Rounder

The Colorado shootings since the shooter used the government created internet to buy ammunition, government created roads to drive to the movie theatre, and the government created power lines supplied the power to view the movie?

CAMP SPRINGS, MD—Addressing troops at Andrews Air Force Base Tuesday, President Barack Obama claimed victory in Iraq, saying that formal combat operations in the region would end Aug. 31, and that the United States had emerged from the seven-year war triumphant, kind of.

"For nearly a decade, our mission in Iraq has been to root out those who would choose violence over peace, to create a stable Iraqi government, and to transfer power to an incorruptible civilian police force," Obama said. "And, in a manner of speaking, we sort of did some of that, right? More or less?"

"Granted, this is not the definitive, World War II–like victory most of us expected," Obama continued. "But there's a military triumph in there somewhere, I swear. You just have to look at it from the right angles."

According to the president, the relative victory could be credited to a number of achieved benchmarks, depending upon how strict one's definition of "achieved" is. Obama pointed to the democratic election of an Iraqi parliament currently being held together by a thread; the streets of Iraq being slightly less hellish than they were in 2006; and the fact that women are now, for the most part, free to move around the country so long as they don't make a big production out of it.

Obama also noted that during the war more Iraqi insurgents died than American troops, which, he admitted, isn't necessarily the best way to determine a war's victor, but is nonetheless still preferable to the other way around.

"By the end of this month, victory, to a certain extent, will be ours, and we can finally welcome our troops back home," Obama concluded. "That is unless they are one of the 50,000 U.S. soldiers who will have to stay in the region for the foreseeable future."

Following the president's address, a car bomb ripped through an outdoor market in Baghdad killing eight Iraqis and wounding 32.

Pentagon officials also declared the mission, in a sense, kind of sort of accomplished Tuesday, citing the handful of Iraqi hearts and minds that may have been won over by the U.S. occupancy, and the fact that Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki had not yet been assassinated.

"In cases where we were unable to rebuild infrastructure or quell violent civil unrest, it wasn't for lack of trying," Gen. Ray Odierno, commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, said during last Sunday's taping of ABC's This Week. "And trying your best, one could argue, is technically a triumph in and of itself."

"And hey, Saddam Hussein isn't in power anymore," Odierno continued. "So that's something."

With the cessation of combat operations, and the declaration of what sources said couldn't be called a complete and utter failure because to do so would be to admit that the U.S. wasted $750 billion, lost 4,400 troops, and killed 100,000 Iraqi civilians for absolutely nothing, both Democrats and Republicans have attempted to take credit for the quasi-victory.

"President Obama deserves zero praise for this borderline accomplishment," Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) told reporters. "After all, if it weren't for President Bush ordering the initial invasion of Iraq and making it his central foreign policy initiative, we wouldn't be here right now awkwardly celebrating the muddled outcome of whatever the hell it is we've been doing over there for the past seven years."

Pentagon and White House sources said the American people should expect more wince-inducing victory-if-you-can-call-it-that celebrations 10 or 15 years from now when we kind of, but not really, win in Afghanistan

http://www.theonion.com/articles/obama-declares-vi...

CAMP SPRINGS, MD—Addressing troops at Andrews Air Force Base Tuesday, President Barack Obama claimed victory in Iraq, saying that formal combat operations in the region would end Aug. 31, and that the United States had emerged from the seven-year war triumphant, kind of.

"For nearly a decade, our mission in Iraq has been to root out those who would choose violence over peace, to create a stable Iraqi government, and to transfer power to an incorruptible civilian police force," Obama said. "And, in a manner of speaking, we sort of did some of that, right? More or less?"

"Granted, this is not the definitive, World War II–like victory most of us expected," Obama continued. "But there's a military triumph in there somewhere, I swear. You just have to look at it from the right angles."

According to the president, the relative victory could be credited to a number of achieved benchmarks, depending upon how strict one's definition of "achieved" is. Obama pointed to the democratic election of an Iraqi parliament currently being held together by a thread; the streets of Iraq being slightly less hellish than they were in 2006; and the fact that women are now, for the most part, free to move around the country so long as they don't make a big production out of it.

Obama also noted that during the war more Iraqi insurgents died than American troops, which, he admitted, isn't necessarily the best way to determine a war's victor, but is nonetheless still preferable to the other way around.

"By the end of this month, victory, to a certain extent, will be ours, and we can finally welcome our troops back home," Obama concluded. "That is unless they are one of the 50,000 U.S. soldiers who will have to stay in the region for the foreseeable future."

Following the president's address, a car bomb ripped through an outdoor market in Baghdad killing eight Iraqis and wounding 32.

Pentagon officials also declared the mission, in a sense, kind of sort of accomplished Tuesday, citing the handful of Iraqi hearts and minds that may have been won over by the U.S. occupancy, and the fact that Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki had not yet been assassinated.

"In cases where we were unable to rebuild infrastructure or quell violent civil unrest, it wasn't for lack of trying," Gen. Ray Odierno, commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, said during last Sunday's taping of ABC's This Week. "And trying your best, one could argue, is technically a triumph in and of itself."

"And hey, Saddam Hussein isn't in power anymore," Odierno continued. "So that's something."

With the cessation of combat operations, and the declaration of what sources said couldn't be called a complete and utter failure because to do so would be to admit that the U.S. wasted $750 billion, lost 4,400 troops, and killed 100,000 Iraqi civilians for absolutely nothing, both Democrats and Republicans have attempted to take credit for the quasi-victory.

"President Obama deserves zero praise for this borderline accomplishment," Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) told reporters. "After all, if it weren't for President Bush ordering the initial invasion of Iraq and making it his central foreign policy initiative, we wouldn't be here right now awkwardly celebrating the muddled outcome of whatever the hell it is we've been doing over there for the past seven years."

Pentagon and White House sources said the American people should expect more wince-inducing victory-if-you-can-call-it-that celebrations 10 or 15 years from now when we kind of, but not really, win in Afghanistan

http://www.theonion.com/articles/obama-declares-vi...

Anyone hear anything?

So instead ofunding unemployment, they fund short-term employment, just long enough to get to the next election?

AP Story-------------------------

MILWAUKEE - At least 4,000 jobless people in Wisconsin will benefit from a new program using $34 million in federal stimulus money to pay for temporary jobs during the next two years.

Wisconsin Department of Children and Families Secretary Reggie Bicha tells the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that the new program will help those people transition from temporary jobs to the non-subsidized job market.

Under the program, private and public employers who hire an eligible participant will receive a 100 percent wage subsidy, at minimum wage, up to 40 hours a week for six months.

Participants must be unemployed for at least a month and be low income.

About half of the jobs are expected to be created in the Milwaukee area.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-wi-excha...

looks like 1,000 jobs lost directly because of obama's policies at a time when we need to add jobs

is this just the tip of the iceberg?

Arizona is now threatening to cut off the power to LA after LA voted to boycott Arizona businesses...

If LA doesn't want to do business with Arizona companies, should they accept Arizona's power?

Ever notice all the questions and comments remarking that Tea Partiers are uneducated or dumb?

Well, it seems the liberal left is just as bad --> http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2010/04/2...

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-wi-anti-...

Wis. billboard calls for Obama's impeachment:

OSHKOSH, Wis. - A company represented by a Menasha lawyer has rented a billboard calling for President Barack Obama's impeachment.

The billboard along Highway 41 in Oshkosh reads, "Impeach Obama." The tagline says: "America's small businesses are failing; help us spread the message."

It was paid for by an unnamed company represented by Tom Wroblewski. He told The Associated Press the sentiment is that Washington politics are bad for small businesses.

WLUK-TV reports that the sign went up Thursday. It will remain up for at least six months, at a cost of $1,000 per month.

Jef Hall is the chairman of the Winnebago County Democratic Party. He says having a bad opinion of the president doesn't mean there's been an impeachable offense.

Wroblewski says despite the billboard's language, he's not suggesting Obama committed an impeachable offense.

The Indonesians are the latest to pull their praise and support -- http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM...

Is the honeymoon truly over? Which country will be next?

The first of what is likely to be a long list of people fleeing from the sinking ship that is the Obama administration was announced today --> http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34952712/ns/politics-m...

Who will stick with him longer, Reid or Pelosi?

Who do you think will be the last one to jump ship?

Since the vast majority of politicians that will be voting for or against the health care reform bill have admitted they have not read or had a chance to read the bill, is this taxation without representation?

How can politicians represent the will of their constituents if they act without knowing what they are voting on? Does this strengthen the inevitable legal battle that the Supreme Court will need to take action on?

Is this whole health care reform process only going to benefit the lawyers?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34382653/ns/health-hea...

Don't you just love how the health care bill keeps popping up all kinds of items that will reduce patient care and not deliver the promises of the administration?

Will Obama's 'mission accomplished' message end up misunderstood like Bush's message?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/04/obama-in-...

from Tiger Woods?

I can't wait for the January Golf Digest...

http://www.waggleroom.com/2009/12/2/1181429/tiger-...

'In an eerily timely story, Golf Digest released to the media an article for its January issue that shares the ten things that the current President (and the real first African-American to hold the office) could learn from Tiger Woods - and vice versa. Mark Whitaker suggests in the article that Tiger could learn from President Obama to show more warmth and be less of a robot.'

Any liberals want to weigh in as to why Michelle Obama doesn't get bashed repeatedly for spending lavish amounts of money on clothes... did you see the $7000 outfit she was wearing at to nights gala

Apparently, Pelosi thinks all us bad taxpayers deserve something worse than coal in our stockings for Christmas --> http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/6...

Personally, I think I would rather have the coal...

What would you rather have as a Christmas present from our government, instead of the health care legislation?

...as in wait and hope you will die so we don't have to pay for your insurance.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33654867/ns/health-hea...

Is this more hypocritical shenanigans from the dems?

This just out this morning from the AP. Apparently, Wisconsin currently does not require insurance and has passed legislation requiring it starting sometime next year. The bit of digging I have done on this shows a startling similarity to what the nation is being told about nation health care reform. In Wisconsin, legislators told the public this new mandate would not cost those with existing coverage any more money, UNLESS the greedy insurance companies jacked up rates to boost profits. Now, as reality sets in, the insurance companies are raising rates but the government seems fine with the increase, as long as they are not blamed. Here's the article...

MADISON - As car insurance companies begin mailing notices to Wisconsin customers telling them that their premiums are likely to increase, state politicians are scrambling to avoid the blame.

The first changes expected to affect premiums start Nov. 1 with more coming next year when all motorists must carry liability insurance. The minimum levels of coverage are also increasing.

Terry Scheller, 47, of Nichols recently received notice that coverage for his three vehicles was increasing $231.

"I think it's awful," Scheller said. "How much more can people afford? Times are tough. Guess who's paying for it? People like me with clean driving records."

The new insurance requirements were approved by the Democratic-controlled Legislature earlier this year.

But Democrats aren't willing to accept blame for any higher premiums.

Assembly Majority Leader Tom Nelson, D-Kaukauna, said in an Oct. 7 letter to a constituent who inquired about higher premiums that "any premium increases are due to the business decisions of insurance providers rather than any action taken by the Legislature."

That's the same thing he told Scheller when he called to complain.

"I'm not buying it from Mr. Nelson," Scheller said. "I believe it's the state law. That's what I'm hearing from two different agents."

Nelson said in an interview that insurance companies were "simply using the Legislature as an excuse to raise premiums and generate more profit."

Nelson's assertion is "flat out wrong," said Andy J. Franken, president of the Wisconsin Insurance Alliance. The alliance represents insurance companies and spent more than $500,000 lobbying against the changes passed by the Legislature.

Franken said at its most basic level, the Legislature increased the amount of coverage people will have to carry and it's "simple economics" to see that will result in higher premiums.

"Everyone understands if you buy more of something, it costs more money," Franken said.

Both the insurance industry and state regulators agree that premiums will go up because of the changes. But they may not go up for all policy holders and how much they increase depends on several factors.

The state Office of the Commissioner of Insurance did not prepare, and does not intend to prepare, an analysis of what impact the changes approved by the Legislature will have on premiums.

However, premiums in general are expected to go up for consumers who purchased only the minimum limits because of the changes, said OCI spokesman Jim Guidry.

Determining how much, or what the impact would be on an individual policy holder, is difficult because some consumers purchased more than the minimum limits, Guidry said. Also, there are more than 200 insurance companies competing with one another and a variety of other factors, including driving record and past claims experience, affect premiums, he said.

"People who have higher limits that are at or higher than the new mandated amounts, will not be impacted," said Ken Muth, a spokesman for American Family Insurance, which is based in Madison. "It's going to depend on what the coverages are now and the additional coverages you'll have to take on. ... It may go up significantly for some."

American Family is sending out letters to policy holders warning them about increases.

"Every insurance company in the state will be forced to charge more as a result of this legislation," one letter sent by American Family said. American Family is the largest auto insurer in Wisconsin.

Nelson called American Family's letter blaming the Legislature for higher premiums "disingenuous and shameful."

Republicans see an opportunity to attack Democrats as policy holders getting notices of increases are looking for someone to blame.

"Obviously this is no mystery. We knew when this policy was put in it was going to raise insurance rates," said Assembly Minority Leader Rep. Jeff Fitzgerald, R-Horicon. "I think everybody's bill will increase, it's just a matter of how much."

Insurance companies, including American Family, fought against the changes but were unable to overcome support from Democratic lawmakers and Gov. Jim Doyle, a Democrat, who signed them into law.

Supporters, included trial attorneys, argued that because the current minimum coverage level

The Associated Press | Posted: Monday, October 12, 2009 11:00 am

ST. PAUL - Minnesota finance officials are reporting that federal stimulus dollars supported 11,800 jobs in the state through the end of September.

The state Management and Budget Department says state agencies spent more than $1.6 billion from the stimulus in that time.

Minnesota government is in line for $4.7 billion from the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, with another $4.2 billion worth of tax benefits going to state residents.

Those receiving stimulus dollars were required to report spending and job numbers to federal agencies on Saturday, for a period through the end of September. The next update is due in January.