Dems are changing the rules as they go...again.

So remember the 2004 Washington State gubernatorial race? The one where Republican Dino Rossi won the original count, first recount, and second recount before a THIRD recount put Christine Gregoire into the governor's mansion?

Remember the 2000 Presidential race in Florida? The one where Al Gore lost until he found some hanging chads and fought it all the way to the US Supreme Court?

Remember this year's Florida and Michigan Democratic primaries that were discounted after going heavily for Clinton and then reinstated then after it was clear that Obama would win regardless?

Now the latest episode is in Minnesota where an incredibly biased canvassing board is overseeing a hand recount (how on earth is a hand count more accurate than a computer one?) of the Senate race between Republican Norm Coleman and Democrat Al Franken. I won't go into great detail, but suffice it to say that there have been a GREAT deal of inconsistencies in the challenged ballots. It seems that whenever the rules favor Coleman, they are discarded. But whenever a rule needs to be bent in favor of Franken, they are.

Update: A few fellow bloggers have informed me that this particular example was a typo, so I tip my hat to them. I've replaced it with a different example that was not a typo (see below).

This ballot was NOT counted for Coleman:

But this ballot WAS coutned as a vote for Coleman.

Here is a link to some more examples with links to the sources. Another good list is in the Fox News report about the same issue. For all you liberal Fox News haters, at least look at it please. It's not more biased that thte New York Times.

Bailouts and how they threaten democracy and capitalism

It is very rare that a vast majority of conservatives, liberals, indepedents, and non-politcal American citizens agree on something. So when it happens, it goes to reason that it would be an easy decision for Congress and the President to make. But with this year's political trend - bailouts - our government has decided that this is not a government by the people anymore. This trend is bound to have lasting effects on our way of life.

I find it astounding that voters (and non-voters) have spoken very loudly and clearly that both bailouts are NOT what Americans want. But Congress gave the voters the finger and pointed their condescending noses up at us by passing $700B to bail out the finance industry. I guess they think that the ignorant masses don't know as much as our wise leaders about the complicated economy. Not only is this extremely condescending, but it threatens our democracy. If our leaders won't listen to us when we have spoken very clearly against their actions, when will they listen?

Furthermore, passing the financial bailout paved the way for the auto bailout that the Senate finally had the wit to fail. Against voters' AND Congress's wishes, President Bush pulled money from the financial bailout bill (TARP) and pledged it to the auto loans. How are we to ever know how our money is going to be spent if any allocation of money can be redirected at the Presidnet's whim? Why pass bills at all? Why not just sign everything over to the treasury and let them spend it where they want?

The most dangerous part of the bailouts, however, are the intention of the government to buy stakes in the copmanies they are bailing out. AKA - a backdoor to socialism. When the financial bailout was passsed we were told that the money was going to be used to buy up toxic mortgage securities. What did they do? Buy up stakes in the banks so that the government could micromanage their companies. The atuo baiolout has a stipulation that the governemt would reserve the right to buy up large stakes in their companies for the same reason.

The mainstream media and left-wing blogosphere have declared the end of trickle-down eceonomics and capitalism altogether, and they may be right if the Democratic Congress gets their way. But if capitalism fails then it won't be because it doesn't work, it will be because beaurocracy has taken over and weeded out all efficiency, inginuity, and entrepenuerialism. That is what governement does in most cases.

Gregoire Shows Her True Colors

Merry Christmas from the beautiful Northwest where the plants are green, the water is blue, and the government is anti-religious. Governor Gregoire's office granted a permit to the Freedom From Religion Foundation to display a piece in the capitol building in Olympia next to the Christian nativity scene and Jewish menorah. Fair enough...free speech right? Well that is what Governor Gregoire's office claims, but when you actually read the placard that the FFRF posted, you realize that the governor is hiding behind free speech to make a back door attack on traditional American values:

"In this season of the WINTER SOLSTICE may reason prevail. There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural world. Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds."

Click here to see a report on the sign.

Ok, so most Americans' first impression is probably, "So what? They have the same right to express their views as the Christians and Jews." This, however, goes beyond an innocent expression of views. This is, in the exact words of the FFRF, an "attack on religion." It is not a peaceful display of faith, tradition, and values, but rather a predatory exploitation of the Christmas and Hannukuh seasons in order to disparage the vast majority of Americans who believe in God. Reading the sign does not invoke feelings of peace, love, or humanity, but rather deviciveness and hate. Do the nativity scene and menorah invoke such feelings? Of course not, and our government should not be endorsing such communications.

Our government has a duty to protect the American way of life, and this type of things does not do that. Governor Gregoire is contributing to the left-wing movement to undermine foundational American/Judeo-Christian values by not drawing a line.

I have drawn a line in the sand and refuse to be thrown around under the auspices of "free speech."