit the road on a “Hold Their Feet to the Fire Tour”. I have even written a soon to be released theme song.

I thank God for our victory. But, there is still much more work to be done; miles to go before we sleep.

Congrats patriots, taking the U.S. Senate is a major step in the right direction.

I don't know why, but I feel compelled to end with this video of Kate Smith singing “God Bless America.”

Lloyd Marcus, The Unhyphenated American
Chairman, Conservative Campaign Committee

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A Republican Agenda

A Republican Agenda submitted for publication from Stand Up America U.S.

Visit Stand Up America U.S. with Major General Paul E. Vallely

Stop Amnesty Now. President Obama wants to pursue executive amnesty. We all know it. He knows it; his cabinet knows it; the media know it. The Republicans should pass a one-page bill defunding any agency of government that refuses to implement federal immigration law or that facilitates such refusal. The executive branch does not have the cash to implement amnesty – unless Congress gives it to President Obama.

Border Security. Republicans should immediately pass a bill securing the southern border, with funds available to complete the fence. Those funds should, if possible, be given to border state governors for implementation should those governors apply for grants. Furthermore, Republicans should fully fund all immigration agents so that the great lie that government cannot keep track of those illegally in the country can be put to bed once and for all: if the IRS can keep track of hundreds of millions of Americans, surely the feds can keep track of 10 million illegal immigrants.

Piecemeal Funding Of The Government. Republicans are already talking about passing a full budget. They shouldn’t. The budget process is a joke, created purely for the purpose of lard-slathered legislation. Instead, Republicans should individually fund each portion of the government, and force Obama to veto every one of those bills. Let him go on record as opposing funding for the Defense Department, the Centers for Disease Control, and the like, all in order to preserve his precious Obamacare. It will be difficult for him to argue that a government shutdown is the Republicans’ fault when he has hundreds of individual bills funding everything Americans want on his desk awaiting signature.

Repeal Obamacare. Yes, full repeal. Obama will reject it. That does not matter. The point is that the American people do not like Obamacare, and are not interested in preserving it. A full quarter of Americans said in exit polls yesterday that health care was their top voting priority. That number is likely to rise as Obamacare is implemented. Republicans pledged repeal. Now is the time for them to fulfill that pledge.

Restore Defense Department Cuts. The cuts to Defense funding under President Obama’s sequestration have been disastrous for Americans’ security. We no longer have the capacity to fight two wars simultaneously – a basic requirement of national security – and we are looking at the greatest cuts to military readiness in almost a century. Republicans should move quickly to replace Defense spending in the face of a growing threat from Islamic terrorism, Russian imperialism, and Chinese militarism.

Withdraw Funding From Certain Parts of The United Nations. The United Nations is an amoral joke, and councils like the Human Rights Council are far worse than that. Spending millions of taxpayer dollars to prop up failing dictatorships and thugocracies isn’t just wrong, it’s an insult to the men and women who work every day to stop such dictatorships – and those who die trying to fight them.

Pass Strong Sanctions on Iran. Withdraw Funding for the Palestinian Authority, Move the US Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. President Obama’s outreach to Iran has been one of the greatest catastrophes for American foreign policy in decades. Iran will go nuclear, unless the United States takes severe action against Iran. That means harsh sanctions, beginning now. That would also send Iran the signal that no matter how much President Obama hates “chickens***” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the people of the United States stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Israel. The same message would be sent by moving the embassy to Jerusalem – right now, the Obama administration refuses to even state that Jerusalem is a part of Israel – or with a move by the Congress to cut off foreign aid to the Palestinian Authority, which is working with Hamas in a genocidally anti-Jewish campaign of terror against the Jewish state.

Dismantle Common Core. Common Core is set to plague states across the country with its mishmash of standards and requirements. Federal power over education should be delegated back to the states, where it belongs. Republicans on the state level should then vote to set up grant programs that create actual teacher training standards, as in countries like Finland.

Greenlight Keystone XL. New Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has already said that this remains a top priority. President Obama should be forced to give Keystone XL an up-or-down decision as soon as possible. As Alison Lundergan Grimes found out, Americans like access to energy.

There are plenty more such legislative proposals worthy of consideration. The bottom line: if Republicans blow this opportunity to draw a contrast with the Democratic Party, they will have failed dramatically. President Obama must become the President of No in order for Americans to see Republicans as a party worth saying yes to in 2016.

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Ben Shapiro is Senior Editor-At-Large of Breitbart News and author of the new book, The People vs. Barack Obama: The Criminal Case Against The Obama Administration (Threshold Editions, June 10, 2014). He is also Editor-in-Chief of TruthRevolt.org. Follow Ben Shapiro on Twitter @benshapiro.

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