Tossing Millions - $150M More to Palestine

Hillary Clinton announced another $150 million to Palestine, bringing our total aid to $600 million this year. The story is that the $150 million will be used by the Palestine Authority to pay-down debt. Wonderful news, huh? The U.S. builds debt by helping others diminish theirs. Will any of this $150 million be diverted to purchase weapons? How naive are we, and speaking of the naivete of Americans, when will we demand that taxpayer funds stay in the U.S., at least until our fiscal disaster is corrected. Now is the time to shut down redistributing our wealth to the world. Source: Voice of America

Bill Clinton Plays to 1/3-Full Gym: Bubba's Crowds Stayed Home in Blue Michigan

Bill Clinton could only fill one-third of the gym at a rally at Renaissance High School for Virg Bernero and other Democrat candidates. Bernero is hoping to become Michigan's next Democrat governor, and Clinton's appearance at the free and open event was expected to draw big.

Bill Clinton

The First Black President (who is more than half White, as far as we know), addressed the audience with a rousing and elegant speech:

“These other guys are playing you. They say they’re mad, they’re frustrated and want something new,” Clinton said. “But this country is coming back.”

And they tried to tell us Bush was an embarrassing speaker.

Same thing happened to Obama last month in Cleveland. Remember...they had to recruit students to fill the seats.

But more about Slick Willy :

Shortly before Clinton took the stage, the Rev. Wendell Anthony, president of the Detroit branch of the NAACP, urged attendees to leave bleacher seats along one side of the gym and try to fill the area in front of the podium before Clinton began his address. 

Nevertheless, the Wayne County commissioner said "Clinton is a rock star in Detroit."

Let's face it, the Comeback Kid can't make a comeback unless Hillary is President - even in a blue, blue state like Michigan.

I wonder how many in the one-third full gym were high schools students who are not legal to vote?

Another gem sent to me by David Lemon

Posted by Maggie @ Maggie's Notebook
Content Scrapers: Until I can figure out what to do about your confiscation of my work for your own website, please be sure to give a link back as shown above.

US Taxpayer's Money Restores Islam's Historic Cultural Sites

While taxpayers pay for Imam Feisal Rauf to travel the Middle East raising funds for the Ground Zero mosque, we learn today that Congress has set aside $6 million to 63 historic and cultural sites, including mosques and minarets in 56 nations. Hillary Clinton says the fund demonstrates America's respect for the world's heritage. As you will read below, this is an annual gift to the world outside of the U.S. It has been happening since 2001. Wouldn't you think we could have put this $6 million on the back-burner until we begin to climb out of the economic pit we are in?

Grand Mosque - Tongxin, China

The money is designated under the 2010 Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation. You will be comforted to know that the project will also restore "Christian and Buddhist sites as well as museums, forts and palaces."

Golden Mosque - Lahore, Pakistan

The contributions include $76,135 for the 16th century Grand Mosque in Tongxin, China, and $67,500 for the 18th century Golden Mosque in Lahore, Pakistan. An additional $62,169 will be spent on restoring a 19th century minaret in Mauritania's ancient city of Tichitt; $50,437 for the Sundarwala Burj, a 16th century Islamic Monument in New Delhi, and $15,450 to restore the 18th century Gobarau Minaret in Katsina, Nigeria.

Find the State Department list of 2010 "Awards" here. In addition to the Lahore mosque in Pakistan, an $850,000 project will restore the 17th Century Islamic Sheikhupura Fort.

Sheikhupura Fort - Northwest of Lahore, Pakistan

From The Daily Caller:

Just a cursory search of the term “mosque” on the State Department’s list of “projects” reveals 26 examples of federal funds going to fund construction, renovation, and rehabilitation of various mosques abroad. The benefiting countries include Bulgaria, Pakistan, Mali, Tunisia, Afghanistan, Benin, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Albania, Egypt, Tunisia, the Maldives, Yemen, Turkmenistan, Tanzania, Uganda, Azerbaijan, Sudan, Serbia and Montenegro.

In Montenegro, for example, the State Department has funded an effort to restore and conserve the Shadrvan (Fountain) of the Old Mosque in Pljevlja. According to the State Department’s website, without needed repairs there would not be a sufficient place for ritual washing before prayer.

“To support the restoration of a fountain at a 16th-century mosque concurrent with the restoration of the mosque itself. Used for ritual ablutions before prayer, the fountain has deteriorated over time and needs a new wooden octagonal roof, pipes, water-taps, and pavement,” the description of the project reads.

Nicole Thompson, a State Department spokeswoman, told The Daily Caller that the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation is a type of diplomatic effort and outreach, what she says Secretary of State Hillary Clinton calls “soft power.”

“It is helping to preserve our cultural heritage. It is not just to preserve religious structures,” Thompson said. “It is not to preserve a religion. It is to help us as global inhabitants preserve cultures.”

In a document provided on Monday to Indiana Republican Sen. Richard G. Lugar, ranking member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, the State Department explained that the practice of funding such projects became acceptable in 2003 when the Justice Department declared that the U.S. Constitution’s Establishment Clause did not preclude federal funds from going to preserve religious structures if they had cultural importance....

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has also spent millions reconstructing and financing multiple mosques in Cairo and Cyprus, as well as providing computers for imams in Tajikistan and Mali. 

You will be glad to know the monies for mosque restoration are just a pittance compared to the total expenditures of the Ambassador's Fund.

Others talking about the blatant misuse of taxpayer monies in the throes of a failing economy:
Tattoo-Gypsy Undhimmi Creeping Shariah on a stimulus for sharia

Linked by The Current - Thank you, John!

Hillary Clinton Global Warming: Ecclesiastes 10:2 Irans Fuels Up:

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton issued a solemn declaration yesterday, blaming the devastating floods in Pakistan on global warming. Who knew? She also issued a stunning warning to Iran a couple of weeks ago: "it would be premature to go ahead with this project at this time." She really knows how to handle Iran and calm our fears at the same time. Now that Iran has begun fueling their nuclear reactor, in spite of her warning, I know she will have something profound to say about it...eventually. The President has promised to talk about Iran just as soon as he gets back from vacation. Both Hillary and Obama will, undoubtedly, go down as the fiercest defenders in history of our beloved country. In keeping with the same theme, its Sunday morning. Here is one of my favorite Bible verses from the Book of Ecclesiastes:

Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama

Ecclesiastes 10:2

The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left

Continuing with Ecclesiastes 10: 3-5

Even as he walks along the road the fool lacks sense and shows everyone how stupid he is. If a ruler's anger rises against you, do not leave your post; calmness can lay great errors to rest. There is an evil I have seen under the sun., the sort of error that arises from a ruler.

God, please help us help You to bless this great Nation. Amen

Bill Hillary Guests of Soros' Daughter for Chelsea's Wedding: Andrea Soros Colombel Hosts Clintons

Reports are that Bill and Hillary Clinton will be the guests of Andrea Soros Colombel and her husband Eric, at their home known as "Glenburn" and "the Rhinebeck home." Andrea is the daughter of George Soros.

PLO PA Flag Flies at State Department: PLO PA Gets Diplomatic Immunity

Hillary Clinton's State Department has upgraded the status of the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) from a "bureau" to a "general delegation." This moves gets the terrorist organization's flag flying at "the people's State Department building. This upgrade will also grant diplomatic immunity to "visitors" of the "delegation," and gives the PLO and the PA the same status as "Canada and many western European countries."

Who abides within the "delegation?" Will their terrorist credentials get a security check? Is there anyone in the delegation we will refuse to allow in the U.S.?

Apparently, Netanyahu knew this was coming, didn't object, and don't we know, that would be useless anyway:

Israeli Radio reported that sources in Prime Minister Netanyahu's office said that the Prime Minister knew of the planned step and did not object to it. . Diplomatic sources in Jerusalem claimed that the step was taken to strengthen Abu Maazen and try to get him to agree to direct talks with Israel. However, they expressed dissapointment that the White House did not make ceasing the PA's anti Israel incitement a condition for the status upgrade.

For attitude, see Right, Wing-Nut! who suggests using the Israeli flag as a doormat may be next and Solomonia muses about Israel's motive,

Gigi Gaston Texas Voter Fraud Nov. 2008, Indiana, Michigan...Hillary Voters Not Allowed to Vote

These four videos from Gigi Gaston - We Will Not Be Silenced - may be the most important you view before the November 2010 election, and especially if you are a liberty-loving Democrat in a caucus precinct. Gaston, a life-long Democrat was challenged by a friend to come to Texas and look into voter fraud by Obama operatives, with the help of the Democrat party, during the November 2008 presidential elections. Gaston thought she could document that the claims were untrue, instead she found they were true around the country.

Hillary Clinton - Barack Obama

The first video is about names illegally taken for the caucus votes.

The second video shows the process of caucusing, which requires you vote before attending a caucus. Many, many Obama voters either had not voted that day, had not signed up to vote, but still were counted in the vote. Illegal delegates began at the precinct level, then moved to the Senate district level, and on to the State level. Bottom line, many Obama delegates were illegal.

Dr. Hayes estimates ten percent of Obama caucuses were not legal in three Senate Districts around Houston. This alone accounts for most of the disparity between the primary and the caucuses.

Also, rampant voter fraud in Indiana. Gary, Indiana school children were sent to the polls in Crown Point with instructions to vote for Obama? I don't how that worked - how old were these kids? School children were bussed on a school day, told who to vote for, had their lunch bought for them, and gave them the remainder of the school day off.

A report possibly from Michigan: of the 2118 delegates, 670 delegates come from caucuses. A quote from one women in the video: Why do you think Obama wanted a caucus in Michigan? Because you can cheat at causes.

The third is of an eye-witness to older women who were Hillary supporters being turned away from the polls.  The fourth provides more proof of cover-ups. The Lonely Conservative has more on Minnesota and the Norm Coleman, Al Franken and voting felons.







One Person, One Caucus Vote Not the Case Across the Country (video) Texas Districts 6, 11, 13 and 17th - Rampant Fraud, Fraudulent Delegates (video) Older Woman and Others Not Allowed to Vote for Hillary (video)

In an effort to keep my blog page loading efficiently, please view Video 4 here.

Linked by:
Amusing Bunni's Musings - thanks Bunni!
The Conservative Lady - Thank you!

Bye-bye Vice President Biden?

By Findalis of Monkey in the Middle

That is the speculation and prediction of Liz Peek.

Joe Biden has been a liability to the Obama Administration Regime since he was put on the ticket in 2008.  It seems the Vice President has Foot-in-Mouth Disease.  He opens his mouth and inserts his foot.  He has become an embarrassment and a political liability to this regime. Therefore he must go!

Ms. Peek predicts that Obama will cut loose Joe Biden in favor of Hillary Clinton.

Here’s a prediction: the Obama administration will bounce Joe Biden off the 2012 ticket, and invite Hillary Clinton to run in his stead.

The move will aim to bolster Obama’s standing and provide some excitement among core Democrats – something that Biden fails to provide. Hillary will agree, because just four years later she will be superbly positioned to run for president – ever the rainbow on her personal horizon.

At present, her polls are high, with 58% of voters viewing her at least somewhat favorably.

Wistful Dems who wonder these days what could have been will tout her hard work and pragmatic diplomacy as she chases one impossible Obama pipe dream after another to all corners of the globe.

Certain wishful Dems are hoping she will challenge Obama in a primary. I don’t think so. As Ted Kennedy found when he tried to pick off Jimmy Carter in 1980, even an unpopular incumbent is still an incumbent.

If the White House political team brings Clinton on board over the next year, they can remove whatever threat exists from that quarter. Meanwhile, Hillary can bide her time and husband her resources, eventually running against Obama’s legacy.

She will have better answers on health care, a subject she has studiously avoided discussing, and could adopt her husband’s centrist approach to trade and taxes to win over independents.

Up until President Eisenhower, the position of Vice President on a political ticket was easily changed.  FDR had 3 different VPs (John Nance Garner, Henry A. Wallace, and Harry S. Truman.).  So it isn't out of the question or against historical precedent.


Joe Biden was originally chosen for his experience in foreign affairs.  A skill it seems, judging from the last 2 years of this regime, neither Joe Biden or Barack Hussein Obama have or ever has aquired.

Nor has Hillary Clinton showed her great skill in foreign policy and foreign affairs in her tenure as Secretary of State.

In fact the trio remind on of the bumbling antics of the 3 Stooges.  It would be funny, but the price to our security is too high for such jokes or jokers.

I have always wondered why Joe Biden was brought onto the ticket.  He brought no electoral votes, no region of the nation to swing towards Obama, he is a bumbler, a fool at times, yet he and not Hillary was chosen to be the VP.  Could it be that the idea of President Biden is so horrible to the nation that the Congress will allow Obama to do anything to prevent that from happening?  Does Joe Biden make Obama safe from impeachment?  If so, why the change of heart?

This is all speculation and will not matter if Obama's polls continue to drop.  Who is going to vote for a President with a 20% or less approval rating?  Pretty much no one.  So regardless of who is on the ticket in 2012, as things look right now, Obama is a one-term President and should be considered a lame duck.

America's Foreign Policy Leaders!

Susan Rice Skips U.N. Debate: Rice Vacations: Susan Rice Still Wildly Ineffective

No surprise here. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, stayed in Washington...rather than go the U.N. headquarters in New York. She's no dummy. She gets paid the big bucks and get the embossed business card and sends someone else to do her job, and this isn't the first time. To quote Richard Grenell, a former U.N. Ambassador, Rice is "wildly ineffective."

Susan Rice

Rice, who has "delusions" of grandeur wanted to stay home in D.C. for the Memorial Day weekend. She did, and she missed the emergency meeting to lynch Israel for their handling of a sea blockade of Turkish ships trying to get to Gaza or be martyred (as one woman put it). Some were martyred. At this time, none have gotten to Gaza.

Oh well, Rice "was engaged the entire time," her spokesman said. Deputy U.S. Representative Alejandro Wolff filled-in for her, but she pulled the strings throughout the entire 12 hour meeting. She also didn't call an emergency meeting for the U.N. in the awful Haiti crisis. It was apparently her place to do so...but she didn't bother, so U.N. head Ban Ki-Moon had to step in and ask for more troops.

 Susan Rice with Obama and Hillary Clinton

Rice did show up for her glamor spread, photographed by Annie Leibovitz, for Vogue Magazine, however.

Since John Bolton left the position, the U.S. has had zero influence at the U.N. With Rice, our influence is sub-zero.

Rice is still "wildly ineffective" but Vogue thinks "she's got game."

Related and Background:
American Emily Henochowicz Loses Eye in Terror Flotilla Protest

Young Jewish Man Carries Israeli Flag in LA Muslim Street Protest (Video)

Gaza Flotilla Terror Choir: We Con the World (Video)

Furkan Dogan American Dead on Gaza Flotilla

Hamas Flotilla Aid Refused

Gaza Flotilla - al Qaeda Members Aboard

Susan Rice, American UN Ambassador Skips Terror Flotilla Discussions at UN

Flotilla War Atmosphere before Israel Boarded - Martyrdom or Gaza Shores


The Angst of Supporting Israel
Who and What are Palestinians?
Rupert Murdock: U.S., European Survival Without Israel

Without Support, What Happens to Israel?
Golda Meir: War and Wisdom
About that Two-State Solution
How the Gaza Tunnels into Egypt Work
Discovering Kryptonite, Disabling Superman
United Nations Condemns Hamas - Gotcha!
United Nations Seal Condemnation of Israel

In a class of its own:
Gaza Flotilla Terror Choir: We Con the World Video

Obama Congratulates Israel on 62nd Anniversary - Just Kidding

A search for "Obama congratulates Israel on 62nd anniversary" pops up numerous results, but for 2009, not 2010...you remember, back when Obama was stilll carrying on the presidential charade.

Update 7:50 p.m. EDT

Reader "Gee" has just sent a link to a Jerusalem Post announce that Obama has, indeed, congratulated Israel on their 62nd anniversary. Thank you, Gee!

"That posting at The Jerusalem Post was listed as "Breaking News" and the White House release of Obama's "congratulations" was received on April 20th -  the bloody day AFTER Israel's Independence Day.  In other words, Hillary Clinton was able to get her message to the Israelis on the day of their Independence, but our Nation's Leader was not.  I'm not sure what is worse - for a President NOT to send a message or to purposely send it late, in the middle of the night of the day after."  ~ Holger  

by Holger at Holger Awakens
Excuse Me. Where is Obama's Congratulations Message to Israel on its 62nd Anniversary of Independence?

Unless I have missed it today, I have not seen one mention anywhere that Barack Hussein Obama formally congratulated Israel on its 62nd anniversary (if I did miss it, someone please let me know in comments). I see that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton extended a message to Israel but nothing from Obama. NOTHING from Obama.

Here's what Clinton said, from the report at Haaretz:

"The United States will continue to stand with you, sharing your risks and helping shoulder your burdens, as we face the future together," the U.S. secretary of State added. Clinton also stressed what she called her "deep personal commitment to Israel," one she claimed to have shared with U.S. President Barack Obama, adding that Washington would "not waver in protecting Israel's security and promoting Israel's future." "That is why pursuing peace and recognized borders for Israel is one of our top priorities," Clinton said, adding that she believed it was "possible - indeed necessary - to achieve a comprehensive peace in the Middle East that provides Israelis, Palestinians, and all the people of the region security, prosperity, and the opportunity to live up to their full God-given potential."

Now, you will see in the quote above, I bolded the words "recognized borders" that Clinton used in her message ...get that zinger to the Israelis? Not only doesn't the President of the United States of America NOT extend a personal congratulations to Israel on this day but his 3rd string puppet, Hillary Clinton, takes this celebratory occassion to reinforce the fact that she and Obama want Israel confined to a tight little box of land that she and her muslim appeasing President approve of. Disgusting.

By the way, I want to mention the following headlines from Obama's Presidency so far:

1. Obama congratulates Iran on New Year

2. The President's Message to the Iranian People

3. Obama Sends Message To Muslims From Cairo

4. Obama Sends Out Message to Muslims for Ramadan

Isn't that interesting. Barack Hussein Obama hasn't missed any opportunities to send congratulations and messages off to the Muslim world since he became President, but on the day that Israel celebrates an Independence Day that is probably the most dramatic in human history, he's got a sock in his mouth.

What a disgusting display by the President of the United States of America.

Whiskey is Christmas Gratuity at State Department: Hillary Clinton Enjoys a Christmas Gratuity

We already know how wildly and recklessly Congress and the State Department spends our money. To learn of thousands spent to buy liquor and wine is not news, but claiming that whiskey is a "Christmas gratuity" is appalling news. "Christmas" is not a proper word out of this White House and certainly not at the State Department, yet $9,501 was expensed for whiskey and wine for "Christmas gratuities" at our embassy in South Korea. How shameless can we be, and what happened to 'Winter Holiday?' We do not use "Christmas" in the sacred context, but use it for whiskey, and probably spell it with a small 'c.'

The photo is of our fun loving Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, enjoying a "Christmas gratuity."

Obama, Clinton, Schumer, Reid on Nuclear Option and Naked Power Grab (Video)

The video below stars then-Senator Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Chuck Schumer, Joe Biden and Harry Reid. In 2005, the Senators were piling shame on Republicans for using Reconciliation, also known as the Nuclear Option. Note that Republicans DID NOT use Reconciliation. The video follows some history on Reconciliation and the Nuclear Option.

Video pull-out quote:

I pray God when the Democrats take back control we don't make the kind of naked power grab you are asking. ~ Senator Joe Biden 2005

While researching Senate Rule XXII, cloture, filibusters and Reconciliation (nuclear option), I found a long essay which says Rule XXII is not what the Founders had in mind:

Rule twenty-two lends itself to criticism just in its very nature. The idea of a supermajority being needed in order to do the business of the country upsets a lot of reformers who wish to see what the founders pictured: a majority driven legislature. 

A vital note about Reconciliation, the Nuclear Option, comes from The Snooper Report, which reminds us that the only time Reconciliation can be used  is in passage of a budget bill. The health care bill is not a part of a budget bill...yet. Here's how that will work:

Congress includes reconciliation instructions in the budget. Those instructions direct certain committees -- say, the Finance Committee and the Health, Energy, Labor, and Pensions Committee -- to produce health-reform legislation hitting certain spending targets by a certain deadline. Once finished, the legislation is tossed back to the Budget Committee, which staples it together into an omnibus bill and sends it to the floor of the Senate for 20 hours of debate followed by an up-or-down vote.    

Senator Robert Byrd has a "rule" named after him - The Byrd Rule. The question is, will the Byrd Rule rule when it comes to Obama's health care?

The Byrd rule states that legislation is unfit for reconciliation if it "produce[s] changes in outlays or revenue which are merely incidental to the non-budgetary components of the provision." I asked Jim Horney, a budget expert at the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, how you define "merely incidental." And what, exactly, is a "provision"?

He sighed. A provision, he said, is "not defined anywhere. It goes well below a title or section of a bill and even below a paragraph. But exactly what it is nobody knows." And the Senate rules offer no more clarity on the definition of "merely incidental." Asked if anyone had developed an accepted meaning, Horney seemed almost apologetic. "No," he said. "Absolutely not."

The matter is not simply academic: The Byrd rule allows senators to challenge the acceptability of any provision (undefined) of a reconciliation bill based on whether or not its effect on government revenues is "merely incidental" (undefined). Thus, if you enter reconciliation with a health-reform bill, it's not clear what's left after each and every provision -- however that is defined -- is challenged and a certain number of them are deleted altogether: the tax portions, certainly. And the government subsidies. But is regulating insurers "merely incidental" to government revenues? How about reforming hospital delivery systems? How about incentives for preventive treatment? Or the construction of a public plan? An individual mandate?  

A supermajority vote of 60 was needed until 1975, under a Republican President and a Democrat Congress holding the majority in both the House and the Senate: Source.

The liberal Senate majority, determined not to be blocked by endless argument over legislation in a period of economic crisis, last week approved a compromise that achieved the first new limitation on debate since 1959. A filibuster will be choked off if 60 Senators (three-fifths of the total membership) vote to do so. That is seven less than the number (two-thirds) that had been required under the Senate's celebrated Rule 22, assuming the entire Senate was present and voting....

The fight was led by Democratic Senators Walter Mondale of Minnesota and James Pearson of Kansas, with an invaluable assist from Vice President Nelson Rockefeller, whose partisanship as presiding officer enraged his conservative critics....

Although conservative Senators angrily assailed Rockefeller for this high-handed tactic, Rocky was technically right. The Senate rules specifically permit the presiding officer to ignore a parliamentary inquiry when he believes it is being used as a dilatory tactic.

In 2005, when Democrats threatened to filibuster Bush's judicial nominations, Senator Bill Frist suggested that a filibuster on judicial nominees was inconsistent with the constitutional grant of power, and have VP Dick Cheney rule a simple majority was all that was needed to seat the nominees. Other events intervened and what was to be known as the Nuclear Option was not used.

History of the Nuclear Option:

The Senate's rules have allowed unlimited debate, or filibusters, since 1806, when senators dropped a rule that allowed a majority of the Senate to put an end to discussion and call for a vote. For the next 111 years, there was no way to stop a filibuster once it had started. 

But in 1917, when filibusters were blocking Woodrow Wilson's plans for World War I, the Senate adopted Rule XXII, which allowed senators to end a filibuster by a two-thirds vote on a motion to cut off debate -- a procedure called "cloture." 

In 1975 the Senate amended Rule XXII so that cloture required, in most cases, the vote of not two-thirds but rather three-fifths of the senators. In today's 50-state, 100-member Senate, that means it takes 60 rather than 67 senators to put an end to most filibusters. 

The Founders did not "found" the filibuster.

There, however, is no constitutional framework that says that senators should not have the right to unlimited debate. But, the filibuster which permits a small minority and even one Senator to stop a piece of legislation, was not intended by the framers at all. In fact, it has been argued by some that because the Constitution does lay down the times when a supermajority is needed, (e.g. 2/3 vote for convicting an impeached president and for signing treaties), therefore, only a majority should be needed to pass any legislation. This is further backed up by the Supreme Court Decision in United States v. Ballin, 1892. 

In this case, Justice David Brewer, speaking for the majority says, “the general rule of all parliamentary bodies is that when a majority is present, the act of the majority of the quorum is the act of the body. This has been the rule for all time, except so far as in any given case, the terms of the organic act under which the body is assembled have prescribed specific limitations. ”

About Cloture:

What is cloture? In simple terms, it is the ability of a supermajority to shut off debate thus ending a filibuster. Any senator may file a motion of cloture providing that sixteen senators have signed it. Two days after a cloture motion is presented to the presiding officer, it is available for a vote one hour after the senate convenes. After cloture has been invoked, the Senators have thirty hours to debate, add amendments, and raise points of order . Once the thirty hours are completed, a vote on the pending legislation will be taken. Also it is important to note that once cloture is invoked, senators are only allowed to introduce germane amendments.

Cloture has not always been like this. When rule twenty-two was adopted in 1917, it took 2/3 of the Senate who was present to vote for cloture providing there was a quorum. In 1949, rule 22 was amended to state that 2/3 of the entire senate, or 67 members were required to vote to end debate. In 1959, rule 22 was amended again lowering the required number of senators to 2/3 of those who were present and voting. In 1975, cloture was lowered to 3/5 of membership or 60 members to vote for it. Since the drop in the number of members needed to invoke cloture, cloture votes were twice as successful then in the period from 1959.

The other major reform that took place in cloture was the time allotted to debate after cloture was invoked. Originally rule 22 never specified the amount of time that was permitted for debate after cloture was invoked, senators began to exploit the rule in the late 1970s. They started what became known as the post-cloture filibuster, where after debate had been supposedly ended, they would continue to tie up the floor with more debate, amendments, and points of order. For example, Senator X would have control over the floor and ask for every amendment to be read, despite relevance or necessity. This post-cloture filibuster would eat up a large amount of time. 

Thus, in 1979, the Senate amended rule 22 to state that post-cloture debate would be limited to one hundred hours or one hour per Senator. The only problem with this reform was that the one hundred hours did not include points of order or readings of amendments, so the post-cloture filibuster still worked in delaying the passage of a bill. Again in 1986, the senate voted to amend rule 22 to limit post-cloture debate to 30 hours including all points of order. This recent amendment has pretty much eliminated the post-cloture filibuster. 

This is what happens when we fool around with the original intent of the Founders.




Democrats Rail Over Nuclear Option 2005 (video)

Rush Limbaugh on Sarah Palins Support of John McCain Video

 In this video, Rush talks about Sarah Palin's support of John McCain. Very interesting. Listen at about 6:34 minutes in for Rush's comments about Hillary Clinton.

Rush Limbaugh on Support of John McCain

Julie Tauber McMahon was Bill Clintons Mistress? HuffPo Hides Bill Clintons Serial Cheating?

Oh well, it's only sex. The National Enquirer reported in June 2008 in a front page spread, that Bill Clinton's "longtime mistress" Julie Tauber-McMahon had dumped the former president, and on the campaign trail with Hillary, the distraught Bill cheated "non-stop" on the woman who-would-be president. It's only sex. No big deal. Right? No need to worry that a philandering First Gentleman is ripe for blackmail. Huffington Post reporter Mayhill Fowler knew the story, and said she "passed on it."

Julie Tauber-McMahon

Julie Tauber-McMahon, 48, is a very wealthy woman and the reports says she and Bill were together for years. She is the daughter of millionaire Joel Tauber. Both are huge Democrat donors. Julie reportedly  lives in Chappaqua, New York, a mere five miles from the Clinton's happy homestead.

The joke is on the American people. We need to get the message and peruse the pages of National Enquirer as we dither in the grocery line. The mainstream media will not report negatively on Democrats, even when national security could be at stake, because...it's only sex, with a side of blackmail possible - for the U.S. Secretary of State and her husband. Would Hillary throw him under the bus? Read more at GatewayPundit.

Photo Credit: The National Enquirer

America Rising Hillbuzz: YouTube Attacking the America Voice

HillBuzz, a website by Hillary supporters, has sent an open video letter to Democrats. Read the comments  - these people are unhappy!

HillBuzz has had to fight YouTube's continual take-down of the video, and when it was up, YouTube locked the counter at times. Since January 5th, it appears YouTube lost the battle. Message to YouTube, I love your service...I appreciate your service...what would we do without you...but get a grip. We have Liberals and Conservatives in this country. Don't try to shut Conservatives down. It makes you petty and small, and unAmerican.

The person who submitted this video to YouTube, or at least one of them, glzgreen, said he/she did not create the video, but had to turn comments off because of the personal attacks on him/her. That's when you know you've hit a nerve with the Left. They accused the poster of being racist, and apparently left death threats. Go here to subscribe to gizgreen's videos. This is gizgreen's plan:

I am not trying to pick on Democrats. I am picking on politicians. I plan on exposing lies they get caught up in. We need to start holding all accountable for thier actions.

This is an extremely well-done video and I think it expresses the opinions of many, many Democrats and Independents. Great Saturday morning viewing.


America Rising (video)

Clinton Foundation Donors Revealed

The Clinton's, Bill and Hill, are honoring Barack Obama's commandment that they reveal, annually, all donors to Bill's Clinton Foundation. The latest list is out. Note this oddity:

It gave only cumulative ranges rather than precise donations, and didn't provide a fundraising total.

 In other words, Norway gave $10 million to $25 million. Oman gave $1 million to $5 million. (See the list of donors here)

Saudi businessman Hamza B. Al-Kholi, whose companies operate in the Middle East, Europe and United States...He gave at least $100,000.

Celebrity businessman Donald Trump, who gave $50,001 to $100,000 in all.

What's the difference between a few millions, huh? I think I'll report my charitable giving to the IRS as somewhere between $100,000 and $500,000 and see what happens.

Bill Clinton President for Life: Bill Clinton Term Limits a Good Thing

Lesson for America: term limits for Congress. Now! Bill Clinton admitted he would have preferred leaving the White House in a coffin.

The former President says he loves his current life and will leave the "politics to my wife...." We see the power grow in mammoth leaps in Washington, D.C. We must have term limits in Congress.

"It's good that we have a (term) limit. Otherwise I would have stayed until I was carried away in a coffin. Or defeated in an election," Clinton said at a conference in Istanbul. "I loved doing the job."

All we need is another narcisstic president with his own "national civilian security force," as well funded as our military, and a power-mongering, lying, devious Speaker of the House and a weasel guiding the Senate, with massive funds going to ACORN's voter fraud unit - and we have a fight on our hands.

Hillary Clinton We tax everything that moves and doesn't move: Hillary Pakistan Press Video

The Democrat party working for you. Hillary tells Pakistan "We [U.S.] tax everything that moves." See two videos below.

Hillary Clinton

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, wearing her hijab somewhere in Pakistan:

We [U.S.] tax everything that moves and doesn't move, and that's not what we see in Pakistan

Rare moments of clarity and truth. She's growing her out. It's a good thing.

In the first video below, Clinton talks about the recent bombing that happened while she was in the area and makes a strong, and easily understood statement: "...terrorism cannot build. That is where we have an advantage."

In the second video, it is interesting to hear Hillary talk with reporters about Pakistan's failed attempt to treaty with the Taliban. In short she said, they tried, it failed, the government admitted it failed, and now a new road must be followed. If we had that policy dealing with Iran, we wouldn't have the Iranian menace today. It's a lesson we need not to forget. We also need not forget her "tax everything that moves and doesn't move" ideology. With 2010 elections coming, Democrats admitting they tax everything should be a Republican mantra. Not what the Founders had in mind.







Hillary Clinton on Terrorism in Pakistan    Hillary Clinton Pakistan Press(video) 

 

Hillary Clinton's Naked Aggression: Pakistan Outraged!

With Obama's performance at the U.N. and Bill Clinton claiming the "vast, right-wing conspiracy" that his wife claimed back in 1998 is still virulent today, the world is seeing us for who the Obama administration is (does that make sense?). Sure it does.

Thanks to my friend, ChicagoRay where I always find the pithiest videos.

Micheletti Still Denies Zelaya Entry: Zelaya Visits Hillary Instead

Ousted Honduran president, Manuel Zelaya will not attempt to land his plane inside Honudras again today, because the administration of Roberto Michelleti won't allow it. Instead, Zelaya will visit with U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton in Washngton, D.C.

Roberto Micheletti

...he changed his mind after Honduras' interim authorities closed the airport and vowed to arrest him for violating the country's constitution in a desperate bid to remain in power.

Hanging out in a mall in Managua, Nicaragua yesterday, Zelaya will look for warm pablum from the U.S. government who unbelievably supports his socialist agenda in the country of Honduras who wants no part of it [except for the poor who received a minimum wage increase of 60%].

Some of his supporters reportedly are even considering smuggling Zelaya across the mountainous border area from Nicaragua. In recent years, Zelaya began peppering his speeches with fiery sentiments, casting himself as defender of the working class.

A little about Zelaya's background:

It was unlikely rhetoric [defending the working class] for the son of a wealthy rancher who was imprisoned and later pardoned for the 1975 massacre of six peasant activists accused of invading the family's land, as well as two priests - one from Wisconsin. Their bodies were pulled from a well in front of Zelaya's property

By the way, the "working class" in Honduras does not include business owners, who say that 150,000 jobs were lost due to the excessive minimum wage hike, which was far more than labor requests. Read what business thinks about Zelaya here. How does Zelaya live today?

Nearby is the sprawling Zelaya ranch, with burnt-orange columns and a Spanish tile roof. The driveway is lined with palm trees and a satellite television dish protrudes from the lawn. The front door opens to a stunning view of densely forested mountains.

A pair of Pekinese and a friendly golden retriever share the home with Zelaya's mother and the caretaker and his family. Soldiers guarded the property after the coup, though Zelaya's mother fled into hiding in Tegucigalpa.

To be fair, there are many reports from those who worked for the Zelaya family before he became president, including working for his father. They talk of a benevolent family who eventually donated parcels of land to workers. But...

Not everyone agrees.

"The family was always respected," Lazo said. "But all of the things he wanted to do with that referendum, it was like he was being pushed by something, pushed to the left."

Hillary has just returned from a visit to Honduras to meet with the Organization of American States (OAS), where no consensus was reached. Taxpayers paid for her jaunt there to meet with a group that wants to shore up (as my husband says) a "friggin'" dictator. I haven't heard a single word from the Obama administration about Zelaya attempting to assume control of oil terminals and reduce imports to one company in December 28. Zelaya and his real-time-friend, Hugo Chavez have quite a con going on.

Zelaya's detractors say he was influenced by Chavez, a self-proclaimed socialist who has given Honduras $300 million in financial aid since January and provides oil on credit. The Venezuelan president has formed a leftist bloc of nations fueled by petrodollars that he hopes can challenge Washington's regional influence. Honduras' formerly war-torn neighbors all elected leftist leaders recently - Guatemala and El Salvador for the first time in decades. All are Chavez allies. Chavez used referendums to win the right to seek re-election repeatedly. Many feared Zelaya was doing the same - and would then follow Chavez in weakening the courts and Congress and launching socialist takeovers of key businesses.

Roberto Micheletti said Zelaya was not ousted in a coup. He was ousted through a Constitutional Succession. Has the Obama taken any consideration of this claim? Background: Lugar Clinton: Explain Honduras Foreign Policy Please Honduras Thousands in the Street: Michelletti Supporters in the Streets Zelaya Returns: Zelaya Retreats Honduras Defending Constitution: Defending Democracy Honduras Threatened with Banishment from Organization of American States Zelaya Returns to Honduras: Micheletti Government to Block Zelaya Plane Micheletti Still Denies Zelaya Entry: Zelaya Visits Hillary Instead Honduras: Last Bastion of Democracy