Triangle of Terror: Iran, Syria, Hezbollah

Speculation is growing that Israel will bomb Iranian nuclear facilities before our presidential elections. I don't really have an opinion on that. Israel is a tiny sanctuary of freedom in an international house of horrors. Whatever they gotta do to protect themselves, well... it's none of my business.

Having said that, I don't support US military action against Iran. I think there's a better way, and so does dreaded neocon Michael Ledeen, who is much smarter than I. He wrote the linked article two years ago, but it still applies: We should be helping opposition parties and liberal student groups in Iran and Syria so they can bring down tyranny themselves. Overt, covert, whatever makes sense, let's do it.

Iran, Syria and Hezbollah form a Triangle of Terror. Remove any one leg of this three-legged stool, and the entire enterprise collapses, or is at least severely weakened. On this, the "Neocons" of the Council on Foreign Relations, and the "Lefties" at the Brookings Institute agree.

Do we have a presidential candidate who can explain this? Do Americans care? Uncle Sam is not the bad guy. There is no moral equivalence between President Bush and President Ahmadinejad. We want the situation calmed down; they benefit by constant turmoil. Every violent act is a blow to the US and our allies, but it is a proud moment of triumph for the Iranian government and their proxies.

We need to help the opposition groups. Give 'em money, give 'em phones and computers and clandestine radio sets. Take out the big snake (Iranian regime) and the little snake (Hezbollah) will whither and die, all without the Bush-Cheney-Halliburton-Neocon-Zionist gang firing a shot or violating some poor terrorist's rights. This is a plan even a Bush-hating progressive can love.

Links of Interest:
Michael Ledeen article
Brookings Institute article
CFR Summary

Cherry Picking the Economy

The worst economy since the great depression…

Remember the constant bleating from the press and the anti-Bush crowd about how the Bush administration “cherry picked” intelligence? They allege that the president chose only those bits of information that fit his plans and ignored everything else.

Well, the press has been cherry picking economic news for years. How many news items have you seen featuring some town, family, or business that’s doing ok, despite everything? How often do you hear or read something that puts the housing “crisis” in perspective (it’s not a crisis). Falling prices mean those who previously could not afford a home now may be able to. How many articles have you seen comparing unemployment, wage growth or gas prices to those of Europe? (Hint: We’re the envy of the rest of the world) Hav

To answer my own question, we don’t hear any positive stories. The press trots out every hard case they can find: Children with rare, expensive diseases, people who lost their house because they couldn’t pay the mortgage that was 80% of their income, old people (who used to be reliable Republicans) who’ve have had some misfortune befall them.

This constant drumbeat affects the national psyche. People are in a sour mood. Gas and grocery prices are up and wages are not keeping pace. And the press throws gasoline on the fire with a constant torrent of negativity. And we eat it up. We have become a nation of whiners.

This despite the fact that, compared to our forbears, we are better educated, drive nicer cars, live in bigger homes, have more money, and generally enjoy more luxuries. The only thing we have less of is sacrifice.

There will always be a hard-luck story somewhere that the press can point to. It still won’t be as bad as the great depression.

BREAKING NEWS - Supremes Actually Find A Right In The Constitution!

"So Wrong, So Often, For So Long..."

I'm slackjawed. The Supremes have actually found a right that exists in the Constitution! For decades they have been adept on finding "rights" where none existed in this document, and denied real rights when they existed in black and white.

As Boston T. Party would say, "Hold off on the party balloons." This decision by the court was not a compete vindication of the 2nd Amendment, but a cleverly crafted piece not in line with the other famous 1939 2nd Amendment case, U.S. vs. Miller. The upshot of that decision was that any weapon that normally would be used by servicemen is protected by the 2nd Amendment. Today, the court backpedaled and reduced that to "hunting and self-defense arms" subject to "reasonable restrictions." This clear Constitutional right was upheld by only five; four agreed with a complete firearms ban.

Speaking of those in black robes, Let's see what Thomas Jefferson said about these judges:

"To consider the judges as the ultimate arbiters of all constitutional questions [is] a very dangerous doctrine indeed, and one which would place us under the despotism of an oligarchy. Our judges are as honest as other men and not more so. They have with others the same passions for party, for power, and the privilege of their corps... The constitution has erected no such single tribunal, knowing that to whatever hands confided, with the corruptions of time and party, its members would become despots. It has more wisely made all the departments co-equal and co-sovereign within themselves."

Yes... corruption of time, despots, and privilege of their corps. That pretty much sums up this Oligarchy.

Sadly, basic human rights can never be taken away, but only given up. In other words, I was born with basic rights - and only I can give them up. I exercise all my constitutional rights regardless what some corrupt judge may say against or in favor of them.

A last quote by Jefferson:

"The Constitution is a mere thing of wax in the hands of the judiciary, which they may twist and shape into any form they please."

-- Hugh Farnham

Roadmap for America's Future

Representative Paul Ryan is the kind of politician we need more of. He has a plan that actually addresses a root problem: Our nation's fiscal future. His comprehensive plan has three goals:

1. Ensure universal access to health insurance, fulfill the missions of Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, and make these programs permanently solvent.

2. Return Federal spending growth to sustainable levels and lift the debt burden looming over future generations.

3. Promote sustained economic and job growth and put the U.S. in a position to lead – not merely survive – in the international marketplace.

The solution he proposes is actually a set of many actions and policies revolving around giving people responsibility for their health care while putting in place a systematic approach to catastrophic care so a medical calamity doesn't bankrupt the family. He also recommends a simplified tax code and reducing our corporate tax rate, which is one of the highest among industrialized countries.

The GOP should be all over this, but I'm afraid they are still the drunk who hasn't hit bottom yet. If the GOP were smart they'd make this the new contract with America. It is a stark contrast to Democrat ideas, which lately seem to involve socialist-looking schemes and handing out money.

Follow the link and check it out. http://www.americanroadmap.org/

Fouad Ajami, American

Fouad Ajami is perhaps the most astute observer of the Middle East we have here in America.

He is a Shiite Muslim who grew up in Lebanon and immigrated to the US. He is now a US citizen, and a quite valuable one at that. He loves his adopted home and strives to educate his fellow Americans about the volatile region he came from.

Mr. Ajami, a professor at Johns Hopkins University, is a highly respected scholar and a gifted observer and writer. He travels often to the Middle East where he has many contacts and enjoys access to the region's political and religions leaders.

If you want to understand the Middle East, its history and the current affairs involving it, read anything by Professor Ajami. Google him and read to your heart's content. I've been reading him for a long time and have never found him to be in error.

He puts the Anti-Americanism "hype" of the latest PEW global survey in proper context. Here's a sample:

"Turkish anti-Americanism is no doubt fueled by the resentment within Turkey of the American war in Iraq that gave protection and liberty to the Kurds. No apology is owed the Turks; indeed, it is they who must reconsider their intolerance of minorities. If the Turks were comfortable with the abnormality of Iraq under Saddam Hussein, it is they who have a problem."

See why I love this man? Please follow the link and read his latest article. You'll feel better about your country when you're done.

Link to Professor Ajami's commentary on the PEW global survey.

Iraq Foils Nefarious Oil Stealing Plot

Hey! Those blasted Iraqis are selling the oil we went to war to steal from them! Breitbart reports that Iraq is making oil contracts with various companies, including state owned companies from six different nations.

This comes on the heels of news that the Iraqi government is playing hardball with us over negotiations on our future military presence in that country. They better watch out. They risk angering Vice President Cheney by foiling his Halliburton oil-stealing plan. Don't the Iraqis know that Dick Cheney shot a man in Reno just to watch him die?

Hear that hissing noise? It's the air slowing leaking out of the left's Anti-Iraq War balloon. The surge has worked. From Basra to Sadr City, the Iraqis are standing up and we are standing down. The government is taking bold action, sometimes in defiance of the US. These are all good signs. Let's pray the progress continues.

Obama the Speechmaker -vs- Obama The Senator

The O-Man hit one out of the park last Sunday. He gave an awesome speech about fathers. I was nodding my head in agreement. You can read the text here.

Too bad his voting record doesn't match the rhetoric. You can read a critique from Focus on the Family here.

They did the critique back in March, so it predates this great speech.
- He's pro-abortion (Love your kids, unless they're not born yet)
- He's pro-gay marriage, supporting teaching about homosexuality in the second grade
- He supported granting citizenship to illegal aliens convicted of crimes against children

Which Obama do you believe? The one who spoke so eloquently from the pulpit on Fathers Day, or the one with the pro-gay, pro-abortion, pro-pedophile voting record?

Bonus YouTube video: Supporter unable to name one Obama accomplishment

Soul Condoms & the Gloucester Girls

So a group of Gloucester high school girls supposedly made a pact to get pregnant, and 15 or so succeeded. You can read about it in Time.

For some reason, Time focused in on contraception. Superficially, it makes sense: Use contraception and you won't get pregnant. But these girls wanted to get pregnant, so why bring it up? Time started out by suggesting the girls may have been inspired by a couple of Hollywood chick flicks, but quickly changed the subject to Gloucester's sagging economy. The once-proud fishing boomtown has gone bust, leaving girls no choice but to get pregnant, concluded Time.

The real issue here is one of morals. Orthodox Jewish, Catholic, Baptist, Stoic, Secular Humanist... the brand doesn't matter. Pick one--stick to it. Our popular culture is amoral: it knows no right or wrong, which makes personal morality even more important, especially for adolescents.

Human society has always had its ills. Every 21st century sin can be found in some form in the Old Testament. So what's changed, you may ask? Here's what's changed: People used to do these things in seclusion, confining their activities to private clubs and other out of the way places. Nowadays, it's everywhere. The average person can't escape the spillover. Our society is becoming a toxic waste dump.

The real damage here is to the soul. Rampant consumer marketing, money worship, and an obsession with the human body are squeezing the poetry and beauty from our lives. It's a mad, howling 24/7 crush of YouTube, TV, advertisements, porn, booze, drugs, Hollywood, news, glorified violence, shouting, get rich now, unbridled anger...

All these things conspire to distort the meaning of man and woman. They desensitize the soul. Not just to vice, but also, tragically, to life's intrinsic beauty. Does anyone out there remember how to enjoy themselves without an electronic device or some consumer product?

Life is beautiful. But not to a soul pregnant with society's child. You can give kids condoms, but what they really need is a contraceptive for the soul.

Government Can't Bring You Happiness

I'm a happy person. I like being around other happy people. Arthur C. Brooks has written a book entitled Gross National Happiness about happiness and how it affects societies. He identifies a "Happiness Gap" in America that splits religious conservatives and secular liberals. Guess who's happier?


Here are the factors he identifies as causing liberal unhappiness:
- Secularism
- Overreliance on government to solve your (and societies) problems
- An addiction to security

Here are the factors he cites that make conservatives a happier group:
- Faith in God
- Work (job satisfaction)
- Marriage and Family
- Charitable giving and volunteering
- Freedom (economic, political, religious)

This is just a very brief summary. For more entertaining details, read his latest piece here.

This backs up what I've believed for a long time. People who expect things from government are angry because they are disappointed. On the other hand, people who go out and git'r done for themselves are much happier. Many of the latter group don't have much, but what they got is theirs and they got it fair and square through their own hard work. That and a loving belief in God Almighty brings a satisfied happiness that no government program can ever hope to match.

The Economy, Whiners, and Michelle Obama

The economy is not as bad as the press and many citizens make it out to be. Sure, some people are hurting; that’s always the case. But most people just like to whine. We have gone from a WW II generation of winners to a self-absorbed generation of whiners. Here’s a news story from the Washington Post that proves my point. The economic data just doesn’t justify the gloomy mood. The data also shows that while more of our fellow citizens are whining about how bad things are, they’re still spending money like crazy. So much for reports of declining consumer confidence.

We’re turning into whiners. Michelle Obama is exhibit a: She and her husband make over a half a million dollars per year in combined salaries. Book royalties are rolling in on top of that, and they live in a $1.5 million home. They both have an Ivy League education, and her husband belongs to the most exclusive power club in America, the US Senate. So is she praising God and the United States of America for the blessings she enjoys? No. She churlishly crabs on about having to pay off those student loans. Does she expect someone else to pay them off for her?

We Americans are blessed to be so far removed from true third-world hardship and deprivation. Anyone who has seen such poverty up close knows what I’m talking about. Problem is, most people have not, so they have no sense of proportion when assessing their lives.

Such an attitude might be understandable from a laid off worker, but it’s downright absurd, and sickening, coming from an elite Ivy Leaguer.

Haditha Myth Unraveled

The Haditha Myth continues to unravel. Despite Pork King Representative Jack Murtha (Democrat, PA) and Hollywood efforts, the truth continues to reveal itself. The Haditha story was a myth, existing only in the fevered imaginings of the military hating left. It was BS cooked up by Iraqi terrorists and swallowed hook, line and sinker by "journalists" at Time magazine.

Lt Col Chessani, USMC, one of our Falluja heroes, is the latest to be sprung from this sham case. Of course, you can't read about this in the NY Times or other big news outlets that trumpeted this case when it looked like US Marines were the bad guys. Shame on the stinking press, shame on Hog Snout Murtha and shame on the America hating Hollywood perverts who make movies defaming out military! They have all smeared good men who put their lives on the line for our country. Despite his innocence, LtCol Chessani's career is over, which is a loss to the Corps and to our country.

We can't celebrate completely yet. SSgt Frank Wuterich is still in the docket. Click on this link and give till it hurts if you appreciate your freedom. SSgt Wuterich was patrolling the frontier separating freedom from tyranny while you and your family were tucked safely in bed.

Freedom isn't Free.

9th Circus Court of Appeals… & Porn

The 9th Circus, as the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals is affectionately referred to by Michael Savage, is in the news again. Not for its strident advocacy of gay marriage or some such nonsense, but because Alex Kozinski, chief judge of the panel, has a little porn problem, investigation ongoing. You can read his side of the story here.

Seems an determined rival found the porn stash on the judge's internet-enabled hard drive. Ironically, this came to light while the court was considering the prosecution of a hard-core pornographer. Sources say the judge is incredibly arrogant, so he's probably made a lot of enemies. He looks arrogant in the picture. That clipped-haired lady to his left looks like she ain't no picnic either. I'd hate to be on the wrong end of her gavel.

This is the most liberally twisted appeals court in the US and a hotbed of judicial activism. An appeals court is also the final step before the Supreme Court, so this is really the big leagues. George Will wrote a trenchant analysis in the Washington Post of just how bad this body is. It’s a good read, as is anything from Mr. Will. Check it out.

The Road to Hell...

I was reading the Christian Science Monitor’s reportage on the Bush Administration’s legal follies, and it reminded me of a New Testament parable (Luke 28-31) about counting the cost before beginning an enterprise:

For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, `This man began to build, and was not able to finish.' Or what king, going to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and take counsel whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?.

The road to hell is paved with good intentions. That’s what papa Silverfiddle taught me. President George Bush is a good man with good intentions, but good intentions are not enough when you are the leader of the most powerful nation on earth. You also must have a brilliant staff that understands the constitution and knows how to think things through and plot long-range strategy. You need advisers who can count the cost.

The latest Supreme Court decision granting habeas corpus rights to the scraggly bearded rabble we have locked up at Guantanamo leaves us less safe. It is also a logical response to a seat-of-the-pants legal hodgepodge cobbled together by amateurs that are not even qualified to sell ice cream in front of the White House, let alone advise the president.

This decision is a direct consequence of the Bush administration not knowing what the hell it is doing. They have been making stuff up as they go along. There was no legal strategy, no coherent long-term plan to fit the president’s vision. And that’s a shame, because it was a righteous vision. Some serious thought up front followed by solid legislation could have avoided all this. The tragic lesson here is that vision without strategy is just a dream; and this one has turned into a nightmare.

Sometimes, doing something badly is worse than doing nothing at all. Botching something this thoroughly discredits an entire ideal, which is a shame. This administration’s incoherent bumbling and utter failure to articulate anything higher than “Freedom good, Terror bad,” has contributed to its troubles while dooming the noble project of spreading freedom, fighting tyranny, and killing jihadis.

President Bush has kept us safe, and for that he should enjoy our eternal gratitude. But, you’ll have to excuse those who, standing at the airport in their bare feet, being herded like cattle, contemplate their constitutional freedoms and wistfully count the cost.

Gay Marriage? Down on the Farm Commentary

Well, Monday was Gay Day in California. I could make a mean remark, but what would that accomplish? Social commentary is best when done with humor.

There's a funny music video on youtube called Down to the Farm. It was done by the good folks over at lewisandlewis.org, and they've got something to say about gay marriage. So follow the link, turn up the volume and enjoy.

Money Quote: "When God said love your brother, I don't think he meant like that!"

Happy Fathers Day

My dad taught me how to be a man. Not with words, but by going to work every day and being faithful to my mom. He taught me how to man up when adversity calls, as it surely does in each of our lives. He taught me that talk is cheap but character is invaluable, and family is worth more than all the treasure in the world. Here’s to you dad. I only hope I can measure up to the example you’ve set for me.

Below are a few of my favorite lines concerning dads.

When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years.
--Mark Twain

Only a Dad
by Edgar Guest
Only a dad but he gives it his all,
To smooth the way for his children small
Doing with courage stern and grim
The deeds that his father did for him
This is the line that for him I pen
Only a dad, but the best of men

Any fool can father a child. It takes a real man to be a dad.
-- Philip Whitmore Sr

Americans: The New Jews

Well, the PEW Research Center just completed its latest "Who Hates America Most" survey, and the results are predictable, according to the International Herald Tribune.

We are the New Jews; the group upon which bitter, resentful people worldwide pour out their fear and loathing. We are the people everybody loves to hate.

Your stinking, corrupt country can't get its collective stuff together? Blame the US! (While receiving millions of dollars in aid from the nasty Neo-Zionists)

Your ruling oligarchy steals bread from the mouths of the poor? Blame America! (while sneaking across the border, of course)

You reside in a cauldron of misogyny, hatred and despair, ruled by various poobahs and potentates, exporting human bombs and venomous hatred? Blame the Great Satan, the New Jooos! (While receiving millions in economic and disaster relief assistance from the same infidels).

Sniff disdainfully at the New Jews while looking down your nose at them from your European paradise, ignoring the fact that you are resting in the shade of the Neo-Zionist security umbrella. Better check the foundation, though. You may have some erosion going on.

The survey mentions, "publics worldwide have greater confidence in Barack Obama, the presumptive Democratic nominee, than in his Republican rival, John McCain, "to do the right thing regarding world affairs.""

Of course! "Do the right thing" means to cave in to every crackpot scheme dreamed up by self-important UN kleptocrats and "we are the world" socialists. It means paying lip-service to ineffectual feel-good policies that actually keep people mired in poverty and servitude, while forsaking all bold actions as "provocative" and "unilateral".

Do the right thing? I would love to see some other countries step up and do the right thing on their own. Message to the whiners of the world: Do the right thing on your own and you won't have to worry about Uncle Shmuel doing the "wrong thing"! Take responsibility for your slothful, degraded state and do something about it! Want to make the world a better place? Start with your own little piece of hell on earth and go from there! Haven't you noticed that blaming the US gets you nothing?

We Americans are the New Jews that everyone loves to hate. The Jewish People brought us knowledge of the One True God of Jews, Muslims and Christians. They've given us Holy Scriptures, poetry, philosophy, and ground-breaking contributions in every field of science. They carved out a home for themselves and made it a success by their own sweat and blood. And they've earned nothing but hatred and resentment for it.

We are the New Jews.

Free Speech: A Radical Concept

Our Friends to the north are having free speech problems. So what's it all aboot, eh? Of course, offended Muslims are at the root of it. Mark Steyn, a witty conservative thinker, is on trial in some quasi human rights kangaroo court that has never found anyone not guilty. Rich Lowry has some entertaining comments on the proceedings. Here are two very un-funny excerpts:

One of the principal investigators of the Canadian Human Rights Commission was asked in a hearing what value he puts on freedom of speech in his work, and replied, "Freedom of speech is an American concept, so I don't give it any value."

"It is the genius of Muslim grievance groups to leverage Western anti-discrimination laws to their advantage."

This is scary. There is an excellent article in the International Herald Tribune discussing free speech in the west. I was shocked to learn that our first amendment rights are considered quite radical by many of our western cousins. It takes some major insecurity to want to use the power of government to shut up those you disagree with. Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes summed it up nicely 100 years ago:

"The best test of truth is the power of the thought to get itself accepted in the competition of the market," Holmes wrote. "I think that we should be eternally vigilant," he added, "against attempts to check the expression of opinions that we loathe and believe to be fraught with death."

Wise words. Remember David Duke? He revealed himself to be a racist goomer, so no one listens to him anymore. Obama's reverend is another example. No one outside his aggrieved flock pay attention to his rantings, other than out of morbid curiosity or for a twisted laugh. How about the Dixie Chicks? They and their fans tried to turn the blowback from their comments into a free speech issue, but it was not: The government didn't tank their CD sales, individual Americans upset at them trashing our president overseas did. It is way more satisfying to see fellow Americans ignore these people than it would be to see some government star chamber shut them down. That's the American Way.

Bill of Rights, 1st Amendment:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Iraq Progress

Fred Kagan wrote an article detailing Iraq progress. Kagan is "dreaded neocon" and big booster of the surge, so keep that in mind when you read it.

Meanwhile, Joe Klein at Time ponders “Iraq Progress… And what to do about it.” I imagine that’s the question on many Dems’ minds these days. Can’t have Iraq success stories messing up the narrative during campaign season. Klein grudgingly verifies Kagan’s article. Joe’s a lib, but he’s an honest one. One more sign that things really are progressing.

Stuff the Press Won't Tell You

I got this in an e-mail and it really teed me off:

You won't see this on the pages of NY Times, nor on the lead story of the major news networks.

The protestors at Montebello High School took the American flag off the school's flag pole and hung it upside down while putting up the Mexican flag over it.

Yes, it's true. See Snopes.com for all the details. It happened in 2006, and was probably done by immigration activists, not the students at the school.

Next time John McCain or Barack Obama talk about immigration, remember that this was done by those who want to be granted the right to live here permanently.

If these protesters think Mexico is so great, why are they here?

Senators Enjoy Taxpayer-Subsidized Meals

Last year, our tax dollars subsidized Senate meals to the tune of $13,000 per senator. The august body is now arguing over whether to privatize Senate food operations, which have been losing money for years.

This should be a no-brainer. MercuryNews.com points out that while privatized House restaurant operations have made $1.2 million over the past five years, the Senate operations have lost almost $5 million.

This illustrates two important points:

1) Private enterprise can do things much more efficiently than the government.

2) Our senators are incompetent. They can't even run their own restaurant within budget, so is it any wonder they've screwed things up so badly?

The Obamas: The Clintons Of The New Millennium

It's the "Dream Ticket." Obama - Clinton. An identity politics twofer: A person of color and a woman. An offer no good Democrat (or any guilty liberal for that matter) could possibly refuse. It would be the death of McCain's presidential aspirations.

But, the important question is: If you were Barack, would you want the Clintons hanging around? Calvin Woodward at AP has some funny, insightful analysis.

Finally, Sam Nunn might be in the picture. That would take the edge off of having the most inexperienced president in our nation's history.

-Enjoy!

Yes, We Are Safer!

John Hinderaker over at http://www.blogger.com/www.powerlineblog.com has written a piece showing that, despite what some presidential candidates are telling you, we are safer than before the Iraq invasion. Please follow the link and give it a read.

- Enjoy!