Video: When Rep. Eric Cantor Sounded Tough

Yet another example that makes the Tea Party case it's not about Republicans vs. Democrats; it's about Big Government vs. the people. It's really staggering that Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA) only said these words little more than a year ago. Today, the Republicans control the House and are already sending out signals that they will raise the debt ceiling. On February 4, 2010 then-Republican whip Eric Cantor railed on the sheer notion of even considering an increase to the debt ceiling. Ain't it funny how he can pontificate with righteous indignation when his party's not in power?

Now that his party's in power, there appears to be less indignation about raising it - a lot less. This clip of Cantor in 2010 is telling on so many levels, not the least of which is that it's already been raised since he gave this speech and his party is toying with the idea of raising it again.

The American people have been the ball in a game of ping pong between Democrats and Republicans for too long. Tea Party anger personified.



h/t CNS News

ATF Shaking up Offices to Prepare for Project Gunrunner Scandal?

It looks like one of the top ATF officials in Phoenix who had a significant level of involvement with Operation Fast & Furious is being replaced - at least temporarily - by a Detroit office counterpart. William D. Newell, Phoenix's special agent in charge (SAC) is on his way to Washington, D.C. ostensibly to help the Feds explain what went on with the program that allowed guns to 'walk' into Mexico. It doesn't appear that Newell is the only one to be summoned.

From Tickle the Wire via Sipsey Street Irregulars:

WASHINGTON – There’s been a shakeup at the Phoenix office of ATF, which has come under heat for the controversial gun walking program dubbed Operation Fast and Furious, ticklethewire.com has learned.

Thomas E. Brandon, special agent in charge of the Detroit office, has been temporarily assigned to head up the Phoenix office, according to knowledgeable sources.

Brandon will fill in for the Phoenix special agent in charge, William D. Newell, who has been sent to Washington to help prepare and answer questions about Operation Fast and Furious for Congress and the Office of Inspector General, the sources said.

Newell joins Jim Needles, an assistant special agent in charge of the Phoenix Division, who has been temporarily assigned to Washington to also help prepare answers for the various inquiries, sources said. Another assistant special agent in charge of the Phoenix office has taken a sick leave. It is unclear where all the agents involved in the moves will wind up, and whether they’ll return to their old posts.

This is an interesting development in light of Phoenix Assistant special agent in charge, George Gillett Jr. coming forward recently. More on that story HERE.

Sipsey Street has some very intriguing posts in response to the Tickle the Wire report. They appear to be from anonymous ATF agents and give some good behind-the-scenes information on what could be going on. Gillett is apparently on 30-day administrative leave. The notion that Newell is being flown into DC to help with the investigation - if true - is curious at best. Operation Fast and Furious was run out of Phoenix and Newell clearly has a conflict of interest. There also seems to be serious chatter about a lot of Feds flying into Phoenix. It's likely too early to say the dam is breaking but there's definitely a run on sandbags.

Check out the comments at Sipsey Street.

h/t to GOA

Video: Rep. Paul Ryan Shred's Obama's Speech

This budget / deficit / spending battle is shaping up more and more to be a showdown between the young House Republican from the place where progressivism was born - Paul Ryan (R-WI) - and Barack Obama the socialist ideologue. A common theme in this battle is that Ryan understands economics and has put forth a very specific plan - though not perfect - on how to deal with the economic abyss in front of us. Conversely, Obama has no plan and has chosen to take Saul Alinsky's Rule #4 (that's the one about ridicule) and beat it to death.

Here is Ryan's reaction to Obama's speech on the budget crisis. Via Gateway Pundit:



Later in the day, Ryan appeared on Mark Levin's show and said Obama is like a 'pyromaniac in a field of strawmen.' HERE is a link to the audio.

In case you didn't see Obama's speech, here's just a taste. Note how Obama states that people should continue to contribute to Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security because it's the right thing to do for others. Lost on him is that the entity he represents (government) bankrupted and raided those programs. It is those in government who have not done the right thing for the people those programs are supposed to help. All people like Obama know, however, is that they need more.



To get an idea of how enthralling the speech was, check out hair plugs' reaction:



h/t CNS News

Video: Democrat Congresswoman Shows She Doesn't know where Money comes from

Forget for a moment that Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) is one of the most corrupt politicians in office and won in a landslide anyway. She doesn't understand where money comes from and doesn't understand what 'broke' means, despite Fox's Neil Cavuto repeating it to her over and over and over. There is absolutely no way a woman this devoid of knowledge about economics should ever come close to a government job. As with every Democrat, her answer is to 'tax the rich.' Lost on her are the consequences of such an action at this stage of the game.

The good news is that the Democrats' ability to continue soaking the American people is drying up and their absurd ideas and policies are being exposed for all to see. This video is a must-watch. Johnson continues rambling on about the need to invest in social programs despite Cavuto smacking that strategy over the head with a tire iron by saying there's no money to invest.

The line of the exchange comes toward the end when Johnson asks Cavuto if he wants children 'to run around with no shoes, no clothes, and eatin' off the ground?' The ultimate irony is when a woman who has no idea where money comes from calls for 'common sense' multiple times.



After you digest that insanity, here is a video report from CNN's Anderson Cooper on Johnson's scholarship scandal which, by the way, broke just before the November elections. As I said, she won that election going away. Eddie Bernice Johnson is a microcosm of why this country is $14 Trillion in debt.



h/t The Blaze