Posts Made By: Dave Wagner

November 15, 2011 02:29 PM Forum: Politics

Kagan Must Recuse Herself on Obamacare Case

Posted By Dave Wagner

Well, the bias-cat is pretty much outta the bag on this one... no wonder the "most transparent Administration in history" didn't want to let the records and emails out...

http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/kagan-tribe-day-obamacare-passed-i-hear-they-have-votes-larry-simply-amazing

If one reads what her emails SAY, and

If one reads 28 USC 455 says *requires* recusal

She must recuse herself from the case.

She has directly expressed opinion on legislation (while in governmental employ) that will be coming up under her for judgement.

Game. Set. Match.

January 3, 2012 10:31 PM Forum: Politics

It's official: Obama is more Naieve than we though

Posted By Dave Wagner

He actually thinks we can Negotiate with the Taliban...

ROFLMAO

This is criminal stupidity and a classic example of his "I'm the one we've been waiting for" hubris...

details here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/03/taliban-leaders-guantanamo-bay-deal

Anyone want to guess how THIS is going to turn out?

January 23, 2012 02:05 PM Forum: Politics

Those of you who support Obamacare/Socialized medi

Posted By Dave Wagner

Care to weigh in on this:

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20120123/D9SELGDG0.html

Do we have an obligation to pay for the care of these patients self-inflicted injuries?

Or should we consider their injuries the "punishment" they haven't (yet) received for violating the law?

Discuss.

March 28, 2012 06:23 PM Forum: Politics

Looking like ObamaCare is going DOWN

Posted By Dave Wagner

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2012/03/28/toobin_hard_to_imagine_how_things_could_be_going_worse_for_obama_administration.html

Yesterday it was a train wreck, today updated to a "plane crash", by no more credible a source than Clinton Network News itself, that paragon of fairness...

What say you lefties now?

Obama and the Democrats spend all their political time, effort and capital for the first year plus of their "control" on ramming through an unconstitutional socialist expansion of the government, into an area most Americans did NOT want... and ignoring the real problem...

It is the economy, stupid...

Apparently that was not remembered.

Looking forward ever more to November 2012, when we get 2010 phase II, and complete the take-back of real America.

Buy stock in big Pharma, there's gonna be a lot of prescription meds sold on the East and Left Coast over the next few days and weeks, as ever more liberals and progressives try to hide from the ugly truth... their takeover is failing.

March 29, 2012 09:24 PM Forum: Politics

Even Lefty Dershowitz is Bailing on Obama!

Posted By Dave Wagner

And really lights into Soros as well... wink

http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/Dershowitz-Obama-Chamberlain-Iran/2012/02/28/id/430824?PROMO_CODE=E4AA-1&utm_source=RSS_OB&utm_medium=CPC&utm_campaign=Picked


April 9, 2012 08:38 PM Forum: Politics

MSM in the tank for Obama and Democrat Hypocrisy

Posted By Dave Wagner

This pretty much says it all:

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=qKdScVerrBU&vg=medium

When gas prices were high under Bush... "BAD"
gas prices (even higher) under Obama and Democrats... "Good"

The ridiculous hypocrisy and MSM "in the tank" (for Obama, statists, progressives and liberals) must stop.

OMG in 2012

June 5, 2012 07:21 PM Forum: Politics

Wisconsin! Prognosticate! Discuss

Posted By Dave Wagner

Today's the big day!

I'm betting that Governor Walker wins by at least 3%

I'm hopeful that Rachel Madcow and her ilk on MSNBC will literally have an apoplexy! wink

Others thoughts?

October 16, 2012 07:38 PM Forum: Politics

And now a reason for all the Lefty Freakout

Posted By Dave Wagner

Gallup's latest poll (10/16):

http://www.gallup.com/poll/158048/romney-obama-among-likely-voters.aspx?utm_source=alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=syndication&utm_content=morelink&utm_term=All%20Gallup%20Headlines%20-%20Politics

And here's their:

"Bottom Line

With three weeks to go in the campaign, Obama appears to be losing momentum, and now trails Romney by four percentage points among likely voters. That contrasts with his seven-point win over McCain in 2008. Given this shift in overall voter preferences, it follows that Obama will have lost support among at least some subgroups of the electorate. Those losses are not proportionate across all subgroups, however. He shed the most support among Southerners, college graduates, postgraduates, 30- to 49-year-olds, men, and Protestants. He also lost a moderate amount of support among whites, Easterners, women, and Catholics -- while not building new support elsewhere."

November 2, 2012 04:24 PM Forum: Politics

An excellent and well thought out analysis of Poll

Posted By Dave Wagner

This is a very good, and technical, read.

In interest of disclosure, I've been involved with analytics and modeling (performance, system throughput and response time, analytic queuing-based modeling, multivariate analytics, etc.) for over 20+ years

Models are only as good as your data quality, and the assumptions underlying them... As we say in computer system capacity planning, it's all about your "capture ratio"

net, net: most of the polls, and especially any that are using assumptions from 2008, are highly suspect...

http://baseballcrank.com/archives2/2012/10/post.php

November 7, 2012 05:25 PM Forum: Politics

My take on the election

Posted By Dave Wagner

(I posted this on FB, and wanted it here also).

I wrote this last night in moments of long reflection. I'm only going to post once on this "macro topic", because I don't wish to torment my friends on the left or right with ongoing debates, etc.

But, I also feel I must be crystal clear on what I think there are some critical lessons we ALL must learn - left or right, from this election:

1) It is unfortunate, but apparent now (as further confirmed by yesterdays exit polling showing that the unemployed in majority voted for Obama), that America has indeed now crossed the Rubicon of having a clear majority whose life philosophy considers it moral and correct to continually and increasingly vote themselves ever more "stuff" at the direct expense of others... Call it social welfare, call it free healthcare, call it food stamps, college education subsidies, unemployment "insurance" (which it is not), free contraceptives (can't have a "war on women" you know) the list goes on forever and gets ever more surreal, and is ever growing

To you on the left: Mitt Romney was indeed wrong about his comment about the 47%... It was demonstrated yesterday it's now above 50%. Most voters now espouse a socialistic economic philosophy.

Many great philosophers of the 18th and early 19th centuries warned long and hard about this very issue with our Representative Republic; but to summarize: "Once the public discovers it can vote itself largesse out of the public treasury, the Republic is not long to survive"...

We are now there. The die is now cast. This majority of voters voted in a clinically insane fashion; returning almost precisely the same players: House, Senate and President, that have so demonstrably failed these last Obama years. As Einstein would say, "those who do the same thing over and over again and expect different results are insane"

2) Obama won, and now faces two possible paths:

2a) one would continue his rhetoric of "I", "Me", "My"... and assume he now has some 'mandate' to continue to refuse to compromise with the Republican house... This way I view (and I desperately want to be proven wrong on this) as the most likely, after all, Einstein was right... He's not yet shown one iota of such ability to compromise or see beyond his own world-view... This recent campaign proved that: The so-called Great Uniter running massively negative campaign ads, themes and attacks all Spring and Summer and into the fall...

He does this, pulls any more juvenile "I won, get over it" comments, or "You didn't build that" (you listening Granny Warren?) and the Republicans in the house, rightly, will simply dig in. The fact is that they were returned to their seats because they have been told (again) by their voters in no uncertain terms that the deficit and run away spending *must* be resolved, and that tax increases are off the table...

... He does this, and we will, inexorably and inevitably spiral into financial collapse, likely by/before the 2014 elections... Soon, nobody will buy our bonds anymore (except the Fed, who will be forced to directly monetize them) and we'll have massive inflation. And/or the price to get others to buy those bonds is raising interest rates (and you all know - or should - where *that* will lead... anyone remember Carter years?)

2b) The other path is that he could learn from Clinton's 1994 experience, and actually and genuinely reach out to the Republicans and work towards a real compromise. Stop the BS rhetoric of "evil millionaires and billionaires" and the divisive theme of "fair share" and "level playing field", and actually truly compromise. Over-rule and shut down Harry Reid and be a leader!

This path would be difficult for him, as it's demonstrably against his - now proven - nature (he's a talker not a leader), and it would require him to be and act as a leader. One has but to read Bob Woodward's recent book to understand clearly that it was Obama that screwed the pooch wrt: coming to an agreement/compromise in 2011 with Boehner, compromise was on the table, and Obama blew it for petulant reasons... But, it is doable... And if/when he did compromise, it would be political suicide for the Republicans to then not compromise. But it must be real compromise.. as but one example, go back to the Simpson Bowles commission, tweak a bit and get it done... Republican's have been fooled too many times by promises that "we'll raise taxes and cut spending"... Reagan was fooled on it in the 80's, and so was Bush... taxes *were* raised, but spending was not cut... (see Einstein definition of insanity!).

We will certainly see *which* President Obama emerges in the next 7-8 weeks or so, as work begins - as it must - on resolving the fast-oncoming Taxmaggeddon (which was a direct result of that failure to lead in 2011). Supposedly nobody wants this to happen on either side (and Obama 'slipped' with his comment during the debate by saying 'it won't happen' - thus removing some of Harry Reid's bargaining room). I truly hope this forcing function will slap some sense into BOTH sides.

Enough about the Economics. On the Social front, here's the (mostly) unfortunate reality:

1) Abortion - any/all types at any/all time seems to be cemented for the foreseeable future. I truly hope that those Catholics and Christians who voted for candidates that support same understand the magnitude of this result. We have now condemned additional untold millions of babies to unspeakable, and immoral murder. Truly a sad commentary on what is left of our slipping societal morality and culture. Nothing will change here; there are a large number of people (not enough of whom vote apparently) who believe Abortion *is* murder, their opinion will NEVER change. And again, there are a large number (who do vote) who apparently view it as a "choice" and not as murder. (nevermind that - except in cases of rape/force - any/all pregnancies are a direct result of a different, and precedent choice, so they actually advocate "a second chance/choice"). And their opinions aren't going to change either.

This issue isn't going away. Sorry, that's the way I see it.

2) Gay (LGBT, etc.) - the country seems to be coalescing around any/every type of rights in this respect. Fine. The right is going to have to deal with that; while continuing to be allowed to personally believe it is wrong. This now seems immutable (another Rubicon crossed, which is not all bad (if the left and the LGBT activists don't 'overplay' their situation and quit while they are ahead - so to speak).

That said, I envision ever escalating lawsuits by private entities who are increasingly pressured to not just accept, but to actively support and fund same (for example businesses/entities/individuals like ministers/priests, wedding photographers who are going to be pressured - under threat of law - to provide private services, etc. to customers to whom they do not wish to because of their moral/religious beliefs)... The ever-increasing activism and in-you-face nature of this lobby (as demonstrated to date) will in all probability continue (unfortunately). This inevitably will (must) conflict with Constitutionally protected rights under the Bill of Rights (Speech, Religion, etc.)... Would that both sides could tone things down...

So I pray that we stop here. LGBT rights are appropriate, and humane. But not if they then use those rights to subsequently deprive others of their rights as well. I'd advise stopping at "Marriage". It isn't "hate speech" to call something a sin, as but one example of another line that shouldn't be crossed without serious damage to our social fabric.

The Right and conservatives can - and must - simply recognize that true marriage is something that is religiously conveyed, as opposed to governmentally, and leave it at that.

3) Individual liberties (Marijuana, etc.) - This election demonstrated (to my mind) that this aspect of Libertarianism is rapidly growing and has crossed a threshold. Unlike (say) Abortion, this is but one of many "rights" (or better, behaviors), that truly are victimless. The Right would do well to realize this and act accordingly politically. Ignore at your peril.

4) Right to death - went down to narrow defeat here in Massachusetts; it appears (for now) that this highly charged moral issue is still not resolved. I predict we'll see similar behaviors (on both sides) as we've seen on gay related issues... Jury's still out...

5) Healthcare - unfortunately, we are now at the point where Obamacare will have to kick-in, and then ultimately fail (as it's innate flaws ensure it must) before enough people will realize the nightmare that it is... (see also my first point about people wanting "free stuff"). At that point - maybe - there'll be enough voters to fix it.

A parting thought... if compromise doesn't happen, and the "soak the rich" culture of class warfare continues unabated (or worse accelerates), you can expect precisely the result such a death-worshiping philosophy espouses... the continued (and accelerated) withering of the American economic engine... and eventual collapse. One cannot worship a philosophy that it is moral and right to take (from those who produce), at the point of a government gun (in ever increasing amounts) to give to others (who do not produce), as a price to purchase their support/votes... without getting precisely the result such a philosophy must inevitably produce: a reduction in private production. Viz. Europe. Any other expectation is irrational.

Finally, and most importantly of all, Americans need to get on their knees and pray to God. I would urge them to pray for our Presidents humility and willingness to become a true leader, rather than a sheepherder of multiple, narrowly tailored special interests; to be a leader that actually demonstrates that true courage allows for compromise.

Most of all pray for our Children, each of whom now inherits an unimaginable mountain of debt.

I'll say no more (broadast). I welcome private conversations; but the time for public proselytizing (on both sides) should now be done. Not only for me. But for everyone...