Learn about TARP

Here is an article from Powerline about the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP).

The moneyline:

The Inspector General's report documents the stunning and at least partly illegal expansion of TARP from the $700 billion originally allocated by Congress to what is now a $3 trillion complex of programs.

Read the whole thing.  $3 Trillion will not be the end number of this program, it will be higher.

Stew's View:  It will not make a difference that TARP has been illegally expanded, since the US Supreme Court has been limiting the ability of taxpayers to bring suit against the government.  This leads to a harm without a remedy and the timeline difference between TARP disbursement and the glacial pace of lawsuits means the money will be long gone before any action is taken.  The only action that could have prevented this is to not do it in the first place.

From Twitter

RT @snowed_in: Tomorrow's headline: "Obama: We Inherited this swine flu"

My reply:

@michellemalkin RT Tommorrows Headline: already happened look here http://www.thenation.com/bl...

Michelle picked up on it here:
But of course: Lib blames GOP 4 swine flu 'cuz some opposed pandemic funding in porkulus. http://bit.ly/Kmky0 v(ia @instugator)

She has posted it here.

You go Michelle!

Speed the Teleprompter Up!

Apparently, Pres Obama's ability to read the teleprompter is increasing.

Look here.

Two Tales of Bows

Take a look at these two very different takes of the bow that President Obama (Mr. Gibbs protests notwithstanding) offered to the Saudi Monarch.

The Time Magazine article is here.

The Pajamas Media article is here.

My take:

Time loses.  Mr. Macleod violates topicality in the first paragraph, rendering everything he says after that point moot.  In the second sentence, Mr. MacLeod says, "Despite the continuing outrage of conservatives and Arab-bashers..."  This ad hominem lede attempts to shift the argument away from the propriety of the bow itself.

Read both articles and then judge for yourself the merits of their respective arguments.

More (Not So) Smart Diplomacy

Forget Pres. Obama's video message to Iran (We'll address that in a little while).

Pres. Obama sent a letter to Jaques Chirac saying, in part,

'I am certain that we will be able to work together, in the coming four years, in a spirit of peace and friendship to build a safer world.'

Unfortunately, Chirac is, today, a private citizen.  France elected Nicolas Sarkozy who assumed the office of President of France on 16 May, 2007.

I sincerely hope that President Obama did not mis-address his letter.

Hat tips to Instapundit, Gateway Pundit, and Neoneocon

Gaffe, tasteless, or funny?

President Obama was on Leno Thursday night.  Leno steers O toward his recreational activities and jokes that the bowling alley has probably been closed.  Pres. O comments that he has been practicing and actually rolled a 129.

Here is the video

Barack Obama "Special Olympics" Comment On Leno - 03/19/09

My personal favorite comment about this quote is from the American Thinker

Barack Obama uses retarded athletes as a throwaway line on a two-bit talk show

What do you think?

Another Obama Gaffe

Found at Hot Air.

President Obama compares AIG to a Homicide Bomber, with himself in the role of negotiator trying to talk them down.

You can't make this stuff up.