Dick Morris: "Revolt!: How to defeat Obama and his Socialist Policies:

As heard on the Sean Hannity show Dick Morris out with his latest book detailing how Americans can defeat Obama and the Democrats in 2012.

Now that the Republicans have taken the House, How can they use their majority to reverse Obama's Socialist agenda?

Revolt! lays out a game plan for success. Morris and McGann explain how to use the debt limit and budget fights to force Obama to accept Republican policies while, at the same time, undermining his chances of victory in 2012.
Obamacare? Morris and McGann explain how to block the IRS enforcement of the requirement that everyone buy health insurance and how to stop the Medicare cuts and rationing.
Crippling Talk Radio and Taking Over the Internet? They explain how to prevent the FCC from blocking free speech in America.
Cap and Trade? They offer a blueprint for how to cut off EPA funding to stop it from imposing carbon taxes and regulation.
Unless we read their plan and act to implement it, Obama will raise taxes, end the mortgage interest and charitable deduction, raise Social Security taxes, and add trillions more to the federal deficit in the process. Conservatives need to fight back—and Morris and McGann explain how to do it.
Revolt! is their most important book yet. The GOP won the elections of 2010. Revolt! explains how to translate this avalanche of votes into power and action in Washington. Their plea: Don't surrender. Don't compromise. Don't give in. Just push ahead and win! Revolt! is the next step.
Morris and McGann's Outrage, Fleeced, Catastrophe, and 2010: Take Back America laid out the problem, predicted Obama's polices and their results, and articulated a plan for victory in 2010. Now Revolt! explains how to use this new power to defeat Obama.

Dick Morris on Fox News "Hannity:

Mayhem in Madison, WI

IBD Editorial: Does Obama want $8 a Gallon Gasoline?

Amazing editorial.  Remember as a Presidential Candidate he was IN FAVOR OF $4 a gallon gasoline. 

Energy Policy: While we sit on abundant oil and natural gas reserves, prices at both the wellhead and the pump are rising on fears of spreading Mideast turmoil and short domestic supply. But then, maybe that's the plan.
The silver lining for this administration in the gathering storm over the Middle East may be what it's doing and may yet do to energy prices. The average price for gasoline jumped nearly 12 cents a gallon last week to $3.287, according to AAA. But at the White House, that's not necessarily bad news.
Oil has surged to 2 1/2-year highs as the chaos in Libya chokes that nation's exports. Yet among the "full range of options" the Obama administration is considering as the Libyan crisis festers, and the lit match of discontent gets perilously close to Saudi oilfields, ordering the full resumption of domestic oil and gas production is not one of them. Why?
Energy Secretary Steven Chu has said that "any disruption in the Middle East means a partial disruption in the oil we import. It's a world market, and (a disruption can) have real harm on the price." And so, we would think, would the orchestrated and carefully planned disruption of domestic supply by this administration.
It's not just Mideast turmoil that has brought us to this point. It's also a deliberate program of restricting domestic energy to make so-called green energy more attractive and necessary, keeping an Obama campaign promise that energy prices would "necessarily skyrocket" on his energy agenda.
Before he was appointed energy secretary, Chu expressed a fondness for high European gas prices as a means of reducing consumption of fossil fuels. In September 2008, he told the Wall Street Journal: "Somehow we have to figure out how to boost the price of gasoline to the levels in Europe." Gas prices in Europe then averaged about $8 a gallon.
Certainly every administration energy decision has had the effect of raising energy prices. The Deepwater Horizon disaster gave the administration the excuse for a drilling moratorium in the Gulf of Mexico, one that a federal judge overturned. When the administration reinstated the ban, it was found in contempt of court.
A virtual regulatory ban continues today. At least 103 drilling permits await approval by a federal government that has not approved a single new permit since the moratorium was allegedly lifted last October.
The administration has announced that the eastern Gulf and the Atlantic and Pacific coasts will be off-limits for the next seven years. The Interior Department has canceled four pending lease sales in Alaska.

Read the rest of this amazing editorial here.

Amazing Video: Airplane passenger films Space Shuttle Discovery's last takeoff from his plane seat!

WOW!  This is the spectacular mobile phone video footage shot by an airline passenger of the final launch of the space shuttle Discovery.When the world's most travelled spaceship thundered into orbit for the final time at 9.50am on Thursday, 25-year-old Neil Monday was himself in mid-air. The software developer works at the University of Central Florida in Orlando and was flying back to his hometown of Richmond, Virginia, for his older brother's wedding. In a happy coincidence, Mr Monday's flight was delayed by two hours but in the end he didn't mind at all because had the flight left on time he would have missed the extremely rare chance to land such unique footage. On his video, the cabin announcer can be heard saying: 'Folks, the space shuttle is going off the right side of the aircraft right now. 'Those of you on the right side of the aircraft, you can see the space shuttle. 'People on the left side of the aircraft, you can probably see people on the right side of the aircraft looking at the space shuttle.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1360187/Discoverys-final-launch-Airline-passenger-takes-iPhone-footage-plane-window.html#ixzz1F90vQSvj


The cinematographer wrote:  "Flying from Orlando, FL I had the rare opportunity to be able to watch Discovery's final launch as it embarks on STS-133."

Saturday Night Videos:

Charlie Sheen "Unleashed"

"I'm not taking it anymore" 1 of 3

Texas Governor Rick Perry:
"Fleebagging" tactic is immature and childish:

Hermain Cain

"We are an exceptional nation and we're going to keep it that way!"

NASA:
Watch the Space Shuttle Discovery's final launch:

Professional Protestors:

Bused in Professional Leftist Protesters chant and drum in the Wisconsin State Capitol Rotunda

More Liberal Hatred: Racist Leftists attack Black Tea Party Member:

A Gay Black Tea Party Member was harassed today by SEIU activists at a SEIU rally in Denver, Colorado.



Hat Tip Red White Blue News

Is anyone looking for a new job or a new career?

Is anyone looking for a new job or career?  We at Common Cents sincerely hope that this list of job sites helps you find that next job or career.  Good luck to you!  The Number One way people find jobs is by Networking.  Tell EVERYONE you know you are looking.  Expand your circle of friends and acquaintances.  Strike up conversations with strangers!!

The number two method to find a new job is via online job postings.  Too that end Common Cents is proud to bring you the following list:

• Monster.com is the largest internet job search site.  If your resume is not posted here you are wrong.
• Idealist.org - Over 4,500 Not For Profit jobs posted!
• CareerOneStop.org- Your one-stop-shop for all things careers!
• WorkTree claims to be scans MILLIONS of jobs in seconds! View jobs from thousands of online sources INSTANTLY! 50,000+ links to job sites, recruiters, employers and more!
• Job.com is another very large job search site. Registration and resume posting is free and this job search site always ranks as one of the top career sites on the Internet.
• Beyond.com - You can do it all at Beyond.com.  Currently there are thousands of Jobs Posted.
• SnagAJob.com is America’s largest hourly job website, featuring more than 100,000 active job postings in industries including: restaurant, retail, office and more.
• Indeed.com claims to have 1,221,515 new jobs in the last 7 days.  Search job sites, newspapers, associations and company career pages.
• Simply Hired.com claims to have over 4,952,679 jobs posted right now!!!
• Execu-Search.com specializes in jobs for Executives
• The Ladders.com search for jobs paying $100,000 and up at The Ladders.com!!
• The Federal Government is always hiring!
• Resume Mailman.com - emails your resume to 1000s of recruiters
• Resume Zapper.com emails your resume to thousands of recruiters!
• Hot Resume.com - post your resume here for free!
• Conservative Jobs.com - The name says it all!
• Salary.com - Find out how much you should be paid for your job!!
• Hoovers.com - Get all the up-to-date information on your company and others

Other money making ideas:

• Craig's List  - has thousands of jobs available in every sector.  Free to use, free to post and no charges for anything.
• The Day Job Nuker - is a easy to navigate site dedicated to showing you how to make a living online - written by someone who is doing it!!!
• Need to make money now?  - These companies will pay you to turn your car into a traveling billboard by covering it with advertising!  Interesting idea...
• Very Easy money -  Make money selling used golf balls.

Thursday Reading List:

Global Warming Alert #1

Snow may fall in San Francisco for first time in 30 YEARS

Global Warming Alert #2

Record COLD temps set for Seattle (20 degrees)

NASA Shuttle Launch:
Space Shuttle Discovery launches for the last Shuttle Mission

Crude Oil Futures:
Oil nears $120 then eases on Saudi assurances

NBA Trades:
Several blockbuster trades as deadline nears

The Smartest White House Ever!
White House misspells word "Libya" on its Twitter post

Ann Coulter:
Look for the Union Fable

The Daily Beck:
Watch Glenn Beck discuss "The American Dream Movement"

Video: More leftist violence

More Union Thuggery exposed

Hat Tip Hot Air.com

Via the boss emeritus. The FreedomWorks staffer in question is Tabitha Hale, whom some of our readers will know from her role in helping to organize events for conservative activists. Ed e-mails to say that he’s known her for years and that she’s never been less than perfectly pleasant and friendly, in case you’re wondering if she was likely to have been harassing this guy before the camera started rolling. Lefty Tommy Christopher of Mediaite also knows Hale and says, “I’ve never known her to be anything but completely honest.”
So what happened? Quote: “They threatened and yelled, then hit me with a sign and threw my phone. But none of us were hurt.” And so an obvious Narrative question presents itself: She must have been asking for this somehow, but … how? Perhaps she was invading this fine gentleman’s “personal space?” Or perhaps she somehow “manufactured” the confrontation to precipitate a little thuggery, thereby painting poor liberals in a bad light. I bet if we dig deep, we might find that it was her, not union protesters, who was carrying those “Scott Walker is the new Hitler” signs last weekend. Besides, even if we conclude that the man in red is at fault, is it fair to draw conclusions about all the demonstrators based on the incivility (and possible fraud!) of a select few? Based on the left’s attitude towards tea partiers, I’d say … yeah. Absolutely.

Our Sister Site: The Internet Radio Network:

Some of our COMMON CENTS readers may be not be aware of this fact that we have a sister site:  The Internet Radio Network. At the IRN you can listen to over 80 of your favorite Talk Radio Shows via Free Streaming Audio. These shows include Politics (Rush, Sean, Levin, Beck), Religious Programing, Investing, Sports and much, much more - all via Free Streaming Audio:

Studies show that the Talk Radio Audience has successful upscale demographics and usually:

• have an income over $75,000 (vs. median US income of $48,200)
• have graduated college
• own their residence
• are likely to use the Internet
• are 25-65 years old (with the numbers of women listeners steadily increasing)

You can listen to The Internet Radio Network here.

Video: Myth vs. Facts of the Wisconsin Union Protest:

Huge Hat Tip to the Heritage Foundation

Happy Birthday George Washington:

Today would have been his 279th birthday.  Please watch this fantastic tribute to The Father of our Country, George Washington:

SUPERLATIVE EDITORIAL "President's Day - A Lesson in Greatness"

Investor's Business Daily published an outstanding editorial Monday.  Please read and pass on - they highlight three of our greatest presidents:  Reagan, Washington and Lincoln.

Presidents Day is a good time to reflect both on the accomplishments of presidents past and on the lessons of history.
It's also a time to honor our truly great presidents: George Washington, the father of our country; Abraham Lincoln, the great emancipator; and Ronald Reagan, the great communicator.
Reagan, the greatest president of modern times, provides all of us a lesson in presidential leadership. True, it was his oratorical skill that made Reagan such a potent force. But it was his ideas and his unwavering belief in America's greatness that made him great.
Take America's Cold War with the USSR. On March 8, 1983, Ronald Reagan declared the Soviet Union "an evil empire."
The reaction was immediate. A blanket of condemnation rose from political pundits and the mainstream media. Critics and conventional wisdom called Reagan's remarks "unpresidential," an abrogation of diplomacy.
They characterized him as "a doddering old man barely in charge of his mental faculties, who was unaware of what he was saying." And worse.
But the reaction was different in another part of the world. In the most remote part of Siberia, deep in a Soviet gulag, in a dark, damp and dingy cell, a political prisoner quietly whispered between the iron bars of his cell, "Ronald Reagan has just called the Soviet Union the evil empire."
Yes, words have meaning.
Reagan's words marked the beginning of the end of the Soviet Empire. Reagan was a crusader against evil in the world, and he boldly challenged, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall."
And the wall fell. Words have power.
But words are only powerful if they are pursued with meaning, purpose, commitment and action. The collapse of the Soviet Union was only one facet of Reagan's achievements. His administration can provide many lessons that can be applied today.
Let's look at the America Ronald Reagan inherited before his inauguration on Jan. 20, 1981:
• America was suffering, as we were told by Jimmy Carter's departing Democratic administration, from a national "malaise." And it was our own fault.
• The "misery index" (unemployment plus inflation) was above 20%.
• We had high unemployment, double-digit inflation (13.5%), and double-digit interest rates (the prime rate was 21.5%).
• The soft diplomacy of President Carter's "policy of appeasement" had severely damaged America's international reputation.
• Deep cuts in the military had damaged our defense posture.
• Iran had taken 66 American hostages, 52 of them remaining hostage for 444 days.

 Read the rest of IBD's excellent editorial here.

Rush Limbaugh Audio: "Our Agitator in Chief" vs. The American People

Rush opines against the "Agitator in Chief".  On today’s show, Rush Limbaugh had an epic rant on the continuing teachers’ union protests in Wisconsin. He railed against the protesting “agitators,” against the “cowardly” Wisconsin Democrats, but mostly against President Obama, going so far as imply that he was disgracing the memory of those killed in the Tucson shooting last month by not coming out against the unions.

“So lets play this out now. The President wants to play petty political games with the budget, wants to shut the government down (make no mistake, he does) so that his state-controlled media can distract the nation from his economic and foreign policy failures. This country is in a mess. He promised the opposite. It is in an absolute free fall mess defined as Barack Obama’s normal. This is his comfort zone. This is what community organizers do before they remake their target. This is a political fight. It’s going to go on in state after state after state. This is a political fight the American people will win. The American people will not be distracted by Obama’s games and his failures. The American people know that Obama is not the Gipper, he’s not the Come Back Kid. They know he hasn’t moved to the center. Barack Obama is on his way to the bottom.”

Hat Tip Mediate.com

---

---

UPDATE: Governor Scott Walker on "Fox News Sunday":

Fox News Video: Reports on Fake Doctor's Notes being handed out at Madison, WI Rally

Interesting video from Fox News that shows fake sick notes being handed out at the Madison, WI protests by "Doctors".

10 Minute Ticker:

Givebacks in WI:
Union Leaders offer concessions

Rent a mob update:
Democratic National Committee is playing an active role in WI protests

Reverse ambush:
Sen Inhofe turns tables on Global Warming Nutjob

Hot Air.com
Fox News confronts protesters in WI Capitol Bld "Fox Lies"

NBA Slam Dunk Contest:
Coverage of the 2011 Slam Dunk Contest

Redstate.com
Democrats unleash their Secret Weapon - Elmo

Daytona 500:
Pole Positions for this Greatest American Race

Global Warming Update:

December & January COLDEST ON RECORD for State of Florida

VIDEO:  Fake Doctor's Notes being handed out at WI Union Rally:

Hat Tip  Maclver Institute

The best movie ever made...

is arguably The Shawshank Redemption.  IMDB currently has it at #1 as voted by their subscribers.  It is a classic movie - about hope, friendship and redemption.  Ironically, the movie is more about Red "Morgan Freeman", than it is about Andy "Tim Robbins".  AMC has recently been playing it and we proudly bring you a couple of clips.  "Get busy living or get busy dying".  If you have never seen it please do yourself a huge favor and rent it or buy it.  You will not be disappointed. 

Shawshank Redemption official trailer:

The Shawshank Redemption - "Hope"

Rank	Rating	Title	Votes
1.	9.2	The Shawshank Redemption (1994)	564,440
2.	9.2	The Godfather (1972)	439,983
3.	9.0	The Godfather: Part II (1974)	266,653
4.	8.9	The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)	177,268
5.	8.9	Pulp Fiction (1994)	450,081
6.	8.9	Schindler's List (1993)	298,787
7.	8.9	12 Angry Men (1957)	132,841
8.	8.8	Inception (2010)	304,134
9.	8.8	One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)	233,278
10.	8.8	The Dark Knight (2008)	503,714
11.	8.8	Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)	297,448
12.	8.8	The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)	392,377
13.	8.8	Seven Samurai (1954)	104,068
14.	8.7	Fight Club (1999)	415,575
15.	8.7	Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)	340,671
16.	8.7	Goodfellas (1990)	247,807
17.	8.7	Casablanca (1942)	178,276
18.	8.7	City of God (2002)	182,215
19.	8.7	The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)	415,303
20.	8.7	Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)	81,459

From The Internet Movie Database:

The film speaks to a lot of people with its message of hope, perseverance and purpose in the face of life's struggles. These themes appeal to (and inspire) a wide array of people. The movies' themes are universal to human experience, though they are expressed allegorically in a prison setting that only a minority can truly empathize with. Director Darabont's ability to help viewers see through the prison setting to the deeper life-truths is a major attraction.

 And I just love this reader's review from The Internet Movie Database:

In my honest opinion The Shawshank Redemption is the greatest film of all time. It is a movie conversion of Stephen King's novel of the same name. It is nearly perfect in every way you look at it. The acting, the editing, the soundtrack, the story, the directing, simply in every way it is perfect. I find it very hard to find badly acted scenes or tasteless storytelling. And let me tell you why is this movie so good.

Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), an honest and successful banker, is convicted and sentenced for life to Shawshank prison for the murder of his wife and her lover. Shawshank is not exactly a funfair, the prisons guard captain Hadley (Clancy Brown) is a violent, swearing hound dog, the warden Norton (Bob Gunton) is a corrupted, evil and criminal, and the prison knows no real laws. The only rules are: No blasphemy and you do whatever we ask you to do. If you break the rules you will feel the wrath of Hadley&co. There he meets a man that is called Red (Morgan Freeman), a man who knows how to get things. With Red at his side the prison's entrepreneur becomes almost a hero. He reminds the prisoners that there is something inside them that even the hardest beating or the loudest yell can't touch, hope, hope of better life, hope of freedom. He works his way through the prison's hierarchy, finally getting to work behind the prison's warden Norton, helping the warden on his scam.

The story may sound standard movie stuff. But it is much, much more complex. It is epic, gives goosebumps, makes grown men cry, makes you so angry you will want to just hop in there and give a nice long beating, gives you feelings you never thought you could feel in a movie and you dive in to it like in to a pool of coke. The scenes that make you happy are so happy you make smile so wide your mandible will crackle. The scenes that make you cry flood your face. The story in every way is everything I ever have wanted out of a film. It carries something very few stories do, it carries a meaning. It gives a little inspect on the true face of prisons and the American justice system.

The acting is superb. No actor was below average, hell, every actor was perfect in their roles. At some points you could honestly believe that this was a documentary filmed with hidden cameras or something. Tim Robbins was perfect in his acting. The way he made himself smile subtly so that you wonder why is he doing that, is just magnificent. If you can find one badly acted scene with Andy, call me, please. Clancy Brown was equally perfect. He was not only true to his role as the captain of guards, but he became him. When he was angry, you could swear that it was not acting, but true hatred. Morgan Freeman was nearly as good at his role as Red as Tim Robbins was. Only one thing was a little off. He seemed somewhat anxious in some scenes where he shouldn't have been anxious. I don't know why. But if you can ignore that, it was a perfectly acted role. Bob Gunton was very, very good at his role as the warden of Shawshank. He was especially good at one scene in the end.

The director, Frank Darabont, has a near-legend status. Due to his movie Green Mile, which is also a conversion of a Stephen King book and his new series that has already claimed a Golden Globe nomination for best series of the year. He directed the film perfectly. Choosing the right actors, the right scriptwriters, the graphic designers and etcetera is not an easy task. His version of the novel is awe-inspiring. The way he made the film is just magnificent.

I don't know who made the soundtrack, but it is over the top. It just enhances the feelings brought by the actors.

Shawshank is a movie about friendship, hope, strength, wisdom, salvation, greed, dreams and finding solace in chaos. It has themes that make Citizen Kane look like a sixth grader's weekend project. It has quotes that would make Winston Churchill wonder why he didn't think of them. It has a story that makes J.R.R look like a petty freelancer. It teaches something to everybody. It teaches us to never give up hope. To never let go of you dreams. To always look forward like an optimist without looking back. Shawshank Redemption is simply perfect in every way. (Please, for the love of all that is good and pure, see this movie.)

Rent a Mob - Wisconsin Protests Intensify

Today's post is about the Wisconsin Protests that are happening in Madison over Governor Walker's plan to have the Public Sector Unions contribute a little more to their health care and pension.  Specifically, The bill, which also bans collective bargaining rights for teachers, requires educators to contribute 5.8 percent to their pensions and 12.6 percent to their health care. Currently, educators pay 0.2 percent for their pensions and 4 to 6 percent of their health care costs.

UPDATE:  State Democrats flee the state to avoid a quorum call

UPDATE:  25,000 people jams the State Capitol

USA Today:  WI Democrats AWOL for heated debate

Rush Limbaugh Transcript:  "Imagine people paying for their own retirement"

Michelle Malkin:  A letter from a dissenting State Employee

VIDEO GOLD:  Tea Party chases AWOL Dems out of Rockford, IL

Fox News Video:  14 Democrat Lawmakers absent from historic debate

Read the Senate Bill here PDF of State of Wisconsin Senate Bill 11.

JR1SB-11

Game, Set, Match - Fox News continues to obliterate its competition:

No contest.  Fox News, probably owing to its Fair and Balanced coverage, is absolutely dominating its competition - sometimes beating its competition combined!

	5p:	6p:	7p:	8p:	9p:	10p:	11p:
FNC	Beck:	Baier:	Shep:	O’Reilly:	Hannity:	Greta:	O’Reilly:
	1.867	2.045	1.922	3.017	2.196	1.427	1.141
MSNBC	Matthews:	Live:	Matthews:	O’Donnell:	Maddow:	EdShow:	O’Donnell:
	572	563	806	1.000	1.265	919	510
CNN	Blitzer:	Blitzer:	KingUSA:	ParkerSpitzer:	Morgan:	Cooper:	Cooper:
	461	502	451	444	710	740	378
HLN	Showbiz:	Prime:	Issues:	Grace:	Missing:	Behar:	Showbiz:
	194	240	341	482	276	287	268

More Hope and Change:

 A $1.5 Trillion Tax Hike

From the folks who brought you 10% Unemployment, Trillion Dollar Deficits as far as the eye can see and more we now have a budget plan that is little more than Tax and Spend as usual.  The White House released its budget proposal recently.  Some of the highlights:

Under the Obama budget, tax revenues will grow from 14.4% of GDP in 2011 to 20% of GDP in 2021.  By comparison, the historical average is only 18% of GDP.

Tax hike lowlights include:

• Raising the top marginal income tax rate (at which a majority of small business profits face taxation) from 35% to 39.6%.  This is a $709 billion/10 year tax hike
• Raising the capital gains and dividends rate from 15% to 20%
• Raising the death tax rate from 35% to 45% and lowering the death tax exemption amount from $5 million ($10 million for couples) to $3.5 million.  This is a $98 billion/ten year tax hike
• Capping the value of itemized deductions at the 28% bracket rate.  This will effectively cut tax deductions for mortgage interest, charitable contributions, property taxes, state and local income or sales taxes, out-of-pocket medical expenses, and unreimbursed employee business expenses.  A new means-tested phaseout of itemized deductions limits them even more.  This is a $321 billion/ten year tax hike
• New bank taxes totaling $33 billion over ten years
• New international corporate tax hikes totaling $129 billion over ten years
• New life insurance company taxes totaling $14 billion over ten years
• Massive new taxes on energy, including LIFO repeal, Superfund, domestic energy manufacturing, and many others totaling $120 billion over ten years
• Increasing unemployment payroll taxes by $15 billion over ten years
• Taxing management capital gains in an investment partnership (“carried interest”) as ordinary income.  This is a tax hike of $15 billion over ten years
• A giveaway to the trial lawyers—not letting companies deduct the cost of punitive damages from a lawsuit settlement.  This is a tax hike of $300 million over ten years
• Increasing tax penalties, information reporting, and IRS information sharing.  This is a ten-year tax hike of $20 billion.

Add it all together, and this budget is a ten-year, $1.5 trillion tax hike over present law.  That’s $1.5 trillion taken out of the economy and spent on government instead of being used to create jobs.
The “tax relief” in the budget is mostly just an extension of present law, and also some refundable credit outlay spending in the tax code.  There is virtually no new tax relief relative to present law in the President’s budget

Read more: http://www.atr.org/obamas-fy-budgetbr-taxes-more-a5844##ixzz1E8C4PCev

If you can stomach it the PDF of President Obama's budget can be found here.

Sports Illlustrated 2011 Swimsuit Issue

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2011

It's here.  The most anticipated issue of the year, the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition is out today.  Common Cents has some of the video here.

2011 Sports Illustrated Cover Girl Irina Shayk:

Visit the 2011 Sports Illustrated Video home here.

The best editorial page you will find...

Is Investor's Business Daily.  IBD published easy to read editorials that tout Free Markets and Capitalism.  A must read...

Coup:  After helping topple a key ally, will the Obama administration now foolishly pressure Egypt's military? Will the U.S. help Islamists posing as democrats gain power?

Spending:  How gratifying it is to see Republicans take seriously their pledge to cut $100 billion out of the budget. They've lived up to their word — a rarity in Washington these days. But the truth is, it's only the very start.

Politics:  As states struggle to slash budgets, Big Labor's two major confederations are spending big for a new PR campaign and recruiting drive to defend public employee unions. Their act shows why they've got to go.

Policy Errors:  The administration is embarking on a campaign to promote the U.N. and America's role in the organization. This is exactly the opposite of what it should be doing.

California:  California Gov. Jerry Brown must rapidly close a $25 billion budgetary shortfall. But right now it seems almost a hopeless task since the state's disastrous budget is a symptom, not the cause, of California's much larger nightmare.

Reform:  As the head of Medicaid and Medicare services testifies in favor of ObamaCare, the CBO director says it will destroy 800,000 jobs. Talk about killing two birds with one stone.

Politics:  If there's any doubt the new Congress intends to cut spending and reboot the economy, look at how it sank a $2.4 billion pork program to force the White House to live up to its promises. This is a welcome sign of backbone.

Federal Authority:  At a contentious hearing on legislation to keep the EPA from regulating carbon dioxide as a pollutant, Republicans rightly called global warming a power-grabbing hoax that is all pain for no gain.

Friends of Common Cents:

Check out these outstanding sites:

Newsbusters

I Own The World

Debbie Schlussel

Freedom's Lighthouse

Hermit Jim

Knuckledragging my life away

Moonbattery

Noisy Room

Washington Rebel

Bread upon the Waters

Carol's Blog

Saturday Night Live Videos:

Well, it's SNL's turn to poke a little fun at O'Reilly's interview with President Obama. Funny Stuff...
"Part 3 of the President Obama interview"

---

SNL's Weekend Update - Seth Meyers meets with Hosni Mubarak after he steps down from his post on Friday, February 1:

More CPAC Videos:

2011 American Conservative Union Foundation (CPAC) Washington Convention:

Governor Mitch Daniels - IN

"It's the new Red Menace - this time consisting of ink"

Herman Cain to Obama:

"We will not become the U.S. of Europe on our Watch"

Ann Coulter on her Least Favorite Democrat

"That's like asking me what's my Least Favorite Disease"

Rep. Allen West addresses bloggers at the CPAC Convention

CPAC Videos:

The American Conservative Union, CPAC is holding its 2011 convention now in Washington.  Some of the marque speeches:

Governor Mitt Romney's CPAC Address "Believe in America"

Donald Trump's CPAC Speech

Ron Paul's CPAC Speech:

Newt Gingrich's CPAC Speech:

Newt spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, DC on February 10, 2011. During his speech, Newt focused on the need for an American energy policy and suggested seven steps for President Obama to prove he is moving to the center.

Congresswoman Michele Bachman

"Go out and win the Triple Crown in 2012"

Rush Limbaugh on the Mubarek Resignation.

Rush Limbaugh had an excellent take on the situation in Egypt, specifically the resignation of Hasni Mubarek.  Rush says that he waited so long to resign just to taunt the media and the demonstrators in the street were leftists and socialists.  Audio:

Johnny McEntee - Trick Shot Quarterback:

This guy, Johnny McEntee, has unbelievable accuracy.  He plays (3rd string) for the University of Connecticut and this You Tube Video has been very popular lately. 

Job Creation Update: Obamacare will cost us 800,000 jobs.

Or actually 800,000 workers.  CBO gets this by estimating 0.5% from a labor force of 160 million.  Wow!


H/T to Hot Air.

Global Warming Updates:

Today's installment of Global Warming Updates:

Texas:
Bitter Arctic Cold hits - Temps in 20s, 83,000 without power

Panama City, FL:
Cold Snap kills dozens of starfish

Atlanta, GA:

Snow likely Wednesday and Thursday

Oklaholma:

Up to 25 inches of snow fall in NE Oklahoma

Chicago, IL:
Series of sub-zero nights set.  Feb could be snowiest ever

Europe:
Northern Europe will witness unseasonable cold weather February into Spring

Mexico:
35 animals Freeze to Death in Mexican Zoo

Cuba:
26 inmates Freeze to Death in Cuban Psych Hospital

US Wind Chill Map

Rush Limbaugh 45 minute interview with Donald Rumsfeld:

Rush interviewed former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, yesterday on his show.  A fascinating interview...

BEGIN TRANSCRIPT

RUSH: We want to welcome to the program the former secretary of defense, Donald Rumsfeld, whose new book is out today. It's a memoir called Known and Unknown. Mr. Secretary, welcome. Great to have you here on our program. RUMSFELD: Thank you so much, Rush, I'm delighted to be with you. RUSH: Is this your first book? RUMSFELD: It is my first book, and at 78 years old, it's a long gestation period. RUSH: Well, it is amazing, you have been in public life -- folks, here's how long he's been in public life. He met Dick Cheney when Cheney applied to be an intern in Secretary Rumsfeld's congressional office. What year was that? RUMSFELD: The early part of 1969. RUSH: Okay. RUMSFELD: Rush, I've lived one-third of the history of America. That's breathtaking to think of that. RUSH: That's what I want to get to. You have a perspective on this that no one else really has. Just from one standpoint: civility in American politics. You have been around since 1969, that's the Vietnam War, you were around through Watergate. You left for a while and joined G.D. Searle where you presided over the marketing of aspartame, Equal. You go back into government, you've been a patriot all of your life. I want to ask you, as forthrightly and honestly as you can tell, what is the difference, if there is any, in civility, mean-spiritedness, extremism, intraparty rivalries, the defamatory things said about people in politics. Has it always been the same to you or has it gotten progressively worse and at any time were you just shocked and saddened by it that you thought maybe it's not worth it anymore?   RUMSFELD: Well, actually, when I left the Navy -- I was a Navy pilot -- I went to Washington when Eisenhower was president, then I was in Congress during a tough period, during the Kennedy and Johnson era when the Vietnam War was going on and the civil rights legislation, and there were riots in America and protests and blood being thrown on the Pentagon and graves being dug. So that was a tough time. And as you said, we now come up into the twenty-first century, and you think of what people like Senator Kennedy said about the Abu Ghraib. He said that, "Saddam Hussein's torture chambers are now under new management, the United States government." And Senator Durbin said that Guantanamo Bay was like Nazis and the Soviet gulag and Pol Pot. You could even go back to Abraham Lincoln and some of the perfectly terrible things that were said about him. We've had these periods in our history where that's happened. But the short answer to your question is, no, Rush, there's never been a time when I've thought that it wasn't worthwhile. I believe it is worthwhile, and I think that it's important that Americans be willing to serve and be willing to live with the kind of lack of civility that occurs. And I'm proud to have served.

RUSH: Is this lack of civility -- and I'm focusing on this here at the outset because it's now used as a political wedge to try to silence people like you in government when you're there. Is it worse now? You cite the Civil War. I can't imagine the country ever being more roiled since the Civil War. Is it worse today? Are the people claiming that we need to get rid of public voices of a certain persuasion, do they have a point or is this all just manufactured, it's standard operating procedure for democracy? RUMSFELD: Well, let's hope it isn't standard operating procedure for a democracy. What we need is people willing to say what they believe, to become engaged and helping to guide and direct the course of this country. And you look at most recently the energy from the Tea Party people where they've gotten excited and concerned and stood up and spoke their minds, and that's such a healthy thing, and provides energy for our country. I think that's a good thing. Now, is it disappointing to see people behave in a way that's so uncivil? Yes, it is disappointing, but we can't let that turn us off because we as citizens have a responsibility. RUSH: Now, you talked to Diane Sawyer at World News Tonight recently, and you told her that you wanted to be allowed to resign after the pictures from Abu Ghraib were published. You thought those pictures were such a stain on the country, and then you had these six generals that stepped forward to call for your resignation. What was it about, given all the things you've seen, all the things that you have been in charge of over your years in government, what was it about Abu Ghraib that so disgusted you? RUMSFELD: Well, the behavior was disgusting. It was perverted. It was deviant. And here are these truly wonderful men and women in the United States military who volunteer to serve our country, and their reputations were stained by the behavior of a few handfuls of people. And the implication was that that had something to do with interrogation. And of course the truth was none of the people that were being abused were subjects of interrogation, and none of the people doing the abuse were interrogators. They were prison guards. It was discovered by the military, investigated by the military, and people were prosecuted and punished. But the damage to our country was significant. If you think about it, the enemy could go out and use those pictures to raise money against us, to recruit against us, and I've always believed in accountability. And since the lines of accountability were confused and some people who had been there were gone and the people who were there were new, I decided that the easiest way to demonstrate accountability and the importance of it would be for me to submit my resignation, so I did, twice. RUSH: But the president didn't want you to quit? RUMSFELD: That's correct. RUSH: Now, do you really think that those pictures from Abu Ghraib, do terrorists really need that to recruit? RUMSFELD: No, they're perfectly capable of lying, and they did. I mean take one of the rumors that was spread around the world about alleging that someone at Guantanamo Bay had flushed a Koran down the toilet. There were riots in three or four cities, people were killed, and by the time the truth came around that there never was a Koran flushed down the toilet at Guantanamo, it was absolutely false, and of course the journalist that did it then said if there was some portion of their story that was wrong, they're sorry, but the people were dead already. So these things are important. The thing that was on the backside of that however is that there's something about our country that we're reluctant to engage in a competition of ideas in government. We are up against a vicious enemy, the radical Islamists are there, they intend to try to create a caliphate in this world and fundamentally alter the nature of nation states, and we're reluctant to engage in the competition of ideas and point out what they really are and how vicious they are. This current administration is even afraid to say the word Islamist. And we need to fight. We need to be willing to say what it is and be willing to tackle it. And thank goodness for people like you who are willing to do it. RUSH: In context of all that, what do you make of what's happening in Egypt? So many people are confused. I must confess I'm having a tough time finding somebody I believe is able to convince me what this is really all about. RUMSFELD: Let me make a couple of comments in that regard. First, it seems to me that what's important is private diplomacy, not public diplomacy. Public diplomacy tends to be aimed not so much at the people you're trying to persuade, but to satisfy your own base and to make yourself look good. And one knows that the private diplomacy is what ultimately is going to be important. So it's not surprising that those of us on the outside don't have a perfect fix on what's taking place. Second, I would say that there are without question -- first of all, Egypt's an enormously important country. It's large, it's historically important. From an educational standpoint it's a big factor in the Arab world and what happens there makes a big difference to us. As you know well, we watched what happened in Iran where there was a popular revolution and the people that were the best organized and the most vicious took over the country. And they didn't end up with freer political systems or freer economic systems. They ended up with the ayatollahs controlling that country. RUSH: Well, that's the thing. Are we looking at something similar here or is this really -- I mean there are people telling us this is a democracy movement, we need to be fully, fully behind what's going on here. If that means the ouster of Mubarak, then we must be for it immediately. We're hearing that argument as well. RUMSFELD: Well, you can have a perfectly legitimate democracy movement where there are a variety of people across the political spectrum who all agree that there needs to be change. The problem is the people who tend to be the best organized are the most radical and the most vicious. And so you can have a broad popular democracy movement and have it end being taken over by the most vicious people and the result is you don't end up with free political systems or free economic systems, you end up with a handful of radicals controlling the country. That's the risk

BREAKING NEWS: President Obama quits smoking!

Congratulations to President Obama for quitting smoking!  This late-breaking news story was broken by none other than Michelle Obama who confirms that "he hasn't smoked for a year."

Other news outlets carrying the story include ABC News,  Bloomberg,  USA Today, and others.

Of course the REAL STORY is how the US State Controlled media concealed the fact that Obama had been a smoker for decades.  

First lady Michelle Obama considers her husband a former smoker because he formally has quit smoking, she told a roundtable of print reporters today.  Asked by reporters if she could say the president finally has quit smoking, Michelle Obama said, “Yes, he has,” and that “it’s been almost a year.”

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said in December that he hadn’t seen the president smoke in nearly nine months. But, asked if nine months without smoking meant that his boss has formally quit, Gibbs hesitated.
“For that nine months, yes," he said. "I mean, I don’t-- I’m trying not-- I don’t want to be flip.  I mean, I don’t-- I think the president would be the first one to tell you that it’s a struggle.”

Part 2: Fox News Bill O'Reilly interview with President Obama:

Part 2 of Fox News Bill O'Reilly's Super Bowl interview with President Obama

Dominoes: Another prominent Democrats switches parties and joins the GOP!

This is a biggie.  Ashley Bell, a former President of College Democrats, Bell is a 30 year old moderate who campaigned for John Edwards and spoke at the 2004 Democratic Convention.  And did we mention he is African American?

For Democrats, Ashley Bell was the kind of comer that a party builds a future on: A young African American lawyer, he served as president of the College Democrats of America, advised presidential candidate John Edwards and spoke at the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston.  But after his party's midterm beat-down in November, Bell, a commissioner in northern Georgia's Hall County, jumped ship. He joined the Republicans.  Bell, 30, said he had serious issues with the healthcare law and believed that conservative "blue dog" Democrats in Congress who shared his values had been bullied into voting for it.  Bell's defection is one of dozens by state and local Democratic officials in the Deep South in recent months that underscore Republicans' continued consolidation of power in the region — a process that started with presidential politics but increasingly affects government down to the level of dogcatcher.  "I think the midterms showed you really can't be a conservative and be a member of the Democratic Party," Bell said.  Since the midterm election, 24 state senators and representatives have made the switch in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Texas.

 Read the rest of the story here.

The best Super Bowl Commercial: Lookup John 3:16

It was was one of the more "controversial" ads of the night Fox News decided after all to run the Lookup John 3:16 ad.  Her it is in case you missed it:

"A message of Hope"

John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Video: Bill O'Reilly interviews President Obama

Fox News Bill O'Reilly interviewed President Barack Obama right before Super Bowl XLV. 

Preview Bill O'Reilly interview with President Obama:

O'Reilly says this interview with President Obama before the Super Bowl will be the most watched interview of all time.

Tribute to Ronald Reagan on his upcoming 100th Birthday:

This Wednesday would have been Ronald Reagan's 100th birthday.  As you know Reagan was our nation's 40th president and a hero to millions of Americans.  The Gipper had a very interesting life, from football star, to Hollywood actor, to Governor of California to twice elected President of the United States.  His military buildup is credited with bringing down worldwide Communism, especially as it was practiced in the Soviet Union.

We miss you Ronnie - your endless optimism, your love of country, your gentle manner and your values.  Godspeed!  Enjoy these two video commemorating the life of Ronald Reagan:

Ronald Reagan:  Rendezvous with Destiny

Ronald Reagan Super Bowl XLV Tribute:

This video will be shown just prior to kickoff at the Super Bowl:

Huge 5-Star Hat Tip to Redstate.com

"What is the Internet anyway?"

Funny Stuff.  Bryant Gumbel and Katie Couric in a classic 1994 clip about this new phenom - The Internet.