AL QAEDA PRESS CONFERENCE

Two young Americans who left their homes to join an Al Qaeda-linked terrorist group in Somalia held a rare “press conference” in southern Somalia on Sunday, saying they want to be killed "for the sake of God[.]"

I’m sure the U.S. Marines will be happy to assist.

MORE ON GM (GOVERNMENT MOTORS)

According to President Obama, Detroit can't focus on "trying to build more and more SUVs and counting on gas prices being low."

The administration is expected to announce plans to raise fuel efficiency standards to 30.2 mpg for the 2011 model year and pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles, and minivans will need to reach 24.1 mpg.

Now from George Will, writing in the Washington Post:

Yet last week, in an unenthralled summary of GM's "viability" plan, Obama's administration said: "GM earns a large share of its profits from high-margin trucks and SUVs.

And:

The stunning shift in consumer preferences that should make the White House's freshly minted auto experts feel vulnerable has been reported under headlines such as ‘Like a Rock: Hybrid Car Sales Plummet’ (Wall Street Journal, Dec. 9) and ‘Hybrid Car Sales Go From 60 to 0 at Breakneck Speed’ (Los Angeles Times, March 17). Absent $4 gasoline, customers, those nuisances with their insufferable preferences, do not want the vehicles the politicians want them to want ....

So let me get this straight. (1) American auto manufacturers are nearly bankrupt. (2) The only automobiles they make that are profitable are light trucks and SUVs. (3) In order to get federal "bailout" money, they have to quit manufacturing them and only manufacture automobiles that American consumers don't want.

Huh?

Now back to Will:

Has the Car Designer in Chief, a.k.a. the president, considered the possibility that what he calls "the cars of tomorrow" will forever be that? ... His administration cannot be faulted for failing to do well what cannot be done well -- industrial policy, wherein the political class, with negligible experience in commerce, flounders. The administration can, however, be faulted for trying.

Yes.

A TRAGEDY OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES

Oliver North:

It was a remarkable performance, worthy of a Shakespearean tragedy. In the space of 48 hours, the president of the United States seized control of one of the world's largest manufacturing companies and fired its chief executive officer. He followed up by congratulating our representatives for creating the 14th-largest paid entity on the planet - a quarter of a million government-paid "volunteers." [Ed: the Serve America Act.] And then, he departed the capital to receive the cheers of adoring crowds - in Europe.

Continuing:

Short of war, the unintended consequences of government intervention are often [Ed: often? Try always.] far worse than the problem it was supposed to solve. As the U.S. Senate was voting to spend a billion dollars a year to put a quarter-million civilian "volunteers" on the government payroll, Sen. Jim DeMint, South Carolina Republican, rose to ask his colleagues a salient question that applies as much to the takeover of the auto industry as it does to destroying community volunteerism: "Do you see anything in the history of our federal government that shows we have the ability to effectively manage something like that?"

One question, three answers: No, no, and no.

A SMALL STEP IN “GETTING IT”

Andrew Alexander, the new Ombudsman at the Washington Post, may be on to something.

Newspapers demand accountability and transparency from the institutions they cover. But when it comes to The Post, one of the world's best-known media institutions, the attitude seems to be: Good for thee, but not for me.

Seems rather obvious to anyone who reads beyond the comics. [Shadow: You rarely do any more. Me: yes – too painful.]

A separate question is whether The Post adheres to the [ethical and journalistic] policies in place. In my first two months as ombudsman, I've found a disturbing lack of attention to the standards and ethics rules.

Gee, ya think?

[A] surprising number of staffers told me it's been years since they reviewed them. And several said they simply don't adhere to some of the policies ...."

Policies? We’re the Washington Post! We don’t need no stinkin’ policies.

SMOKE! IT’S FOR THE CHILDREN

Early in February, the president signed a law to triple the federal excise tax on cigarettes -- which will jump from 39 cents per pack to $1.01 today. His administration projects this tax hike will bring in at least $38 billion over the next five years.

The tobacco tax hikes will be used to finance an expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program, or SCHIP. The expansion, which will cost $35 million over five years, is expected to secure federally funded health care for an additional 4 million children.

Hmm. Let’s see now; the tax hike is projected to bring in $38 billion over five years; SCHIP will get $35 million over 5 years.

I wonder where the remaining $37.965 billion will go?

Obama promised repeatedly that 95% of American families would get a tax cut. So it's especially fitting that he chose April Fools Day to implement his first tax increase -- which will fall mostly on individuals and families who do not make anywhere near $250,000 per year.

Who’s the April fool? Three guesses; the first two don’t count.

POLITICAL PULLBACK FOR THE CHRISTIAN RIGHT?

Kathleen Parker has an interesting commentary on the “demise” of the Christian right is modern politics.

My takeaway: instead of struggling to “get religion out of government,” we should adopt a different strategy - get government out of religion.

Read it all.

BUY GM - IT’S PATRIOTIC

Another example of “do as I say, not as I do” Obama administration hypocrisy. Case in point:

Politico took a look at the rides of the people who are now in control of the destinies of GM and Chrysler. While the Obamas have a Ford Escape Hybrid sitting in the garage back in Chicago (and before that they drove a Chrysler), many key administration officials park imports in the White House employee lot every day.

According to Politico, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner drives an Acura, Larry Summers drives a Mazda, Obama economic adviser Austan Goolsbee has a Toyota, and OMB director Peter R. Orszag and vice presidential economic adviser Jaret Bernstein both have Honda Odyssey minivans. (Car czar Steve Rattner, for the record, was not mentioned in the Politico piece. But according to the Detroit News, he has three imports and one domestic vehicle.)

My predictions?

One: by the end of 2009, the administration will tell us that it is “patriotic” to buy a Government Motors (GM) automobile.

Two: before the next presidential election, it will be a Government requirement (“fleet modernization”) to trade in your 4-year old (or older) car and buy a new “environmentally friendly” GM car.

GUN CONTROL MEANS BIGGER WARNING SIGNS

On the Binghamton (NY) shootings, WCBS television reported that “[p]olice said Voong had two registered guns, but could not confirm if they were the two recovered at the scene: a 9 mm with an extended clip of ammo, and a .45 caliber.”

Over at Don Surber’s place, Tregonsee commented: “What are the chances that the American Civic Association proudly proclaims itself as a ‘gun free area?’ .... Whether the ACA indeed has one [a sign], I bet there are several places learning the lesson from this and putting up bigger signs.”

Or posting them in multiple languages ....

ANOTHER TEA PARTY

Santa Barbara had a tea party today. More are scheduled, with most on Tax Day, April 15th. Go. Join in. Make yourself heard.

Better yet, join the PJTV citizen reporter corps for April 15th.

Here’s a map of tea parties scheduled throughout the US. Surely there’s one near you.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Where did free markets go?

They were in Washington last November.

We recognize that these reforms will only be successful if grounded in a commitment to free market principles, including the rule of law, respect for private property, open trade and investment, competitive markets, and efficient, effectively regulated financial systems. These principles are essential to economic growth and prosperity and have lifted millions out of poverty, and have significantly raised the global standard of living. Recognizing the necessity to improve financial sector regulation, we must avoid over-regulation that would hamper economic growth and exacerbate the contraction of capital flows, including to developing countries.

But they disappeared in London last week.

We start from the belief that prosperity is indivisible; that growth, to be sustained, has to be shared; and that our global plan for recovery must have at its heart the needs and jobs of hard-working families, not just in developed countries but in emerging markets and the poorest countries of the world too; and must reflect the interests, not just of today’s population, but of future generations too. We believe that the only sure foundation for sustainable globalisation and rising prosperity for all is an open world economy based on market principles, effective regulation, and strong global institutions

.
Read the whole post.

TOO BIG TO FAIL

Mr. Obama thinks General Motors is too big to fail: "We cannot, we must not, and we will not let our auto industry simply vanish."

So he cashiered GM’s CEO.

Hmm. Well, I think we can all agree that our federal government is “too big to fail.”

So it it too early to think about cashiering its CEO?

PASSIVE DRINKING?

And this is in a supposedly “scientific” journal:

[M]omentum is building for big hikes in the cost of alcohol. The rationale is to stop us all drinking to the point where we make other people's lives hell by vandalising property, urinating and vomiting in the street, attacking people including members of our own family, and causing death and injury by driving under the influence. In other words, the goal is to stamp out what England's Chief Medical Officer Liam Donaldson last week dubbed "passive drinking" - the damage done to innocent bystanders and society in general when people drink too much.

Good Lord, whatever happened to common sense?

Thanks to Instapundit for the tip.

NOT MY 401(k)

From Instapundit: because the stock market is down, people are saying the 401(k) has “failed.”

Today most workers with pension coverage have a 401(k) as their primary or only plan. Yet 401(k)s still operate under the old rules and the balances in these plans will likely be insufficient as the sole supplement to Social Security.

Ha! Since I’m nearing retirement age, I’ve spent a considerable amount of time looking at Social Security income versus income derived from 401(k) accounts.

My first post is here, where I pointed out that my retirement income would be roughly 50% greater if I had been able to invest my FICA taxes in a 401(k)-like account.

My second post looked at the minimum wage earner and showed that he would also be better off.

My third post looked at the aftermath of the current recession – I’m still better off.

The New York Times would be better off with journalists who had some common sense and a few math skills.

NICE TRY, BUT NO CIGAR

The Minneapolis Star-Tribune, in an attempt to stave off bankruptcy, is trying out a new business model:

[W]e began experimenting with giving some of the best of our journalism to you, our paying print customers, first.

It’s an interesting thought, but I doubt it will succeed since it fails to address the root cause of the MSM decline: editorial opinion disguised as journalism.

BREAKING NEWS

North Korea fires missile.

“North Korea fired a rocket over Japan on Sunday, defying Washington, Tokyo and others who suspect the launch was cover for a test of its long-range missile technology.”

Obama responds with a strongly worded apology.

CHILD’S PAY

Apparently RedState adapted this from a MoveOn.org ad campaign lambasting former President Bush for his fiscal prolificacy.



What goes around, comes around.

UNSAFE SLEEPING?

Where are the clowns? In the nanny state, of course.

Unsafe sleeping conditions are being blamed for the deaths of 12 infants in Virginia in 2007.

A report by the state Chief Medical Examiner' Office says the deaths of up to 49 other infants occurred where unsafe sleeping conditions existed.

These conditions include infants and adults or other children sleeping in the same bed, infants sleeping on waterbeds, pillows or other soft surfaces, or infants sleeping in areas that include quilts, toys, comforters or pillows.

I now understand why the Left so strongly favors abortion - to keep babies out of the hands of inexperienced mothers.

And yes, I do understand the implications of that assertion. I’m not sure the Left does, though.

OBAMA'S WORLD

APPLYING THE GOLDEN RULE

He who’s got the gold makes the rules. GM CEO [Rick] Wagoner resigns at Obama’s behest.

Who’s next? If I were a business owner, I’d be worried.

[More]

James Lileks: “Maybe I’m old-school, but ‘President fires CEO’ looks as wrong as ‘Pope fires Missile.’”

Mickey Kaus: “After visibly defenestrating GM CEO RIck Wagoner, ... won’t Obama now ‘own’ the GM problem? If the company shuts down in the near future, ... [i]t will be Obama’s failure, no?"

Via Instapundit.

SMUG ALERT

The Los Angeles Times explains why it is a failing newspaper:

Journalistic trend-spotters say the recession is whetting the public's appetite for happier stories from their daily news outlets.

Those of us who are left in this business ... would like to oblige, but that isn't really what the Fourth Estate gets paid to do. We're supposed to document what's new, of course, including successes as well as failures. But we're also expected to question the powerful and hold them to account. When we don't -- when we aren't tough enough or brave enough to find the error in popular policies -- we end up with misbegotten wars, ruinous asset bubbles and other avoidable disasters.

So journalists feel compelled to be skeptical, and to focus on potential harms more than the likely benefits. It's far better for us to be proved too critical than to be seen as cheerleaders for policies or politicians that go bad.

With Washington pumping trillions of dollars into the economy and the financial sector, now's the time for disbelieving, penetrating journalism.

So journalists are “expected to question the powerful and hold them to account.” And pamper and excuse the weak?

Perhaps you should just, er, report the news?

via Opinion Journal.