OBAMA UPDATE:
So today came his ballyhooed speech to students--and hey, good for him...he stayed away from anything political and urged students to take responsibility:
"Obama, however, avoided any mention of political initiatives. He repeatedly urged students to work hard and stay in school. "There is no excuse for not trying," he told students at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia."
There would never have been any controversy if this administration had not, originally, tried to pass out lesson plans to teachers that suggested Obama sought students' support (one plan originally suggested that teachers have students write essays on how they could "help" Obama). That was over the line. It suggested the administration was trying to use the speech for partisan purposes. The administration wisely backtracked. That was all the controversy really was about. Those trying to suggest it was an example of conservatives engaging in wacky, extreme criticism are wrong. And don't let your liberal friends tell you otherwise, conservatives.
OBAMACARE UPDATE:
Thomas Sowell wisely reminds us today of something--on health care, President Obama hasn't been too truthful:
"No doubt millions of people will be listening to the words of Pres. Barack Obama Wednesday night when he makes a televised address to a joint session of Congress on his medical-care plans. But, if they think that the words he says are what matters, they can be led into something much worse than being swindled out of their money.One plain fact should outweigh all the words of Barack Obama and all the impressive trappings of the setting in which he says them: He tried to rush Congress into passing a massive government takeover of the nation’s health care before the August recess — for a program that would not take effect until 2013.Whatever President Obama is, he is not stupid. If the urgency to pass the legislation were to deal with a problem immediately, then why postpone for years the date when the legislation would go into effect — specifically, until the year after the next presidential election?If this is such an desperately needed program, why wait for years to put it into effect? And if the public is going to benefit from this, why not let them experience those benefits before the next presidential election?"
In other words, the rush to pass this legislation underlay a fundamental dishonesty in the Obama position. Conservatives should make sure this issue remains alive as this debate goes forward.
IS THE GOP/CONSERVATISM DEAD? DEPT:
The latest attacks on Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell in Virginia have borne no fruit--he still leads his Democrat opponent by 12 points.
BASEBALL DIARY: the Tigers were off yesterday; they're coming off a 3-game sweep in Tampa, with all of the victories coming after the 7th inning and two of them being big rallies from 2 and 3-run deficits. Great stuff, and the Tigers are in great position to go to the playoffs. There, I said it...let's hope I don't jinx 'em. The Rangers were rained out yesterday--they play a doubleheader today (in Cleveland).
The Cubs beat Pittsburgh 4-2 yesterday. It guaranteed the Pirates a record 17th-straight losing season; but unless it's the start of, say, a 15-game winning streak for the Cubs, it likely doesn't mean more than that. Kudos thought to Derek Lee; he hit his 30th home run.
