President Thune?

Hmm I think the GOP might have a true contender to pit against Obama in 2012.

Tall, handsome, not yet 50 and with the sort of sunny demeanor that winning national Republicans usually possess, the former high school hoops star looks the part.

He’s also something of a national party favorite for slaying a political giant — then-Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle in 2004.

I think some midwestern charm and a platform of fiscal discipline that rails against bailouts and the failed stimulus could get him pretty far. However, this trait could take him all the way:

A former aide recalled that when the then-candidate greeted scores of fans by name at a 2002 South Dakota State football game, a national TV crew got angry, thinking the campaign had planted a group of supporters to come through the gate while Thune was working the crowd.

“I told them, ‘John is just amazing at remembering people’s names,’” said the former aide. “He proved it when he later remembered the entire four-person TV crew’s names two hours after he met them while walking in.”

I think this alone might win him the Iowa Caucus. Imagine giving a shout out to a few people in a crowd that he recently met at a diner in Ceder Rapids or at speaking engagement at the American Legion Hall in Des Moines. A handshake and an "I'm glad you can make it to this event, Joe" can easily swing a dozen votes his way.

Plus he was a star high school basketball player and could do a one-on-one event with Obama instead of a debate. I could see him crossing-over and then dunking on Obama in a pick-up game then helping him up.

The affable Midwesterner mold gave us both Lincoln and Reagan and they were pretty good Presidents to say the very least.

Massachusetts Senate Race Tied

Who would have thought that one of the bluest of blue states would have a tied race like this?

Can Republican Scott Brown really win? If you look at just those who say they are the most interested in voting on Jan. 19, the answer is yes. Among those in the recent Boston Globe poll who said they were "extremely interested" in the race, Coakley and Brown were tied at 47 percent.

I just gave a $100 to the Brown campaign on their online giving site. A 60 Democratic votes in the Senate is already going to doom us to ObamaCare and I am convinced that Cap-and-Tax is going to take us into a second recession. Even one vote will be enough to reign in these abuses. I read his platform and he more-or-less matches my stance on issues even Israel.

It also has to help him when his opponent cannot even spell the name of the state correctly in her campaign ad.

Paid for by Massachusettes Democratic Party and Authorized by Martha Coakley for Senate. Approved by Martha Coakley.

Close observers will notice that there is an extra 'E' tacked onto the end of 'Massachusetts. It's a trivial oversight, for sure, but you can bet that the jokes and jabs the typo will inspire will blunt at least some of the impact of the ad.

Maybe she is running to be the Senator form one of those fake stimulus districts.

It's Almost Official; Conan Out at NBC

It seems that Conan is going to leave NBC judging by his statements.

"Last Thursday, NBC executives told me they intended to move the Tonight Show to 12:05 to accommodate the Jay Leno Show at 11:35. For 60 years, the Tonight Show has aired immediately following the late local news. I sincerely believe that delaying the Tonight Show into the next day to accommodate another comedy program will seriously damage what I consider to be the greatest franchise in the history of broadcasting. The Tonight Show at 12:05 simply isn't the Tonight Show.

"Also, if I accept this move I will be knocking the Late Night show, which I inherited from David Letterman and passed on to Jimmy Fallon, out of its long-held time slot. That would hurt the other NBC franchise that I love, and it would be unfair to Jimmy."

I think NBC should just live with their mistake and let Conan go to Fox ASAP. I watched the Tonight Show last night and it was as anti-NBC as you could get. Imagine that sort of thing continuing until the Olympics. A three way race for the late night crown will be interesting to watch and I can't wait to see how it spools out.

Goalposts Moved on Stimulus "Jobs" Created

Well, it seems that all those errors and fake congressional districts are not enough to inflate the jobs "created or saved" to a high enough level.

Despite mounting a vigorous defense of its earlier count of more than 640,000 jobs credited to the stimulus, even after numerous errors were identified, the Obama administration now is making it easier to give the stimulus credit for hiring. It's no longer about counting a job as saved or created; now it's a matter of counting jobs funded by the stimulus.

That means that any stimulus money used to cover payroll will be included in the jobs credited to the program, including pay raises for existing employees and pay for people who never were in jeopardy of losing their positions.

In other words now every construction firm that even gets a dime of stimulus money no matter how well they were doing before just got "created or saved." That also goes for every weather-proofer or broadband installer as well.

They should just count all the unemployed as "saved jobs" since they will be getting stimulus money in the form of extended unemployment benefits. I think the White House needs to come to the conclusion that the stimulus was a dismal failure and start working on a "jobs bill" with the leftover stimulus money. Maybe that might actually lower the unemployment rate.

Unions Say Jump, White House says How High

I thought we are supposed to be bending the cost curve downwards but it seems that organized labor still controls everything like this was still Chicago.

Underscoring the stakes in the dispute, Obama met with about a dozen heads of the country's biggest unions Monday evening at the White House, after a day when labor leaders fired broadsides at the president over the insurance tax.

The president of the AFL-CIO, Richard Trumka, warned that Democrats risk catastrophic election defeats similar to those in 1994 if they fail to come up with a health bill labor likes. Disillusioned union members might just not show up to vote, he said.

"A bad bill could have that kind of effect ... where people sit at home," as happened in 1994, when Democrats lost control of Congress, Trumka told reporters.

Wow a direct threat to the White House from organized labor. I wonder if SEIU goons will be "visiting" voters to make sure they "sit at home" if the union doesn't get what it wants? I mean the unions already got partial ownership of two of the three American car makers.

Too bad Obama couldn't just tell them "this is how it is going to be, if you don't like it who are you going to support? Republicans?" and laugh in their faces. Too bad the Dems are in the pocket of organized labor and are going to cave no matter what.

Harry Reid Bitterly Clings to Post Despite Racist Remarks

How this idiot still has the Majority Leader post is totally beyond me.

Reid apologized to Obama and a handful of black political leaders after a new book reported that he was favorably impressed by Obama during the 2008 presidential campaign and, in a private conversation, described the Illinois senator as a "light-skinned" African-American "with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one."

The way that the black Dems closed ranks on what is a pretty racist remark is even more telling. I guess it is racist only when a Republican says something like that. If it was Mitch McConnell saying something like that then every member of the Black Caucus would do everything they could to get him ousted. But all Reid has to do is apologize and that is that. It doesn't matter because Reid won't win in Nevada no matter what he does.

White House Seeking a "Bank Fee" in 2010 Budget

I think these people just don't understand what imposing a fee on a business means.

The Obama administration is considering imposing a fee on banks to help recover some of taxpayers' costs of bailing banks out from the financial crisis, according to multiple reports on Monday.

The White House said President Barack Obama wants to ensure that taxpayers are paid in full. "That's the president's goal," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters. He declined to provide details on how that might be done.

Um, we were paid in full with interest on the bailout funds. But this fee will just be passed right along to depositors and borrowers in the form of a government surcharge without impacting the banks bottom lines in the slightest. This is just like the "windfall profits tax" that they tried to stick to oil companies. You can tell these guys have never actually run a business that had to turn a profit.

The Government is Finally Letting Second Mortgages Die

It was a bad idea from the very beginning but it seems that the government is just going to let these things go into default and not try to bail them out anymore.

These arguments are getting less traction as time goes by. The destination media have lately begun taking an interest in HAMP's counterproductive results. The HAMP's underwhelming numbers, ineffectiveness, and costly efforts to limit redefaults (which have met with limited success) have been well documented. And the public, which never even wanted to bail out responsible homeowners, can't get excited about saving somebody's cigarette-boat-financing HELOC. If the Treasury Department is looking at that grim battlefield and putting up a white flag, that's the better part of valor.

This might be another shoe to drop for smaller lenders who might have to write off even more HELOCs. Perhaps the Fed is finally understanding that some people should just not be bailed out especially if they refinance for like $200 less a month and then lose their jobs and end up defaulting anyway. Maybe sometimes people just need to lose their houses and end up just renting instead.

Conan Might Move to Fox?

It seems that we might get a three man race when it comes to Late Night.

Comedian Conan O'Brien is mulling his options, including moving to a rival television network, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday in its online edition, citing people familiar with the matter. A person familiar with O'Brien's camp said other networks had approached the comedian since reports emerged that NBC may return Jay Leno to his old timeslot of 11:35 p.m., which would displace O'Brien. One potential suitor is News Corp.'s (NWS 16.34, -0.09, -0.52%) Fox network, which has held discussions with O'Brien's team about the possibility of hosting a late-night show, the newspaper said.

Now this would be interesting to see only of Conan can get a little edgier at Fox. If he is doing the same thing as he does on the Tonight Show (generally stink up the joint) then it might not work. Although Fox might just go "all in" to try to siphon late night advertisers away from CBS and NBC. I mean Conan O'Brien would be much more lucrative to affiliates then reruns of some syndicated crap any day.

The Reason Why Someone Needs to Be Fired as a Result of the Christmas Day Bombing Attempt

I think this statement sums up the outrage that many Americans feel about this whole mess.

Most grating in the White House report is the repeated notion that Abdulmutallab's plot failed. It didn't. Nine years after 9/11, and after billions of spent dollars in needless security, confiscated fingernail clippers, and dumped breast milk, he succeeded in smuggling explosives onto an airliner destined for American soil. He succeeded in igniting the explosive. If not for dumb luck involving bad chemistry and a brave Dutch film director, there might today be a smoldering crater in Detroit.

Yup, luck saved the day this one time. I'm pretty sure that we cannot have another try at this. The Bush people were right when they said: the terrorists have unlimited tries at this and we have to be right 100% of the time. It is just that simple. Luck should not be involved.

45% of Americans Would Rather Vote For a Random Name from the Phone Book

I mean a random person out of the phone book might actually say "how much is this thing going to cost" every now and again.

“More voters have greater confidence in the telephone book these days than in the current Congress, and most think their national legislators are paid too much to boot,” Rasmussen reported.

45% of voters would rather pick names randomly from the phone book to run Congress than to have Nancy Pelosi, et al, in charge, a Rasmussen Poll found.

Only 36% disagree.

Maybe it is time to switch to the Athenian System where everyone serves in the Congress by random pick just like Jury Duty.

Jay Leno Show to be Cancelled? Jay to Move Back to Tonight Show?

Wow, now these are just rumors but too bad for Conan O'Brien.

An industry Web site called FTV declared that Leno's show would be cancelled as soon as the Winter Olympics begin next month, when much of the regular programming on NBC will be pre-empted for Olympics coverage.

Then the TMZ Web site, citing undisclosed sources, said Leno's show would go on hiatus Feb.1. Following the Olympics (which take place in Vancouver from Feb. 12-28), Leno will take back the 11:30 p.m. EST time slot he occupied for 17 years that ended last May.

This would make Leno's successor at "The Tonight Show," Conan O'Brien, "the odd man out," TMZ said.

Hmm, maybe Conan could jump ship to ABC or Fox and make his show a little edgier like his show was before. I mean the Tonight Show might frown on Triumph the Insult Comic Dog but Fox would love it. I know Conan on the Tonight Show has been pretty lame for the most part so a move might do him good.

Obama Backs Taxing "Cadillac" Health Insurance Plans

He is really anti-union when it comes to rushing the legislation out as fast as they possibly can.

In a meeting at the White House, Obama expressed his preference for the insurance tax contained in the Senate's health overhaul bill, but largely opposed by House Democrats and organized labor, Democratic aides said. The aides spoke on condition of anonymity because the meeting was private.

Although they need to call these "Mercedes" Health Insurance Plans because Cadillac which is part of GM is now owned by the government. I guess you can call the failed "government option" the "Cadillac plan" (although Gremlin plan is more apt.)

Obama's Oval Office Makerover

This is an interesting article on how Obama has remade the Oval Office in his image. This part was kind of neat:

Also new to the Obama bookshelves are three mechanical devices on loan from the National Museum of American History's patent collection: models for Samuel Morse's 1849 telegraph register, John Peer's 1874 gear-cutting machine and Henry Williams' 1877 feathering paddlewheel for steamboats.

It kind of speaks to his technocrat roots. Too bad the White House has been so boneheaded when it has come to technology as all the mistakes on the Recovery.gov site showed. It is kind of cool that he keeps fresh apples at the ready as well:

Could the US Government Have Sparked the 2009 Rally?

Well at least some players have said so.

"We know that the U.S. government has spent hundreds of billions of dollars to support the auto industry, the housing market, and the banks and brokers. Why not support the stock market as well?"

The Federal Reserve or the Treasury, Biderman said, could have easily manipulated the stock market by purchasing $60 to $70 billion worth of futures of the S&P 500 Index (SPX 1,137, +3.53, +0.31%) on a monthly basis.

$60 - $70 billion is walking around money when it comes to government spending so it is somewhat plausible to say the least. It makes sense from a social engineering point of view. A sustained downward stock market would destroy quite a few 401Ks and thus create quite a few angry voters. Investors are the kind of people that give to financial campaigns and could make or break a candidate.

Consumer sentiment and reelection chances seem tied quite well to stock market gains and losses for the most part. I remember there was quite a bit of blame that there was an "Obama Crash" right before the market turned around.

"It bobs up and down from day to day," the president said Tuesday. "And if you spend all your time worrying about that, you're probably going to get the long-term strategy wrong."

Most of the bobbing lately has been in one direction, relentlessly down. But Obama suggested that now is a good time for investors with "a long-term perspective" to buy stocks.

This was said on March 4th and the S&P 500 hit bottom on March 9th at 676.53. The S&P 500 is now at 1136.52 which is nearly a double. So the conspiracy theorist in me has Obama telling Treasury to peel off a few billion from the TARP money and then go out and buy some S&P 500 futures.

If it is true then I commend Obama for making me a pile of money that I probably wouldn't have right now. It might be illegal as hell but the government usually makes their own rules when it comes to this kind of stuff. I mean who would have thought the American people would own 2 mortgage buyers(with unlimited, uncapped losses,) an insurance company, and 2 car makers right now?

The Final HealthCare Debate to be Held in Smoke-Filled Back Room

I love "transparency" from the Dems.

Democrats reacted defensively to criticism that they are taking the final, most crucial stage of the debate behind closed doors. "We will continue to keep the American people informed, as we have in the earlier stages," Van Hollen said, noting that hundreds of hearings and town hall meetings have been held.

But Obama as a candidate pledged during a presidential debate in January 2008 that he would be "bringing all parties together, and broadcasting those negotiations on C-SPAN so that the American people can see what the choices are."

Thanks for "keeping us informed." I know they are afraid to have the light of day shined on this whole mess.

Clinton Slams "ruthless" Iranian Government

Finally, someone associated with the White House tells it like it is.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Monday slammed what she called the "ruthless repression" of demonstrators against the Iranian regime.

"We have deep concerns about their behavior, we have concerns about their intentions and we are deeply disturbed by the mounting signs of ruthless repression that they are exercising against those who assemble and express viewpoints that are at variance with what the leadership of Iran wants to hear," Clinton said.

Too bad she didn't beat Obama in the Democratic Primary. I think the Iranian government would be sliding into the dustbin of history that much faster with her at the helm.

2010 Predicions: Economy and the Stock Market

Economy:

1. The economy will recover for the most part but GDP growth will remain sluggish and will stay at about 1% for most of the year.

2. Housing prices improve very slowly and much of the toxic assets have been flushed out of the system. There is no substantive financial reform of any kind. There is much talk of Glass-Stegall being reinstated but it does not come to pass. Wall Street continues to own Washington.

3. Oil Prices will spike as the Iranian crisis spirals out of control. It will again peak above $150 and will stay above $100 for much of the year. Oil will close at $98 by the end of 2010.

4. Unemployment will stay at about 10% for the whole of 2010 but Americans will slow their spending considerably due to high energy prices. There will be a jobs bill passed in early 2010 that will slowly drop the unemployment rate. Democrats will crow that they saved the economy with this measure.

5. Interest rates will creep up and be several points higher by this time next year. Large deficits will dog the economy for years to come.


Stock Market:

1. S&P: 1100, Dow: 10,500, NASDAQ: 2500
2. The Top 3 Industries: Technology, Oil and Natural Gas, Hospitals
3. Bottom 3 Industries: Steel, Consumer Goods, Gold

2010 Predictions: Politics and Foreign Affairs

Well it is time again to make some wild predictions about what will happen in 2010.

Politics:

1. The Democrats will be ushered out of office in large numbers but it will not be as bad as the Contract With America Rout in 1994. Harry Reid will lose in Nevada but Dodds will still stay on in Connecticut. Although ill-health will have him retire in the next few years and a special election will be held. Blanche Lincoln will also lose her job as well. Democrats will also lose Obama and Biden's old seats.

2. Health Insurance Reform passes but is widely hated by many Americans. It will be an albatross around the Democratic neck for decades. The insurance mandate will be struck down by the Supreme Court as unconstitutional. Insurance will become even more pricey then before.

3. Cap and Trade will be a spectacular failure with coal state Democrats coming out against it. Climate Change will start to recede from national consciousness and the Mexico climate conference will be a back page story that mostly mentions protester violence.

4. Much of the bloom will be off of the Obama rose as he is considered even more Carter-like by the day. The press will talk openly about his "failed promise" and "rhetoric without substance." Obama will be angered by this and have an unscripted and public tantrum sometime during the year. His approval ratings remain dismal throughout 2010.


Foreign Affairs:

1. Iran's government will fall into chaos and there will be a civil war as the military turns against the Republican Guard. Much of it will be out of the world's eye but there will be desperate, pitched battles fought all throughout Iran. UN peacekeepers will have to be called in to prevent large scale killings as the hard-liners become more and more brutal. Fighter jets will be used against Tehran University students and it will shock the entire world.

2. The US will continue to distance themselves from Israel and Netanyahu will start a large-scale building plan in the West Bank. The Palestinian government will be a total shambles with Hamas losing their funding from Iran and Fatah being paralyzed by a search for a successor to Abbas. Peace will look like a distant memory with Obama unable to do anything.

3. North Korea comes back to the bargaining table with Kim's health starting to decline. China will force their client state into more openness but negotiations will get nowhere.

4. Afghanistan will be a major hotspot where US casualties start to mount. However, a joint US and Pakistani presence will cripple the Taliban and Al-Quida in the region by the end of the year. The new battleground will switch to Yemen and Somalia and other failed states with a strong fundamentalist prescience. Al-Quida will be successful in committing a terrorist act in 2010 but it will not be on the same level as 9/11.

A 3rd Person Made it Past White House Security?

Why don't they just do away with security all together because this is getting stupid already.

As the Secret Service was reviewing how an attention-hungry couple — Tareq and Michaele Salahi — got into the dinner without being on the guest list, officials discovered that a third person made it through security without an invitation as well. The Secret Service said the man — whom they would not identify — did not get close to the president or the first lady.

Good thing these guys were just inept attention seekers and Indian businessmen who didn't have ill attentions toward the White House.