Ron Paul in 2007: How Lincoln could have Avoided the Civil War

Don't look now but Ron Paul's warts are really starting to surface. Here he is on Meet the Press back in 2007, saying that Abraham Lincoln could have prevented the Civil War by purchasing all of the slaves and setting them free.

Wouldn't that have been a bailout?

Via MediaIte:

1994 Video: Mitt Tells Ted Kennedy to stop Negative Ads

Mitt has apparently decided to adopt the Ted Kennnedy strategy of 1994 when Romney challenged Teddy for the Senate seat. Newt, appears to have adopted the 1994 Romney strategy.



h/t Hot Air

Al-Qaeda, Hamas, and Hezbollah Flags Flying at Occupy D.C.

Funny, I don't remember reading stories like these during the Tea Parties.

Via Washington Times:

People monitoring the Occupy D.C. movement tell Inside the Ring that the two encampments are fast becoming health hazards. Numerous protesters also recently were sickened with unusual respiratory illnesses.

The major emerging problem for the leftists camped out in tents at McPherson Square and Freedom Plaza is rats. The rodents appear to be moving into the area by the hundreds, and their numbers are increasing daily.

The McPherson camp appears be where more radical leftists are based. An observer familiar with the McPherson camp said one distinctive smell coming from the park area is that of methamphetamine being smoked.

Among the flags being flown by some protesters are those from the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, the Iranian-backed Hezbollah and al Qaeda.

Rats and al-Qaeda congregating together? Can you think of a better real-life metaphor?

h/t Weasel Zippers

Ron Paul Letter from 1993 Makes 9/11 Truthers Look Perfectly Sane

The Ron Paul defense when it comes to those damaging newsletters has been that he didn't write them or read them. Unfortunately, the latest 8-page letter to come out circa 1993 bears his signature at the bottom and his letterhead at the top. This would be the equivalent of Barack Obama denying he heard Jeremiah Wright scream 'G-d D--n America' in video that showed Obama in attendance that day.

Via Reuters, h/t Doug Ross:

A direct-mail solicitation for Ron Paul's political and investment newsletters two decades ago warned of a "coming race war in our big cities" and of a "federal-homosexual cover-up" to play down the impact of AIDS.

The eight-page letter, which appears to carry Paul's signature at the end, also warns that the U.S. government's redesign of currency to include different colors - a move aimed at thwarting counterfeiters - actually was part of a plot to allow the government to track Americans using the "new money."

Here is a screen shot of the top of page 1 (note Ron Paul letterhead):

Paul's responses to questions about his newsletter include denials of any involvement or having any knowledge of who was. Those responses are quite necessary for his campaign because the contents of those newsletters are quite incendiary:

The letter's details emerge at a time when Paul, now a contender for the Republican nomination for president, is under fire over reports that his newsletters contained racist, anti-homosexual and anti-Israel rants. 

Reports of the newsletters' contents have Paul's campaign scrambling to deny that he wrote the inflammatory articles. 

Among other things, the articles called the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. a "world-class philanderer," criticized the U.S. holiday bearing King's name as "Hate Whitey Day," and said that AIDS sufferers "enjoy the attention and pity that comes with being sick."

In Paul's letter, which he signed, the rhetoric isn't all that different:

Even if one makes the leap that Paul is not at all responsible for the content of his newsletters two decades ago, it's beyond being a bridge too far for him to attempt to deny someone placed his signature at the bottom of this solicitation without his knowledge or permission.

HERE is a link to the entire letter.

Will Boehner's Latest Cave Cost him Speakership?

I must admit, I haven't followed the payroll tax extension showdown much at all for one reason. These 'showdowns' always end the same and I literally had no interest in watching the pseudo-drama unfold because it always ends up with Republicans folding. Usually, however, it's done in such a way that Republicans are allowed to save a modicum of face.

It appears that the folding of the Boehner-led House happened once again (go figure) but with one exception. There was no face saved. In fact, we may be seeing exactly why Boehner's face is so often covered with tears.

At issue was the fact that the Democrats wanted a two month payroll tax cut extension and The Republican-led House wanted a full year. Boehner announced that his deal with Reid involved a two month extension.

Here is the statement released by Boehner announcing his deal with cave to Reid, sprinkled with a sufficient amount of sugar coating:

“Senator Reid and I have reached an agreement that will ensure taxes do not increase for working families on January 1 while ensuring that a complex new reporting burden is not unintentionally imposed on small business job creators.  Under the terms of our agreement, a new bill will be approved by the House that reflects the bipartisan agreement in the Senate along with new language that allows job creators to process and withhold payroll taxation under the same accounting structure that is currently in place.  The Senate will join the House in immediately appointing conferees, with instructions to reach agreement in the weeks ahead on a full-year payroll tax extension.  We will ask the House and Senate to approve this agreement by unanimous consent before Christmas.  I thank our Members – particularly those who have remained here in the Capitol with the holidays approaching – for their efforts to enact a full-year extension of the payroll tax cut for working families.”

Incidentally, Obama congratulated Congress on this deal, which is something Boehner can't like. If you listen carefully, you can hear some sniffles as he announces the deal cave:

Via Breitbart:



Fox's Chad Pegram was apparently on a GOP conference call and relayed an interesting message via twitter:

One GOP member on the GOP conference call on the deal by Boehner: "He may have a hard time keeping his Speakership after this."

The only real question that needs to be asked is: If Boehner loses his Speakership, will he cry?

Please, let's find out.

h/t PHP via Fox Nation

Here is an audio exchange between Hugh Hewitt and Mark Steyn over Boehner's lack of effectiveness. Good points here. Steyn's likening Boehner to a 'parade General' is the perfect analogy.



This cave on the part of Boehner was so humiliating that he'd have been better off not even getting behind the wheel to play chicken.

h/t Breitbart