California Conservative

Yesterday, I posted something about Sen. Kerry’s idiotic statement that Sarah Palin was just another Dick Cheney. A half hour after I first read that, I finally got my laughter under control. Simply put, Sen. Kerry needs to be forced into retirement. That’s where Jeff Beatty comes in. Mr. Beatty is running against Sen. Kerry. He’s mounting a serious challenge, too. I suspect that Massachusetts voters are taking him seriously because of Mr. Beatty’s position on America’s energy independence:

Energy Plan
We must control our own destiny, our own future. The world is a volatile place and we cannot rely on foreign suppliers of energy. We must become more self reliant. With that in mind Jeff will push to bring online more sources of energy, not just for tomorrow, but for the next 20 or more years it will take to bridge the gap to advanced Hydrogen Cars and other new technologies.

Oil. We must access the oil we have by increased drilling. That includes Oil Shale, ANWR and Offshore. Strategically, we need to increase our refining capacity.

Clean Coal. This resource can carry a large part of the electrical generation needs and we must continue to use it extensively.

Natural Gas. In addition to power generation, as an interim measure, Natural Gas can be also used as fuel for our Cars. It is a resource we are rich in.

Nuclear. We must increase Nuclear Power use. Not only can we use it here but it is an outstanding potential export. Land based US Technology Nuclear Plants need to be exported to help reduce worldwide demand for oil. Nuclear Power Barges (like the Army’s Sturgis) show how we can create, sell and deploy Nuclear Power while still maintaining control of the technology. (more…)

Last night, I sent an email to Minnesota’s House GOP leadershhip asking them for their opinion on Sen. McCain’s selection of Gov. Sarah Palin to be his running mate. Here’s what House Minority Leader Marty Seifert said of Sen. McCain’s pick:

“Sarah Palin is a rock solid conservative that brings excitement to this ticket. Her plain-spoken common sense is refreshing and will help John McCain in key areas.”

-House Minority Leader Marty Seifert

Here’s House Assistant Minority Leader Laura Brod’s reaction to Sen McCain’s selection of Gov. Palin:

“Governor Pawlenty’s reform message and ability to win and govern in a state that has trended Democrat attracted the attention of Senator McCain and others looking for new leaders. That made him an excellent candidate to be John McCain’s Vice President. However, Minnesota faces a looming budget deficit, and rumblings from our friends on the other side of the aisle that they will continue their drumb beat for job-killing tax increases. We will be fortunate to have Governor Pawlenty here to protect Minnesota taxpayers and struggling employers.

Governor Palin is also a reformer who offers fresh ideas from about as far away from Washington DC as you can get. As a mom, business owner and leader, she is a great mentor for those of us in public service as well as women across the country who are trying to balance checkbooks, family time and careers. Governor Palin is an excellent choice for Republicans who are looking for a conservative leader who is ready to serve as Vice President. Similarly, Independents and Democrats appreciate that Sen McCain is willing to step outside the box. (more…)

This isn’t easy for me to say but it’s something that must be said. The Republicans who’ve signed onto the Senate’s Gang of 16 have undercut the valiant efforts of House Republicans. What’s worse is that the meager concessions they got in return won’t bring meaningful price relief at the pump. Let’s review the situation as of August 1:

Democrats in the House and Senate shut down until after the conventions, refusing to even debate drilling. In fact, Speaker Pelosi refused to allow Republican amendments to the Democrats’ non-energy energy bills.

When Pelosi the Dictator realized that Republicans weren’t going to obey her dictatorial rulings, she shut off C-SPAN’s cameras, then turned off the lights and the power to the Chamber’s microphones.

House Republicans stayed to fight the good fight. Thanks to the leadership of Mike Pence, Tom Price, Jeb Hensarling, Leader Boehner and others, Speaker Pelosi started feeling the heat. The more people heard about the Democratic majority’s tactics, the more enraged they got.

That heat got hot enough to cause Barack Obama to change his position 3 times in 4 days. Nancy Pelosi, who previously characterized the Republicans’ drilling plan as a “hoax”, suddenly became amenable to drilling, albeit in a gimmicky way.

Just when the majority Democrats started feeling the heat dialed up, in steps a group of 5 Senate Republicans to provide them with political cover. Had these Republicans increased the pressure on Democrats, it would’ve put the Democrats in a horrible position. Instead, they worried about being credited with acting in a bipartisan manner. (more…)

Until now, I’ve tried focusing on what Republicans should do to press the energy fight to Democrats. I’ve focused on deficiencies in the House Democrats’ plans. It’s time to turn our attention to the Gang of 10 disaster that Lindsey Graham, Bob Corker, Johnny Isakson, Saxby Chambliss and John Thune signed onto. A contact of mine on Capital Hill sent me an outline of the Gang of 10’s bill. Let’s go through that outline. Here’s the part that bothers me the most:

Rather than using revenues from increased oil and gas production to fund competitive research into alternative fuels as proposed by House Republicans, the Gang of Ten proposal includes what the Wall Street Journal calls “a Democratic giveaway” that is funded by $84 billion in tax increases.

Why on God’s green earth would a Republican agree to these tax increases? Graham, Corker, Isakson, Chambliss and Thune couldn’t have been thinking when they signed onto this. God help us if they were.

Here’s another disastrous portion of the bill: (more…)

According to this article, the compromise bill brought forth by the Gang of Ten has just given Sen. Obama the advantage in the energy debate. It’s true that Senate Republicans have done something stupid in compromising with desperate Democrats. That doesn’t mean that their bill tips this issue in Sen. Obama’s favor. Far from it. Here’s where the mask slips:

The $84 billion New Energy Reform Act would fund an effort, which its backers liken to the Apollo moon landing program, to transform the nation’s cars and trucks, with a goal of having 85 percent of new vehicles on the road run on nonpetroleum-based fuels within 20 years.

Consumers don’t care about whether 85 percent of the vehicles will be using “nonpetroleum-based fuels within 20 years.” They care about cheaper gas today. Something that Mr. Keating isn’t factoring in are some of the provisions in the New ERA. If Sen. Obama wants to hitch his energy wagon to this bill, then he’s itching for some trouble. Here’s one of the provisions that won’t be popular:

Responsible, Targeted Domestic Energy Production
To help meet our energy needs until our economy transitions to advanced alternative fuel vehicles, the New Era bill increases domestic energy production in environmentally responsible ways. The legislation:
• Provides a CO2 sequestration credit for use in enhanced oil recovery to increase production from existing oil wells while reducing greenhouse gas emissions;

TRANSLATION: New ERA imposes a cap and trade provision.

Let’s remember that the cap and trade bill couldn’t make it on its own. In fact, it collapsed because the American people hated the idea of a job-killing tax increase. Democrats refuse to let that die so they insisted that Cap and Trade be included in this ‘compromise bill.’ The 5 Republicans in the Gang of Ten should be ashamed of themselves for agreeing to this provision.

Here’s another provision that’s sure to make people angry: (more…)

In May, Sen. Obama said that he’d debate John McCain about foreign policy “anytime, any place”. Now he’s decided that he won’t debate John McCain regardless of time or place. When Sen. Obama was shooting his mouth off, here’s what he said:

Today, Obama responded with anger and forcefulness, while criticizing Bush’s “failed” policies abroad and hammering McCain for supporting them. “They’re trying to fool you. They’re trying to scare you. And they’re not telling the truth. And the reason is they can’t win a foreign policy debate on the merits, but it’s not gonna work. It’s not gonna work this time and it’s not gonna work this year,” Obama told voters in Watertown, South Dakota. “If George Bush and John McCain want a debate about protecting the United States of America, that’s a debate I’m happy to have, anytime, any place, and that is a debate that I will win, because George Bush and John McCain have a lot to answer for,” he said.

Sen. Obama’s tone in that quote is that of supreme confidence. Notice the difference in tone in this campaign statement: (more…)

According to this Newsmax article, Pelosi spokesguy Brendan Daly is telling Republicans they’ve got some ’splaining to do:

Brendan Daly, a Pelosi spokesman, told The Associated Press said Republicans “should go home to their districts and explain their record of obstructing common-sense proposals to address the pain at the pump being felt by American consumers and businesses.”

I’d suggest to Mr. Daly that Republicans don’t have to explain their votes on the Democrats’ “common sense proposals” on energy because the Democrats haven’t put together any common sense proposals. Let’s review some of the Democrats’ “common sense proposals”:

• Democrats proposed suing OPEC.
• Democrats proposed creating a massive windfall profits tax for the oil companies.
• Democrats proposed a redundant use it or lose it bill.

Which of these proposals would pass the laugh test with serious economists or financial experts? To be fair to Mr. Daly, here’s his full quote: (more…)

Yesterday, Barack Obama issued a challenge to Sen. McCain. That doesn’t mean he’ll accept the opportunity to debate Sen. McCain on taxes, though. Here’s what he said yesterday:

“I want to cut taxes for middle-class families, ordinary folks who are working hard and playing by the rules,” he said. “I’m ready to duel John McCain on taxes right here, quick draw.”

Sen. McCain quickly responded:

“If Barack Obama wants this so-called duel then why did he and his entourage run for the hills when John McCain challenged him to 10 town halls,” said McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds.

The truth is that the Obama people want nothing to do with a debate. They’ve seen the Obamessiah away from the teleprompter. He’s a disaster. The gravitas gap would be substantial, noticeable and embarassing.

That’s why he can’t afford to do anything more than be lippy.

I’ve said it before and I’ll repeat it again: Sen. Obama is a gifted orator in an empty suit. That won’t change anytime soon.

Technorati Tags: Obama, Debates, Taxes, John McCain, Gravitas, Election 2008

Cross-posted at LetFreedomRingBlog

‘Cuz nothing brings out the vote like class warfare.

Media Research Center reports: Missing a golden opportunity to correct a specious presumption behind of Barack Obama and his liberal supporters that the wealthy are under-taxed, CBS reporter Chip Reid on Monday night highlighted how “ending the Bush tax cuts for people making more than $250,000 a year and using the money for a tax cut for the middle class” is one of Obama’s highest priorities and one supported by “Warren Buffett, the richest man in the world who, despite his billions, says the rich are not taxed enough.” Reid, who later in his story asserted “critics wonder how” McCain could possibly balance the budget “given his support for extending all of the Bush tax cuts,” failed to inform viewers of how the wealthy increasingly pay far more than their fair share of income taxes.

The Tax Foundation reported on July 18 that new 2006 IRS tax data revealed “both the income share earned by the top 1 percent of tax returns,” those earning $388,806 or more, “and the tax share paid by that top 1 percent have once again reached all-time highs.” Gerald Prante pointed out those top 1 percent “paid about the same amount of federal individual income taxes as the bottom 95 percent of tax returns.” The top 5 percent, those over making $153,542 or more, earned 36 percent of all the reported income, but they paid just over 60 percent of the total income taxes collected.

Read more here

The Tax Foundation reported on July 18 that new 2006 IRS tax data revealed “both the income share earned by the top 1 percent of tax returns,” those earning $388,806 or more, “and the tax share paid by that top 1 percent have once again reached all-time highs.” Gerald Prante pointed out those top 1 percent “paid about the same amount of federal individual income taxes as the bottom 95 percent of tax returns.” The top 5 percent, those over making $153,542 or more, earned 36 percent of all the reported income, but they paid just over 60 percent of the total income taxes collected.

For the Tax Foundation report: www.taxfoundation.org

USNews & World Report: Is Obamanomics
Really Recessionomics?

RELATED: Democrats & Taxes: California is “#1″

As California goes, so the nation? Let’s hope not.

We thought this was worth posting in its entirety, c/o WSJ.

–
California as No. 1
July 17, 2008; Page A14
Wall Street Journal

New York City has long been the highest tax jurisdiction in the United States, but California politicians are proposing to steal that brass tiara. California faces a $15 billion budget deficit and Democrats who rule the state Legislature have proposed closing the gap with a $9.7 billion tax hike on business and “the rich.” There’s a movie that describes this idea: Clueless.

The plan would raise the top marginal income tax rate to 12% from 10.3%; that would be the highest in the nation and twice the national average. This plan would also repeal indexing for inflation, which is a sneaky way for politicians to push middle-income Californians into higher tax brackets every year, especially when prices are rising as they are now. The corporate income tax rate would also rise to 9.3% from 8.4%. So in the face of one of the worst real-estate recessions in the state’s history, the politicians want to raise taxes on businesses that are still making money.

This latest tax gambit was unveiled, ironically enough, within days of two very large California employers announcing they are saying, in the famous words of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, “hasta la vista, baby” to the state. First, the AAA auto club declared it will close its call centers in California, meaning that 900 jobs will move to other states. “It costs more to do business in California,” said a AAA press release, in the understatement of the year.

Then last week Toyota announced it is canceling plans to build its new Prius hybrid at its plant in the San Francisco Bay area because of the high tax and regulatory costs. Adding to the humiliation is that Toyota will now take this investment and about 1,000 jobs to a more progressive and pro-business state: Mississippi. (more…)