http://www.glennbeckclips.com/

Democracy ‘not needed’ in Russia

A growing number of Russians believe their country does not need democracy, a nationwide survey by one of Russia’s leading polling agencies suggests.

The poll by the Levada-Centre showed that 57% of those questioned considered that Russia needed democracy – the lowest number since 2006.

It said 26% believed that democratic governing was not suitable for Russia.

Nearly 95% of respondents said they had little or no influence on what was happening in the country.

…And nearly 25% said the Soviet Union had a better political system that the current Russian model (36%) or that in Western countries (15%).

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8311189.stm

As Steve noted the other day, Aristotle may have been right when he said some people are “natural slaves.”

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/u.....p;src=news

Discuss.

From the Las Vegas Review Journal:

THE BIG STORY: Police departments consider speed limits, other driving rules for officers

By Brian Haynes

Lights flashing and sirens blaring.

Speeding past other cars and rushing through intersections.

Someone needs help. A bad guy needs to be caught.

Racing to a call as fast as possible has become an accepted part of being a cop.

But as deadly crashes involving speeding police cars mount, more agencies, including the Metropolitan Police Department, are considering speed limits and other measures to make sure their officers get to their destinations safely.

“The most danger officers face today is not guns. It’s not violence. It’s speed and intersections. That’s what’s killing America’s finest today,” said Tulsa, Okla., police Capt. Travis Yates, an emergency driving instructor and owner of the policedriving.com Web site. …

http://www.lvrj.com/news/polic.....55302.html

But the meat of the article is here:

As part of the driving policy review, Gillespie’s department has talked to both Dallas and Illinois State police about their new policies.

Dallas revamped its policy last October after one of its officers struck and killed a 10-year-old boy on a darkened road. The officer, who was responding to a report of a man with a gun, was driving at least 29 mph over the 40 mph speed limit without his car’s lights and sirens on

The agency’s new policy generally prohibits officers from driving more than 20 mph over the speed limit on major roads and highways, even with lights and sirens on. In school zones and residential neighborhoods, officers must obey the speed limit at all times.

The Illinois State Police changed its policy in November, one year after one of its troopers crossed the median on an interstate and crashed into an oncoming car, killing two teenage sisters.

The trooper was traveling 126 mph in his police cruiser on the way to an accident scene that had already been resolved. He was reportedly multitasking, talking on a cell phone and a shoulder radio at the same time.

The state police’s new policy created a four-tier system for how officers can respond to calls, including how fast they can drive and when they can use lights and sirens. Under the policy, troopers must notify supervisors if they intend to drive more than 20 mph over the speed limit, and supervisors must monitor the incident and intervene if necessary.

In a news release announcing the changes, Illinois State Police Director Larry Trent said he hoped the policy would become a model for other emergency service agencies.

Note how hilarious the Dallas policy is, given in most metropolitan areas the flow of traffic on Interstates regularly exceeds 20 MPH over the posted speed limit, something that is especially true in Texas.

So, want to get away from the Dallas PD?

Just drive 85 on freeways or 45 on residential streets and you can’t be touched.

(Radio? Do you think they can read your license plate when you’re going 20 MPH faster than them?)

Bank Manager Pulls Gun on Armed Robber

GRIFFIN, Ga. (MyFOX ATLANTA) – A former bank manager said Thursday that a life or death decision got him fired. The manager said he pulled a gun on a bank robber and fired shots at him, forcing the robber to flee. Police credited the manager’s actions to the arrest of the suspect William Hunt.

Wesley Hallman said it was common knowledge that he carried a pistol. The former manger said he felt safer with the gun when he opened the bank.

Hallman said when he saw a would-be robber holding a gun in an employee’s face, he challenged the man with his gun.

The robber turned, so Hallman said he fired a shot. The robber fired a shot, ran and then fired two more shots

Hallman said he was called into the bank the next day and fired. …

http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/dp.....ber_100809

For some reason we are seeing these stories with increased frequency of late.

I’m sure the bad guys love to know that because of company policy, none of the employees in any of those businesses can fight back.

Baucus: All Senate Dems Will Support Health Bill

WASHINGTON — When it comes time to vote, every Democrat in the Senate — and perhaps more than one Republican — will support legislation overhauling the nation’s health care system, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee predicted Thursday.

That assertion by Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., was a notable show of confidence coming in the midst of negotiations with Majority Leader Harry Reid and White House officials to finalize legislation that can satisfy liberal Democrats without alienating moderates — and get the 60 votes needed to advance in the 100-seat Senate.

Baucus told reporters that lawmakers have a moral obligation to repair the health care system to rein in costs and extend coverage to millions of the uninsured.

“And that is why we are going to pass health care reform legislation this year, and it is why every Democrat will vote for it, and it is why there will be at least one Republican and maybe a couple more who also will vote for it,” Baucus said.

“Every Democrat will vote for national health care reform,” Baucus emphasized.

Democrats control 60 Senate votes, but that includes two independents, and leaders have been uncertain of support from a number of moderates who’ve expressed concerns about the price tag of health care legislation and the government’s role in a remade system.

Baucus’ prediction followed approval by his committee earlier this week of a 10-year, $829 billion bill that makes numerous changes to the health care system along the lines sought by President Barack Obama, but taking a more centrist approach than the other four health care bills approved by House and Senate committees.

Baucus and Reid met Thursday with White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and other officials wrestling to merge the Finance bill with a more liberal version passed by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

Reid later held out hope of getting support from more Republicans than just Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, who was the lone GOP “yes” vote in the Finance Committee.

Unanswered is whether Reid will include provisions in the bill to allow the government to sell insurance in competition with private industry. That so-called public plan is supported by liberals, who spoke up in favor of it at a closed-door Senate Democratic caucus meeting Thursday.

But because of opposition from moderate Senate Democrats, any public plan Reid does include likely would be some type of compromise, such as leaving the decision on a public plan to states or offering public coverage only as a backstop in areas where one insurer has a lock on the market — the approach favored by Snowe.

Reid said, “We’re going to work very hard … to see what, if anything, we’re going to do” on a government plan.

“I favor a public option. Everyone knows that,” Reid added.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., mounted a strong defense of a public plan at a news conference, contending that recent attacks from the health insurance industry should dispel any doubts about the need for it.

“Our House bill will have a public option,” Pelosi declared. …

http://www.foxnews.com/politic.....rt-health/

Protests aside, was there ever any serious doubt the Democrats would pass this?

There never should have been.

Thank you Olympia Snowe and likely Susan Collins, for providing the media with their vaunted “bipartisanship” in destroying America’s health care system, something for which their Maine constituents will likely reelect them by landslides.

From the Associated Press:

Mom of Florida Teen Set on Fire Says Ordeal ‘Complete Nightmare’

MIAMI — The mother of a 15-year-old doused with rubbing alcohol and set on fire called the attack a nightmare on Thursday, but said her son was strong and would pull through despite the burns over much of his body.

Valerie Brewer told NBC’s “Today” show and ABC’s “Good Morning America” that her son, Michael Brewer, couldn’t talk but was communicating with her by motioning with his hands.

“It’s a complete nightmare,” she said.

Michael Brewer was attacked at a Deerfield Beach apartment complex in South Florida on Monday after turning in another teen for trying to steal his father’s bicycle, authorities said.

The teen was expected to remain hospitalized for several months and is at extremely high risk of infection and organ failure, but he is doing as well as can be expected, his doctor said. Valerie Brewer praised the staff at Jackson Memorial Ryder Trauma Center.

Dr. Nicholas Namias said the teen suffered burns on his torso and arms and most of his hair, but his face was not badly burned.

Brewer’s troubles started when one of the teens gave him a video game and expected $40, said Broward County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Jim Leljedal. Brewer never paid for the game, which authorities would not identify, so the other teen tried to steal a $500 custom bike that belonged to Brewer’s father, Leljedal said. …

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,566803,00.html

Here’s the key; look at the ages of those involved. All under 16, so they’ll spend time in juvenile hall at best then have their records “expunged” for good behavior:

Five teenagers — 15-year-olds Matthew Bent, Denver Jarvis, Steven Shelton and Jesus Mendez and 13-year-old Jeremy Jarvis — were charged with aggravated battery in the attack. Mendez also was charged with attempted second-degree murder because authorities say he flicked the lighter.

General McChrysal who sits behind a desk, should be protecting and standing up for our troops, and tell Obama the heck with rebuilding, educating, barbaric countries. Our priority for our troops should be killing the terrorists only. Our soldiers need to survive, not be trying to make friends with barbarians and civilians that are killing them.

Anita Dunn: The 3rd lesson and tip actually come from two of MY FAVORITE POLITICAL PHILOSPHERS MAO TSE TUNG & Mother Teresa; not often coupled with each other. (high schoolers giggle)

but, the two people that I TURN TO MOST deliver a simple point which is you’re going to make choices. You’re going to challenge. You’re going to say why not. You’re going to figure out how to do things that have never been done before. But, here’s the deal, they are your choices. They are no one elses.

In 1947 when MAO TSE TUNG was being challenged within his own party on
HIS PLAN TO TAKE CHINA OVER, Chiang Kai-Shek and the nationalist Chinese held the cities. They had the Army. They had the Air Force. They had everything on their side

and people said “How can you win.” “How can you do this.” “How can you do this.”
“Against all of the odds against you.” and
MAO TSE TUNG said “You fight your war, and I’ll fight mine”"

Anita Dunn goes on repeatedly telling the high schoolers to fight the war, take a different path, fight your own way, fight your own war, figure out what’s right for you, fight to be unique, then Anita Dunn straight to giving the Obama’s an example to follow quote:

“One of the things we see..um..the Obamas, Michelle and Barrack came out of back
grounds of community orgainizers…”

http://www.foxnews.com/glennbeck/index.html

Anita Dunn worships a communist who murdered more people in the 20th century than anyone else. 70,000,000 million Chinese murdered.

Now her quotes over Obama’s lack of focusing on the war have greater meaning.

Anita Dunn, the White House communications director, said an American public that has grown “exhausted from this war” will appreciate Obama’s approach to the “significant decisions that need to be made.”

“They will have a high degree of confidence that the process that led to those decisions was one that was deliberative, that wasn’t in response to any political pressure, but was made on the merits,” Dunn said

The Washington Post gave Anita Dunn an article on their “Style” front page, ironically with a ninja dressed scary looking guy. I guess Anita is fashionable.

His handlers have done him well. By carefully limiting his exposure and keeping him “on script” he looks more in-charge. Hitler was advised similarly…after a few public appearance disasters. However, they can’t plan for all eventualities.

If history repeats itself, I can only hope that barry becomes a hopeless drug addict, etc. (emphasis on the etc. meaning the ultimate demise in the bunker)

Oct. 15 (Bloomberg) — President Barack Obama’s methodical review of Afghanistan war strategy has made him the target of criticism….

The president, a former law instructor, poses rigorous questions and encourages robust arguments at the sessions, senior adviser David Axelrod said.

“This is a ferociously difficult issue, and it bears a lot of thought and reflection and review,” Axelrod said in an interview. “Every assumption needs to be tested.”

The measured approach holds advantages and risks. Obama’s advisers say it will help convince a war-weary public to support his ultimate decision.

“It is unfair to our forces in theater to fight a war while the strategy remains in limbo,” Representative Howard “Buck” McKeon of California

Afghanistan’s ambassador to Washington, Said Jawad, says more forces are necessary now because the U.S. and its allies didn’t commit enough at the start and lost ground. Afghan troops “are dying every day,” he said.

Anita Dunn, the White House communications director, said an American public that has grown “exhausted from this war” will appreciate Obama’s approach to the “significant decisions that need to be made.”

“They will have a high degree of confidence that the process that led to those decisions was one that was deliberative, that wasn’t in response to any political pressure, but was made on the merits,” Dunn said

Frederick Kagan, a military historian at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, disputed that view. He said uncertainty about U.S. policy may undermine backing for Obama’s ultimate decision.

“From the standpoint of rallying public support, the delay in making a decision has been harmful,” said Kagan, who helped McChrystal prepare his Aug. 30 assessment of the Afghan security situation.

Obama told reporters this week that he’s leading a “deliberate process,” assessing civilian, agricultural and educational issues in addition to military needs. He said decisions may be weeks away.

To contact the reporters on this story: Viola Gienger in Washington at vgienger@bloomberg.net; Edwin Chen in Washington at echen32@bloomberg.net.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/.....gcoMv2GLbk

Axel and Dunn have flipped their wigs. Obama just signed a bill for 7.5 billion dollars to Pakistan for innocent civilians. New Orleans might be offended.

“I wish I could write a blank check,” Obama replied, promoting Bordenave to shout back, “Why not?”

Obama claimed… FEMA is working “around the clock to clear up red tape and to eliminate bureaucracy on backlogs that go back years,” he said.

Obama said, adding later: “I’m just getting started. I’m not tired.”

Obama spent fewer than four hours in New Orleans before heading to San Francisco for a Democratic National Committee fundraiser.

The brief visit brought some criticism, but New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin defended the president.

“People say he’s going to be here a short little time, that’s true,” Nagin said. “Don’t be fooled. This administration is focused on New Orleans.”

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/200.....kcw–

Obama admits he’s just getting started, but still blames Bush. Don’t worry Nagin, were not fooled.

The AP “reports”:

Obama defends himself against New Orleans critics

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/200.....ew_orleans

By EILEEN SULLIVAN, Associated Press Writer Eileen Sullivan, Associated Press Writer – 28 mins ago

NEW ORLEANS – President Barack Obama defended himself Thursday against complaints from residents of New Orleans and the rest of the Katrina-ravaged Gulf Coast who feel recovery help has not come soon enough from his administration.

Making his first stop as president in the region devastated by Hurricane Katrina more than four years ago, Obama appeared at a town hall gathering to hear residents’ concerns in person. One man asked why federal damage reimbursements are coming so slowly and in amounts far less than needed.

“I expected as much from the Bush administration, but why are we still being nickeled and dimed in our recovery?” the man said.

Yes, the obligatory blame Bush remark. Must keep that in the public focus. After all, Obama is going to make it all good.

The president replied that his administration was “working as hard as we can, as quickly as we can.”

Now, remember, in the Baracktionary, that means, “We will go as slowly as we need to in order to keep you hating republicans as long as I feel is necessary”

“I know since a lot of these problems have been going on since Katrina, people understandably feel impatient,” Obama said, addressing hundreds of people who won tickets in an Internet lottery to attend.“On the other hand, a lot of these things are not going to be fixed tomorrow.”

Oops, did I read that right? “people who won tickets in an internet lottery to attend”? That would mean that those who got tickets had to have computers..and if they had computers, had an internet account of some kind..and if they had an internet account of some kind, had money to pay bills. So…they are already in much better state than most of the others who are living in squalor and who would REALLY like to ax da pezzidint some questions. They probably had no idea he was coming to NO.

And the real reason for stopping off at NO:

Some residents have criticized Obama for making such a brief visit — he was expected to be in and out of the city in just a few hours to fly to a Democratic Party fundraiser in San Francisco. People in Mississippi, which saw much of its coast pummeled to sticks by Katrina, were miffed that the president was skipping them altogether.

And, later on in the article:

The storm killed some 1,600 people in Louisiana and Mississippi — and damage has been estimated at roughly $40 billion. The damage is still starkly visible in New Orleans, in the blighted neighborhoods of creaky houses, boarded-up businesses, structure after structure awaiting demolition and critical recovery work not yet commenced.

“I promise you this … we will not forget about New Orleans. We are going to keep on working. We will not forget about the Gulf Coast,” Obama said.

Promises, promises. NO was forgotten the second he sat down in AF Uno and lit up another KOOL Menthol.

And a real money shot from a fourth grader:

The White House had scheduled the town hall so Obama could field residents’ concerns. However, of the half-dozen questions he took, only two were directly related to the storm. Others touched on Social Security, health care, climate, education and even, from a fourth-grade boy, the president’s approval ratings. “Why does everyone hate you?” the boy asked.

Yes, Mr President, why DOES everyone hate you?

The California Medical Association has filed suit in state Superior Court seeking to end furloughs for the staff of the California Medical Board, which CMA says is backlogged with physician license applications and other important administrative work affecting the quality and accessibility of medical care.

“There is already a physician shortage in California,” said Dr. Dev GnanaDev, CMA president. “Because the Medical Board cannot keep up with current licensing demand, communities lacking access to health care will have to wait even longer to attract new physicians. The consequences of the furloughs and transfer of Medical Board funds to the state’s General Fund harm all Californians.”

The lawsuit claims the governor’s furlough order is illegal for the Medical Board’s staff because the Medical Board is funded by physician fees. It also challenges the state moving $6 million of the Contingent Fund of the Medical Board into the state’s General Fund.

Read more: http://www.consumeraffairs.com.....z0U2HvJLPx

Mercury Marine deal called taxpayer giveaway

By Mike Ivey

The deal to keep boat motor maker Mercury Marine in Fond du Lac always smelled a little fishy, so to speak, and a new report from a Milwaukee-based group basically confirms it.

The corporation pressured workers in Fond du Lac to accept large concessions and got local taxpayers to dole out $53 million in incentives — all the while it hasn’t paid a dime in state income taxes since 2000.

Jack Norman, Research Director at the Institute for Wisconsin’s Future, released a report this week titled “The Twisted Saga of Mercury Marine.”

The report provides new information about Mercury Marine and its parent company, Brunswick Corp., which helps explain how the firm basically blackmailed its employees and taxpayers by threatening to leave the state.

In addition, Norman released previously undisclosed information on Mercury Marine’s tax history in Wisconsin showing it hasn’t paid income tax here since 2000.

According to the report, the key player was Illinois-based Brunswick Corporation, which took over Mercury Marine in 1961. Brunswick had been in a financial meltdown since CEO Dustan McCoy became head of the firm in December 2005.

Since then, the report notes, Brunswick has shed 5,300 jobs with those remaining facing pay and benefit cuts. Shareholders have lost 70 percent of their stock value while white-collar managers claim they were betrayed by the company.

Norman says the only people protected from loss have been the decision-makers at the very top of the Brunswick hierarchy: CEO McCoy collected over $10 million in 2006, 2007 and 2008 and his five senior Board members received an average of $506,000 each during this same time period, the report says. …

http://host.madison.com/ct/bus.....03286.html

Let’s see:

Blame executives. Check.

Call threatening to move to a more business-favorable area “blackmail.” Check.

Look upon tax breaks as “stealing” from the state. Check.

The template works so well, why would the left ever give it up?

Tougher rules on policing illegal immigrants

Local agencies helping with deportations must keep their focus on major crimes.

Reporting from Raleigh, N.C. – Luz Maria Diaz knew what happened to illegal immigrants at the Wake County jail. But her teenage daughters didn’t.

So when the girls were arrested after fighting on their high school campus in September, they freely admitted that they were born in Mexico. Detention officers at the jail checked their immigration status and promptly handed them over to federal authorities.

Now Diana, 16, and her sister, Yolanda, 18, are battling to stay in the country.

“I never thought this could happen . . . for a simple fight,” their mother said. “I was in shock.”

The Wake County Sheriff’s Department is one of eight local law enforcement agencies in North Carolina and 66 across the nation authorized by the federal government to identify illegal immigrants and process them for possible deportation under a program known as 287(g). Virginia is the only other state with more participating agencies. There are four such agreements in California, including one with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Immigrant advocates and some lawmakers have been highly critical of the program because of reports of racial profiling and civil rights violations. The Congressional Hispanic Caucus has called for an end to the program.

Responding to concerns, the Obama administration announced in July that participating agencies would be subject to federal supervision and required to focus their efforts primarily on serious and violent criminals. Police agencies must sign new agreements by today. Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials are still in negotiations but expect to continue immigration screening in the jails.

If police agencies fail to follow the new rules, they risk losing their enforcement authority, said Alonzo Pena, deputy assistant secretary at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

One high-profile participant, Joe Arpaio, sheriff of Maricopa County in Arizona, who is being investigated by the Department of Justice, said last week that federal authorities are stripping him of his authority to make immigration arrests on the streets.

Diaz led her daughters across the border more than 10 years ago to seek a better life for them. If her daughters are ordered deported to Mexico, Diaz, 35, said, the whole family — including her U.S.-born son — will go too. She can’t imagine sending her daughters alone to Mexico, a country they don’t really know.

Yolanda Diaz, who was arrested on a charge of simple assault, said the arrest has dashed her plans of going to college in the United States. Her sister, Diana, arrested on a disorderly conduct charge, said she just wants to graduate from her high school…

http://www.latimes.com/news/lo.....full.story

Deport ‘em all. They didn’t have the brains to be law-abiding (except for their document problem, that is) so send ‘em back to where they came from. Why is it that a person here on a green card can face deportation for an arrest and an illegal gets a pass?

http://healthcare.nationalrevi.....TljOWZlNWQ