Under the Obama administration, during the 2009 budget year, federal agencies have cited an exemption that allows the government to withhold information about its “decision making process.”

During Obama’s 9 months during the 2009 budget year, agencies cited the “deliberative process” 70,779 times.

During George W. Bush’s final full budget year, the provision was used 47,395 times.

Obama said he wants his administration “to be the most open and transparent ever.”  It will be hard to do if agencies keep doing what they’re doing…

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Also, Ed Morrissey at Hot Air mentioned the denial rate…

Now, such denials have increased by 49%, and that’s not counting whether overall requests have increased or decreased.  Let’s try to guess: would the press be making more inquiries during Obama’s term in office than Bush’s, or fewer?  To their credit, Raw Story has that data, too:

All told, the 17 agencies reviewed by AP reported getting 444,924 FOIA requests in fiscal 2009, compared with 493,610 in fiscal 2008.

Not just fewer, but over ten percent fewer requests.  Putting those numbers together, the Bush administration had a denial rate of 9.6%.  The Obama administration has a denial rate of 15.9%.   Which President promised more transparency?  And why is the press 10% less interested in the inner workings of government now than it was in 2008?

It seems that Barack Obama is feeling the pressure of the eternal special interest group, The American People.

The Washington Post is reporting that, during the President’s State of the Union Address, he will propose a federal spending freeze.

That’s right, folks.

For the remainder of his first term in office, Congress would be limited to spending $447 billion on non-military expenditures.

It seems like that would severely limit his legislative aspirations.

But, remember, in the words of O-Man himself,

“I’d rather be a really good one-term president than a mediocre two-term president.”

And this is all very interesting because Bami criticized McCain’s proposed spending freeze during the campaign, saying something about a scalpel to cut the budget…I don’t know…

I think this is a diversion.  I think Obama is trying to let off some steam now, so, when the elections roll around in November, people won’t be as mad at him.

Read–WaPo

What in God’s name is this? Is this how our representatives comport themselves? Seriously?

From the Harrington Report, Pacific Command Center (HRPC):

Aloha, folks!

As I was sitting on the beach waiting for a sea turtle to bring me a Pina Colada in a coconut–made by a trained monkey no less–I caught wind of a story that most people hadn’t even heard about. President Obama is crippling the tourism industry when he vacations in Hawaii.

Hawaii’s economy is driven by tourism and there are countless ways to have fun and enjoy the tropical beauty of the islands, and one of the best ways people can enjoy the scenery is from the air through an airplane or helicopter tour… except if President Obama is in town. Wherever the president goes, a ten mile no-fly zone follows him. That’s a sizable chunk of O’ahu–the island where Obama is staying.

From the Honolulu Star Bulletin:

“This is the peak of the tourist season,” said Rob Moore, president of the General Aviation Council of Hawaii. “Here is a president trying to promote more jobs, and by … visiting us, is all of a sudden impeding business.”

So while the president may feel entitled to a rest from jet-setting all over the globe to visit Copenhagen to do nothing, or to pick up his Nobel Prize for doing nothing, or to fail to convince the Olympic Committee to bring the Olympics to Chicago, does that give him license to shut down a vital part of the island-state’s economy? Especially when there are other islands that are just a beautiful (although, all of them are more beautiful than O’ahu) that would cause fewer disruptions to the community, especially when it is struggling to bring in every dollar it can during these troubled times.

After the cut is a map from the Star Bulletin that shows the extent to which Obama’s vacation will disrupt air tourism on the island.

Read–Honolulu Star Bulletin
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Editor’s Note: NSFW: “Not Safe for Work” indicates a post contains graphic or offensive subject matter that would not be appropriate in certain settings (i.e. anywhere other than locked in your basement with the doors and windows shuttered). Now you know.

-Your friendly neighborhood Editors

As I sit in the airport waiting to catch my flight home, half of my sophomore year of college done and behind me, I finally have the opportunity to look into the biggest story no one is covering: Kevin Jennings’ reading habits.

Much has been written in the blogosphere over the past few days about ‘Safe School’s Czar’ Kevin Jennings–an individual whom I covered extensively a few months back. While the previous scandal has been since laid to rest, the newest round of craziness from GLSEN founder is just as insane-–if not more so.

Recently GatewayPundit ran a story about Kevin Jennings’ organization GLSEN (the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network) and the books that the organization recommends that young children read. The list is broken up into three different categories–books for kids grade K-6, 7-12, and teachers. The list of books contains literature that covers many and varied genres, from non-fiction to poetry. Supposedly the books are meant to support the stated mission of GLSEN, reproduced below.

From GLSEN’s website:

The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network strives to assure that each member of every school community is valued and respected regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.

We believe that such an atmosphere engenders a positive sense of self, which is the basis of educational achievement and personal growth. Since homophobia and heterosexism undermine a healthy school climate, we work to educate teachers, students and the public at large about the damaging effects these forces have on youth and adults alike. We recognize that forces such as racism and sexism have similarly adverse impacts on communities and we support schools in seeking to redress all such inequities.

GLSEN seeks to develop school climates where difference is valued for the positive contribution it makes in creating a more vibrant and diverse community. We welcome as members any and all individuals, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity/expression or occupation, who are committed to seeing this philosophy realized in K-12 schools.

That’s all well and good, except some of the books GLSEN recommends are pornographic. The book list is intended to [sic] “furthers our (GLSEN’s) mission to ensure safe schools for all students.”; ostensibly implying that children who identify themselves as homosexual should read these books as a way to empower themselves, and straight children and teachers should also read the books to come to a deeper understanding and develop a respect for their homosexual peers. On its face that is a responsible, well-intentioned goal. However, if one examines even a small sampling of the books on the list, the real goal of the suggested readings become readily apparent. GLESN is not trying to empower anyone, or raise awareness, rather they are using the facade of awareness and concern to promote their twisted hypersexualized agenda, what I can only assume is a twisted aberration of the goals that reasonable that gay men and women aspire to. As an aside, I do not think, nor am I implying that the poison that GLESN is peddling is representative of the entire gay community, rather this is a reflection on Kevin Jennings and the fanatics that staff his loony organization.

The books and the list can be accessed though a portal on their site called “BookLink“, which provides an all-in-one system for parusing and even purchasing in bulk books that teachers are encouraged to make mandatory classroom reading.

Just a few of the books on the list:

Queer 13

Being Different

Growing Up Gay/Growing Up Lesbian

The Order of the Poison Oak

Love & Sex: Ten Stories of Truth

Thus far I have been slightly obtuse in my explanation of exactly what the books contain, after the jump there will be an excerpt from one of the selected books, Queer 13. WARNING: THE FOLLOWING IS EXTREMELY GRAPHIC. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Read–BigGovernment

Read–GatewayPundit

Read–GLESN

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Obama: “Don’t think we’re not keeping score, brother.”

This is Chicago Thuggery at its best, ladies and gentlemen.  Obama’s Chicago policy is hurting America.

It seems that O-man is unable to get his ideas passed by convincing people…so he has to do a little convincing, himself.

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Former DNC Chairman, and former presidential contender Howard “YEAHHHH!!!!!!!!!” Dean stated on MSNBC’s Morning Joe that he would not–get this–”vigorously support” President Obama in his re-election bid. Bami still has 3 more years to go… if Howard Dean of all people is already soured on the guy then what does that mean for the rest of his party?

More importantly, what does it mean when Howard Dean of all people is acting like one of the more sane members of the Democratic party? Is the thermostat in hell broken?

Text and video of the exchange on the other side of the break.

Read–NewsBusters

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This is idiotic.  Frankly, it’s the Liberals who are attempting to frighten the American people.

Bami actually said to the GOP, “Stop trying to frighten the American People.”

Are you serious?

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Now, that was December 9th.  It’s now the 16th and what does Bami do?

Fearmonger.

“If we don’t pass it, here’s the guarantee….your premiums will go up, your employers are going to load up more costs on you.  Potentially they’re going to drop your coverage, because they just can’t afford an increase of 25 percent, 30 percent in terms of the costs of providing health care to employees each and every year.”

If the Healthcare bill doesn’t pass…“the federal government will go bankrupt.”

“Because if we don’t do this, nobody argues with the fact that health care costs are going to consume the entire federal budget.”

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Woah…who’s fearmongering now?

And…as a quick aside…

He said this the same day he signed a $1.1 Trillion spending bill…

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And the same day that the House approved a $155 Billion jobs bill…

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WHAT THE HELL WAS THE FIRST BILL FOR?  All the shovel ready jobs?!

I thought we already did this…

But to bring it all back…

When Bami says that the federal government will go bankrupt without the Health care bill, does he mean that they’ll stop spending?

UPDATE:  I forgot to mention…

The debt exceeds the debt limit…Good job, folks!

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AP 2008

Anita “fills Mao’s heart with pride” Dunn will be stepping down as the interim White House Communications Director. Her deputy, Dan Pfeiffer will replace her.

What does that mean?

Most likely, nothing. She still loves Mao, hates FoxNews, probably hates us just for existing and will be replaced by another obama thug who is just as vehement and rancorous.

There isn’t much more to say about this, except that her timing sucks… Obama needs as many PR flacks out there covering his screw-ups and failures as possible right now.

Read–FoxNews

I don’t quite know what to say about this.

The House–the Democratic-controlled House–quietly passed their version of ObamaCare on Saturday, providing the beleaguered Obama administration a victory they could point to.

The bill was passed by an extremely close margin, 220-215, a 5 vote margin. The vote was passed by 219 Democrats and one Republican (Joseph Cao, a first-term Republican who holds a decidedly Democratic office in New Orleans) against a coalition comprised of 176 Republicans and 39 Democrats. So much for an era of bi-parsianship…

The bill will now move to the Senate were heavy debate is expected. Hopefully the senate won’t vote on the bill in the dark of night so they could sneak it by the public without anyone knowing.

Read- MyWay