Jim Hoft has a great post up at GateWayPundit about exposing the strategy of the DSCC (Democrat Senatorial Campaign Committee).    In essence this outlines EXACTLY what we said last week they were going to do – it’s just how they roll.

It’s important to note these are not campaign PAC’s, or merely affiliate entities of the Democrat party, like Think Progress or Media Matters et al.   These are the ACTUAL and OFFICIAL statements from the Democrat Party itself.

The Progs are seriously distraught about how the scandals of using official political power to attack the conservative movement is actually creating a backlash.   More people now are openly understanding how Conservatives have been, and continue to be, targeted, in an official capacity, by the Administration of President Obama.

Previously, the left-of-center crowd (ie blue dogs) thought these Tea Party claims were merely “tin foil hat” type of conspiracy theory.   Now the Independents, and moderate Democrats are realizing it’s not wild conspiracy, it’s true.

(more…)

While you were sleeping, or otherwise distracted by the shiny things dispatched by Scandalpalooza,  the usurpation continues.

WASHINGTON DC – After three long weeks of hearings and debates, spectators burst out into screams and applause Tuesday night after the Senate Judiciary Committee approved an immigration bill that would be the biggest overhaul to the nation’s immigration laws in a generation.

The bill was produced by a bipartisan group of senators known as the Gang of Eight. With four of those members on the committee, the bill survived more than 200 proposed amendments over five lengthy hearings.

Left intact was the core of the bill, which will allow the nation’s 11 million unauthorized immigrants to apply for U.S. citizenship, add significant investments in border security and fundamentally alter the legal immigration system of the future. (more…)

House Speaker John A. Boehner said Wednesday that it’ll take more than firings to clear up the IRS scandal — it’ll take someone ending up serving jail time.

“My question is, who’s going to jail over this scandal?”  the Ohio Republican said at a press conference with Republicans Wednesday morning. (link)

(more…)

(Via Daily Caller)  Famed Harvard Law School professor Alan Dershowitz ranks Sen. Ted Cruz among the school’s smartest students, adding that the Canada-born Texan can run for president in 2016.

Cruz was a “terrific student,” Dershowitz told The Daily Caller. “He was always very active in class, presenting a libertarian point of view. He didn’t strike me as a social conservative, more of a libertarian.”

“He had brilliant insights and he was clearly among the top students, as revealed by his class responses,” Dershowitz added. […]

Cruz “was an outstanding student in my class,” Dershowitz said. “Without a doubt he is among the smartest students I’ve ever had… I’ve had great students but he has to be at the top of anyone’s short list, in terms of raw brain power.”  (continue reading)

First things first.   This does not need to be rushed – this should not be a “pass it to see what’s in it” bill.   This needs to be clearly and methodically, even painstakingly, a deliberative process.

As I see Team Obama requesting the “rushing it to a vote” I become even more suspicious of it….

Report #1 – Senate Budget Committee ranking member Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) told Boston’s conservative radio host Howie Carr on Wednesday that the political momentum is starting to turn against the “Gang of Eight” immigration bill.  (Link)

Report #2 – President Obama said there is one thing he absolutely won’t compromise on in immigration reform: a pathway to citizenship [ie. “Amnesty”]   But as for what he would be willing to give up, he won’t say.  (link)

Report #3 – Just in case anyone is concerned that senators aren’t reading the 844-page immigration reform bill from the Group of Eight closely before returning from recess next week, note that Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) is tweeting as he goes, calling out concerning elements of the legislation (link):

More red flags in #Gangof8 bill #Gof8Fact pg 102 lets Sec of Homeland Security waive employment and education requirements for illegals

— David Vitter (@DavidVitter) May 2, 2013

I'm still reading through the #Gangof8 bill #Gof8Fact pg 83 says Sec of Homeland Security can waive citizenship processing fees for illegals

— David Vitter (@DavidVitter) May 2, 2013

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On Gun Control and The Will Of The Majority – The progressive left is once again selling the story of a dysfunctional congress, specifically the Senate, because they did not pass more gun control.  A Ridiculous argument.

I know it is difficult to argue logic over emotion, but anyone who has spent time understanding the construct of our Constitutional Republic will attest to the failure of ‘background checks’ actually being a mere outcome of a properly functioning legislative body.

Our founders did not endorse, nor did they advocate for, a democracy – this is Fabian socialist re-writing of history.    Read anything by James Madison, Thomas Jefferson or Benjamin Franklin to understand the intent of the constitution which binds the nation.

We were founded upon the principle of “individual liberty”, not a collective association.  A Democracy was considered only one step worse than a monarchy.   We were founded as a Constitutional Republic specifically and intentionally to restrict the influence of government in our lives.  (more…)

Ideological Progs never retreat, they just evaluate the opposition and change their approach.

President Obama just delivered one of the most toxic and partisan press briefings in the Rose Garden against the backdrop of the defeated Gun Control Amendment.   Within his words the next steps are brutally obvious.

“The current leader of the nra used to support these background checks. So while this compromise didn’t contain everything I wanted or everything that these families wanted, it did represent progress. It represented moderation and common sense,” Obama said. “That’s why 90 percent of the American people supported it. But instead of supporting this compromise, the gun lobby and its allies willfully lied about the bill.”

Obama calls the 60 vote threshold (2/3 majority needed – constitutional provision now 3/5ths) a “procedural rule exploited by the minority party“.

Why? (more…)

UPDATE:  Amendment fails 54-46  VOTE JUST TAKEN

The expanded background check / National gun registry amendment is currently being debated and voted on the floor of the Senate.   Initial predictive reports yesterday were for successful passage.   That is not the case – The amendment is expected to fail, thanks in Part to Kelly Ayote (Republican from New Hampshire).

Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) said Wednesday that she will oppose a Senate deal proposing to expand background checks on the purchases of firearms known as the Manchin-Toomey admendment.

“I believe that restricting the rights of law-abiding gun owners will not prevent a deranged individual or criminal from obtaining and misusing firearms to commit violence,” she said in a statement. “While steps must be taken to improve the existing background check system, I will not support the Manchin-Toomey legislation, which I believe would place unnecessary burdens on law-abiding gun owners and allow for potential overreach by the federal government into private gun sales.”

Ayotte’s opposition leaves the amendment short of the required 60 votes for passage, unless a senator reverses their position prior to the vote on the floor at 4pm ET today

[Hat Tip WeaselZippers]    WASHINGTON DC – Mark Kelly, the husband of former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.), is threatening to back an election challenge against Sen. Jeff Flake if the Arizona Republican votes against legislation to expand background checks.

At a Christian Science Monitor breakfast on Tuesday, Kelly said he would back an opponent to Flake if the “right candidate” was available and if the senator failed to support a background check bill, according to reports.

Flake, who is not up for reelection until 2018, has been close to Kelly and Giffords. But Kelly said the issue of control trumped their ties. (more…)

WASHINGTON – The Senate will vote Wednesday afternoon on what could be the biggest change in U.S. gun laws in nearly two years.

Senators will take up the bipartisan proposal from Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) to expand background checks on firearm purchases and close the so-called gun show loophole at 4 p.m.

It will require 60 votes to pass, and the White House and Democrats still lack the final votes they need. (more…)