The DNC As I Saw It

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◼ The DNC As I Saw It - Derek Hunter/TownHall

I spent this week in Camp Vagina, aka the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte. I call it Camp Vagina because attendees heard more about genitals than any ideas on how to fix President Obama’s broken economy. Overall, for a convention to promote a campaign with the theme of “Forward,” Democrats sure spent a lot of time looking backwards.

Trying to get the audience to look backwards makes perfect sense when you consider the endless parade of parasites and degenerates who marched across the stage.

◼ Colbert Mocks Obama's DNC Speech, Tom Brokaw's Health Scare - Huffington Post

A Better Future: Wisconsin - Deficit

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Mitt Romney

A Florida Democrat has resigned from his county chairmanship after anti-Christian comments he made at the Democratic National Convention spread through an online video.

Mark Siegel resigned Friday from his post in the Palm Beach County Democratic Party, according to the communications director of the state's Democratic Party, Brannon Jordan. Siegel, speaking to a conservative journalist in Charlotte, NC, said he wasn't a fan of Christianity because "the Christians just want [Jews] to be there so we can be slaughtered and converted and bring on the second coming of Jesus Christ."

“The one thing I said I actually needed, they didn’t get,” referring to Reid and Pelosi. “I needed this to go past the election, and they didn’t get it for me. This can’t work.”

◼ Woodward: A president cornered: Inside story of Obama’s struggle to keep Congress from controlling outcome of debt ceiling crisis - Bob Woodward, Rob Garver and Evelyn Duffy/Washington Post ◼ Via Drudge

President Obama summoned the top four congressional leaders to the White House on Saturday morning, July 23, 2011. The night before, House Speaker John A. Boehner had withdrawn from negotiations to raise the $14 trillion federal debt limit and save the government from a catastrophic default. “Nobody wanted to be there,” Boehner later recalled. “The president’s still pissed.”

They had about 10 days left before the government would run out of money. Given the global importance of U.S. Treasury securities, failing to extend the debt limit could trigger a worldwide economic meltdown.

Boehner said he believed that he and the others — Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi — had a plan. He told Obama: We think we can work this out. Give us a little more time. We’ll come back to you. We are not going to negotiate this with you.

Obama objected, saying that he couldn’t be left out of the process. “I’ve got to sign this bill,” he reminded the leaders as they sat in the Cabinet Room off the Oval Office.

“Mr. President,” Boehner challenged, “as I read the Constitution, the Congress writes the laws. You get to decide if you want to sign them.”

Reid, the most powerful Democrat on Capitol Hill, spoke up. The congressional leaders want to speak privately, he said. Give us some time.

This was it. Congress was taking over. The leaders were asking the president to leave the meeting he had called in the White House.

Fine, Obama said. Talk. Knock yourselves out. There is no pride of authorship here, just do it — if you can.

How did it feel, I asked the president in an interview on July 11, 2012, to be voted off the island in his own house?

“I’m not concerned about protocol,” he said. His concern was “an end run around the White House.”

Before the meeting, without telling Obama, the four leaders had tentatively agreed on the framework of a deal. The congressional plan guaranteed that the debt limit would have to be revisited during the 2012 presidential campaign, and Obama was insisting that any agreement would have to take the country through the election....

Obama never had to confront the veto question. A few days later, House Republicans dropped their insistence on the two-step plan. The final plan accepted a debt limit increase that would take the country through the 2012 presidential contest. It also postponed $2.4 trillion in spending cuts until early 2013.

The long-term deficit crisis had not been solved, but merely put off, leaving the United States at the edge of the fiscal cliff, where it remains today.
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◼ Bob Woodward's new book: The Price of Politics at Amazon

NLRB Loses Court Challenge Over Secret Ballots

◼ Just one unlawful act of many by President Obama this year delivered control of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to his union boss backers. His intent was to stack the board with hard left radicals to make it easier for them to unionize the private sector. - Doug Ross

Therefore, in an act unprecedented in all of American history, President Obama unilaterally declared the Senate in recess over a long weekend earlier this year (though it clearly was not) and named his radicals through recess appointments.

Fortunately, some of the courts have not been cowed: A federal government agency [the NLRB] lost its court challenge of an Arizona constitutional amendment that guarantees workers in the state can vote by secret ballot on whether to join a union.

◼ NLRB Loses Court Challenge Over Secret Ballots - Melanie Trottman/Wall St. Journal

Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne said in a statement that the judge’s decision is a “stinging rebuke to an outrageous National Labor Relations Board attack” on the sanctity of the secret ballot.

Voters in the state of Arizona approved the amendment to the constitution on Nov. 2, 2010. Similar amendments were approved at the time in South Dakota,Utah and South Carolina, but the NLRB said it would only selectively file lawsuits because of limited resources.

California's Prop. 31: One Small Step for Democrats, One Giant Leap Down the Road to Totalitarianism

◼ Proposition 31 is an offense against America’s most fundamental concepts of liberty and self-government. - Doug Ross

Writing in National Review, author Stanley Kurtz describes California's Proposition 31 as "robbing the suburbs to pay for the cities."

Consider it three ominous portents of the radical Left's redistributionist agenda: to force more and more people into urban centers; to reduce mankind's greedy use of energy; and to greatly restrict personal freedom of movement (it's mass transit for you, bubba):

California’s Proposition 31 is the project of a collection of “good government” groups, in particular, California Forward. California Forward says its goal is “fundamental change.” They’re right about that. The change they have in mind, unfortunately, is creating a collection of de facto regional super-governments designed to undercut the political and economic independence of California’s suburbs. The goal is to redistribute suburban tax money to California’s failing cities.

Instead of taking on the mismanagement that is breaking California’s cities, Prop. 31 lets failing cities bail themselves out by raiding the pocketbooks of California’s suburbanites. In the process, Prop. 31 will kill off the system of local government at the root of American liberty.

...How does Prop. 31 work? It allows local governments to join together to form “Strategic Action Plans.” Supposedly, this pooling of local municipal services into a kind of de facto collective regional super-government would be voluntary. In fact, Prop. 31 deploys powerful incentives to effectively force the creation of these regional super-governments.

◼ California’s Awful Prop. 31: Is This Your Future? - Stanley Kurtz/National Review

Wake up California. You are perilously close to ratifying Proposition 31, a sweepingly redistributionist and profoundly undemocratic transformation of your way of life, and you don’t even know what’s at stake. Suburbanites of California, you are the special targets of Prop. 31. Act now, or be turned into second-class citizens in your own state.

Wake up America. Look toward the regionalist revolution on California’s horizon. In an era of looming municipal bankruptcies, this could be your fate: robbing the suburbs to pay for the cities. The regionalist transformation now being quietly pressed on California is exactly the sort of change President Obama has in mind for America should he win a second term. In California and America both, the 2012 election could open the door for a regionalist movement in hot pursuit of a redistributionist remaking of American life.

◼ Spreading the Wealth: How Obama is Robbing the Suburbs to Pay for the Cities available at Amazon

59 DAYS TIL THE ELECTION

The Case of the Missing Job Generator: Entrepreneurs, not government bureaucrats, have been the authors of past economic recoveries

◼ Lawmakers typically have reduced tax and regulatory burdens to facilitate the entrepreneurial process. The sharp recovery from the awful recession of the early 1980s is a key example of these doctors at work. - William Beach/Heritage Foundation

While millions of Americans intuitively understand the importance of innovation and entrepreneurship to our economic well-being, this understanding does not run very deep in Washington. Nowhere else in this country will you find as many people who believe that government creates jobs and that innovation automatically occurs once government cuts a subsidy check.

When the latest recession struck, Washington decided not to enlist the army of innovators and entrepreneurs to lead us back to prosperity by making their economic lives easier. Instead, policymakers embraced a more than $1 trillion government-directed economic stimulus program.

◼ What Oklahoma knows, but Obama doesn’t: Protect public-sector jobs, imperil the employment rate - Tina Korbe/HotAir

...If Oklahoma wants to continue to enjoy a low unemployment rate — and if the national administration seriously wants to energize the economy, lawmakers at every level of government would be wise to continue to develop policies with primarily private-sector job creation — i.e. entrepreneurship — in mind. ...Lots more, at the link.

Michael Moore: "No, Obama Didn't Save Detroit"

Despite Jennifer Granholm's DNC claims:


__________________◼ For several years the left and their media minions have claimed that by bailing out Chrysler and General Motors, President Obama saved Detroit. - Noel Sheppard/Newsbusters

On Friday, the perilously liberal schlockumentarian Michael Moore debunked this in ◼ an article at the Huffington Post astonishingly saying, "No, he didn't."

"Last week, I said on the HuffPost Live webcast that we had all better start practicing how to say 'President Romney' because, living in Michigan, I can tell you that there's trouble here on the two peninsulas...One recent poll here showed Romney leading Obama by four points! How can that be? Didn't Obama save Detroit?"

Moore answered his own question, "No, he didn't. He saved General Motors and Chrysler."

"'...Detroit' (and Flint and Pontiac and Saginaw)," continued Moore, "are not defined by the global corporations who suck our towns dry and then split town to make more money elsewhere (except, of course, they continued to design and built crap cars, so eventually they didn't make the money at all). These cities in Michigan are about the people who live here, and in the process of 'saving Detroit,' Mr. Obama had to fire thousands of these people, and reduce the benefits and pensions of those who were left."

Inconvenient truths the Obama-loving media don't want the public to know. But Moore wasn't finished.

"There's a lot of pissed off people in Michigan (and Wisconsin and Ohio), people who weren't saved even though the corporation was. I'm just stating a fact, and those of you who don't live here should know this."

Actually, those that don't live in these areas would know this if America had an honest media.

◼ Democrats Double Down on Auto Bailout, but Michael Moore Says Obama Didn’t Save Detroit - Matt Vespa/HotAir's Green Room

...Obama and the Democrats need to stop saying “I am GM, hear me roar” because the facts simply don’t add up. Yes, GM’s doors maybe open, but the company is drowning in debt. It’s trading in the low 20s on the Dow Jones, which is indicative that the bailout from American taxpayers hasn’t been paid back in full....

Feinstein Walks Out On Reporter: Refuses to say why she won't debate Emken

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Elizabeth Emken
Meet Elizabeth Emken, and watch the first Presidential debate in Eureka, Oct. 3rd, at Sea Grill. Watch for details.

Obama gave a lousy campaign speech Thursday night, but as a farewell address, it will do.

◼ OBAMA TAKES US BACKWARD IN THE WORST SPEECH OF HIS CAREER - John Hayward/Human Events @Doc_0

◼ Obama the demigod comes down to Earth - Dana Milbank/Washington Post

As I parted with the Indiana delegation, James Taylor had taken the stage, and he performed “You’ve Got a Friend” for the delegates:

When you’re down and troubled
And you need a helping hand
And nothing, whoa, nothing is going right. . .

One important thing is still going right for Obama: He remains narrowly favored to win, which is no small feat in this grim economy. The party faithful in the hall, including the Hoosiers, remained passionately for him, and the convention speeches were coordinated and disciplined. But around the convention were worrying signs. More, at the link.

◼ Why Obama Went Low Key in His Democratic Convention Speech - Discussion at Lucianne

◼ Team Obama: Focus groups told us they wanted a speech that was flat, repetitive, and disappointing or something - Allahpundit/HotAir

Yeah, the problem with this embarrassingly feeble bit of spin is that, per Charles Cooke, O really only has one speech left in his repertoire. Whether the focus group loved it or not, that’s what America was going to get last night. He can’t do sweeping vistas and uplift anymore because literally no one outside the hardest-core Obama-bots takes it seriously.

◼ Obama fell flat - Politico

Breitbart film bares roots of 'Occupy' movement

◼ The Occupy Wall Street movement’s dark underbelly is on full display in an explosive new documentary set for release later this month. - FOX

"Occupy Unmasked," produced by the non-profit group Citizens United and the late Andrew Breitbart, in one of his last projects before his death last March, examines the movement and its possible links to organized labor and leftist groups. Its premiere in theaters on Sept. 21 follows the release of the documentary "2016: Obama's America," providing more cinematic fodder for the president’s critics ahead of the Nov. 6 election....

FoxNews.com was given an advanced screening of the 70-plus minute film in which Breitbart presents the case against the Occupy Movement, suggesting it was not a spontaneous event that sprouted up in downtown Manhattan, but a methodically planned uprising carefully organized by unions, left-wing activists and even members of the mainstream media....

“Whenever we screened this, the people’s reaction was the same. They had no idea what was behind this movement,” said Stephen Bannon, Director of 'Occupy Unmasked'. “This was not done spontaneously. This was community organized,” Breitbart intones as the film opens; citing emails he said show the powerful Service Employees International Union played a big role in the effort....

Marco Rubio-"The Real Debt Problem"

It took Mr. Obama two years to destroy this potential, with an agenda that forced his party to field vote after debilitating vote—stimulus, ObamaCare, spending, climate change. The public backlash, combined with the president's mismanagement of the economy, has reversed Democrats' electoral gains and left a party smaller than at any time since the mid-1990s.

◼ The Party that Obama Un-Built - Kimberley Strassel/Wall St. Journal

...Of the 21 Blue Dogs elected since 2006, five remain in office. The caucus is on the verge of extinction, as members have retired, been defeated in primaries waged by liberal activists, or face impossible re-elections. The GOP is set to take Senate seats in North Dakota and Nebraska, and maybe to overturn Democratic toeholds in states from Montana to Virginia. There is today a GOP senator in Massachusetts. Republicans claim 29 governorships and may gain two to four more this year.

As for the presidential race, Republicans are in sight of taking back Virginia and North Carolina and are competitive in supposedly new Democratic strongholds like Colorado and New Mexico. The GOP is also making unexpected inroads in Wisconsin and Iowa. The real story of the Obama presidency is the degree to which he has pushed his party back toward its coastal and urban strongholds.

All this was vividly on display in Charlotte this week. While the party's most vulnerable members aren't in outright mutiny against Mr. Obama, more than two dozen didn't risk attending the convention. In contrast to last week's GOP celebration of reformist GOP governors, the Charlotte podium was largely dominated by activists (Sandra Fluke, Lilly Ledbetter), the liberal congressional faithful (Mrs. Pelosi, Harry Reid), and urban mayors from failing states (Los Angeles's Antonio Villaraigosa, Chicago's Rahm Emanuel).

While the GOP has feted its upcoming stars—including minority governors like New Mexico's Susana Martinez and Louisiana's Bobby Jindal—the president has done little to nurture his down-ballot partners. Where is the next generation of Democrats?

CFRW Capitol Update: Prop 32: Yes!

Prop 32: Yes!

This proposition is perhaps the most important on the November ballot. If this passes, it will change the political game here in California. But first, some background information on Prop 32. Last October in a sneaky legislative move, Governor Brown signed SB 202 (Hancock, D). SB 202 mandates propositions will only appear on the general election ballot, no longer on both the primary and general ballots. This changed a 50-year tradition in the state that began in 1960. We speculate that Brown and the Democrats who sponsored SB 202 were prompted to act because of the Paycheck Protection Initiative, which is now this proposition. The Democrats feared that it would earn a spot on the June 5, 2012 primary ballot. They know that more Republicans vote in primary elections than Democrats. The Democrat union machine can get out the vote in general elections. But even with their trickery, this bill still has an excellent chance of passing. Prop 32 will ban both corporate and union contributions to state and local candidates, ban contributions by government contractors to the politicians who control contracts awarded to them and ban automatic deductions by corporations, unions and government employees’ wages to be used for politics. Union members will still be able to give to political candidates and campaigns, but they will have to do so voluntarily, yearly, in writing. Simply put, unions will no longer be able to use their members’ money for political purposes unless the individual member allows it. As we saw in Wisconsin, once union members had this choice, many of them opted out of contributing. Large unions in California, such as the California Teacher’s Association (CTA), will not have the political power they do now if Prop 32 passes.

Please spread the word! We must work to pass Prop 32! We can defeat the powerful unions here in California! ◼ Click HERE to read an article by CRP Chair Tom Del Beccaro featured in National Review Online.
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CFRW Ballot Recommendations

Prop 30- Governor Brown’s Tax Increase: NO
Prop 31- State Budget Initiative Constitutional Amendment: No position
Prop 32- Stop Special Interests! Paycheck Protection: YES
Prop 33- Auto Insurance Coverage Prices: YES
Prop 34- Elimination of Death Penalty: NO
Prop 35- Human Trafficking Penalties: YES
Prop 36- Three Strikes Law Revise: NO
Prop 37- Genetically Engineered Food Labeling: NO
Prop 38- Molly Munger Tax Increase: NO
Prop 39- Multistate Business Tax: NO
Prop 40- Redistricting State Senate Districts: YES

As mentioned in previous Capitol Updates, each week leading up to the election we will highlight one proposition in depth. If you have any questions concerning the ballot measures or the CFRW positions, please email the CFRW Advocate at advocate@cfrw.org.
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Romney/Ryan Project!

The National Romney Team needs California for Romney to assist in a very simple Project: Phone from Home. This project will assist in guaranteeing Romney victory in November. Help us make calls using our online phone from home system. It’s easy to do and all you need is a phone, a computer/iPad and an Internet connection. Identifying supporters and turning them out to vote in Battleground States is critical to our success in November. With the phone from home program you can call any time that is convenient for you.

To get started on the phone from home program supporters just need to create a “My Mitt” account on our website: ◼ CLICK HERE. Once you create your account and login you’ll see the option to phone from home and brief instructions on how the system works. There is also a short video that you can watch to see how everything works. Again it’s a very simple system to use.

There is no cost to the Volunteer Caller.

The following are specific instructions, answering any questions you might have. Begin calling today! Don’t delay, as Election Day, November 6th is fast approaching.

◼ CLICK HERE for PDF instructions
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President’s Message
Submitted by Shirley Mark, Vice President Central

President Carol Hadley's mother is very ill. Carol is spending all of her time with her mother, as she should, and she has asked me to write an article for the Capitol Connection.

Save the date, October 19-21, 2012, Holiday Inn Downtown Fresno. All should have received the Call to Conference by now and we are in the process of confirming our speakers and we will let you know. Remember also that on Friday evening at 5:30 pm, we have the Dinner Show, “Singing in the Rain”. Olivia McCaffrey has sent out a notice and she has to have the money in, prior to the event. Don’t forget. This should be fun. Let’s get ready to party.

October is breast cancer awareness month and the NFRW is asking all state Presidents and Board Members to please speak with club members about each club highlighting breast cancer awareness during the month of October. Please contact NFRW Women’s Health Issues Committee Chairman, Joyce Waggoner with details of what you will be doing to promote breast cancer awareness or research in your area. If you do a special project please take photos and send them to Joyce, with a write-up to joyway@comcast.net. This could also include anything you did last year.

A reminder, September is also Barbara Bush Literacy month. Send in your documentation of club literacy work by October 31, 2012. Refer to website for more information.

September 22, is the day we have selected to promote membership in the Federation. Send in what your clubs are going to do.

I am sure many headquarter offices have been opened throughout the state. Please make it a priority to volunteer some time to work there. This election is a must WIN for the Republican Party. Remember we all, can and do make a difference.

As always, thank you for your continued support of our Republican principles and for all the time that you have volunteered to get our message heard.
__________________Disclaimer: The Capitol Update is an activity of the CFRW Advocate's Office. The update is for information only. CFRW official positions on legislation are stated immediately preceding the stated legislation or immediately following the stated legislation in this report.
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◼ View this article online: http://www.cfrw.org/index.cfm/article_267.htm

Ryan: Don't interfere with legalized medical pot

◼ Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan tells a Colorado television station that the federal government shouldn't interfere with states that have legalized medical marijuana. - Times Standard

Ryan told KRDO-TV in Colorado Springs that he personally doesn't approve of medical marijuana laws. But he said that states should have the right to choose whether to legalize the drug for medical purposes.

Packed house here in Sioux City Iowa to see @MittRomney #RomneyRyan2012 pic.twitter.com/mCnikCg9

How 'Pro-Choice' are Democrats?

Redwood ACLU to Hold First Eureka Council Candidate Debate: September 12th

◼ The Redwood Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union is holding a Candidates' Debate on Civil Liberties for the candidates for Eureka City Council (Ward 2) on Wednesday, September 12th from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on live television -- Access Humboldt Channel 11 -- out of the Community Media Center studio at Eureka High School.

This debate will be held before a televised audience and in cooperation with independent producers working with Access Humboldt it will also be aired several times on public access Channels 11 & 12 and will likewise be available for later viewing on-line.

The debate will be moderated by Redwood ACLU Treasurer Peter Martin, and shall be staffed by other members of the Board of Directors of the Redwood ACLU, although any persons who have made any sort of campaign contribution or endorsement of any of the candidates in this year's election are excluded from involvement.

"The voters of Eureka actually have a contested race in this ward," Redwood ACLU Chair Greg Allen said. "The Redwood Chapter ACLU is pleased to be able to give the candidates a forum, and the voters a chance to hear and see what the candidates have to say."

The candidates have already expressed their willingness to participate in this debate, and both Linda Atkins and Joe Bonino are expected to attend. It is believed that this will be the first TV debate between the incumbent and challenger for this seat.

Frustrated Californians Turn to Prop 32: Stop Special Interest Money

◼ The Golden State could make the most noise on Election Day. - Tom Del Beccaro/National Review

California hasn’t been “in play” during a presidential race in years. Normally, California plays the role of the lead investor — i.e., the ATM — in presidential politics. This year, however, California is set to eclipse Wisconsin on the national Richter scale of political tremors.

On the November ballot is Proposition 32 — an initiative that would ban direct giving to candidates by corporations and unions and provide paycheck protection to public-employee-union members. It would require public unions to ask permission, every year, of each union member prior to making deductions from employee paychecks for the benefit of union political-action committees (PACs).

Between Prop 32, the dozen congressional seats that are up for grabs, and a huge tax increase that’s also on the ballot, California is truly a battleground state this year. Read the rest, at the link...
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@TakeBackCA @tomdelbeccaro #StopSpecialInterestMoney @CAGOP

Romney on jobs report: If last night was the party, this morning is the hangover

◼ AUGUST JOBS MISS EXPECTATIONS: 96K JOBS ADDED, RATE AT 8.1% - Breitbart News
◼ US economy adds 96K jobs; unemployment rate falls to 8.1 pct. as more people end job searches - Christopher s Rugaber/Associated Press
◼ 368,000 DROPPED OUT - BLOOMBERG ◼ Via Drudge
◼ Record 88,921,000 Americans ‘Not in Labor Force’—119,000 Fewer Employed in August Than July - CNS NEWS
◼ Workforce participation rate for men 69.9% - lowest since 1948...President Barack Obama knew of figures before big speech - TOBY HARNDEN IN CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA/DAILY MAIL
__________________◼ ROMNEY: 'If last night was the party, this morning is the hangover'... - Justin Sink/The Hill

"For every net new job created, nearly four Americans gave up looking for work entirely. This is more of the same for middle class families who are suffering through the worst economic recovery since the Great Depression," Romney continued. "After 43 straight months of unemployment above 8 percent, it is clear that President Obama just hasn't lived up to his promises and his policies haven't worked. We aren’t better off than they were four years ago."

◼ RYAN: 'Failed Leadership'... - AP


__________________◼ White House broken record: Don’t ‘read too much into’ bad jobs numbers - Byron York/Washington Examiner

The answer is by warning Americans “not to read too much into any one monthly report.” Perhaps the bad news is an anomaly, Council of Economic Advisers chairman Alan Krueger warned Friday.

Of course, Krueger said the same thing last month. And the month before. And the month before. Noticing the depressing repetitiveness of the White House’s analysis, the Romney campaign last month dug through old reports and put together a list of 30 examples, going back to November, 2009, in which the administration warned Americans not to “read too much into” discouraging jobs numbers. Now, there are 31.

God, the Afterthought: America's cultural divide is now almost absolute; the Democratic Party, which once embraced Catholics and Jews, cannot conceal its contempt for religion.

◼ The Democratic Party didn’t quite succeed in banning God from its platform, but it did its best to ensure that no-one would listen to him by putting a liberal clergyman who talks about anything except God in front of a deserted stadium. That checked the God box without allowing the Maker of Heaven to get a word in edgewise. - David P. Goldman/PJM

Rabbis from the wrongly named Conservative movement are used to preaching to empty rooms, but there was something surreal in the image of the Los Angeles Sinai Temple’s Rabbi David Wolpe blessing a deserted stadium late Wednesday night long after the Democrats had departed. Named by Newsweek the most influential American rabbi, Wolpe beamed empathy and gestured eloquently to the vacant stadium. After the last-minute vote by acclamation to return God to the party platform, Wolpe’s benediction had deep symbolic overtones. Clint Eastwood talked to an empty chair, while Wolpe talked to ten thousand empty chairs....

The cultural divide in the United States is now almost absolute; Democratic Party liberalism, which once embraced devout Catholics and observant Jews, cannot conceal its contempt for religion. Even the clergy who cling to the Democratic Party have trouble concealing their lack of interest in religion. On the other hand, Americans of faith have rallied together as never before: Catholic and Jew, Evangelical and Mormon. For this observant Jew, hearing an Orthodox rabbi quote Torah to open the Republican convention was a milestone for America as well for the Jewish people (not to mention the fact that Rabbi Soloveichik is associate rabbi of my synagogue). And to hear an overwhelmingly Christian audience listen to this rabbi was a great event. The good news is that Americans who seek the love and guidance of the God of the Bible have put their differences aside where the good of the country is concerned. My prayer is: Let this not be too late.

Clint Eastwood: “President Obama is the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people”

◼ “President Obama is the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people,” Eastwood told The Pine Cone this week. “Romney and Ryan would do a much better job running the country, and that’s what everybody needs to know. I may have irritated a lot of the lefties, but I was aiming for people in the middle.” - Paul Miller/The Carmel Pine Cone

Breaking his silence - For five days after he thrilled or horrified the nation by talking to an empty chair representing Obama on the night Mitt Romney accepted the Republican nomination for president, Eastwood remained silent while pundits and critics debated whether his remarks, and the rambling way he made them, had helped or hurt Romney’s chances of winning in November.

But in a wide-ranging interview with The Pine Cone Tuesday from his home in Pebble Beach, he said he had conveyed the messages he wanted to convey, and that the spontaneous nature of his presentation was intentional, too.

“I had three points I wanted to make,” Eastwood said. “That not everybody in Hollywood is on the left, that Obama has broken a lot of the promises he made when he took office, and that the people should feel free to get rid of any politician who’s not doing a good job. But I didn’t make up my mind exactly what I was going to say until I said it.”

...Eastwood said people, including reporters, who were shocked by his remarks “are obviously on the left,” and he maintained that, while many Americans didn’t like the way he handled his convention appearance, millions more have something else on their minds.

“A lot of people are realizing they had the wool pulled over their eyes by Obama.”

◼ Clint Eastwood speaks: ‘I may have irritated a lot of the lefties, but I was aiming for people in the middle’ - Charlie Spiering/Washington Examiner @CharlieSpiering

60 DAYS TO THE ELECTION

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Today is day 1,247 without a #budget from @SenatorReid and the #DoNothing #SenateDems. #VoteThemAllOut #OIW @whitehouse @BarackObama @dccc

Obama Approval Index SINKS During DNC

◼ Rasmussen: - Presidential Approval Index -19; Strongly Approve 25%; Strongly Disapprove 44%; Total Approve 46%; Total Disapprove 54%

Krauthammer Pans Obama: "He Gave One of the Emptiest Speeches I've Ever Heard"

◼ Charles Krauthammer completely panned Obama’s lackluster effort tonight at the DNC. - Jim Hoft/Gateway Pundit

“I was stunned. This is a man who gave one of the great speeches of our time in 2004. And he gave one of the emptiest speeches I’ve ever heard on a national stage… There was nothing in it… At least Romney had a 5 point plan… He pulls number out of a hat… He doesn’t say how he’s going to get from A to B. It’s a vision. I have a vision of America where there’s no disease and everybody owns a private airplane. But, unless I tell you how we get there I’ve said nothing.”

◼ Carville: 'Not the best speech of convention'

Initial reactions to President Barack Obama's convention speech...
MSNBC's Rachel Maddow: A big, big speech.
CNN's James Carville: Probably not the best speech of this convention....
Noel Sheppard: Watching CNN right now. @AndersonCooper looks like someone died. Very unhappy panel.

◼ Obama: A Pedestrian and Overconfident Speech - Michael Tomasky /Daily Beast

◼ No sale: Obama can’t obscure gap between his record and his rhetoric - By U-T San Diego Editorial Board

Americans are used to reality shows. Yet for the last four days, we’ve seen an alternate-reality show, courtesy of the Democratic convention – one that depicted the worst president in U.S. history as a compassionate genius held back from even more staggering feats only by the evil people in the other party.

But last night, when Barack Obama took center stage in Charlotte, N.C., and had to make the case either that his first term was far better than most people thought or that his second term would be far better than his first, he couldn’t do it. The gap between his record of the past four years and his typically soaring rhetoric was just too big. His failure to succeed with his past promises made his new promises impossible to swallow.

◼ Obama Phones It In For DNC Finale - Kevin Drum/Mother Jones

...all of these riffs were just that: short collections of platitudes with no real meat behind them and no promise of what a second term might bring.

◼ The Democrats' Soft Extremism - Obama is out of ideas, and Clinton's speech was unworthy of him. - Peggy Noonan/Wall St. Journal

Barack Obama is deeply overexposed and often boring. He never seems to be saying what he's thinking. His speech Thursday was weirdly anticlimactic. There's too much buildup, the crowd was tired, it all felt flat. He was somber, and his message was essentially banal: We've done better than you think. Who are you going to believe, me or your lying eyes?

There were many straw men. There were phrases like "the shadow of a shuttered steel mill," which he considers writerly. But they sound empty and practiced now, like something you've heard in a commercial or an advertising campaign.

It was stale and empty. He's out of juice.

◼ I'm shocked it was this bad - Jennifer Rubin/Washington Post
◼ Obama at the DNC: That’s it? - Jennifer Rubin/Washington Post

It would have been better had he not spoken. Seriously. Like an aging rock star, President Obama, in a downsized venue, with downsized proposal and spewing downsized rhetoric only reminded us how far he has fallen from the heady days of 2008. The man, the agenda and the aura are faint imitations of their 2008 incarnations. And most importantly, he put forth an agenda that was entirely, and obviously, lacking, one that didn’t begin to match the demands of our time.

◼ The trouble with Obama's rhetoric: It bites the man who reads it - John Kass/Chicago Tribune

◼ Obama fell flat - Politico

FORMER OBAMA SUPPORTERS FORM GROUP IN SUPPORT OF MITT ROMNEY

◼ Several high-profile former supporters of President Barack Obama in 2008 announced on Thursday they have now switched to Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan. - Tony Lee/Breitbart

The group launched a petition online on the day Obama addressed the Democratic National Convention, hammering home the point that Obama let down many Democrats and independents who believed in his rhetoric of hope and change in 2008.

Former NBA and UNLV Runnin' Rebel basketball player Greg Anthony and former Democratic Congressman Artur Davis join Ashley Bell, Hall County Commissioner, Jane Edmonds, former Massachusetts Secretary of Workforce Development, and Barney Bishop, Former Executive Director of the Florida Democratic Party, on the national leadership team.


"I supported him then, and I am disappointed now," Anthony lamented. "President Obama presented himself as a different kind of politician, but all we've seen from him is politics as usual in Washington. If we are going to turn this around, we need a turn-around specialist, not a politician. We need Mitt Romney, and I am proud to support him.”

Davis, the Obama 2008 co-chair who spoke at the Republican National Convention, said he's "seen enough from an administration that has run out of ideas to turn our economy around, that has no real solutions beyond raising taxes and growing government, and that has provided the most ideological presidency in my lifetime."

"The Obama White House and the Democratic Party are wrong on the issues of the day, and Mitt Romney is right," Davis said. "Governor Romney will reverse the flailing policies of the team in the White House.”

Bishop, the former Executive Director of the Florida Democratic Party, said he was "a lifelong Democrat, but this election is too important to simply be about political parties."

“President Obama’s policies over the past four years have failed to deliver on his campaign promises," Bishop said. "At a moment when Americans are looking for someone who will offer practical solutions, [Romney's] experience turning around troubled situations, in both the public and private sector, uniquely qualifies him for the White House at this critical moment.”

Thought Police Patrol Convention’s Radio Row

◼ Conservative talk-show hosts who came to Charlotte to interview political figures are furious. For the first time in anyone’s memory, Radio Row — the designated set of booths available to visiting talk-show hosts — has seen restrictions placed on its use by Team Obama. DNC staffers at Radio Row will book leading Democrats for slots on conservative stations but then cancel the appearances an hour or so before broadcast “because you’re not our audience.” - National review

◼ OBAMA QUASHES CONSERVATIVE MEDIA ACCESS AT DNC - Ben Shapiro/Breitbart

Media availability for Obama officials and acolytes has been shut up as tight as a clam for conservative media here at the Democratic National Convention. According to sources at Talk Radio News Service, placing a stringer outside the designated TV area to ask high-level Democrats to stop by radio row has been banned by the DNC – in fact, as one source told me, “You need permission from Obama for America.”

FACT CHECK: Steelworker Featured at DNC Didn’t Work for Bain

◼ The Democratic National Convention on Wednesday featured three speakers billed as “former employees of companies controlled by Bain Capital.” - Jonathan Karl/ABC @jonkarl

“David Foster was never an employee of GST Steel’s Kansas City plant. He was employed by the United Steelworkers of America as their regional union director to represent GST Steel, but was not employed at our facility,” according to BC Huselton, who was head of HR at GST.

Instead, Foster was a union organizer, who negotiated for workers that did work for the company.

Give Me A Break

◼ Romney Claims Clinton in Latest Ad - Daniel Halper/Weekly Standard

Here's the transcript:

VOICEOVER: “As the economy gets worse, Barack Obama calls on Bill Clinton to help his failing campaign.

VIDEO TEXT: “Obama Economy Even Worse”

PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON: “It’s about which candidate is more likely to return us to full employment.”

VIDEO TEXT: “Obama TV Ad”

VOICEOVER: “He’s a good soldier—helping his party’s president. But what did Bill Clinton say about Barack Obama in 2008?”

VIDEO TEXT: “What Did Clinton Say About Obama In 2008?”

PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON: “Give me a break. This whole thing is the biggest fairy tale I’ve ever seen.”

VIDEO TEXT: “23 Million Americans Struggling For Work”

VOICEOVER: “23 million Americans struggling for work.”

VIDEO TEXT: “‘The Middle Class Falls Further Behind’”

VOICEOVER: “A middle class falling further behind.”

PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON: “Give me a break.”

MITT ROMNEY: “I’m Mitt Romney and I approved this message.”

Balloting set -- filing can begin for Doug LaMalfa Senate seat

◼ Candidates can begin filing for the state Senate seat vacated by Doug LaMalfa, now that Gov. Jerry Brown has set the primary election for Nov. 6 and, if necessary, a runoff for Jan 8. - Sacramento Bee

Contenders can file for the 4th District Senate election through Tuesday, Sept. 12, the secretary of state's office said.... To win LaMalfa's Senate seat outright in the Nov. 6 primary, a candidate must receive more than 50 percent of votes cast. Brown scheduled the 4th District primary in conjunction with California's statewide presidential election.

LaMalfa, R-Richvale, resigned from the Legislature to run for the congressional seat of Republican Wally Herger in a district that tilts strongly to the right.
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◼ douglamalfa.com ◼ On Facebook

Three Times

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◼ allenwestforcongress.com

CRP AND CFRW: REPUBLICAN BALLOT POSITIONS

◼ California Republican Party Officially Opposes Initiatives to Increase Taxes and Weaken Important Public Safety Programs - California Republican Party

(BURBANK, CA)—The California Republican Party has officially opposed Governor Jerry Brown’s tax increase measures, which will appear on the November ballot during its annual Fall Convention this weekend.

OFFICIAL CRP BALLOT POSITIONS: QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE

◼ Prop 30: Governor Brown's Tax Increase - OPPOSE
◼ Prop 31: State Budget Amendments - SUPPORT
◼ Prop 32: Paycheck Protection - SUPPORT
◼ Prop 33: Auto Insurance Coverage - SUPPORT
◼ Prop 34: Death Penalty Elimination - OPPOSE
◼ Prop 35: Human Trafficking Penalties - SUPPORT
◼ Prop 36: Three Strikes Reform - OPPOSE
◼ Prop 37: Genetically Engineered Food Labels - OPPOSE
◼ Prop 38: Tax Increase for Education - OPPOSE
◼ Prop 39: Multi-state Business Tax for Clean Energy - OPPOSE
◼ Prop 40: Redistricting Senate Districts - SUPPORT

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OFFICIAL CFRW BALLOT POSITIONS: QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE (UPDATED)

◼ Prop 30: Governor Brown's Tax Increase - OPPOSE
◼ Prop 31: State Budget Amendments - NO POSITION OPPOSE
◼ Prop 32: Paycheck Protection - SUPPORT
◼ Prop 33: Auto Insurance Coverage - SUPPORT
◼ Prop 34: Death Penalty Elimination - OPPOSE
◼ Prop 35: Human Trafficking Penalties - SUPPORT
◼ Prop 36: Three Strikes Reform - OPPOSE
◼ Prop 37: Genetically Engineered Food Labels - OPPOSE
◼ Prop 38: Tax Increase for Education - OPPOSE
◼ Prop 39: Multi-state Business Tax for Clean Energy - OPPOSE
◼ Prop 40: Redistricting Senate Districts - SUPPORT

It is imperative that the Republican Women get out the vote this election. While everyone is so excited about our Romney/Ryan ticket, we don’t want voters to overlook these important propositions that will have serious implications for California. The Republican Women are informed voters, while the majority of other Californian voters are not. How else can we explain Governor Brown… again? Republican Women must work to inform and educate California voters in all walks of life. We must expand our spheres of influence and step out of our political comfort zones. It is time to politically engage people we wouldn’t have before- our mailmen, our grocers, our dentists, our friends, families and neighbors. This year is critical and we have a golden opportunity here in California to change our course.

UPDATE: The CFRW Voting Body has reconsidered our official CFRW position on Proposition 31. After reevaluating, our Voting Body decided to change our official position from “No position” to “OPPOSE.”

News from National Federation of Republican Women

NFRW President Addressed the RNC Convention

On the opening day of the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida, NFRW President Rae Chornenky delivered a speech highlighting the results of the 2012 NFRW Table Talk Survey. Citing the over 8,500 Republican women who took the survey, she touched on the two issues they are primarily concerned about: "less interference and fewer regulations controlling businesses," and "the kind of strong fiscal conservative leadership that only Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan can deliver."

President Chornenky also addressed the so-called "Republican War on Women," stating that "850,000 women have lost their jobs under Obama, and the family household income has dropped $4,300 since this president took office." She cited the Bureau of Labor Statistics, where it has been reported that "women lost 92% of all the jobs lost under the Obama administration."



NFRW Member at Large Highlighted at Convention

NFRW Member at Large Eileen Sobjack was highlighted by the Bellingham Herald in the midst of the Republican convention last week when she spoke about the tremendous leadership of fellow Republican women. Eileen referred to the fact that "there's a plethora of women leaders and that's just exciting...the Party is embracing women."

Directing media to the fact that many prominent Republican women in leadership positions served as an inspiration for delegates earned high praise for Eileen.

NFRW Women's Health Committee

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and the NFRW Women's Health Issues Committee asks that State presidents and Board members please speak with club members about each club highlighting breast cancer awareness during the month of October.

Please contact the NFRW Women's Health Issues Committee Chairman, Joyce Waggoner, with details of what you will be doing to promote breast cancer research and awareness in your area.

If you do a special project, please take photos and send them to Joyce with a write-up at - Email: joyway@comcast.net. You may also send a summary of what you or members of your club or federation did to support breast cancer awareness or research during the past year as well.

The committee is looking forward to highlighting clubs or federations and the great care Republican women take regarding women's health issues.

California's Jean Pakes Honored

Jean Pakes, a long-time NFRW member and Regent, who serves as part of our timekeeper team, has been honored with a certificate from President and Mrs. George W. Bush. Jean was notified recently that President Bush has authorized her name to be placed in the Freedom Registry as a founding member of the George W. Bush Presidential Center. Her certificate of induction was signed by both the President and his wife.

All of NFRW is so pleased for Jean and agree she most richly deserves having all of her volunteer hours and hard work recognized in such a wonderful way!

NFRW Teams Up with Barbara Bush Foundation to Promote Literacy

Each September, we promote literacy by honoring Former First Lady Barbara Bush, the continuing "First Lady of Literacy." This article is to remind all clubs to send in documentation of club literacy work for our Barbara Bush Literacy Program by October 31st. For details, visit http://www.nfrw.org/programs/literacy/literacymonth.htm
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◼ nfrw.org

CONDOLEEZA RICE, JAMES BAKER, GEORGE SHULTZ & HENRY KISSINGER: Romney for recovery

◼ Strong America means peaceful world - Condoleezza Rice, James A. Baker, George P. Shultz and Henry A. Kissinger/Washington Times

Like the country we have been privileged to serve, we remain fundamentally optimistic about the future. We have endured a financial collapse, a protracted recession, a fiscal crisis that threatens the creditworthiness of the U.S. government, and polarized politics that makes it ever more difficult to govern. Pundits regularly remind us how other great powers, from Rome to Great Britain, all fell into eclipse.
We reject such pessimism. The United States remains the world’s most powerful and, above all, the most indispensable country — diplomatically, militarily, even economically.

American leadership remains critical to global peace and prosperity. No other country has used its resources to accomplish so many positive changes around the world. From the Cold War to the collapse of the Soviet challenge, from Bretton Woods to NAFTA, from NATO to the free-trade agreements with Korea and Colombia, America has promoted democratic values and vindicated our interests in global security.

The stakes are high. International terrorism remains a threat to the safety of each and every one of us. The same is true for the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The dynamics of global power are shifting. The system ushered in by the end of the Cold War ended with the implosion of the Soviet empire. Countries like China, India and Brazil have emerged as shapers of international politics. Together with allies and partners, we need to construct a world of peace, justice and security.

But we cannot be strong militarily, politically or diplomatically unless we are strong economically. These past few years, we have experienced an anemic economic recovery, one that has weakened our influence in the world and shaken the confidence of our friends and allies. We need pro-growth strategies that will renew our ailing economy, just as they did when Ronald Reagan took over in 1980. If the U.S. economy continues to stagnate, then predictions of an American retreat from greatness could come true.

That is why we have endorsed Mitt Romney for president. He has the experience, strategy and temperament to lead a robust economic recovery and rein in the mounting federal debt that threatens our future. And he fully understands that our prosperity at home is inextricably linked to our influence abroad.

Mr. Romney has laid out a strong and mature vision of American leadership during his campaign. It is based on a consistent theme that peace abroad depends on American vitality.

Mr. Romney understands that the world remains a dangerous place. He is a staunch supporter of our alliances around the world. He believes in maintaining our military strength. He is committed to expanding free trade and investment. He will oppose the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. And he knows that no American president should ever be ashamed of espousing the democratic principles upon which our nation was founded.

Most of all, he recognizes that America is at its best when it assumes a leadership role on the world stage. Mr. Romney will devote himself to building an America that remains the hope of the world — a world of peace, justice and democracy.
__________________Condoleezza Rice was secretary of state under President George W. Bush. James A. Baker was secretary of state under President George H.W. Bush. George P. Shultz was secretary of state under President Reagan. Henry A. Kissinger was secretary of state under Presidents Nixon and Ford.

The Breakup

Obama: the real radical

◼ Four years ago, Barack Obama was America’s Rorschach test, upon whom voters could project their disparate yearnings. - George Will/Washington Post

“Government is a relation of give and take.” The “rulers” — FDR’s word — take power from the people, who in turn are given “certain rights.”

This, says Kesler, is “the First Law of Big Government: the more power we give the government, the more rights it will give us.” It also is the ultimate American radicalism, striking at the roots of the American regime, the doctrine of natural rights. Remember this when next — perhaps tonight — Obama discourses on the radicalism of Paul Ryan.

As Kesler says, the logic of progressivism is: “Since our rights are dependent on government, why shouldn’t we be?” This is the real meaning of Obama’s most characteristic rhetorical trope, his incessant warning that Americans should be terrified of being “on your own.”

Obama, the fourth transformative progressive, had a chief of staff who said “you never want a serious crisis to go to waste.” More than a century before that, a man who would become the first such progressive said that a crisis is a terrible thing not to create. Crises, said Wilson, are periods of “unusual opportunity” for gaining “a controlling and guiding influence.” So, he said, leaders should maintain a crisis atmosphere “at all times.”

61 DAYS TO THE ELECTION

"A giant swing and a miss"

◼ Krauthammer: Bill Clinton speech ‘a giant swing and a miss’ - Jeff Poor/Daily Caller

◼ Bill Clinton: A good lawyer defending a guilty client - Dick Morris

The low point of Clinton’s speech was when he boldly charged into the fray – like the charge of the light brigade – and said that we are better off today than we were four years ago! Four years ago, with the US unemployment rate at just 6 percent, was worse than today with 8.3 percent? Four years ago, with just a $10 trillion debt, it was somehow not as good as today with a $16 trillion debt? Clinton’s arguments were obviously inadequate and sought to do something that cannot be done: speaking positively of Obama’s record.

In his obvious inability to win the argument, Clinton showed us how weak it is. As he recited his statistics, we came to understand how hollow they are. Is this all he can say about Obama’s record we all asked?

◼ To save Obama, Clinton ignores his own deregulation moves - John Berlau/FOX
◼ CLINTON, DOWNGRADED - Joel B. Pollak/Breitbart

Once, he was the “Comeback Kid.” Now, he’s “Boilerplate Bill.”

Former President Bill Clinton told the delegates to the Democratic National Convention everything they had already heard over the past two days. Even the smears were old.
The only interesting moment was when Clinton ad-libbed a Birther joke. (Racist!)
Otherwise, the speech was a dud. No surprises, just a loyal party member showing up to pay his dues. Even Clinton seemed bored....

Clinton couldn’t say much about the Obama record, so he framed the choice as between “you’re on your own” and “we’re all in it together. (Yes, you’ve heard it before.)
Clinton’s delivery was tired and plodding, with plenty of finger-wagging and lip-licking. It did have a certain folksy appeal--but largely because it contrasted so sharply in tone (not in content) from what had preceded it, particularly the overwrought exhortations of Sandra Fluke.

◼ Why am I watching this collection of trained seals? I have no idea. The man's a liar. That's my first actual thought about him. It sums up his performance. - Crack Emcee/The Macho Response

Poll finds Mitt Romney closing favorability gap with President Obama

◼ President Obama has the lowest pre-convention favorability ratings for any incumbent since the 1980s, a new poll finds, while his rival Mitt Romney is seeing gains following the GOP convention in Tampa, Fla. - Meghashyam Mali/The Hill

This isn't a winner's convention, it's Custer's Last Stand with balloons and lifelike politician puppets. It's the blowout that will rid the Democrats of some of their dead weight, like Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, while keeping them competitive enough with target groups that they can blame their defeat on discrimination, rather than a popular revolt against their failed economic policies.

◼ My Abortion,'Tis of Thee - Daniel Greenfield/Sultan Knish

There's a moment in every party when no one knows anymore why they are at the party or what the point of the party is. The party is just there and they're there and they're doing their best to pretend to be having fun, but worryingly they're not sure what fun is anymore. There's just noise, balloons and lots of bright colors. Someone makes a speech and everyone applauds because it's the thing to do. And everyone stays because that's also the thing to do. That's the Convention in a nutshell.

What the Democratic National Convention, 2012 edition, is really meant to accomplish is create a narrative where Obama lost, not because of the economy, but because he committed to liberal values, because he went all out on gay marriage, abortion and illegal immigration, and liberals failed to back him up. The story will not be that the election was a referendum on economics, but a way for the white majority to disenfranchise the voices of feminists, gays and minorities. It is the story that they will carry into their battle to retake Congress in 2014 and their attack on the White House in 2016.

Incomplete

◼ Excellent new RNC ad exposes Obama’s hypocrisy over giving himself an ‘incomplete’ - The Right Scoop

New Bob Woodward Book:

◼ Debt Deal Collapse Led to 'Pure Fury' From President Obama - ABC News ◼ Via Drudge

An explosive mix of dysfunction, miscommunication, and misunderstandings inside and outside the White House led to the collapse of a historic spending and debt deal that President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner were on the verge of reaching last summer, according to revelations in author Bob Woodward's latest book.

The book, "The Price of Politics," on sale Sept. 11, 2012, shows how close the president and the House speaker were to defying Washington odds and establishing a spending framework that included both new revenues and major changes to long-sacred entitlement programs.

But at a critical juncture, with an agreement tantalizingly close, Obama pressed Boehner for additional taxes as part of a final deal -- a miscalculation, in retrospect, given how far the House speaker felt he'd already gone.

The president called three times to speak with Boehner about his latest offer, according to Woodward. But the speaker didn't return the president's phone call for most of an agonizing day, in what Woodward calls a "monumental communications lapse" between two of the most powerful men in the country.

When Boehner finally did call back, he jettisoned the entire deal. Obama lost his famous cool, according to Woodward, with a "flash of pure fury" coming from the president; one staffer in the room said Obama gripped the phone so tightly he thought he would break it....

Pelosi 'reached over and pressed mute button on her phone' as Obama talked...

WOODWARD: White House so stunned by 2010 GOP triumph, it didn't even have Boehner's phone number...

◼ Speed Read: Juiciest Bits From Bob Woodward’s Book ‘Price of Politics’ - Miranda Green/Daily Beast (image source)

◼ Woodward’s devastating account of Obama’s failed leadership - Conn Carroll/Washington Examiner @conncarroll

◼ The Price of Politics This title will be released on September 11, 2012. at Amazon

◼ You'll also want The Amateur, by Edward Klein

Atlas Shrugged Part II Official Trailer

◼ Join us in The Gulch: Atlas Shrugged Part II in theaters 10.12.12

Bestseller!

◼ "Hit The Road, Barack" a newsstand hit. - AdAge

The Aug. 27 issue urging a Romney victory "may have just knocked one out of the park on newsstand sales," according to the Magazine Information Network, or MagNet, which tracks magazine sales.

The early read on sales suggests the issue could double Newsweek's newsstand average, MagNet said. It's also on track to land among the title's top three newsstand sellers since 2010, according to MagNet data....

IPad edition downloads on the issue's first day were 4.3 times higher than usual, the spokesman said.

'GOD' IS BACK! Dems BOO!

◼ RESURRECTION: DNC OVERRULES DELEGATES, RAMS GOD AND JERUSALEM BACK INTO PLATFORM - Ben Shapiro/Breitbart

Tonight, the Democratic National Committee suspended the rules of the convention and inserted language regarding God and the State of Israel back to its platform. They had to vote three times to do it – and they had to lie to deem it passed, even though it was clear that the measure did not pass a voice vote in the chamber. The original 2012 Democratic Party platform had excised all mention of God and Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Israel.

...Sources also report that the language was changed "to reflect the president's personal view." This is bull. President Obama has never recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital, and neither has his spokesperson or State Department. He has never taken a public position against the so-called "right of return," which would destroy Israel as a Jewish state. And he has publicly stated that Israel should use the 1949 armistice lines as the baseline of any future negotiations. This was obviously a political move designed to prevent disillusioned Jewish voters from leaving the Democratic voters in droves. If Jews are smart -- and if they watch this tape -- they'll realize that the base of the Democratic Party simply does not support Israel, even if the DNC quashes their votes.

◼ Jerusalem And God Vote Gets Booed At Dem Convention - Real Clear Politics
◼ HALL DIVIDED... - Daniel Halper/Weekly Standard ◼ Via Drudge
◼ Democrats Fumble Major Israel Issue, Put Jerusalem As Capital In Platform; President Obama Hands Republicans A Gift; Jewish, Palestinian Leaders Fume - CBS NY
◼ "In the floor process, we wanted to make clear that the president's personal views are reflected," the official said. "These issues are too important to make into political attacks." - The Cable
◼ PALM BEACH COUNTY DEMOCRAT CHAIR: CHRISTIANS JUST WANT JEWS TO BE SLAUGHTERED - John Hayward/Human Events

This afternoon, after enduring much criticism over their decisions to strip God and Jerusalem out of the party platform, Democrats decided to restore the missing language. This did not go over well with many delegates, who filled the convention hall with lusty “boos.” That’s probably not a scene Democrats really wanted America to see right now:



◼ CAUGHT ON JERUSALEM, DEMS BACKTRACK [UPDATE: THEY BRING GOD BACK TOO, AS DELEGATES BOO] - John Hinderaker/Powerline

◼ The Democratic National Committee banned dozens of Charlotte churches from distributing gift baskets to delegates because the congregations hold values that are contrary to the party platform, according to local religious leaders. “They told us our views on women’s rights are contrary to the Democratic party platform.”

◼ FANTASTIC – CNN now openly mocking @DWSTweets for saying lying about dissent and 2/3rds vote on platform amendment - The Right Sphere

Not even CNN can take the bald-faced lies from Debbie Wasserman Schultz any more and are now openly mocking her. She told a CNN reporter that there was no dissent on the floor regarding the amendment to add Jerusalem/God back into the party platform and further stated that there was definitely a 2/3rds vote heard from the delegates.

Anderson Cooper says she’s in an “alternate universe”:



◼ Debbie Wasserman-Schultz: Hey, there was no discord on the floor over that God and Jerusalem language; Update: “Alternate universe”; Update: Interviews canceled - HotAir
◼ Suicide: The Democratic Party's Self-Inflicted Wounds - Ricochet
◼ Fiasco in Charlotte - Ed Driscoll/PJM
◼ The night the Democrats lost control of the Israel message - Haviv Rettig Gur/Times Of Israel

The Republican Jewish Coalition began tweeting differences between the Democratic Party’s 2008 and 2012 platforms on Monday. By Tuesday morning, Republican activists were shopping those differences to reporters....

GAO confirms Obama changed welfare to work rules

◼ In another blow to the so-called fact-checking propaganda wing of the Democrat Party, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), said yesterday that the Obama regime must give Congress the chance to block President Obama's scheme that lets states change, some say "gut," the Clinton-era welfare to work rules Obama long opposed - Dan Spencer/Examiner.com

"In July, the Obama administration offered states more latitude in how they can run cash-assistance programs that replaced the welfare system after the 1996 overhaul passed by Congress and signed in to law by President Bill Clinton. … 'It must be submitted to Congress and the comptroller general before taking effect,' wrote Lynn H. Gibson, GAO's general counsel, in a letter to the lawmakers on Tuesday."

According to the Wall Street Journal, the GAO's rebuke of the Obama scheme resulted from a request by Republicans, Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah and Rep. Dave Camp of Michigan, in which they asked the GAO to determine whether the administration's changes were the equivalent of a rule change that would require congressional approval. Hatch praised the GAO findings Tuesday, saying that they were further proof that the administration could not change the program without Congress's consent:

"This analysis is unequivocal that any changes must be submitted to Congress," he said. "Circumventing Congress, as this White House has done, is a flagrant abuse of our system of checks and balances and an insult to American taxpayers."

Monica Lewinsky’s Former Rabbi To Deliver Benediction After Bill Clinton Speaks At DNC

◼ This could get awkward. - Michael Falcone

Not only was Wolpe the Lewinsky family’s rabbi, he also sharply condemned President Clinton at the time his sexual relationship with Lewinsky, then a 24-year-old White House intern, was dominating national headlines.

“He was a brilliant, talented, extraordinary child, and for the leader of the United States we need an adult,” Rabbi Wolpe told his temple, according to a 1998 Associated Press account. He said Clinton needed to “cleanse his soul.”

FACT CHECK: FIRST LADY'S FALSE FAIRY TALE OF STRUGGLE, AND MORE

◼ First Lady Michelle Obama’s pitch to voters last night relied on the premise that she and her husband understand what it is to struggle to make ends meet. She spoke movingly about their early years--about how a young Barack Obama drove a car that was “rusted out" and found his furniture “in a dumpster,” how they both came from families that had to “scrape by.” Her fairy tale--however well-delivered--was one great, big, colorful lie. - Joel B. Pollak

Both Michelle Robinson and Barack Obama began their adult lives with a leg up on the rest of America. They attended elite schools: Michelle went to Whitney Young, the public magnet school for Chicago’s upper class, while Barack attended Punahou, the private prep school for the top stratum of Hawaiian society. They were accepted to Ivy League schools despite undistinguished credentials, and both attended Harvard Law School....

They had expensive tastes, reflected in the $277,500 two-bedroom condo they bought in 1993--a high price even by today’s standards. Several years later, they moved into their $1.65 million mansion in Hyde Park--with the help of fraudster Tony Rezko. Barack often told a story of hardship on the campaign trail in 2008 about having his credit card declined--once. The fact that he thought this counted as real hardship speaks volumes.

As her husband moved onto the national political stage, Michelle Obama began to enjoy a lavish lifestyle at taxpayer expense, directly and indirectly. When Barack Obama was elected to the U.S. Senate, he obtained a $1 million earmark for the University of Chicago Hospital--and his wife’s salary as Vice President for Community Affairs jumped from $121,910 to $316,962. Her job: pushing poor, uninsured patients to other hospitals.... More - at the link.

◼ CNN Fact Check: About those 4.5 million jobs... - CNN Wire Staff

◼ AP: Exaggerations, Embellishments Abound on Day 1 of Convention... - TOM RAUM AND RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR/ASSOCIATED PRESS

◼ Julian Castro ‘doesn’t really speak Spanish’ - Geoffrey Malloy/Daily Caller

◼ Top Ten Craziest Things that Happened at the Democrats’ Convention Last Night — DAY ONE - Kevin Dujan/Hillbuzz

September Issue: Redwood Alert

September 2012 HRWF Redwood Alert

Ramirez on the Democratic “better-off” dance

◼ Michael Ramirez applies his Pulitzer Prize-winning talents to present the Democratic response to the question "Are you better off?" in one single frame: - Ed Morrissey ◼ Ramirez at IBD
◼ Better Off? Let's Count the Ways We're Not - IBD Editorial
◼ President Obama is running scared from the Reagan Metric - Ed Morrissey/The Week

"Are you better off than you were four years ago?" seems like a simple question. But for Team Obama, it's clearly terrifying

Godwin's Law | Know Your Meme: The person guilty of invoking Godwin's Law has effectively forfieted the argument

◼ URBAN DICTIONARY - A term that originated on Usenet, Godwin's Law states that as an online argument grows longer and more heated, it becomes increasingly likely that somebody will bring up Adolf Hitler or the Nazis. When such an event occurs, the person guilty of invoking Godwin's Law has effectively forfieted the argument.
◼ Another Delegate (Pat Lehman) Compares GOP To Hitler - Kansas.com
◼ SC Dem Chair (Dick Harpootlian) Compares Nikki Haley To Hitler's Mistress... - Daniel Halper/Weekly Standard
◼ John Burton, California Democratic Chief, Compares GOP Tactics To Nazi Propaganda - Huffington Post
◼ Capitol Alert: John Burton leaves DNC -- heads home for root canal - Sacramento Bee
◼ Calif. Dem. chair John Burton's past includes sexual harassment, bookmaking, cursing 'more than a West Coast rapper' - Daily Caller

◼ Ohio Dem accuses Jewish Republican of being “candidate of the big lie” - Sean Higgins/Washington Examiner
◼ Sen. Sherrod Brown Uses Mein Kampf Reference Against Republican Opponent Josh Mandel

Josh Mandel’s grandfather was a holocaust survivor.

◼ Fla. Pol Resigns After Anti-Christian Comment Goes Viral - Breitbart News

Siegel, speaking to a conservative journalist in Charlotte, NC, said he wasn't a fan of Christianity because "the Christians just want [Jews] to be there so we can be slaughtered and converted and bring on the second coming of Jesus Christ."
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◼ California Republican Party Statement on Dem Chair Burton Comparing GOP to Nazi Propagandist

"This is exactly the kind of desperate, deranged rhetoric the Democrats are going to employ in order to distract voters from their failed record over the past four years. While Republicans are offering voters real solutions and bold choices, Democrats sound like they'll be resorting to personal attacks and insults."

"You Didn't Fill That!" — Obama won't be speaking in the 74,000-seat stadium.

◼ If Obama Can't Fill Bank of America Stadium, We'll Say: You Didn't Fill That! - RUSH
◼ DNC Dissing The Base: Moving Obama’s Speech Inside - BLACK & RIGHT
◼ "You Didn't Fill That!" — Obama won't be speaking in the 74,000-seat stadium. - ALTHOUSE
◼ Democrats WILL move Obama's big speech from 74,000-seater outdoor stadium to smaller indoor arena citing bad weather (but was it really because they couldn't fill it?) Crucial speech will now be held in 20,000 seater Time Warner indoor area - TOBY HARNDEN/DAILY MAIL
◼ 'LIGHTNING THREAT'
◼ Crowd capacity downsized by 50,000 - POLITICO ◼ Via Drudge
◼ Rahm Emanuel in June: 'When President Obama arrives the rain stops'... - Charlie Spiering/Washington Examiner @CharlieSpiering
◼ Change: Obama’s convention speech moved from 73,000 seat outdoor stadium to 20,000 seat indoor arena - MICHELLE MALKIN