[Guest post by DRJ]

Here are some petty things that annoy me, if only for a minute:

Kanye West thinking he can take the stage whenever he wants, even though it ruined Taylor Swift’s winning moment.

Politico implying that former Bush media adviser Mark McKinnon speaks for Republicans when he said Rep. Joe Wilson’s outburst shows “their party is becoming known less for the power of its ideals and more for the pettiness of its vitriol.” McKinnon is the voice of the GOP now because he supports Obama. But in 1999, when McKinnon worked for George Bush, Time Magazine described him as a long-time Democrat intent on selling “his fellow Democrats” on George Bush.

Here’s one thing that isn’t petty. It’s a sad day when an American political leader like Sen. Diane Feinstein and a terrorist like Osama bin Laden agree it’s time for the U.S. to set a date to withdraw our troops from Afghanistan.

— DRJ

[Guest post by DRJ]

It’s 2009 and we’re all racists now, even babies.

Ed Driscoll has more links and a great sign:

— DRJ

[Guest post by DRJ]

Compare and contrast these photos at GatewayPundit.

EDIT: Reader bfwebster has more photos of the 9/12 event posted at his blog.

— DRJ

[Guest post by DRJ]

An ACORN spokeswoman claims the O’Keefe videos that resulted in 4 ACORN workers being fired was doctored, and ACORN plans legal action against O’Keefe, his companion Hannah Giles, and Fox News for broadcasting it:

“ACORN chief organizer Bertha Lewis issued a written statement Saturday saying that while she cannot defend the actions of the workers who were terminated, O’Keefe may have committed a “felony” with his operation. She also threatened legal action against FOX News, which aired the videos but did not produce them.

“It is clear that the videos are doctored, edited, and in no way the result of the fabricated story being portrayed by conservative activist ‘filmmaker’ O’Keefe and his partner in crime. And, in fact, a crime it was — our lawyers believe a felony — and we will be taking legal action against Fox and their co-conspirators,” she said.”

O’Keefe’s response?

“”Bring it on,” filmmaker James O’Keefe said Sunday on FOX News.
***
In an interview with FOX News senior correspondent Eric Shawn, O’Keefe said he wants an apology from those media outlets “covering for ACORN” as well as from ACORN itself. He said he doubts ACORN will file suit.

“They don’t have any leg to stand on, so they’re saying I dubbed in my voice which is completely absurd,” he said. “When the truth comes out in the end, they’re going to be apologizing to us.”

O’Keefe said he was “just trying to hold these organizations accountable.

Lewis said in her statement that O’Keefe’s “scam” was attempted in several other cities but had “failed for months.”

O’Keefe declined to comment on the allegedly unsuccessful attempts, but said it’s a “lie” to claim that any ACORN offices “kicked us out.”

I haven’t seen anything to suggest Fox News was involved in O’Keefe’s actions which tells me ACORN is pursuing a political rather than a legal response. Suggesting O’Keefe is linked to Fox News will raise doubts among liberals, but bringing in the deep pockets of Fox News strikes me as a mistake if there is a legal proceeding.

On the other hand, I would not discount the possibility that ACORN could prevail if venue lies in Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, Maryland.

— DRJ

[Guest post by DRJ]

More Friday night news from President Obama regarding protectionist tire tariffs.

“Trade relations between two of the world’s biggest economies deteriorated after Barack Obama, US president, signed an order late on Friday to impose a new duty of 35 per cent on Chinese tyre imports on top of an existing 4 per cent tariff.

In his first big test on world trade since taking office in January, Mr Obama sided with America’s trade unions, which have complained that a “surge” in imports of Chinese-made tyres had caused 7,000 job losses among US factory workers.
***
The decision to impose extra tyre tariffs followed a petition by the United Steelworkers union, which represents workers at many US tyre factories. Official figures show an increase in imports from 14.6m in 2004 to 46m in 2008.”

China says it will investigate the need for tariffs on imports of US poultry and vehicles, and the U.S. responded by warning China not to retaliate.

How seriously will China take a warning not to retaliate? After all, the world apparently realizes Obama talks the talk but he doesn’t walk the walk, something that could have serious ramifications:

“Governments around the world have suggested the U.S. talks tough against protectionism only when its own industries are not threatened. U.S. rhetoric on free trade also has been questioned because of a “Buy American” provision in the U.S. stimulus package.

The tire decision could have ramifications on issues such as the nuclear disputes with Iran and North Korea and on efforts to address climate change. China is the world’s third-largest economy and a veto-holding member of the U.N. Security Council.”

— DRJ

[Guest post by DRJ]

Pajamas Media’s Jennifer Rubin reports that Eric Holder’s Department of Justice won’t cooperate with a Civil Rights Commission inquiry into why the DOJ dismissed the New Black Panther Party voter intimidation case:

“In June, the Commission sent a letter of inquiry to the Justice Department demanding an explanation for the dismissal of the case against all but one defendant. In August, the Commission sent a second letter directly to Attorney General Eric Holder reiterating its demand for information on the reasons for the dismissal and advising Holder of its intention to use the Commission’s statutory authority to subpoena witnesses and documents. It also renewed its demand for records of past DOJ investigations so it could make an independent determination as to whether the New Black Panther case’s dismissal was an abrupt change in Justice Department policy, and if so, what the impact of that policy change might be on future acts of voter intimidation. However, the “most transparent administration” in history (it tells us) did not even acknowledge receipt of the letter for weeks.

Last week, the Commission’s General Counsel contacted the Justice Department to inquire if a response would be forthcoming and to advise the Justice Department that on Friday the Commission would meet to decide an issue left open at its meeting last month, namely whether to designate its already expanding investigation into the New Black Panther case as an issue for a year-long study and special report. (By statute the Commission must complete at least one such study and report each year on a matter of federal civil rights enforcement.) Later that day the Justice Department sent a one paragraph letter to the Commission advising that an OPR investigation would be opened and “accordingly” no answer would be forthcoming until OPR concluded its investigation.

A source familiar with the Commission’s deliberations tells Pajamas Media that a number of the commissioners were aghast by the response.”

One Commissioner described this as the equivalent of “a corporation charged with employment discrimination which instituted an internal investigation — and then claimed that a civil lawsuit couldn’t proceed until the corporation investigated itself.”

Rubin reports the Commission on Friday voted unanimously to pursue the year-long study. This pits the Obama Administration’s DOJ against the Commission, a clash Republicans worry the Administration will try to circumvent. But at least now there’s hope we can learn more about what was behind the New Black Panther case.

— DRJ

[Guest post by DRJ]

Rep. Joe Wilson apologized to President Obama for yelling “You Lie!” after Obama said illegal immigrants would not be eligible for low-cost health care during his recent speech at a joint session of Congress. President Obama accepted Wilson’s apology but the Democratic-led Congress also wants Wilson to apologize to the House for shouting. If not, Congressional leaders say they will move forward with a resolution of disapproval.

Today on Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace, Wilson said he won’t apologize again:

“I am not going to apologize again. I apologized to the president on Wednesday night. I was advised then that, ‘Thank you, now let’s get on to a civil discussion of the issues,'” Wilson said. “I’ve apologized one time. The apology was accepted by the president, by the vice president, who I know. I am not apologizing again.”

I doubt this will satisfy many Democrats, but not because they view apologies as important. Why? Because we already know Congressional Democrats think some apologies are a joke and just another political tool.

— DRJ

[Guest post by DRJ]

The AP has discovered that adding 30-50 million uninsured to the health care roles means America will need more doctors:

“Among the many hurdles facing President Barack Obama’s plan to revamp the nation’s health care system is a shortage of primary care physicians – those legions of overworked doctors who provide the front line of medical care for both the sick and those hoping to stay healthy.

As Massachusetts’ experience shows, extending health care to 50 million uninsured Americans will only further stress the system and could force many of those newly insured back into costly emergency rooms for routine care if they can’t find a primary care doctor, health care observers said.
***
To keep up with the demand for primary care doctors, the country will need to add another 40,000 to the existing 100,000 doctors over the next decade or face a soaring backlog, according to Dr. Ted Epperly, president of the Kansas-based American Academy of Family Physicians.

“It’s like giving everyone free bus passes, but there are only two buses,” he said.”

There are a range of ideas to solve the anticipated primary care shortage, including financial incentives that encourage medical students to enter the primary care field, regulations that equalize payments to primary care doctors and specialists like brain surgeons and cardiologists, and a team approach that allows nurse practitioners and health educators to provide basic care and counseling with primary care physicians. The latter option is already available in many parts of the country at Walmart, CVS Caremark, and Walgreens Pharmacies, as well as in many local clinics.

The linked article also quotes a medical student who plans to practice in pediatric primary care because “When I wrote on my medical school application that I wanted to help people, I really meant it.” I see this same attitude in law — an elitist attitude that you aren’t really helping people unless you’re helping the “right” people. Specialists help people, too. The neonatologist who saves the lives of sick and premature infants is helping the right people. So is the cardiologist who helps heart attack and stroke victims, and the brain surgeon who helps people with tumors and traumatic brain injuries. Preventive care won’t keep people from needing specialists — Ted Kennedy is a good example of that.

I want people to have preventive care and I want enough health care practitioners to provide it. To help make that happen, government should ease regulations and barriers to make it easier for nurse practitioners and physician’s assistants to work in the primary care field. But you don’t need sweeping health care reform to do that.

— DRJ