Excerpt from the Washington Post...
Surveillance Net Yields Few Suspects
NSA's Hunt for Terrorists Scrutinizes Thousands of Americans, but Most Are Later Cleared... (Emphasis added - TBC)
"The Bush administration refuses to say -- in public or in closed session of Congress -- how many Americans in the past four years have had their conversations recorded or their e-mails read by intelligence analysts without court authority. Two knowledgeable sources placed that number in the thousands; one of them, more specific, said about 5,000." ( Again, Emphasis added - TBC)
Did you catch that?
First of all, let me explain for a moment how the NSA Anti-Terror Electronic Surveilance Program works.
Under this program, people in the United States, (not necessarily U.S. Citizens, just people who may be here...) who make phone calls to, or recieve phone calls from KNOWN AL-QAEDA MEMBERS, may or may not have their calls intercepted and monitored by the National Security Agency.
And that article said that there may be as many as 5000 people in our Country who are engaging in that type of activity.
Thank God for the Bush Administration!!
Does anyone but me realize that it has been three and a half YEARS since our Country has been attacked, and we are at War? Have been at War the whole time?
Al Qaeda struck first, but for all of their threats, (and there have been plenty...) they have not hit us again since then.
That's a FACT.
This is not a co-incidence. This isn't just luck. It doesn't mean that Al Qaeda has lost their will to attack us at home.
Somebody, somewhere has been successful in thwarting their plans.
Plain and simple.
Today was the second day of hearings into the NSA Electronic Survielance Program. Televised Hearings. With very vocal Democrats questioning the propriety of this very valuable tool that our Government has been using for these past three and a half years to prevent attacks against us on our own soil by our enemies.
Let me ask you a question, and I ask you to forget partisanship, and hatred for the current President for a moment, and consider this logically.
If we are all concerned with National Security, and are interested in keeping each other safe from Terrorist Attacks on our soil, then why are these hearings being televised?
Why are we allowing our enemies to see these proceedings, and why are we allowing them to learn all that they can about this program by exposing it's details on national and international television?
Do you think that Al Qaeda does not watch C-Span?
Let me ask you another question...
If you are against this program, then why?
Why are you afraid of this?
Are YOU talking to Al Qaeda? If not, then what are you afraid of the Government learning about you?
Are you doing something illegal?
Would you talk about it on the phone if you were?
Are you that flippin' dumb?
If you are, then you deserve to be caught, and punished.
The simple truth about this whole issue is that there are some Americans who are more interested in making President George W. Bush look bad, or in trying to orchestrate a situation in which they might try to impeach him (just like the Republicans did to Clinton) that they would throw National Security by the wayside, and severely damage this valuable program to the point of uselessness, just to accomplish that goal.
They couldn't care less about National Security, as long as Republicans look bad, and Democrats regain power.
I sincerely hope that you don't fall into that category...
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
Sunday, February 05, 2006
Presidential Politics...
I have a question...
I am only 39 years old, and have only been politically aware for about 30 years or so, so my own personal perspective only goes back to the mid-seventies.
I vaguely remember the Watergate hearings, (they pre-empted the "Gilligan" re-runs that I liked to watch after school,) (I HATED politics back then...) so I remember some of the things that were said about President Nixon.
I remember seeing President Ford fall down every other week, and I remember how he was portrayed on the News.
I vividly remember the Carter Years, and at that early stage of my development, I was provided with an undeniable example of an appeasing, bed-wetting, hand wringing Liberal, and experienced first hand how quickly living conditions will crash when a Country embraces Liberalism, and how severe that crash will be.
Don't get me wrong. It wasn't all President Carter's fault. Whether you like the President or not, Policy is set in the House and Senate. It wasn't Carter's ideas that caused the crash, he didn't have any. He just couldn't lead, so everyone's confidence tanked, and he went along with whatever the Democrat controlled Legislature wanted.
Then there was Reagan.
I remember how he was revered by the Right (and still is), and roundly despised and ridiculed by the Left. I remember the short-lived sit-com featuring the ridiculously ugly "Spitting Image" puppets making fun of how stupid President Reagan was. I remember the outrage in the Media over the "Evil Empire" comment, and all of the talk about President Reagan's "disasterous Economic Policies".
But I also remember that those Policies created an Economic Boom almost equal to the one we are currently experiencing. He revamped the tax code (Tax Cuts for "The Rich",) and got Government out of the way of industry, and jobs magically appeared out of thin air. He inspired National Confidence and pride by portraying strength and firm belief in Ideals.
He made the commitment to end the Cold War by whatever means necessary.
And he did it.
But then we read George H.W. Bush's lips, and elected him. He was the "kinder, gentler" President. The "Compassionate Conservative."
He remembered the bashing that President Reagan took for eight years, and wanted people to like him, and not make fun of him that way. So he tried to compromise with the other side, and went back on his "no new taxes" promise, and his approval ratings dropped from the highest any President had ever had, to the lowest ever, in less than two years. EVERYBODY hated G.B. 41.
He let the U.N. dictate how America would prosecute a War, and subsequently left Saddam Hussein in power for someone else to deal with at a later date. (A policy which Bill Clinton adhered to as well.)
Clinton. "The First Black President". The first Co-President. (The first President who couldn't even tell his wife, "Leave me alone, I'm trying to work!") (Depending on what he was working on...)
Clinton was the recipient of the "Peace Dividend" brought on by the end of the Cold War, and was able to surf the Reagan Economic Wave all the way to the beach. Through slashing Military spending on things like body armour for the troops and up-armoured Hum-Vees, cutting troop numbers to dangerously low levels, and creative book-keeping, Clinton was able to create the perception that he and his policies generated a huge surplus in the National Treasury. (There NEVER was any surplus.) (But that's another post.)
Clinton was impeached over lying to a Grand Jury, and to the American People. (Not about the Sex. I don't blame him for that. Have you SEEN Hillary?)
Then along came G.B. 43, and stole the Florida Election. Somehow, even before he was selected President, he was able to control the Supreme Court, and cause them to stop Al Gore from assuming his rightful place in the White House.
This Evil Warmonger assumed power, and immediately began to transform our Country into Nazi Germany at a break-neck pace. He worked secretly with Al-Qeada and Osama Bin Laden to arrange the 9/11 attacks, so that he could then overthrow the benevolent, innocent Dictator, Saddam Hussein, who was minding his own business, not hurting anyone and was universally loved and admired.
"Dubya" manufactured and manipulated intelligence to fool the Democrats into supporting his unwarranted agression against Iraq for about two minutes, in order to give Iraq's oil to Shell and Exxon, just to make his buddies richer, and in order to give Haliburton, (which belongs to the EEE-VILL Dick Cheney,) the contracts to rebuild and repair the damage that he did there, without even offering the contracts to one of the myriad of other Corporations who wanted them, like... like... well, there is... what's the name of that other... company...
Anyway...
My Question is this.
Have HALF of the people in America always blindly hated the President, no matter who he was?
Or is this something new that has come about during my lifetime, or just before?
Has it always been this severe?
Does it HAVE to be?
I am only 39 years old, and have only been politically aware for about 30 years or so, so my own personal perspective only goes back to the mid-seventies.
I vaguely remember the Watergate hearings, (they pre-empted the "Gilligan" re-runs that I liked to watch after school,) (I HATED politics back then...) so I remember some of the things that were said about President Nixon.
I remember seeing President Ford fall down every other week, and I remember how he was portrayed on the News.
I vividly remember the Carter Years, and at that early stage of my development, I was provided with an undeniable example of an appeasing, bed-wetting, hand wringing Liberal, and experienced first hand how quickly living conditions will crash when a Country embraces Liberalism, and how severe that crash will be.
Don't get me wrong. It wasn't all President Carter's fault. Whether you like the President or not, Policy is set in the House and Senate. It wasn't Carter's ideas that caused the crash, he didn't have any. He just couldn't lead, so everyone's confidence tanked, and he went along with whatever the Democrat controlled Legislature wanted.
Then there was Reagan.
I remember how he was revered by the Right (and still is), and roundly despised and ridiculed by the Left. I remember the short-lived sit-com featuring the ridiculously ugly "Spitting Image" puppets making fun of how stupid President Reagan was. I remember the outrage in the Media over the "Evil Empire" comment, and all of the talk about President Reagan's "disasterous Economic Policies".
But I also remember that those Policies created an Economic Boom almost equal to the one we are currently experiencing. He revamped the tax code (Tax Cuts for "The Rich",) and got Government out of the way of industry, and jobs magically appeared out of thin air. He inspired National Confidence and pride by portraying strength and firm belief in Ideals.
He made the commitment to end the Cold War by whatever means necessary.
And he did it.
But then we read George H.W. Bush's lips, and elected him. He was the "kinder, gentler" President. The "Compassionate Conservative."
He remembered the bashing that President Reagan took for eight years, and wanted people to like him, and not make fun of him that way. So he tried to compromise with the other side, and went back on his "no new taxes" promise, and his approval ratings dropped from the highest any President had ever had, to the lowest ever, in less than two years. EVERYBODY hated G.B. 41.
He let the U.N. dictate how America would prosecute a War, and subsequently left Saddam Hussein in power for someone else to deal with at a later date. (A policy which Bill Clinton adhered to as well.)
Clinton. "The First Black President". The first Co-President. (The first President who couldn't even tell his wife, "Leave me alone, I'm trying to work!") (Depending on what he was working on...)
Clinton was the recipient of the "Peace Dividend" brought on by the end of the Cold War, and was able to surf the Reagan Economic Wave all the way to the beach. Through slashing Military spending on things like body armour for the troops and up-armoured Hum-Vees, cutting troop numbers to dangerously low levels, and creative book-keeping, Clinton was able to create the perception that he and his policies generated a huge surplus in the National Treasury. (There NEVER was any surplus.) (But that's another post.)
Clinton was impeached over lying to a Grand Jury, and to the American People. (Not about the Sex. I don't blame him for that. Have you SEEN Hillary?)
Then along came G.B. 43, and stole the Florida Election. Somehow, even before he was selected President, he was able to control the Supreme Court, and cause them to stop Al Gore from assuming his rightful place in the White House.
This Evil Warmonger assumed power, and immediately began to transform our Country into Nazi Germany at a break-neck pace. He worked secretly with Al-Qeada and Osama Bin Laden to arrange the 9/11 attacks, so that he could then overthrow the benevolent, innocent Dictator, Saddam Hussein, who was minding his own business, not hurting anyone and was universally loved and admired.
"Dubya" manufactured and manipulated intelligence to fool the Democrats into supporting his unwarranted agression against Iraq for about two minutes, in order to give Iraq's oil to Shell and Exxon, just to make his buddies richer, and in order to give Haliburton, (which belongs to the EEE-VILL Dick Cheney,) the contracts to rebuild and repair the damage that he did there, without even offering the contracts to one of the myriad of other Corporations who wanted them, like... like... well, there is... what's the name of that other... company...
Anyway...
My Question is this.
Have HALF of the people in America always blindly hated the President, no matter who he was?
Or is this something new that has come about during my lifetime, or just before?
Has it always been this severe?
Does it HAVE to be?
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
State Of The Union Highlights...
I don't know if anyone is aware of this already, but the President gave his State Of The Union speech last night.
I watched it, and I was impressed by several aspects of it. I was impressed by the class and statesmanship that the President displayed. I was impressed by the positive tone of his message. (Of course I know that no President is ever going to walk into the chamber to deliver his State Of The Union speech and say that America sucks, and we will all probably starve to death in the next 6 months...) (Although if Carter had done that, it might have sounded accurate...)
I was impressed that he acknowledged some of his failures, as well as his (and our Nation's) successes.
I was not impressed with the party of loyal obstruction sitting on their hands when the President mentioned the successes that America has realized over the past few months. Whether you like him or not, President Bush has presided over a period of incredible economic recovery and prosperity, even in a time of war. Our Country has not experienced a Terrorist attack on our soil since the one that was planned and carried out on 9/11/2001 by the guy that Senator Clinton's Husband wouldn't lock up when he was President.
I was not impressed with the Democrats standing and cheering for themselves over blocking progress toward a solution to the Socialist Security Program.
"Congress did not act last year on my proposal to save Social Security..." Said the President.
"Yeah!! Whoooo!! Alright!! Yay!! Hooray for Us!! We kept the Republicans from solving the Social Security problem!! Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap!!"
Shut up.
Is that REALLY the best that you guys can do? If so, then the sooner the Democrats are completely marginalized, ignored completely, and forgotten, the better off all Americans will be.
Last night's State Of The Union speech was an occasion of several historic firsts.
It was the first time (to my knowledge) that a Supreme Court Nominee has been confirmed on the same day as a State Of The Union speech.
It was the first time (to my knowledge) that Ted Kennedy has intentionally blown off an event like this, where there was obvious opportunity for Camera Time, and people who would probably seek him out and ask his rambling, disjointed, incomprehensible opinion.
It was the first time (to my knowledge) that a dog was invited to attend the State Of The Union speech.
Cindy Sheehan (the only parent who has lost a child to the War in Iraq that the Media seems to be able to locate) was invited by Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D. Ca.), and was removed from the hall before the proceedings began because she chose to wear an anti-war tee-shirt.
"I didn't know that a person could be arrested for wearing a tee-shirt. I didn't know that a person could be arrested for protesting inside the People's Hall..." Said Sheehan.
Well, I guess you found out last night, didn't you Cindy?
And she should have been. Anyone should know better than to wear a tee-shirt to an event like the State Of The Union speech. It's a classy event. Dress up a little bit, for Pete's sake.
Hippies...
I even suffered through a little of the Democrat Rebuttal, given by newly elected Virginia Governor Tim Kaine. The gist of it was, "We can do better, but we can't tell you how, because then we would have to kill you."
"Stop looking at my eyebrow!"
Overall, it was a good speech. I felt that it was worth putting off watching Monday Night's episode of 24 from my Tivo for an hour or so in order to watch it.
I can't wait for the next one.
I watched it, and I was impressed by several aspects of it. I was impressed by the class and statesmanship that the President displayed. I was impressed by the positive tone of his message. (Of course I know that no President is ever going to walk into the chamber to deliver his State Of The Union speech and say that America sucks, and we will all probably starve to death in the next 6 months...) (Although if Carter had done that, it might have sounded accurate...)
I was impressed that he acknowledged some of his failures, as well as his (and our Nation's) successes.
I was not impressed with the party of loyal obstruction sitting on their hands when the President mentioned the successes that America has realized over the past few months. Whether you like him or not, President Bush has presided over a period of incredible economic recovery and prosperity, even in a time of war. Our Country has not experienced a Terrorist attack on our soil since the one that was planned and carried out on 9/11/2001 by the guy that Senator Clinton's Husband wouldn't lock up when he was President.
I was not impressed with the Democrats standing and cheering for themselves over blocking progress toward a solution to the Socialist Security Program.
"Congress did not act last year on my proposal to save Social Security..." Said the President.
"Yeah!! Whoooo!! Alright!! Yay!! Hooray for Us!! We kept the Republicans from solving the Social Security problem!! Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap!!"
Shut up.
Is that REALLY the best that you guys can do? If so, then the sooner the Democrats are completely marginalized, ignored completely, and forgotten, the better off all Americans will be.
Last night's State Of The Union speech was an occasion of several historic firsts.
It was the first time (to my knowledge) that a Supreme Court Nominee has been confirmed on the same day as a State Of The Union speech.
It was the first time (to my knowledge) that Ted Kennedy has intentionally blown off an event like this, where there was obvious opportunity for Camera Time, and people who would probably seek him out and ask his rambling, disjointed, incomprehensible opinion.
It was the first time (to my knowledge) that a dog was invited to attend the State Of The Union speech.
Cindy Sheehan (the only parent who has lost a child to the War in Iraq that the Media seems to be able to locate) was invited by Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D. Ca.), and was removed from the hall before the proceedings began because she chose to wear an anti-war tee-shirt.
"I didn't know that a person could be arrested for wearing a tee-shirt. I didn't know that a person could be arrested for protesting inside the People's Hall..." Said Sheehan.
Well, I guess you found out last night, didn't you Cindy?
And she should have been. Anyone should know better than to wear a tee-shirt to an event like the State Of The Union speech. It's a classy event. Dress up a little bit, for Pete's sake.
Hippies...
I even suffered through a little of the Democrat Rebuttal, given by newly elected Virginia Governor Tim Kaine. The gist of it was, "We can do better, but we can't tell you how, because then we would have to kill you."
"Stop looking at my eyebrow!"
Overall, it was a good speech. I felt that it was worth putting off watching Monday Night's episode of 24 from my Tivo for an hour or so in order to watch it.
I can't wait for the next one.
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Show Me The Money!!
From the Washingon Times
Democrats wary about lack of party funds
By Donald LambroTHE WASHINGTON TIMESJanuary 31, 2006
A skimpy bank balance at the Democratic National Committee has some party members nervously questioning Chairman Howard Dean's fundraising and management skills as they prepare for midterm elections this year.
The DNC raised $51 million in 2005 but finished the year with just $5.5 million in the bank. The Republican National Committee raised twice as much during the same period, $102 million, and had $34 million on hand this month.
The sharp disparity in campaign funds between the parties' two national campaign committees has triggered private complaints among House and Senate Democratic leaders about Mr. Dean's expenditures, the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call reports.
Where did all the money go?
Looks like Howard Dean has a lot of 'splaining to do...
But wait! From what I can tell, there wasn't enough money to accomplish very much in the first place.
Didn't that say that the DNC had collected about half the amount of money collected by the RNC to begin with?
How does it feel to be the Minority, Dems?
This illustrates another point which is relevant within the idealogical struggle between the Left and the Right, though...
When all of your campaign money comes from George Soros, and a couple of other like minded Billionaires, and your opponent's money comes from millions of individual contributors, who has the most money at the end of the day?
Within this context, can we not see how Tax Cuts generate windfalls to the public treasury?
Can we not see the uselesness of punishing the wealthy for being successful with unfair tax burdens for the good of the less fortunate?
Can we not see the inability of the Left to manage large amounts of money wisely?
On to another subject.
Will Harry Reid (Democrat, Nevada) be the first victim of the "All Republican" Jack Abramoff Scandal?
Looks like he may be. He has accepted in excess of $60,000 from Abramoff clients, refuses to divest himself of these funds, and the Democrtats are considering asking him to step down from his position of leadership within the Democrat Party because of it.
He insists that he has never accepted any money from Abramoff "directly", as have other prominent Democrats.
The truth is, if he and the other Democrats haven't accepted money directly from Abramoff, it is only because they weren't important enough to warrant a direct meeting with Abramoff, and were forced to deal with his flunkies. They still took the money, just not directly from Abramoff.
That line of defense will not play with the American public. Just ain't gonna work.
A crook is a crook. An influence peddler is an influence peddler. No matter which side of the aisle he happens to peddle from.
So in today's climate, politics is still all about the money.
How many Senate and Congressional seats do you think that the Democrats can buy with 5 Million Dollars?
As Many as the Republicans can hold onto with 34 Million?
So, Pony up, Dems. Give 'till it hurts.
We would at least like for this next mid-term election cycle to be a LITTLE bit of a challenge...
Your side needs a lot of help, and fast...
It's up to you...
Democrats wary about lack of party funds
By Donald LambroTHE WASHINGTON TIMESJanuary 31, 2006
A skimpy bank balance at the Democratic National Committee has some party members nervously questioning Chairman Howard Dean's fundraising and management skills as they prepare for midterm elections this year.
The DNC raised $51 million in 2005 but finished the year with just $5.5 million in the bank. The Republican National Committee raised twice as much during the same period, $102 million, and had $34 million on hand this month.
The sharp disparity in campaign funds between the parties' two national campaign committees has triggered private complaints among House and Senate Democratic leaders about Mr. Dean's expenditures, the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call reports.
Where did all the money go?
Looks like Howard Dean has a lot of 'splaining to do...
But wait! From what I can tell, there wasn't enough money to accomplish very much in the first place.
Didn't that say that the DNC had collected about half the amount of money collected by the RNC to begin with?
How does it feel to be the Minority, Dems?
This illustrates another point which is relevant within the idealogical struggle between the Left and the Right, though...
When all of your campaign money comes from George Soros, and a couple of other like minded Billionaires, and your opponent's money comes from millions of individual contributors, who has the most money at the end of the day?
Within this context, can we not see how Tax Cuts generate windfalls to the public treasury?
Can we not see the uselesness of punishing the wealthy for being successful with unfair tax burdens for the good of the less fortunate?
Can we not see the inability of the Left to manage large amounts of money wisely?
On to another subject.
Will Harry Reid (Democrat, Nevada) be the first victim of the "All Republican" Jack Abramoff Scandal?
Looks like he may be. He has accepted in excess of $60,000 from Abramoff clients, refuses to divest himself of these funds, and the Democrtats are considering asking him to step down from his position of leadership within the Democrat Party because of it.
He insists that he has never accepted any money from Abramoff "directly", as have other prominent Democrats.
The truth is, if he and the other Democrats haven't accepted money directly from Abramoff, it is only because they weren't important enough to warrant a direct meeting with Abramoff, and were forced to deal with his flunkies. They still took the money, just not directly from Abramoff.
That line of defense will not play with the American public. Just ain't gonna work.
A crook is a crook. An influence peddler is an influence peddler. No matter which side of the aisle he happens to peddle from.
So in today's climate, politics is still all about the money.
How many Senate and Congressional seats do you think that the Democrats can buy with 5 Million Dollars?
As Many as the Republicans can hold onto with 34 Million?
So, Pony up, Dems. Give 'till it hurts.
We would at least like for this next mid-term election cycle to be a LITTLE bit of a challenge...
Your side needs a lot of help, and fast...
It's up to you...
Sunday, January 29, 2006
Put Your Heart Into It, Or Get Your Butt Out Of It...
I woke up from my Sunday afternoon nap with a brilliant idea for a new post.
It would have possibly been the best post I have ever written. I have no doubt that everyone who read it would have been enlightened by it, would have told all of their friends about it and they too would would have been enlightened, and thousands of lives would have been changed.
That one post would have solved several problems of society all at once, and stress and strife would have in large part disappeared from our world because of my blog, and my idea for this new post.
But I can't remember what it was.
Oh well...
I slept about four hours this afternoon because there was no football. We even tried to MAKE some football by watching a couple of football movies like "The longest Yard", and "The Replacements", but it just wasn't the same. I don't know what we are going to do when the Pro Bowl is over and done in a couple of weeks...I guess I could revert back to my roots and watch NASCAR...
One thing that watching all these movies has done is to cause me to realize why certain things happen. Movies tend to condense philosophical concepts which may be hard to grasp in the broader context of real life, into more easily recognizable and understandable packages.
Like this. Why didn't Atlanta make it to the Super Bo...um..."The Big Game" this year, when Seattle made it? Why did Indianapolis almost go undefeated but then fall on their face (with home feild advantage) against Pittsburg in the first playoff game they played?
(WARNING!! CHEESE ALERT!!)
They didn't have heart. They didn't want it badly enough. Seattle and Pittsburg did, Atlanta and Indianapolis did not.
And everybody knows that if your heart isn't in it, your butt will soon be out of it.
Whatever it is.
I hope that we can all remember this lesson as we engage our own personal and public battles over the next few months.
If your opponent wants the victory more than you do, and if you are not willing to do whatever it takes to win it, he will probably beat you.
It doesn't matter if you are the best Football team to ever play the game. It doesn't matter if you are the smartest person in the room...
It won't matter that your ideas would save America and your opponent's ideas would destroy it.
You have to put all you've got into it, or you will lose.
Go Seattle!!
It would have possibly been the best post I have ever written. I have no doubt that everyone who read it would have been enlightened by it, would have told all of their friends about it and they too would would have been enlightened, and thousands of lives would have been changed.
That one post would have solved several problems of society all at once, and stress and strife would have in large part disappeared from our world because of my blog, and my idea for this new post.
But I can't remember what it was.
Oh well...
I slept about four hours this afternoon because there was no football. We even tried to MAKE some football by watching a couple of football movies like "The longest Yard", and "The Replacements", but it just wasn't the same. I don't know what we are going to do when the Pro Bowl is over and done in a couple of weeks...I guess I could revert back to my roots and watch NASCAR...
One thing that watching all these movies has done is to cause me to realize why certain things happen. Movies tend to condense philosophical concepts which may be hard to grasp in the broader context of real life, into more easily recognizable and understandable packages.
Like this. Why didn't Atlanta make it to the Super Bo...um..."The Big Game" this year, when Seattle made it? Why did Indianapolis almost go undefeated but then fall on their face (with home feild advantage) against Pittsburg in the first playoff game they played?
(WARNING!! CHEESE ALERT!!)
They didn't have heart. They didn't want it badly enough. Seattle and Pittsburg did, Atlanta and Indianapolis did not.
And everybody knows that if your heart isn't in it, your butt will soon be out of it.
Whatever it is.
I hope that we can all remember this lesson as we engage our own personal and public battles over the next few months.
If your opponent wants the victory more than you do, and if you are not willing to do whatever it takes to win it, he will probably beat you.
It doesn't matter if you are the best Football team to ever play the game. It doesn't matter if you are the smartest person in the room...
It won't matter that your ideas would save America and your opponent's ideas would destroy it.
You have to put all you've got into it, or you will lose.
Go Seattle!!
Monday, January 23, 2006
Fame and Notoriety...
Once again I am the subject of discussion over at KEvron's place.
Apparently, his commentors would really "like to know what the opinions of a "Conservative, Christian, Poor, White, Married, Middle Aged, Guitar playing Truck Driver" are on subjects. "I'm sure they'd be terribly enlightening," they say.
He and his commentors believe that "of course, cap'n knows. he's just not sharing."
They say things like "Wow. The cap'n sure is full of himself. He sees all, knows all, and what he doesn't know he'll just pull out of his a** and proclaim it a fact rather than the obvious sh** it is." (Edited for vulgar content.)
I know that I probably will be the next Blogger to be accused of "animal husbandry" because of this post (that's his idea of reasoned political debate...), but with each new attack by KEvron and his ilk, my points are proven more conclusively. The very fact that people like KEvron cannot seem to leave me alone just makes me believe more surely that I am right, and that they know that they are wrong, and that the only method that they have to refute my points is to belittle me, and to tell each other how insignificant my opinions are.
Well, I agree. I have never claimed to be a visionary. I am only a Truck Driver. If you don't agree with my opinions, then don't read them.
I use this blog to vent. I am under no delusions that I can change the World with my little blog, and I have said so on many occasions.
For some reason, I cannot seem to ban KEvron from my blog. He is one of those people who believe that "freedom of expression" means that he has the right to take a crap in my living room. He has his own blog, and he is free to say whatever he wants over there.
That's not good enough for him though.
He wants to say whatever he wants on MY blog. He believes that "freedom of expression" means that he has the right to co-opt MY blog in order to spout his nonsense.
Well, I apreciate the compliment. It means a lot to me that my opinions drive him and his like-minded buddies so crazy that they cannot ignore me, and those who agree with me.
After all, there is no such thing as bad publicity, Right?
Apparently, his commentors would really "like to know what the opinions of a "Conservative, Christian, Poor, White, Married, Middle Aged, Guitar playing Truck Driver" are on subjects. "I'm sure they'd be terribly enlightening," they say.
He and his commentors believe that "of course, cap'n knows. he's just not sharing."
They say things like "Wow. The cap'n sure is full of himself. He sees all, knows all, and what he doesn't know he'll just pull out of his a** and proclaim it a fact rather than the obvious sh** it is." (Edited for vulgar content.)
I know that I probably will be the next Blogger to be accused of "animal husbandry" because of this post (that's his idea of reasoned political debate...), but with each new attack by KEvron and his ilk, my points are proven more conclusively. The very fact that people like KEvron cannot seem to leave me alone just makes me believe more surely that I am right, and that they know that they are wrong, and that the only method that they have to refute my points is to belittle me, and to tell each other how insignificant my opinions are.
Well, I agree. I have never claimed to be a visionary. I am only a Truck Driver. If you don't agree with my opinions, then don't read them.
I use this blog to vent. I am under no delusions that I can change the World with my little blog, and I have said so on many occasions.
For some reason, I cannot seem to ban KEvron from my blog. He is one of those people who believe that "freedom of expression" means that he has the right to take a crap in my living room. He has his own blog, and he is free to say whatever he wants over there.
That's not good enough for him though.
He wants to say whatever he wants on MY blog. He believes that "freedom of expression" means that he has the right to co-opt MY blog in order to spout his nonsense.
Well, I apreciate the compliment. It means a lot to me that my opinions drive him and his like-minded buddies so crazy that they cannot ignore me, and those who agree with me.
After all, there is no such thing as bad publicity, Right?
No More Injustice...
From Fox News...
Fla. Man Cleared by DNA Released After 24 Years in Prison
Monday, January 23, 2006
TAMPA, Fla. — Alan Crotzer stepped into the warm sunlight outside the courthouse Monday and raised his arms to the sky, celebrating his freedom after more than 24 years behind bars for crimes he didn't commit.
A judge freed the 45-year-old Crotzer after DNA testing and other evidence convinced prosecutors he was not involved in the 1981 armed robbery and rapes that led to his 130-year prison sentence.
An innocent man who was wrongly imprisoned for 24 years for a crime that he didn't commit was released today because DNA evidence proved that he was not the purpetrator of the crime for which he was accused.
Crotzer said he was looking forward to a barbecue with his family, who promised him his favorites — pork chops and banana pudding. Then, he said, he wanted to "take a bath in a real bathtub."
While I am extremely happy that this man has been released after being wrongly imprisoned for a crime that he did not commit, I cannot help but be appalled that this happened to this poor innocent man in the first place.
There is absolutely no way that society can repay this man for what has happened to him. We cannot give him back the 24 years that he has lost because of a mistake made by our Justice System.
No amount of money will ever make him whole again.
I believe that because of this case, we should propose a moratorium on all prison sentences for every convicted criminal everywhere in America, until such time as we can be assured that our Justice system is perfect, and we can be sure that we never inflict this type of injustice upon anyone else, ever again.
No innocent man should be unjustly punished, no matter what the cost. Right?
Even if it means releasing every convicted criminal in America until we can make sure that no innocent man is ever punished for a crime that he did not commit, Right?
That sounds kinda stupid, doesn't it?
It's the same argument that the Anti-Death Penalty crowd uses...
Fla. Man Cleared by DNA Released After 24 Years in Prison
Monday, January 23, 2006
TAMPA, Fla. — Alan Crotzer stepped into the warm sunlight outside the courthouse Monday and raised his arms to the sky, celebrating his freedom after more than 24 years behind bars for crimes he didn't commit.
A judge freed the 45-year-old Crotzer after DNA testing and other evidence convinced prosecutors he was not involved in the 1981 armed robbery and rapes that led to his 130-year prison sentence.
An innocent man who was wrongly imprisoned for 24 years for a crime that he didn't commit was released today because DNA evidence proved that he was not the purpetrator of the crime for which he was accused.
Crotzer said he was looking forward to a barbecue with his family, who promised him his favorites — pork chops and banana pudding. Then, he said, he wanted to "take a bath in a real bathtub."
While I am extremely happy that this man has been released after being wrongly imprisoned for a crime that he did not commit, I cannot help but be appalled that this happened to this poor innocent man in the first place.
There is absolutely no way that society can repay this man for what has happened to him. We cannot give him back the 24 years that he has lost because of a mistake made by our Justice System.
No amount of money will ever make him whole again.
I believe that because of this case, we should propose a moratorium on all prison sentences for every convicted criminal everywhere in America, until such time as we can be assured that our Justice system is perfect, and we can be sure that we never inflict this type of injustice upon anyone else, ever again.
No innocent man should be unjustly punished, no matter what the cost. Right?
Even if it means releasing every convicted criminal in America until we can make sure that no innocent man is ever punished for a crime that he did not commit, Right?
That sounds kinda stupid, doesn't it?
It's the same argument that the Anti-Death Penalty crowd uses...
If Only...
From the Sierra Club website (edited by Tugboatcapn...)
Clean, Sensible Government Campaign...
The biggest single step the United States can take to reduce consumption of oxygen and the threat of global warming is to stop Senator Ted Kennedy and Senator Joe Biden from talking.
Senators Kennedy and Biden account for 40% of the U.S.'s consumption of alcohol and oxygen and emit 20% of the nation's carbon dioxide (hot air) pollution, the heat-trapping gas that causes global warming. The U.S. is the world's largest global warming polluter — we must take the lead in reducing this pollution.
The Sierra Club's Clean Politician Campaign works in a variety of ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from our Congressmen and Senators. We promote policies on the national and federal level that will make Government cleaner, while defending the victories we have already achieved.
We also promote and build markets for sensible legislators, like President Bush, Bill Frist, and George Allen. Finally, we pressure The American People to elect smarter, more rational politicians.
Clean, Sensible Government Campaign...
The biggest single step the United States can take to reduce consumption of oxygen and the threat of global warming is to stop Senator Ted Kennedy and Senator Joe Biden from talking.
Senators Kennedy and Biden account for 40% of the U.S.'s consumption of alcohol and oxygen and emit 20% of the nation's carbon dioxide (hot air) pollution, the heat-trapping gas that causes global warming. The U.S. is the world's largest global warming polluter — we must take the lead in reducing this pollution.
The Sierra Club's Clean Politician Campaign works in a variety of ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from our Congressmen and Senators. We promote policies on the national and federal level that will make Government cleaner, while defending the victories we have already achieved.
We also promote and build markets for sensible legislators, like President Bush, Bill Frist, and George Allen. Finally, we pressure The American People to elect smarter, more rational politicians.
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Just Listening...
I took a little break from the Blogosphere this week. Other than posting a tribute to Ronald Reagan in order to fulfill a promise that I made to Mike from Mike's America, I didn't post anything, or leave comments on anyone's posts.
I didn't break from the Blogosphere completely though. I still surfed around and read everyone's posts and comments, I just chose not to participate.
I just listened.
And I heard (read) some amazing things.
I watched as two Bloggers, both of whom I consider to be good friends of mine, and both of whom I know to be Christians, argued about how much of the Bible is actually true, and how much Satanism you can have in your Christianity, and it still be alright. (Calm down guys. I scored 4% Satanism when I took the quiz. The Quiz is flawed. It was written by someone exactly like us, who got bored with television one night, and surfed around until he found the "Create Your Own Quiz" website, then sat there in his pajamas, and made the whole thing up.)
I watched as one Blogger accused another of, shall we say, animal husbandry, and set up a special Blog just for the purpose of advertising that assertion. This led to a lengthy discussion on the accuser's blog about what "Libel" is, exactly, and from what I could tell, nobody involved knew very much about what they were talking about.
I read a post in which a fellow Blogger compared the Bush Administration's efforts to eavesdrop on conversations between confirmed Islamic Terrorists and their agents on our soil to the restrictions of personal privacy in Nazi Germany, and read along as he praised the ACLU's efforts to criminalize efforts to keep Terrorists from being able to plan attacks against me and my family.
This same Blogger praised the idiocy uttered by Hillary Clinton on Monday (MLK day...), when she announced that the Republicans are running a "Plantation", obviously hoping to play upon the supposed ignorance of her audience, and the inflammatory nature of the word. She forgot to mention that Republicans, and more specifically the current Bush Administration, have placed far more Minorities in positions of real, relevant power than Democrats EVER have, and that includes her husband's administration which claimed to have constructed a Cabinet which "looked like America."
I then was treated to a post listing all of the ways that Ronald Reagan was a lousy scum, in response to the celebratory posts on other blogs commemorating the 25th Anniversary of the Reagan Presidency. (And one post commemorating the 250th anniversary of Yoda being made a lifetime member of the Jedi Council.) (That one was pretty funny, actually.)
While I wasn't blogging, I discovered that I have time to do all sorts of other things when I don't spend 6 hours a day blogging.
I cleaned the living room. I listed a stack of old textbooks on Ebay, and I bid one penny on a way-cool modification for my work car, and got it. (And installed it.)
I took out the trash, hauled off the Christmas tree from the front porch, and went out to eat with my brother-in-law and sister-in law.
I talked to my wife.
I played with the dog.
I went to bed early every night, and was on time to work every morning.
All of this could almost make me re-think my decision about whether or not to stop blogging. I wonder if my time might be spent more wisely elsewhere.
But I can't stop. I'm totally addicted, and if I were to stop, I would miss all of the friends that I have made in the Blogosphere, whether I agree with them or not.
So I will post more often this week than last, and I will set you all straight when you get out of line.
Besides, from what I have seen over this past week, the Blogosphere descends into total chaos when I'm not here...
I didn't break from the Blogosphere completely though. I still surfed around and read everyone's posts and comments, I just chose not to participate.
I just listened.
And I heard (read) some amazing things.
I watched as two Bloggers, both of whom I consider to be good friends of mine, and both of whom I know to be Christians, argued about how much of the Bible is actually true, and how much Satanism you can have in your Christianity, and it still be alright. (Calm down guys. I scored 4% Satanism when I took the quiz. The Quiz is flawed. It was written by someone exactly like us, who got bored with television one night, and surfed around until he found the "Create Your Own Quiz" website, then sat there in his pajamas, and made the whole thing up.)
I watched as one Blogger accused another of, shall we say, animal husbandry, and set up a special Blog just for the purpose of advertising that assertion. This led to a lengthy discussion on the accuser's blog about what "Libel" is, exactly, and from what I could tell, nobody involved knew very much about what they were talking about.
I read a post in which a fellow Blogger compared the Bush Administration's efforts to eavesdrop on conversations between confirmed Islamic Terrorists and their agents on our soil to the restrictions of personal privacy in Nazi Germany, and read along as he praised the ACLU's efforts to criminalize efforts to keep Terrorists from being able to plan attacks against me and my family.
This same Blogger praised the idiocy uttered by Hillary Clinton on Monday (MLK day...), when she announced that the Republicans are running a "Plantation", obviously hoping to play upon the supposed ignorance of her audience, and the inflammatory nature of the word. She forgot to mention that Republicans, and more specifically the current Bush Administration, have placed far more Minorities in positions of real, relevant power than Democrats EVER have, and that includes her husband's administration which claimed to have constructed a Cabinet which "looked like America."
I then was treated to a post listing all of the ways that Ronald Reagan was a lousy scum, in response to the celebratory posts on other blogs commemorating the 25th Anniversary of the Reagan Presidency. (And one post commemorating the 250th anniversary of Yoda being made a lifetime member of the Jedi Council.) (That one was pretty funny, actually.)
While I wasn't blogging, I discovered that I have time to do all sorts of other things when I don't spend 6 hours a day blogging.
I cleaned the living room. I listed a stack of old textbooks on Ebay, and I bid one penny on a way-cool modification for my work car, and got it. (And installed it.)
I took out the trash, hauled off the Christmas tree from the front porch, and went out to eat with my brother-in-law and sister-in law.
I talked to my wife.
I played with the dog.
I went to bed early every night, and was on time to work every morning.
All of this could almost make me re-think my decision about whether or not to stop blogging. I wonder if my time might be spent more wisely elsewhere.
But I can't stop. I'm totally addicted, and if I were to stop, I would miss all of the friends that I have made in the Blogosphere, whether I agree with them or not.
So I will post more often this week than last, and I will set you all straight when you get out of line.
Besides, from what I have seen over this past week, the Blogosphere descends into total chaos when I'm not here...
Thursday, January 19, 2006
The Greatest President...
Mike from Mike's America has invited me to participate in a celebration of Ronald Reagan's Presidency, and I have thought long and hard about how to do this.
I have decided to explain the effect that President Reagan had upon me in my formative years.
I first became politically aware during the Carter Presidency.
I remember the Gas lines, the Hostage Crisis, and the word "Inflation" being discussed in every single conversation that I overheard between the adults in my life.
I turned 10 in 1976, and there was a lot going on in my little world. I had a brand new baby sister, (Hi, Daffy!!) My Dad took a new church that year, and we moved to a new town, so I had no friends (yet...) and we had absolutely no money. Life seemed very hard during that period of time.
When you are the "New kid in town" at 10, you get picked on. A LOT. How you handle yourself under this assault has everything to do with how long the abuse continues, how severe it is, and how popular you will eventually be. I had to learn to stand up for myself, and fast, and I had a brother who was 16 months younger than me, who was going through the same things that I was going through, only he was a lot more timid and shy than I was.
I did okay. I learned to fight when I had to, both for myself, and for him, and I also learned how to diplomatically diffuse a situation when such a solution was possible.
I learned that when diplomacy will not work, then you have to fight. And if you have to fight, then get busy fighting. And use whatever you can get your hands on to defeat whoever you are fighting against. Fight as dirty as you know how. Stick your fingers in your adversary's eyes, or in his nose. Scratch him. Bite him. Pick up the heaviest thing that you can heft, and hit him in the mouth with it. Twice.
WIN THE FIGHT.
When it's over, you will be respected.
If you lose the fight, then forever you will be picked on and abused, you will be regarded as a loser, and the torture will never ever stop, until you stop it.
I knew this at the age of 10.
It was on the tail end of the process of my learning this important lesson that the Iran Hostage Crisis occured.
And America, the most powerful Nation on Earth, led by the Democrat President Carter, tucked our collective tails between our legs, and begged for the mercy of a ragtag bunch of Islamic thugs, in the tiny, powerless, jerkwater Country of Iran.
I was about twelve at that time, and even then, I believed that the lives of 66 people were not worth the amount of ridicule and disrespect that our Country suffered because of President Carter's unwillingness to deal forcefully with the situation.
For 444 days this atrocity continued, and the Democrat President Carter would not commit to solving the problem. He did try one half-hearted attempt at rescuing the hostages, which ended in disaster.
Carter begged the Iranian Terrorists to let the hostages go. He begged the U.N. to intervene. He begged everyone for everything, and all of his begging just made America seem weaker to the whole World.
Then the 1980 elections came around, and a former actor and Governor of California was in the News an awful lot. His name was Ronald Reagan.
He was a Republican, a straight talker, and a forceful man. He seemed to understand the lessons that I had learned over the last few years, and the whole World knew that he was not going to take any crap. From ANYONE.
He was elected President, and it snowed on his inauguration day. I was home from school, and watched him being sworn in, and on that day, the hostages were released.
This was a very powerful message to me. The Left would like to give the credit for the release of the hostages to Jesse Jackson because he took it upon himself to go over there and try to appease the Terrorists on the behalf of America. But real, thinking Americans know that the reason that the hostages were released was because Ronald Reagan was now the President, and he would not put up with that type of nonsense.
This one incident made it okay to be proud to be an American again. America was through taking crap from the likes of little podunk Countries like Iran, and the whole World knew it.
Over the next 8 years I watched as the Left in America demonized him, disparaged President Reagan, called him stupid, unrefined, and incompetent. And all the while, he moved America to the right, both economically and geo-politically.
And the further to the right America went because of President Reagan, the better off my family became.
He cut taxes drastically, and not even his Vice-President, George H. W. Bush understood what he was doing. (G.B. 41 called the "Trickle Down Economics" theory "Voo-Doo Economics". But President Reagan created an economic boom for America that it took G.B.41 and Bill Clinton twelve years to dismantle.)
Ronald Reagan was a rare genius in the world of Presidential Politics, and one of the reasons that the Left hated him so much was because they could not, and still cannot, produce anyone who even approximates his combination of wisdom and effectiveness.
I tried ever since Mike invited me to participate in this celebration of the Reagan Presidency to think of Ronald Reagan quotes to include in my post.
The best one I can think of is this one.
"Aw, shut up!!"
This one phrase may have been what won him the Presidency in the first place, and it is still timely today. I find that it comes in handy when confronted with the nonsense presented by the Left in the guise of Political discourse. Sometimes it is absolutely the most appropriate response.
When Ronald Reagan came along, the American People were desperate for a real leader.
A MAN. One who would unapologetically say what should be said.
Ronald Reagan was that man.
He was the Greatest President that America has had since George Washington.
We need another Republican exactly like him in 2008.
I know that there is one out there...
I have decided to explain the effect that President Reagan had upon me in my formative years.
I first became politically aware during the Carter Presidency.
I remember the Gas lines, the Hostage Crisis, and the word "Inflation" being discussed in every single conversation that I overheard between the adults in my life.
I turned 10 in 1976, and there was a lot going on in my little world. I had a brand new baby sister, (Hi, Daffy!!) My Dad took a new church that year, and we moved to a new town, so I had no friends (yet...) and we had absolutely no money. Life seemed very hard during that period of time.
When you are the "New kid in town" at 10, you get picked on. A LOT. How you handle yourself under this assault has everything to do with how long the abuse continues, how severe it is, and how popular you will eventually be. I had to learn to stand up for myself, and fast, and I had a brother who was 16 months younger than me, who was going through the same things that I was going through, only he was a lot more timid and shy than I was.
I did okay. I learned to fight when I had to, both for myself, and for him, and I also learned how to diplomatically diffuse a situation when such a solution was possible.
I learned that when diplomacy will not work, then you have to fight. And if you have to fight, then get busy fighting. And use whatever you can get your hands on to defeat whoever you are fighting against. Fight as dirty as you know how. Stick your fingers in your adversary's eyes, or in his nose. Scratch him. Bite him. Pick up the heaviest thing that you can heft, and hit him in the mouth with it. Twice.
WIN THE FIGHT.
When it's over, you will be respected.
If you lose the fight, then forever you will be picked on and abused, you will be regarded as a loser, and the torture will never ever stop, until you stop it.
I knew this at the age of 10.
It was on the tail end of the process of my learning this important lesson that the Iran Hostage Crisis occured.
And America, the most powerful Nation on Earth, led by the Democrat President Carter, tucked our collective tails between our legs, and begged for the mercy of a ragtag bunch of Islamic thugs, in the tiny, powerless, jerkwater Country of Iran.
I was about twelve at that time, and even then, I believed that the lives of 66 people were not worth the amount of ridicule and disrespect that our Country suffered because of President Carter's unwillingness to deal forcefully with the situation.
For 444 days this atrocity continued, and the Democrat President Carter would not commit to solving the problem. He did try one half-hearted attempt at rescuing the hostages, which ended in disaster.
Carter begged the Iranian Terrorists to let the hostages go. He begged the U.N. to intervene. He begged everyone for everything, and all of his begging just made America seem weaker to the whole World.
Then the 1980 elections came around, and a former actor and Governor of California was in the News an awful lot. His name was Ronald Reagan.
He was a Republican, a straight talker, and a forceful man. He seemed to understand the lessons that I had learned over the last few years, and the whole World knew that he was not going to take any crap. From ANYONE.
He was elected President, and it snowed on his inauguration day. I was home from school, and watched him being sworn in, and on that day, the hostages were released.
This was a very powerful message to me. The Left would like to give the credit for the release of the hostages to Jesse Jackson because he took it upon himself to go over there and try to appease the Terrorists on the behalf of America. But real, thinking Americans know that the reason that the hostages were released was because Ronald Reagan was now the President, and he would not put up with that type of nonsense.
This one incident made it okay to be proud to be an American again. America was through taking crap from the likes of little podunk Countries like Iran, and the whole World knew it.
Over the next 8 years I watched as the Left in America demonized him, disparaged President Reagan, called him stupid, unrefined, and incompetent. And all the while, he moved America to the right, both economically and geo-politically.
And the further to the right America went because of President Reagan, the better off my family became.
He cut taxes drastically, and not even his Vice-President, George H. W. Bush understood what he was doing. (G.B. 41 called the "Trickle Down Economics" theory "Voo-Doo Economics". But President Reagan created an economic boom for America that it took G.B.41 and Bill Clinton twelve years to dismantle.)
Ronald Reagan was a rare genius in the world of Presidential Politics, and one of the reasons that the Left hated him so much was because they could not, and still cannot, produce anyone who even approximates his combination of wisdom and effectiveness.
I tried ever since Mike invited me to participate in this celebration of the Reagan Presidency to think of Ronald Reagan quotes to include in my post.
The best one I can think of is this one.
"Aw, shut up!!"
This one phrase may have been what won him the Presidency in the first place, and it is still timely today. I find that it comes in handy when confronted with the nonsense presented by the Left in the guise of Political discourse. Sometimes it is absolutely the most appropriate response.
When Ronald Reagan came along, the American People were desperate for a real leader.
A MAN. One who would unapologetically say what should be said.
Ronald Reagan was that man.
He was the Greatest President that America has had since George Washington.
We need another Republican exactly like him in 2008.
I know that there is one out there...
Friday, January 13, 2006
Wal-Mart's Nuclear Option...
Every American should be outraged by this...
From the Washington Post...
Md. Passes Rules on Wal-Mart Insurance
Bill Obligates Firms On Health Spending
By John Wagner and Michael BarbaroWashington Post Staff WritersWednesday, April 6, 2005; Page A01
"Maryland lawmakers yesterday approved legislation that would effectively require Wal-Mart to boost spending on health care, a direct legislative thrust against a corporate giant that is already on the defensive on many fronts nationwide.
"We're looking for responsible businesses to ante up . . . and provide adequate health care," said Sen. Thomas M. Middleton (D-Charles), the Finance Committee chairman, as the Senate approved the measure with a majority wide enough to survive an anticipated veto. A similar bill has cleared the House of Delegates, and legislators expect to reconcile their differences easily."
So they did it.
The Democrat controlled State Legislature in Maryland has decided that they know more about how to run Wal-Mart than Wal-Mart does. They have mandated what benefits a privately owned business must provide their employees.
"Lawmakers said they did not set out to single out Wal-Mart when they drafted a bill requiring organizations with more than 10,000 employees to spend at least 8 percent of their payroll on health benefits -- or put the money directly into the state's health program for the poor."
Healthcare is the tool that the Democrat Party will use to dismantle our Economy. They are just now starting to learn how to use it.
Wal-Mart MUST fight this. And I don't mean through the Courts, and I don't mean through the Legislature, and I don't mean through the Media.
Wal-Mart, if they will do it, has the ability to stop this kind of attack cold.
They have to shut down every Wal-Mart store in the State of Maryland.
Tomorrow.
They need to lock the doors, bring in crews from out of state to pack up the merchandise, and ship the whole shooting match to other places.
When they are done, they need to retain ownership of all of the buildings, and put up signs on the doors saying:
"Anti-Free-Market forces in the Democrat controlled State Legislature have made it impossible for the Wal-Mart Corporation to continue to do business in the state of Maryland.
We are sorry for the inconvenience.
Write your Congressman and/or Senator.
In the meantime, have fun shopping at the Mom-n-Pop Shop."
If they did this, 17,000 people would lose their jobs. The buying power of every single citizen of the State of Maryland would decrease. State Tax revenues would decrease, and all of the people currently employed in every Wal-Mart store in Maryland would draw Unemployment, directly from the State Treasury.
Then they need to start an advertizing campaign, spareing no expense, and lay the blame for every problem that Wal-Mart's withdrawal creates squarely at the feet of the Democrats who caused it.
Wal-Mart needs to send a message to the Democrats in Maryland, and to every State Legislature in America.
They need to remind the American People what Wal-Mart does for them. (And they do plenty.)
Wal-Mart needs to fight this, and they need to win.
For the good of America.
From the Washington Post...
Md. Passes Rules on Wal-Mart Insurance
Bill Obligates Firms On Health Spending
By John Wagner and Michael BarbaroWashington Post Staff WritersWednesday, April 6, 2005; Page A01
"Maryland lawmakers yesterday approved legislation that would effectively require Wal-Mart to boost spending on health care, a direct legislative thrust against a corporate giant that is already on the defensive on many fronts nationwide.
"We're looking for responsible businesses to ante up . . . and provide adequate health care," said Sen. Thomas M. Middleton (D-Charles), the Finance Committee chairman, as the Senate approved the measure with a majority wide enough to survive an anticipated veto. A similar bill has cleared the House of Delegates, and legislators expect to reconcile their differences easily."
So they did it.
The Democrat controlled State Legislature in Maryland has decided that they know more about how to run Wal-Mart than Wal-Mart does. They have mandated what benefits a privately owned business must provide their employees.
"Lawmakers said they did not set out to single out Wal-Mart when they drafted a bill requiring organizations with more than 10,000 employees to spend at least 8 percent of their payroll on health benefits -- or put the money directly into the state's health program for the poor."
Healthcare is the tool that the Democrat Party will use to dismantle our Economy. They are just now starting to learn how to use it.
Wal-Mart MUST fight this. And I don't mean through the Courts, and I don't mean through the Legislature, and I don't mean through the Media.
Wal-Mart, if they will do it, has the ability to stop this kind of attack cold.
They have to shut down every Wal-Mart store in the State of Maryland.
Tomorrow.
They need to lock the doors, bring in crews from out of state to pack up the merchandise, and ship the whole shooting match to other places.
When they are done, they need to retain ownership of all of the buildings, and put up signs on the doors saying:
"Anti-Free-Market forces in the Democrat controlled State Legislature have made it impossible for the Wal-Mart Corporation to continue to do business in the state of Maryland.
We are sorry for the inconvenience.
Write your Congressman and/or Senator.
In the meantime, have fun shopping at the Mom-n-Pop Shop."
If they did this, 17,000 people would lose their jobs. The buying power of every single citizen of the State of Maryland would decrease. State Tax revenues would decrease, and all of the people currently employed in every Wal-Mart store in Maryland would draw Unemployment, directly from the State Treasury.
Then they need to start an advertizing campaign, spareing no expense, and lay the blame for every problem that Wal-Mart's withdrawal creates squarely at the feet of the Democrats who caused it.
Wal-Mart needs to send a message to the Democrats in Maryland, and to every State Legislature in America.
They need to remind the American People what Wal-Mart does for them. (And they do plenty.)
Wal-Mart needs to fight this, and they need to win.
For the good of America.
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Justice...
Is it over yet?
The Alito (or as the esteemed Senator Kennedy says it, "Alioto") Confirmation Hearings, I mean?
No, they are not. The part that comes now is when Senator Kennedy and Senator Biden, and Boxer get to demonize Judge Alito till the cows come home and he doesn't get to answer them.
So far he has been able to answer them point for point, (not that that does any good when confronting Liberals,) and he just keeps looking smarter and smarter, while they make themselves look dumber and dumber.
But now they have the floor.
And now, we get to see what a horrible Monster Judge "Alioto" really is, and he will not be allowed to twist the facts the way he has done for the last couple of days.
He will be confirmed. The next time you see his picture, realize that you are looking at the 110th Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.
Just what has been accomplished over the last couple of days? Has any of the harsh rhetoric, wild accusations against Judge Alito, or attacks against his character stopped him from being confirmed?
No. Not even close.
Have they hurt him at all?
Yes, they have. One only has to look at the pictures of his wife as she burst into tears and left the hearing room to realize that he and his family are indeed human beings. They have feelings.
The only thing he has EVER done to deserve the treatment he has endured over the past two days was to agree to serve his country (us,) if he is confirmed, and making the mistake of being nominated by a duly elected Republican President. He is not a racist. He is not a sexist. He is not a right-wing zealot bent upon revoking the Constitutional freedoms of Americans. He is not a lunatic.
What he is, from the actual evidence that has so far been presented, is a fair and impartial Judge, who has devoted his life to the Law, and has shown no propensity whatsoever to institute any particular agenda, other than the one set forth in our Constitution by our Founding Fathers.
There are some of you who believe that the purpose of these hearings, in part, is to allow the particular political parties to "shore up" their bases.
Funny, I thought the purpose of these hearings was to determine if the candidate was QUALIFIED to sit on the Supreme Court. (Silly Me...)
Which Judge Alito is.
If I were President Bush, do you know what I would do?
The next opening that came up that required Senate Hearings, I would nominate Senator Kennedy.
Then I would call every Republican Senator, and tell them that the gloves are off. Whatever you or your staff can dig up on Kennedy, throw it at him, on National Television.
The Hearings, if they exposed every shady thing Kennedy has done, or could possibly be accused of, would take three years.
I would see if Senator Kennedy could stand up to the type of scrutiny that he has subjected Judge "Alioto" to.
I think it would be interesting to watch as Senator Kennedy attempted to defend himself against the type of onslaught that he has directed against Judge Alito and Justice Roberts.
I would see how HE would like this treatment.
It would be nothing but fair, and just.
The Alito (or as the esteemed Senator Kennedy says it, "Alioto") Confirmation Hearings, I mean?
No, they are not. The part that comes now is when Senator Kennedy and Senator Biden, and Boxer get to demonize Judge Alito till the cows come home and he doesn't get to answer them.
So far he has been able to answer them point for point, (not that that does any good when confronting Liberals,) and he just keeps looking smarter and smarter, while they make themselves look dumber and dumber.
But now they have the floor.
And now, we get to see what a horrible Monster Judge "Alioto" really is, and he will not be allowed to twist the facts the way he has done for the last couple of days.
He will be confirmed. The next time you see his picture, realize that you are looking at the 110th Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.
Just what has been accomplished over the last couple of days? Has any of the harsh rhetoric, wild accusations against Judge Alito, or attacks against his character stopped him from being confirmed?
No. Not even close.
Have they hurt him at all?
Yes, they have. One only has to look at the pictures of his wife as she burst into tears and left the hearing room to realize that he and his family are indeed human beings. They have feelings.
The only thing he has EVER done to deserve the treatment he has endured over the past two days was to agree to serve his country (us,) if he is confirmed, and making the mistake of being nominated by a duly elected Republican President. He is not a racist. He is not a sexist. He is not a right-wing zealot bent upon revoking the Constitutional freedoms of Americans. He is not a lunatic.
What he is, from the actual evidence that has so far been presented, is a fair and impartial Judge, who has devoted his life to the Law, and has shown no propensity whatsoever to institute any particular agenda, other than the one set forth in our Constitution by our Founding Fathers.
There are some of you who believe that the purpose of these hearings, in part, is to allow the particular political parties to "shore up" their bases.
Funny, I thought the purpose of these hearings was to determine if the candidate was QUALIFIED to sit on the Supreme Court. (Silly Me...)
Which Judge Alito is.
If I were President Bush, do you know what I would do?
The next opening that came up that required Senate Hearings, I would nominate Senator Kennedy.
Then I would call every Republican Senator, and tell them that the gloves are off. Whatever you or your staff can dig up on Kennedy, throw it at him, on National Television.
The Hearings, if they exposed every shady thing Kennedy has done, or could possibly be accused of, would take three years.
I would see if Senator Kennedy could stand up to the type of scrutiny that he has subjected Judge "Alioto" to.
I think it would be interesting to watch as Senator Kennedy attempted to defend himself against the type of onslaught that he has directed against Judge Alito and Justice Roberts.
I would see how HE would like this treatment.
It would be nothing but fair, and just.
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Double Standard...
From Rasmussenreports.com...
Supreme Court Nomination: 58% Say Senate Dems Should Confirm Qualified Conservative
July 11, 2005--If President Bush nominates a qualified conservative to serve on the Supreme Court, 58% of Likely Voters say that Senate Democrats should vote to confirm that nominee.
A Rasmussen Reports survey found that just 24% believe that Harry Reid's party should oppose such a nominee.
Republicans and unaffiliated voters strongly support confirmation. Democrats are evenly divided--43% say their Senators should vote to confirm while 38% take the opposite view.
The divide among Democrats is strictly along ideological lines--58% of liberal Democrats want their party to oppose confirmation of a qualified conservative. 56% of moderate and conservative Democrats take the opposite view.
There it is, Dems, in black and white. (You guys are the ones who love to govern by opinion polls...)
The American People have spoken. They want the Democrats to vote to confirm Judge Sam Alito.
This puts Ted Kennedy and Joe Biden solidly outside the mainstream of American opinion.
And this is not a new poll. They had to have seen it before the Roberts confirmation hearings.
What this says to me is that opposing President Bush and anything that he tries to do is more important to Senate Democrats than absolutely anything else.
Even the will of the American People.
But then again, they have never expressed much faith in the American People anyway. They do not believe that we have sense enough to manage our own money (opposition to privatization of Socialist Security accounts, "Tax Cuts for the Rich", the push for Nationalized Healthcare even though Health insurance is readily available to anyone who is willing to make it a priority or willing to demand it as a condition of employment,) they do not believe that we have sense enough to read our own Constitution or to elect our own leaders.
They do not believe that we have sense enough to manage our own lives.
Well, we do.
I voted for President Bush PRECISELY because I wanted a Conservative Republican to nominate the next few Supreme Court Justices.
And the Democrats supported Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and if she is not too far to the left, then President Bush should be able to nominate William F. Buckley if he wants to, and he should be confirmed.
Without a fuss.
That is, if the Democrats were consistent.
But with each blustering speech, with each unreasonable protest of the President's Nominees, with every word that issues from Ted Kennedy's mouth, the double standard becomes ever more evident.
Supreme Court Nomination: 58% Say Senate Dems Should Confirm Qualified Conservative
July 11, 2005--If President Bush nominates a qualified conservative to serve on the Supreme Court, 58% of Likely Voters say that Senate Democrats should vote to confirm that nominee.
A Rasmussen Reports survey found that just 24% believe that Harry Reid's party should oppose such a nominee.
Republicans and unaffiliated voters strongly support confirmation. Democrats are evenly divided--43% say their Senators should vote to confirm while 38% take the opposite view.
The divide among Democrats is strictly along ideological lines--58% of liberal Democrats want their party to oppose confirmation of a qualified conservative. 56% of moderate and conservative Democrats take the opposite view.
There it is, Dems, in black and white. (You guys are the ones who love to govern by opinion polls...)
The American People have spoken. They want the Democrats to vote to confirm Judge Sam Alito.
This puts Ted Kennedy and Joe Biden solidly outside the mainstream of American opinion.
And this is not a new poll. They had to have seen it before the Roberts confirmation hearings.
What this says to me is that opposing President Bush and anything that he tries to do is more important to Senate Democrats than absolutely anything else.
Even the will of the American People.
But then again, they have never expressed much faith in the American People anyway. They do not believe that we have sense enough to manage our own money (opposition to privatization of Socialist Security accounts, "Tax Cuts for the Rich", the push for Nationalized Healthcare even though Health insurance is readily available to anyone who is willing to make it a priority or willing to demand it as a condition of employment,) they do not believe that we have sense enough to read our own Constitution or to elect our own leaders.
They do not believe that we have sense enough to manage our own lives.
Well, we do.
I voted for President Bush PRECISELY because I wanted a Conservative Republican to nominate the next few Supreme Court Justices.
And the Democrats supported Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and if she is not too far to the left, then President Bush should be able to nominate William F. Buckley if he wants to, and he should be confirmed.
Without a fuss.
That is, if the Democrats were consistent.
But with each blustering speech, with each unreasonable protest of the President's Nominees, with every word that issues from Ted Kennedy's mouth, the double standard becomes ever more evident.
Sunday, January 08, 2006
Tug's Proclamation To Humanity.
I Tugboatcapn, as a citizen of The United States Of America, a circumstance in which I, myself had no part, but rather consider it to be a blessing from Almighty God, and as a citizen of The World, as all human beings are, do hereby offer this proclaimation to Humanity.
I will acknowledge the existence and Divine leadership of Almighty God, and do hereby pledge to follow His leadership, as laid out for His people in His Word, The Holy Bible, and His personal instruction, as I recieve it through prayer, and the respectful study of His Holy Word. I believe, because of personal experience regarding the improvement of my own life and level of general happiness through adherance to the dictates set forth in The Holy Bible, that this is the first and most important thing that I can do for my fellow man, and for humanity in general.
I will never, through my own actions or inactions, become a burden in any way to any other human being or to society in general, and will depend only upon myself for my basic survival, happiness, and general well-being, to the absolute best of my ability. I will provide for myself and my family MYSELF, by whatever means necessary (within the law), and will strive at all times toward complete self-sufficiency, to the level that it is possible in our society.
I will promise to, however I am able, help the disadvantaged to become equally self-sufficient, to the level that they are capable, and to assist them in all ways practical to overcome the disadvantages to which they are subject, be it through education, motivation, or example.
I will protect and preserve our natural environment inasmuch as I am able without encroaching upon the Freedoms of others, and will protect all living things (holding life to be a creation of Almighty God, and therefore sacred), will give the benefit of doubt to life where doubt may exist, and will strive to be a good steward of one of the most precious gifts bestowed upon us by our Creator, our planet. I will not recklessly pollute, abuse, or disrespect this gift, and will use it wisely.
I will, by any and all means at my disposal, defend the defensless, help the helpless, and attempt to spread hope to the hopeless, wherever they may be, as is my duty as a citizen of The United States Of America, having been blessed as such by Almighty God with opportunities and advantages currently unavailable to people who were born into adversity through no fault of their own.
I will, through my vote and through my financial contributions, uphold and preserve the Freedoms enumerated in our Constitution by our Founding Fathers, and will oppose, by all means at my disposal, all those who would undermine, subvert, and repeal those Freedoms, as is my duty as a citizen of The United States Of America.
I will, through my vote and my financial contributions, support the spread of Freedom, Independence and Justice to any and all areas of the world where it is lacking, as is my duty as a citizen of The World, and a believer in the Human Spirit.
I will uphold and obey the laws set forth by my community and by Society in general, and will do my best to see that the guilty are punished and the unjustly accused are fully exhonorated and restored, as is my duty as a citizen, and if I disagree with these laws, I will work to change them through the mechanisms set forth by our Constitution, and by no other method, lest our society descend into anarchy.
I will respect myself, my fellow man, my surroundings, and my society, and will expect the same level of respect to be extended to me and my family, as is my duty and my right as a citizen of The United States Of America, and of The World.
I hereby offer this proclaimation, knowing that these principals require no significant change in my current lifestyle, so that any who may be unsure may know what principals drive my opinions and attitudes, and so that they can understand the driving forces which govern my words and actions, both past and present, and will continue to do so in the future, and I believe that if all citizens of the United States and of The World would pledge to adhere to these same principals, whether to the exact words set forth here, or to the spirit thereof, the circumstances of all of Humanity would improve.
- TBC
I will acknowledge the existence and Divine leadership of Almighty God, and do hereby pledge to follow His leadership, as laid out for His people in His Word, The Holy Bible, and His personal instruction, as I recieve it through prayer, and the respectful study of His Holy Word. I believe, because of personal experience regarding the improvement of my own life and level of general happiness through adherance to the dictates set forth in The Holy Bible, that this is the first and most important thing that I can do for my fellow man, and for humanity in general.
I will never, through my own actions or inactions, become a burden in any way to any other human being or to society in general, and will depend only upon myself for my basic survival, happiness, and general well-being, to the absolute best of my ability. I will provide for myself and my family MYSELF, by whatever means necessary (within the law), and will strive at all times toward complete self-sufficiency, to the level that it is possible in our society.
I will promise to, however I am able, help the disadvantaged to become equally self-sufficient, to the level that they are capable, and to assist them in all ways practical to overcome the disadvantages to which they are subject, be it through education, motivation, or example.
I will protect and preserve our natural environment inasmuch as I am able without encroaching upon the Freedoms of others, and will protect all living things (holding life to be a creation of Almighty God, and therefore sacred), will give the benefit of doubt to life where doubt may exist, and will strive to be a good steward of one of the most precious gifts bestowed upon us by our Creator, our planet. I will not recklessly pollute, abuse, or disrespect this gift, and will use it wisely.
I will, by any and all means at my disposal, defend the defensless, help the helpless, and attempt to spread hope to the hopeless, wherever they may be, as is my duty as a citizen of The United States Of America, having been blessed as such by Almighty God with opportunities and advantages currently unavailable to people who were born into adversity through no fault of their own.
I will, through my vote and through my financial contributions, uphold and preserve the Freedoms enumerated in our Constitution by our Founding Fathers, and will oppose, by all means at my disposal, all those who would undermine, subvert, and repeal those Freedoms, as is my duty as a citizen of The United States Of America.
I will, through my vote and my financial contributions, support the spread of Freedom, Independence and Justice to any and all areas of the world where it is lacking, as is my duty as a citizen of The World, and a believer in the Human Spirit.
I will uphold and obey the laws set forth by my community and by Society in general, and will do my best to see that the guilty are punished and the unjustly accused are fully exhonorated and restored, as is my duty as a citizen, and if I disagree with these laws, I will work to change them through the mechanisms set forth by our Constitution, and by no other method, lest our society descend into anarchy.
I will respect myself, my fellow man, my surroundings, and my society, and will expect the same level of respect to be extended to me and my family, as is my duty and my right as a citizen of The United States Of America, and of The World.
I hereby offer this proclaimation, knowing that these principals require no significant change in my current lifestyle, so that any who may be unsure may know what principals drive my opinions and attitudes, and so that they can understand the driving forces which govern my words and actions, both past and present, and will continue to do so in the future, and I believe that if all citizens of the United States and of The World would pledge to adhere to these same principals, whether to the exact words set forth here, or to the spirit thereof, the circumstances of all of Humanity would improve.
- TBC
Friday, January 06, 2006
Foxes In The Henhouse...
I listened to the radio all day today, my usual menu of Talk Radio and popular music, and the interspersed News breaks.
I did not hear Jack Abramoff's name once.
It's already starting to disappear, just like I said it would. We will hear sporadic News updates occasionally, on significant days such as Abramoff's sentencing hearing, and we will eventually be given a list of the most prominent Republicans who were tainted by their association with Abramoff and his cronies, but this scandal is being allowed to fade.
A couple of people that I talked to today mentioned him, and he is still a topic of discussion on the blogs, but by this time next week, this affair will have gone the way of Able Danger.
The scandal will be mentioned once in a while by people trying to illustrate a point about Republican Corruption, or some such, but the Major Media coverage is about over.
One of the reasons that this is happening is that it will taint far too many politicians from both sides of the aisle if it is pursued agressively. Sure, it might further undermine the reputation of Tom Delay, and a few other Republican Lawmakers, but I don't believe that the Democrats and their lapdog reporters and Media outlets are really willing to trade Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton, and Harry Reid for whichever Republicans they might take down. They (the Republicans included...) would much rather that the whole thing just go away.
This is a much bigger mouthfull than anyone anticipated.
But that is not the main reason that this will be relegated to page 17A. (And soon...)
The REAL reason is that if this is pursued to it's logical conclusion, it will cause the American People to demand a complete overhaul of the Lobbying System.
If that were to happen, then no longer would a Congressional Seat that pays $162,100 per year be worth spending $50,000,000 to win. (Doesn't that seem a little fishy to you? It does to me, and always has...)
What this might do is cause our Representatives to re-inforce the open-handed slap at our (your and my) Freedom of Political Speech rights known as the McCain-Feingold Encumbent Protection Act, which, in a way, created Lobbyists like Abramoff in the first place, and Partisan Attack Organizations like Moveon.org. Abramoff was not the only Lobbyist in Washington, and it would be naive to think that he is the only crooked one. Rest assured that if it were to be investigated closely enough, connections could be found from shady lobbyists to every single member of the House and Senate.
Any action taken in response to this scandal by the politicians who are tainted by it will only make matters worse for the American People. We lose more of our Freedom, more of our voice, and more of our influence over our own elected representatives each and every time they begin to monkey with our ability to support the candidate of our choice, and each and every time that we do not hold our elected representatives to account when they are caught with their hands in the cookie jar.
Here is another interesting bit of fallout stemming partially from this scandal.
Guess who is beginning to gain political traction lately, and has taken the lead on this issue...
Newt Gingrich.
On his website, he has outlined a plan to fix this problem, and I have heard something from him every day on different Talk Shows for the past week, and he is clearly positioning himself for a 2008 Presidential run. (And I can't tell you that I would not be willing to vote for him. I would rather have him as President than Hillary or McCain...)
I don't know, but I would be willing to bet that there aren't many Democrats who wanted HIM back...
I don't know how far he will get, but it will be interesting to watch.
Back to the scandal. I don't want it to go away. I want every single politician who has done anything wrong to be exposed, tried, and punished, regardless of which party they are from, and let the chips fall where they may.
I would rather have an honest Democrat in the Senate than a crooked Republican. I would rather know that the representatives that I send to Washington with my vote actually represent me, and not the highest bidder.
I did not hear Jack Abramoff's name once.
It's already starting to disappear, just like I said it would. We will hear sporadic News updates occasionally, on significant days such as Abramoff's sentencing hearing, and we will eventually be given a list of the most prominent Republicans who were tainted by their association with Abramoff and his cronies, but this scandal is being allowed to fade.
A couple of people that I talked to today mentioned him, and he is still a topic of discussion on the blogs, but by this time next week, this affair will have gone the way of Able Danger.
The scandal will be mentioned once in a while by people trying to illustrate a point about Republican Corruption, or some such, but the Major Media coverage is about over.
One of the reasons that this is happening is that it will taint far too many politicians from both sides of the aisle if it is pursued agressively. Sure, it might further undermine the reputation of Tom Delay, and a few other Republican Lawmakers, but I don't believe that the Democrats and their lapdog reporters and Media outlets are really willing to trade Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton, and Harry Reid for whichever Republicans they might take down. They (the Republicans included...) would much rather that the whole thing just go away.
This is a much bigger mouthfull than anyone anticipated.
But that is not the main reason that this will be relegated to page 17A. (And soon...)
The REAL reason is that if this is pursued to it's logical conclusion, it will cause the American People to demand a complete overhaul of the Lobbying System.
If that were to happen, then no longer would a Congressional Seat that pays $162,100 per year be worth spending $50,000,000 to win. (Doesn't that seem a little fishy to you? It does to me, and always has...)
What this might do is cause our Representatives to re-inforce the open-handed slap at our (your and my) Freedom of Political Speech rights known as the McCain-Feingold Encumbent Protection Act, which, in a way, created Lobbyists like Abramoff in the first place, and Partisan Attack Organizations like Moveon.org. Abramoff was not the only Lobbyist in Washington, and it would be naive to think that he is the only crooked one. Rest assured that if it were to be investigated closely enough, connections could be found from shady lobbyists to every single member of the House and Senate.
Any action taken in response to this scandal by the politicians who are tainted by it will only make matters worse for the American People. We lose more of our Freedom, more of our voice, and more of our influence over our own elected representatives each and every time they begin to monkey with our ability to support the candidate of our choice, and each and every time that we do not hold our elected representatives to account when they are caught with their hands in the cookie jar.
Here is another interesting bit of fallout stemming partially from this scandal.
Guess who is beginning to gain political traction lately, and has taken the lead on this issue...
Newt Gingrich.
On his website, he has outlined a plan to fix this problem, and I have heard something from him every day on different Talk Shows for the past week, and he is clearly positioning himself for a 2008 Presidential run. (And I can't tell you that I would not be willing to vote for him. I would rather have him as President than Hillary or McCain...)
I don't know, but I would be willing to bet that there aren't many Democrats who wanted HIM back...
I don't know how far he will get, but it will be interesting to watch.
Back to the scandal. I don't want it to go away. I want every single politician who has done anything wrong to be exposed, tried, and punished, regardless of which party they are from, and let the chips fall where they may.
I would rather have an honest Democrat in the Senate than a crooked Republican. I would rather know that the representatives that I send to Washington with my vote actually represent me, and not the highest bidder.
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
The Biggest Scandal Since...
Travel-gate? White-water-gate??
Lewinski-gate???
Well, maybe...But only because the MSM believes that they can turn it into a primarily Republican scandal.
From ABC snooze .com...
"Political Effects of Abramoff Deal Emerge...
By LIZ MARLANTES
" WASHINGTON, Jan. 4, 2006 — The legal fallout from former lobbyist Jack Abramoff's decision to cooperate with a federal corruption probe — and provide evidence against an unknown number of high-level Washington officials — remains to be seen.
"But the political effects, in the nation's capital and in many lawmakers' home states, have already begun to emerge.
Abramoff today pleaded guilty to two fraud charges stemming from his purchase of a Florida gambling boat fleet, a day after pleading guilty to three felony counts of mail fraud, conspiracy and tax evasion.
" Not surprisingly, Abramoff's former associates have scrambled to distance themselves from him — and his money. Politicians from both sides of the aisle are returning campaign contributions from the disgraced lobbyist. While those contributions may have been perfectly legal, it's the political taint that may hold the bigger danger, analysts said.
Read that last paragraph again...
BOTH sides of the aisle?
The contributions may have been PERFECTLY LEGAL?
How is this a Republican scandal?
The New York Times says that it may ensnare as many as a dozen members of the House and Senate. The Wall Street Journal says as many as sixty.
It could admittedly affect Republicans like Byron Dorgan, Harry Reid, Carl Levin, John Breaux, or Mary Landrieu...
No, wait...Those are Democrats, aren't they?
Is it possible that when you leave all the Democrats out that the number of people who this thing affects drops from sixty down to twelve?
(Just a question...)
Now, let me explain how this WILL NOT be a Republican scandal, if people will just take a little time and figure it out.
It doesn't matter how many Republicans are tangled up in this, how many are charged, convicted, expelled from the Government, voted out, imprisoned or executed.
This is the BUSH administration. The BUSH Justice Department. BUSH prosecutors.
Either the affected Republican Politicians will be exhonorated, and their names cleared (everywhere except the News Media...), or they will be found guilty and punished BY A REPUBLICAN ADMINISTRATION.
Either this is a baseless accusation, or a very public example of the Bush Administration dealing with corruption, and punishing those who are guilty, no matter who they are, or how badly the President needs them politically.
Win, Win.
Either way, a Republican Administration comes through this particular scandal with it's integrity intact.
But it is a Republican Scandal because the New York Times, Chicken-Noodle-News, ABC/CBS/NBC etc are going to make it one. (Rest assured that they will report it with every bit of accuracy and integrity with which they reported the Collapsed Coal Mine story, and the Hurricane Katrina story, and the GWB National Guard Memo story, and on, and on, and on...)
And if you don't pay close attention, you will fall for the trick.
So pay attention.
Lewinski-gate???
Well, maybe...But only because the MSM believes that they can turn it into a primarily Republican scandal.
From ABC snooze .com...
"Political Effects of Abramoff Deal Emerge...
By LIZ MARLANTES
" WASHINGTON, Jan. 4, 2006 — The legal fallout from former lobbyist Jack Abramoff's decision to cooperate with a federal corruption probe — and provide evidence against an unknown number of high-level Washington officials — remains to be seen.
"But the political effects, in the nation's capital and in many lawmakers' home states, have already begun to emerge.
Abramoff today pleaded guilty to two fraud charges stemming from his purchase of a Florida gambling boat fleet, a day after pleading guilty to three felony counts of mail fraud, conspiracy and tax evasion.
" Not surprisingly, Abramoff's former associates have scrambled to distance themselves from him — and his money. Politicians from both sides of the aisle are returning campaign contributions from the disgraced lobbyist. While those contributions may have been perfectly legal, it's the political taint that may hold the bigger danger, analysts said.
Read that last paragraph again...
BOTH sides of the aisle?
The contributions may have been PERFECTLY LEGAL?
How is this a Republican scandal?
The New York Times says that it may ensnare as many as a dozen members of the House and Senate. The Wall Street Journal says as many as sixty.
It could admittedly affect Republicans like Byron Dorgan, Harry Reid, Carl Levin, John Breaux, or Mary Landrieu...
No, wait...Those are Democrats, aren't they?
Is it possible that when you leave all the Democrats out that the number of people who this thing affects drops from sixty down to twelve?
(Just a question...)
Now, let me explain how this WILL NOT be a Republican scandal, if people will just take a little time and figure it out.
It doesn't matter how many Republicans are tangled up in this, how many are charged, convicted, expelled from the Government, voted out, imprisoned or executed.
This is the BUSH administration. The BUSH Justice Department. BUSH prosecutors.
Either the affected Republican Politicians will be exhonorated, and their names cleared (everywhere except the News Media...), or they will be found guilty and punished BY A REPUBLICAN ADMINISTRATION.
Either this is a baseless accusation, or a very public example of the Bush Administration dealing with corruption, and punishing those who are guilty, no matter who they are, or how badly the President needs them politically.
Win, Win.
Either way, a Republican Administration comes through this particular scandal with it's integrity intact.
But it is a Republican Scandal because the New York Times, Chicken-Noodle-News, ABC/CBS/NBC etc are going to make it one. (Rest assured that they will report it with every bit of accuracy and integrity with which they reported the Collapsed Coal Mine story, and the Hurricane Katrina story, and the GWB National Guard Memo story, and on, and on, and on...)
And if you don't pay close attention, you will fall for the trick.
So pay attention.
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
It's Going To Be A Great Year!!
...To be a Republican!
This year we will see a lot of amazing things happen. The troops will start to come home from Iraq this year, and not because the Democrats demanded it, but because they have finished the job, and can return as heroes.
This year will see the first functioning Democracy in the Middle East Region in the history of the World. Think about that for a minute. For the first time in history, the Iraqi people will be allowed to govern themselves, under a constitution that they wrote and voted for (or against...they at least had a choice...) and with leaders whom they elect, and who are accountable to the Iraqi voters.
They have Freedom. Real Freedom. For the first time ever.
And it will happen this year over the screaming objections of the entire American Democrat Party (except for Joe Leiberman). It will happen this year because the American Voters elected and re-elected a President who had the vision to make it happen. We elected a President who had the strength of will to perservere in the face of viscious personal attacks, constant discouragement, and catastrophic doom and gloom predictions from those in our Country who would rather lose a War than give him any credit for winning one.
This is an election year for numerous Senators and Congressmen (Congresspersons?), one of which is Hillary Rodham-Clinton-Rodham, who is also the presumptive front-runner for the Democrat nomination in the 2008 presidential race.
This will be the absolute funniest thing you have ever seen (if you pay close attention.) She is going to have to figure out a way to run for her own Senate seat, staying far enough to the left to win New York City, while staying far enough to the right to carry the rest of the state, and then as soon as she wins, she will immediately turn into a Reagan Republican, in order to try to win the presidential election. She is going to make John F. Kerry look like Abraham Lincoln and George Washington all rolled up into one.
And the American people are not going to buy it. Not for a minute. She will win her Senate seat back, but she will lose a presidential election in a landslide. (I know that the presidential election is two years from now, but Hillary's about-face will happen this year, and I and my fellow right wing bloggers will be here to point it all out to you.) (This is going to be FUN!!)
This year will hold more and more evidence that the President and his supporters have been right all along about more and more things, from Tax Cuts to Socialist Security to the Supreme Court to the War, and his critics will be proven to have been wrong over and over again. And not just wrong. Malicious and obnoxious and mean and loud and wrong. But mostly wrong.
Hopefully this will be the year that the Democrats learn that hatred and opposition do not win elections. If it is, then maybe the Democrats who actually have ideas which may be good for America can begin to make themselves heard, and rejoin the debate with something constructive to add. I know that there are some, they are just currently lost in the cacophony of obstructionism and venom directed toward President Bush by the majority of their party. I eagerly await their return to the forefront of the political process, and I also yearn for the relegation of the Radical Moonbat Looney Left to the fringes where they belong.
Maybe this will be the year.
I know that there will be setbacks. This is a battle that will never go away. There will always be those among us who believe that a gradual creep towards Socialism and Globalism is the best thing for America, and that our National Sovreignty is not important, and that America is the focus of Evil in the Modern World.
But right now, We on the Right side of the aisle are winning.
This is going to be our year.
This year we will see a lot of amazing things happen. The troops will start to come home from Iraq this year, and not because the Democrats demanded it, but because they have finished the job, and can return as heroes.
This year will see the first functioning Democracy in the Middle East Region in the history of the World. Think about that for a minute. For the first time in history, the Iraqi people will be allowed to govern themselves, under a constitution that they wrote and voted for (or against...they at least had a choice...) and with leaders whom they elect, and who are accountable to the Iraqi voters.
They have Freedom. Real Freedom. For the first time ever.
And it will happen this year over the screaming objections of the entire American Democrat Party (except for Joe Leiberman). It will happen this year because the American Voters elected and re-elected a President who had the vision to make it happen. We elected a President who had the strength of will to perservere in the face of viscious personal attacks, constant discouragement, and catastrophic doom and gloom predictions from those in our Country who would rather lose a War than give him any credit for winning one.
This is an election year for numerous Senators and Congressmen (Congresspersons?), one of which is Hillary Rodham-Clinton-Rodham, who is also the presumptive front-runner for the Democrat nomination in the 2008 presidential race.
This will be the absolute funniest thing you have ever seen (if you pay close attention.) She is going to have to figure out a way to run for her own Senate seat, staying far enough to the left to win New York City, while staying far enough to the right to carry the rest of the state, and then as soon as she wins, she will immediately turn into a Reagan Republican, in order to try to win the presidential election. She is going to make John F. Kerry look like Abraham Lincoln and George Washington all rolled up into one.
And the American people are not going to buy it. Not for a minute. She will win her Senate seat back, but she will lose a presidential election in a landslide. (I know that the presidential election is two years from now, but Hillary's about-face will happen this year, and I and my fellow right wing bloggers will be here to point it all out to you.) (This is going to be FUN!!)
This year will hold more and more evidence that the President and his supporters have been right all along about more and more things, from Tax Cuts to Socialist Security to the Supreme Court to the War, and his critics will be proven to have been wrong over and over again. And not just wrong. Malicious and obnoxious and mean and loud and wrong. But mostly wrong.
Hopefully this will be the year that the Democrats learn that hatred and opposition do not win elections. If it is, then maybe the Democrats who actually have ideas which may be good for America can begin to make themselves heard, and rejoin the debate with something constructive to add. I know that there are some, they are just currently lost in the cacophony of obstructionism and venom directed toward President Bush by the majority of their party. I eagerly await their return to the forefront of the political process, and I also yearn for the relegation of the Radical Moonbat Looney Left to the fringes where they belong.
Maybe this will be the year.
I know that there will be setbacks. This is a battle that will never go away. There will always be those among us who believe that a gradual creep towards Socialism and Globalism is the best thing for America, and that our National Sovreignty is not important, and that America is the focus of Evil in the Modern World.
But right now, We on the Right side of the aisle are winning.
This is going to be our year.
Sunday, January 01, 2006
Tug's New Years Resolutions
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
New Year's Day is the time when traditionally we take stock of our lives, and resolve to change the things that we don't like, and do the things that we already knew we should have been doing all along.
So for my first post of the New Year, I have decided to share with everyone my own New Year's Resolutions.
1. Tithe my income.
You never go wrong giving money to God. I used to tithe a lot more regularly when I went to church more regularly, but I have gotten out of the habit of doing both. I feel that I am closer to God right now than I have ever been in my life, but then I believe that if you were raised in church, you have to step back away from Religion to really know God, and I am currently in the tail end of that process, which brings us to number...
2. Find a church that I like, and start attending regularly.
God does not reside within the walls of a church. You can find Him anywhere. He will come to you. But you cannot give back to God everything that you need to give to Him (He does not need you. He is God. But we need to give to God, and to work for Him, for our own emotional and spiritual well being) if you are not active in a good, growing church.
I have not been gloriously happy and content living in Florida, and I blame this situation, in part, on the fact that I have not attended church since I have lived here. Churches are a good place to build a network of like minded, compatible individuals who are united for their own mutual good. Friends, if you want to call them that. I don't have any here. I want some.
I have friends in the blogosphere, and I appreciate each and every one of them, but they can't keep the dog for us when we need to be out of town for a couple of days.
3.) Have sex with my wife every night. (tee hee)
(Xena added this one while I was out of the room. Not a bad resolution, though, so I am going to leave it. Yee-hah!!)
That brings us to number...
4. Spend less time blogging, and more time paying attention to my wife and doggy.
I seriously thought about giving up Blogging completely, but I decided against that. There are a lot of you out there who are seriously misguided, and I must do my part to straighten you out, for your own good. (Just kidding.) I feel that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and to mine as well. Any time any of you want the correct and logical take on the events of the day, just come here, and I will provide it for you, to the best of my ability.
But I will no longer neglect my wife in order to do it.
5. Get more sleep.
I am 39 years old. For the last couple of years, I have been living on about 3 or 4 hours of sleep per night, and it is killing me. There is no reason for me to do this to myself anymore, so I am going to quit it.
6. Buy another house.
My wife and I live in a 30 year old (31 ?) double wide mobile home. It is a pretty nice place, considering what we have to work with, but I owe her more than this. She is a good wife, and she should not have to apologize to anyone for the house that I have provided for her. I can and will do better, this year.
7. Move back to North Carolina.
I do not belong in Florida. I have tried to make the best of it, but this trip to N.C. over the past few days reminded me in no uncertain terms that I belong there, not here. Fortunately, I am portable, and so is the wife and doggy. We can relocate, and I am planning to be back where God intended me to be by this time next year, in a house that the wife can be proud of. Maybe even one that she can look down her nose at the less fortunate about.
8. Play my guitars.
They have been sadly neglected lately. I used to be a pretty good musician, and I have made a pretty fair amount of money playing music over the course of my life, but right now I am as rusty as a railroad spike. There is no excuse for this.
I will remedy this situation this year.
9. Bathe every day.
(It's a joke, Son. Humor! Arr Arr Arr! Nanoo Nanoo...)
10. Start a business and become filthy rich.
It ain't ever going to happen as long as I am working for someone else. Other people do it, and I have the same amount of fingers and toes as they do. If anyone else can, then I can.
Ever since my wreck, I have thought about what it would be like to make a living without an Eighteen Wheeler up under me, and now I believe that I may have stumbled on to a plan that might work. More on this later. If it works, I will share the details here, and we can all get rich.
Pray for me, and keep your fingers crossed.
11. Call my Mama.
She loves me, and I love her. I don't call her nearly enough. I will do better this year.
12. Write my Congressman and my Senator more often, and not just bitch about stuff on my blog.
This is how we make a difference in our Country. If my representatives do things that I do not like, then I will tell them so. If they do things that I like, I will tell them that as well. If they are about to do something that I do not like, I will ask them not to.
I will make my voice heard, at the highest levels of our government.
If you do not agree with me, then I suggest that you do the same.
These are a few of my goals for the New Year. I have others, but they shall remain private.
What are your Resolutions for the New Year?
New Year's Day is the time when traditionally we take stock of our lives, and resolve to change the things that we don't like, and do the things that we already knew we should have been doing all along.
So for my first post of the New Year, I have decided to share with everyone my own New Year's Resolutions.
1. Tithe my income.
You never go wrong giving money to God. I used to tithe a lot more regularly when I went to church more regularly, but I have gotten out of the habit of doing both. I feel that I am closer to God right now than I have ever been in my life, but then I believe that if you were raised in church, you have to step back away from Religion to really know God, and I am currently in the tail end of that process, which brings us to number...
2. Find a church that I like, and start attending regularly.
God does not reside within the walls of a church. You can find Him anywhere. He will come to you. But you cannot give back to God everything that you need to give to Him (He does not need you. He is God. But we need to give to God, and to work for Him, for our own emotional and spiritual well being) if you are not active in a good, growing church.
I have not been gloriously happy and content living in Florida, and I blame this situation, in part, on the fact that I have not attended church since I have lived here. Churches are a good place to build a network of like minded, compatible individuals who are united for their own mutual good. Friends, if you want to call them that. I don't have any here. I want some.
I have friends in the blogosphere, and I appreciate each and every one of them, but they can't keep the dog for us when we need to be out of town for a couple of days.
3.) Have sex with my wife every night. (tee hee)
(Xena added this one while I was out of the room. Not a bad resolution, though, so I am going to leave it. Yee-hah!!)
That brings us to number...
4. Spend less time blogging, and more time paying attention to my wife and doggy.
I seriously thought about giving up Blogging completely, but I decided against that. There are a lot of you out there who are seriously misguided, and I must do my part to straighten you out, for your own good. (Just kidding.) I feel that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and to mine as well. Any time any of you want the correct and logical take on the events of the day, just come here, and I will provide it for you, to the best of my ability.
But I will no longer neglect my wife in order to do it.
5. Get more sleep.
I am 39 years old. For the last couple of years, I have been living on about 3 or 4 hours of sleep per night, and it is killing me. There is no reason for me to do this to myself anymore, so I am going to quit it.
6. Buy another house.
My wife and I live in a 30 year old (31 ?) double wide mobile home. It is a pretty nice place, considering what we have to work with, but I owe her more than this. She is a good wife, and she should not have to apologize to anyone for the house that I have provided for her. I can and will do better, this year.
7. Move back to North Carolina.
I do not belong in Florida. I have tried to make the best of it, but this trip to N.C. over the past few days reminded me in no uncertain terms that I belong there, not here. Fortunately, I am portable, and so is the wife and doggy. We can relocate, and I am planning to be back where God intended me to be by this time next year, in a house that the wife can be proud of. Maybe even one that she can look down her nose at the less fortunate about.
8. Play my guitars.
They have been sadly neglected lately. I used to be a pretty good musician, and I have made a pretty fair amount of money playing music over the course of my life, but right now I am as rusty as a railroad spike. There is no excuse for this.
I will remedy this situation this year.
9. Bathe every day.
(It's a joke, Son. Humor! Arr Arr Arr! Nanoo Nanoo...)
10. Start a business and become filthy rich.
It ain't ever going to happen as long as I am working for someone else. Other people do it, and I have the same amount of fingers and toes as they do. If anyone else can, then I can.
Ever since my wreck, I have thought about what it would be like to make a living without an Eighteen Wheeler up under me, and now I believe that I may have stumbled on to a plan that might work. More on this later. If it works, I will share the details here, and we can all get rich.
Pray for me, and keep your fingers crossed.
11. Call my Mama.
She loves me, and I love her. I don't call her nearly enough. I will do better this year.
12. Write my Congressman and my Senator more often, and not just bitch about stuff on my blog.
This is how we make a difference in our Country. If my representatives do things that I do not like, then I will tell them so. If they do things that I like, I will tell them that as well. If they are about to do something that I do not like, I will ask them not to.
I will make my voice heard, at the highest levels of our government.
If you do not agree with me, then I suggest that you do the same.
These are a few of my goals for the New Year. I have others, but they shall remain private.
What are your Resolutions for the New Year?
Friday, December 23, 2005
Merry Christmas!
My wife and I are leaving in the wee hours tomorrow to go to a birthday party in North Carolina for Jesus, so this will be my last post until we get back.
Jesus has told us that He will not be there physically unless it just works out for Him to come, but He will attend in Spirit.
He has gone to prepare a place for us, so that where He is, there we can be also. He has been working on it for a little over two thousand years, so I imagine it will be spectacular. I can't wait...
I want to wish all of you a Merry Christmas. If you celebrate something besides Jesus' Birthday this time of year, then have a Merry Whatever you celebrate. My sincere wish is for everyone to be happy and joyful for the next week, and to be content and successful throughout the upcoming year.
May Santa Clause bring you everything on your list, and may you make everybody happy with whatever you did for them.
When you are opening your gifts, feasting and celebrating, don't forget to remember the gift that Jesus gave to the world, and if you have not yet recieved this gift, please know that He intended for you to have it, and that He died trying to give it to you.
So Happy Birthday, Jesus!!
And Merry Christmas everybody else!!
See you next year!!
Jesus has told us that He will not be there physically unless it just works out for Him to come, but He will attend in Spirit.
He has gone to prepare a place for us, so that where He is, there we can be also. He has been working on it for a little over two thousand years, so I imagine it will be spectacular. I can't wait...
I want to wish all of you a Merry Christmas. If you celebrate something besides Jesus' Birthday this time of year, then have a Merry Whatever you celebrate. My sincere wish is for everyone to be happy and joyful for the next week, and to be content and successful throughout the upcoming year.
May Santa Clause bring you everything on your list, and may you make everybody happy with whatever you did for them.
When you are opening your gifts, feasting and celebrating, don't forget to remember the gift that Jesus gave to the world, and if you have not yet recieved this gift, please know that He intended for you to have it, and that He died trying to give it to you.
So Happy Birthday, Jesus!!
And Merry Christmas everybody else!!
See you next year!!
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
The Jesus Post...
Over the last couple of weeks there has been an ongoing debate that has overflowed from ER's blog, to Mark's, to mine, and back again.
It concerns Jesus' political affiliation.
ER has asserted repeatedly that Jesus was a Liberal, and in His day, I guess that he probably was considered to be liberal. He was a pacifist, (not an appeaser, a pacifist...)He was clearly anti-establishment. He talked against the government, and the religious leaders of His day.
But that is where the similarities between Jesus and the modern Liberal movement end, as far as I can tell.
Some say that Jesus commanded us to help the poor, and the disadvantaged, and that using their vote to elect people who will use tax money to help these people is doing The Lord's Work.
I have done a pretty extensive search of the New Testament (because I want to get this right...), and I can find only one instance where Jesus told anyone to give to the poor.
"Matthew 19:21Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me."
The same story appears in Mark 10:21.
In this instance, Jesus told the "Rich Young Ruler", (as I have heard him called all my life) not necessarily to help the poor. That was a by-product.
What Jesus told the young man to do was get rid of his idol. To rid himself of the thing that was most important to him. The thing that would come between him and God.
Helping the poor was just an easy way to get rid of it.
Now Jesus did encourage general kindness and benevolence between us, His people.
Luke 3:11"He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise."
Matthew 25:35-36 "For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me."
Matthew 25:40 "And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."
But he never advocated putting Government in charge of anything, least of all, our Christian charity. Not that I can find. (He said to pay your taxes, (Matthew 22:21), but that's the only reference to anything dealing with Government that I have found.)
He encouraged industriousness and productivity, and discouraged sloth and inefficiency.
Matthew 25:27-29 "Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
28Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
29For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath."
Jesus fed 5000 hungry people at one time, but he never fed anyone twice in a row.
He never gave money to a beggar.
He did not want the political power that came with being a provider. He actively ran from it.
He cured the sick, healed the lame, made the blind to see. But in every case, he witnessed to their Soul in the process. His focus was on the Kingdom of Heaven, not the politics of the world, or the needs of the disadvantaged. He preached the Gospel everywhere He went, constantly. (Even if He happened to be in a Government Building.)
And in every case, He made the people whom he helped able to provide for themselves. He never did anything for them that could lead to any type of dependancy on government, or the Charity of others.
So where did Jesus weigh in on the "Left - Right" debate?
Matthew 25:41 "Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." (Sorry. That one is grossly out of context. It was just too perfect to pass up...)
Jesus was NOT a Liberal, not in the modern context.
Nor was He a Conservative.
HE WAS THE SON OF GOD.
For me to beat on my chest and say "Jesus agrees with ME!!" would be blasphemous. I am nothing.
He is God incarnate, sent to save Mankind from the Bondage of Sin, not to help me prop up my own insignificant political arguements.
Or you with yours...
(All references from the King James Version of the Holy Bible, Courtesy of BibleGateway.com)
It concerns Jesus' political affiliation.
ER has asserted repeatedly that Jesus was a Liberal, and in His day, I guess that he probably was considered to be liberal. He was a pacifist, (not an appeaser, a pacifist...)He was clearly anti-establishment. He talked against the government, and the religious leaders of His day.
But that is where the similarities between Jesus and the modern Liberal movement end, as far as I can tell.
Some say that Jesus commanded us to help the poor, and the disadvantaged, and that using their vote to elect people who will use tax money to help these people is doing The Lord's Work.
I have done a pretty extensive search of the New Testament (because I want to get this right...), and I can find only one instance where Jesus told anyone to give to the poor.
"Matthew 19:21Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me."
The same story appears in Mark 10:21.
In this instance, Jesus told the "Rich Young Ruler", (as I have heard him called all my life) not necessarily to help the poor. That was a by-product.
What Jesus told the young man to do was get rid of his idol. To rid himself of the thing that was most important to him. The thing that would come between him and God.
Helping the poor was just an easy way to get rid of it.
Now Jesus did encourage general kindness and benevolence between us, His people.
Luke 3:11"He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise."
Matthew 25:35-36 "For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me."
Matthew 25:40 "And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."
But he never advocated putting Government in charge of anything, least of all, our Christian charity. Not that I can find. (He said to pay your taxes, (Matthew 22:21), but that's the only reference to anything dealing with Government that I have found.)
He encouraged industriousness and productivity, and discouraged sloth and inefficiency.
Matthew 25:27-29 "Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
28Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
29For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath."
Jesus fed 5000 hungry people at one time, but he never fed anyone twice in a row.
He never gave money to a beggar.
He did not want the political power that came with being a provider. He actively ran from it.
He cured the sick, healed the lame, made the blind to see. But in every case, he witnessed to their Soul in the process. His focus was on the Kingdom of Heaven, not the politics of the world, or the needs of the disadvantaged. He preached the Gospel everywhere He went, constantly. (Even if He happened to be in a Government Building.)
And in every case, He made the people whom he helped able to provide for themselves. He never did anything for them that could lead to any type of dependancy on government, or the Charity of others.
So where did Jesus weigh in on the "Left - Right" debate?
Matthew 25:41 "Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." (Sorry. That one is grossly out of context. It was just too perfect to pass up...)
Jesus was NOT a Liberal, not in the modern context.
Nor was He a Conservative.
HE WAS THE SON OF GOD.
For me to beat on my chest and say "Jesus agrees with ME!!" would be blasphemous. I am nothing.
He is God incarnate, sent to save Mankind from the Bondage of Sin, not to help me prop up my own insignificant political arguements.
Or you with yours...
(All references from the King James Version of the Holy Bible, Courtesy of BibleGateway.com)
Let's Bash The President...
Not Bush...
Clinton.
Just for fun, I am issuing a challenge.
Name any problem, any bad thing going on anywhere in the world that affects Americans, and I will blame it on Bill Clinton within three steps. (And probably find a document to prove my point.)
Yee-ha!!
Clinton.
Just for fun, I am issuing a challenge.
Name any problem, any bad thing going on anywhere in the world that affects Americans, and I will blame it on Bill Clinton within three steps. (And probably find a document to prove my point.)
Yee-ha!!
Saturday, December 17, 2005
Republicans, Lets Rock!!
Turn up your speakers.
You should be hearing a song by a band called "The Right Brothers," called "Bush Was Right."
The song is going to be used in an Ad sponsored by Rightmarch.com on the Fox Network. Click the link to view the Ad.
I love it. It is a happy, celebratory list of all the things that The President and Conservatives have been right about, set to music.
And we have reason to celebrate. In spite of a constant barrage of opposition and negativity from the Party of Losers, we are winning.
The Economy is booming, Unemployment is at an historic low, Inflation is low, The elections in Iraq have been successful and thanks to President Bush and his commitment to spreading Freedom and Self Governance to the people of the Middle East, Iraqis are well on their way to Independance, and our Troops can soon begin to come home as victorious Heroes.
So turn it up, and enjoy.
I would ask that if you like the song, or if you are a proud Republican who has 99 cents, go here, and buy it.
I have been a member of a struggling band, so I encourage everyone to support up-and-coming musicians, and I don't think that these guys are going to get much support from the Music Industry.
BUSH WAS RIGHT!! (Tug Bangs Head...)
NYAH NYAH NYAH NYAH NYAAAH NYAAH!!!
You should be hearing a song by a band called "The Right Brothers," called "Bush Was Right."
The song is going to be used in an Ad sponsored by Rightmarch.com on the Fox Network. Click the link to view the Ad.
I love it. It is a happy, celebratory list of all the things that The President and Conservatives have been right about, set to music.
And we have reason to celebrate. In spite of a constant barrage of opposition and negativity from the Party of Losers, we are winning.
The Economy is booming, Unemployment is at an historic low, Inflation is low, The elections in Iraq have been successful and thanks to President Bush and his commitment to spreading Freedom and Self Governance to the people of the Middle East, Iraqis are well on their way to Independance, and our Troops can soon begin to come home as victorious Heroes.
So turn it up, and enjoy.
I would ask that if you like the song, or if you are a proud Republican who has 99 cents, go here, and buy it.
I have been a member of a struggling band, so I encourage everyone to support up-and-coming musicians, and I don't think that these guys are going to get much support from the Music Industry.
BUSH WAS RIGHT!! (Tug Bangs Head...)
NYAH NYAH NYAH NYAH NYAAAH NYAAH!!!
Friday, December 16, 2005
The Empire Strikes Back...
Over the past couple of weeks the Republicans have been on the offensive concerning the War on Terrorism, and more specifically, Iraq.
The President has made four speeches at various locations around the country, talking about his strategy for victory, (something the Democrats have yet to offer...) and he has published a 35 page document outlining his Iraq plan.
He even admitted that some of the intellegence that the war in Iraq was based upon was faulty, and accepted responsibility for going to War based on this intelligence, diffusing the "Bush will never admit to making a mistake" arguement, without providing a soundbite that could be used against Republicans in future elections. Then he continued on to say that he still did the right thing, which is the truth. (Ask any Iraqi citizen.) (Insurgent Suicide Bombers don't count.)
Things have been looking good for Republicans and the President.
Until today.
(You didn't expect the Democrats to take all of this lying down, did you?)
Today an article was published in the New York Times (Al-Jazeera America...) saying that the President secretly lifted some restrictions on spying on Americans in the weeks and months following 9/11.
Well, DUH...
If he hadn't, it would have been an impeachable offense.
A couple of things that the article in the Al-Jazeera America Times fails to mention are that it has been OVER FOUR YEARS since we have had a Terrorist attack on U.S. Soil, and that is just over the amount of time that the Patriot Act has been in force, and that the author of the article has a book coming out in ten days, and that this allegation is a chapter in that book.
This article in part led to this atrocity.
The Democrats in the Senate today filibustered an attempt to make 16 key provisions of the Patriot Act permanent. The final vote was 52 to 47, which means that the measure would have passed, had it not had to pass the filibuster attempt. (Note: The American Voters put enough Republican Senators in the Senate to pass this measure. The Democrats with the help of a handfull of Maverick Moderate Republicans have again usurped power from the American People by using the filibuster rule.) (Aren't you glad you live in a Democracy?)
Bill Frist changed his vote at the last moment, choosing to vote with the prevailing side so that he could then call for a re-vote at any time. The Press called this a "Proceedural Maneuver."
So Senator Frist voting with the prevailing side in order to re-present the issue is portrayed as a "Dirty Trick" by the Media, while the de-railing of the will of the representatives of the Majority of the American People is portrayed as "a huge defeat to the Bush administration and Republican leaders." Hooray for those courageous Democrats!!
Nope. No media Bias here...
These are litterally the type of people who would burn down the house to get rid of a mouse. They must NEVER be returned to power.
So now, if nothing is done to re-instate these provisions of the Patriot Act, the Clinton Era "Gorelick Wall of Separation" is back in place, and we are again vulnerable to Terrorists operating on U.S. Soil (with the full protection afforded American Citizens by our Constitution), free to plan and carry out attacks against U.S. citizens trying to live their every-day lives, and those who would protect us from these Terrorists have their hands tied with Red Tape.
Let me ask you a question...
How has the Patriot Act affected you? (Not "How COULD it affect you", not "How could it affect your neighbor", not "How could it be mis-used by future Administrations", How HAS it affected YOU?")
Do you really care if anyone is keeping track of what books you are reading? (If so, then buy your books with cash, and don't check them out of a Library...)
Is there anything incriminating in your e-mails or phone calls? (If so, then you are a criminal, and deserve to be caught, and punished.)
Is it really so bad, and is it really an infringement on your Civil Rights if the FBI, CIA and NSA (No Such Agency) share their information amongst each other in the name of our National Security?
I'll tell you how the Patriot Act has affected you.
It has prevented another "9/11" for over FOUR YEARS.
If we are attacked again because we have taken these tools away from those who would protect us, we know who to blame.
What do you think the next target will be?
Will it be worth it to the Democrats?
The President has made four speeches at various locations around the country, talking about his strategy for victory, (something the Democrats have yet to offer...) and he has published a 35 page document outlining his Iraq plan.
He even admitted that some of the intellegence that the war in Iraq was based upon was faulty, and accepted responsibility for going to War based on this intelligence, diffusing the "Bush will never admit to making a mistake" arguement, without providing a soundbite that could be used against Republicans in future elections. Then he continued on to say that he still did the right thing, which is the truth. (Ask any Iraqi citizen.) (Insurgent Suicide Bombers don't count.)
Things have been looking good for Republicans and the President.
Until today.
(You didn't expect the Democrats to take all of this lying down, did you?)
Today an article was published in the New York Times (Al-Jazeera America...) saying that the President secretly lifted some restrictions on spying on Americans in the weeks and months following 9/11.
Well, DUH...
If he hadn't, it would have been an impeachable offense.
A couple of things that the article in the Al-Jazeera America Times fails to mention are that it has been OVER FOUR YEARS since we have had a Terrorist attack on U.S. Soil, and that is just over the amount of time that the Patriot Act has been in force, and that the author of the article has a book coming out in ten days, and that this allegation is a chapter in that book.
This article in part led to this atrocity.
The Democrats in the Senate today filibustered an attempt to make 16 key provisions of the Patriot Act permanent. The final vote was 52 to 47, which means that the measure would have passed, had it not had to pass the filibuster attempt. (Note: The American Voters put enough Republican Senators in the Senate to pass this measure. The Democrats with the help of a handfull of Maverick Moderate Republicans have again usurped power from the American People by using the filibuster rule.) (Aren't you glad you live in a Democracy?)
Bill Frist changed his vote at the last moment, choosing to vote with the prevailing side so that he could then call for a re-vote at any time. The Press called this a "Proceedural Maneuver."
So Senator Frist voting with the prevailing side in order to re-present the issue is portrayed as a "Dirty Trick" by the Media, while the de-railing of the will of the representatives of the Majority of the American People is portrayed as "a huge defeat to the Bush administration and Republican leaders." Hooray for those courageous Democrats!!
Nope. No media Bias here...
These are litterally the type of people who would burn down the house to get rid of a mouse. They must NEVER be returned to power.
So now, if nothing is done to re-instate these provisions of the Patriot Act, the Clinton Era "Gorelick Wall of Separation" is back in place, and we are again vulnerable to Terrorists operating on U.S. Soil (with the full protection afforded American Citizens by our Constitution), free to plan and carry out attacks against U.S. citizens trying to live their every-day lives, and those who would protect us from these Terrorists have their hands tied with Red Tape.
Let me ask you a question...
How has the Patriot Act affected you? (Not "How COULD it affect you", not "How could it affect your neighbor", not "How could it be mis-used by future Administrations", How HAS it affected YOU?")
Do you really care if anyone is keeping track of what books you are reading? (If so, then buy your books with cash, and don't check them out of a Library...)
Is there anything incriminating in your e-mails or phone calls? (If so, then you are a criminal, and deserve to be caught, and punished.)
Is it really so bad, and is it really an infringement on your Civil Rights if the FBI, CIA and NSA (No Such Agency) share their information amongst each other in the name of our National Security?
I'll tell you how the Patriot Act has affected you.
It has prevented another "9/11" for over FOUR YEARS.
If we are attacked again because we have taken these tools away from those who would protect us, we know who to blame.
What do you think the next target will be?
Will it be worth it to the Democrats?
Monday, December 12, 2005
Forget The Trap, Let's Build A Better Mouse...
From Breitbart.com, or as I like to call it, "News of the Weird..."
Mice Created With Human Brain Cells
"SAN FRANCISCO - Add another creation to the strange scientific menagerie where animal species are being mixed together in ever more exotic combinations. Scientists announced Monday that they had created mice with small amounts of human brain cells in an effort to make realistic models of neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease."
GIVE MY CREATION...LIFE!!
(Huh huh.. heh heh... uhn humm...snort...)
WHY do we have to do things like this? Haven't we treated mice badly enough over the course of the years??
Now we want them to KNOW how bad they have it, apparently.
We coop them up in cages, drip shampoo in their eyes, make them smoke cigarettes, inject them with psychodelic drugs, give them cancer, (Everything we do to mice gives them cancer, evidently...) infect them with AIDS, (I never want to meet the guy who has THAT job...) and that isn't good enough for us.
We want them to be SMART enough to KNOW what we are doing to them.
"How does that feel, Mr. Mouse?"
"Well, it doesn't burn as bad as what you did yesterday, but it still sucks..."
"Thank you, Mr Mouse! You are really helping us to understand the effect of battery acid on open sores. Aren't you proud??"
What are these scientists going to do when they come to work one morning, and find a 6 foot mousetrap in the middle of the lab, with a pepperoni pizza on it?
My guess is that they will try to get the pizza...
Can we please stop these Frankensteinian experiments before we create a species that can kick our butts??
Now don't get me wrong. I don't oppose animal testing. A lot of good comes from it. A lot of human lives have been saved, not to mention the progress we have made in keeping old men sexually active, and helping them to retain their hair.
But implanting mice with human brain cells crosses the line.
It makes me nervous.
The last thing we need is a smarter mouse.
What kind of experiments will they perform on US when the tables are turned?
Mice Created With Human Brain Cells
"SAN FRANCISCO - Add another creation to the strange scientific menagerie where animal species are being mixed together in ever more exotic combinations. Scientists announced Monday that they had created mice with small amounts of human brain cells in an effort to make realistic models of neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease."
GIVE MY CREATION...LIFE!!
(Huh huh.. heh heh... uhn humm...snort...)
WHY do we have to do things like this? Haven't we treated mice badly enough over the course of the years??
Now we want them to KNOW how bad they have it, apparently.
We coop them up in cages, drip shampoo in their eyes, make them smoke cigarettes, inject them with psychodelic drugs, give them cancer, (Everything we do to mice gives them cancer, evidently...) infect them with AIDS, (I never want to meet the guy who has THAT job...) and that isn't good enough for us.
We want them to be SMART enough to KNOW what we are doing to them.
"How does that feel, Mr. Mouse?"
"Well, it doesn't burn as bad as what you did yesterday, but it still sucks..."
"Thank you, Mr Mouse! You are really helping us to understand the effect of battery acid on open sores. Aren't you proud??"
What are these scientists going to do when they come to work one morning, and find a 6 foot mousetrap in the middle of the lab, with a pepperoni pizza on it?
My guess is that they will try to get the pizza...
Can we please stop these Frankensteinian experiments before we create a species that can kick our butts??
Now don't get me wrong. I don't oppose animal testing. A lot of good comes from it. A lot of human lives have been saved, not to mention the progress we have made in keeping old men sexually active, and helping them to retain their hair.
But implanting mice with human brain cells crosses the line.
It makes me nervous.
The last thing we need is a smarter mouse.
What kind of experiments will they perform on US when the tables are turned?
Saturday, December 10, 2005
"Out Of The Box" Christmas...
Have you guys heard about this?
Upside down Christmas Trees?
$599.95??
How much did you spend on YOUR Christmas Tree? I spent about $50.00, (we already had some of the decorations and lights and whatnot...) and I thought that THAT was a ridiculous amount to spend on something I would have to kill a whole saturday putting up, enjoy for about three weeks, and then kill a whole Saturday taking back down.
But the upside down thing got me thinking. I love "out of the Box" ideas, so I thought about hanging mine from the ceiling. Kinda the same idea as those other people were paying $600.00 for, but with a Redneck twist.
But if you know any Rednecks, you understand that "just a little out of the box" just won't do.
So the idea struck me to hang it from the Ceiling Fan.
Made Decorating it a breeze! (Literally!!)
You just sit in your chair with a box of ornaments, put the little hooks on them one at a time, and then toss 'em at the tree. The one in the room who has the most to stay on the tree on the first throw WINS!!
The Garland and the lights, you just start them at the bottom, (the small end,) turn on the fan, and keep feeding the cord and moving up.
Easy as pie, and a lot of fun, as long as you are quick enough to feed the cord as fast as the fan is turning.
But as with almost all Redneck "out of the box" ideas, I encountered a problem.
I can't figure out how to keep the extention cord for the lights from winding itself around the fan, and unplugging the lights.
And the tree keeps slinging ornaments off at random, occaisionally hitting someone in the head.
(Ow! Dag Nabbit...Honey!?!, Will you turn the fan off until I finish my post?!...Thanks, Baby!!...)
(I love remote control...)
Anyway, I think I am going to put it back down on the floor, right side up.
And just glue all the presents to the ceiling.
Just so you know...Everybody that We are buying presents for this year is getting really light stuff from us...and if you aren't tall enough to reach it, We are keeping it.
Merry Christmas, everybody!!
Upside down Christmas Trees?
$599.95??
How much did you spend on YOUR Christmas Tree? I spent about $50.00, (we already had some of the decorations and lights and whatnot...) and I thought that THAT was a ridiculous amount to spend on something I would have to kill a whole saturday putting up, enjoy for about three weeks, and then kill a whole Saturday taking back down.
But the upside down thing got me thinking. I love "out of the Box" ideas, so I thought about hanging mine from the ceiling. Kinda the same idea as those other people were paying $600.00 for, but with a Redneck twist.
But if you know any Rednecks, you understand that "just a little out of the box" just won't do.
So the idea struck me to hang it from the Ceiling Fan.
Made Decorating it a breeze! (Literally!!)
You just sit in your chair with a box of ornaments, put the little hooks on them one at a time, and then toss 'em at the tree. The one in the room who has the most to stay on the tree on the first throw WINS!!
The Garland and the lights, you just start them at the bottom, (the small end,) turn on the fan, and keep feeding the cord and moving up.
Easy as pie, and a lot of fun, as long as you are quick enough to feed the cord as fast as the fan is turning.
But as with almost all Redneck "out of the box" ideas, I encountered a problem.
I can't figure out how to keep the extention cord for the lights from winding itself around the fan, and unplugging the lights.
And the tree keeps slinging ornaments off at random, occaisionally hitting someone in the head.
(Ow! Dag Nabbit...Honey!?!, Will you turn the fan off until I finish my post?!...Thanks, Baby!!...)
(I love remote control...)
Anyway, I think I am going to put it back down on the floor, right side up.
And just glue all the presents to the ceiling.
Just so you know...Everybody that We are buying presents for this year is getting really light stuff from us...and if you aren't tall enough to reach it, We are keeping it.
Merry Christmas, everybody!!
Thursday, December 08, 2005
Relocation, Relocation, Relocation...
From Breitbart.com via the Drudge report...
"Ahmadinejad says Israel should be moved to Europe...
"Iran's hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (the American Hostage Taking Former Terrorist... - TBC) said that if Germany and Austria feel responsible for massacring Jews during World War II, a state of Israel should be established on their soil. Ahmadinejad, who sparked an international outcry in October when he said Israel "must be wiped off the map", also repeated his view Thursday that the Jewish state was a "tumour".
"Now that you believe the Jews were oppressed, why should the Palestinian Muslims have to pay the price?" the hardline president asked in an interview with Iran's Arabic-language satellite channel, Al-Alam.
"Why did you come to give a piece of Islamic land and the territory of the Palestinian people to them?
"You oppressed them, so give a part of Europe to the Zionist regime so they can establish any government they want. We would support it," he said, according to a transcript of his original Farsi-language comments given to AFP. "
Wow. This is a novel idea...
Let's put aside for a moment the fact that Isrealis lived in Jerusalem during the time of Jesus and before, and by most historical accounts built the city in the first place, and the Palestinians lived...who knows where back then.
I think that this idea may have some merit, actually.
But I have a better one.
Let's give 'em France.
Think of the problems that this would solve for the U.S., the Middle East, and the World...
Wouldn't work though...
Muslims hate Jews, wherever they are. If we relocated the Jews to France, the Muslims would follow them to France, and blow themselves up to try to kill them there. By recent news accounts, Muslims pretty much own France now anyway, so we would have the same problem all over again.
Here's an even better idea.
Want to have peace in the Middle East?
Want to win the War on Terror?
Want to solve the Israeli/Palestinian problem once and for all?
Then let's relocate all Muslims to the Moon.
That's the best way I can think of, anyway...
"Ahmadinejad says Israel should be moved to Europe...
"Iran's hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (the American Hostage Taking Former Terrorist... - TBC) said that if Germany and Austria feel responsible for massacring Jews during World War II, a state of Israel should be established on their soil. Ahmadinejad, who sparked an international outcry in October when he said Israel "must be wiped off the map", also repeated his view Thursday that the Jewish state was a "tumour".
"Now that you believe the Jews were oppressed, why should the Palestinian Muslims have to pay the price?" the hardline president asked in an interview with Iran's Arabic-language satellite channel, Al-Alam.
"Why did you come to give a piece of Islamic land and the territory of the Palestinian people to them?
"You oppressed them, so give a part of Europe to the Zionist regime so they can establish any government they want. We would support it," he said, according to a transcript of his original Farsi-language comments given to AFP. "
Wow. This is a novel idea...
Let's put aside for a moment the fact that Isrealis lived in Jerusalem during the time of Jesus and before, and by most historical accounts built the city in the first place, and the Palestinians lived...who knows where back then.
I think that this idea may have some merit, actually.
But I have a better one.
Let's give 'em France.
Think of the problems that this would solve for the U.S., the Middle East, and the World...
Wouldn't work though...
Muslims hate Jews, wherever they are. If we relocated the Jews to France, the Muslims would follow them to France, and blow themselves up to try to kill them there. By recent news accounts, Muslims pretty much own France now anyway, so we would have the same problem all over again.
Here's an even better idea.
Want to have peace in the Middle East?
Want to win the War on Terror?
Want to solve the Israeli/Palestinian problem once and for all?
Then let's relocate all Muslims to the Moon.
That's the best way I can think of, anyway...
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
Real American Heroes...
I have come to the realization that I have been wrong about Howard Dean and John F. Kerry.
These may be two of the finest, most brilliant, most patriotic men this country has ever seen.
I missed it all last year during the Presidential Campaign, which surprises me a little. I usually pick up on things like this.
But it is crystal clear now, and with every soundbite, every new quote, every new interview, it becomes even clearer.
These two men may, all by themselves, save America from the Democrat Party.
John F. Kerry was THE standard bearer for the Democrats during the last Election cycle. The very best they had to offer. A shining example of what Democrats are.
Howard Dean is the Chairman of the Democrat National Committee. The head fundraiser and spokesman for all things Democrat.
Who could have ever guessed that they both are Republican operatives.
How they gained their lofty positions within the Democrat Party is anyone's guess, but over the next few months, if they continue their present respective courses, they may prove to be the two most effective campaigners the Republican Party has ever had. Maybe even more effective than Michael Moore.
And the strategy is brilliant.
Over the weekend, Kerry, on behalf of all Democrats, accused the U.S. Military of committing acts of Terrorism against Iraqi women and children, and "kids" (baby goats?) and Dean announced that our soldiers were incapable of winning wars. (But they support the troops...)
Yesterday Kerry called Rush Limbaugh a "Doughnut-Eating Draft Dodger" for the crime of playing a tape of Kerry's weekend comments.
Tommorrow he plans to call the President a "Poopy-Head", and then hold his breath until we bring the troops home, or until he turns blue and passes out, whichever comes first. (Or until someone gives him candy.)
This is a strategy worthy of the Evil Genius, Karl Rove.
Get two of the most recognizable democrats in America to go on television at every opportunity, and make the Democrat position so indefensible that no one in their right mind, (if they truly love their Country) could in good conscience vote for Democrats anymore.
Brilliant!
So I say three cheers for these two great Americans, along with their accomplices John Murtha and Nancy Pelosi, and may they be successful in their efforts.
May History remember them as Heroes.
These may be two of the finest, most brilliant, most patriotic men this country has ever seen.
I missed it all last year during the Presidential Campaign, which surprises me a little. I usually pick up on things like this.
But it is crystal clear now, and with every soundbite, every new quote, every new interview, it becomes even clearer.
These two men may, all by themselves, save America from the Democrat Party.
John F. Kerry was THE standard bearer for the Democrats during the last Election cycle. The very best they had to offer. A shining example of what Democrats are.
Howard Dean is the Chairman of the Democrat National Committee. The head fundraiser and spokesman for all things Democrat.
Who could have ever guessed that they both are Republican operatives.
How they gained their lofty positions within the Democrat Party is anyone's guess, but over the next few months, if they continue their present respective courses, they may prove to be the two most effective campaigners the Republican Party has ever had. Maybe even more effective than Michael Moore.
And the strategy is brilliant.
Over the weekend, Kerry, on behalf of all Democrats, accused the U.S. Military of committing acts of Terrorism against Iraqi women and children, and "kids" (baby goats?) and Dean announced that our soldiers were incapable of winning wars. (But they support the troops...)
Yesterday Kerry called Rush Limbaugh a "Doughnut-Eating Draft Dodger" for the crime of playing a tape of Kerry's weekend comments.
Tommorrow he plans to call the President a "Poopy-Head", and then hold his breath until we bring the troops home, or until he turns blue and passes out, whichever comes first. (Or until someone gives him candy.)
This is a strategy worthy of the Evil Genius, Karl Rove.
Get two of the most recognizable democrats in America to go on television at every opportunity, and make the Democrat position so indefensible that no one in their right mind, (if they truly love their Country) could in good conscience vote for Democrats anymore.
Brilliant!
So I say three cheers for these two great Americans, along with their accomplices John Murtha and Nancy Pelosi, and may they be successful in their efforts.
May History remember them as Heroes.
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
Down With Big Brother...
Have you ever read George Orwell's books, "1984", and "Animal Farm"?
I make a point to read each of them about once every couple of years. If you are willing to actually think about what these books contain, you realize that while Orwell's timing may have been off by a few years, he was truly a prophet.
"Animal Farm" is a microcosm of pure Communism and Socialism, and illustrates the final inevitable outcome of embracing these immoral and oppressive systems. (I know that there are differences between these two systems, but the basic premise of both is Social and Economic equality through redistribution of wealth from producers to non-producers by Government intervention, so I tend to lump them together.)
"1984" deals with the loss of personal Freedom and individuality that Socialism run amok creates. The Hero, Winston Smith, is indeed equal with everyone he knows. They are all equally miserable, hopeless, and powerless to improve their lives in any way. To even think of doing so is a crime punishable by not just death, but erasure, as if the person guilty of wanting to improve their lot in life were never there.
There are people in the story who are not destitute and miserable, but they are all in the upper levels of Government.
As I listen to the ongoing struggle in our government between those who would push our society gradually toward this circumstance, and those who resist that push (not nearly strongly enough, in my opinion) I am reminded more and more every day of phrases from this book.
WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH
Once again, Orwell is off a little bit, but only slightly, and only in the details.
When I hear the comments uttered by the Leaders of the Modern Democrat Party over the last few months, their words begin to all meld together until all I hear is this:
TRUTH IS LIES
DEFEAT IS VICTORY
VICTIMHOOD IS POWER
And when I listen to their supporters, read their blogs, and their comments on the blogs of others, I hear:
RIGHTEOUSNESS IS EVIL
LIBERTY IS OPPRESSION
ACCOMPLISHMENT IS FAILURE
In the book, Winston Smith worked in the Ministry of Truth. He revised history, rewriting the newspaper archives so that there was no record of any change of position by the Government on any issue. (Think about that when you hear phrases like "I voted for the 87 billion, before I voted against it," or "WMD's were the only reason that we agreed to go into Iraq," or "I never had sex with that woman Ms. Lewinski,")
The reason that "The Party" had to have people to do this job was that nothing that was broadcast to the people through the Media was true in the first place, and any evidence of contradiction was evidence of the Corruption of the Government. (Think about that when you remember how quickly the Dan Rather "Memogate" story went away, and when you hear the outrage of the Mainstream Media in America at the thought that the U.S. Military may have been planting pro-America stories in Arab Newspapers.)
(I must admit that the thought of the Military planting news stories makes me a little nervous, except that the Mainstream Media ABSOLUTELY WILL NOT report a story that might make the President or the War or America look good, so I'm glad that at least SOME positive news is getting out, by whatever method.)
So while all of you who basically disagree with me on every single important issue are sitting around dreaming about how wonderful life will be when the Federal Government has finally eliminated Economic and Social inequality, and has finally begun to provide Universal Healthcare to everyone free of charge, and eliminated starvation and poverty and has made everything fair, take a little time and read these books.
Do you really want to live like that?
Me neither.
Think about what you are doing.
I make a point to read each of them about once every couple of years. If you are willing to actually think about what these books contain, you realize that while Orwell's timing may have been off by a few years, he was truly a prophet.
"Animal Farm" is a microcosm of pure Communism and Socialism, and illustrates the final inevitable outcome of embracing these immoral and oppressive systems. (I know that there are differences between these two systems, but the basic premise of both is Social and Economic equality through redistribution of wealth from producers to non-producers by Government intervention, so I tend to lump them together.)
"1984" deals with the loss of personal Freedom and individuality that Socialism run amok creates. The Hero, Winston Smith, is indeed equal with everyone he knows. They are all equally miserable, hopeless, and powerless to improve their lives in any way. To even think of doing so is a crime punishable by not just death, but erasure, as if the person guilty of wanting to improve their lot in life were never there.
There are people in the story who are not destitute and miserable, but they are all in the upper levels of Government.
As I listen to the ongoing struggle in our government between those who would push our society gradually toward this circumstance, and those who resist that push (not nearly strongly enough, in my opinion) I am reminded more and more every day of phrases from this book.
WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH
Once again, Orwell is off a little bit, but only slightly, and only in the details.
When I hear the comments uttered by the Leaders of the Modern Democrat Party over the last few months, their words begin to all meld together until all I hear is this:
TRUTH IS LIES
DEFEAT IS VICTORY
VICTIMHOOD IS POWER
And when I listen to their supporters, read their blogs, and their comments on the blogs of others, I hear:
RIGHTEOUSNESS IS EVIL
LIBERTY IS OPPRESSION
ACCOMPLISHMENT IS FAILURE
In the book, Winston Smith worked in the Ministry of Truth. He revised history, rewriting the newspaper archives so that there was no record of any change of position by the Government on any issue. (Think about that when you hear phrases like "I voted for the 87 billion, before I voted against it," or "WMD's were the only reason that we agreed to go into Iraq," or "I never had sex with that woman Ms. Lewinski,")
The reason that "The Party" had to have people to do this job was that nothing that was broadcast to the people through the Media was true in the first place, and any evidence of contradiction was evidence of the Corruption of the Government. (Think about that when you remember how quickly the Dan Rather "Memogate" story went away, and when you hear the outrage of the Mainstream Media in America at the thought that the U.S. Military may have been planting pro-America stories in Arab Newspapers.)
(I must admit that the thought of the Military planting news stories makes me a little nervous, except that the Mainstream Media ABSOLUTELY WILL NOT report a story that might make the President or the War or America look good, so I'm glad that at least SOME positive news is getting out, by whatever method.)
So while all of you who basically disagree with me on every single important issue are sitting around dreaming about how wonderful life will be when the Federal Government has finally eliminated Economic and Social inequality, and has finally begun to provide Universal Healthcare to everyone free of charge, and eliminated starvation and poverty and has made everything fair, take a little time and read these books.
Do you really want to live like that?
Me neither.
Think about what you are doing.
Saturday, December 03, 2005
Democrat Plan To Bring Soldiers Home Is Working...
From the Ass. Press...
Dec 2, 1:24 AM EST
Murtha Says Army Is 'Broken, Worn Out'
LATROBE, Pa. (AP) -- Most U.S. troops will leave Iraq within a year because the Army is "broken, worn out" and "living hand to mouth," Rep. John Murtha told a civic group.
Two weeks ago, Murtha created a storm of comment when he called for U.S. troops to leave Iraq now. The Democratic congressman spoke to a group of community and business leaders in Latrobe on Wednesday, the same day President Bush said troops would be withdrawn when they've achieved victory, not under an artificial deadline set by politicians.
Murtha predicted most troops will be out of Iraq within a year.
"I predict he'll make it look like we're staying the course," Murtha said, referring to Bush. "Staying the course is not a policy."
There are no such crimes as Treason or Sedition anymore. Can you imagine a Congressman saying something like this in public during WWII?
The very idea that the United States Military has been beaten into uselessness by a bunch of cowardly murderers hiding among innocent civilians, making bombs from Anti-Freeze jugs and leaving them beside of roads, and blowing themselves up whether they kill or injure anyone else or not is the height of stupidity, and a U.S. Congressman uttering such bilge should be held accountable for the damage he does to his Country, and it's Military with such irresponible statements.
I know that Americans have, and should continue to have Freedom of Speech, and I understand what a Patriotic and nessecary thing it is to bring down the President and undermine the War, but statements like that can only serve to embolden our enemies and cost more of our soldiers their lives.
It crossed the line.
The truth is that this War would have been over and the troops would be home, or redeployed to defend freedom somewhere else already if Washington would turn them loose and let them win. We tell them "Go fight the War, but don't hurt anybody!!"
The Military is just fine. They are fully capable and well equipped enough to dominate the world, if that were our goal.
It is the American People and the Democrat Party who no longer have the stomach to oppose Evil, defend America, and win Wars.
BAGHDAD, Dec. 3 (Xinhuanet) -- Four more US soldiers have been killed in Iraq, the Pentagon said in a statement on Saturday. - Xinhua
Congratulations, Congressman Murtha. Your plan is working. Four more U.S. soldiers are coming home.
Dec 2, 1:24 AM EST
Murtha Says Army Is 'Broken, Worn Out'
LATROBE, Pa. (AP) -- Most U.S. troops will leave Iraq within a year because the Army is "broken, worn out" and "living hand to mouth," Rep. John Murtha told a civic group.
Two weeks ago, Murtha created a storm of comment when he called for U.S. troops to leave Iraq now. The Democratic congressman spoke to a group of community and business leaders in Latrobe on Wednesday, the same day President Bush said troops would be withdrawn when they've achieved victory, not under an artificial deadline set by politicians.
Murtha predicted most troops will be out of Iraq within a year.
"I predict he'll make it look like we're staying the course," Murtha said, referring to Bush. "Staying the course is not a policy."
There are no such crimes as Treason or Sedition anymore. Can you imagine a Congressman saying something like this in public during WWII?
The very idea that the United States Military has been beaten into uselessness by a bunch of cowardly murderers hiding among innocent civilians, making bombs from Anti-Freeze jugs and leaving them beside of roads, and blowing themselves up whether they kill or injure anyone else or not is the height of stupidity, and a U.S. Congressman uttering such bilge should be held accountable for the damage he does to his Country, and it's Military with such irresponible statements.
I know that Americans have, and should continue to have Freedom of Speech, and I understand what a Patriotic and nessecary thing it is to bring down the President and undermine the War, but statements like that can only serve to embolden our enemies and cost more of our soldiers their lives.
It crossed the line.
The truth is that this War would have been over and the troops would be home, or redeployed to defend freedom somewhere else already if Washington would turn them loose and let them win. We tell them "Go fight the War, but don't hurt anybody!!"
The Military is just fine. They are fully capable and well equipped enough to dominate the world, if that were our goal.
It is the American People and the Democrat Party who no longer have the stomach to oppose Evil, defend America, and win Wars.
BAGHDAD, Dec. 3 (Xinhuanet) -- Four more US soldiers have been killed in Iraq, the Pentagon said in a statement on Saturday. - Xinhua
Congratulations, Congressman Murtha. Your plan is working. Four more U.S. soldiers are coming home.
Thursday, December 01, 2005
Togetherness...
The Wife and I are currently in negotiations to buy a house in North Carolina.
If we get it, we are going to move back there.
The house that we are looking at needs a little work, so our original plan was for me to go ahead after the first of the year, and move up there and work a job there, and work on the house, and for her to stay here and finish out the school year.
But after sleeping together on it, I have come to the realization that I just can't leave her behind alone.
I just can't stand the thought of her being in Florida without me when it gets hot.
And I also know that it will get hard on me, and when it does, I will want her to be there.
Now don't get me wrong. I know how to handle myself, and I'm sure that she does as well, but it's just better if you have a partner.
And I know how I am, (I was single for a very long time...) and with temptation of all kinds lurking behind every Convenience store counter, there is no telling what I might get into, if I am left unsupervised. Things could get sticky and messy.
And I know that she could be tempted as well, and if she is lonely and some handsome guy comes along, she might blow it.
(Not that I'm worried...)
So after an all night session of, uhm, discussion, we have decided to get our things together and try to come at the same time.
I am sure that as long as we continue to focus on each other, and be there to fulfill each other's needs, that we will have a happy ending.
Relationships are tricky at best, and when you find one that fits, you need to work on it at every opportunity, and hang on to it.
After all, a perfect pair only comes along once in a lifetime...
If we get it, we are going to move back there.
The house that we are looking at needs a little work, so our original plan was for me to go ahead after the first of the year, and move up there and work a job there, and work on the house, and for her to stay here and finish out the school year.
But after sleeping together on it, I have come to the realization that I just can't leave her behind alone.
I just can't stand the thought of her being in Florida without me when it gets hot.
And I also know that it will get hard on me, and when it does, I will want her to be there.
Now don't get me wrong. I know how to handle myself, and I'm sure that she does as well, but it's just better if you have a partner.
And I know how I am, (I was single for a very long time...) and with temptation of all kinds lurking behind every Convenience store counter, there is no telling what I might get into, if I am left unsupervised. Things could get sticky and messy.
And I know that she could be tempted as well, and if she is lonely and some handsome guy comes along, she might blow it.
(Not that I'm worried...)
So after an all night session of, uhm, discussion, we have decided to get our things together and try to come at the same time.
I am sure that as long as we continue to focus on each other, and be there to fulfill each other's needs, that we will have a happy ending.
Relationships are tricky at best, and when you find one that fits, you need to work on it at every opportunity, and hang on to it.
After all, a perfect pair only comes along once in a lifetime...
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