uvAggravator2.0

With a claim that Republicans have a Contract On America, and addressing an imaginary group called the "Republican Tea Party," Democrats rolled out their latest attack on both the GOP and tea parties.

Hello ... Mr. Kaine..." Oh, never mind. Don't let the facts get in your way of pushing an ever increasing liberal agenda.

I'm not sure whether this says more about Republicans versus Democrats, or if it's one young lady's vision of the ideal wedding versus another, or if it's a difference in upbringing and backgrounds.

Jenna Bush got married in 2008 (to Virginian Henry Hager) at her parents' ranch in Crawford. Her father was the current Republican President of the United States. Cost of her wedding: reportedly $100,000.

Chelsea Clinton is supposedly getting married this weekend at a rented/borrowed estate in New York state. Her father is the former Democratic President of the United States. Cost of her wedding: reportedly $3-5 million.

White House Infomercial?

I am sure it is as useful as these products....

Or this..........

Is it as embarrassing for the President to join the ranks of infomercial spokesmen?
Is he now on par with George Foreman? William Shatner? Will he start selling Jello Pudding Pops?

Now comes news that Shirley Sherrod plans to sue Andrew Breitbart. Did anyone doubt it?

Posted on July 29, 2010 by D.J. McGuire at Virginia Virtucon and

One would think that after the numerous findings and reports of data fudging and other shenanigans the folks at East Anglia’s Climate Research Unit would know better than this (Steve Goddard at WUWT):

Why is it that post facto adjustments always seem to be upwards in later years, and downwards in earlier years? This whole global temperature business looks like a complete joke to me.

Did they really think we wouldn’t notice? See the whole post here or here

Statement from Attorney General Cuccinelli on today’s ruling on Arizona’s immigration law ... July 28, 2010

Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli issued the following statement regarding today’s ruling by Judge Susan Bolton in the case of United States of America v. State of Arizona, et al.:

“My office is currently reviewing Judge Bolton’s 36-page order regarding the United States’ Motion for a Preliminary Injunction against Arizona’s immigration law. Much like the ruling itself, my initial reaction to the ruling is mixed. I am pleased that she rejected the federal government’s argument that the entire statute should be enjoined and I am also pleased she found that it was unlikely that the federal government’s arguments would prevail with respect to certain provisions of the law. However, I am disappointed that Judge Bolton found it was likely that the federal government’s arguments would ultimately prevail regarding other provisions of the Arizona law,” said Cuccinelli.

Cuccinelli also noted that today’s ruling was preliminary in nature, stating, “Judge Bolton’s ruling was limited to the motion for a preliminary injunction and was not a final decision on the merits of the case. The ruling is only the first step in the process. I continue to hope that, ultimately, the courts will find Arizona’s effort to protect its citizens to be constitutional.”

The case was heard in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona.

Rep. Tom Perriello (D-VA 5th) has only served one term in the U.S. Congress but his votes over the past 18 months have put him at odds with many of his constituents.

While the Democrats who dominate the Fifth District's urban Charlottesville area are probably happy with his record, constituents in the rural areas are hopping mad that he has broken campaign promise after campaign promise made while running against former Representative Virgil Goode.

RPV has a new video to highlight Perriello's promises.

He promised to bring change to the 5th District. He promised to change health care while improving Medicare and reducing the deficit. He promised to change the way the 5th District pays taxes by lowering their tax burden.

Has he done that?

Rep. Perriello certainly has brought change to the 5th District ... just not the kind he promised. He did change heath care, by limiting access to doctors, raising the federal deficit, and levying the first ever tax on simply being alive.

Even the Democratic head of President Obama's deficit commission agrees:

“It didn’t do a lot to address cost factors in health care. So we’ve got a lot of work to do,” said Erskine Bowles, former White House chief of staff to President Bill Clinton, speaking about the new health law, which was signed into law by Obama this past spring after a nearly year-long fight in Congress.
-- (Daily Caller, July 15, 2010)

And Rep. Perriello is about to change the tax burden for middle class families ... even Steny Hoyer is talking about raising taxes on middle class families to help balance the whopping $13 trillion budget.

Perriello himself said just Wednesday that he wants to see the tax cuts of 2001 and 2003 expire.
But then again, what else can you expect from someone who votes with Nancy Pelosi 90 percent of the time?

That’s why RPV has released a new web video “Change?” which highlights some of the "changes" Tom Perriello has been a part of this year. November can’t get here soon enough so the voters in the 5th District can properly thank Tom Perriello — by giving him his pink slip.

The next "change" Tom Perriello needs to make is a change of occupation.

If Granny is hittin' the sauce, it may be under "Doctor's Orders"Drinking alcohol can not only ease the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis it appears to reduce disease severity too, research suggests, according to the BBC.

They found that patients who had drunk alcohol most frequently experienced less joint pain and swelling.

Previous studies have shown that alcohol may reduce the risk of developing the disease in the first place.
Give Granny a hand, Click here

After what was reported to be a contentious exchange at Monday's Augusta County Board of Supervisors staff briefing between supervisors Tracy Pyles (D-Pastures) and David Beyeler (R-South River), tonight's public meeting may spark some fireworks. The issue is staggered terms for supervisors, an idea Mr. Pyles supports and Mr. Beyeler does not.

As reported in the Waynesboro News Virginian:

Augusta County supervisor Tracy Pyles seeks clearance from fellow supervisors tonight to use the services of County Attorney Patrick Morgan in reviewing his staggered terms petitions.

Pyles wants to use petitions to get the necessary voters signed to bring his idea for staggered supervisor terms to a referendum. But he has been advised to seek a legal opinion on whether the petition complies with the Virginia Code.

There are other interesting agenda items tonight. The public is invited and encouraged to attend at 7:00 p.m. at the Government Center located on Rt. 11 in Verona.

Even as President Barack Obama and his administration continue to bash former President George W. Bush at every opportunity, new poll numbers reveal his base has moved beyond that and is actually aware that Obama is the one in charge.

From the Washington Times:

The summer of the discontented voter steams onward and, unfortunately for President Obama, polls show voters are no longer blaming the bad times on the George W. Bush administration.

Add Hispanics to the growing list of Obama supporters disgruntled by aspects of the presidents performance, in what has become for the White House and Democrats a seemingly daily beat of gloomy polls.

This in light of polls also increasingly pointing to a "thumping" for Democrats in November, as noted by the Washington Examiner's Michael Barone. Could Republicans take over the U.S. House of Representatives?

From Byron York at the Washington Examiner:

The Daily Caller has published still more excerpts from the left-wing journalism chat room JournoList. This time the theme is “Heroes of JournoList.” The phrase refers to lefty journalists who on at least one occasion overcame their ideology to defy the conventional wisdom of JournoList’s 400 participants.

And what qualifies as heroism on JournoList?

It's a short list but at least some spoke up....

Just Sayin......

See more here

He might be right.
It is true that the view has thrown softball questions at most Dem's, but I think that the White House press corp kinda resembles something else these days.....

And the singers previous incarnation......


The members of Flogging Molly include Dave King, Bridget Regan,Dennis Casey,Nathen Maxwell,Bob Schmidt,George Schwindt,& Matt Hensley.
Prior to forming Flogging Molly, Dublin born Dave King was the vocalist for heavy metal band Fastway featuring guitarist "Fast" Eddie Clarke of Motörhead and bassist Pete Way of UFO in the early to mid '80s.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Lost in Race
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party

YOU'RE FIRED ! ! !

Don't Mess With My Senior Discount ! ! !
Maybe Congress needs another raise?

Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank caused a scene when he demanded a
$1 senior discount
on his ferry fare to Fire Island.... last Friday. Frank was turned down by ticket clerks at the dock in Sayville because he didn't have the required Suffolk County Senior Citizens ID. A witness reports, "Frank made such a drama over the senior rate that I contemplated offering him the dollar to cool down the situation."
See more here

Update: NAACP denounces Jim Webb's comments.

Friday's Wall Street Journal had an op-ed piece by Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) that had some scratching their heads while others agreed.

The Richmond Time-Dispatch's Jeff Schapiro was one of those who seemed a bit puzzled as he wrote:

Writing for the op-ed page of The Wall Street Journal this past Friday, Virginia's senior senator proposed junking federal anti-discrimination programs. Webb argues that they have strayed "so far beyond their original purpose that they now favor anyone who does not happen to be white."

Webb says programs that were a response in the 1960s to centuries-old, government-sanctioned prejudice against blacks have morphed into protections for all people of color, including newly arrived Asian and Latin immigrants, moving "affirmative action away from remediation and toward discrimination, this time against whites."

Such views would seem wildly heretical for a Democrat, and dangerously impolitic, particularly for a Democrat who underperformed with black voters in his improbable victory over George Allen in 2006 -- a triumph too easily attributed to public revulsion over the perceived racial slur Allen directed at an Indian-American working for Webb.

Today's Washington Examiner opined:

In an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal, Webb put to rest the myth of white dominance that has "served as the whipping post for almost every debate about power and status in America." Because of government-sponsored "diversity" policies, he wrote, white workers have become marginalized to serve an overbroad effort to make up for past wrongs.

Webb rightly notes that the old South was a three-tiered society, "with blacks and hard-put whites both dominated by white elites who manipulated racial tensions in order to maintain power." He might have added that white elites used populist rhetoric to keep an entire third of the region's population disenfranchised, in effect also making the Southern economy "backward."

They concluded with this:

Webb's argument is rooted in a genuine desire to get past the "gotcha" politics of race and the unintended consequences of racial guilt. With luck and good sense, the nation will follow suit.

A friend commented, "Game changer?" Good question.

I'm back in the Valley after spending the past week with my folks in Richmond ... hot, humid days in the flat lands ... days that saw 100, 101, even 105 degrees as they broke a record for the most 100-degree days in a year. It was great to be with everyone ... my sister and I spent a lot of time together ... we drove to pick up SWAC Niece from camp in NC last weekend and then spent time with her.

But today, on an overcast rainy day, I pointed my vehicle west ... my destination was the Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah Valley.

After leaving my parents' home, I made a quick stop at Martin's/Ukrop's to get the "Ukrop's Fix" for my family including paninis and chicken salad, and once again put in a plea asking that they stock favored items in Valley Martin's stores, and then hit the road where I ran through rain just west of Richmond and then out of it by Charlottesville.

I was accompanied on the drive back by Rush Limbaugh on the radio ... I-64 had light traffic which made for easy driving. As I approached Afton, the rain began again, first as mist and then heavier, and the fog lights were on.

Sure enough, as my vehicle climbed the mountain, the fog got thicker and thicker until it completely shrouded me in white as I passed under the Skyline Drive at the top. On the western slope, dropping down into the Valley, the fog finally began to lift and my cell phone rang. As John Denver once said, "Hey, it's good to be back home again...."

Hello, Shenandoah Valley!

One U.S. sailor has been killed and another is being held captive by the Taliban in Afghanistan, according to reports. The Taliban's claim to have captured the sailor taunted that he was being held in a location where he would not be found. With a timeline in place of summer 2011 to withdraw troops from the war-torn country, American troops are in more danger than before as alliances break down from those who realize the U.S. will not be there after next year to have their backs.

President Barack Obama, the honorary chairman of the Boy Scouts of America, will not speak in-person before the group on Wednesday at Fort A.P. Hill in Virginia, as part of the organization's 100th anniversary celebration. However, the president is sending a videotaped message to the scouts for Wednesday, the same day he will be in Manhattan to tape an appearance for ABC TV’s talk show “The View.”

Bob Dries, chairman of national news and media at the Boy Scouts of America Jamboree – a gathering that happens every four years and attracts thousands of scouts from around the world .The organization was told on Monday that the president had scheduling conflicts and would not be speaking in-person at the week-long event.

The BSA had scheduled its Wednesday arena program to include remarks by the president at 11 a.m. in front of the more than 45,000 scouts who will be in attendance.

Golf? Arugula? Bar Harbor?
7 vacations in 18 months?

"We are not that far removed...."
He made over $5,000,000 last year. His net worth is over $7,000,000
Watch the latest video here
Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com

4 Hours This AM.
8 Tonight.
About 12 Tomorrow.
Jeez, What happened to my retirement?

Had an email this morning from friends who are in Alaska ... they're having a great time in cooler weather.

Summer 1971 edition of "The Saturday Evening Post."

I've been visiting my folks in Richmond the past week, spending time with my sister. Mom pulled out some things for us to go through to see if we were interested in any of it including a stack of old books and magazines.

I am now in the possession of a Summer 1971 edition of The Saturday Evening Post featuring an interview with Norman Rockwell, the artist whose illustrations made The Post what it was. He was 79 years young at the time of the interview. The cover price in 1971 ... one dollar. To me ... priceless.

Al Franken (D-MN), that most liberal of the liberal who somehow made it into the U.S. Senate, warned a group of liberal bloggers over the weekend of the danger of a conservative take over:

"If Republicans take back Congress they'll implement a truly dangerous agenda," Franken told the Netroots Nation gathering in Las Vegas. "Everything is on the table from repealing healthcare reform to privatizing Social Security."

First, he was addressing the Netroots Nation gathering. 'Nuff said.

Second, I have to wonder what part of the Obama agenda has not been considered dangerous to Americans who believe in hard work, working hard and paying their own way, helping a neighbor, following the Constitution and the vision of our Founding Fathers, and a love of America.

As one person commented, "The people have screamed no and the Dems say go! Now the voters will speak."

From Governor Bob McDonnell's office....

RICHMOND - The Governor’s Commission on Economic Development and Job Creation held its second full meeting today at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College in Richmond. The Commission is led by Lieutenant Governor and Chief Jobs Creation Officer Bill Bolling and the Governor’s Senior Economic Advisor Bob Sledd. The Governor and Lieutenant Governor have charged the Commission with developing a series of innovative, achievable policy recommendations to help create jobs and stimulate economic growth in Virginia. During today’s meeting the Commission presented an interim report executive summary. Over the past two months the Commission has developed strategies and initial policy recommendations to better position Virginia to create jobs and grow the economy. Its nine subgroups have been analyzing Virginia’s economic development programs and agencies; assessing competitive initiatives in other states; considering existing tax and regulatory impediments to job creation; and, engaging private sector and state and local government stakeholders.

Speaking about the meeting, Governor McDonnell noted, “Last week I traveled to Europe to promote Virginia’s pro-business climate, encourage new and further investment in our state and help create jobs in the Commonwealth. On July 1st, initiatives from our ‘Jobs and Opportunity’ agenda took effect, which in turn will give Lieutenant Governor Bolling, myself, and our economic development team the tools and resources we need to encourage growth among existing Virginia businesses and recruit new businesses to the Commonwealth – all to create jobs. The recommendations from our jobs commission will continue to move us forward toward getting Virginians back to work and keeping Virginia as a top state for business.”

Lieutenant Governor Bolling added, “The Governor's Commission on Economic Development and Job Creation is primarily responsible for helping us develop part two of our Jobs and Opportunity Agenda. Their recommendations are very important to helping us decide what additional improvements and investments we need to make in our current economic development programs to make certain that we do everything we can to get Virginia’s economy moving again."

The Commission’s progress is detailed in the interim subgroup reports. Several common themes have emerged among the Commission’s subgroups, including:

· Virginia’s effective existing economic development programs and incentives have been disproportionally affected by budget reductions during previous Administrations.

· Several key industries such as tourism, small business and emerging technologies have historically lacked the attention, resources and tools commensurate with their return on investment, value to Virginia’s economy and capacity to create jobs.

· Virginia’s tax structure affects some businesses unevenly and unfairly, stifles economic growth and job creation and perpetuates competitive disadvantages in key industries.

· While Virginia boasts the best higher education system in America, the economic development and workforce development potential of our four-year colleges and universities’ and community colleges is severely underutilized.

· Entrepreneurs continue to face significant permitting, resource and capital challenges to starting, running and expanding a business in Virginia.

Below is an overview of common themes and key initial recommendations of the more than 115 strategies and recommendations under consideration by the Commission and its subgroups. Interim report recommendations are not final and may not ultimately be endorsed by the Commission or the Administration. The interim update is designed to provide the Commission leadership, Commission members, interested parties and the general public with a progress report on activities to date.

Over the next two months, strategies and recommendations included in the interim report will be further developed, researched, distilled and prioritized prior to consideration for the Commission’s final report to Governor McDonnell in October. Additional initiatives beyond those included in the interim report may also be considered for the final report.

The final recommendations of the Jobs Commission will be those innovative, achievable initiatives that provide the highest return on investment, advance strategic economic development initiatives of the McDonnell Administration, and best position Virginia business and industry to create jobs and economic opportunity for all Virginians.

Common Themes and Key Initial Recommendations
Tourism Development Fund – Tourism is a proven economic development and job creation driver that can inject additional state and local tax revenue into Virginia’s economy more quickly than any other industry. However, Virginia has significant tourism product deficiencies that affect our ability to attract new and repeat visitors and extend their length of stay. Whether a bed & breakfast in the wine country, a convention hotel in Williamsburg or an entertainment center in Virginia Beach, product needs exist in all regions of Virginia. Unlike most major industries in Virginia, tourism does not enjoy tax incentives, grant programs or a dedicated funding mechanism for product development.

The Tourism Subgroup recommends the creation of a Tourism Development Fund designed to provide gap financing for locally endorsed and supported tourism projects – small and large, rural and urban – through grants, loans, loan guarantees, bonds or other funding mechanisms. The Fund will require a state, local and private sector partnership, be self-sustaining, not divert funds from any existing programs and ultimately have no net impact on the General Fund.

Emerging Technologies Fund - Virginia must provide the incentives that have a targeted return on investment, but also benefit companies that can be encouraged to expand in Virginia. An incentive structure that supports traditional “bread and butter” projects for which Virginia competes is needed, and in addition, there is an interest in an Emerging Technologies Fund, similar to a program in Texas, providing flexibility in incentive opportunities as it relates to quickly evolving technologies – addressing small, medium and large businesses. An Emerging Technologies Fund could help fill a critical strategic gap in Virginia’s current array of business incentives.

The Emerging Technology Fund would be governed by a board that includes technology experts and potentially be broken down into three areas:

· Research Commercialization Awards (grow new small businesses/existing businesses; accelerate entrance of new products/services to the workplace)

· Research Award Matching (provide institutions of higher education/companies engaged in research a source of matching funds for outside funding opportunities)

· Research Superiority Acquisition Grants (provide source of funds for bringing the best and brightest researchers).

Job Creating Tax Reform – In an environment where the competition for jobs and new investment grows more intense every day, Virginia must constantly review its tax policies to maintain its competitive edge and effectively respond to actions taken by other states and countries. Virginia’s current tax structure is burdensome, affects some businesses unevenly and unfairly, while stifling growth, discouraging job creation and perpetuating competitive disadvantages in key industries.

Commission members have identified the BPOL and Machinery and Tools as taxes that are particularly unfair, burdensome and prohibitive to business expansion and job creation and changes to the corporate income tax as an opportunity to potentially stimulate significant economic growth. Working with industry, state and local government stakeholders, the Commission will continue to consider strategies to ensure these burdensome taxes do not stifle economic growth and job creation.

Other job creating tax reforms including making changes between the three methods of corporate income taxation easier and expediting the allowance of the single sales factor election for manufacturers.

Transforming Academic Institutions into Economic Engines – While Virginia has the best higher education system in America, our colleges and universities’ economic development potential is severely underutilized. The Commission subgroups believe that our universities’ research and development capabilities and collaboration with the private sector are deficient and recognize the need to make fundamental changes in how we disseminate information on our institutions of higher education excellence.

To transform academic institutions into economic engines, the Commission subgroups are considering a series of proposals including:

· Creation of “think tanks” with academic institutions, similar to the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing, that carry on the economic strategies and target sectors at the state level;

· Streamlining university developed intellectual property licensing and commercialization to reduce inherent barriers to university/industry collaboration;

· Expanded Nuclear Engineering and Nuclear Technician programs; and

· Refundable R&D tax credit targeted at advance technology companies that sponsor research at Virginia universities.

Small Business/Startup Business Capital Access – Capital access is consistently cited as the biggest challenge for small business growth and new business development. The Commission subgroups recommend the creation of Small Business Investment Tax Credit/Venture Virginia capital access program. The program may include provisions to provide tax credits to investors who make capital investment in certified small businesses or venture capital investment in targeted industries such as bio-technology or life sciences. Funds could also be generated through tax credits to insurance companies that expedite payment of their state taxes.

Entrepreneur Expressway – Too often government creates a complicated path of regulatory roadblocks for entrepreneurs to start or expand their business. Compared to other benchmark states, Virginia had the 2nd lowest level of entrepreneurs per capita in 2005. Government should provide expressways, not roadblocks, to entrepreneurs trying to start or expand their business.

To make Virginia the best state to start or expand a business, the Commission subgroups recommend the following initiatives:

· Fast-track permitting for new capital investment involving new jobs or at risk jobs;

· Enhancement of “Business One Stop” website into a “First and Only Stop” by increasing the information, resources and assistance available, including integration of “How to Start or Expand a Small Business” guide and information on local requirements;

· Expand DBA’s Business Information Center programs designed to help entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses; and

· Develop systems and resources to better communicate regulatory and legislative changes to small businesses and entrepreneurs that affect their businesses.

Training Workers for Virginia Businesses – For existing businesses to expand and new businesses to grow and locate in Virginia, they must be able to find the skilled workers to meet their company’s needs. The Commission subgroups believe that Virginia’s workforce development programs must be more streamlined, coordinated with community colleges and existing businesses and focused on training workers to meet the existing and future needs of existing businesses and target industries in their communities.

The Commission subgroups will provide recommendations to:

· Replicate successful regional pathway programs statewide;

· Facilitate business input into curriculum development to better reflect the skills needed for success in the workplace;

· Promote the ability of the community colleges to provide occupational education and training;

· Establish goals around which federal and state workforce programs can align outcomes, actions, performance measures and budgets with the objective of streamlining the overall process; and

· Promote and report on workplace-oriented education and training including increased enrollment in high school programs leading to technical and advanced technical diplomas.

They sound like they are in NYC at 3AM in the morning

Oil Spill Charity "F-Bomb-A-Thon" from UnF--kTheGulf.com on Vimeo.

But it’s not political, it’s environmental. It’s charity. Right. The funds go to one of four non-profit groups with no political motivation at all ......
Yeah, the money goes to charities that want to clean up the Gulf. Sure it does.... Yeah, Greenpeace and Earth Justice.
See more here

On Thursday, Rep. Eric Cantor made news with his decision to remain independent of Rep. Michelle Bachmann's (R-MN) tea party caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives .

Rep. Cantor, who is the Republican Whip and second ranking Republican in the House, commented on his decision by noting:

"Part of what is so inspiring about the Tea-Party movement is that it is not structured like a political party and, instead, is a truly organic, grass-roots effort. The movement was born outside of Washington and includes people of all political stripes -- Republicans, independents, and Democrats -- who have come together out of frustration with their government in an effort to force it to change . . . .The millions of Americans who are part of the Tea-Party movement will no doubt have a major voice this fall when the bad policies of the past two years come up for review."

The Richmond Times-Dispatch concurred with Rep. Cantor's decision in their Friday editorial:

Although the Tea Party clearly stands closer to the GOP's professed principles, the movement should be wary of becoming a faction within a single party. If the Tea Party identifies with the Republican Party, then it could sacrifice support from disaffected Democrats and independents. (The Tea Party's appeal to Democrats seems negligible, to tell the truth; among GOP-leaning independents the movement's appeal appears strong. The Tea Party itself resembles a 2010 update of Ross Perot's 1992 campaign.)

There are others who have cautioned that the tea party movement should remain independent including Karl Rove, former White House Deputy Chief of Staff and senior advisor to President George W. Bush. While many may consider him just a GOP political hack, Rove had some thoughts about this very subject in February when he wrote:

There has been a lot of talk about combining the tea party movement with the Republican Party. And on a small scale, that seemed to happen last week in South Carolina after state GOP representatives agreed to create a "Tea Party Republicans" group to coordinate activities with tea partiers in Greenville and Spartanburg.

This week, however, those arrangements fell apart as some tea party groups dissented from the decision. Other attempts to draw tea party groups into formal alliances are running into similar difficulties. That is a good thing. The tea party movement will be more effective than it otherwise would be if it refuses to allow itself to become an appendage of either major political party.

The tea party movement appears to primarily be a fiscally concerned group of citizens who are worried about the deep debt our country faces in light of controversial legislation that has been spearheaded by Democratic President Barack Obama and passed by the Democratic-controlled U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. That concern encompasses Democrats, Independents, Constitution Party, Green Party, Ron Paul supporters, and others upset with massive spending and taxes involved with cap-and-trade, bank bailouts, the stimulus bill, auto company bailouts, and the mammoth government health care bill.

In other words, the tea party is not made up of just Republicans or social conservatives. The common denominator for all is fiscal conservatism. Beyond that, there are significant differences. Some within the ranks are 9/11 "truthers," "birthers," and those calling for states to secede from the U.S.

While some may be upset with Rep. Cantor for not joining forces with the tea party, there are many others who will agree with his decision. He is a leader in the Republican Party, not the tea party, something the Times-Dispatch also noted:

Institutional issues also argue in favor of Cantor's position. As the GOP's whip (and its majority leader if the party wins a majority in November), he must not be seen as part of any ideological faction. His viability and success depend on his ability to forge close relations with Republicans of diverse philosophical inclinations. There is nothing wrong with joining caucuses based on geography or interest, but Cantor would court difficulties if he formally aligned himself with a movement that has challenged GOP incumbents in primaries.

Karl Rove, while advising that tea parties should remain independent of political parties, also touched on the issue of Republicans trying to become part of the tea party:

The GOP is also better off if it forgoes any attempt to merge with the tea party movement. The GOP cannot possibly hope to control the dynamics of the highly decentralized galaxy of groups that make up the tea party movement. There will be troubling excesses and these will hurt Republicans if the party is formally associated with tea party groups.

Mr. Rove had a final suggestion for both the GOP and the tea parties as he concluded:

The Republican Party and the tea party movement have many common interests right now. But they are, and should remain, distinct from one another. This is one instance when, if they merged, the sum would be less than the parts.

The Times-Dispatch agreed. "Cantor," they wrote, " ... has made the prudent call.

Cross-posted at The Washington Examiner

Blogging and China seem to be oxymorons ... but Chinese blogger Han Han appears to have found a way to work within the system while getting the message out.

As I said....I am doubtful of the reliability of these stories....
Bob Owens over at Big Government writes...........
My curiosity got the better of me, and so I called the Laredo Police Department, and had a delightful chat with the acting watch commander, Sgt. Perez.

Sgt. Perez informed me that I was her seventh caller about this claim since she came on duty this afternoon. She stipulated two things that blows holes in the invasion claim.

1. The location of the alleged invasion is outside of their city-limits jurisdiction, so they would not be involved, and;
2. while they would not be involved in any law enforcement response outside of their jurisdiction, they work closely with the county sheriff’s office and would know if such an event is occurring.

She also provided me the number of the Sheriff’s Department. The deputy that answered the phone there was less bemused, having also dealt with this rumor multiple times in a short amount of time. She also told me that there was no invasion and no law enforcement siege, and that deputies were continuing normal operations.

Don’t believe the hype.

I enjoyed reading this week's THYME Magazine from Bob at The Journey as he remembered childhood summers of the past. It offers children a break from school and a time to let their imaginations run along with hands-on learning opportunities in a less-rigid atmosphere. Summer ... that time when we slow down, change the scenery, and relax the routine to avoid burnout....

NBC-29 covered Saturday's Fluvanna County Board of Supervisors retreat to discuss issues of importance to the county. Look closely ... a familiar blogging face is among those attending.

A Sinner in the Hands of an Angry Blog
Joy McCann

FishyMike and The Other McCain say it is bad Karma to not link to Little Miss Attila. So I am going to do it. Can't mess with Karma

I am doubtful of the reliability of these stories....
First one reported this "The bloodbath continues along our southern border and now word is coming in that Los Zetas, the highly trained killers formerly with the Gulf Cartel, have crossed into the United States and taken over at least two ranches in the Laredo, Texas area. I am receiving word that the owners of the ranches have evacuated without being harmed. The source is law enforcement in the area"

It is all over the net, but that doesn't make it true
The Houston Chronicle is reporting fighting just across the border
Kimberly Dvorak is reporting it too. She states she has 2 sources in the Laredo PD.
Left Coast Reb has a map.

Local law enforcement was bombarded with calls from across the country Saturday asking about a report that the Zetas had taken over two ranches off Mines Road, according to the Laredo Morning Times

But officials with the Laredo Police Department, Webb County Sheriff’s Department and Border Patrol said they knew nothing about such an incident, while Erik Vasys, an FBI spokesman in San Antonio, said the agency does not comment on rumors.

The report, which spread like wildfire among blogs Saturday afternoon, appears to have initially been posted on a blog called Diggers Realm.

The blogger wrote that he got a tip from a San Diego, Calif., minuteman named Jeff Schwilk, who said that the Zetas, former enforcers of the Gulf Cartel, had crossed into the United States and taken over two ranches off Mines Road, about 10 miles northwest of Interstate 35.

Bob serves up some of his artwork from 1993. You can see it in Crozet. You can see some more here

Female Engagement Team with 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment touring northern Marjah to engage with local Afghanistan citizens. Produced by Sgt. Heidi Agostini. Soundbites from Sgt. Guadalupe Rodriquez and Lance Cpl. Kathryn Mannion

MICHAEL SNEED Sun-Times Columnist hears real estate mogul Neil Bluhm is tossing a private birthday party here for President Obama, who turns 49 on Aug. 4.

• The shocker: The dinner invite to the Barack bash at Bluhm's home requires a $30,000 donation to the Democratic National Committee!

How to Heal

H/T Left Coast Rebel