Garden State Patriot

Well, we have our first glimpse of Obama’s civilian security force in action today. Watch here.

In case you missed it, here’s Obama caught on tape saying he wants to bankrupt the coal industry. He goes on to say that, as a result of his plan, “electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket.”

How the McCain campaign did not discover this before is beyond me. But it just gets right to the heart of it with Obama: say anything to get elected, conceal what you really believe. And what he really believes in is socialism.

By the way, “Cap and Trade” is a topic I will need to re-visit in coming months. If Obama gets elected this will be part of the liberal agenda. And what it will mean is more taxes, more government power, more infingements on our liberty, and less economic growth all in the name of the hoax of global warming.

Watch here as an FNC reporter tries to get Rashid Khalidi to answer questions about the now infamous LA Times Obama video, among other things.

Apparently, Mr. Khalidi doesn’t think enough of the American people to give a few straight answers.

While I can’t say I’m surprised by Mr. Khalidi’s response, the larger question for me is, where are the other media outlets on this story? Why don’t they ever seek out all of these people in Obama’s past, like Ayers and Khalidi? I think we know the answer.

A disturbing pattern is emerging from the Obama campaign. Any opposition is greeted with disdain and access to Obama is denied.  Consider:

• ‘Joe The Plumber’ – All because he asked a question that led to Obama’s ’spread the wealth’ gaffe, Helen Jones-Kelley, an Obama camapaign donor and Ohio Department of Job and Family Services Director, appears to have abused her power by running a background check on Joe’s (EDIT) child support records.
• Barbara West/WFTV – As reported in a previous post, After Barbara West of WFTV asked Joe Biden some questions he didn’t like, the campaign blacklisted them from any more interviews.
• Reporters Get Boot From Obama Campaign Plane – The Washington Times, the New York Post and Dallas Morning News all had their reporters booted from Obama’s campaign plane after their respective papers endorsed McCain.

If this kind of pattern is emerging now, what do you think he will do with the full force of the federal government at his fingertips?

Ned Barnett @ American Thinker outlines the 4 lies of Obama’s tax plans. Not that I have ever believed Obama would cut our taxes – it’s just campaign rhetoric to get elected – Ned’s article makes it clear that we all will indeed be getting whacked if BHO wins on Tuesday.

Senator Obama’s Four Tax Increases for People Earning Under $250k

Public Question #1 – VOTERS TO APPROVE STATE AUTHORITY BONDS PAYABLE FROM STATE APPROPRIATIONS

Steve Lonegan, State Director of Americans for Prosperity, explains:

Ballot Question One is misleading and dangerous for property taxpayers. Many of us hoped this referendum would put an end to the runaway borrowing that has plagued the state. While this question appears, on its surface, to stop unconstitutional borrowing, the legislation gives additional power to the legislature to place even more responsibility on every property taxpayer. It is a fraud. Here’s why:

The devil is in the fine print of Senate Concurrent Resolution #39 which will replace our current constitution if State Ballot Question #1 is approved.

First, voter approval will NOT be needed if a proposed project has “an independent non-State source of revenue” or “a source of revenue otherwise required to be appropriated pursuant to another provision of this Constitution”.

Any Enron accountant or Abbott lawyer can drive a truck through those loopholes.

But here is the real kicker: “No voter approval shall be required . . . authorizing the creation of . . . debts . . . for the refinancing of all or a portion of any outstanding debts or liabilities of . . . an autonomous public corporate entity.”

Our Supreme Court ruled that New Jersey voters don’t have to pay a dime on any of the $29 billion previously borrowed by shell entities like the EDA-unless they vote to do it. But with a “Yes” vote on Ballot Question #1, Governor Corzine and the State Legislature could pass a simple law to refinance every dollar of the $37 billion borrowed by state authorities WITHOUT voter approval! Then, every “unenforceable” contract to pay $3 billion a year will become enforceable for the first time-WITHOUT voter approval-for the next 30 years.

Once the full faith and credit of New Jersey is pledged, all state sales tax money is earmarked to pay that debt before it is spent on anything else. And if that money is not enough, the State is legally obligated to adopt a new statewide property tax to pay the difference.

Don’t be fooled. Vote No on State Ballot Question #1.

Tonight, I’ve come across some more information as to why the LA Times refuses to release an incriminating video of Brack Obama at a party for former PLO spokesperson, Rashid Khalidi.

In this post by Doug Ross @ Journal, he quotes a source who says:

Saw a clip from the tape. Reason we can’t release it is because statements Obama said to rile audience up during toast. He congratulates Khalidi for his work saying “Israel has no God-given right to occupy Palestine” plus there’s been “genocide against the Palestinian people by Israelis.”

It would be really controversial if it got out. That’s why they will not even let a transcript get out.

This is really just beyond the pale at this point. If the Times had a video of McCain at a neo-Nazi rally with him toasting David Duke, I highly doubt they’d be hiding behind “journalistic ethics” and holding back the tape. Heck, I wasn’t even aware today’s media actually followed a code of ethics these days. Their excuse for not going public with the tape just doesn’t pass the smell test.

Hey, LA Times: RELEASE THE TAPE!!!! The American people deserve to know the truth!!!

Another potential threat to our freedoms – in this case our economic freedoms – has been flying under the radar. According a recent article in to Capital Commerce:

House Democrats recently invited Teresa Ghilarducci, a professor at the New School of Social Research, to testify before a subcommittee on her idea to eliminate the preferential tax treatment of the popular retirement plans. In place of 401(k) plans, she would have workers transfer their dough into government-created “guaranteed retirement accounts” for every worker. The government would deposit $600 (inflation indexed) every year into the GRAs. Each worker would also have to save 5 percent of pay into the accounts, to which the government would pay a measly 3 percent return.

Essentially, Democrats are considering taking away your right to manage your retirement as you see fit.

Here is another article on the issue from investmentnews.com: House Democrats contemplate abolishing 401(k) tax breaks

On yesterday’s Mark Levin Show, Mark interviewed Mrs. Ghilarducci regarding her plans. Click here (begin at 55:15) to listen to the interview and judge for yourself if Mrs. Ghilarducci is someone you want dictating how you can save for your own retirement and determine your own destiny.

With just one week left until Election Day, this provides a window into what an Obama-Reid-Pelosi government has in store for us. If for no other reason, we need John McCain in office to stem what will be a radically Left/socialist agenda that will erode our liberties and seriously threaten our prosperity.

I repeat: Obama is a socialist. There can no longer be any doubt. See for yourself (if you haven’t already).

The Bergen Record today endorsed Barack Obama for President. This comes as much as a shock as George Steinbrenner rooting for the Yankees to win the World Series. Surely no one really cares what The Record has to say in this respect, as they are just another fading newspaper. But indulge me if you will for taking issue with the esteemed editors of The Record.

Certainly, the current administration has not been perfect. The voter’s appetite for change is understandable. George W. Bush has never had the support of those on the Left who have vilified him since “hanging chads” became part of the public vernacular. Conversely, W has managed to even alienate his base with a less than conservative approach to governing, particularly on the domestic front.

Yet, The Record charges:

Whatever history makes of the Bush presidency, its immediate legacy is an administration that turned budget surpluses into deficits, launched a pre-emptive war in Iraq and left us divided by politics, ideology and economics.

It seems The Record forgets that the nation has been politically and ideologically divided since well before George W. Bush arrived on the scene. I have no idea what economically divided means, but I do know this: whatever divisions we have in this respect are just as, if not more so, the fault of the extreme elements that run the Democrat Party these days.

Moreover, The Record seems to have little sense of history. Change for changes sake can be highly detrimental, if not downright dangerous, for the nation. We don’t need to look too far back in our history to understand this. Jimmy Carter ascended to the Presidency with similar traits and abilities attached to him – and just as little experience. The country subsequently saw the economy worsen dramatically and Iran fall into the hands of religious fanatics; a foreign policy nightmare with which we are grappling with to this day.

One of the more ironic and ridiculous components of The Record’s endorsement is their view regarding Sarah Palin and her “tone” on the campaign trail:

…we abhor the tone of her rallies and rhetoric. To suggest that Obama is a “pal” of terrorists, as she has, or to remain silent when some people at rallies spew anti-Arab and anti-Muslim hatred, is not acceptable.

Amazingly, The Record feels that Sarah Palin ought to repudiate a few unruly people at her campaign rallies (of which there have not been many as far I can tell). Yet, the fact that Barack Obama sat in Jeremiah Wright’s pews for some 20 years and undoubtedly was privy to some of the vilest anti-American hatred is dismissed. When Obama finally repudiated Wright, it only was only for political expedience, and not in the least credible.

The Record also entirely dismisses Obama’s ties to William Ayers. It would be one thing if Obama and Ayers had a passing connection, but this clearly was not the case. The two served closely on a board together. Obama “blurbed” Ayers’ book. Certainly, if John McCain had similar ties to an abortion clinic bomber, The Record’s attitude would not be so dismissive.

Senator Obama’s past remains murky. He has no accomplishments to speak of. He possesses less experience in government than Sarah Palin. Yet The Record takes issue with Governor Palin’s limited experience:

McCain repeatedly has said he has the seasoned judgment of a president, but he chose a running mate who is unprepared to assume the presidency.

Just how is Obama prepared for the Presidency? By being a skilled orator? Because he is composed? So, it seems according to The Record.

The Record also is critical of the McCain campaign for a confusing and inconsistent message:

We understand political realities — the need for Republicans to “play to the base.” However, McCain — and he is accountable for what his surrogates do and say — has been incapable of maintaining good control over his own campaign. His message has been inconsistent and confusing.

We can only assume that the editors’ memory banks were erased around June. Because I can assure you, if you want to see inconsistency and confusion, all you need to do is review Senator Obama’s positions in the primaries against the positions he has taken during the Presidential campaign. Take public financing of campaigns for one thing; a dead-set date to leave Iraq for another.

The remainder of The Record’s endorsement is superficial, unconvincing and not well thought out. It does not touch on the clear leap to the Left an Obama Presidency, coupled with a very partisan, very left-wing Congress, will take the nation. Despite the electorate’s dissatisfaction with the status quo, this remains a center-right nation. Obama, Reid and Pelosi most assuredly will pursue an agenda of Big Government the country will not like.

We are still living in consequential and dangerous times. 9/11 was not that long ago, despite the fact that many seem to forget too easily. We need a man who understands the realities of today’s world, not a man who exudes naiveté. The right man is John McCain, not Barack Obama.