Saturday, December 29, 2007

Just What I'm Looking For

Aren't those most afflicted with Bush Derangement Syndrome the very ones who were hysterical about the critics of former President Clinton, particularly during the days of impeachment? Aren't they the very ones who began the web sites like moveon and all those vehicles of hatred? Aren't they the same ones who claimed that Republicans will forever blame Bill Clinton for everything?

So, who are the BDSers going to blame for problems when the next president is ushered into office?

It is surreal how the level of political discourse has escalated in this country. It began with the 2000 election and the refusal of the far left to accept the Gore loss. Remember when the House was voting to verify the election results and the members of the Congressional Black Caucus rose to voice their refusal to vote in the affirmative? Yeah, classy. The tone was pretty much set by then. How about if the Republicans had done that to JFK when the election against Nixon was so close that it was determined that JFK won thanks to the dead and incarcerated in Cook County voting for him? No, Nixon didn't contest the election. Gore didn't have the good judgement to concede with dignity. He stretched everything out until he couldn't anymore and the Bush transition lost over a month of valuable time. Gore has since proven to be quite the selfish brat, still even today. Hey Al, move on.

I even read a post on a blog, granted the blogger is seriously BDS'd, that she blames Bush for the delay in her tax refund. Yeah. How's that for twisted logic? Congress is just now getting around to voting in the one year 'patch' for the AMT deduction that will affect millions of middle class taxpayers, like the blogger herself, after the Dem leadership held the vote while demanding a tax increase to offset the deduction. Typical Dem response - higher taxes. No breaks for the middle class while they claim they have the middle class in mind. Idiots. And the blogger is, too. Bush was prodding the Dem leadership for months to get to work on the problem. Only when the news articles appeared that refunds will be later than normal did they do something. And, by the way, if you are depending on a tax refund to solve some problems, maybe a chat with the payroll department is in order. Stop letting the government hold your refund money, interest free, through out the year.

The Bush administration has made their fair share of mistakes and the president has been guilty of letting his personal characteristic of loyalty get in the way of competent choices at high levels. Whether anyone chooses to acknowledge it or not, that is the way it is in all administrations. The attacks of 9/11 on our soil heightened some decisions and mistakes. That is what is different. The BDSers would have you believe it was all Bush's fault. In reality, the attacks were already happening against the U.S. and our interests overseas by the Islamofascists. Clinton proved unworthy to deal with the attacks. He was more concerned about his popularity in the polls. That is disgraceful.

Clinton was a disaster in the area of foreign policy. Think back to the beginning of his administration, his first term, when he made horrific mistakes in Somalia and the Blackhawk Down story. Now, Hillary is going around saying she is ready on day one to protect this nation. Why? She claims she traveled the world and talked with lots of world leaders. Maybe so. But in reality those trips were taxpayer funded road trips for her and her pals. Sometimes she brought along her daughter. It's been pointed out in other spots that during the ramping up of attacks against us by fanatic Muslims, she was barely speaking to the President, as he was finally caught in his disgraceful personal behavior in the Oval Office and for once could not talk his way out of it.

Obama mentioned he would support bombing Pakistan just a matter of months ago. Remember that? How does he look now?

Huckabee thought martial law was still in effect in Pakistan. He didn't read the NIE last put out. He thought we should 'apologize' for Bhutto's assassination. And, this guy is in first place in Iowa? What a nightmare.

So, here's where I am going with all this. Now is the time for grown-ups. Common sense. It is a continuing theme of mine, especially leading up to this Presidential election in 2008. I am on the edge of switching my support for Presidential candidates. It is no secret I was a Giuliani supporter up until now. Now, however, I no longer hold out hope that my party will grow up and support a truly qualified, strong candidate like Giuliani with a variety of governmental and private sector experience. I should have known better. My party has become obsessed with the God race and the pro-life litmus test. My party continues to disappoint me yet there is no way the other party is worthy of my vote. These days during the Iraq war have forever clinched that decision.

So, who? After the tragic death of Bhutto the dangers present in this world of ours are again brought to the forefront. As much as the far left wants to put their collective heads in the sand and play see no evil, hear no evil, the dangers lurk. It is not alarmist. It is reality. All those blaming America, or more specifically Bush, for the troubles of the world are just wrong and short-sighted. The tide has turned in Iraq and only a handful of Dems are willing to publicly acknowledge the successes of Petreaus and the military. What does it say that they chose to bet against their own country because of BDS?

John McCain is the grown-up. While the other candidates of both parties were falling over themselves to be the first to get to a camera and proclaim friendships with Bhutto and what must be done now, McCain was the only one to show some real maturity. While Clinton made it out to be more of a loss than it was to her and how she took Chelsea to meet her overseas, she quickly turned it into all about her. Again. Obama proclaimed it was Clinton's vote for the war that brought about the death. Edwards made a phone call to Musharref, he said to ask him to continue on with democratic reforms. Yeah, that'll do it, Johnny boy.

Huckabee was clueless. He was suggesting apologies. Romney faltered. Thompson put on the macho bravo stuff - gonna get those terrorists. Giuliani was in Florida and went into the mayor during 9/11 mode.

McCain? He was calm, thoughtful and serious. He spoke of his many visits with both Bhutto and Musharref over the years. He spoke of his travels to Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the dangerous area between them. The only candidate, by the way, with that experience. He said cries of cutting off aid to Pakistan is ridiculously nonsensical. He said we must continue to support Musharref and hope he isn't killed, too. Pakistan is a nuclear nation, a very unstable and complicated nuclear nation.

McCain showed a lot of common sense. A very reasoned response. He's the only one who'd truly be ready on Day One.

Just what I'm looking for in a candidate.

Friday, December 28, 2007

Reason with a Dallop of Common Sense

Two articles in The Wall Street Journal's online version caught my eye this morning. The first is a column by Peggy Noonan. Her weekly column is something I look forward to reading, I admit. She usually writes exactly how I am thinking on most issues. Today's column was no different.

Today Ms. Noonan is looking for a 'Reasonable Person for President'. Her logic falls along the lines of my own quest, looking for some common sense in the political world. Common sense and reason are two favorable characteristics in a potential Leader of the Free World.

She speaks of the pros and cons of the candidates as they campaign for the quickly approaching primary dash to the nomination. She points out the common sense of the flip flop criticism of candidates, such as Mitt Romney. She says everyone is entitled to change his/her mind once. But, in a campaign, the last choice is the choice which you must maintain. For instance, Romney is under attack for being pro-life after being pro-choice. I would think the pro-lifers would be happy he came around to that opinion. He can't go back to a pro-choice position now.

She speaks of John McCain as "an experience, personally heroic, seasoned, blunt-eyed, irascible American character. He makes me proud. He makes everyone proud." Irascible. I like that description.

As for Obama, she notes he is running as the candidate of change, as is Hillary. Obama is not experienced enough for many voters, nor is he old enough. "Men in their 40's love drama too much. Young politicians on fire over this issue or that tend to see politics as a stage on which they can act out their greatness. And we don't need more theatrics, more comedies or tragedies. But Mr. Obama doesn't seem on fire. He seems like a calm liberal with a certain moderating ambivalence. The great plus of his candidacy: More than anyone else he turns the page. If he rises he is something new in history, good or bad, and a new era begins."

Hillary's problem continues to be one of trustworthiness. More than half of the voting population consistently claims to not trust the woman. She has never given us a reason to trust her, this opinion is of her own making. More than her control freakishness, more than her sense of entitlement to enrich herself at the expense of the American taxpayer because she simply deserves it, more than her tired old has-been socialist thoughts on policy, it is her problem with trustworthiness. "My central problem is that the next American president will very likely face another big bad thing, a terrible day, or days, and in that time it will be crucial--crucial--that our nation be led by a man or woman who can be, at least for the moment and at least in general, trusted. Mrs. Clinton is the most dramatically polarizing, the most instinctively distrusted, political figure of my lifetime. Yes, I include Nixon. Would she be able to speak the nation through the trauma? I do not think so. And if I am right, that simple fact would do as much damage to America as the terrible thing itself."

Of Rudy, Noonan says he is reasonable but not desirable. And, she thinks we deserve better than Edwards, who will spend 2 full minutes on YouTube fluffing his hair in front of a mirror.

And the second column was by Kimberley Strassel analysing Obama as an agent of change. She comes to the same conclusion as I have on this claim. The reason the Dems can run on 'change' is because the atmosphere is so completely polarized between both parties. Obama, however, has done very little to ease the situation. He may claim to be all about change while he is running and figures the average American isn't going to look too carefully at his record as a U.S. Senator and he is probably right. Too bad, too. That makes for an ill-informed voter population. Obama has consistently voted to please the far left of the party and isn't one to come together with the other side for compromise. He wasn't one of the Gang of 14, for instance, who worked to break the barriers that arose over judicial nominations. McCain led that effort. Obama was nowhere to be found. Obama is consistent on voting against all of Bush's judicial nominations, as well as other nominees, as a matter of fact. How will he feel, if he is fortunate enough to become the President, when others use such petty, partisan tactics solely for personal political gain, not due to anything negative about the nominee? Solely for props from the Kos Kiddies and the HuffPo whiners who now brief the Senate Majority Leader and the Speaker of the House every morning when the House and Senate is in session? Who would have ever thought the blogosphere would be shaping foreign and domestic policy with such arrogance?

In March, the National Journal released its 2006 annual rankings of Congress. It is based on roll call votes. Obama was shown to be more liberal than 86% of others in Congress. The only issues he voted in a bi-partisan way was on issues like government transparency, which even the far left will agree on.

Obama has already caved to some of his reforms placed before caucus goers. He suggested teacher pay be in line with performance and has backtracked now for the special interests voices. Now he tells school union members that pay shouldn't be in line with test scores.

He hasn't come forward with his plans for health care, which is suppose to be the top issue for so many voters. He says he'll produce his plan in January. He "explained that a big reason he should be the Democratic nominee is that he could carry his party to a sweeping congressional victory that would provide a "mandate for change." "I mean, if we have a 50-plus-one election, we cannot get a serious health-care bill done. We can't have a serious agenda on climate change,"he said. "That doesn't sound like a man who wants to work wit Republicans toward a bipartisan era. It sounds like a man who wants to crush his opponents at the polls, and then bulldoze his agenda through an enfeebled opposition. There isn't anything necessarily wrong with that; it's what politicians have been trying to do for decades. But it's certainly nothing new."

Exactly.

Thursday, December 27, 2007

A Woman on a Mission

Benazir Bhutto has been assassinated. She was shot in the neck and chest as she left a rally delivering a campaign speech in the far north eastern corner of Pakistan, an area she was warned was most unsafe for her to appear.

Who is Benazir Bhutto? She was born in 1953, the daughter of a wealthy family, her father founded the Pakistani Peoples Party, a Prime Minister himself, and the sister of two murdered brothers. This political family was no stranger to the dangers of trying to bring a form of western democracy to a Muslim world. Her father was kicked out of office under charges of corruption and was executed.

Bhutto was Prime Minister twice. She was the first female leader of a country in the Muslim world. Looking for a true feminist role model for young girls in today's world? Here's one for you. Unlike the failed feminist movement in our country, this woman was active on behalf of women around the world. She was a woman with a mission.

Bhutto strongly believed it was her obligation to return to Pakistan, after many years living out of the country due to the political unrest, and devote the rest of her life to bringing about political change. She was imprisoned for many years in Pakistan after her terms in office, most of them spent in solitary confinement. She was a strong woman.

She was only a couple of years older than me and I followed her life with great interest. She fascinated me as a woman in the political world within the Muslim world. She was a voice for democracy. She loved the West and America in particular. She was educated at Oxford University and Harvard University. Before returning for the final time to her homeland, in October, she visited Washington, D.C. and met with leaders there. She did lots of interviews with news outlets and spoke of her upcoming return to Pakistan. She wanted to return to the leadership of Pakistan and challenged Musharraf.

The Pakistani election is due to be held on January 8.

Islamic fanatics were determined to kill her. To them, she was an embarrassment to Islam. She was a strong, educated, determined woman and they wanted no part of that.

She was held under house arrest under the auspices of protection not long after she returned to Pakistan in October. Musharraf knew of the threats to her life and didn't want her to travel to the region she was in today. It can also be said he put her under house arrest for his own selfish political reasons.

She was shot in the neck and chest, and a suicide bomber detonated himself after that. Many rally goers were killed from the bomb.

She had a beautiful face and a calm manner about herself. I was always so impressed with her aura of calmness as she must have been screaming on the inside. She knew she was in grave danger. She went home anyway. She was a warrior for democracy.

She was a woman on a mission.

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

The Smartest Woman in the World

Former President Clinton, campaigning for future President Clinton, has declared Hillary the smartest woman in the world. Again. This was a common remark during the eight years of the former's reign in D.C. Hillary is just so darn smart.

Her Smartness made a bit of a boo boo recently picked up by NewsBusters.org, concerning the upcoming Iowa caucus. The caucus takes place on January 3, as anyone with a working television will tell you by now, no matter which state in which you live, yet while passing out pledge cards for potential supporters, the date listed was January 14, a full eleven days late. Her caucus supporters cards read: "I, ______, pledge to support Hillary Clinton at my precinct caucus on January 14, 2008." Oops.

Even though Hillary isn't to blame for this error, as I am sure it is the work of her minions toiling away for Her Smartness, just for the pleasure to fawn over her, that made the mistake. But, following on the idea that she is the smartest woman in the whole wide world, wouldn't she put smart people in place in her campaign offices? Just asking a question.

And the obvious reference to bias is in play, as you can just imagine what a story this would have been if a Republican candidate had made the mistake.

This week has brought about two articles from major newsrags questioning the 'experience' Her Smartness claims to have. The New York Times, of all newspapers, and the International Herald Tribune have asked legitimate questions, you know, like journalists used to do, and are scratching their collective heads as the rest of us are about her claims. What exactly does she point to when questioned about experience? Sure, she traveled to 79 countries, as it the popular talking point I heard from talking pundits today, but so what? We all remember her and her husband's love of taxpayer funded jaunts around the world. Not to mention the perk it was to big donors.

"In seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, Clinton lays claim to two traits nearly every day: strength and experience. But as the junior senator from New York, she has few significant legislative accomplishments to her name. She has cast herself, instead, as a first lady like no other: a full partner to her husband in his administration, and , she says, all the stronger and more experienced for her 'eight years with a front-row seat on history.'" That from the International Herald Tribune on Tuesday, Dec. 25. "Her time in the White House was a period of transition in foreign policy and national security, with the Cold War over and the threat of Islamic terrorism still emerging. As a result, while in the White House she was never fully a part of either the old school that had been focused on the Soviet Union and the possibility of nuclear war nor part of the more recent strain of national security thinking defined by issues like non state threats and the proliferation of nuclear technology."

"During those two terms in the White House, Clinton did not hold a security clearance. She did not attend National Security Council meetings. She was not given a copy of the president's daily intelligence briefing. She did not assert herself on the crises in Somalia, Haiti or Rwanda. And during one of President Bill Clinton's major tests on terrorism, whether to bomb Afghanistan and Sudan in 1998, Clinton was barely speaking to her husband, let alone advising him, as the Lewinsky scandal dragged on." Ouch.

I read a book in the mid 1990's as bin Laden was coming to the forefront in terror related headlines. It was called "The War Against America" and the author is Laurie Mylroie. Who is Ms. Mylroie? She was an advisor to Bill Clinton as he ran for president in 1992. She has taught at Harvard University and the U.S. Naval War College. She is quite knowledgeable on the subject of terror and her book focuses on the first World Trade Center attack in 1993.

"The Clinton administration has consistently turned a blind eye to the clear and obvious dangers that Saddam poses. If America's leadership continues to deal with Saddam in that fashion, we must be prepared to see further acts of violence that are more successful, more brutal and more devastating." That is a quote from the intro written by James Woolsey, former head of the CIA, who also resigned from association with the Clinton administration over their non-serious thoughts on the war against terror.

After 9/11, Ms. Mylroie was in demand on the talking heads shows for her knowledge and thoughts on the upcoming responses to threats of terror. Her fears proved true.

The Clinton administration went into the usual bunker style mode, the kind they accuse the Bush administration of, and denounced Ms. Mylroie as someone who really didn't know what she was talking about.

And, let's not forget that Her Smartness, in 1999, sat quietly at an event on the West Bank with Suha Arafat, wife of Arafat, as she accused Israel of poisoning Palestinian women and children by gas. As she bid goodbye, Her Smartness kissed Suha goodbye and the Jewish community Hillary was courting for votes while running for NY Senator was rightfully critical of the gesture.

And the health care debacle under her supervision is her only major attempt on domestic policy. There is absolutely nothing for her to crow about as far as her success as a junior Senator from N.Y. is concerned.

Her recent Christmas greeting showing her labeling 'gifts' to the American people, like universal health care and pre-K, ending the war, etc., were not her gifts to give. She knows it plays well to the sheeple, though, and her taxpayer funded 'gifts' were shown all warm and cuddly.

Today she made the statement that when she is President, it is never 'if', she'll lower the price of gasoline immediately just by her election because she is putting beaucoup bucks into 'alternative energy' projects. She is not so smart after all. It'll sharply increase the price at the pump, as will her plans to take away the tax incentives to "evil Big Oil". Anyone notice what the increase in ethanol has done to the price of groceries lately?

Oh, wait, that's probably George W. Bush's fault.

Saturday, December 22, 2007

A Christmas Greeting

This was sent to me by blogging pal SuZan, right here in Houston. For some reason, she thought I would enjoy it. Maybe you will, too.

To my Democrat Friends:

"Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and /or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2008, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere. And without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishes. By accepting these greetings you are accepting these terms. This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for herself or himself or others, and is void where prohibited by law and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.



To my Republican Friends:

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from Texas Y'all!!!

Friday, December 21, 2007

You Can Take the Politician Out of Arkansas, But...

The similarities are emerging more clearly each day as more and more columns are written about them. Those politicians from Arkansas are operating more alike than not as the public scrutiny focuses in to their campaigns.

The politicians in question? The Clintons and Mike Huckabee. Both politically schooled in the ways of living off the taxpayers during reigns in the state of Arkansas. They are cut from the same cloth.

Hillary's campaign has now launched two web sites with the sole purpose of attacking Obama. The first is TheHillaryIKnow.com which features her friends talking about how much they like her. The newest one is Votingpresent.com and Votingpresent.org which focus in on Obama's votes of 'present' rather than yes or no. This focus primarily is on his past record in Illinois. Both are petty and small.

It is the true Hillary and her inability to move past her wicked witch of the west personality.

Now, don't think the others aren't doing it, too. They are but she's suppose to be doing things differently. She's a woman. Women will do things so much better than men, we are told. She's all about change. She's all about sweeping out the trash. I think she's riding that broom instead of sweeping with it.

Obama's campaign has a site called HillaryAttacks.BarackObama.com, which displays Clinton's criticisms on Obama. And, Edwards supporters put up a site called PlantsforHillary chronicling Clinton's love of taking questions from plants in the audiences at appearances. That site, however, was taken down after a day.

I'm looking for a grown up right about now.

Huckabee and the Clintons are all a shade too slick for intense scrutiny to produce favorable results. Huckabee is actually a bit more skilled about covering his tracks in office than the Clintons. After serving as Governor of Arkansas for 11 years, he ordered the hard drives crashed on every computer to deny any access at all to his papers. Plus the churches where he was pastor will not release any sermons that have been delivered by the 'Pastor' Huckabee. What in the world is so bad in either instance that Huckabee has to destroy it or demand sworn secrecy?

Both Clintons and Huckabee are subject to numerous ethic violation investigations. Huckabee, like the Clintons, used Governor Mansion operating monies (taxpayer money) to pay for personal expenses. In the case of Huckabee, it was items like a doghouse, clothes, take-out meals and boat expenses. Boat expenses? Hillary used mansion monies to pay for Chelsea's full-time nanny. Hey, Hillary was a busy woman. She didn't have time to raise her own daughter. She says it takes a village. Or at the very least, a full-time nanny.

Both Huckabees and Clintons, both married 20 plus years at this point, signed up for wedding registry style gift lists and eagerly accepted 'gifts' from friends as they left the mansion. The Clintons were famously caught being particularly greedy as they left the White House and had to buy a house for the first time ever. Hey, it was easier living in government housing all those years. After the White House, they had a couple of mansions of their own to buy - one in D.C. and one in N.Y., not to mention the apartment in Manhattan for when Bill shows up at his office in Harlem. He's just a man of the people, you know. Especially the black people.

Mike Huckabee plays the bass guitar and Bill Clinton plays the sax. Both love to raise taxes. Both are endorsed by the National Education Association, as is Hillary. A Republican endorsed by the NEA? May be a first. And, what 'conservative' Republican would want that endorsement?

It is all well and good to tout Huckabee as a politician who has not flip flopped on issues. The problem comes in when you realize that some change in his ways would be a good thing. Going into public service to enrich yourself is a very Democrat thing to do. Only recently have the Republicans gotten in on the act. That's not progress. And, just because you are the true pro-life Christian in the race doesn't make it less slimy.

The Dems are releasing direct attacks on most of the leading Republican candidates, according to OpinionJournal.com "Since the beginning of 2007, the Democratic National Committee has released 102 direct attacks on Mitt Romney. Rudy Giuliani has warranted 78; John McCain 68; Fred Thompson 21. Mike Huckabee? Four. The most recent of these landed back in March. GOP voters may not have examined Mr. Huckabee's record, but the left has -- and they love what they see."

The latest days on the campaign trail show how thin skinned and nasty tempered Huckabee is, just as those who served with him in Arkansas say off record. You know, like the Clintons. He has come out blasting Romney as a liar and phony for days on end. Not very Pastor- like of him. But, he placed a cross image behind his head in his Christmas greeting for good measure and then claimed innocence of such a deliberate placement when questioned. Peggy Noonan said in her latest column : "I love the cross. The sight of it, the fact of it, saves me, literally and figuratively. But there is a kind of democratic politesse in America, and it has served us well, in which we are happy to profess our faith but don't really hit people over the head with its symbols in an explicitly political setting, such as a campaign commercial, which is what Mr. Huckabee's ad was."

"I wound up thinking this: That guy is using the cross so I'll like him. That doesn't tell me what he thinks of Jesus, but it does tell me what he thinks of me. He thinks I'm dim. He thinks I will associate my savior with his candidacy. Bleh."

Both Huckabee and the Clintons are all about victimhood. As Noonan continues, "He plays the victim well. Others want to "trip him up," but he'll "get my message out there." His foes are "Wall Street-Washington" insiders, elitists. On the "Today" show he said his critics are the type who never liked evangelical Christians. When one of them runs, these establishment types say "Oh my gosh, now they're serious, they don't want to show up and vote, they actually would want to be part of the discussion and really talk about issues that include hunger and poverty and things." "This is a form of populist manipulation. Evangelical Christians have been strong in the Republican Party since the 1970's."

Huckabee = Clintons with a bit of Edwards thrown in.

What's in the water in Arkansas anyway?

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Apology Accepted

Right on cue, former Senator Bob Kerrey, now President of the New School in NYC, has issued a letter of apology to Barack Obama for remarks made during his endorsement of Hillary Clinton earlier in the week. I'm telling you, it's like clockwork with her campaign. Except for the occasional monkey wrench tossed in when Bill is allowed to stump of her.

"What I found myself getting into in Iowa - and it was my own fault- it was the wrong moment to do it and it was insulting, "Kerrey told the AP. "I meant no disrespect at all." As soon as he sent off the letter to Obama, he picked up the phone and dialed the AP so everyone could know the news. What's the sense of apologizing if it's not publicly displayed, huh? Keeps the story going a little longer, the references to his middle name, his father and grandmother's religion, his history as a multiracial man living in Indonesia, etc. Yeah, he's a piece of work, that Bob Kerrey. Those Clinton hatchetmen coached him well.

Apologies used to mean something, back in the day. In today's dialogue, it's all about the show. Just say anything you want to say in public and if someone calls you on it, just issue a half-assed apology. While you are doing it, be sure to throw the blame on the person questioning the remark. Say something like, I apologize if you were offended. I apologize if you misunderstood the remark. With everyone going blah, blah, blah in front of cameras, 24/7, stuff is bound to happen. What happens is the daily issuance of 'apologies', especially in the political arena, and they end up meaning nothing at all. The thoughtless statement has been made and is out there and then the person making the remark is given kudos for the apology. It's a two-fer. And, yeah, they know exactly how to play it for all it's worth. Especially with such a willing press.

The Congressional Dems are holding a conference call with the press this afternoon. The purpose? To discuss the record of Senator Obama from his days in the Illinois state legislature. Yes, you read that right. Back when he was an Illinois State Senator. It's all about the uncovering of his penchant of voting 'present' instead of a straight yes or no. Turns out he voted like that over a hundred times and it looks a bit odd. He says it was how business was done in the Illinois state politics and it indicates he would support the resolution or bill if it was tweaked or re-written. Whatever. I don't care about any of that. I do care about his votes in the U.S. Senate and present day wrangling.

As the official agent of change in this election, on the side of the Dems, Obama has promised to be a voice of reason in today's contentious political atmosphere. He promises to get Dems and Republicans to work together and do good things up there on Capitol Hill. There is one problem with that reasoning: He is definitely a part of the partisanship on the Hill today. His votes are lined up with the far left and the defeatist agenda, always and predictably, and he is fond of verbal bashes to the current administration. The President isn't in the race or is his VP so it's gratuitous bashing. No one thinks a liberal Dem is going to support domestic or foreign policy as a conservative Republican has done. He should like Bush, actually, for all the big spending he has done since taking office.

During the voting process of the Supreme Court nominees, it is common procedure that a president gets his nominee as long as nothing criminal is present in the nominee's background. Republicans voted unanimously for Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who is the polar opposite of Republican thoughts on judicial decisions. It was the right thing to do. The Dems now, though, completely consumed with Bush Derangement Syndrome and beholding to the far left wackos, now consistently vote against judicial nominees, just because they feel like it. The nominations of Sam Alito and John Roberts proved that. Both rated with stellar remarks from the ABA, no conservative organization, and stellar careers, but politics ruled. And Obama was a good little liberal voice and voted against both of them.

So much for the agent of change. It takes more than a smooth voice and a huggy, feel good attitude.

Senator Harry Reid, the creepy voiced Senate Majority Leader has announced that he will employ the same tactic he pulled during the Thanksgiving recess during the Christmas recess. He'll stop any recess appointments by President Bush by sending over Senator Jim Webb or someone like him who lives close by to gavel in the Senate for a few minutes every few days or so and technically keep the Senate in session. Again, Republicans didn't throw those hissy fits as the majority party. The one time Newt shut down the government he suffered for that ill thought out decision. Senator Reid, you can rest assured, will be applauded in the press for his tactics. Not by the American voter, but by the press and that's all he cares about right now.

Time Magazine has named Putin as the Person of the Year. Nice. Where Russia was once on the way to freedom and prosperity, slowly but surely, Putin has shut all that down. He arrests journalists, poisons political opponents, makes himself Prime Minister after he learned he can't be President again and picked his successor. Yeah, let's recognize all those accomplishments. Not to mention supplying Iran with a year's worth of enriched uranium. Go, Putin! Yeah.

And on the heels of that, Time Magazine announced they will no longer employ conservative columnists Charles Krauthammer and William Kristol. So, with Time's own little method of imprisoning journalists, they have eliminated the conservative voice in their magazine. Their subscriptions continue to sink but I guess they think only liberals read their rag.

I think Krauthammer and Kristol deserve an apology.

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Do You Feel the Love?

Are you feeling the love yet? All the new commercials out showing the presidential candidates and families wishing you a very merry Christmas, happy holidays, too? It's all a bit much. Seems to me if you have to work so hard to get voters to 'like' you, to recognize you as a warm and fuzzy person, then you probably aren't a warm and fuzzy person.

We have the Huckster, feigning innocence when questioned about the obvious cross, he says from a bookcase, prominently displayed behind him. We see Hillary's mother and daughter plus various other women friends speaking oh so sincerely about Hill's warmth and compassion. She's dropping in the polls with women voters and that's got her people scared. She is counting on women voters for the ride back into the White House. We see Rudy and Santa in an ad. Ok, that one is funny. Rudy lets his guard down and mugs for the camera. And, I just saw the Obama family wishing me a merry Christmas from one of his young daughters, and happy holidays from his other young daughter. That one was cute. Everyone is a sucker for a cute little girl or two being sweet.

I'm glad I don't live in Iowa. Even for a political junkie like me, it's all a bit too much. The campaigning season began way too early. Most of the campaigns only plan to take off on Christmas Day, maybe Christmas eve. Call me cynical but I'm guessing we'll be seeing candidates walking in or out of church services both days. This time around it's all about the God vote and who's less of a sinner than the others.

I read an interesting observation the other day. The author said he didn't think in today's political climate that Ronald Reagan would survive to become the candidate of his party. I agree.

Ken Burns, filmmaker and resident of New Hampshire, has now publicly endorsed Barack Obama. His issue is typically liberal in thought. He has spoken out against the war in Iraq and now let's it guide his political endorsement. "I think this is a human being who knew in advance how unnecessary and foolish this war was," Burns said, adding that Obama knows how to distinguish between "fraudulent wars," and "those that really need to be fought." Maybe if PBS and its sponsors pay him to do a docudrama on the Iraq War, he'll do the research and come to a different conclusion.

Fraudulent war. Remember, to the liberal left wing of the aisle, freedom is only for the sophisticated westerners. Those people in the Middle East are not deserving or capable. Just turn a blind eye to a murderous dictator, millions dead, honor killings, rape as torture, torture rooms, all in the name of 'containment'. We'll not be concerned. Until 3,000 more of our brothers and sisters are killed in tall buildings or country fields. Because, you know, if we just ignore them, they'll go away.

Those supporting Hillary long for the good old 1990's. She and Bill ran the country and life was oh so good. Sure, if you were a Wall Street broker or cashing in on the tech bubble. We were a nation at war, we just didn't know it at the time. Bill was too scared to do anything of substance to counteract the attacks on our embassies or the first World Trade Building. He wanted to indict the terrorists. Put them on trial like common murderers.

And the 'fraudulent war', I assume is a reference to the CIA/FBI briefings and intelligence that turned out to be bad information? You can thank Jamie Gorelick/Janet Reno and their sponsor, Hillary Clinton, for that wall thrown up so that the two agencies couldn't collaborate. Not to mention all the career employees with their own agendas they've been allowed to push forever. Bill Clinton treated the FBI and the CIA as poorly as he treated the military.

The Hillary supporters turn a blind eye to the tactics of the Clintons. The tactics of Carville and Begala - trash any critics or girlfriends of the holier than thou Bill. Martyr Hillary. She's so strong. She's so smart. She's so accomplished. She's a snake. She hires a flunky to read through 1500 FBI files of Republicans. Without any legal entitlement to the records in the first place. She hires Betsy Wright to control the 'Bimbo eruptions' of her philandering husband. And she is a complete failure on the one public policy attempt she is assigned - health care. Remember she said she'd force it down the public's throat whether they wanted it or not? All the secret meetings?

Yeah, let's go back to those good old days. Let's see the papers from the Arkansas days and the White House days released so Hillary's work can be assessed. If she is to claim that for 35 years she has worked for the good of the country, for women and children, then let's see it. Put up or shut up already. The papers can be released at any time with the approval of Bill Clinton. A signature would do it.

And today is a story in the news that Hillary has bussed in, literally, a group of supporters who have known her for years. One was planted in an audience in Iowa who asked the question, "Are you a Christian?" She answered, yes. Turns out the woman planted in that audience was Hillary's former Sunday school teacher.

Next thing you know, she'll plant her mom in the audience to ask her if she's a good person.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

A Tale of Two Endorsements

"I know that it is unusual for someone who is not a Republican to endorse a Republican candidate for President. And if this were an ordinary time and an ordinary election, I probably would not be here today. But this is no ordinary time. When others were silent, and it was thought politically unpopular, John had the courage and common sense to sound the alarm about the mistakes we were making in Iraq and to call for more troops and a new strategy there. And when others wavered, when others wanted to retreat from the field of battle, John had the courage and common sense to stand against the tide of public opinion and support the surge in Iraq, where we are at last winning."

The speaker was Senator Joe Lieberman, I-CT, and he was endorsing Senator John McCain for the Presidential nomination. They appeared together at a VFW hall in Hillsborough, N.H. yesterday. McCain said Lieberman "understands why we must succeed in Iraq and in the broader war against radical Islamic extremism." That according to the AP write up.

So, the usual downplaying of Liberman's remarks began within the mainstream media. Support the war efforts? You must be a conservative. ABC's Kate Snow referred to Lieberman as a 'conservative democrat'.

This is truly an odd characterization of Senator Lieberman. Don't get me wrong - his stance on the war on terror and the war in Iraq is one I wholeheartedly support. However, Senator Lieberman is far from a conservative. Except for foreign policy, he is one who voted with the Americans for Democratic Action's agenda 75 percent of the time, according to their 2006 records. Other than the issue of choice for women, I probably disagree with Senator Lieberman on all the other big issues domestically. But, for national security he has it right.

See, Senator Liberman puts country before party. This is something sorely needed in this day of Islamofascism. Those ready to behead infidels and blow up school buses and shopping malls don't care if you are a Republican or a Democrat. They think you are an infidel and that's all they need to think about you.

With this endorsement, Lieberman doesn't insult or poke any other candidate, of either party. He simply did an honest endorsement.

Contrast that with the endorsement yesterday of Hillary from former Senator Bob Kerrey. Kerrey, you'll remember, is a former governor of the state of Nebraska and then the state's Senator in D.C. for several terms before leaving in 2001 to be the President of The New School in NYC. He's also a member of the 9/11 Commission. Yesterday, Kerrey used the same type of tactics that Hillary's pollster/campaign minion Mark Penn used against Barack Obama. Penn kept Obama's previous youthful drug use in the public dialogue for several days, even while supposedly apologizing for the bone headed remarks.

Kerrey went on after the actual endorsement part of the news conference to say "The fact that he's African American is a big deal. I do expect and hope that Hillary is the nominee of the party. But I hope he's used in some way. If he happens to be the nominee of the party and ends up being president, I think his capacity to influence in a positive way without spending a penny the behavior of a lot of underperforming black youth today is very important, and he's the only one who can reach them." "It's probably not something that appeals to him, but I like the fact that his name is Barack Hussein Obama, and that his father was a Muslim and that his paternal grandmother is a Muslim. There's a billion people on the planet that are Muslims and I think that experience is a big deal." "He's got a whale of a lot more intellectual talent than I've got as well." True enough, that part.

So, he soothes his liberal white guilt by recognizing Obama is a black man. Then he points out with repeated words that Obama's middle name is Hussein, that his father and grandmother were Muslims and that there are 'a billion' Muslims on the planet. Wow. Can he be any more condescending and abrasive at the same time? No surprise that this backhanded jab is meant to deepen a wedge that potential voters may feel towards Obama as far as any association with the Muslim faith goes. Obama is now a member of a Christian church in Illinois and Kerrey is fully aware of that. Kerrey is not a stupid man or a political neophyte. He knew exactly what image he was creating. Shame on him.

Kerrey is also the man who said of former President Clinton during a 9/11 Commission meeting that Clinton is an "unusually good liar". "Unusually good." So, let's get him right back in the White House, ok?

And, today, Hillary and Bill are posing on the campaign trail with Magic Johnson. Keeping the black cred going for Hill.

And, finally, if Hillary is so experienced and strong on her own, why is Bill campaigning so hard and so stupidly? He's making mistakes he never made before. Today he said he'd go around the world with George H.W. Bush when Hill is President to repair all the alleged damage the current Bush has done to America's reputation in the world. Problem is, it was all a lie. Shocking, I know. And, I guess he didn't count on the former President Bush immediately issuing a statement saying no such plan had ever been discussed with him and he had no desire to do that. He said he was pleased with America's position in the world and with how his son's administration was doing. What did Clinton think he would say?

Wonder if he pointed that bony finger at the audience as he told that whopper.

I think it's clear that Lieberman's was the endorsement style of dignity. That's something the political world could use a lot of, too.

Monday, December 17, 2007

Sisterhood of Three

The week begins with a media blitz of Hillary appearing on 6 morning shows, including for the first time ever, on Fox and Friends. Listen, she's shaken up pretty bad if she's giving that much time to interviewers. This woman, who bogusly calls the present administration 'secretive' is the queen of secrets. She and Bill have still refused to release papers from the Arkansas days, not to mention White House days, for Pete's sake. If she's all about her 35 years of experience, as she claims, then let's see it. She's got absolutely nothing to show for her 'hard work on behalf of women and children' but she does have a massive failure to push aside. The health care debacle was the one major bit of policy entrusted to her and she failed miserably. And mostly in secret, too.

The Des Moines Register, however, still hearts Hillary and have endorsed her in the primary. This despite the meeting a few months back with her at an editorial board breakfast at Hill's hotel. The meeting "did not go so well", as reported by the New York Times. The editorial board members found her cold and not so chatty at the all girl meeting. Carolyn Washburn, you remember her stellar performance during the Republican debate in Des Moines, told the NYT that a Hillary aide called afterwards to apologize and asking for another meeting with Hillary. She promised Hillary's 'lighter side'. And, since then the board has been 'bombarded by Hillary surrogates', according to the article. Bill Clinton, Walter Mondale, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Madeleine Albright have all gone calling on Hill's behalf.

So, now that she's bragging about the endorsement and yet still aghast that she's behind Obama and may even lose to Edwards, she goes on morning talk shows and pulls out the cackle. She was all set up in the Drake Diner in Des Moines, all amongst the folks, and, when asked her most important issue, stated she had two - ending the war in Iraq and health care. Oh, the war she voted on and fully supported until a few months ago, and the one policy megafailure she has on her resume? Who told her to say that?

On the Obama surge, she says she doesn't pay attention to the day to day developments. Yes, we believe you Queen Hillary.

Maybe the same sheeple who are supporting Hillary, especially those who support her because 'it's time for a woman', also still think Nancy Pelosi, aka Grandma Mimi, is doing a terrific job up there on Capitol Hill. She failed to get any legislation passed this whole entire year, except the increase in minimum wage which will affect a minuscule portion of the general population. Grandma Mimi is so desperate for attention these days that she claimed last Thursday that Republicans want the war on Iraq to drag on. "They like this war. They want this war to continue," she told reporters, as written by the AP and reported on MSNBC.com. Grandma wants a Dem president so she can get legislation done.

You'd think that by age 67, having been raised in a political family back East, and married to a savvy millionaire with big connections, she'd be smart enough to know how to get things done, wouldn't you? Look at that dummy, George Bush. He keeps getting his agenda through.

And, Grandma can't even really complain about the recent charges that the CIA has used waterboarding in 2 or 3 documented cases. Maybe. She is documented as being a member of the congressional leadership who was briefed all the way back to 2002. And, it is not ruled out that she is one of the Dems who asked if even tougher methods could be used to get information from terrorists. Darn. Foiled again.

So, all those liberal Dems in leadership condoned what they now label torture techniques unacceptable. And, now they want to not renew the Patriot Act. And now they claim all the 'rights' have been stripped from Americans.

Hmm. Let's review. John Edwards, "the war on terror is a bumper sticker", John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, Teddy (the swimmer) Kennedy and all the Dems voted for the Patriot Act, except for Russ Feingold (D-WI). And Mary Landrieu who wasn't there to vote.

And, Finally, Elizabeth Edwards would like you to know that Republicans scare her. She told some Dem caucus goers in a town hall meeting in Dubuque, Iowa that "Republicans should scare us in a lot of ways". And, apparently it's all about her fear of Karl Rove. As she was touring around the state with actor Kevin Bacon, she said "Karl Rove may not be working in the White House anymore but you can pretty much be sure he's going back in the presidential race...I believe he's going to be back and he's going to be doing that same kind of Rovian politics that we've seen before -- the kind of attacks that we saw against Sen. McCain in South Carolina we can expect to see against our nominee, 'swift boating', all that kind of stuff again." Ohhhh.

You can fear Rove for his completely successful consulting through the last decade or two, true enough, but the swift boating credit goes solely to John O'Neill right here in Houston.

Elizabeth said her hubby John could survive the Republican attack machine "We have to have a candidate who stands up, can take the punches and give it back to them." She better be careful. Sounds like she's describing Hillary. Is tough a descriptive word you think of when you think of John Edwards? Pretty boy, sure. "My daddy worked in a mill", yeah. Slimy trial lawyer, ok. But tough? Not so much.

He's got Elizabeth for the tough stuff.

I don't want to finish this without saying, on a sad note, Dan Fogelburg died yesterday. I fondly remember his music during my college days, in particular. He was only 56 years old. RIP.

Friday, December 14, 2007

The Huckster, Paid Dirt Slinging, and Hillary Flies

Yesterday afternoon brought the Democrat Presidential candidates debate in Des Moines. It was just as big a snooze fest as the Republican debate the day before. This time, however, the moderator was all warm (for her) and giggly with her Dem pals on stage. She seriously hearts John Edwards and Bill Richardson. The other candidates participating were Hillary, Obama, Chris Dodd and Joe Biden. That's all. Just six on stage. The debate coordinators stuffed the stage with 9 Republicans, guaranteeing as little time as possible per candidate, yet only 6 on the Dem stage and lots more leniency in the time department. Not once did she tell the answerer to 'step it up', or 'let's pick it up', as she did to the Republicans. I expected her at any time to break out in spontaneous finger snapping with the Republicans.

But no, the moderator, aka Nurse Ratchet in the press accounts, giggled and downright chuckled a couple of times with Edwards and Richardson. The best moment was in an exchange between Hillary and Obama. Hillary thought she'd be oh so clever and ask the moderator - actually butting in - if a show of hands would be called for on global warming. The moderator said no. Hillary went on to say since she had trouble with the Republicans with that request she wanted the Dems to be on record that they all thought global warming was a real issue and they all wanted to work on the problem. The moderator froze Hill out. I was waiting for the frost to produce icicles.

Then, the question posed by the moderator to Obama : "How are you going to provide change when you have so many former Clinton advisers advising you?" Lots of laughter from the audience and Hillary started to do her faux cackle laugh. Hillary said, "I want to hear this." The moderator got all giggly. Then Obama went in for the kill. He turned to Hillary and said, "Hillary, I'm looking forward to you advising me as well." The audience busted a gut. It was great.

Hillary is so vain she doesn't even realize most people wonder why all her husband's former advisers and administration members are now working with Obama. She doesn't acknowledge how poorly it reflects on her. Tunnel vision.

Not much else happened. Many of the pundits think Edwards won. The moderator certainly gave him all the time he wanted to take. Obama did ok, too. Hillary was off her game. Again. Plus, something weird was going on with Hillary's left eye. It looked like she had a black eye, puffy and black underneath the eye socket. Maybe it was just a bit of an infection showing. It was distracting.

Joe Biden was asked about his racially bigoted remarks he's been caught on tape making this past year as he's campaigned. He did the usual arrogant denial. It's hard to find a more pompous politican than old Joe. I guess if you've been nothing but a politician since you were in your late '20's this is to be expected.

Another uneven twist between the Republican debate and the Dem debate - where the Republicans were tasked with doing a 30 second video on anything they wanted to say, the Dems did it live on stage. Hmmm.

Anyway, what is with the Huckabee surge in Iowa? He's up over Romney now and yet more and more of his record is being put out. Is it just because the Republican caucus goers are religious right and that is the only thing that matters to them? Huckabee is putting out the ads saying he'll be the Christian leader. What? Is he running for pastor or President? He's bad on immigration, taxes, paroled prisoners, foreign policy - he wants to close Gitmo and move the prisoners to jails in this country, etc. I'm not seeing much conservative policy there. I realize the fringe right or left of a party are those most reliable to vote in a primary but this is ridiculous. What's wrong with Iowa?

I heard today on a local radio talk show that Ron Paul is paying two former legislators, Republicans, from Arkansas during Huck's governor days $5,000 each to be in Iowa 'setting the record straight' on him. He is paying two people to slime Huckabee in Iowa. I thought Paul was all about integrity? No, actually I didn't as I live in south east Texas and his district is not some many miles down the highway. The two talk show hosts were volunteering to go to Iowa to talk about Ron Paul and his true nature.

And to Hillary. She's going on a 5 day tour of Iowa to get to all the counties. In a helicopter. Shades of John Kerry 2004. He did it in a bomber jacket. What will her jacket be? Her campaign is really feeling the heat of the uprising of Obama's numbers. For the most professional and experienced staff around, her people sure are making mistakes. Rather early in the season, too. First they attacked Obama's kindergarten days, then they accused Obama of having a political slush fund, then Billy Sheehan (husband of former gov of N.H. now running for Senate seat) stated that the Republicans will pose questions of Obama's former drug use and possible drug selling, for which there is absolutely no evidence, then that the Clinton campaign has lots of negative stories about him but they just don't want to get into them. Yeah, right. The Clintons, the original creators of the politics of personal destruction, only know how to attack and roll around in the mud. It's what they do.

Now Hillary is using her 88 year old mother, previously rarely seen, in tv ads in Iowa speaking about what a good person Hillary is. Well, what's a mother to say? And Chelsea is out there campaigning now, too. Pulling out all the stops.

"Trojan" is one word I don't want to hear coming out of Hillary's mouth. She was pandering to the Iowa audience saying that their Senator Tom Harkin was "working like a Trojan" to pass agriculture reform. The word conjures up other images she of all people shouldn't want to be associated with. Just sayin'.

And, as they all act as though they are running against George W. Bush, Hillary is now regularly working in the phrase 'cowboy diplomacy' into her foreign policy ideas.

News flash to the Dems - Bush is not going to be on any ballot this time around. Haven't they learned yet that all the negative, doom and gloom false charges from them just doesn't appeal to voters? Congress is still at all time low approval rates. The President, the lame duck, the incurious, the stupid guy at the White House, is still getting his legislation initiatives through.

Not bad for a cowboy.

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Something to Think About

A little religious hypocrisy here at Christmas time surfaces on the Internets. I will stick my neck out, she said in jest, and predict that on the Internet will be the only place to read about this stunt.

A Bill was introduced in the House of Representatives on December 6, 2007, House Res. 847, with the stated purpose of 'recognizing the importance of Christmas and the Christian faith.' It was introduced by Rep. Steve King, (R-IA) and was patterned after a House Resolution back in October 2007 that recognized the Muslim faith and Ramadan.

Resolution:
Recognizing the importance of Christmas and the Christian faith.

Whereas Christmas, a holiday of great significance to Americans and many other cultures and nationalities, is celebrated annually by Christians throughout the United States and the world;

Whereas there are approximately 225,000,000 Christians in the United States, making Christianity the religion of over three-fourths of the American population;

Whereas there are approximately 2,000,000,000 Christians throughout the world, making Christianity the largest religion in the world and the religion of about one-third of the world population;

Whereas Christians identify themselves as those who believe in the salvation from sin offered to them through the sacrifice of their savior, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and who, out of gratitude for the gift of salvation, commit themselves to living their lives in accordance with the teachings of the Holy Bible;

Whereas Christians and Christianity have contributed greatly to the development of western civilization;

Whereas the United States, being founded as a constitutional republic in the traditions of western civilization, finds much in its history that points observers back to its roots in Christianity;

Whereas on December 25 of each calendar year, American Christians observe Christmas, the holiday celebrating the birth of their savior, Jesus Christ;

Whereas for Christians, Christmas is celebrated as a recognition of God's redemption, mercy and Grace; and

Whereas many Christians and non-Christians throughout the United States and the rest of the world, celebrate Christmas as a time to serve others: Now, therefore be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) recognizes the Christian faith as one of the great religions of the world;
(2) expresses continued support for Christians in the United States and worldwide;
(3) acknowledges the international religious historical importance of Christmas and the Christian faith;
(4) acknowledges and supports the role played by Christian and Christianity in the founding of th United States and in the formation of the western civilizations;
(5) rejects bigotry and persecution directed against Christians, both in the United States and worldwide; and
(6) expresses its deepest respect to American Christians and Christians throughout the world.

Nothing earth shattering, right? Well, 9 Dems chose to vote 'no' on the resolution.

They are:
Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY)
Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-NY)
Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO)
Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL)
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA)
Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA)
Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA)
Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA)
Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA)

What's the big deal? Maybe none if you don't think religions should be respected equally. All of these Dems, except for Barbara Lee who was not present during the Muslim respect vote, voted 'yes' to a similar resolution recognizing and voicing respect for the Muslims. The vote on the resolution, on October 2, 2007 concerning the Muslims had absolutely no 'no' votes. Some Republicans voted 'present', as did 1 Dem, but none voted 'no'.

On October 5, 2004, House Resolution 816 passed unanimously recognizing the Indian holiday of Diwali as an important day for Indian Americans and Indians around the world.

Interesting that 9 members voted 'present', one of whom is Republican on the vote recognizing Christianity and Christmas. That Republican, Rep. Pence, (R-IN) also voted 'present' on the bill recognizing Muslims and Ramadan. However, the Dems who voted 'present' about Christmas, voted 'yes' to Ramadan. Those are:
Barney Frank (D-MA), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), John Conyers (D-MI), Donald Payne (D-NJ), Rush Holt (D-NJ), Allyson Schwartz (D-PA), Peter Welch (D-VT).

The House members who are Jewish that are mentioned above as voting yes to Ramadan and present to Christmas are a curiosity, huh? While they don't celebrate either holiday formally through their religion, at least it's not the Christians beheading them.

Something to think about.

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Republican Presidential Debate in Des Moines

This afternoon the Republican presidential candidates lined up on the stage, all nine of them, and answered questions presented by Carolyn Washburn, editor of the Des Moines Register newspaper. It is the last Republican debate before the Iowa caucus. On January 3. It's insane.

May I begin with an observation about the moderator? She was possibly the worst of all the moderators I have ever seen on a televised debate. She was horrid. Never once did she crack a smile or show a human emotion in her voice. She was absolutely stone-faced. She suffered from a severe case of stick-up-the-buttitis. Just sayin'.

I suppose she is of the school of thought, as a professional woman, that if she is stern and emotionless, she will be taken seriously. I always found the opposite to be true when I was drawing a paycheck. Everyone appreciates a smile or a chuckle shared with others. It's ok to loosen up a bit.

So, anyway, in my opinion, Mitt Romney was the clear winner. He was focused, calm, congenial, and looked like a president. He looked like he was in his element and finally highlighted his past business experience, which even his staunchest critics have to admit he is a business genius. Plus he can pull all sides of an argument together and get things accomplished. That is something that is sorely needed in D.C.

Huckabee is up 10 points over Romney in Iowa now, according to the most recent polling. I admit I am not at all impressed by the guy who advertises that he'll be THE Christian leader. Plus, as the frontrunner, more and more is being reported on his past record as governor of Arkansas. It's not so pretty. He was still pushing the Fair Tax today.

Alan Keyes was invited and participated on stage. Why? Aren't there enough bodies on stage as it is? One good shot Keyes scored was about half way through the debate, having been rather ignored, Keyes challenged the moderator to call on him. She was a bit flustered and said she had been calling on him. He argued with her and she let him get in his answer then.

Fred Thompson fired the first and only negative shot, except when Keyes said he wouldn't vote for Giuliani if Rudy is the nominee. I mean of the serious candidates, Thompson was the only one to be snippy on a personal level. He told Romney, during a little bantering after Romney answered a tax question - he (Thompson) hoped to have the money Romney has so he wouldn't be so worried about taxes. Romney laughed it off, then Thompson said, "You're getting to be a pretty good actor, actually." It was snide and unnecessary. That type of response just makes him look cranky.

The interesting twist during this debate format was the inclusion of a 30 second random statement from each candidate. They could speak on anything they chose to speak about. McCain and Hunter concentrated on their military experiences and defense, Ron Paul spoke about government restraint and the Constitution as far as governmental obligation goes, Thompson spoke about national security, Tancredo spoke about immigration, Huckabee focused on the need for change in leadership in the country, Romney mostly thanked Iowans for their hospitality to him and his family, Keyes spoke about the need to re-establish credibility to the Republican party and Giuliani spoke about leadership through crisis.

A positive move that Thompson did do, however, was during the questioning about climate change and the role man plays in it. The moderator called for a show of hands on who believed that climate change is real and man contributes to it. Thompson immediately said he would not participate in a call for a show of hands. The moderator was quite surprised, to say the least, and then said, ok, did he think climate change is real? Thompson asked if he would be given a minute to answer. She said no, so he said he'd pass. It was great.

This was the moderator's way of taking a shot on those stupid Republicans. Only Dems believe in the reality of climate change and only the Dems are smart enough to take it under their reign. Fact is, Republicans believe in the certainty of climate change, just not in all the manmade parts of it. And, since the Republicans don't want to tax our way out of the burdens of nature, then, we just don't understand it all. The scientific community is still divided as to the extent of the manmade part and despite the screaming of Al Gore and Robert Kennedy, Jr, it is not at all settled science. Every day more scientists come out with papers against the claims of extremists like Gore and Kennedy, who are making a fortune on it all, by the way, and so much of it is just plain wrong.

The problem with these debates is the format that only allows 30 or 60 second soundbite type of answers. Most major issues facing us today are not so easily solved with quick answers or thoughts on public policy.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Need A Hero Story?

This is a stressful time of year, to be sure. The holiday season is particularly stressful for those to whom the majority of the preparations fall. It is very easy to descend into the bah, humbugs. So, do you feel the need for a bit of holiday comfort? How about a story or three about heroes among us? You're in luck.

Let's start with Jeanne Assam. Sound familiar? She does if you've watched the horrific news stories of the murders in Colorado Sunday. Two sites were targeted by gunmen voicing hatred towards Christians.

With about 7,000 people on the church campus, an armed gunman entered the New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Co. Matthew Murray entered the east side of the church while firing his rifle. As the parishioners ran away, Assam saw him entering through the doors and took cover. She then came out of cover and yelled her identification to the gunman, "engaged him and took him down.", she said before news media yesterday for the first time. She repeatedly told him to "surrender".

How did Assam do it? She is one of 15 to 20 security people at the church. All are volunteers and some are armed if they are licensed to carry weapons. As a former police officer in downtown Minneapolis in the 1990's she was licensed to carry a weapon. She normally attends one of the morning services and then volunteers as a guard during another service. She was the one who advised the Senior Pastor, Brady Boyd, to beef up security after the first killings at Arvada earlier Sunday morning.

The pastor was clear when he said that the security guards are "members of the church who are screened and not mercenaries that we hire to walk around our campus to provide security", according to TheDenverChannel.com .

"God was with me,"Assam said. "I didn't think for a minute to run away."

The gunman was carrying two handguns, an assault rifle and over 1,000 rounds of ammunition. Two parishioners, sisters, were killed and their father injured as they were getting into their van in the parking lot. The girls were 16 and 18 years of age. Their father, 51, received two gunshot wounds and in fair condition in the hospital Monday.

"I was praying to God that he direct me: in what to do in life, Assam said. "God made me strong." Yes, so it seems.

The second hero in the news comes to us from San Antonio, Texas. Alejandro Albarran lost part of his right leg due to an explosion in Iraq a little more than a year ago. He now is considering leaving the Army as he doesn't want the desk job he will most assuredly be assigned to now. He really doesn't want to leave Army life. So, it's his wife to the rescue. Spc. Albarran is only 20 years old. "After everything he's gone through - and he loves the Army - he kind of inspired me," said Janay Albarran. "I made him a promise that I would finish what he started." She is now Pvt. Albarran as of last Friday.

While her husband was doing physical therapy five days a week to recover his balance and strength on his prosthetic leg at Army rehab, she learned to shoot a rifle and stand in formation in boot camp, according to the AP. Her boot camp was at Fort Jackson, S.C. Their 2 year old daughter is living with a grandmother in Arizona for the time being. They were only married for 6 months when he was deployed to Iraq in August, 2006. He was injured in November 2006.

Last is a story that some find the term hero to be questionable. I haven't blogged about it as I thought of it as just a local Houston area story but I've seen it on cable news lately. The story is of Joe Horn of Pasadena, Tx. He called 911 to report a burglary to his neighbor's house on November 14. The police response was slow, during daytime hours, so Horn grabbed his 12-gauge shotgun and yelled at the two thieves to stop as they were carrying out the loot. They faced him from seven to 10 feet away and ignored his shouting to them to 'not move'. He told them he would shoot. They didn't and he did. Both of them. They're dead.

Later we learn that both are illegal immigrants from Columbia and one had previously been deported back to Columbia. Yeah, shocking, I know. The case is before a Grand Jury and another twist in the case is that the investigation has brought to light that a plainclothes Pasadena detective witnessed the whole thing from his unmarked car as he pulled up just before the shots were fired.

The race baiters are out in droves. Quanell X, the leader of the New Black Panthers Party here has led two protest marches so far and promises more if the Grand Jury doesn't indict Horn. Never mind that this is not a racial issue, it's a neighborhood security issue. Never mind that Quanell X and his posse were outnumbered during the last march, placed in front of Horn's house in his neighborhood, by people from all across the Houston area.

The dead thieves were using fake identification and are thought to be a part of a burglary ring. Keep in mind that the police that did finally turn up on the scene didn't cite Horn or arrest him. Horn claims self defense. The thieves had a crowbar but no guns. There was, however, no way for Horn to know that at the time they began to come towards him. Horn shot them as they crossed into his own yard.

Horn is white, 61 years old and no one has said anything negative about him from all reports. He has lived in the neighborhood for many years and is known as a good neighbor.

I'd be happy to have him as my neighbor.

So, at a time when it is easy to lapse into short tempers and testy moods, let's remember some everyday heroes. They are out there all across the country. All we have to do is open our eyes and ears. You'll be amazed at the stories out there.

Monday, December 10, 2007

Exit Stage Left

Seems to me with all the nonsense out there being tossed around for news consumption that there is an abundance of those former leaders of this group or that group unwilling to exit the stage. Their time in the sun has long ago faded yet they still think themselves so important that the public must hear from them.

Case in point? Andrew Young. Civil Rights pioneer with Martin Luther King, Jr. Former leader in the city of Atlanta. Former diplomat at the U.N.. Former leader of the NAACP. Lots of formers in his resume. Now, in order to appear relevant, after losing any credibility left as he lowered himself to the popular sport of publicly bashing President Bush at the NAACP gatherings, a 'bi-partisan' organization, he is yukking it up on stage about former President Clinton being the first black president of the U.S. Clinton being far blacker than Barack Obama. Clinton 'went with' way more black women than Obama ever has in his lifetime. Yeah, that's what he said. Then he said he was just joking about that last remark. Another alumni of the John Kerry school of comedy. And an even more disgusting piece of the story? The audience was lapping it up. Laughing and clapping. Oh, how very clever you are, Andrew.

He's a disgusting old has-been.

Hillary is suffering from the very asset she was counting on to ride her broom right on into the White House. She makes a point when she's down in the polls of telling her audiences that, don't worry, Bill will be in the White House with her. Andrew Young was saying the very same thing. Don't worry about Hillary's unworthiness, she'll have Bill there with her.

How's that for an aging boomer feminist? How's that for ms. "I'm no stand by your man kind of woman"?

Bill Clinton is getting on people's nerves. He never left the stage after he left the White House in the first place. He is a huge egoist. An attention hog. He started out all meek and attentive to Hillary on stage. He'll be honored to be First Laddie. Then he couldn't help himself. His speeches are heavily laden with 'me's' and 'I's', not Hillary and her ideas. It's still all about Bill. Audiences are getting bored with the Dem super star and he's slipping up big time. He's denying saying things, like his support of the Iraq War, and when confronted with tapes of previous comments on the record, he whines. He whines and whines. He complains that the press is being mean to Hillary.

Clinton would be the Horshack character in the old Welcome Back, Kotter tv series. Always raising his hand and demanding to be called upon.

What is needed is some type of adult day care centers for those no longer needed on the public stage. They could be staffed with adoring young people, all dew-eyed. They could listen to them yammer on and on and then applaud with enthusiasm when the speech was finished. Clinton, Young, Jesse Jackson, Jimma Carter, etc. They help no one anymore.

Not even themselves.

Saturday, December 08, 2007

Then There's This

I'm having a bit of adult attention deficit syndrome on this humid, dreary looking Saturday morning here in Space City. It's to be 83 degrees today and that is not helping me ease into the Christmas spirit. Just sayin'. So, come along for the ride as I break down some articles lately in the news.

From Real Clear Politics: The latest Rasmussen Democrat Poll shows that in South Carolina almost a dead tie for Clinton and Obama. The percentages are 36% to 34% respectively. Here's the really interesting part - Obama is leading with black voters now, 51% to 27% , where previous polling showed them roughly evenly divided. "The conventional wisdom about the Democrat race has been that Obama has to win early in Iowa and New Hampshire to derail Clinton. Maybe. But if he can survive and hold his support in the black community, he could stage a revival as the primaries go along, much like Ronald Reagan did in 1976 when he lost early primaries to Gerald Ford but came back strongly in the end."

Hillary better step up that fake southern accent and talk down to those ignorant southern folks a bit more enthusiastically. I hear it was her husband who was the first black president.

Speaking of the first black president, the one who was impeached but able to stay in office thanks to his wife's efforts on his behalf with the Dem politicians, there is the story of Senator Barbara Boxer, D-CA, who is holding up the nomination of James Rogan, a former Congressman from California, as a district court judge in California. Why would Senator Boxer do that? Well, you may remember Rogan was a congressman in the 1990's and one of the 13 managers in the House for the impeachment hearings. Boxer is using her prerogative to blue-slip him, even before he gets a hearing from the Judiciary Committee, as revenge for his aforementioned participation.

Rogan is certainly qualified for the federal judgeship. He has served as "a prosecutor, a municipal judge, head of the u.S. Patent & Trademark Office and, since last year, a Superior Court Judge in California", according to the Wall Street Journal online. Boxer's justification for petty political revenge, according to her office,is that Rogan "was one of the most enthusiastic backers of impeachment - he thought Presient Clinton had committed high crimes and misdemeanors. The Senate certainly disagreed with that conclusion, as did Sen. Boxer." OK, then. What happened to the Dems and their insistence that we all just move on? That is where the George Soros backed organization sprouted from, after all.

Rogan has bi-partisan support from such liberals as Lanny Davis, former Clinton Chief Counsel and from former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, as well as Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevic and many in the California delegation in the House, including Jane Harman, Anna Eshoo and Grace Napolitano. None known to be Bush cheerleaders. He has even received pleasant, friendly correspondence from the former President Clinton. While recovering from his open heart surgery, Rogan sent flowers and a note as well as donated impeachment memorabilia to the Clinton Presidential Library.

Let's remember, impeachment wasn't about sex. It was about Clinton lying under oath in a civil case. He was disbarred for 5 years from practicing law.

Oh yeah, remember, too, that Boxer's daughter Nicole married Hillary's brother, Tony Rodham in the Rose Garden in 1994. Bar and Hill are still steadfast friends despite the fact that the marriage lasted about a year, Rodham being about 25 years older than Nicole, so Hillary is no doubt enjoying this little bit of revenge.

The old Clinton team of revenge seekers is back in full force: Harold Ickes, Sidney Blumenthal, James Carville, Paul Begala, Ann Lewis (sister of Barney Frank), etc. They are all chomping at the bit to slither back into the White House.

Barbara Boxer, short in physical stature, short in personal integrity.

Moving on. Barack Obama is holding a big rally in Columbia, South Carolina with Oprah. The event is so hugely popular that it had to move from an 18,000 seat facility to the 80,000 seat University of South Carolina football stadium. This goes along with Obama's recent surge in the polling data. He's ahead in Iowa, just 6 points behind of Hillary in N.H. and this left the WSJ to ponder : "What size stadium could Streisand fill for Hillary in any early primary state?"

Snort.

In Manchester, N.H. the Union Leader newspaper had an article about Obama's upcoming rally there with Oprah. It had to be moved to the Verizon Wireless Arena, which is not a unionized facility. Since Obama is on record as a boycotter of anywhere not unionized, well, that was a bit of a problem. They were able to work out a deal with the local members of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees - Local 195 - though (it's magic!) and they won't picket the rally.

You may remember the Wal-Mart bashing the Dems have enjoyed lately. Obama said he wouldn't shop at Wal-Mart (as if) since it was unionized. Well, according to the Chicago Tribune, Michelle Obama has resigned from her plum Board of Directors position on the board of Tree House Foods. Tree House Foods relies on Wal-Mart for business. Michelle was paid $100,000 per year for her seat on the board. Not bad for a little moonlighting from her regular job.

You may also remember Hillary was a board member of Wal-Mart before she ran for the Senate. Then she decided it was popular to bash the chain and did so. What a gal.

More from the female side of hypocrisy: Barbara Walters claims she is tired of the celebrity of the month interviews. "I am not going after the tabloid stuff, I don't do it," she said in an interview, according to Yahoo! News. Ok.

Walters put Hugo Chavez on her 10 most fascinating people list this year. What is it with liberals and their fascination with socialist/communist dictators?

Helen Thomas, formerly a journalist and now just a columnist yet still has White House press pass benefits, thinks blogs are dangerous. She said everyone with a laptop now thinks he/she is a journalist. Poor Helen. She doesn't appreciate being exposed for what she is, I guess. We wouldn't want anyone to hold the press accountable.

And, last, do you remember Germaine Greer? She was one of the leaders in the feminist movement of the 1960's. She's Australian. While in Melbourne last week, giving a speech, a questioner asked her why Western feminists didn't speak out about such things as honor killings? Greer replied that it's very "tricky". She said she has been asked to go to Darfur and talk to rape victims. She declines to do so because, well, why should she? The questioner said because it is really horrible for women to live there. Greer said, "Who says it is?" The questioner replied, "I do, because I've been there."

Greer's reply: "Well, it is just very tricky to try to change another culture. We let down the victims of rape here. We haven't got it right in our own courts. What good would it do for me to go over there and try to tell them what to do? I am just part of decadent Western culture and they think we're all going to hell fast and maybe we are all going to hell fast." OK. So, she's just a victim of Western culture.

That's why the feminist movement is dead. The old leaders of the movement have never understood that it is not just all about them and their personal glory. It is to raise up women everywhere and yes, she can speak up if she chooses. It's the bigotry of her ilk that thinks only Western women are worthy of personal freedom. She could chose to speak up for the oppressed, the truly oppressed women, in the Middle East from the comfort of her 5 star hotel suite. But, you know, what's in it for her?

Greer is part of the crowd of anti-war demonstrators that doesn't understand that in the countries we have gone to war with - Afghanistan and Iraq - they would be the first to be beheaded. For such intellectuals, they sure are uneducated.

Friday, December 07, 2007

Pearl Harbor

National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day

From the White House Staff:

On December 7, 1941, our Nation was viciously attacked at Pearl Harbor, America's Pacific Fleet was battered and broken, and more than 2,400 American lives were lost. On National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, America honors those brave individuals who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our homeland, and we recognize those veterans who with strength and resolve defended our nation and advanced the cause of freedom during World War II.

When it mattered most, an entire generation of Americans stepped forward to protect our freedom and to defend liberty. Their devotion to duty and willingness to serve a cause greater than self helped secure our future and our way of life. Liberty prevailed because of the sacrifice of these courageous patriots, and America and her allies preserved a world where democracy could flourish. Our Nation remains forever in the debt of these brave Americans.

From the unprovoked attack at Pearl Harbor grew a steadfast resolve that has made America a defender of freedom around the world, and our mission continues as our men and women in uniform serve at home and in distant lands. Today, as we defend our Nation's founding ideals, we pay special tribute to those who lost their lives at Pearl Harbor, honor our veterans of World War II, and celebrate the liberty that makes America a lasting symbol of hope to the world.

The Congress, by Public Law 103 308, as amended, has designated December 7, of each year as "National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day."

Now Therefore, I, George W. Bush, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim December 7, 2007, as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. I encourage all Americans to observe this solemn occasion with appropriate ceremonies and activities. I urge all Federal agencies, interested organizations, groups, and individuals to fly the flag of the United States at half-staff this December 7 in honor of those who died as a result of their service at Pearl Harbor.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this fourth day of December, in the year of our Lord two thousand seven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-second.

George W. Bush

Thursday, December 06, 2007

Mitt Romney is a Mormon

Unlike some other late in life conversions of beliefs, Mitt Romney today made clear that he's still a Mormon and still running for president as a Republican candidate, not as Mormon- in- chief. If that kind of speech on religion could work for JFK, given here in Houston before religious leaders some 50 years ago, then maybe it'll work for Mitt, given in College Station, Tx at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library. I did not see the speech given but I have read the transcript.

I'll begin by saying that I am appalled that a presidential candidate in the year of 2007 has to give a speech to promise not to lead as a member of his faith but as a political leader. I am fed up to here with who can out-faith the other and prove worthy of voters who put faith above all else. It is getting to the point that the far right, the 'prove to me how religious you are' crowd is just as fanatic as the loons on the left demanding defeat at the expense of national security. Neither extreme is productive to us as a nation.

How do you prove religious faithfulness anyway? Some criticize Thompson as not religious enough. One of the head honcho Evangelicals said Thompson wasn't a regular church goer. So? Does going to church every Sunday make a person more religious? If so, Bill Clinton wouldn't have been openly unfaithful to his wedding vows to Hillary. They were filmed going to church on Sunday. He even carried his own Bible. That didn't prove anything. He was re-elected to the office.

Some think Huckabee is the candidate of faith. He's a Southern Baptist Evangelical minister. That's nice but many areas of his political actions from his days as governor of Arkansas are seeing light and not in a favorable way. He pardoned more prisoners than the last three governors combined. He is an open borders guy. He's cool with illegal immigrants children having in -state or better yet, free, college tuition. He opposed the Bush tax breaks. He says his faith is who he is. Ok. But what does that mean and how does that make you a better candidate?

I learned a long time ago that those shouting something from the rooftops are hiding something. Those proclaiming they have the best marriage ever? Divorced in the near future. Those that proclaim they have no substance abuse problem? In rehab in no time. I'm leary of those telling me how religious they are and what a great leader it will make them. Just like I cringed when George W. Bush proclaimed Jesus Christ was his favorite philosopher. Come on. Just don't go there. Jimma Carter was supposed to be a born again Christian. He was the worst president of my lifetime and has proven to be anti-Semitic.

We are a nation founded on the principle of freedom of religion. We are a nation who celebrates the separation of church and state. We aren't electing a minister. We are electing a President. A President who is the leader of the free world. Personal values and beliefs are important. They are what make a person who he/she is and guides him/her in life. I understand that completely. Yet, this whole atmosphere of 'prove it' has got to stop.

Romney's Mormonism means nothing to me. Romney's leadership qualifications mean everything to me. He is not my first choice as a Republican candidate but it has nothing to do with his religious affiliation. There are religious bigots among our population. It's a fact that needs to be faced. Just as there is racial bigotry and sexism. None of these moral failures should be encouraged.

Romney's speech was good. He didn't stoop to going through the beliefs of his religion. Good for him. The information is out there. JFK didn't elaborate on the teachings of the Catholic church either. Romney said today,"There are some who would have a presidential candidate describe and explain his church's distinctive doctrines. To do so would enable the very religious test the founders prohibited in the Constitution. No candidate should become the spokesman for this faith. For if he becomes President he will need the prayers of the people of all faiths."

"It is important to recognize that while differences in theology exist between the churches in America, we share a common creed of moral convictions. And where the affairs of our nation are concerned, it's usually a sound rule to focus on the latter - on the great moral principles that urge us all on a common course. Whether it was the cause of abolition, or civil rights, or the right to life itself, no movement of conscience can succeed in America that cannot speak to the convictions religious people."

The diversity of our cultural expression, and the vibrancy of our religious dialogue, has kept America in the forefront of civilized nations even as others regard religious freedom as something to be destroyed."

There are at least 17 Mormons currently serving in the U.S. House and Senate. Mitt Romney's father, George, was the governor of Michigan and ran for President,as well as marched with Martin Luther King, Jr. His religion was not questioned back in the 70's when he was a presidential candidate. Mo Udall, a Dem politician, ran for President, too, as a Mormon. I dare say most have forgotten he is a Mormon at all. Harry Reid, the Senate Majority Leader is Mormon. I didn't see him have to prove his leadership feasibility before he ascended into that position. He's a complete failure, sure, but it's not because of his religion.

Romney has been a successful businessman, saved the Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, been a Republican governor of the most liberal state in the union, and has been married to the same woman for over 30 years and father of 5 sons who are all now married and fathers themselves.

Romney doesn't have to prove his religion.

Wednesday, December 05, 2007

Wednesday Wrap

Happy Hanukkah to all who celebrate.

We had a family outing over the weekend. We went to enjoy a theatrical production offered by a local playhouse. The play was "Miracle on 34th Street" and it was well done. Still not catching the Christmas spirit yet, though.

I'll do a little wrap up of the recent events I've either read about or listened to on the news.

First, of course, the fallout over the NIE report on Iran's nuclear weapons program. Something we should all remember is that the E stands for ESTIMATE. None of the findings are set in stone and much of it is being questioned by various quarters.

From the WSJ.com Editorial Page today: "In his press conference yesterday, President Bush went out of his way to praise the "good work" of the intelligence community, whose latest National Intelligence Estimate claims the mullahs of Iran abandoned their nuclear weapons program in 2003. "This is heartening news," Mr. Bush said. "To me, it's a way for us to rally our partners."

"We wish we could be as sanguine, both about the quality of the U.S. intelligence and its implications for U.S. diplomacy. For years, senior Administration officials, including Condoleezza Rice, have stressed to us how little the government knows about what goes on inside Iran. In 2005, the bipartisan Robb-Silberman report underscored that "Across the board, the Intelligence Community knows disturbingly little about nuclear programs of many of the world's most dangerous actors." And as our liberal friends used to remind us, you can never trust the CIA. (Only later did they figure out the agency was usually on their side.)

It is pointed out that the NIE's main authors include "Three former State Department officials with previous reputations as "hyper-partisan anti-Bush officials," according to an intelligence source. They are Tom Fingar, formerly of the State Department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research; Vann Van Diepen, the National Intelligence Officer for WMD: and Kenneth Brill, the former U.S. Ambassador to the Interenational Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)."

The IAEA itself is expressing doubt as to the complete accuracy of the Estimate. So, there's that.

Moving on:
NBC "Nightly News" anchor, Brian Williams, would like you to think the economy is in the tank. He used the R.V. industry as a guide. "When R.V. sales go down, the U.S. economy often follows." Problem is, that is backwards logic. My brother in law owns a RV dealership in a state in flyover country and R.V. sales go down after the economy softens. And as he points out to me when I ask, those buying the top of the line models he sells rarely are affected one way or the other. They have the purchase financed or paid outright and these RV'ers are a breed of their own. Maybe Williams was talking about the little pop-up style campers on the back of pick ups trucks but that's not the model he was featuring.

The Dems pray for bad news, especially on the economy. All about doom and gloom for them. Unfortunately, the U.S. Productivity report is out today and shows the highest levels since '03 for monthly gains. Also, employment gains tripled from what was forecast. Sorry, losers.

I think hell is freezing over. Whoopi Goldberg, with whom I have very little in common, came out against the death tax on The View. Despite her socialist comrades in arms on the panel, Joy Behar and Sherri Shepherd's protestations, Goldberg said, "I just don't think it's right. If I give something to my kid I already paid the tax why do I have to pay it again because I died? It's like being chastised. I hate it." Behar, using the typical stupid liberal argument "Only people with a lot of money say that", was countered by Goldberg with "Anyone who wants to leave something to their kid, whatever you paid for it, they have to pay." Exactly.

And, staying with the brilliant, insightful minds on The View: whom did they blame when the British teacher was under fire in Sudan? Yeah, those progressive feminists blamed her. Not the Islamofascist dictators or the hate provoking mullah, no, they blamed her.

There's a reason the feminist movement is dead.

Ron Paul was a guest on The View, according to the blog at ABC News. They loved him since he's anti war until they found out he's an OB-GYN who is pro-life and against abortion. Hillary Clinton was on the show in October. Michelle Obama was to be a co-host but backed out due to the writer's strike. Edwards and his wife cancelled, too.

And, according to Hillary's chief PR hack, Mark Penn, that attack about Obama wanting to grow up to run for President dating back to kindergarten? Hey, it was only a joke. Yeah, ok. Who's she getting her comedic coaching from? John Kerry?

From CNN.com: Secretary of Labor Reich, from the Bill Clinton administration says Hillary lacks "conviction about anything". Ouch. He supports Obama. He says Iowa voters have a choice "between someone who talks the talk, and somebody who's walked the walk." Reich is not just a former Clinton cabinet member. He and Bill were classmates and Rhodes Scholars at Oxford back in the late 1960's. He even tore apart Hillary's health care plan. Referring to the recent slurs against Obama by the Clinton machine:"If she's worried her polls are dropping, this is not the way to build them back up."

And, finally. A story surfaced in the American Thinker online from the Seattle Times by Thomas Lifson. It was under 'local news' and it was about a staffer of Senator Maria Cantwell, D-WA and the charge of soliciting sex from a 13 year old for which he was charged. The FBI caught him online. Before joining Cantwell's office he worked for the 2004 Kerry presidential campaign and before that was an aide to Dick Gephardt, D-OH.

What, you didn't read about it? Well, of course you didn't. The guy is not a Republican. It was only a U.S. Senator's office being used for unseemly acts. It wasn't like it was a public restroom in an airport, you know.