Friday, August 31, 2012

2012 DNC Convention Schedule

2012 Democratic National Convention Schedule -- Charlotte , N.C.

4:00 PM - Opening Flag Burning Ceremony - sponsored by CNN
4:05 PM - Singing of "God Damn America " led by Rev. Jeremiah Wright
4:10 PM - Pledge of Allegiance to Obama.

4:15 PM - Ceremonial 'I hate America' led by Michelle Obama.
4:30 PM - Tips on "How to keep your man trustworthy & true to you while you travel the world" - Hillary Clinton
4:45 PM -Al Sharpton / Jesse Jackson seminar "How to have a successful career without having a job."

5:00 PM - "Great Vacations I've Taken on the Taxpayer's Dime Travel Log" - Michelle Obama.
5:30 PM - Eliot Spitzer Speaks on "Family Values" via Satellite
5:45 PM - Tribute to All 57 States - Nancy Pelosi

6:00 PM - Sen. Harry Reid - 90-minute speech expressing the Democrat's appreciation of the Occupy Wall Street movement,
and George Soros for sparing no expense, for all that they have accomplished to unify the country, improve employment
and to boost the economy.

8:30 PM - Airing of Grievances by the Clintons
9:00 PM - "Bias in Media - How we can make it work for you" Tutorial - sponsored by CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN, the Washington
Post and the New York Times

9:15 PM - Tribute Film to Brave Freedom Fighters incarcerated at GITMO - Michael Moore
9:45 PM - Personal Finance Seminar - Charlie Rangle
10:00 PM - Denunciation of Bitter Gun Owners and Bible readers.

10:30 PM - Ceremonial Waving of White Flag for IRAQ , & Afghanistan
11:00 PM - Obama Energy Plan Symposium / Tire Gauge Demonstration / You too can get rich with Green Investment
bankruptcies
11:15 PM - Free Gov. Blagovich rally

11:30 PM - Obama Accepts Oscar, Tony and Latin Grammy Awards
11:45 PM - Feeding of the Delegates with 5 Loaves and 2 Fish Obama Presiding
12:00 AM - Official Nomination of Obama by Bill Maher and Chris "He sends a thrill up my leg" Matthews

12:01 AM - Obama Accepts Nomination as Lord and Savior
12:05 AM - Celestial Choirs Sing
3:00 AM - Biden Delivers Acceptance Speech

Hat Tip: Timmy

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Tea Party vs. GOP: The Future

Tea Party Paul Revere
Mitt Romney will win the election in November. He has grassroots support from the tea party and the selection of Paul Ryan has cemented it. Gov. Romney must now concentrate on independent and moderate voters and make the case that he is the better choice for America. In that, Mitt will not fail.

Mitt, being a moderate Republican who won in Democrat controlled Massachusetts, is well suited to the task of winning moderate votes. As a man with a business background, he is better equipped to run America than his opponent. Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan are a better team, and they have my support.

With that said, once elected they will have to win my support on a day by day basis. This is because the GOP establishment opposes the grassroots movement. This is true in San Diego where volunteers have been replaced by donation-paid staff, soviet-style party rules and intimidation.  It is true in the state of California where the party is a complete failure. This is true at the national level, as is now evidenced by Tuesday's assault on Ron Paul supporters, tea party supporters and other grassroots groups with the introduction of rules 15, 16 and 12 during the convention.

Fellow SLOB, Republican Mother's article over at Left Coast Rebel, "Rules Change = Dictatorship"outlines the story of rules 15, 16 and 12.
...if Mitt gets his way with this new rule change, he'll be the one selecting all the RNC delegates in 2016, meaning that the grassroots will be mowed down permanently. This has not only (Ron) Paulers upset, but your run of the mill Tea Party types like Dick Armey, Michelle Malkin and even Mark Levin.
Additional Left Coast Rebel reporting continues:
Unfortunately,  just because I haven't tuned in doesn't mean I'm not privy to the GOP establishment's delegate/grassroots shafting that just took place...
In short, rule 15 was renumbered rule 16 after being watered down. Rule 15 would have allowed the national party to veto state-elected delegates. It was effectively an establishment purge of the grassroots.The grassroots would no longer be a factor in selecting candidates. It was compromised and rewritten as rule 16 due to backlash.

Rule 12 allows for rules to be written between conventions. This empowers a group of establishment elitists to mold the party without grassroots input. Further, it makes the compromise on rule 16 null and void because a new rule could be created between conventions with no knowledge or input from the state parties.

Speaker of the House John Boehner passed rule 12 "unanimously" over an equal number of "nays" as witnessed by the following report:

Boehner over Angry Convention Crowd
Watch until about 2:39:00 when Speaker of the House John Boehner takes the podium and asks for a voice vote on the rules. The “nays” from the floor were at least as loud as the “yeas,” but Boehner approved the rules “without objection.”
What a joke.
Meanwhile, a North Dakota delegate texted me from the floor of the convention saying that they were instructed to chant “USA” (you can hear it during the video) to drown out the dissenters.
The tea party is often attacked by the progressive left. We know that the press and people like Aaron Sorkin demonize us due to their ignorance. Higher ranking progressive fear us as the embodiment of America's individualist ideals. These blinded progressives are about to be confronted by the reality of the tea party.

Because tea party sentiment was conceived at the end of the Bush administration, a narrative of "racism" and anti-Obamaism was established by the statists. President Obama is worse than President Bush, but conservatives were horrified by the final months of the Bush administration. We had faith that a president who had brought 4%+ GDP growth for several years was knowledgeable enough to understand that bank bailouts and TARP was a bad idea. When that faith was betrayed, even by 2008 presidential candidate John McCain, new leaders emerged. Leaders like Indiana Rep. Mike Pence (R) and Rep. Paul Ryan (R) began to call for fiscal sanity.

President Obama took office and made matters worse. If he had listened to the voices of the tea party, he would have had a massively successful presidency.  The president is a basketball fan, as am I. To put the issue in that vernacular, he should have played the presidency "inside-out." Shore up your "inside game", in this case domestic policy and support from grassroots groups. "Get other players involved" by passing the ball to the tea party on issues where we are wide open to score. After the "inside" game is strong, start passing "outside" for game-changing foreign policy shots with misses rebounded by the strong "inside" game.

Instead he hogged the ball. President Obama never broke down the defense. He left financial conservatives in the wings to "get cold." Every shot he took since has been contested and his misses have led to easy points for his opponents.

This analogy breaks down because the President has missed almost all of his shots. His only "three pointer" is the Bin Laden raid. Even in this, he wants full credit instead of acknowledging the American military. He has been a bad player for America. If this were actually basketball, he would have hit a better percentage or the coach would have pulled him from the game.

Back to reality:

Like many establishment Republicans, President Obama did not understand the credibility and power of the tea party. Many on the left are about to understand, because the grassroots tea party is about to take on the GOP establishment. We shall be the force that holds them accountable.

So much for the calls of racism and anti-Obamaism. Indisputable evidence will gather that the tea party is not against anyone, we are for America. We are Republican and Democrat. We are socially conservative and liberal. We are America.

Gov. Mitt Romney is not a tea party candidate. Mitt has a business background and can throw rhetoric to the tea party. However, his actions and policies are too often top-down. RomneyCare is one example. His campaign's push for rules 12, 15 and 16 is a foreshadowing of trouble ahead.. This is their "pro-active" response to insulate President Romney from tea party backlash.

President Romney can side with us or against us. His decision will define his presidency. The question Mitt must answer is not whether we believe in him, but whether he believes in us.

It appears that the tea party will be President Romney's loyal opposition. There may be a short lull as many conservatives breath a sigh of relief to the end of an error. Personally, I had hoped that the lull would be several months but it appears we needed to be energized Tuesday as the convention rules were "Boehnered." The first shot has been fired upon us.

Was Paul Ryan duped?

The Paul Ryan pick for VP seems like an olive branch to the tea party. Rep. Ryan has been the leader of congressional calls for fiscal responsibility. After the events of the convention on Tuesday, it appears that Representative Ryan will be put on ice in the VP slot. Without Paul Ryan leading congress, the hard-won branch of government required to control spending is leaderless. A major force in credible leadership against massive spending has been removed from the equation.

Rep. Ryan will assist in winning the Oval Office. He adds gravitas in the policy discussion of the national budget.  Paul Ryan shores up tea party grassroots support.  Liberator Today comments upon the impressiveness of Paul Ryan's Wednesday Speech from a tea party perspective:
The best line in his speech was about the so called Affordable Care Act:
Obamacare comes to more than two thousand pages of rules, mandates, taxes, fees, and fines that have no place in a free country.
The way he emphasized the words free country got my attention. It is that freedom which is under assault, ...
If team Romney is looking ahead to see fight with the grassroots, the Paul Ryan pick is a triple-win for the GOP establishment. One of the fangs of tea party fiscal conservatism has been pulled.

It is time to ask for support from left-leaning Americans. Tea party supporters will prove to be motivated solely by the best intentions for America. In the coming months, the tea party has the opportunity to prove itself as the core of America. The core of an America which values both heart and mind and has traditionally found solution for liberals and conservatives.

It's the case that the tea party has better solutions for all Americans. Humanity is best when hearts and minds are focused upon the same task. Thus far, false accusations have kept many liberals hearts from our fold. It is time to appeal to the fiscally conservative and moderate liberals who love America as the land of opportunity. It is time to present solutions that will sooth fears about "the end of upward social mobility."  It is time for the media to clear it's vision, and present our solutions instead of their fears.

The people in the tea party have differing strengths. Some can explain the damage of illegal immigration, and others the folly of centralized planning. We only need a microphone or a camera. People will see that the tea party could easily be named the Party of Reagan or the Party of Americans. It is the future, if we keep working.

It is incumbent upon us to send a message to liberal Americans. "The tea party will be the ones holding the GOP's feet to the fire. The false narrative that the tea party is "racist" against President Obama is over. It is time to have a discussion about solutions. Working together we can create even better solutions. It is time for your support. Together we will take America back to prosperity."

Tea Party Take Back

Monday, August 27, 2012

HBO's The Newsroom Finale: Tea Party is "American Taliban"

HBO's American Taliban

Last night's season finale of The Newsroom, "The Greater Fool," made the case that the progressive left has gone insane with hate for facts, math and especially the tea party. Aaron Sorkin, a musical theater major, uses the show to substitute characters' fictional credibility as "economists" and "moderate Republicans" to push progressive-left propaganda.

Behind a nice music track and lots of interpersonal relationship drama emerges a thinly veiled and uninformed political narrative. The insulting and incredulous nature of the show's political argument is breathtaking. Here are some musical theater versions of economic and political reality from the season finale:
  • Only drivers licenses and passports can be used as voter id. 
  • Debating the national debt is the cause of two U.S. credit downgrades, not the spending.
  • The tea party are the "American Taliban."
  • The tea party is responsible for the lack of compromise in Washington. (How was ObamaCare passed?) Here is a list of compromises from the right by fellow SLOB Blogger in Chief.
  • The tea party is xenophobic (racist) due to opposition to illegal immigration.
  • The tea party hates women despite being organized largely by women.
The clip of the tea party being called "The American Taliban:"



In defense of the Newsroom, this is not the first time that the left-wing "news media" has used this term. Here is The Ed Shultz show calling Rick Santorum the "American Taliban."  Examiner.com wraps up the sentiment:
Will (Jeff Daniel's character) finally concludes the Tea Party is the American Taliban. When seen in that light perhaps the real enemy isn't some remote terrorist organization in Afghanistan. Our worst enemy has hijacked our government and is holding our country hostage.
Look closer at this article's title graphic. Without the music and the narrative, one might think it is referencing Al Gore, Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi or Debbie Wassermann-Shultz. Maybe Aaron Sorkin believes America is stupid and believes anything when emotional music is playing.

America and President Obama would do well to listen to the tea party. The members of the tea party are more educated than the public at large. Personally, my financial education is in money, banking and investments. My goal in 2009 was to educate President Obama and the Democrat congress that, "raising taxes during a recession is doo doo economics." A New York Times article describes where the tea party placed blame in 2010:
But while most Americans blame the Bush administration or Wall Street for the current state of the American economy, the greatest number of Tea Party supporters blame Congress.
Surely, a larger proportion of tea party supporters blame President Obama at this point. However, we have not forgotten the Democrat and then Senator Obama's role in the economic collapse. Maybe Mr. Sorkin's failing memory forgot who took congress in January 2007 and what led to the 2008 collapse. Here is some background: Obama Lies About Creating 3 Million Jobs: Democrat Policy Since 2007.

The previously mentioned NYT article also points out that tea party members are not concerned for themselves, they are concerned for others:
But 55 percent are concerned that someone in their household will be out of a job in the next year. And more than two-thirds say the recession has been difficult or caused hardship and major life changes. Like most Americans, they think the most pressing problems facing the country today are the economy and jobs.
The debt and spending continues to drive tea party concern for America's future. The CBO recently warned of the "fiscal cliff" coming in 2013. It will kill 2 million jobs.

President Obama could have reached out to congress anytime. The President should have called a meeting to address this problem. It is he who will not compromise. Due to President Obama's amateurish behavior, Mitt Romney will inherit a much more damaged country than did Barack Obama.

Again the previous NYT article directly disputes the "American Taliban" slander of patriots:
Yet while the Tea Party supporters are more conservative than Republicans on some social issues, they do not want to focus on those issues: about 8 in 10 say that they are more concerned with economic issues, as is the general public.
The Newsroom actors are good. Jeff Daniels stands out, but the show's content is not edgy enough to be on HBO. It could be playing on any cable or network station. There is little sex, violence, senseless nudity or significant profane language. Maybe Aaron Sorkin's vision of an elect-Barack-Obama-at-any-cost show was turned down by the networks as propaganda. If so, well done network executives.

Friday, August 24, 2012

Bloomberg Calls for More Gun Laws Minutes Before Empire State Building Shooting

Armed Citizen

New York City Mayor Bloomberg was on a rant this morning against guns in New York City. Despite the fact that guns are illegal to carry in New York City, gun crime is on the rise. The Daily Mail reported that just minutes before the Empire State Building shooting, Mayor Bloomberg warned about guns:
Coincidentally, just minutes before the shooting, Mayor Bloomberg warned about the dangers of 'too many guns on the streets' on his weekly radio show.

While discussing proposed tougher gun laws in Albany shortly before 9a.m., he said: 'The argument guns don’t kill people, people kill people is one of the most disingenuous things you can say.'

'It does take a person to pull the trigger, but if they didn’t have the gun... We are the only developed country in the world with this problem,' the mayor continued.
It is unclear how increased gun laws would have assisted today's situation. Gunman Jeffrey Johnson, 53, was not legally carrying a gun. Guns are illegal in New York City. Some quick research into legal options to carry guns in NYC reveals that you have no personal right to carry a weapon. Only business reasons qualify for gun licenses with the only exception locking the gun to a specific premises:

Types of Licenses

PREMISES LICENSE: IS A RESTRICTED TYPE OF LICENSE. It is issued for your RESIDENCE or BUSINESS. The Licensee may possess a handgun ONLY on the premises of the address indicated on the front of the license. Licensees may also transport their handguns and ammunition in SEPARATE LOCKED CONTAINERS, DIRECTLY to and from an authorized range, or hunting location. HANDGUNS MUST BE UNLOADED while being transported. 
CARRY BUSINESS LICENSE: This is an unrestricted class of license which permits the carrying of a handgun concealed on the person. It is valid for the business name, address, and handguns listed on the front of the license. It is not transferable to any other person, business, occupation, or address, without the written approval of the commanding officer, license division. 
LIMITED CARRY BUSINESS LICENSE: IS A RESTRICTED TYPE OF LICENSE. The licensee may only carry handguns indicated on the license in accordance with the specific limitations listed thereon. At all other times the weapon must be safeguarded within the confines of the business address listed on the front of the license either concealed on the licensee's person in a proper holster or stored unloaded in a locked safe.
SPECIAL CARRY LICENSE: Is valid for the business name, address and handguns listed on the front of this license, only while the licensee has in his possession a valid basic county license issued according to the provisions of article 400 of the N.Y.S. Penal law. Upon the revocation, suspension, or cancellation of the basic license, the special license is rendered void and must be immediately returned to the license division. 
CARRY GUARD LICENSE: (SECURITY GUARDS, ETC.) Applications for this type of license must be made with the documentation provided by a company's Gun Custodian. It is issued only for the handgun listed on the license. The handgun may be carried only while the licensee is actively engaged in employment for the company whose name appears on the license, and/or while licensee is in transit directly to or from residence and place of employment. At all other times the handgun must be stored unloaded in a locked container, at either the address on the license, or at the employee's legal residence (within the State of New York).
It seems clear that gun bans give criminals a clear advantage over victims. Guns are known as the great equalizer. Examples like Chicago and the country of Mexico clearly show that banning guns from lawful citizens is an emotional and irrational action. The NYC ban has had no positive effect on gun crimes:
Between 2009 and 2011, the number of people shot in New York climbed from 1,727 to 1,821 even as the NYPD was ratcheting up the number of people it rousted from 510,742 in 2009 to the record 685,724, the statistics showed...
Police in New York City went so far as to blame Occupy Wall Street for recent increases in gun crimes. The trend in gun crime has occupied New York City long before the protesters. Officials are simply making excuses to support an anti-gun agenda.

Lets cut to the chase. Armed citizens are as large, or greater, of a deterrent to criminals than police. My personal experience has shown that just the possibility of my being armed has dissuaded multiple attackers. Removing that threat against criminal activity and violence endangers lives. It is almost guaranteed that recent gun restrictions to law abiding citizens in California will lead to an increase in crime. Gun ban caused increases in crime are not an unforeseen consequence, they are negligence.

To add to the Empire State Building shooting controversy, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly stated, "Some (victims) may have been accidentally shot by police officers:"

The victim was Johnson's former coworker at Hazan Imports, where Johnson was a designer of women's accessories until being laid off last year.

As Johnson attempted to flee the scene, a construction worker across the street alerted two police officers, who pursued him up West 33rd Street, Kelly said. As Johnson pulled out a .45 caliber pistol, the officers opened fire, killing Johnson on the scene. It was unclear if Johnson managed to shoot a round.

Nine others were wounded or grazed in the exchange of gunfire, Kelly said. They were taken to local hospitals where they are expected to recover.

To wit, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Update: hat tip Fellow San Diego Local Order of Blogger member Temple of Mut:
Tulsa neighborhood sends a message to would be criminals and posts a sign stating "CONCEALED CARRY NEIGHBORHOOD"

Related Gun Grabber Update: In gun free zone Chicago 19 People were shot overnight across the city.

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Progressives: Paul Ryan is the Devil


2012 DNC Zombie Horde

Over at the the Huffington Post, George Lakoff's Romney, Ryan and The Devil's Budget has jumped the shark with a jet pack. Once again progressives sink to fear, misinformation and vilification. Here are a few excerpts: 
The government's job was to carry out that moral vision and to do so it created what we call The Public, the provision of basic protection and empowerment for all.
Where is that in the Constitution? Morality is the job of government.

The Government is not "The Public" the two entities are separate. We The People approved The Constitution and all laws must flow from that as it is the only law approved directly by the people in US history. It enumerates the powers of The Government and all other powers assumed by The Government are taken at the expense of the states and of the people (The New Deal, etc..). These added powers are not moral. These powers were given to the states and the people because central government is not capable of morality. It is not capable of fulfilling these duties.
Budgets are moral documents. National, state, and local budgets are commitments about where and how to carry out the work of America's soul, or to abandon it. A national budget that abandons the Public and the freedoms it gives us is selling America's very soul. Such a budget is the Devil's Budget. It uses numbers for an evil purpose: to rob us of our basic everyday freedom.
"Budgets are moral documents." So Democrats failure to pass a budget for several years indicates their lack of morals? Does that mean that Barack Obama's zero vote budgets indicate that his morals are completely out of step with the American people?
Second, who would propose a Devil's Budget? Paul Ryan. Who wants to put it in effect? Mitt Romney.
The Devil is seductive. He is handsome, strong, charming, sincere, engages you in gentlemanly and respectful debate. He says he is on your side, that you are in a crisis. He offers to solve your crisis and makes it sound good. 

Did George proof read this?
The money is there. America is richer than she has ever been.
Laughable.
Those who advocate for such a budget may not be individually evil. That is an independent issue. Demonizing others is its own kind of evil, and we do not apply the name to Romney, Ryan or others. Perhaps many who advocate a Devil's Budget know not what they do.
...
Let's take "a while" to be until 2050. Derek Thompson, in TheAtlantic.com on March 21, 2012, surveyed The Congressional Budget Office's projection of the Ryan budget estimates to 2050. Defense spending would be kept relatively constant, while what the government has left would be "0.75 percent of GDP - about 100 billion for everything besides defense that the government does." 
Government is a godless god and the worship of it leads to misery. The proof is in the deficits. No matter how you slice it, entitlement deficits create a situation where only interest on the debt can be paid and all other government services are eventually cut off.  Government growth leads to the destruction of the nation. It "collapses the system," as progressives know all to well.

This article points out that the Ryan budget saves the military, as it is one of the few constitutional duties of the federal government. It is a step in the right direction. However, the article fails to identify why this is the situation we face. 

Thank goodness grown-ups will be in charge again after November.  

But wait, it gets better... Lakoff then demonizes the majority of Americans and of course Paul Ryan is the Devil.
The biggest lie is that there is, or should be, no Public. The biggest lie is that Democracy is about personal freedom alone, about the "liberty" to seek your own interests with no responsibility for the interests or well-being of your fellow citizens. The biggest lie is a moral lie.

The idea of American Individualism is a moral lie. There can be no Individualism without The Public. Individualism can only begin where The Public leaves off. Individualism begins after the roads are built, after individualists have had an education, after medical research has cured their diseases, after the individualists have received from The Public land grants, grazing, water, and mineral leases, oil and agriculture subsidies, after they have received crucial patents.

Are individualists willful liars? We doubt it. To lie, you have to know that you are lying and intending to deceive. ... And there is a reason for this blindness that follows from the way brains work.
You think with your brain; all thoughts are physical, a matter of the activation of brain circuits called "frames." Everything you understand uses frame-circuits that structure how you think. Without the right frame-circuits, there are facts you just will not be able to make sense of. The frames come in hierarchies, with moral frames at the top. With an extreme conservative morality, you will have an Individualism frame governing your political and economic frames. The fact that real individual achievements depend on what The Public provides to give them their start and help them along will not be comprehensible to extreme conservatives. Why? Because they do not have the American moral frame that requires both personal and social responsibility; the conservative moral frame has only personal responsibility, and the closest thing to social responsibility is imposing personal responsibility alone maximally in every area of life.
More "You didn't build that" and if you think you did, you must be an idiot or liar. "The idea of American Individualism is a moral lie. There can be no Individualism without The Public." This is laughable, academic nonsense from the perspective of reliance upon others to assign grades, merit and accolades. My rights as an individual do not depend upon government and they were not granted by government. At best, government is established to secure my individualism.
Paul Ryan is a personable individualist and extreme conservative. And he is smart -- seen as an intellectual by his conservative colleagues because has mastered budget policy enough to construct a Devil's Budget with all the right numbers. Not the right numbers to eliminate the deficit, as Paul Krugman has observed. But the right numbers to eliminate The Public, which is the real conservative goal.
Continue to make the case that progressives want to be "good" masters, but masters.  This is the wrong country for that nonsense. Continue to vilify honest, educated, moral people. Continue to believe everyone who disagrees with you is unenlightened, idiotic, uneducated or "Evil." Individualist Americans understand the consequences of these words when put into policy. George Lakoff continues to make the case that progressives should never again be in charge of a nation of men. 

This progressive article must have been written for the unthinking zombie horde.

Hat tip: Karin Summerford

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Real Estate Mini-Bubble About to Burst

Real Estate News

Real estate prices have seen a small price uptick this summer. Not widely reported is that the price uptick is due to a falling inventory of homes for sale. The falling inventory is tied to "shadow inventory" and the lack of ability to foreclose on properties in many states. As these properties come back on the market, there will be more downward price pressure.

In short, Obama and state Democrat regulatory policies have made things worse where implemented.

Reuters from June 2012:
In September, banks filed nearly 5,000 foreclosure notices in Nevada. By February, just 460 were served, according to online foreclosure property marketplace RealtyTrac.

Ricky Beach, a real estate agent in Reno, Nevada, said the new law, AB 284, "has pretty much killed the market here." The lack of foreclosure activity has led to a dearth of inventory, he said, with the number of homes for sale in the area down to 778 today from more than 1,700 in September.

This has triggered a "mini-bubble" in housing prices because the few properties available are receiving multiple bids. The only problem: No one thinks the gains are sustainable.

"The bill did nothing to solve the crisis - it's just prolonged it," Beach said. "Sooner or later the banks will work out how to deal with the law. And then foreclosures will hit the market, and prices will crash back down."
...
At the request of Reuters, RealtyTrac compared three states where borrower protection laws had prolonged foreclosures - Florida, New Jersey and New York - with three with fewer protections and where foreclosure completion times were shorter - Arizona, California and Virginia.

In the three states with the shorter delays, the average sale price for foreclosed properties has been trending higher, suggesting a recovery that has underlying strength.

In Florida and New Jersey, home prices rose last year as foreclosure activity greatly slowed after the robo-signing scandal. But in the last few months, RealtyTrac says, foreclosure activity has picked up there after a settlement between major banks and the U.S. government over robo-signing - and home values have started to drop.

RealtyTrac Vice President Daren Blomquist says the data shows that delaying the foreclosure process in Florida and New Jersey created a mini-bubble, followed by another price drop, and had thus merely prolonged the housing slump in those states.

COURT APPROVAL

A study by three Federal Reserve economists compared the foreclosure processes and outcomes for borrowers in the 20 "judicial" foreclosure states - where banks must seek court approval before they can foreclose - and the 30 "nonjudicial" ones, where such court oversight is not required.

Their December study of foreclosure outcomes from 2004 to 2011 was published by the nonpartisan National Bureau of Economic Research.

The economists also looked at Massachusetts, where a 2008 "right to cure" law gives borrowers more time to make good on their mortgage arrears and has greatly extended the time it took banks to foreclose.

Their conclusion? States with judicial protection over the foreclosure process or the arrears system "indiscriminately" slowed down the foreclosure process, but with no measurable benefits.

In fact, delinquent borrowers were more likely to make good on their arrears in nonjudicial states than in states where they had more time to do so. These borrowers were also just as likely to be repossessed in a judicial state than in a nonjudicial one - it just took longer.

Foreclosure protection laws also probably led to an increased incidence of blight, the economists found.
The question on how housing prices will fare through 2012 and into 2013was addressed by Kiplingers in January 2012:
Currently, about 1.84 million home loans are 90 days or more delinquent (a strong predictor of foreclosure) but not yet foreclosed on, and 2.17 million have finished the foreclosure process but havent yet been offered for sale, according to Lender Processing Services (LPS). What happens to home prices if and when they come to market? Villacorta, of Clear Capital, says that despite the downward pressure on prices by foreclosures, prices wont tank as long as lenders continue to bring additional foreclosures to market at a steady pace.

Bank-owned foreclosures sell for an average discount of one-third off the per-square-foot price of conventional homes for sale, according to RealtyTrac. Buyers who want to snag a bargain on a distressed property will face competition from investors, and the biggest bargains may require a lot of work. Short sales, or homes sold with lenders permission for less than their owners owe on their mortgages, have also grown in number. Lenders take an average of 16 weeks to sign off on a short sale, so patience is imperative.
January 2012 was an economy long, long ago and the Presidential race was far, far away. What has changed?  CNN Money grabbed the prognosticating duties in an August 8, 2012 report outlining a Fiserv study:

(Heavy Edit Warning)
The forecast, which tracks 384 housing markets, predicts that nationwide home prices will dip another 1% between March 2012 and March 2013.

At that point, prices will start gaining momentum, said Fiserv, which analyzed data from both the Fiserv-Case-Shiller home price index and the Federal Housing Finance Agency. The financial analytics firm is forecasting that nationwide home prices will climb 5% between March 2013 and March 2014.
...
 As Fiserv pointed out, eight out of the 10 markets that saw the biggest prices gains over the past 12 months are projected to fall the most over the next year.
...
Inventories of homes for sale have dropped to their lowest levels since 2004.
...
Also helping to lift home prices in some areas is the fact that fewer foreclosures are taking place. Instead, more struggling homeowners are selling their homes in short sales, which tend to fetch higher prices than foreclosures.
One thing that could derail the housing market's recovery is the shaky economy, said Stiff. If confidence in that drops -- either because of financial crisis in Europe or the pending "fiscal cliff" here in the U.S. -- it could take home prices down.
...
City Prices March, 2011 - March, 2012 Forecast March, 2012 - March, 2014
Phoenix 6.4% -9.50%
Los Angeles -4.6% -0.40%
San Diego -2.7% 2.50%
San Francisco -1.6% 8.70%
Denver 2.4% -2.60%
Washington 3.4% -0.30%
Miami 5.6% -13.40%
Tampa, Fla. -0.9% 3.20%
Atlanta -17.4% 6.70%
Chicago 0.4% -1.50%
Boston -1.6% 2.10%
Detroit -1.5% 2.90%
Minneapolis 3.4% -0.70%
Charlotte, N.C. 1.6% 2.10%
Las Vegas -7.4% 8.9%
New York -0.9% 1.70%
Cleveland -2.4% 1.90%
Portland, Ore. -2.8% 8.80%
Dallas 2.7% 0.60%
Seattle -1.2% 4.40%
United States -1.9% 4%
Index of 20 cities -0.80% 1.70%


More Info from CNBC

Thursday, August 16, 2012

LGBT: Lets Go Be Terrorists at the Family Research Council

Traditional Marriage

Is there a question whether traditional marriage is under attack by the left?

LGBT supporter Floyd Lee Corkins II, 28, of Herndon, Virginia grabbed his gun, ammo and went-a-huntin' for some hate-filled homophobes. His hunting grounds were the Family Research Council. The location was thoroughly vetted by the Southern Poverty Law Center by labeling it a "hate group" for opposing the homosexual agenda.

The Family Research Council strongly opposes gay marriage and abortion and says it advocates "faith, family and freedom in public policy and public opinion."  A bag of Chick-fil-a and a shaved head served as Floyd's camouflage.

Armed with a Sig Sauer 9 mm pistol, "two loaded magazines with 15 rounds each in the suspect's backpack, as well as Chik-fil-A promotional materials," Floyd entered the hunting grounds, the Family Research Council in Washington, around 10:45 a.m. He left  "Four boxes of additional ammunition" in his car, which was later towed from a Falls Church Metro station. Obtaining the homophobe hunting license and weapon may have been a difficult mission in Washington D.C.

Washington Times blogger chronicled her difficulties in obtaining a weapon after being the victim of home invasion. Reason.com reported:
After four months, countless headaches, and hundreds of dollars in fees, Miller is now legally able to own her Sig Sauer P229 9mm, so long as she keeps it in her home. 

Despite being properly permitted and legally able to carry a gun, because the man is progressive and would never break the gun laws, Floyd was stopped by a security guard.

“Don’t shoot me, it was not about you, it was what this place stands for,” the Mr. Corkins reportedly said. One can only assume that Floyd Corkins mentioned his background and experience that proved his statement. David Mariner, executive director of The DC Center for the LGBT Community, says Corkins had been volunteering at the center for about the past 6 months. Despite the progressive and reasoned argument the security guard continued to object. Floyd had no choice but to thoughtfully shoot the innocent guard in the arm.

The hate-filled homophobes must have heard the shot and rushed the hunter. Floyd Corkins was subdued by the security guard and others and taken into custody.

Ok, you caught me. Floyd was not hunting and he did not wear an orange vest. There are no homophobe hunting licenses...yet. It was simply a story-telling device.

This attack was another act of progressive terrorism. It was designed to intimidate and remove opposition to their political position. The attack failed, but the "progressive intentions" are clear.

"Today's attack is the clearest sign we've seen that labeling pro-marriage groups as `hateful' must end," Brian Brown, the president of the National Organization for Marriage, said in a statement.

Progressive LGBT are the left's storm troopers. They are being exploited for money and as a rally cry toward "righteous anger" and hate. As with any group being exploited, we need to support the moderates and conservatives who promote equilibrium, reason and peace from within. LGBT is becoming the abbreviation for Lets Go Be Terrorists.

Opposing conservative perspectives can be found on The San Diego Local Order of Bloggers.

P.S. 
Reminder of the 1963 Communist Goals:
40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce.
41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents.
42. Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special-interest groups should rise up and use ["]united force["] to solve economic, political or social problems.

Monday, August 13, 2012

Progressive Community Organizers Destroy Historic Park in San Diego

Once again the progressives have shown their disrespect for society. A historic lily pond in San Diego's Balboa Park was damaged and will cost thousands to fix.  The lily pads and the fish living in the pond may die. Those responsible for the damage face felony vandalism.

A "Midnight Water Gun Fight" event destroyed the pond as hundreds of people used the water as ammunition to squirt. The event was community organized by LGBT activist Ken St. Pierre and promoted by the San Diego progressive gay and lesbian community, and others. This is the second annual event according to the San Diego Reader. Police are looking for the organizers.

San Diego 10 News reported the following about the event:
But this group did more than squirt water at each other. They jumped into the lily pond.

Someone broke off a drainage pipe causing the pond to go nearly dry. A 10News viewer says more than three feet of water has been removed from the lily pond located in front of the Botanical Building in Balboa Park.

Park officials tell 10News that most if not all the koi in the pond will die, and they say the same goes for the lilies.
A video of the event is available and the comments are scathing:

Saul Alinsky was honored as his 'Rules for Radicals' was observed. The attendees had fun as the community organizers scored a win on facebook and yelp. Unfortunately, the park is for everyone. Destroying it shows disrespect by community organizers for the greater community. It also divides and inflames the political differences in America as illustrated by the comments on youtube.

A month prior to the the First Midnight Water Gun Fight in Balboa Park, my wife and I had our wedding pictures taken at the reflecting pool. It is one of San Diego's jewels. Sadly today, San Diego's newly wed couples, families and tourists were robbed of similar cherished memories as the pool was repaired.

This is a microcosm of the entire progressive lack of vision. Add it to Detroit, Chicago and everywhere progressives gain power. They are simply not concerned with consequences, only "me." If you stand in their way, you will be vilified, demonized and they will use any tactic to destroy you. That isn't American and those who promote, fund and buy into it are as guilty as those who community organize it.

Update:
Thanks to SDFCPUG we have archived information about the event.
San Diego 6 estimates the damages at $10,000.

To add more perspective on the community significance of Balboa Park's reflecting pool, here is another of my wedding photos.


Balboa Park Reflecting Pool BeforeBalboa Park Reflecting Pool After
BeforeAfter
Update 2: San Diego Politics
Republican mayoral candidate, and tea party favorite, Carl DeMaio's partner, Jonathan Hale, is a publisher at San Diego Gay Lesbian News. An article that ran on the website commented  "So yeah, this should be interesting!" about the event.  Democrat mayoral candidate Bob Filner took the opportunity to accused Mr. Hale of "criminal actions." ( http://www.10news.com/news/31355028/detail.html )

Also of note:
An article that ran in Hale's publication on Thursday, which promoted the upcoming CityFest in Hillcrest, mentioned the water fight, which was originally supposed to take place at the fountain near Park Boulevard. The fountain was closed for maintenance.

Update 8/20/2012:
Marlene Williams of "Friends of Balboa Park" stated on KUSI News that the damage estimate is now $19,000 and $13,000 worth of donations have been collected. The fish and turtles were transferred to another pond and have all survived.

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Tea Party Infiltration Report: Signs of the Tide: How to Be an Advocate for Your Community

CoastKeeper's Signs of the Tide

USD Law School hosted an event by San Diego CoastKeepers called "Signs of the Tide:How to Be an Advocate for Your Community." The event focused on training environmental activists and advocates to be more effective when dealing with legislative and regulatory agencies.  As a tea party supporter, the event was an opportunity to learn the tactics of the environmental left.

Before we dive into a summary of the discussion, let me set the scene. CoastKeepers served Oggi's Pizza, cookies, submarine sandwiches and even mini-muffins. It was a delicious and free meal for aspiring environmental lawyer activists. The organization must be well funded.  The USD campus is beautiful and the building Warren Hall was nice.  Room 3A was very hot and a diesel generator was just outside the window. The noise made it difficult to hear the discussion.  The tea party did not place the generator nor turn off the air conditioning.

Former San Diego city councilwoman, Donna Fry used humor to keep the crowd engaged. Democrat San Diego City Council president Tony Young participated. Sara Wan, former California Coastal Commissioner and Arthur Coe, a former staff member at Regional Water Quality Control Board rounded out the discussion panel. The audience consisted of various former and current officials and staff members along side the future environmental advocates.

The presentation was even-handed and avoided most extreme left-wing politics. The event was informative but for a target audience of lawyers it seemed simplistic. Much of the discussion centered upon building credibility with officials who you intend to influence.

Aspiring activists were given a list of do's and dont's: ( listed in approximate order of importance)

Do:
  1. Build Credibility.
  2. Be concise.
  3. Propose a solution. "State what you want the officials to do."
  4. Stick to the main topic.
  5. Understand CEQA.
  6. Bring someone with a personal story related to the issue at hand.
  7. Understand the political climate around the decision makers.
  8. Bring supporters who are informed about the issue at hand.
  9. Spread major points between several concise allies.
  10. Get a meeting with the officials you wish to interact with. An introduction meeting is enough to get the ball rolling.
  11. Know your audience. "Do not talk to the Water Quality Control Board about air quality."
  12. Get involved at the beginning of the process because the "ball is rolling downhill" later in the process.
  13. Learn about the officials you are presenting to and know details like what they like for breakfast.
  14. Sue the government to force enforcement of existing law.
Don't:
  1. Insult the officials.
  2. Lie or make unsupported claims. "You will lose all future credibility."
  3. Don't come late to the party. "By the time something is on the official agenda, you are a year behind the political process."
  4. Antagonize your opponents or engage in a debate during your limited presentation time.
  5. Make enemies with your opponent activists and advocates because you may be able to work together on other issues.
  6. Don't bring a bus load of "people wearing buttons who don't know why they are there."
Two groups were singled out as examples of what not to do:

First, the medical marijuana movement had won. It then worked to repeal its own victory in San Diego in order to get a more perfect outcome. The result was a shut down of the marijuana dispensaries by the Department of Justice.

Second, Occupy San Diego evolved from gaining the sympathy of left-leaning Democrats into a disorganized mess. Examples were given of occupiers arguing among themselves. OSD also lost coherent leadership which could be worked with by other advocates and activists. It is assumed that references to "people wearing buttons who don't know why they are there," referred to Occupy San Diego.

At risk of wandering off topic, Doo Doo Economics has been tough on the occupy movement. This is not due to hate, but of concern for American's safety. The occupy movement is now cannon fodder for the progressive movement. 

Occupy is simultaneously being used as controlled opposition and demonized as violent. Controlled opposition takes political focus off of the multiparty success of the tea party movement. Demonization establishes, with regard to President Obama, "the perception of a violent occupy movement is a perfect opponent." This perception of violence is used to assault the first and second amendments and further centralize corrupt power. We may disagree on the chicken-and-the-egg arguments between government corruption and corporate corruption, but that does not preclude compassion for fellow Americans.

Absent were mentions of factual arguments. Most of the discussion points came down to "personal relationships" with the decision makers, their staff and other advocates. This is not surprising as the speakers were all left-leaning and more concerned with emotional appeals.

Humanity is best when intellect and emotion come together. In sports we call this convergence, "being in the zone." America has traditionally benefited from having liberals and conservatives approach common problems from different points of view. So, hopefully, some left-wing advocates will develop working relationships with the rest of us. Don't hold your breath, but this civility sentiment was echoed when Donna Fry mentioned:
Don't make everything personal. Not everyone on the other side is evil because they disagree with you.
It is unlikely to happen while the Obama administration drives division through class, sex and race warfare.

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Occupy Connected to Chevron Oil Refinery Fire


Today has been a very violent day thanks to the left. Much of the violence is linked to Colorado.  The Aurora theater shooting information flow has been blacked out, but neuroscience student James Holmes' attack is arguably linked to the Occupy movement. People will scream "politicalization" but the movie attacked was known to be anti-occupy before its release.

Wade Michael Page, from Colorado, assaulted a Sikh temple and killed six people due to progressive racism.
Page joined the military in Milwaukee in 1992 and was a repairman for the Hawk missile system before switching jobs to become one of the Army's psychological operations specialists assigned to a battalion at Fort Bragg, N.C.

As a "psy-ops" specialist, Page would have trained to host public meetings between locals and American forces, use leaflet campaigns in a conflict zone or use loudspeakers to communicate with enemy soldiers.
Remember that the NAZI party was a socialist progressive movement. When people describe NAZI as "right-wing" they are using a European definition that places fascism on the right and communism on the left of Marxist socialism. American politics are not European politics. We value small government on the right and progressives value subjugation and centralized power.

The racist progressive movement started in America. It is well documented via the plan by Margaret Sanger to eliminate "undesirables" through Planned Parenthood. She was shut down twice before succeeding in creating an eugenics inspired business.
In 1921 Sanger founded the American Birth Control League, whose mission was to provide education, by means of literature and lectures, on the prevention of pregnancy. The organization would later be known as the National Birth Control League, and eventually the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Margaret served as president of the league until 1928.

In 1922 Margaret married her second husband, oil magnate James Noah H. Slee. Even after they were married, Margaret maintained her sexual independence. Slee was the main contributor to the birth control movement, and the two remained married until his death in 1943.
She was literally called a "raceologist." Direct Quotes:
  • Eugenics is … the most adequate and thorough avenue to the solution of racial, political and social problems. "The Eugenic Value of Birth Control Propaganda", October 1921, page 5.
  • The campaign for birth control is not merely of eugenic value, but is practically identical with the final aims of eugenics. "The Eugenic Value of Birth Control Propaganda", October 1921, page 5.
  • ...give dysgenic groups in our population their choice of segregation or sterilization. "A Plan for Peace", April 1932, pp. 107-108
My point being when you hear that Mr. Page was a racist, that does not mean he was a conservative. Republicans and Libertarians are the parties of civil rights, abolition and individualism. Eugenics is a progressive Democrat endeavor in American politics. If you have any doubts review this article on birth rates by the New York Times.
You can see surprising political correlations. As Steve Sailer pointed out in The American Conservative, George Bush carried the 19 states with the highest white fertility rates, and 25 of the top 26. John Kerry won the 16 states with the lowest rates....

Natalists resist the declining fertility trends not because of income, education or other socioeconomic characteristics. It's attitudes. People with larger families tend to attend religious services more often, and tend to have more traditional gender roles.
With this in mind, two churches have been attacked, one in Aurora, Colorado four months before James Holmes' theater attack. Now, a progressive attacked a church based upon race.

Arson has killed two people and injured 14 more in Aurora Colorado. The apartment building is across from University of Colorado-Denver Anschutz Medical Campus. Fox 31 in Denver reports:
Robnett said there were at least 14 people hurt — five had moderate injuries and nine had minor injuries. A number of people jumped to escape the flames.

There were reports from witnesses at the scene that they saw someone with a gas can running away.
Dailymail reported what may indicate a comrade of James Holmes is involved:
The first time that police began to think that there may have been an accomplice was when a local officer received a threatening electronic message Saturday evening, demanding that Holmes be released from custody or else the sender would become violent. 
A very suspicious connection between Occupy Oakland, Occupy Richmond and Occupy LA has developed regarding a burning Chevron oil refinery. Occupy has previously targeted the Chevron refinery.
“By standing up to Chevron today, we are showing that we are not going to be dominated anymore,” McLaughlin told the gathering. She pointed to victories in the last few years of the community’s struggle to control Chevron.
On April 22, Occupy Earth day protested the Chevron refinery. They described the refinery as:
 "a perfect example of how the 1% destroys the health and well-being of the 99%."
BART service was stopped due to the fire. In April an Occupy protester jumped in front of the BART as part of Occupy BART which had been cancelled in November.  More information is available here. The existence of documented motive and opportunity casts a clear suspicion on the Occupy movement.

Additionally the one year anniversary of Occupy Wall Street is approaching. Here is a list of upcoming events from Occupy in celebration. The anniversary carries more than just a celebratory tone.
Occupy Wall Street has been carrying on many other activities while the mass media continues to ignore them as much as they think they can get away with. 
Two occupy protesters were murdered recently. The article linked ends on this note:
May the memories of our fallen comrades be fuel for our fire - fuel that helps us burn down this disgusting system that’s taken you from us and build a better one, together. You committed yourselves to this struggle and we will continue with you in our hearts always.
Tweets from Occupy and its supporters regarding the Chevron fire:

This post has been clearly anti-occupy in tone and accusation. However, the above information is all circumstantial. For the last year, we have been warning the occupy movement that they may be leftist cannon fodder. Via study of communist insurgency techniques, the battle plan for insurgency requires:
The more fragmented a society, the greater the chance for resentment by the populace. The insurgent attempts to increase friction between different groups in society. These groups may be aligned along racial, ethnic, religious, or social lines.
The tea party was too peaceful to be used as a violent villain. While the very term "occupier" has obvious negative connotations. Occupy supporters should consider that recent media coverage is building an anti-Obama narrative around the Occupy movement. There is a reason for this. President Obama was supportive to build the movement. Now the President needs reelected and the perception of a violent occupy movement is a perfect opponent. At least, such a political position change establishes plausible deniability and political distance.

Watch these military channel episodes of 'BattlePlan' to better understand the situation: DeceptionInsurgency/Guerrilla Warfare

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Jobs Lost Not Added for July 2012

Tea Party PacMan
We have all heard the media report that 163,000 jobs were added in July 2012. The Wall Street Journal has attributed stock gains to the news.
Stocks rose sharply in early trading. The Dow Jones industrial average added 243 points to 13,122, while the broader Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 27 points to 1,392.
Unfortunately it is more Doo Doo Economics:

The Bureau of Labor Statistics' employment numbers reports the following:

Not in Labor Force (unadjusted) rose from 86,770,000 (June) to 86,828,000 (July).  This is an increase of 58,000 people who have dropped out of the labor force. From July 2011 to July 2012 this number has increased from 84,859,000 to 86,828,000. This is an increase of 1,969,000.

The Employment-Population ratio (unadjusted) has decreased from June 2012 to July 2012 from 58.9% to 58.8%. It is up from July 2011 when it was 58.6%.

The Employment Level (unadjusted) decreased from June 2012 to July 2012 from 143,202,000 to 143,126,000. This is a decrease of 76,000 jobs. On a brighter note, this number is up from July 2009 when it was 141,055,000.


P.S.
The graphic at the top of this post is our latest "Don't Tread on Me" bumper sticker /tshirt design.








Saturday, August 4, 2012

USD Law School Hosts Open Environmental Junk Science Training

Green is the New Red
Announcing a free seminar on how to overthrow the capitalist system with environmental junk science on Aug 7. This is a must see event. Stay quiet and respectful so they can speak freely. It will be hilarious!

Signs of the Tide:

How to Be an Advocate for Your Community

Feel like you can’t make a difference? Don’t know where to start? Let us teach you at Signs of the Tide. Join to learn about how to be a better advocate for your community and leave with a stronger voice.

Former City Councilmember Donna Frye will moderate a panel of experts including:
  • Sara Wan, a coastal advocate and former California Coastal Commissioner, will share her perspective as an experienced and successful environmental activist.
  • Arthur Coe, a former staff member at Regional Water Quality Control Board, will share an inside view of regulatory decision-making and what makes an effective regional board advocacy.
  • Tony Young, San Diego City Council president, will provide an inside view of decision-making as an elected representative.
Join us on August 7 at University of San Diego Law School from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. in Warren Hall, Room 3A. There is parking available either in the lot adjacent to the law school or the Mission parking area. (Please see campus map here.)

We will provide you some light food and refreshments for you to enjoy.
Slideshow photo credits include Jackie Loza and Raymond Shipps.
Tea party activists, libertarians and conservatives will learn a lot about the opposition by attending this meeting.

Friday, August 3, 2012

Obama Joke of the Day

#AttackWatch Brown Shirts

A woman was playing golf when she took a big swing and fell.

The party waiting behind her was a group from the White House that included Obama.

Obama quickly stepped forward and helped her to her feet.

She thanked him and started to leave, when he said,

"I'm President Obama and I hope you'll vote for me this November."

She laughed and quickly said, "I fell on my ass, not my head!"

H/T Ed Campbell

In-other-News: Cass Sunstein steps down!

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Free Programming Alert Graphic


Fellow Bloggers, please feel free to use this Programming Alert graphic. Click graphic for larger image.

Here are some variants:



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