Of all the political figures in history, Ronald Reagan is the target of the most contempt by people on the left. Reagan, through his personality, vision and actions is the one person who has done more to undermine the flimsy ideas that liberals hold than any other.

Reagan was born in 1911 so 2011 has been a year celebrating the centennial of his birth. Many of the events commemorating the centennial have been held at the Simi Valley California, Reagan Presidential library.

A flagship event at the library for the centennial year is obviously the Republican Presidential debate scheduled for next week. It was revealing that Obama would make a bid to upstage the debate by scheduling his own “urgent” jobs speech to a joint session of congress on the same night. It revealed the Olympian level of contempt that Obama and his democrat cronies have for Reagan’s legacy and memory.

Sure, it is true that Obama may have sought simply to undermine the momentum Rick Perry and others in the GOP field have garnered against him in the last few weeks as the president has suffered political stumbles on myriad issues but there is no way that team Obama was ignorant of the bigger issue surrounding this particular GOP debate which was the specific stage and location it was being held at as well as the specific year it is being held in.

This is not the first time Obama has gone after Reagan’s legacy or family in word and deed.

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During the 2008 presidential campaign NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France invited candidates John McCain and Barack Obama to a race. John and Cindy graciously attended in New Hampshire, but bicycle-loving Barack was a “no show.”

In an article entitled “Don’t assume all NASCAR equates to Republican,” Raygan Swan concluded that Obama failed to attend because “Obama’s brain trust chose to end associations with NASCAR, because the sport shares the same stereotypes as Republicans.”

Barack Obama’s people must have surmised that point because NASCAR races open with public prayer, are traditionally attended by flag waving, “smokin’ hot [pastor’s] wives” and everyone in attendance enthusiastically sings along to patriotic renditions of the national anthem.

Now, three-plus years later, on a typical Wednesday-is-Funday-at-the-White House, the President has plans to honor NASCAR champion/John McCain supporter Jimmie Johnson and the “11 other Chase drivers from last year in a White House ceremony.”

Ironically, in a week where scheduling problems are widespread, “nearly half of the 2010 playoff contenders won’t be there.” NASCAR claims that the five drivers – “Greg Biffle, Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick and Tony Stewart – will not be attending the White House visit due to ‘schedule conflicts.’”

In light of the jobs speech/Republican debate/NFL Football kerfuffle, who more than Obama should understand how schedules can upset the best-made plans? Apparently he doesn’t, because the President who lacked consideration for NASCAR in the past has become a schedule-stickler, demanding a level of consideration from others that oftentimes he refuses to extend to anyone else.

Between unemployment, the economy, and the general mood of the nation, Barack must feel like a political race car driver in an out-of-control vehicle with a stuck accelerator, traveling 200 miles per hour on Talladega’s Super Speedway.

To add insult to injury, first the President was banned from holding a joint session of Congress speech on Wednesday night, where he planned to tout his plan for job creation during a week where, for the first time in 66 years, it was announced that job growth was 0% for the month. Following that initial humiliation, Obama was then forced to postpone until the following night and is now scheduled to address a distracted audience anxiously awaiting to see the Green Bay Packers challenge the New Orleans Saints.

Now we come to find out that earlier that same day, the President was dissed by a quintet of NASCAR drivers who probably remember the President declining the invitation to a NASCAR race in 2008, and who would rather airbrush a vehicle than meet with Barry.

In the future, Barack Obama should spare himself the embarrassment and restore Wednesday to its original function as the night he and Michelle originally designated for weekly cocktail/Conga parties.

The White House’s response to having the invite declined by five guys in sunglasses and colorful jumpsuits was at best a tad off-putting. Tongue-in-cheek, a testy spokesperson acknowledged that “They must be very busy people.”

Following up with a defensive rebuke, a White House spokesperson maintained that “Regardless of one’s political views, the president is still the president – and an opportunity to speak with the leader of the free world is a rare and special one.”

Snippy, snide and sarcastically chiding the NASCAR no-shows, an irritated Obama advocate argued: “You’d think whatever photo shoots or sponsor appearances these drivers have lined up on Wednesday afternoon – if that’s indeed the reason – could be rescheduled. After all, this is the President of the United States we’re talking about here.” Ouch!

The truth is that, while not justifiable, White House causticity is understandable, especially after being barked off the hydrant after attempting to mark political territory by disregarding the Republican debate and scheduling a speech that should have been given weeks ago.

Either way, it’s not surprising that a typically patriotic group would turn down the President’s invite, but what is a little strange is that a White House that so recently had a very public struggle with a scheduling issue would react in such a huffy manner to an identical excuse.

Nonetheless, honorees Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch, Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton and Matt Kenseth will attend. For the other five, if during his Thursday night job-creation speech the President should happen to mention creating jobs for car mechanics, in the future it might be wise to know who’s hanging around the pit stop, tightening the lug nuts on the cars of the drivers who chose to respectfully decline the President’s invitation.

Tropical Storm Lee is bearing down on the Louisiana coast. The storm isn’t expected to threaten New York City, so your cable news programming this weekend should be normal.

BILL DALEY: Boehner’s office just called, sir.  He’s changed his mind.  Says you can address the joint session next Friday at 2:00 a.m.

OBAMA:  Cheeky b**tard.  All right, accept.  Eric, have Federal marshals available to round up and escort legislators to the Chamber.  Encourage them to be rough with Republicans.

JAY CARNEY: Our dirty tricks team affixed a wireless speaker under Joe Wilson’s seat, sir. We’ll trigger it to replay “You lie!” four minutes into your remarks.

BRIAN WILLIAMS:  Afterward, our technicians will enhance the audio, pinpoint the source, and nail him.  Wilson will deny, but voiceprint analysis confirms it’s his voice.

OBAMA:  And another firestorm.  Man never learns.

DAVID PLOUFFE:  Lotta voters throwing the Kool-Aid back in our faces, sir.  I wonder if a speech touting investment in urine-powered cars and prefabricated bamboo homes will help your numbers.

OBAMA:  Anyone with a better idea?

CARNEY:  Do a 180, sir: have a “Come-to-Jesus Moment” before the whole country, announcing you’ve finally realized you’re a socialist ideologue. (more…)

President Obama’s sit down with weighty media figure, radio talk show host Tom Joyner, resulted in an interesting prediction Tuesday:

“There is no doubt that we can take steps that would mean the economy was growing a percent or a percentage and a half faster. That could mean half a million to a million additional jobs,” said Obama.

After almost three years in office, 13.9 million unemployed, and more than 42 million on food stamps, is the President just blowing more hot election cycle air? Can DC handle yet another blundering blowhard? You decide.

Talking points. Anyone standing in front of a group of people, representing an organization or focused message has ‘em, just in case the person speaking decides to veer off topic and start discussing the lunch that gave him heartburn.

Yeah, most of us see the need for ‘em.

But when our own government sends out a list of  9/11 talking points in order to curb and dilute the message of this terrible sacred day, it shows how far gone this administration really is when it comes to knowing the pulse and sentiments of its people.

According to a the New York Times report, the adminstration said its goal in issuing 9/11 talking points is to “present a positive, forward-looking narrative.”

“As we commemorate the citizens of over 90 countries who perished in the 9/11 attacks, we honor all victims of terrorism in every nation around the world. We honor and celebrate the resilience of individuals, families and communities on every continent, whether in New York or Nairobi, Bali or Belfast, Mumbai or Manila, or Lahore or London,” the guidelines state.

We all understand people of many different nationalities perished on 9/11. We also understand the global impact of 9/11 and how it changed the face of terrorism in the world. Suddenly, we were all acutely aware of the danger out there – the fact we, as Americans were being targeted and hated as a country for our beliefs in freedom, independence and liberty. So, to globalize the 10th anniversary into a memorial to victims of terrorism around the world seems to demean the significance and importance of this one, very real event in America’s history.

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It’s funny what a million dollars in political contributions, support for the right candidate and a liberal meme can buy you in Washington these days.  For Google, it is buying them a free pass as they amass growing power in Washington and the marketplace.

AT&T, while unionized, does not have the same liberal bent as Google.  They are more a traditional Beltway player.  Open Secrets.org describes their strategy as “Although the company has historically favored Republicans in its political giving, people and political action committees associated with AT&T have as of late generally split their contributions between Democrats and the GOP.”

Recently both Google and AT&T made strategic acquisitions.  How they were treated by the politicized Department of Justice makes an interesting statement.

Google is a giant and growing by the day. Google purchased Motorola and ITA Software, which builds online flight and ticket information software for travel websites.  Google paid $700 million for ITA and Motorola for $12 billion.  The acquisition of ITA allows Google to corner the market for travel and Motorola gives Google monopoly on thousands of patents that will help stave off competitive threats and patent-infringement lawsuits.

Despite howls of protests from the travel industry, that feared Google would crowd out other travel websites when combined with Google’s search engine.  Yet the Justice Department approved Google’s purchase with a caveat, Google must also set up a formal reporting system for anyone who believes it is acting unfairly.  With regard to the purchase of Motorola, DOJ seems poised to approve the purchase as well.

But for AT&T, the Department of Justice has been less than hospitable.  DOJ has filed a lawsuit trying to block the purchase of T-Mobile, arguing that it will hurt competition.

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From The Associated Press:

President Barack Obama on Friday scrapped his administration’s controversial plans to tighten smog rules, bowing to the demands of congressional Republicans and some business leaders.

Obama overruled the Environmental Protection Agency—and the unanimous opinion of its independent panel of scientific advisers—and directed administrator Lisa Jackson to withdraw the proposed regulation to reduce concentrations of ground-level ozone, smog’s main ingredient. The decision rests in part on reducing regulatory burdens and uncertainty for businesses at a time of rampant uncertainty about an unsteady economy.

The announcement came shortly after a new government report on private sector employment showed that businesses essentially added no new jobs last month—and that the jobless rate remained stuck at a historically high 9.1 percent.

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They’re banning pet pigs in St, Charles, Missouri (even small, hypoallergenic ones like Pepper!) and Nice Cream in Illinois (even though it’s packed with natural ingredients and the owner says its bacterial levels are well below state-approved levels!), but neither can claim the top slot because, well, this time Nanny of the Month is doing something different…

For the first time ever Nanny of the Month is cheering a ban.

That’s right, starting September 1 , more than 500 Michigan restaurant and bar owners will begin turning state lawmakers away from their establishments. State Senator So-and-so wants a brew? Too bad. Politicians won’t be served until they revisit the state’s 2010 smoking ban, which, owners say, has devastated business, and left bars like Sporty O’Tooles on the verge of collapse.

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There’s an old saying that if you lie down with dogs be prepared to get up with fleas. Apparently if you lie down with environmentalists you should be prepared to get raided by the Feds.

That’s the lesson to be learned from the experience of Gibson Guitars, whose Tennessee-based operations were overrun by armed agents from the Fish and Wildlife Service this week. The agents were looking for wood used in the manufacturing of the company’s legendary six strings. They believe some of it comes from sources not considered environmentally correct.

Gibson’s CEO protested the raid loudly this week, and who can blame him? For years Gibson has worked hand in glove with far left environmental organizations in an effort to make sure their wood comes from “approved” sources. Gibson is a partner in Greenpeace’s “Music Wood” campaign. It was one of the first instrument makers to procure wood that has been certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), another green group. Gibson’s president sat on the board of Rainforest Alliance.

What has all the consorting with environmentalists gotten Gibson? Government jackboots kicking down doors and bad-mouthing from environmentalists.

And is anyone surprised to find George Soros involved in this saga?

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In this week’s video, I lay out the connection between big unions and big gas prices. I don’t quite have Glenn Beck money, so don’t expect an appearance from the chalkboard. It really is interesting to see just why liberals feel the need to extend the federal gasoline tax. Who’s at play here? Big Oil? Nope. Big Pharama? Get real. Big Unions? Ding ding! That’s where the money is, folks. Also, I fear munchkins.

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On today’s edition of Coffee and Markets, Brad Jackson and Ben Domenech are joined by Francis Cianfrocca to discuss the dismal unemployment figures for August, the possibility of QE 3 and the possibility of another financial crisis.

We’re brought to you as always by BigGovernment and Stephen Clouse and Associates. If you’d like to email us, you can do so at coffee[at]newledger.com. We hope you enjoy the show.

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BLS: The Employment Situation – August
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Former UN Ambassador John Bolton has the look and sound of someone about to announce his candidacy for U.S. President, dogging Barack Obama at every possible media opportunity.  Or perhaps- given it is this late in the process and there is no apparent infrastructure or exploratory committee in place- does he have the look and sound of someone strategically positioning himself to become a Vice Presidential running mate for one of the leading candidates?

I asked him that question and others recently on my radio show and Ambassador Bolton used some of his harshest language yet in calling Obama a ‘radical’,  saying “that he (Obama) cannot walk and chew gum at the same time” .

Below are excerpts from my interview John Bolton:

Does John Bolton’s national security experience make him an attractive running mate for one of the GOP candidates? Click image above to hear my full interview with the former UN Ambassador.

Bolton To Make Decision By Labor Day

As I point out above Bolton has been giving interviews for months in which he says he is considering running for President but it is getting awfully late in the process for someone without an infrastructure or exploratory committee in place.  A point made on the national airwaves by Bolton’s friend radio host Mark Levin. I asked the Ambassador to address this,

“I hadn’t heard that Mark had said that I’ve known him for years and I have a great deal of respect for him but that is more subtle than my thinking at the moment. “

“I have been concerned for quite some time as you and I have discussed before that under the Obama Presidency we as a nation haven’t focused on national security to the extent that we should”…

…“I fully understand that people are concentrating on the economic recovery…but Presidents and countries have to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time”…

…“I will make a decision by Labor Day in deciding whether or not to go.”

When asked if the nation is not ready- as some have suggested- for another Texan as President (Rick Perry), does that mean also mean that perhaps the nation is not yet ready for someone who served in the Bush Administration?

“I think Rick Perry would make an outstanding President. I have a lot of respect for him and he has a great record in Texas and I’m glad he is in the race.”

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Recovery Bummer: The economy added ZERO jobs in August. “Economists” had been expecting a significant increase. In a continuing pattern, job growth estimates for both June and July were revised downward. We expect today’s report to be revised downward next month.

Yesterday’s big news was the White House going to great lengths to express its fury at not being permitted to get away with a cheap stunt regarding a Presidential address before Congress and a pre-scheduled, Network-televised GOP debate. One might suppose they had to do something hasty to distract from still more poor economic news, leading to reports of Democrats distancing themselves from Obama. It makes perfect sense for Obama to blame the GOP House for all his troubles. He can’t really blame Democrats when they’re acting as if they don’t know and never even heard of him. Poor guy.

Thursday’s economic data on jobless claims, manufacturing activity and construction spending initially garnered a warm response from investors. But the reality of the lackluster economy those numbers conveyed eventually set in.”

In related news, esteemed Mediaite reporter, Tommy Christopher, called for Speaker Boehner’s resignation over the debate incident. As of press time, Big Government can all but confirm that another tree also fell in a forest somewhere with no one there to hear it; however, without a link, unlike Christopher provided, we’re simply going to let that news pass.

Boehner has insulted and disrespected the office of the President of the United States, and should resign.

The White House also announced a key initiative, to consider Internet petitions with 5,000, or more signed supporters. One could hardly come up with a better taxpayer-funded plan to target key voter issues by demographic for messaging in the 2012 campaign if they wanted to, not that we’re accusing the administration of politicking from the White House, or anything.

The White House on Thursday announced a new way it will keep in touch with public concerns — by promising to consider online petitions that get at least 5,000 supporters.

You may have missed the big fight over the “Durbin Amendment” during the debate over the Dodd-Frank financial services “reform.” It was designed to cap the fees banks charged retailers for processing debit and credit card transactions. Supporters claimed it would help consumers…er, somehow. Opponents claimed it was just a government-imposed handout to the retailers and would ultimately hurt consumers. Guess how turned out to be right? Those fees the government won’t let banks charge big retailers…YOU are now paying them. Thanks, Dick Durbin!

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Cross-Posted: TobyToons.com (Conservative Political Cartoons)

There’s an old TV saying given to the moment when viewers realize a series has peaked – it’s called “jumping the shark.”  It’s in reference to the fifth season of Happy Days, when the Fonz is waterskiing – complete with leather jacket – and proceeds to jump over a shark.  The scene was so outlandish and ridiculous, that viewers realized the show as creatively bankrupt. The popularity of the series declined from there.

We may have just witnessed the Wisconsin public employee unions’ shark-jumping moment.

The Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC) has been organizing its members to show up to school board meetings to protest the cost-saving measures being implemented, thanks exclusively to Gov. Scott Walker’s budget repair law.

WEAC crybaby sessions at local school board meetings are becoming a weekly event.

See EAGtv’s report on the latest episode.

But to WEAC’s dismay, school board members who have been targeted for intimidation are showing up to these meetings prepared for the protests. So are local residents who have had their fill of union bullying.

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Later this month, Pennsylvania lawmakers will return to debate privatizing state-owned liquor stores.  Yes, for our friends in California, Texas, Florida or any of the 30 states that have never seen a government-run liquor store, Pennsylvania state government remains in the business of selling alcohol to its residents.  Pennsylvania is one of only two states in the nation (Utah being the other) with complete government control of wine and spirits sales.

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board’s (PLCB) recent failures help demonstrate why government in the booze business is a lose business.  In a notable example, the agency tried its own form of Perestroika, allowing wine to be sold in grocery stores through wine kiosks: Rube Goldberg-like contraptions in which consumers would blow into a breathalyzer and show ID through video to a state worker sitting in the PLCB’s central office.

The program was a catastrophe from the start, as many – including the PLCB’s own advisory committee – predicted.  The machines broke down during the Christmas rush and the kiosk contractor now reportedly owes the state $1 million (a cynic might point out the contractor has deep ties to former Governor Ed Rendell).  Wegman’s, one of the state’s largest grocery chains, dropped all wine kiosks in June.  This week, state Auditor General Jack Wagner released a report declaring the program a failure.  The Philadelphia Inquirer said of the fiasco, “Rarely before has any government agency so succinctly, thoroughly, and convincingly made the case for its own elimination.”

Although Pennsylvania and Utah are the only states with a complete government monopoly on liquor sales, other states continue to fight for libation liberation.  State liquor store privatization remains a hot issue in Washington and Virginia where, although private stores are permitted to carry wine, government control still remains.

The latest effort to get government out of the booze business is spearheaded by House Majority Leader Mike Turzai (R-Pittsburgh).  His proposal calls for auctioning off 1,250 liquor store licenses (up from Pennsylvania’s current 650 stores), divesting the wholesale operations, and selling off the state store inventory.  With Republicans controlling both the state House and Senate, and Gov. Tom Corbett supporting privatization, momentum is building to enact liquor liberty this year.

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Today, in 1945, Japan formally surrenders, ending World War II six years and one day after it began.

Reason’s Matt Welch, coauthor of the new book, The Declaration of Independents: How Libertarian Politics Can Fix What’s Wrong With America, talks with Emily Ekins, Reason’s polling director, about what the new Reason Rupe Public Opinion Survey tells us about how Americans think about federal spending, and debt.

Ekins argues that Americans primarily want to cut spending, not raise revenue, to deal with the debt crisis.

“[Americans] believe that [cutting spending] will…do more to help the economy than hurt,” Ekins says. “Fifty-seven percent believe that, where as only 20% believe that it would mostly harm the economy.”

The Reason-Rupe survey is online here and here (pdf).

This Reason Foundation project is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Arthur N. Rupe Foundation.

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