Posts Tagged ‘Indiana’

LinkSwarm for March 17, 2017

Friday, March 17th, 2017

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Insert your own Irish-related drinking joke here.

  • President Trump’s approval ratings rise.
  • Did Obama use a British intelligence agency to spy on Trump? (Maybe not.)
  • Did the Obama Administration use Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac as a slush fund to pay for ObamaCare?
  • Senate Democrats are paralized what do to over Neil Gorsuch. Everyone agrees Gorsuch is extremely qualified, but the leftwing nutroots are threatening to primary any Democrat who votes to confirm him. (Hat tip: Stephen Green at Instapundit.)
  • Finally: “A House panel held a hearing on possibly splitting the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Thursday morning.” (Hat tip: Ace of Spades HQ.)
  • In talking about the House GOP’s pathetic ObamaCare replacement, Stephen Green hits the nail on the head: “Congress is warped because the American electorate has yet to accept that other people’s money does eventually run out — and that we are all the other people.” That’s why we need someone committed to reform in the White House, and Greece and Venezuela’s examples fresh in the public’s eye…
  • Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey: “What we reject is immigration without assimilation.” (Hat tip: Sarah Hoyt at Instapundit.)
  • ICE arrests 248 illegal aliens, most in the sanctuary city of Philadelphia. “20 had a conviction and/or pending charges or 48 percent (88 of those arrested had criminal convictions and 32 of those arrested have pending criminal charges). In addition, 50 had been previously removed from the United States and subsequently illegally re-entered.” (Hat tip: Director Blue.)
  • Meanwhile, in Australia: “Teacher quits after primary school students threaten to behead her.” (Hat tip: Instapundit.)
  • “Iraqi government forces besieged Islamic State militants around Mosul’s Old City on Thursday, edging closer to the historic mosque from where the group’s leader declared a caliphate nearly three years ago.”
  • Former Democratic Representative Dennis Kucinich says that one of his phonecalls was wiretapped. “If a member of Congress can have his phone tapped, this can happen to anybody.”
  • Ten Senate Democrats are vulnerable in 2018. They’re prime targets for takedowns in the midterm elections. But the process starts now, not then…In order of vulnerability (most to least), the target list features: 1) Joe Donnelly-IN; 2) Bill Nelson-FL; 3) Sherrod Brown-OH; 4) Claire McCaskill-MO; 5) Heidi Heitkamp-ND; 6) Tammy Baldwin-WI; 7) Jon Tester-MN; 8) Joe Manchin-WV; 9) Debbie Stabenow-MI; 10) Bob Casey, Jr.-PA.” Agree with the list, but not the order, since Heitkamp hails from a state Trump won by 36 points. But seeing Stupak bloc flip-flopper Donnelly go down at last would be extremely satisfying…
  • Breakdown of 2016 Presidential race demographics. Least likely to vote for Trump: Black single women. Most likely to vote for Trump: Mormons. Usual poll caveats apply. (Hat tip: Director Blue.)
  • Remember convicted felon Brett Kimberlin? There’s always some Kimberlin news floating around the blogsphere, usually in relation to his latest ludicrous lawsuit getting laughed out of court. But this week he made the news for being involved in selling hoax documents designed to bring down Donald Trump. “The entire set of documents appear to have been forged as part of an elaborate scam.” So, like most Kimberlin escapades, the story ends in embarrassing failure. (Hat tip: The Other McCain.)
  • Cenk Uygur: Why the Democratic Party is useless. 1. As with all these critiques of the Democratic Party from the left, it’s right about the party being a corrupt institution for entrenched interests and wrong about America being gung ho for socialism. 2. Boy, that “not being polite” stuff sure helped Democrats recall Scott Walker! 3. “Cenk Uygur” sounds like a dark, forbidding fortress at the edge of Mordor.
  • Holland is the canary in the European coalmine of radical Islamization. (Hat tip: Ace of Spades HQ.)
  • Speaking of Holland, Geert Wilders placed second in Dutch elections, which falls short of a serious challenge to the Islamophillic and Eurocentric establishment.
  • Dear Sen. McCain: (Sigh).
  • Rand Paul fires back: “He makes a really, really strong case for term limits. I think maybe he’s past his prime. I think maybe he’s gotten a little bit unhinged.”
  • Germany wants to fine companies for not censoring fast enough. What do you want to bet that objections to the rousing success of their Muslim immigration policy are first on the list of things to be censored?
  • Camille Paglia has a new book out, and offers up an interview where she talks about modern feminism (against), southern women (for), working class men (for), Michel Foucault (against), and pornography (for).
  • Soros Fellow Flees Country While Wife Arrested For Welfare Scam.” It seems that earning $1.5 million a year at the Washington, D.C., offices of Mayer Brown LLP just wasn’t enough for Fidelis Agbapuruonwu… (Hat tip: Stephen Green at Instapundit.)
  • Three #BlackLivesMatter protestors arrested for beating up a homeless man.
  • Man gets a C when he should have gotten an A for a school assignment. So he did what any of us would have done: Successfully amends the Constitution. (Hat tip: Texas Supreme Court Justice Don Willett’s Twitter feed.)
  • Dwight has some Austin-related memoes from the police beat.
  • “Coming up next on Most ShockingMormon Justice!”
  • King Kong burns.
  • He divided them again!
  • Schumer steals again. (Hat tip: Instapundit.)
  • Singer Kelly Clarkson is selling her Tennessee mansion. I like how it’s half typical rich-person mansion, and half Bass Pro Shop…
  • Right to Work Signed Into Law in Missouri

    Thursday, February 9th, 2017

    Missouri joins the right to work parade:

    Republican Gov. Eric Greitens signed legislation on Monday making Missouri the latest “right-to-work” state, as the growing movement sets its sights next on New Hampshire – hoping to break into one of the labor unions’ last remaining strongholds.

    Legislation advancing in the New Hampshire capital, if approved, would make the state the first in the Northeast to go “right-to-work.” The measure, which bars unions from forcing employees to join or pay dues, is set for a vote in the state’s House next week – after having passed the Senate.

    The push is the latest sign of labor unions’ diminishing clout, and how Republican gains at the state level are having a broad impact on policy, amid support for such legislation from the Trump White House.

    Right to work laws help in two ways: They make states more economically competitive compared to their closed shop brethren, and they deprive the Democratic Party of political contributions forcibly extracted from union members via compulsory dues.

    Missouri joins Kentucky, which passed right to work legislation earlier this year, as well as West Virginia (2016), Wisconsin (2015), Michigan and Indiana (both 2012) as states that have recently passed right to work laws.

    That brings the total of right to work states up to 28.

    Sorta Liveblogging the 2016 Election

    Tuesday, November 8th, 2016

    First results: Trump takes Indiana and Kentucky, Clinton takes Vermont.

    Trump leading the national vote.


    Trump wins West Virginia.


    Trump leads in Virginia.


    Fox calls Portman for Ohio Senate.


    Trump running ahead of Romney’s totals in KY, IN.


    Trump ahead by 10+ points in Virginia. 11% in.


    Trump ahead in Florida.


    Tim Scott wins SC senate.


    Trump up 10 points in NC.


    Fox calls SC for Trump, even though actual totals have Clinton slightly ahead. (Insert shrug emoji.)


    Kentucky Dem Speaker Stumbo going down. Last Dem Speaker in South (if you don’t count Straus).


    Trump now up by 11 in VA.


    Trump still leading national vote total.


    Oklahoma called for Jill Stein.

    Ha, just kidding. Trump.


    Clinton takes lead in FL. Still too close to call. Clinton also now ahead in NH. Not good.


    Trump still up in VA.


    Mississippi called for Trump.

    Missouri called for Trump

    Tennessee called for Trump.


    Pizza break.


    HOLY FUCK! 28 votes separate Trump and Clinton in Florida.


    Trump edges ahead in FL. Now up 8,000 votes.


    GOP takes KY house.


    Fox callas Alabama for Trump. Try to contain your shock.


    Todd Young kicks Evan Bayh’s ass in IN Sen.


    Rand Paul and Marco Rubio win their Sen races.


    NBC calls Republican maintaining control of House.


    Trump lead in Florida keeps widening. 91% of votes in.


    Trump up a full point in Florida.


    Hurd winning in TX CD23.


    Nate Silver says Senate shifts right. Interesting.


    Trump winning Texas by less than I expected.


    Trump behind in Ohio. 1/3rd of votes in.


    Could never imagine Trump winning Florida but losing Ohio, but that’s how it’s trending right now.


    Crist picks up FL House seat, alas.


    Trump still winning Florida and the popular vote.


    Fox: “Ohio. A difference of do the math.”


    Trump still leading Virginia.


    Blake Farenthold (R) crushes it.


    Trump takes lead in Ohio,


    Texas called for Trump. Much narrower than I expected.


    Trump still up in Florida.


    Trump widens lead in Ohio, takes lead in NC.


    McCain wins in AZ Sen, promises more pancakes, Matlock.


    FL: 93% in, trump lead widens.


    Debbie Whatshername Schultz on Fox now. Mute. God it was good for the GOP to have her running the DNC.


    Trump still up in Virginia with 72% of the vote in. Maybe all the felons voted for Trump!


    Trump still leads VA.


    Trump WAY up over Clinton in WI, but only 3% of the vote in.


    GOP guy on Fox: “Trump will win Ohio.”


    Local returns. Restroom break.


    Zimmerman losing ATCC? A Hillary vote surge causality?


    Trump still up in FL with 94% in.


    Trump up in VA and NC.


    Trump winning MN, but only 2% in.


    Hillary under 80% in Philadelphia?


    Trump way up in Ohio.


    NM called for Clinton.


    Tappert: “This may put the polling industry out of business.”


    NYT’s COHN: “Trump favored to win for first time.”


    Trump super narrow lead in VA.


    Slight Clinton lead in VA.


    Stupid Austin passes stupid transportation bond.


    Foxes projects Clinton to win VA.


    Women on PBS definitely gazing into an abyss.


    PBS sounds like a wake. “No one from the Clinton campaign wants to talk to us.”


    Trump up BIG in Michigan. Michael Moore may turn out to be a prophet.


    Trump still up in NH.


    RCP says Trump won Ohio.


    Seeing projections Clinton wins VA.


    Hearing Manchin (D-WV) may flip to Republican next year. His state already has.


    If Trump wins electoral vote and Clinton wins popular vote, liberal heads will never stop exploding.


    Trump up in both MI and WI.


    NYT chances of Trump winning up to 91%.


    Fox: Trump doubles Romney’s black vote total. Me: Not hard.


    Sadly, Daryl Glenn loses in Colorado.


    Fox calls NC for Trump.


    PBS calls FL for Trump.


    “Clinton staffers leaving her victory party.” Well, there’s all that shredding to do…


    NYT’s: Trump’s chances of winning < 95%


    Utah called for Trump. Take that, Egg McMuffin!


    Clinton’s campaign has gone dark. There are all those servers to destroy.


    TRUMP WINS WISCONSIN! The fat lady has started warming up…


    TRUMP WINS IOWA.

    Trump has won the Presidency.


    Trump on verge of winning NH. That’s the last nail in the coffin.


    Trump only 7,000 votes behind in Penn.


    Too busy jaw-dropping and celebrating to blog.


    “Clinton campaign staff in tears.”


    “It’s time to start talking about Trump Democrats.” After tonight, I don’t think they’re Democrats any more.


    Now both hookers and weed are legal in NV.


    Toomey pulls it out in PA Sen.


    AP called PA for Trump. Still waiting for Fox.


    NYT calls Pennsylvania for Trump. Finally, Brunhilda can give her aria.


    AP calls race for Trump.

    Shep Smith is trying to cast a sleep spell upon us.


    FINALLY! Fox calls Pennsylvania (and the Presidency) for Trump.


    Clinton called to concede the race.

    Trump making a very gracious victory speech, calling for the country to come together.


    Thanked Reince Prebius, as well he should. RNC did a fantastic job.

    Congratulations to Donald Trump for being elected the 45th President of the United States of America.

    Goodnight folks.

    LinkSwarm for October 7, 2016

    Friday, October 7th, 2016

    It’s been one of those weeks. Enjoy a Friday LinkSwarm:

  • This just in: The eight years of the Obama Administration have been a miserable failure.
  • Some ObamaCare patients are losing their plans, others are facing huge rate hikes. In Tennessee, they’re getting both. (Hat tip: Jim Geraghty’s Morning Jolt.)
  • More on the same theme:

    ObamaCare’s unraveling shows the danger of a one-size-fits-all federal program. What’s happening in Tennessee is only a nationwide harbinger. Every single neighboring state will have less competition on its ObamaCare exchanges next year. The entire state of Alabama will have only one insurer. Almost all are facing double-digit premium increases: in Mississippi a weighted average of 16%; in Kentucky 25%; in Georgia 33%.

    These problems aren’t confined to the Southeast. ObamaCare exchange buyers will have only one option in nearly a third of American counties, according to an August report from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. That’s a 300% increase in single-option counties from last year. Twenty-five states and the District of Columbia have approved rates leading to average premium increases next year of over 26%.

    (Hat tip: Director Blue.)

  • Indiana police raid offices in nine county voting fraud case. (Hat tip: Instapundit.)
  • And speaking of voting fraud, the 86 non-citizens registered to vote in Philadelphia are just the tip of the iceberg. (Hat tip: Director Blue.)
  • There’s even a huge voting fraud investigation going on in Tarrant County, with “a vote harvesting scheme involving as many as 20,000 ballots.”
  • Michael Moore: “I don’t think people do trust the Democrats.”
  • Even MSNBC panelists nail the media for obvious left-wing bias.
  • Race relations have gotten worse under Obama. That’s what happens when you have George Soros spending millions to poison race relations, and let Social Justice Warriors go rampaging through your institutions…
  • Both Republican Senator Kelly Ayotte and Donald Trump are gaining in New Hampshire. Remember that until very recently New Hampshire was considered a solidly Republican state.
  • Mayor de Blasio is thin-skinned and unable to handle even the slightest criticism.” (Hat tip: Ace of Spades HQ.)
  • NFL ratings are down across the, and one-third of people surveyed says its because of the Black Lives Matter pandering. (Hat tip: Jim Geraghty’s Morning Jolt.)
  • Followup: Dawanna Dukes seeks a plea deal. (Hat tip: Dwight.)
  • So even Canada has giant brawls in its McDonalds? Bonus: Baby raccoon.
  • Peak Florida? (Hat tip: Bill Crider.)
  • So: Trump

    Tuesday, May 3rd, 2016

    Both Decision Desk and CNN are both projecting Donald Trump to win Indiana with over 50% of the vote. At this point, it makes Trump a prohibitive favorite to clench the GOP nomination before the convention over Ted Cruz.

    This is not an outcome I would have foreseen when the race started, nor is it one I desire.

    But it is what it is.

    Presidential Race Update for May 3, 2016

    Tuesday, May 3rd, 2016

    Today voters go to the polls in Indiana. If Cruz wins, we’re likely headed to a floor fight at the Republican convention. If not…

  • Ted Cruz: “A sterling Reagan conservative. A classical liberal. A believer in limited government, the rule of law, free enterprise, peace through strength, the right to life. A smart man, a decent man. A bold man, a persistent man. My friend (incidentally). The kind of person who ought to be president of the United States.”
  • “Donald Trump, who has run as the immigration scourge, is actually the amnesty candidate.” (Hat tip: Ed Driscoll at Instapundit.)
  • The media created this Trump phenomenon and then they don’t hold him accountable.”
  • Democratic campaign consultants are salivating at the thought of tying Trump around the necks of other Republican candidates. (Hat tip: Director Blue.)
  • Protestors carrying Mexican flags try to block Donald Trump from speaking, destroy police car.
  • Cruz-Kasich Detente in Indiana, New Mexico, Oregon

    Sunday, April 24th, 2016

    Ted Cruz and John Kasich have evidently come to an understanding about clearing the way for the other to fight Donald Trump in the states they’re respectively strongest in:

    Tonight, Kasich for America chief strategist John Weaver issued the following statement:

    “Donald Trump doesn’t have the support of a majority of Republicans – not even close, but he currently does have almost half the delegates because he’s benefited from the existing primary system. Our goal is to have an open convention in Cleveland, where we are confident a candidate capable of uniting the Party and winning in November will emerge as the nominee.”

    Blather about Kasich’s awesomeness snipped.

    Due to the fact that the Indiana primary is winner-take-all statewide and by congressional district, keeping Trump from winning a plurality in Indiana is critical to keeping him under 1237 bound delegates before Cleveland. We are very comfortable with our delegate position in Indiana already, and given the current dynamics of the primary there, we will shift our campaign’s resources West and give the Cruz campaign a clear path in Indiana.

    In turn, we will focus our time and resources in New Mexico and Oregon, both areas that are structurally similar to the Northeast politically, where Gov. Kasich is performing well. We would expect independent third-party groups to do the same and honor the commitments made by the Cruz and Kasich campaigns.

    This is a smart move against Trump, and one that keeps Cruz’s real hopes (and Kasich’s delusional ones) alive.

    This is not only the strangest Presidential election of our lifetimes, it’s probably the strangest Presidential election since 1876 (the last time the House of Representatives choose Republican Rutherford Hayes over Democrat Samuel Tilden due to double sets of returns from southern states still undergoing reconstruction), and possibly since 1860…

    LinkSwarm for June 28, 2013

    Friday, June 28th, 2013

    It’s supposed to hit a 106° in Austin today. Sadly, not all of these links will help you keep your cool…

  • 12 different IRS offices targeted conservatives.
  • Over 1,100 patients were starved to death at NHS hospitals in the UK. Funny, I don’t remember that being mentioned in the Olympic tribute to how awesome NHS is…
  • Marco Rubio aide: We need illegal alien amnesty because American workers suck.
  • Blue collar Americans having trouble finding jobs. I’m sure that has nothing to do with our ruling political elite’s decision to allow unlimited illegal immigration of unskilled workers…
  • Every Republican voting for amnesty better get ready for a primary challenge.
  • Obama camapign workers convicted of voter fraud in Indiana. This was for the 2008 Democratic primary, so it will likely be many years before see starting seeing convictions for the Obama campaign’s various 2012 voting fraud efforts…
  • Noam Chomsky attending the opening of Hezbollah’s “Death to Israel” theme park.
  • People told me that if I voted for Romney, the U.S. military would start blocking access to liberal news sources. And they were right!
  • The Atlantic says that Obama “succeeded” in Libya but is failing in Syria. If Benghazi was success, I’d hate to see what failure looks like.
  • And speaking of Benghazi, Libya just let one of the suspected attackers walk. Thank God we have Obama’s smart, sophisticated diplomacy in the Middle East…
  • Beer now unaffordable in Greece. And you thought they had riots before…
  • Second Colorado Democrat faces a recall election over gun control.
  • Magpul to give away 1,500 30-round magazines just two days before Colorado outlaws them.
  • By the way, there’s a Facebook page to show support for bringing Magpul to Texas. But most of the rumors I hear have them moving to Wyoming.
  • The Amarillo Globe-News has a message for gun manufacturers thinking of relocating to Texas: Come on down!
  • Texas executes its 500th murderer. Don’t mess with Texas. Or we will end you.
  • Speaking of ending you: Don’t try to commit armed robbery in a concealed carry state.
  • Nurse Bloomberg continues to underwrite anti-gun ads, shoot himself in the foot. (Hat tip: Alphecca.
  • In order to prove vegans aren’t a creepy cult, website seeks to out and harass lapsed vegans.
  • The Onion channels Jay Carney: “Well, Time To Go Out In Front Of A Bunch Of People And Lie To Them.”
  • The mystery of Lori Ruff, AKA Becky Sue Turner. No one know who she actually is…
  • LinkSwarm for February 3, 2012

    Friday, February 3rd, 2012
  • James Q. Wilson on income inequality.
  • Obama declares war on Catholics.
  • Hey Rocky, watch me pull 1.2 million people out of the labor force in a single month!
  • The blue model is breaking down so fast and so far that not even its supporters can ignore the disintegration and disaster it now presages.”
  • The Cato Institute has put up this handy interactive map of defensive gun use. (Hat tip: Say Uncle.)
  • Over at Shall Not Be Questioned, Sebastian talks about a review of Adam Winkler’s Gunfight: The Battle over the Right to Bear Arms in America, an excerpt of which Clayton E. Cramer was kind enough to examine here. This particular post is notable as both Winkler and Cramer chime in in the comments. I would be most interested in reading a full-length review by Cramer of Gunfight, but I don’t think he’s done one yet.
  • Big labor loses big in Indiana.
  • Mickey Kaus wonders what Obama does all day
  • A bit of followup on that Killeen recall election: this is what democracy in action looks like.
  • Select Long-Shot House Campaigns

    Thursday, October 14th, 2010

    A few days ago I covered a handful of the most competitive House races. With tides moving so strongly against the Democrats, now would be a good time to look at some House races that Republicans might view as hopeless in any other year.

    But this year, all bets are off.

    So here are some long-shot campaigns for the seats of particularly egregious incumbent House Democrats that just might fall the GOP’s way in this election:

    • Jerry Costello of Illinois vs. Teri Newman for Illinois 12th Congressional District. (Teri, here’s a free hint: Auto-running movies with sound on your website isn’t going to win you any votes.) Costello is a Stupak bloc flip-flopper who voted for the Stimulus, but against TARP and Cap-and-Trade.
    • Joseph Donnelly vs. Jackie Walorski for Indiana’s second congressional district. Donnelly is another Stupak bloc flip-flopper, and also voted for TARP and the Stimulus, but against ObamaCare. Walorski has been endorsed by Sarah Palin, so she might well have more money and attention than others on this list.
    • Lloyd Doggett vs. Dr. Donna Campbell for the Texas 25th congressional district. Having endured having old liberal warhorse Lloyd Doggett as my Representative back when I still lived within the confines of The People’s Republic of Austin, I would be delighted to see a Republican take Doggett out. Doggett voted against TARP, but for the Stimulus, Cap-and-Trade, and ObamaCare. One issue in the campaign is Doggett’s writing language into federal law to deprive Texas of almost a billion dollars in federal education funds. In this Human Events piece on the race, Campbell notes that Doggett “voted 98% of the time with Nancy Pelosi. And him getting in again, is one more vote that keeps Pelosi in.”
    • Barney Frank vs. ex-Marine Sean Bielat for Massachusetts’ Fourth Congressional District. Frank is as much responsible as anyone in the House for helping create the current recession by his steadfast opposition to tightening regulation of Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac at the same time he was having an affair with Fannie Mae executive Herb Moses. Frank, as you would expect, has a perfect liberal record in voting for TARP, the Stimulus, Cap-and-Trade, and ObamaCare. Here’s a Wall Street Journal piece on the race.
    • Charlie Rangel vs. Michael Faulkner for New York’s 15th congressional district. Rangel is, of course, a corrupt scumbag. (The question of whether he’s the most corrupt scumbag in the House I’ll leave as an exercise for the reader.) Like Al Sharpton, he has a certain amount of venomous charm. Unlike Sharpton, he’s actually been elected. Like Frank, Rangel has a perfect liberal record in voting for TARP, the Stimulus, Cap-and-Trade, and ObamaCare. Faulkner has a good bit of name recognition from being a former New York Jets football player. The differences between Faulkner and Rangel are legion (not least of which is my working assumption that Faulkner isn’t a corrupt scumbag), but one of particular local interest may play a role if this race becomes the upset of all upsets: Rangel supports the Ground Zero Mosque while Faulkner opposes it. Polling for the race is non-existent (Democrats outnumber Republicans 15-1), but at least some observers think it might be more competitive than expected.

    Remember, in 1994 no one expected Speaker of the House Tom Foley’s race to be even remotely competitive, but George Nethercutt still beat him, and there are some observers who say it could very well be much worse for Democrats this year than 1994. If that’s the case, then it’s a good bet one or more of the Republican candidates listed above will pull off an upset.