This... is... Fox... News...

Folks... I've said it before and I'll say it now... Fox News is no "conservative" firebrand.

Oh... sure... they're more "conservative" than the networks... than CNN... than the New York Times and Washington Post... than Time Magazine... but that's not really saying much, is it?

Here... let's deconstruct a typical Fox News piece of... er... reporting: 

"The Tea Party has had an up-and-down political ride since the movement helped Republicans take control of the House in 2010, but those elected in the midterm elections still appear to wield considerable power in the fiscal negotiations."

Uh-huh...

They... er... "helped" the Republicans take control of the House in 2010, huh? That's how Fox sees it...?

(*CHUCKLING*)

And I suppose the Gingrich Republicans "helped" give Republicans control of the House for the first time is what... 40 years... back in '94 as well... huh!

(*GUFFAW*) 

"The roughly 50 members elected to the House two years ago have been a challenge for the more moderate House Speaker John Boehner since they took office. Perhaps most memorably, many of them refused last year to support a debt-ceiling bill because they said it didn’t reduce federal spending enough."

Ah... "moderate" House Speaker John Boehner. (Not "unprincipled"... not "phony"... not even "incompetent"... but just... er... "moderate.")

Oh... and to be accurate... the bills Boehner supported in 2011 and 2012 increased federal spending from previous highs... that's kinda the opposite of "reducing" spending.

(*SMIRK*)

"Just last week they squashed Boehner’s fiscal plan by refusing to compromise and vote on a tax increase for any American, despite the House speaker - in his so-called “Plan B” - having suggested extending tax cuts only for those making more than $1 million annually."

Folks... think about the language being used here... the "story" being told. It's "Good Sir John" against the "Evil Tea Party Dragon."

(*SNORT*)

And their most powerful vote might be yet to come, should Tea Party-backed House members reject a possible Senate proposal over the next two days to extend tax cuts and perhaps avert massive federal spending cuts that start January 1.

But... but... but... weren't massive federal spending cuts the GOP agenda...??? Shrinking government? Shrinking deficits and controlling debt...???

Folks... what you're reading... this is "The Wizard" at Fox behind the curtain. Fox stands with the GOP Establishment and thus against "We the People." You need to understand this.

“They lost in November, rather resoundingly, but still appear to be doubling down,” Democratic strategist Christy Setzer told Fox News on Saturday.

Common tactic, folks; choose a statement to highlight which reflects the underlying worldview of the writer/editor of the piece. Yes... "Democratic stategist Christy Setzer" no doubt said this... but also without a doubt the writer/editor of this piece believes it's true... believes that it was the Tea Party standing on principle rather than the GOP avoiding principled stands that "cost" us the election.

(*SPITTING ON THE GROUND*)

"To be sure, the campaigns of several Tea Party-backed Senate candidates imploded late in the 2012 election cycle, which in part resulted in Republicans failing to take control of the chamber and party leaders vowing afterward to take a more active role in future primaries."

Notice... none of the Tea Party wins is mentioned... nor or any of the RINO losses highlighted by the author/editor.

(*SNICKER*)

"It's the same 40 to 50 chuckleheads that have screwed this place up all year," complained retiring Rep. Steven LaTourette, R-Ohio. Boehner has “done everything to make nice to them. Bring them along. It hasn't mattered. I don't fault him. He's done his best." 

Again... pick a quote... use that quote to highlight your own (twisted, wrongheaded) view.

(*SHRUG*)

Boehner has passed major legislation in the past two years, but the Tea Party-backed lawmakers have led the opposition on several bills.

Boehner GOOD... "Chucklehead" Tea Party-backed lawmakers BAD...

(*SMIRK*)

Well, folks... that's it. (That's enough - right...?!)

I'm not saying "don't watch Fox." 

I'm not saying "don't read Fox."

What I'm saying is... read carefully. Understand the subtle (and often unsubtle) bias against TRUE conservatism you'll get from many of the movers and shakers not just at Fox, but at the Wall Street Journal, National Review, and in other "conservative" media.

Who can you trust...?

Me.

(*GRIN*)

(*SHRUG*)

It's Being Reported Republicans are Betraying Us Again

Read it and weep, folks...

"Obama said the potential agreement would prevent federal income taxes from rising on middle-class families, extend tax credits for children and college tuition, provide tax breaks to clean-energy companies and extend unemployment insurance for 2 million Americans."

So in other words, no savings, no cutbacks, further deficit spending upon deficit spending... further debt upon debt...

"The two sides also appeared to have reached consensus on unemployment benefits, with Republicans acceding to Democratic demands to keep benefits flowing to the long-term unemployed for another year."

First of all, there aren't really "two sides." There are the real Democrats and the Boehner and McConnell RINOs.

Second of all, with this latest "extension" of unemployment "benefits" neither side is even bothering to pretend any more that they haven't turned America into a European-style welfare stay complete with a never-ending "dole" for those unwilling to work.

"Medicare payments would not be cut for doctors next year, and the cost of preserving those programs would not be offset with other spending cuts."

Of course Medicare payments won't be cut; they were never going to be cut! That was always a fraudulent promise never meant to be kept! And of course there will be no "offsets" - did any of you actually believe there would be...???

"With a New Year’s Eve deadline hours away, Democrats abandoned their earlier demand to raise tax rates on household income over $250,000 a year. Obama had vowed repeatedly during his reelection campaign to allow tax cuts to expire for incomes over that level."

Lies upon lies upon lies upon lies...

"Regardless of whether an agreement is reached to avoid the “fiscal cliff,” many Americans are all but certain to face a broad hike in taxes starting Tuesday because of the expiration of the payroll tax cut, which was enacted in 2011..."

And for this small measure of sanity I'm thankful!

Folks... bottom line... if this latest reportage is creditable... it's simply further proof that the inmates are running the asylum.

As long as McConnell and Boehner represent the GOP in the House and Senate we might as well not have a GOP in the House and Senate.

My Daughter is Officially an Engaged Woman!

Well, folks, Shaky popped the question!

In San Antonio...

Yep... the "kids" are in Texas - flew down last night, returning to Boston on a late Tuesday evening flight.

My... daughter... is... engaged...!!!

I like Shaky. (If I didn't... he'd be dead...)

He asked my permission over Thanksgiving when they were up and I gladly gave it.

The kids are planning to move to Dubai over the summer where Kim will get a job teaching and Shaky will hopefully get a position involving investment banking. (And if that doesn't pan out, there's always the family business; I trust Shaky will be a good provider.)

Right now the plan is for them to get married both in India and here at home sometime in 2013 but perhaps not till 2014. (Of course that could change... the timeline could be accelerated... they might even decide to "elope" in Massachusetts prior to leaving for Dubai! Of course as long as they keep us in the loop we'll keep you in the loop!)

Anyway... I need a drink.

Oh... when Kim called she said she'd try and post a photo of the ring on her facebook page.

Later...!

R.I.P. Stormin' Norman Schwarzkopf: Aug. 24, 1934 - December 27, 2012

A pretty impressive guy...

Dead at 78 due to "complications from... pneumonia...???"

(*RAISING ONE EYEBROW*)

(Nah... even the Obamaites wouldn't have...)

(*GRITTING MY TEETH WHILE SCRATCHING MY CHIN*)

(Nah... no way...)

(*SNORT*)

I suppose I shouldn't joke. A good man is dead. It's just that... well... would you really put it past Obama?

(God only knows what he has planned for us over the next four years... and who exactly is going to stop him from further trashing the Constitution in years to come...???)

Don't get me wrong; I'm not seriously proposing that there's any chance General Schwarzkopf was murdered.

I guess what I'm getting at is that my opinion of Barack Hussein Obama and his closest allies and associates is so low that... just for a tiny millisecond...

Oh, well... here's to Stormin' Norman! America has lost another one of "the good guys."

Post-Christmas Thru New Year's Day Newsbites 2012

Ho...

Ho...

(*HEAD COLLAPSING UPON THE DESK; TAKING A WEE NAP*)

I'm up! I'm up!

Yep... stopped by Phil's last night...

(*MOANING*)

Anyway... since news will be spotty over the "lull" I figure one "Post Christmas" newsibite posting should do for all that comes up now thru New Year's.

Weekend Newsbites: Sat. & Sun., December 22 & 23, 2012

Starring my good friend...

But since it's a weekend... let's do a twofer!

Ya know what, folks... joy is joy! No one loves "tradition" more than moi, but whatever floats your boat works for me as well!

Wayne LaPierre Is A Friggin' Moron

You all know who Wayne LaPierre is, right? He's the President of the NRA... the National Rifle Association. 

Here's what LaPierre calls for... 

"I call on Congress today to act immediately, to appropriate whatever is necessary to put armed police officers in every school — and to do it now, to make sure that blanket of safety is in place when our children return to school in January." 

Is this guy stupid? 

No... he's not. He doesn't truly believe this. He's simply pandering. 

One... more... time... folks... 

The federal government presently borrows 46 cents out of every dollar it squanders.

As for the states... municipalities... everywhere we look there's fiscal chaos... bond issue after bond issue... unfunded liabilities piled upon unfunded liabilities...

(*SIGH*)

So here's this clown LaPierre calling for armed police officers in every school in America...

(*SNORT*) 

Day care centers too, Wayne? 

How'bout parks... an armed police presence at every village, town, and county park in America? (24 hours a day or just dawn to dusk...?)

How'bout supermarkets? (Lots of people... many with their kids... in supermarkets...) 

Big Box stores? Other major retailers? How'bout pediatricians' offices... orthodontists' offices...? 

Folks... here's more from LaPierre... 

"How have our nation's priorities gotten so far out of order? Think about it. We care about our money, so we protect our banks with armed guards." 

We do...?!?! 

Folks... when's the last time you saw an armed guard at your local bank branch...?!?! 

What is this senile old bastard babbling about...?!?!

Folks... I haven't addressed the Newtown massacre up till now here at Usually Right. If you want to know what I know about gun control as it applies to crime control I suggest you head on over to Amazon and order yourself a copy of John Lott's "More Guns, Less Crime."

Do I wish one - or better yet several - of the responsible adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School had been armed and prepared to defend the school, teachers, and staff? Yes.

Are knee-jerk (heavy on the JERK) "feel good" proposals the way to deal with this issue...? No.

Wayne LaPierre should resign his presidency of the NRA.

Barker's Newsbites: Friday, December 21, 2012

Raise your hand if you watched last night's CMA Country Christmas special last night!

Well, never you mind if you missed it... it's being rebroadcast on ABC tomorrow (Saturday) at 9:00 p.m. and again on Sunday at 4:00 p.m.!

DVR it! It's a fantastic special... reminds me of Christmas specials of... er... yore!

(*HUGE FRIGGIN' GRIN*)

Hey... do any of you guys have any money left... or at least any checks left...?

Let me just throw this out there for ya...

Every so often you learn something new or at the very least get a laugh out of reading Usually Right... right...???

I'm sure all of my friends donate heavily to various charities. In fact I know for a fact that one of my best friends donates literally thousands of dollars to good causes just over the Christmas Season itself!

That said... if you can spare it... and if you wanna say "thanks Bill" for the occasional "huge friggin' grin" put on your face motivated by something I've posted... open up your wallet one more time and send a few bucks to my favorite charity:

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

P.O. Box 1893

Memphis, TN 38101-9950

(*LIFTING A CUP OF CHEER TO DANNY THOMAS*)

Barker's Newsbites: Thursday, December 20, 2012

All Hail The Tree...!

Yep... picked her up this morning; a live, potted "hybred" something or other from Home Depot... $17.98 plus tax (that's the 50% off price, folks)!

We've been getting these "little trees" for several years now... ever since Kim moved out, I guess. At first I wasn't thrilled with not getting a BIG tree, but frankly, these "little trees" have grown on me.

Anyway... another day closer to the Big Day!

Ho! Ho! Ho!