USA Beats Japan!; Pres. Obama's Whining Continues; President's Base Crumbles; Why Bashing Rich Makes No Sense; Texas Does It Right; Cost of Meds Just Got Much Cheaper

"Ruin The Economy or Not. Congress Still Unable To Decide."--Headline in The Onion today.

• As many lamented the USA Women's Soccer Team losing to Japan two weeks ago in the World Cup, there is good news: The USA Women's  Softball Team beat Japan 6-4 yesterday to win their 5th consecutive World Cup of Softball Championship.
• And more good news--really! Abduhlhakim Muhammed--remember him? He shot two soldiers outside a Little Rock, Arkansas military recruiting station two years ago, killing one (both soldiers were outside having a smoke). He was sentenced to life for murder.
• I guess this president just can't help himself. In his speech to the nation yesterday regarding the debt limit debate, he did it again. He blamed the Republicans; he blamed Bush (how many times is that now in the last 3 years? Countless. Imagine working for a boss today who constantly blamed the previous boss--who left 3 years ago- for all the problems at work? That's how pathetic this strategy is. Makes the current boss look very weak. Leaders are hired to solve problems not to whine). And He raised the class warfare card. He did everything but admit his own failures--and there are many. He also said we need a "balanced approach" to solving this problem. A "balanced approach" to this president means: we need more taxes and we need to raise taxes. As Michael Walsh wrote in the NY Post today, "In the third year of the Obama recession, the country is unemployed, demoralized and just plain tapped out."
• And it appears the president's whining is not even helping him in his own base. The Washington Post is reporting the president's base is "crumbling." His liberal base approval regarding his economic plan has plunged 22% from 53% (and that was poor).
• New bumper sticker with Hillary on it says, "I Told You So. Hillary 2012." Is it possible?
• At least there is one phenomena appearing: the Republicans look like they've grown a pair.
• Regarding this class warfare issue that the president and Dems keep raising, Michael Medved in his piece today in USA Today, I believe, said it best: "It makes no sense to penalize successful people with higher tax rates. Their effort and imagination add jobs and growth...Isn't it obvious that America needs more, not fewer, millionaires? Just as we want the numbers of poor and dependent people to shrink, not multiply...It is both unwise, and, at the deepest level, unjust to promote hatred and resentment where gratitude is due..."
• As anyone knows whose been reading this blog, I like Texas. I especially admire how they've been able to ride out this recession relatively well. I also have some admiration for Gov. Rick Perry. In USA Today, the cover story is about Texas. In "Need A Job? Move To Texas," the piece points out the following: 1) From June 2009 to June 2011, the state added over 260,000 jobs, or half the entire country's 524,000 payroll gain; 2) The state's payrolls have risen 2.9% since the end of the recession; 3) In the past two years, over 200,000 jobs have been created in the energy sector, education, health care and leisure and hospitality. Is everything going well? No. Salaries are lower than in many other states (but so is the standard of living). 17% of Texans live below the poverty level compared with 14% nationally. So what accounts for the state's overall success?  Economists attribute it to no state or corporate income taxes, a very friendly business climate, the energy boom, rise in exports, no housing crash and population growth. In addition, a governor that encourages investments and does not interfere with businesses.
• Do you take Lipitor and/or Plavix. Well, there's good news. Their patents expired and the two drugs will get generic competition within a year. The prices for these two drugs and many others will plummet.
• Do you know one of the reasons why it took authorities almost an hour to get to the site where that Breivik lunatic was executing people? All of the police chopper's crews were on vacation (NY Post).
• Space.com is reporting we just might be alone in the universe. To complicated for me to explain. Visit the website for more information.