Sideline SquawkBox

AUTO BAILOUT FAILS IN SENATE

Late last night, the Republican minority in the Senate managed to scuttle the $14 billion subsidy for our auto industry.Republicans leaders said they want the U.S. auto industry to survive and thrive, but they also insist that a multi-billion-dollar taxpayer loan is not the only option. There’s also federal bankruptcy protection.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.)said the plan’s greatest flaw is “that it promises taxpayer money today for reforms that may or may not come tomorrow. And we would not be serving the American taxpayer well if we spent their hard-earned money without knowing with certainty that their investment would result in stronger, leaner auto companies that would not need additional taxpayer help just a few months or weeks down the road.”
 
“We simply cannot ask the American taxpayer to subsidize failure,” McConnell added.

Thank goodness. We're safe from this brand of socialism at least until the new year...

More here...

-GM retains bankruptcy counsel

Michelle Malkin blogs the Senate vote live...

Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi finally killed?

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the al-Qaida leader in Iraq who waged a bloody campaign of suicide bombings and beheadings of hostages, has been killed in a precision airstrike, U.S. and Iraqi officials said Thursday. It was a long-sought victory in the war in Iraq.

Al-Zarqawi and seven aides were killed Wednesday evening in a remote area 30 miles northeast of Baghdad in the volatile province of Diyala, just east of the provincial capital of Baqouba, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said.

Al-Qaida in Iraq confirmed al-Zarqawi's death and vowed to continue its "holy war," according to a statement posted on a Web site.

"We want to give you the joyous news of the martyrdom of the mujahed sheik Abu Musab al-Zarqawi," said the statement, signed by "Abu Abdel-Rahman al-Iraqi," identified as the deputy "emir" or leader of al-Qaida in Iraq.

"The death of our leaders is life for us. It will only increase our persistence in continuing holy war so that the word of God will be supreme."

Video from the scene of the attack showed children scrambling over a flattened jumble of cinderblocks, concrete reinforcing bars, blankets and other debris. A pickup truck nearby was scorched and crushed.

This is good news indeed. Developing...

 

A DAY WITHOUT IMMIGRANTS

Well, that's what it was officially dubbed anyway. Just to get your sympathy, they danced around the truth, and left out the important word. What the headlines should have stated was "A day without ILLEGAL immigrants". This country of ours is made up entirely of immigrants, and a day without immigrants would have left no one but Indians (oops, there I go again) er, Native Americans to run the place.

So this little boycott, this day of empowerment, this full blown economic extortion, was supposed to bring the US economy to its knees. Well-- it didn't. How could it? Contrary to the bag of lies you're being sold--ILLEGAL immigrants DON'T contribute to the economy in ANY meaningful way. In fact, they are a drain on our resources. ILLEGAL immigrants do not have proper documentation, and therefore pay absolutely no income tax on the wages they earn. They are NOT doing "work that Americans won't do" (another lie)--they are stealing jobs from Americans simply because they are a cheaper form of labor for business to hire. It's simple economics--if this cheap labor force wasn't here in the first place, American firms would make do with the labor force it had. American workers are simply being undercut by workers willing to work for lower wages. And of course, this cheap labor force is guaranteed access to free education, free medical care, free food--all on the backs of the tax-paying citzenry of the US. This is a slap in the face to the millions of LEGAL immigrants who for generations struggled and earned their rightful place as American citzens and it is an insult to the thousands of immigrants and refugees who come to this country each and every year the legal way and strive to make a legal living.

So what is the solution? First of all, it should be recognized that it is not a crime to want to make a better life for yourself and your family.  I can fully appreciate the dream of wanting to come to the US to work hard and live better. But we are a society of laws, and the law must be followed. It is unrealistic at this point to think that our government has the resources to round up the more than 11 million illegals that are now in this country. But it is NOT unrealistic to stop further illegal immigration. It is also NOT unrealistic to go after the US companies that are hiring illegal immigrants and disobeying the law. First and foremost--the wall must be built and our border laws must be enforced. Secondly, and most importantly, US companies that hire illegal workers must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Yesterday's protest shed the light on some of them. Tyson Foods was forced to close most of its plants. So was Purdue. I'm sure the American public is willing to pay a few cents more per pound of chicken for a little border security. And some tax-paying jobs. Market forces will correct the problem of the 11 million that are already here if there is SERIOUS enforcement: if the demand for the labor goes away--the supply will go away.

The little businesses are a different matter entirely. That's up to all of us. How about you? Do you own a restaurant that employs illegals as dishwashers? Is that really a job that 'no American would do"--how about a kid working his way through college? Do any of the people cutting your lawn speak English? Or the guys who just installed the drywall in your basement? Are these really jobs that none of us do anymore?

For more on what the protests really looked like (what the MSM didn't show you...) be sure to check out:

Michelle Malkin--The Pictures You Won't See

Powerline Video

Slapstick Politics

Creative Flashes

MY OSCAR PICKS

Well it's that time of year again. Time for Hollyweird to collectively ignore the American moviegoing public and congratulate itself for a bunch of films that no one's ever heard of. Here are my predictions for the snorefest:

Best picture: King Kong. Oops! So sorry, the Academy didn't see fit to nominate this film, did they? So what are the nominations? Let's see: A movie about gay sheepherders (Brokeback Mountain), a movie about the evils of McCarthyism (Good Night and Good Luck) a film about Jewish athletes and good terrorists (Munich) another gay movie (Capote) and a movie about racism (Crash). Have we covered every one of Hollyweird's pet causes? Oh goody!

Crash doesn't stand a chance. It did too well at the box office. I didn't see any of the other crap, so your guess is as good as mine... On to Best Actor.

I really liked De Niro in Raging Bull, didn't you? Now that was acting. I guess we'll just have to settle for this year's crop, though. The nominees are Philip Seymour Hoffman, Capote; Terrence Howard, Hustle & Flow; Heath Ledger, Brokeback Mountain; Joaquin Phoenix, Walk the Line and David Strathairn, Good Night, And Good Luck. The only one I even recognize is Joaqin Phoenix, and that's cause I saw him on Letterman once. He's out, though. Johnny Cash was a very religious man (although you'd never know this from the screenplay of Walk the Line--all references to his spirituality were stripped away). The on screen portrayal of a religious country singer doesn't stand a chance in Hollyweird up against the likes of two gay guys (Capote & Brokeback Mountain), a Pimp (Hustle & Flow) and a Crusading Journalist (Good Night and Good Luck). The winner? Like I said, I really like De Niro...On to best Actress.

Felicity Huffman plays a pre-op transsexual in Transamerica, therefore, she is the Best Actress. Period. This is Hollywood, people. Get over it. On to Best Original Screenplay.

Best Original Screenplay-you mean they actually pay people to write the scripts for movies that no one goes to see? On to other categories of interest...

Other Oscar Categories:

Achievement in music written for motion pictures -- who cares?

Achievement in sound editing--who cares?

Achievement in sound mixing--who cares?

Achievement in visual effects--who cares?

Achievement in art direction--who cares?

Achievement in cinematography--who cares?

Achievement in costume design--who cares?

Best documentary feature--who cares?

Best documentary short subject--who cares?

Best foreign language film of the year--WTF?!!

If you actually put the time in and watch this broadcast--I wish you well. Just remember, one more piece of interesting news that will make the show all the more complete (disaster-wise, that is)--John Stewart is hosting this year.

There's been a lot of fuss about political cartoons lately. Normally, I don't pay attention to any of them. This one caught my eye, though. Sort of speaks volumes, doesn't it?