Maple Cornbread and the Observer
58While You Slept...
Good morning breakfastpoppers. Today is Thursday, January 20, 2011. Scotty is "in the building" having just returned from a week of observation in our wilderness areas. He has discovered yet another instance of the Obama administration's proclivity for bypassing Congress in order to pass through unpopular legislation. Scotty has invited all of you over to my house to alert you to the latest government attempt to undercut our system of government. He can't speak on an empty stomach, so he has requested that we prepare his new favorite, Maple Cornbread.
You will need 2 and 1/3 cups yellow cornmeal, 1 and 1/3 cups buttermilk, 1 cup all purpose flour, 3/4 cup maple syrup, 1 stick chilled unsalted butter cut into 1/2 inch pieces, 4 large eggs, 4 teaspoons baking powder and 1 and 1/4 teaspoons salt. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9 by 9 baking pan with butter. In a food processor, combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt. Pulse for a few seconds. Add butter and blend until mixture looks like coarse wet sand in the Bahamas. In a bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs and maple syrup. Add cornmeal mixture and stir just until moistened. Pour batter into the baking pan and bake for 45 minutes until golden. Do the old toothpick routine and if it comes out clean, it's done and you are ready to head for my place. Your Bloody Marys await you.
Welcome my friends, I must say you are all looking quite well and my breakfast smells "out of this world", no pun intended. Let me get right to the point of our visit. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar has directed the Bureau of Land management(BLM) to survey its holdings in order to determine which should be designated as "wild lands". He has made this move in order to bypass Congress because Congress is unlikely to accomplish this legislatively. The administration is re-naming wilderness areas as "wild lands" so that it make millions of acres of public land off limits to developers. When did the Interior Secretary make this move? Why he did it after Congress adjourned. Are you surprised? Don't be, because this is the way Obama and company like to operate.
The new chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, Doc Hastings (R-Wash) lashed out at this now familiar attempt to circumvent Congress and the American people. A move like this will have significant consequences to your nation that is still in the throes of a severe economic turndown. These areas will be off limits to energy exploration. Your entire nation will suffer in terms of energy development and job creation.
Clearly, it isn't safe to close your eyes around this group in Washington. "You snooze, you lose" seems to have taken on a new and sinister meaning.
NA, NU, NA, NU...Scotty
NU, NA, NU, NA...POP
POP: Someone has to stop all these Czars from circumventing our Congress. These Czars should be looking for us to be oil independent, not more dependent. I hope that Rep. Hastings will yell loud enough that the rest of Congress will be up in arms.
50: I forgot to thank you for the video on Pelosi's airplane. I especially enjoyed our dance together at the tavern. Scotty was very jealous, and turned green.
I'm off to the bar - someone save me a seat .....
Good morning taxlarry,
Sounds like a plan, a really bad plan at that. They might as well adjourn Congress and just start ruling by dictatorship. At least that would be transparent! See you at the Inn. I'm coming by dogsled once more. Snow is on the way! All this global warming is freezing.
Good morning Pino,
If Obama gets his way, we will never be self sufficient. The land in question is rich in natural resources, but this administration is determined to keep it out of reach. I am so sick of all this garbage. Obama may just as while declare himself King and get it over with. See you at the Inn. I'll be arriving by sled..Mush!!
..well I am having a pot of coffee and 'trying' to start my day but there is always a 'pull' back the other way to go back to bed ..... lol lol - and this is one of those days - but when I arrived here at your hallowed hubspace well my brain always get engaged in your conversation of the day and my mouth starts to water at all of your wonderful recipes - too bad they were not already made up - then I would have a grand buffet - and yes that would be a good excuse to fall back into bed - full stomach and very satisfied.
p.s - on the political rhetoric note - please check out my buddy THE MAN WITH NO PANTS - this gentleman talks the talk and walks the walk - I will you see for another breakfast encounter - and they are encounters of the best kind!!
Good morning epigramman,
Thanks so much for coming to the breakfast table. It's wonderful to see you. I am a big fan of The Man With No Pants, he is terrific. See you later at the Inn. Bloody Marys on me. I will be arriving on skis, snow is on the way!
I guess since Barry has plainly shown that he possesses NO LEADERSHIP skills whatsoever, it is in his best interest to keep appointing czars and using groups like the BLM and the EPA to enforce regulations that were NEVER passed by congress. This crew is a bunch of power-hungry Chi-town THUGS!
Good morning Sheri,
At this point they should just adjourn Congress! See you at the Inn. Bloody Mary's on me. I will be arriving on snow shoes. Snow is on the way again!
This is what the founding Fathers feared most...government of the government!
It's our own fault. We were given a set of rules to hold government to, but we sat on our butts and little by little, allowed government to bend and interpret those rules until they mean what government wants them to mean.
I hope I'm wrong, but I fear it has gone too far and we are no longer the sort of rugged individuals who will rise up and put a stop to it. I think we are now the dependent sheep who will obey quietly.
Welcome to 1984.
Good morning WillStarr,
I am afraid that you may be right. Some people are aware and concerned about this perversion of our Constitution but many more are just too busy trying to get by to notice. Therein lies the danger. See you at the Inn. I'm buying.
Looks like we got ourselves a dictator for a President. His reasoning to do something won't stand on its own merits so he pulls it off in the dead of night. There is much to be reversed when this man leaves office. He speaks of the American dream and the American way and understands neither. His thugs at the EPA are busy running folks out of the coal business so George Soros can use his investments there to make another pile of cash and drive coal-driven energy costs through the roof at the same time. There are a lot of little sick plots going on in this administration. WB
Good morning Wayne,
You're right there are a lot of sick plots going on and I believe we are privy to just a few of them. The American people are being toyed with and there is no end in sight. See you at the tavern. Snow is on the way so I'm coming by sleigh!
Pop and Scotty,
The new congress should consider putting the President on trial for treason against the Constitution. His blatant disregard of the legitimate function of the legislative branch can no longer be ignored!!!!!!!!!!!!
I heard that 49% of elected officials could not name the three co-equal branches. It's no wonder we're in deep do-do!!!!!
Good morning Tom,
'Blatant disregard" seems to be the new "normal" in Washington. That's quite a statistic. We are in trouble, deep trouble. See you at the Inn. Bloody Marys on me.
I found this product that completely eliminates the stink when you use the bathroom. I'm thinking with all the s@#t there in Washington, maybe we should sneak in and spray everyone. By morning the halls would be empty.
Hail Obama- the grandmaster of the stink!
PS. I wonder if the Almighty Obama did this because all of that land is actually collateral for our debt with China? Do you think that's a possibility? Could our lawmakers do that without us knowing? I've got to go practice my Mandarin.
See you at the bar- I have snowshoes!
Dear sueroy,
It can't hurt to try! See you at the Inn. Bring the spray and we'll experiment. Drinks are on me.
Morning POP...Scotty is right on, as usual...His eyes see that the president does not wear any clothes...Would that all Americans had his clarity of mind...This Chicago-style two step must end, NOW !...Decision by committee allows all concerned political cover when things go south...
Beam my up, Scotty...I'm drowning in a sea of stupidity and political correctness down here...
See you at the tavern, POP...Pino is doing her version of the Chicago two-step with Scotty, should be interesting...Larry
Salazar oh Salazar
You can see our freeways crashing
As our gas goes up we’ll ration
We won’t go too far
All thanks to Salazar
Salazar oh Salazar
We can’t drill on land or water
If we could gas would cost a quarter
We’ll park our car
All thanks to Salazar
Good morning maven,
It really is appalling. Right not quite in plain sight Obama and company are enacting legislation without having to go through Congress. I guess that's the way things are done in Chicago land. I'm with you, I am going to ask Scotty to beam us up because I can't recognize my country any longer. See you at the Inn. Pino is quite a good dancer and Scotty is quite graceful for an alien. I'll be arriving by bobsled. Snow is on the way.
Dear Patriot,
Well done, another top ten hit! I like the news better this way. It's easier to take. See you at the Inn. Will you sing it for us tonight?
Just when I think I want to pop my head out of the sand, I can't. It's just not getting any better. I will meet you at the Inn if that's ok but then I head back under before he declares himself King..
I am going to go with Jennifer. She did my hair last night and it looks fabulous, so I am a little loathe to stick my head in the sand....
POP, This is so frustrating as Obama seems to think he is the King and can do anything he pleases. Bypassing congress, no problem. Ignoring the constitution, no problem. He should be impeached! See you at the inn.
Scotty and I have been practicing at the bar all day long.
Hope I get the steps correct. Scotty is insisting on wearing a large 10 gallon hat. I keep telling him that this is the Chicago 2 step, not Texan. I think he just wants to be taller than me.
DearJennifer,
It won't be safe to pop out of the sand until 2012! See you at the Inn. I'm buying.
Dear jellio,
See you at the Inn. Bring a snow shovel because the white stuff is on the way.
Dear Pamela,
Impeachment just the kind of fruit I'm in the mood for. See you at the Inn. I'm buying.I'm arriving via sled. Snow is on the way. This global warming is a real pain.
Dear Pino,
I hear it is going to be standing room only. Everyone is so excited to see you and Scotty mix it up on the floor. I heard that some of his "alien" friends are coming. This should be very interesting.
I shall sit back and watch for the next Indian uprising. They may call Colonel Custer back to sit in with Mr. Salzar as Geronimo and Running Bull give them a going over for this one.
There is a petition going around...new on my page. All should sign it to hurry the impeachment.
Dear Pop, I think our snoozing days are over, yes that is for sure...but being awake isn't helping us either, I think I want to move with you to your planet. Please take us with you. rate up, love & peace for America, darski
Every step our (?) leader takes is part of his master plan to remove every vestige of democracy and capitalistic endeavor in America and turn us unto the equivalent of a socialistic third world country with himself as the emperor.
I guess nothing should surprise us anymore...but still it does. Thanks breakfastpop, for a timely commentary.
great recipe AND commentary on this one.I hate to say but this is as commonplace as you jokingly make it out to be- you are right in doing so. The sad part is Americans are used to this, almost expect it, and it is commonplace for things to happen behind closed doors in congress. I'm with you and manwithnopants on all this and sick of it. Americans have always depended on government to be like a parent, expecting handouts and breaks from them, not letting us fall, and now suddenly some of us are realizing they are the deviant teen sneaking around behind our backs and they do not have our back, or best interest in mind.
Good morning Wealthmadehealthy,
I will head to your page. Impeachment sounds like a tasty fruit right about now.
Good morning Darlene,
Okay, I just added you to the list. We're going with Scotty when the time is right!
Dear drbj,
Your commentary is spot on and now the question is, what are we going to do about it?
Good morning b.Malin,
I may not be surprised but I am appalled. If I wanted to live in Venezuela, I would move there.
Good morning izetti,
For the last 2 years much of what we are enduring now occurred behind closed doors in Congress, no Republicans allowed. Now that the balance has shifted in the House, much of what is occurring is behind closed doors in the hope of circumventing Congress. Thanks Obama for bringing Chicago to Washington and beyond.
hi guys,
token liberal here. the presidential orders are perfectly legal and part of the executive process. were you as upset when bush used over 100 during his administration? again, i'm questioning the motivation here. no research. no seeking other sources.
what crime would you be impeaching obama for? false info. about wmd's, okaying torture (against our laws), oh, wait. that was the last guy.
i'm reading some well-intentioned people who are accepting whatever is said to them, as long as it's anti-obama. being anti-obama is fine, but have the intellectual integrity to look for truth, good or bad.
btw, we are drilling in the gulf, the field in alaska which is off-limits is estimated to be able to provide a very insignificant %-age of our oil needs, and if oil is in finite supply, which it is, we still need to find other sources of energy for the future.
Howdy BP - It would not be so very disturbing if most of The One's executive orders made good sense for the country, but they are glued to his radical and destructive plans for our nation.
Just a comment on "sam3m's" comment to this hub, the one about the need for us Obama doubters to "look for truth," I am reminded of the governor of Hawaii's "search" for an Obama birth certificate in his state's health department archives (unsuccessful thus far). He says he did find some sort of "notation" in the files that Obama was actually born in Hawaii, but he has declined to let anyone see what it was he found or even to describe what it was - other than it is not a birth certificate. (That is probably called "looking for the truth, but not finding any.")
Gus :-)))
Dear sam,
Exactly what is it you love about this administration? Inquiring minds want to know.
Good afternoon Gus,
First this administration locked the Republicans out of the legislative process and now that they lost their control in the House they are bypassing Congress altogether. I guess people like Sam are not bothered by this power grab. See you at the Inn. I will be floating over there on a glider. The wind is really picking up here.
pop,
i don't love this administration, but i do have confidence that they'll do more to my liking than the last. they've done some things i really disagree with, but that comes with the package. i'm willing to give them a chance to straighten out the mess we're in, but not foolish enough to think that they'd do it in two years. in terms of this administration being socialist, or taking power they shouldn't have, where is your honesty? did you all complain when Bush pushed us into war with iraq for no reason whatsoever? when he bailed out the banks before anyone else? (it was his administration, not obama's)
i guess i defend the admin. because i see a country getting more greedy, more selfish, and dumber, when we should be going the other way.
the gop, for 2 years did everything in their power to stall the other side. not push their own agenda, but stall the other side so nothing gets done. and, we're such clever voters that it worked. they ran on a more jobs agenda. have we seen anything resembling an attempt to create jobs? no, they're working on repealing the health care bill.
another problem i have with the gop is that they don't have the courage to say to people like palin, o'donnel, and the other pinwheels "go educate yourselves in economics, foreign policy, read a book, anything". i'm really frustrated with the prizing of the anti-intellectual direction the gop is following. what happened to people like william f. buckley? i didn't agree with him, but i respected him.
Dear sam,
First of all, for the last 2 years the Republicans were shut out of the legislative process by the Democrats, a move that was a disservice to every American. The Republicans couldn't block anything and they didn't, so I am not sure what you are talking about. The Dems passed a ton of legislation, most of which, they didn't bother to read and they kept it up well into the lame duck session. The health care bill is a disaster. Some of it is good, but there is a lot in it that is awful and will end up hurting all of us. Business will suffer, therefore we will suffer. The government will have unprecedented access to our information, both financial and personal and our care will not improve. A huge bureaucracy will come between us and our doctors and no good can come out of that. Furthermore, this administration has associations that are very troubling to a lot of people. Obama's relationship with Andy Stern (SEIU) is a prime example. Unions are bankrupting our states and our nation and they have the backing of the president. How is that a good thing. As far as your reference to Palin and O'Donnell, I happen to agree with you. Neither one of them would be my choice for elected office. I don't want to live in a nanny state. I want to live freely and make my own decisions and from what I see, I think this administration would like to take over our lives from cradle to grave. By the way a lot of us complained about many things when Bush was in power, but we didn't blame Clinton for everything happening in the Bush years. This administration's obsession with blaming Bush is repulsive and getting old. By the way I used to be a Dem. I worked for George McGovern and my in-laws thought I was a Communist. I consider myself to be an Independent.
I just dare Obama to come over and have a voice lesson with me. I will have him "singing another tune". (I wish). But, since that's not about to happen...instead of wasting my anger on "you know who"m I'm going to concentrate shipping me up some of that scrumptious cornbread recipe.
Good morning vocalcoach,
Sounds like a realistic plan. The cornbread is on the way!
taxlarry 16 months ago
No energy exploration in "wild,lands," no oil drilling in the Glf, no oil exploration in Alaska. Imagine, if these areas can be explored, we would probably be energy self sufficient and would not have to import oil from the arab world. Oh, that's it, Obumma wants to keep sending dollars to his muslim bretheren. He will never let us be energy self sufficient. The arabs would starve if it weren't for us. To the bar. BARTENDER...........