Showing posts with label John Kerry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John Kerry. Show all posts

Friday, January 8, 2010

Ironic: Big-Government Statists Complain About "Outside Influence"


Liberal statists have worked for generations to increase the role of big government in every aspect of our lives.

Unfortunately, the statists have been quite successful. To wit, a big-government liberal in Massachusetts votes for legislation that gives him a say in what kind of light bulb a man in Nebraska will use...and a big-government liberal Nebraska votes for legislation that gives him a say in what kind health insurance a woman in Massachusetts can have.

Incumbent politicians love this state of affairs, but it frustrates most Americans (even liberals).

As a result of this highly concentrated power, every race for the U.S. House of Representatives and every race for U.S. Senate has the perverse potential to upset the lives of hundreds of millions of people.

This fact is illustrated beautifully by recent developments in the 2010 United States Senate special election in Massachusetts.

Few people outside of Massachusetts should care about the outcome of the special election to fill Ted Kennedy's old seat. But because the U.S. Congress is currently considering legislation that could have a profound and permanent impact on the lives of 300 million Americans, and because the bill will pass or fail on a razor thin margin, the fate of the nation will be determined by the 10% of Massachusetts voters who decide to show up for the election on January 19.

(And Health care reform is just one of a host of important issues that hang in the balance. National security, tax rates, energy policy...just about everything one can imagine will in some way be affected by the outcome of the Massachusetts race.)

Predictably, "outside groups" want to have a say in the outcome of this all-important election. Ironically, the big-government statists of Massachusetts were the first to complain about outside influence:

A conservative group is joining Republican Scott Brown in his effort to defeat Democrat Martha Coakley and her bid to succeed the late Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, although Brown says he opposes the outside intervention.

The Iowa-based American Future Fund plans to spend $400,000 over five days airing a television ad comparing the two major-party candidates on the issue of taxes. The ad started airing in Boston on Thursday night.

[snip]

"It's unfortunate that Scott Brown and his supporters have resorted to these desperate, negative attacks funded by extreme right-wing groups," said Coakley spokesman Corey Welford.

[snip]

Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., is also condemning the ad, citing links between American Future Fund personnel and the group that attacked his Vietnam Swift Boat exploits during the 2004 presidential campaign.

Politicians' faux outrage notwithstanding, the people of Massachusetts are right to want to keep "outside groups" out of Massachusetts politics. The best way to move in that direction is to send people like Scott Brown to Washington.

Brown understands that the federal government is too big. If he and fellow conservatives are successful in dialing back Washington's power, fewer people will have reason to care who Massachusetts sends to Washington in future elections.


More


Scott Brown says government is too big.

Perhaps Not All Politics Are Local.

I want a government small enough to fit inside the Constitution.

Brown takes Coakley down a couple of notches…literally

Coakley: a candidate lacking in heart and a campaign lacking in soul…

Scott Brown on the Fred Thompson Show

It’s not Kennedy family's seat. It’s not the Democrats’ seat. It’s the people’s seat.

Help Scott Brown By Making Calls From Home!
(from anywhere in the U.S.)


Friday, December 18, 2009

We're Keeping Score


To
borrow words from the community organizer-in-chief, "Don't think we're not keeping score, brother."

Several Senate Democrats are expected to pull a "John Kerry", voting keep ObamaCare alive for their party boss...before they finally vote against it to save their jobs (when it's too late to kill the bill). Here's a brilliant ad warning Senator Ben Nelson (the crucial 60th vote) not to flip flop on the health care bill:


Remember this?

John Kerry: "I actually did vote for the $87 billion, before I voted against it."

The Flip Flop!

Democrat leaders want Senator Ben Nelson to use the same tactic to pass President Obama's government-run healthcare experiment...with a vote to a bill forward with tax increases, cuts to Medicare and rising premiums. Then, once it comes up for a final vote, they will allow him to vote against it.

[Just like this]

John Kerry: "I actually did vote for the $87 billion, before I voted against it."

But any vote to move the bill forward, is a vote for Obama's government-run healthcare experiment. They want Senator Nelson to tell voters in Nebraska, "I voted for government-run healthcare for my party boss before I voted against it to save my job."

Americans don't respect politicians who try to have it both ways!

[Just like this]

John Kerry: "I actually did vote for the $87 billion, before I voted against it."

They want to know exactly where their leaders stand.

Senator Nelson, tell Harry Reid Nebraskans know a flip-flopper when they see one.

[Tell Sen. Nelson not to flip flop. Call 202-224-6551.]

As I noted earlier, unless he cares more about Obama's legacy than he cares about his own constituents, this vote should be a no-brainer for Senator Ben Nelson. Nebraskans don't want ObamaCare.

A whole series of nearly identical ads are available on YouTube, each one targets a vulnerable Democrat who is expected to flip flop (e.g., Blanche Lincoln, Jim Webb, etc.)

Let's make these videos go viral.


More


The Other McCain: Nebraskans: Help Save America!

Webb under fire on health care

End It Today, Ben
Do it for public safety, good government, democracy, and David Brooks.

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Friday, October 2, 2009

Is John Kerry Extorting Another Senator?


Is John Kerry extorting another senator?

Before we get to that, here's the background on the important story that has been developing in Honduras, via Neal Boortz:
  • Mel Zelaya was the President of Honduras.
  • Zelaya has close ties with Venezuelan president, Hugo Chavez.
  • Zelaya emulated his buddy Hugo by attempting to change the Honduran constitution to allow him to hold office indefinitely.
  • Zelaya's outrageous and brazen attempt to change the constitution by calling for a referendum was unconstitutional, but with some material support from Chavez, Zaleya was able to create a political crisis.
  • In accordance with the rule of law, and with the overwhelming support of the Honduran people, the Honduran Supreme Court ruled Zaleya's efforts illegal and unconstitutional.
  • The court issued an order to the Honduran military telling them not to do the logistical work associated with Zelaya's phony referendum.
  • Zaleya and his cronies distributed phony ballots to the masses.
  • Based on the Supreme Court's ruling, the Honduran attorney general said that the proposed referendum was illegal and said that he would arrest anyone attempting to carry out the election.
  • Zelaya was arrested by the military and was escorted out of the country.
Here's a good rhetorical question: Does this sound like a military coup to you? Of course not.

You'd think the President of the United States of America would applaud the Honduran government for upholding the rule of law. You'd think Obama would shun Mel Zaleya. You'd think Obama would at least take a neutral position and refrain from "meddling" as he did with Iran. But you would be wrong.

Obama levied sanctions on the impoverished nation in order to force the rightful government from power, and he revoked the visas of all the high Honduran officials to keep them from attending the recent UN summit...cutting them off from the international community. Leading Honduran businessmen have lost their American visas as well. Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton has met with Zaleya, and the Obama administration has given Zaleya every indication that they will continue to help him back to power.

Obama has justified his actions thusly:

“America supports now the restoration of the democratically-elected President of Honduras, even though he has strongly opposed American policies,” the president told graduate students at the commencement ceremony of Moscow’s New Economic School. “We do so not because we agree with him. We do so because we respect the universal principle that people should choose their own leaders, whether they are leaders we agree with or not. "

Baffling.

To investigate the situation in Honduras, Senator Jim DeMint, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, planned a congressional delegation trip to Honduras today (Friday).

At the last minute (on Thursday), John Kerry and Obama’s State Department blocked Senator DeMint’s planned fact-finding trip to Honduras.

Lefty bloggers are delighted:

"[DeMint] invoked Senate rules that allow a single Senator to “block” a vote on confirming various of President Obama’s diplomatic nominees, including those for US Ambassador to the Organization of American States, US Ambassador to Brazil and Undersecretary of State for the Western Hemisphere, because he doesn’t like the White House position against the Honduras coup. ...Good for Kerry for knocking DeMint on his ass with such a timely, karma-packed punch."

DeMint has issued the following statement:

“These bullying tactics by the Obama administration and Senator Kerry must stop, and we must be allowed to get to the truth in Honduras. Not a single U.S. Senator has traveled to Honduras to learn the facts on the ground. And the Obama administration won’t allow Honduran officials or even businessmen to come to the U.S., either. While this administration has failed to act decisively in Afghanistan, it is has no problem cracking down on a democratic ally and one of the poorest nations in Latin America.”

“Meanwhile, a thorough report from the Congressional Research Service directly contradicts President Obama’s snap decision about the legality of then-President Zelaya’s removal from office in June. Now, President Obama and Democrats’ blind support for this would-be dictator and friend of Hugo Chavez will prevent members of Congress from learning the truth first hand.”

Confirming the suspicions the lefty blogger quoted above, DeMint has indicated that Kerry's actions do indeed amount to retribution and extortion:

“They’re telling me if I will just let a couple of their nominations go through without debate or a vote, then they will let me go on the trip,” said Senator DeMint, speaking on the Mark Levin Show.

Interim Honduran President Micheletti once said he does not fear sanctions and that Honduras can get by without international aid. Let's hope he continues to stand firm.


Update I: Please see my related story on American Thinker.

Update II: A commenter took exception to the original title of my post: "Is John Kerry Blackmailing Another Senator?" There was some confusion about the definition of "blackmail."

I know liberal Democrats don't trust dictionaries, but here's how Merriam-Webster defines the word:

black·mail: extortion or coercion by threats

Remember what DeMint said?

“They’re telling me if I will just let a couple of their nominations go through without debate or a vote, then they will let me go on the trip”

That sounds a lot like "extortion or coercion by threats" to me. But perhaps it would be a bit more accurate to describe this as a bribe, or extortion. Fine. Title changed.
...

Living in denial about definitions:


Update III: Kerry confirmed the extortion on Thursday, stating that when DeMint complies with Kerry's demands, "the Committee will approve his travel to Honduras."



More


LA Times: Honduras' non-coup
Under the country's Constitution, the ouster of President Manuel Zelaya was legal.

Congressional Research Service: The legal basis under the Honduran Constitution for President José Manuel Zelaya Rosales’s removal from office.

Obama imposes sanctions on impoverished nation of Honduras, despite loss of legal basis for doing so.

Please hang on Honduras. It's not just about you anymore.

John Kerry trying to hide truth to protect Zelaya, blocking our fact-finding trip to Honduras

Honduras Is Following Its Law and Constitution.
"I'm a U.S. and Honduran citizen and I'm appalled by President Barack Obama's position on the Honduran crisis."