Truth Out Loud

February 18, 2007

Willful ignorance on the meaning of cloture

clo•ture - U.S. Parliamentary Procedure –noun 1. a method of closing a debate and causing an immediate vote to be taken on the question. –verb (used with object), verb (used without object) 2. to close (a debate) by cloture.

I am seriously getting tired of failed cloture votes being described as a Republican effort to stop debate. When cloture fails that means debate CONTINUES. A winning cloture vote cuts off debate and forces a vote. Someone please explain how Republicans are preventing debate by denying cloture. I see now that some reporters are even getting so uncomfortable with this language butchery they are euphemistically referring to cloture as a "procedural vote".

The 56-to-34 vote in a rare Saturday session was the second time Republicans were able to deny opponents of the troop increase a debate on a resolution challenging Mr. Bush, and it came just a day after the House formally opposed his plan to increase the military presence in Iraq.

One has to wonder how the Republicans have been successful in denying a debate when Harry Reid (democrat) determines what is debated and the Senate seems to do nothing else but debate Iraq policy. Denying cloture is about 60 senators being able to FORCE continued debate and preventing a final vote. Anyone telling you different is a partisan hack of the most deceitful or ignorant kind.

It gets real hard to have any political discourse anymore when up means down, left means right and good means bad. The deconstruction of political recourse can get maddening. Surrender as victory is now the clarion call of the Democratic Party so I guess I should not be surprised.

Posted by Sid at 09:51 AM | Comments (234) | Politics | TrackBack

February 08, 2007

The nutroots left applauds Edwards cowing of vulgar feminist staffers as victory

For all that talk about speaking your mind and truth to power you have to chuckle when the left applauds a white male for talking down to and cowing vulgar outspoken feminist bloggers.

The tone and the sentiment of some of Amanda Marcotte's and Melissa McEwan's posts personally offended me. It's not how I talk to people, and it's not how I expect the people who work for me to talk to people. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but that kind of intolerant language will not be permitted from anyone on my campaign, whether it's intended as satire, humor, or anything else. But I also believe in giving everyone a fair shake. I've talked to Amanda and Melissa; they have both assured me that it was never their intention to malign anyone's faith, and I take them at their word. We're beginning a great debate about the future of our country, and we can't let it be hijacked. It will take discipline, focus, and courage to build the America we believe in.

It's so adorable when starry eyed radical feminists promise to be good little girls so they can be allowed close to power and a pay check. Even more adorable when the hard left calls it a victory.

Posted by Sid at 05:16 AM | Comments (519) | Politics | TrackBack

February 02, 2007

Suggesting no as a sign of conviction

In a brave chorus of partisan leadership the Democrats are planning to stand up in a unified voice and proclaim "dude, this looks like a bad idea." Real leadership would result in Democrats de-funding a war they do not believe in and forcing the troops home against the desires of the President.

Clinton said a looming vote in Congress on a nonbinding resolution against Bush's plan to send more troops to Iraq "would be the first time we have said no to Bush."

De-funding the war is saying "no". What the Democrats plan is whining from the peanut gallery. It takes a Democrat to allow troops to die in a war they do not believe in.

Posted by Sid at 05:44 PM | Comments (1052) | Politics | TrackBack

January 28, 2007

Proper way to deal with bad men is to allow them to humiliate you repeadly

It drew laughs but Hillary clams to know how to deal with evil and bad men. I admit her joke is funny on face but if you really look at what she said in the context of her behavior it is tragically sad.

"The question is, we face a lot of dangers in the world and, in the gentleman's words, we face a lot of evil men and what in my background equips me to deal with evil and bad men," Clinton said. She paused to gaze while the audience interrupted with about 30 seconds of laughter and applause.

This begs the question how DOES Hillary deal with a bad husband. She lies to cover for him, enables him, pretends he is harmless and sucks up the repeated humiliation day in and day out to advance her own career. Is this how we can expect President Hillary to act as well? All we really have to go by the experience she so lightly suggests. I do suppose the rumored dish throwing incident might be handy dealing with terrorists.

A second item in this article struck me as interesting as well.

Hillary Rodham Clinton said Sunday that President Bush should withdraw all U.S. troops from Iraq before he leaves office, asserting it would be "the height of irresponsibility" to pass the war along to the next commander in chief.

I have to wonder how a candidate can sell their leadership skills and solutions when they demand the previous president have everything all wrapped up before they get there. Does she expect to be taken seriously if she has no new ideas beyond demanding it be fixed so if she is elected she doesn't have too do any heavy lifting or is the heavy lifting of dealing with truly evil men a mans job like taking out the trash?

If Hillary wants to be taken serious she needs to tell voters what she intends to do about the troops in Iraq. Not tells us what someone else should do for her. If the presidency is too hard for the little dear then maybe she should drop out and let a real leader do the job. Then she can go back to being the tragic victim of a wandering husband.

Posted by Sid at 08:49 PM | Comments (465) | Politics | TrackBack

January 14, 2007

Democrats discover wage hike can cost jobs

Republicans have consistently warned that minimum wage hikes cost jobs, A warning that democrats have consistently rejected as a cover for corporate greed to keep the little man down. Well recently the new goddess Pelosi managed to push through a minimum wage increase that covered all Americans except those working for a rather large corporation in her home district. This may look damning but Pelosi protested that she had not been lobbied for this rather glaring exception to the bill. Instead, the exemption was blamed on a all-powerful non-voting democrat delegate of the congress named Eni Faleomavaega. He must obviously be a republican mole since he requested the exemption because he felt it would devastate the local tuna industry.

Spokesmen for Pelosi and Rep. George Miller, D-Martinez, the author of the minimum-wage bill, said it excluded American Samoa at the request of nonvoting Delegate Eni Faleomavaega, a Democrat who represents the Pacific island territories in the House.

Raising the federal minimum wage would devastate the local tuna industry, Faleomavaega said in a statement last week, adding that American Samoa's economy is “more than 80 percent” dependent on Chicken of the Sea and StarKist.

I can only assume by these comments that minimum wage hike job losses only affect employees in democratic districts.

The problem will be resolved according to the democrats. They now say they will apply those wage hikes to everyone and destroy the tuna industry throwing thousands of working poor out of their jobs so as not to be seen as hypocrites.

There are two ways to read these events:

1. They did not believe it would cost jobs and the exemption was motivated by corporate pressure.

2. They did believe it would cost jobs and are now willing to sacrifice constituents’ livelihoods for political expediency.

Either way, those putting the democrats in power must be so proud.

Posted by Sid at 11:16 AM | Comments (753) | Politics | TrackBack

January 12, 2007

Minimum wage exemption miracle

It took less the 100 hours for special exemptions to make their way into Democrat pushed legislation. By some unknown miracle a single exemption for a single island with two major employers based out of Pelosi's district in San Francisco made it into the bill. The feat was accomplished with no lobbying effort whatsoever.

The bill also extends for the first time the federal minimum wage to the U.S. territory of the Northern Mariana Islands. However, it exempts American Samoa, another Pacific island territory that would become the only U.S. territory not subject to federal minimum-wage laws.
One of the biggest opponents of the federal minimum wage in Samoa is StarKist Tuna, which owns one of the two packing plants that together employ more than 5,000 Samoans, or nearly 75 percent of the island's work force. StarKist's parent company, Del Monte Corp., has headquarters in San Francisco, which is represented by Mrs. Pelosi. The other plant belongs to California-based Chicken of the Sea.

A spokeswoman for Mrs. Pelosi said Wednesday that the speaker has not been lobbied in any way by StarKist or Del Monte.

Let us all sit back and marvel at this immaculate exemption. We are saved.

Posted by Sid at 06:34 AM | Comments (8) | Politics | TrackBack

You've come a long way baby..or have you

There was a time when the feminist movement held up the career woman who eschewed motherhood in favor of accomplishment as the shining example of the ideal woman. Women who opted for family were frowned on as having settled for a lesser path. Even more, they would decry any need to find a balance as just another example of a forced compromise dictated by a male dominated society.

That is unless you want to discredit a woman.

Rice appeared before the Senate in defense of President Bush's tactical change in Iraq, and quickly encountered Boxer.

"Who pays the price? I'm not going to pay a personal price," Boxer said. "My kids are too old, and my grandchild is too young."

Then, to Rice: "You're not going to pay a particular price, as I understand it, with an immediate family."

Translation? You are not a mother and cannot understand the sacrifice so have no relevant contribution to the debate.

Seeing a prominent white female democrat cite a lack of motherhood as a means to discredit a childless black female in a debate must make feminist the world over proud of the progress they have wrought.

Posted by Sid at 06:07 AM | Comments (0) | Politics | TrackBack

November 09, 2006

Time for Democrats to suck up to Leiberman

The left wing nut roots worshiped at the alter of Ned Lamont. The Democratic establishment was forced to pay homage to Ned Lamont and treat Joe Lieberman like some sort of leper. In the end Joe Lieberman had the last laugh by winning Connecticut. Now with a 51-49 edge in favor of the Democrats they have to come crawling back to Joe if they wish to maintain control of the senate. I would say he is a fly in the ointment of Democratic unity but this fly is so big as to dwarf the ointment.

Suddenly everybody is Joe Lieberman's best friend. Thrown out of his party just three months ago, the Connecticut Senator and one-time Democratic vice-presidential candidate has emerged from Tuesday's mid-term elections as one of the most powerful lawmakers in Washington.

When it comes time to reorganize the Senate Joe will get what Joe wants and the hard left is going to go ballistic. I can hardly wait to watch the fun. The left hates Joe Lieberman with the heat of a thousand white hot suns and any deference made to Joe by democratic leadership is going to make them targets for retaliation.

Posted by Sid at 06:47 PM | Comments (368) | Politics | TrackBack

November 08, 2006

America in decline - I hope we did enough

No, I will not need grief therapy, depression medication or suicide counseling like many dems over the last few years.

I have to laugh at Republicans that are trying to spin this into some sort of "the American people voted the Republicans out because they wanted Bush to fight the war in Iraq more aggressively" theory. I figure Bush has 2 years to wrap up Iraq as best he can with an additional year so the next administration can take credit for it's success. That is unless the democrats move immediately to de-fund it and drive the US out of the Middle East. I think the democrats will make lots of noise (like they do now) but will do little about the status quo because they don't want to be saddled with snatching defeat from victory when the possibility of a 2008 Presidential victory may be possible. Heck, if we could be out in 2-4 years anyway why not sit back and enjoy the spoils. If it goes badly Bush is always there to blame. That makes staying the course win-win politically at this point which is all that really matters.

My disappointment is more with the American people. This vote clearly shows that America lacks the will to see hard decisions about war through to completion. First we had Vietnam and now it appears we have Iraq where America has lost it's nerve. The only sustainable military options we have left are pinpoint bombing that only lasts a few days. We are now the French. I only hope we have had enough impact on the Middle East that our coming impotence will not leave civilization defenseless against looming Islamification of the west. Demographics are the future.

Not to mention watching Nancy Pelosi, Murtha, Conyers and Charlie Rangel lead congress is going to be funny as hell.

Posted by Sid at 05:39 AM | Comments (213) | Politics | TrackBack

September 07, 2006

Armitage confesses to outing Valerie Plame

So where do Scooter Libby and Carl Rove go to get their reputations back. We have endured MONTHS of accusations and cries over the horror of outing a so-called secret CIA operative and no we find that the special prosecutor knew all along who had done it but still wracked up millions in expenses chasing make-work leads to justify his paycheck.

Armitage said in an interview that the disclosure was inadvertent and that he had cooperated fully with Justice Department special counsel Patrick Fitzgerald in the months since.

Fitzgerald, he said, had requested that he not talk about his role in the case, a restriction that was lifted only Tuesday.

"I called the special counsel on Tuesday of this week to ask if I could end this nightmare. He said yes," Armitage said.

Conducting a play investigation to scare and trap people into mistakes when the key facts are known is a tactic only worthy of thugs and bullies. Is this the future of American politics?

Posted by Sid at 06:44 PM | Comments (0) | Politics

June 16, 2006

Democrats throw black man under the bus to aid in upcoming elections

Not that William Jefferson won't eventually deserve it but it is hard to imagine the more promenent (white?) members of the Democratic caucus getting the same treatment. To date he has not even been charged with a crime.

In an unprecedented and historic move, House Democrats voted 99-58 late Thursday to recommend that Rep. William Jefferson, D-New Orleans, be removed from his seat on the Ways and Means Committee while he remains under federal investigation.

Being in the back of the bus evidently wasn't enough. House Democrats wanted him under the bus so they could more effectively attack Republicans.

Jefferson has not been charged and has denied wrongdoing. In an emotional speech to the Democratic Caucus before the vote, he noted that it was unheard of to remove someone from a committee before they had even been charged or had the chance to defend themselves in court.

Congressional historians said that while some members have been forced to leave leadership or chairmanship while under investigation, they could find no record of a member ever having to surrender a committee seat.

It will be interesting to see how this plays with their minority base. I doubt this measure would have been taken though had not a couple members if the CBC broken ranks to give them cover.

Posted by Sid at 12:27 AM | Comments (0) | Politics

June 13, 2006

A lump of coal for Fitzmas

The glee over a possible Rove indictment in the Plame affair has been a staple in left wing circles for months. They even dubbed it Fitzmas, a time when Carl Rove would be gift wrapped for prosecution to the delight of all the left wing children. I can only assume the left wing children were found to be naughty because after checking his list twice Fitzgerald only gave them a lump of coal.

"On June 12, 2006, special counsel Patrick Fitzgerald formally advised us that he does not anticipate seeking charges against Karl Rove," Rove's lawyer, Robert Luskin, said in a statement.

I suppose they will have to be satisfied with the Scooter Libby indictment. This is much like having to crow in satisfaction over the pair of white polyester socks you got instead of the Al Gore action figure with Kung-fu grip you really wanted.

This month has seen a double body blow for the left. First their favorite misunderstood terrorist spokesman Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi gets bombed into the afterlife and now Rove, the real evil in the world, gets away unscathed. Where can a leftie turn for justice?

Posted by Sid at 12:01 AM | Comments (0) | Politics

June 07, 2006

Cat fight over widow celebrities

I have never understood how the death of a spouse entitles someone to immediate expert and celebrity status on issues of which they had heretofore no interest or knowledge. Case in point are the 9/11 widows hounding the government for yet more answers about how 9/11 could occur. It seems to take on a macabre aspect where democrats use widows as human shields to take shots at the Bush administration and cry foul when those attacks are answered and the motives of those poor grieving widows are questioned.

Well Ann Coulter has broached the issue in what some consider an extremely callous way. You may not like how she did it because I have to say it stings but what she was saying is dead on accurate. These women have thrown themselves into the debate and must accept the consequences of this decision. It would be one thing if Coulter was attacking someone on the sidelines but she is not. She is taking on people that have turned their grief, momentary fame and millions of dollars provided by the US government for reparations into a platform for political action.

You have to feel for WASP male democrats with no personal tragedies, they seem to be the only segment of the Democratic Party that lacks a readily available victim shield that comes so easy to the rest of the party.

That said I cannot wait for the book which I have ordered. Watching the outrage particularly from Hillary should be fun. Ann has already replied to the criticism by suggesting she talk to her husband first about treating women badly.

'BEFORE CRITICIZING OTHERS FOR BEING 'MEAN' TO WOMEN, PERHAPS HILLARY SHOULD TALK TO HER HUSBAND WHO WAS ACCUSED OF RAPE BY JUANITA BROADDRICK AND WAS GROPING KATHLEEN WILLEY AT THE VERY MOMENT WILLEY'S HUSBAND WAS COMMITTING SUICIDE.' Drudge

Ouch!

Posted by Sid at 06:28 PM | Comments (0) | Politics

May 21, 2006

Republican collapse

Is the Republican Party on the verge of a collapse in the upcoming elections? I have to say yes for two reasons. First, fatigue is setting in. Democrats do an excellent job of playing the overbearing, whiny, nagging, relentless, badgering, emotional feminist housewife. They go on and on and on and on in that shrill way that makes men just do things their way to shut them up. We then let them have their way till they mess things up so badly it's obvious they have no clue what they are doing. Secondly, Republicans have been playing the vacillating, unprincipled, indecisive role usually reserved for Democrats.

When the conservative electorate is left fighting for people they no longer trust to address their concerns against this backdrop of irritation it leaves them just wanting to wash their hands of it all. I can appreciate this because I am feeling it as well. Runaway spending, a distinct lack of seriousness on national security and an administration that seems to have lost it's will to fight gives me no place to turn.

Horrifyingly the alternative of an insane Democratic party will likely keep me voting as I never have before. It would be so nice though if I could place my vote in hope instead of fear.

Posted by Sid at 04:53 PM | Comments (1) | Politics

May 16, 2006

Go after the job pushers on illegal immigration

It would seem to me if we treated immigration control like we treat the drug enforcement we might actually have a chance at an effective policy. To fight drugs we focus on the pushers and go easy on the users. To fight illegal immigration we go easy on those hiring illegals and easy on those seeking jobs illegally. If we leaned on those offering work to illegals, the jobs will dry up and the illegals would go home on their own without having to be deported.

Imagine if we tried to eliminate drug use by jailing users and ignoring street corner pushers. Such a policy would be laughed at as obscenely ridiculous. So by extension trying to deport 12 million illegal’s while ignoring those hiring them is equally ridiculous.

At one time the argument that checking on citizenship status was difficult was a legitimate excuse, but no longer. Today we have the internet which provides easy access to any data we could desire to make available. Doing a basic background checks could be easier then using an ATM if we cared to make even a small effort.

That is the elephant in the living room that no one wants to seriously address, including President Bush. Until employers have to pay big for the burden they place on society by enticing illegal labor into the country then anything we do is a political fig leaf.

Posted by Sid at 12:00 AM | Comments (0) | Politics

May 10, 2006

The left eats their own

I have often marveled at the lefts ability to spill vulgar bile on its opposition and get a pass. Much of what passes for debate consists of offensive vulgar diatribes spewed to friends that would be much like visiting a friend’s house and defecating in their living room in protest against political opponents. Criticism of this filthy and abusive discourse is usually dismissed with claims that the right is just as bad or that it is an understandable emotional response to frustration. That’s why it's always funny to see it turned on their allies that have tolerated it as long as they were not the target.

Truth to tell, I peeked into only a few of the e-mails. I did this because I would sometimes recognize a name I thought I knew, which was almost always a mistake. When I guilelessly clicked on the name, I would get a bucket of raw, untreated and disease-laden sewage right in the face. I'd quickly delete the thing, like closing a manhole cover, and move on, trying to figure out how to peek into an e-mail without getting the full, ugly message. No way.

Make no mistake, you visit the top blogs on the right and this kind of bile is rarely tolerated, visit the top blogs on the left and it is usually standard fare. In many cases the more vulgar the better.

But the message in this case truly is the medium. The e-mails pulse in my queue, emanating raw hatred. This spells trouble -- not for Bush or, in 2008, the next GOP presidential candidate, but for Democrats. The anger festering on the Democratic left will be taken out on the Democratic middle. (Watch out Hillary!) I have seen this anger before -- back in the Vietnam War era. That's when the anti-war wing of the Democratic Party helped elect Richard Nixon. In this way, they managed to prolong the very war they so hated.

The hatred is back. I know it's only words now appearing on my computer screen, but the words are so angry, so roiled with rage, that they are the functional equivalent of rocks once so furiously hurled during anti-war demonstrations. They hurt in a different way.

Richard, it has been like that on the left for years. How can you as an informed editorialist not have been aware of this. Or did you just ignore it as long as you were not on the receiving end?

Posted by Sid at 12:28 AM | Comments (0) | Politics

April 26, 2006

Tony Snow the new press secretary for Bush

Tony Snow is one of my favorite news/radio personalities and I will miss him at Fox and at his radio talk show. The Washington media will have no chance against his calm witty intelligent demeanor. It will be interesting to see if the media will try to vilify or eat alive a guy that everyone knows to be a likable and decent. It's one thing to paint a guy who was practically unknown as a villain, quite another to do it to someone with a track record for being just plain decent.

I met Tony briefly at a Hannitization tour stop here in Houston where the guy stayed late signing autographs. He spent half the time doing it on his hands and knees using the stage floor as a table. His efforts on IBS awareness are well-known and that’s not pretty subject. Many of us followed his struggles with cancer and his money pit home. There is not an arrogant or mean spirited bone in his body from my estimation and he is not a puppet or yes man. The Bush administration has made a very interesting and wise choice in my opinion.

There is only one reason Tony took this job. He has a sweet gig on the radio and has no need for more fame or fortune. He considers the war on terror a serious matter and wants to do his part as a patriot to help get things back on track for the good of America.

Posted by Sid at 12:54 AM | Comments (0) | Politics

April 25, 2006

Culture of Treason

We have been hearing a lot about the so called "Culture of Corruption". As the story goes politicians (and particularly Republicans) are supposed to be peddling influence for dollars. This is not a particularly new or surprising charge about politicians since they are dependant on money to run very expensive campaigns. Everyone knows they all do it and have generally learned to live with it. As a rule they did not sell us out to our enemies that wanted us dead. That is now changed.

This has been bothering me for a while but I had no way to sum it up until listening to Rush on Monday. What we are witnessing is a "culture of treason" that has taken hold of the Democratic party and particularly it's left-most wing. Its a culture that encourages and praises the undermining our national security for power and influence. It takes the old adage, the enemy of my enemy is my friend and twists it into a political tool to regain power.

The American press has its own version. It has now become fashionable, even laudable to publish classified information to the cheers of the Democratic Party. Never mind the harm it may do to national security, if it has a chance to make the current administration look bad or undermine American policy overseas it finds it's way to the front page of Americas news papers under the mantra of the publics right to know.

I personally don't need to know everything my government does and I know my government on occasion has to do the dirty work of war. There is no way to make war civil and pretty when someone wants you dead. It also takes no secret spy knowledge to know that these people want us dead. Just watch the protests in New York cheering the future mushroom cloud over the city or listen to the President of Iran. They want us dead and are seeking the means to do it. All I need to know is that my government can guard our security and secrets while fighting this war as best they can. When the press and one party starts trading in those secrets for power I have to wonder about their loyalties.

This is what has been making me sick and I can now name it the "Culture of Treason", a culture that has been adopted by the American press and the Democratic Party as a tool to gain fame and power.

Posted by Sid at 12:49 AM | Comments (1) | Politics

April 08, 2006

Global warming scientist has Teresa Heinz-Kerry as a sugar mama

The political aspect of the global warming debate has made the cause a laughingstock.

"The scientist touted by CBS News' '60 Minutes' as arguably the 'world's leading researcher on global warming' and spotlighted as a victim of the Bush administration's censorship on the issue publicly endorsed Democrat John Kerry for president and received a $250,000 grant from the charitable foundation headed by Kerry's wife," Marc Morano reports at www.CNSNews.com.

"But Scott Pelley, the '60 Minutes' reporter who profiled Hansen and detailed his accusations of censorship on the March 19 edition of the newsmagazine, made no mention of Hansen's links to Kerry and Gore and none to the fact that Kerry's wife — Teresa Heinz Kerry — had been one of Hansen's benefactors."

Any chance of me getting $250,000 worth of victimization?

60 Minutes continues its efforts in journalism excellence by once again failing to check for the obvious.

Posted by Sid at 10:07 AM | Comments (0) | Politics

March 09, 2006

Dan Patrick wins SD7 primary

Life in Austin is going to get interesting soon and Texas politics may not be the same for a good while. Local radio station (700 KSEV)host and owner Dan Patrick won his Republican primary race in a convincing manner against three challengers. This is also a 70%+ republican district which pretty much assures him a win in the November election.

Dan has been an outspoken advocate for property tax control which has left him on the bad side of much of the Texas republican entrenched interests. He also ran a populist campaign which excluded moneyed lobbyists placing him solidly outside the good old boy political network.

If he sticks with his promise he will be literally broadcasting his radio show from his senate office, filling the voters and his radio audience in daily on the activities up at the capital. He has vowed to inform on any attempts to buy or coerce his vote so the voters can get the inside story. I hope he lives up to his word; it could be the best and funniest thing to happen to Texas politics in decades.

Posted by Sid at 12:55 AM | Comments (0) | Politics

February 23, 2006

The right adopts charges of racism against critics

It has been interesting seeing George Bush and Rush Limbaugh charge critics of the port deal with being racist because the critics object to giving port management control to a Mideast company from the UAE crawling with American hating jihadist.

We critics are not concerned with what the UAE government or the company owners plan. I have no doubt they are only interested in profit. I am sure they have little hostility against us and will take our national security more seriously than the U.S. State Department which allowed Arabs with known terrorist ties to run loose in the U.S. I am worried about some 3rd tier nobody that spends his weekends at mosque chanting "Death to America" using information obtained on our security methods to slip through people and material which could be the prelude to the next major terrorist attack.

How they can say there is no danger when the deal required additional security requirements to be approved is beyond me. Claiming there is no additional danger afterwards is talking out both sides of their mouths.

Frankly I am getting tired of being called a sexist (Bush on Harriet Myers) and racist (Bush and Rush on port deal) by people that should know better. In debates like this with inportant issues at stake it’s a pathetic attempt to hide the fact you have no intelligent argument regardless of who uses the tactic.

Posted by Sid at 12:59 AM | Comments (1) | Politics

February 22, 2006

Why a veto threat on port deal?

Where was the veto threat when it mattered such as during campaign finance reform when Bush relied on the Supreme Court to strike down the law? Which it didn't leaving us with the current mess. What is so special about this deal that makes it more worthy of a veto then freedom of speech? Why give the democrats this opportunity to make a joke out of administration homeland security efforts.

Lawmakers determined to capsize the pending sale of shipping operations at six major U.S. seaports to a state-owned business in the United Arab Emirates said President Bush's surprise veto threat won't deter them.

Anyone with half a mind can recognize the danger to national security of turning port management over to a Mideast company. It's a no-brainer. What is even more puzzling is defending the deal as a way of currying favor with UAE and avoiding damaging relations by killing the deal. We are told killing it now would undermine relations and embarrass the UAE. If this is true it only adds to the reasoning to stop the deal. No government in its right mind uses its national security as a bargaining chip with a nation that could very well turn on it later. And that’s if you ignore the UAE's ties with Iran and its other links to terrorist activities.

Reality is it never should have gotten this far. Someone is either selling us out or just plain stupid. Bush had better rethink this or it will become Harriet Myers II. It's just a shame Bush had to embarrass himself with the veto threat. I was willing to give the administration the benefit of the doubt until the recent disproportionate veto threat response. That raises all kind of red flags and its going to be real hard for the president to save face at this point.

Posted by Sid at 12:26 AM | Comments (0) | Politics

February 19, 2006

Cheney vs Kennedy

Mark Steyn, one of my new favorates had this to say on the Cheney shooting.

Fortunately, the Washington Post had that wise old bird David Ignatius to put it in the proper historical context: "This incident," he mused, "reminds me a bit of Sen. Edward Kennedy's delay in informing Massachusetts authorities about his role in the fatal automobile accident at Chappaquiddick in 1969."

Hmm. Let's see. On the one hand, the guy leaves the gal at the bottom of the river struggling for breath pressed up against the window in some small air pocket while he pulls himself out of the briny, staggers home, sleeps it off and saunters in to inform the cops the following day that, oh yeah, there was some broad down there. And, on the other hand, the guy calls 911, has the other fellow taken to the hospital, lets the sheriff know promptly but neglects to fax David Gregory's make-up girl!

One can only hope others agree with Ignatius' insightful analogy, and that the reprehensible Cheney will be hounded from public life the way Kennedy was all those years ago. One would hate to think folks would just let it slide and three decades from now this Cheney guy will be sitting on some committee picking Supreme Court justices and whatnot.

Would you rather go hunting with Cheney or driving with Kennedy?

Posted by Sid at 10:54 AM | Comments (0) | Politics

February 17, 2006

Paul Hackett swiftboated by fellow Democrats

A whisper campaign behind the scenes accusing him of war crimes?

In late November, Hackett got a call from Sen. Harry Reid. “I hear there’s a photo of you mistreating bodies in Iraq. Is it true?” demanded the Senate minority leader. “No sir,” replied Hackett. To drive home his point, Hackett traveled to Washington to show Reid’s staff the photo in question. Hackett declined to send me the photo, but he insists that it shows another Marine—not Hackett—unloading a sealed body bag from a truck. “There was nothing disrespectful or unprofessional,” he insists. “That was a photo of a Marine doing his job. If you don’t like what they’re doing, don’t send Marines into war.”

Paul should have understood that the current Democratic party base considers any war activities taken to protect America a war crime. The "fighting Dem" was always just a marketing theme designed to trick the unsuspecting voter into thinking Democrats took world treats to national security seriously. Given a choice between a fiery war vet and a well healed pacifist insider the choice was a no-brainer for Democratic leadership. The only question left would be how to take out the expendable vet.

Posted by Sid at 12:59 AM | Comments (0) | Politics

February 14, 2006

Paul Hackett thrown under the Democratic bus

Some talk about the undeserved loyalty that Republicans demonstrate to each other but at least we don't throw our candidates under the bus the instant it looks politically expedient. Paul Hackett was the darling of the nutroots and Democratic Party when he almost unseated a weak Republican in a largely Republican district of Ohio. The praise and cash was pouring in with encouragement to try again. That is until he actually tried again but for the senate. Nothing more irritating to the left then an war veteran that doesn't know his place. KoS and MyDD devoted countless diaries in praise of this guy and now he's just an obstacle.

What I find odd is to see the nutroots falling behind an establishment candidate as opposed to their little darling because of money and traditional party ties. Maybe they are now part of the establishment they so despised only a few months ago.

Posted by Sid at 12:47 AM | Comments (0) | Politics

February 13, 2006

Thin skinned editorial cartoonist

It seems editorial cartoonist can be a pretty thin skinned breed when they are the target of satirical humor.

Coulter reportedly said Friday at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, D.C.: "Iran is soliciting cartoons on the Holocaust. So far, only Ted Rall, Garry Trudeau, and The New York Times have made submissions."

In typical liberal fashion they can't make up their own mind or use their own money to deal with their outrage so they solicit advice from an online poll with requests for money.

Rall could not immediately be reached Monday by E&P, but he had plenty to say on his blog. The cartoonist announced he would take legal action against Coulter if readers of his blog wanted him to -- and if they pledged the $6,000 needed to draft and file a lawsuit in New York.

"If enough 'yes' votes come in with enough serious pledges, I'll see Ann in court," wrote Rall. "If not, well, chalk up another victory for the Right."

I would love to see this happen and watch Ann's attorney ask him in court why he decided to bring this suit. I am sure the judge will be amused by hearing it was based on an online poll. But then we expect this kind of trivial use of our courts by the left. Win loose or draw they use the courts as a tool for harassment against their opposition.

"I doubt her claims of 'humor' or sarcasm will fly with a jury," he wrote, "since she's not funny and her audiences take her literally and she knows it."

Sorry Ted this comment by Ann was hilarious and every single one of Ann's fans knew what she meant. Obviously you can dish it out but can't take it.

Posted by Sid at 12:59 AM | Comments (1) | Politics

February 01, 2006

Uncivil war inside the democratic party

Anyone who is paying attention knows that the political clout of the left wing fever swamp is on the rise. Their proudest achievement to date is the installation of Howard Dean as head of the party. The problem is that this places them at odds with the adult members of the party. These problems were exacerbated when the left wing fever swamp led by John Kerry and Ted Kennedy embarrassed the party by forcing them to act like petulant 5 year olds over the Alito nomination. How many times can you scream that the most junior associate justice on the Supreme Court will rain down the worst excesses of Nazi Germany on our nation before people start laughing at you?

When Howard Dean won the chairmanship everyone thought he'd be able to raise truck loads of money from his online supporters and the MoveOn.org crowd, but instead he's facing a rebellion from Democrats in Congress who are worried about his mismanagement."

Dean seems unlikely to take the rebellion lying down, though. Reports have surfaced that the former Vermont governor has prepared a Nixonian response by digging up dirt on Harry Reid, the Democrat's leader in the Senate. One DNC source is quoted in media reports as ominously saying that Dean's secret evidence on dealings by the Senator from Nevada makes "Jack Abramoff's lobbying work look like that of a rank amateur."

I for one have my pop corn in hand and my feet propped up in my favorite chair for the upcoming drama. Seeing the possibility that Democrats will start destroying each other over a lack of partisan purity is bound to be entertaining.

Posted by Sid at 12:59 AM | Comments (1) | Politics

January 27, 2006

When prision populations practice democracy

We are now seeing what can happen when a population of murderers, thugs, gangs, their apologists and their sympathizers who constitute a majority of the population practice "democracy". They vote the vilest segments of their populations into power in hopes of literally killing their opposition to appease their vengeful hatred.

These killers and thugs have no interest in the welfare of their domestic constituency beyond recruiting them as tools to destroy their enemies while looting the treasury provided by the hopeful for their own ends. We have to look no further then the previous Palestinian government to see this is true.

Now the Palestinian masses have decided they need even more death. They have decided the PA was not nearly bloodthirsty enough and the government needed a new influx of fresh hatred to pursue public goals.

One has to wonder if there isn't a lesson here for Democrats in their recent push to force states to grant voting rights to convicted felons here in the United States. Can convicted murderers, thugs, gangs, their apologists and their sympathizers be trusted with the welfare of the American general public should they become a majority? Democracy only works when people of goodwill come together.

Posted by Sid at 12:59 AM | Comments (0) | Politics

January 19, 2006

Birds of a feather coverup sex scandals together

I remember when the Cisneros scandal broke but never realized until recently how the IRS could be used to keep it under control.

A special prosecutor's long-delayed report charges that a coverup at senior levels of the Clinton administration killed a tax fraud case against ex-cabinet member Henry Cisneros, the Daily News has learned.
David Barrett's 11-year, $23 million probe, which will be released tomorrow, states in stinging terms that this Clinton coverup succeeded.

The democrats have successfully had much of the report redacted to keep it from the public. I hope enough is left to get to the truth.

Posted by Sid at 12:31 AM | Comments (0) | Politics

January 14, 2006

What was a Vietnam Purple Heart worth anyway?

This would be funny if it didn't serve to call into question every Purple Heart issued during the Vietnam War. Many died and were seriously injured in this politically run democrat war that scarred the nation.

Having ascended to the national stage as one of the most vocal critics of President Bush's handling of the war in Iraq, Pennsylvania Democratic Congressman John Murtha has long downplayed the controversy and the bitterness surrounding the two Purple Hearts he was awarded for military service in Vietnam.

Murtha is a retired marine and was the first Vietnam combat veteran elected to Congress. Since 1967, there have been at least three different accounts of the injuries that purportedly earned Murtha his Purple Hearts. Those accounts also appear to conflict with the limited military records that are available, and Murtha has thus far refused to release his own military records.

In all the accounts he suffered nothing more then minor lacerations, bumps or bruises depending on which of his accounts is to be believed. None of which required medical attention of any note.

There is no doubt that both Kerry and Murtha deserve credit for serving but why did they feel the need to abuse the system of honors to inflate their service records?

Posted by Sid at 12:29 AM | Comments (0) | Politics

January 13, 2006

An Appeal from Center-Right Bloggers

This is something long overdue. I am a staunch Republican but even I get tired of the stench of taint that some Republicans are willing to embrace for money and favors.

We are bloggers with boatloads of opinions, and none of us come close to agreeing with any other one of us all of the time. But we do agree on this: The new leadership in the House of Representatives needs to be thoroughly and transparently free of the taint of the Jack Abramoff scandals, and beyond that, of undue influence of K Street.

We are not naive about lobbying, and we know it can and has in fact advanced crucial issues and has often served to inform rather than simply influence Members.

But we are certain that the public is disgusted with excess and with privilege. We hope the Hastert-Dreier effort leads to sweeping reforms including the end of subsidized travel and other obvious influence operations. Just as importantly, we call for major changes to increase openness, transparency and accountability in Congressional operations and in the appropriations process.

As for the Republican leadership elections, we hope to see more candidates who will support these goals, and we therefore welcome the entry of Congressman John Shadegg to the race for Majority Leader. We hope every Congressman who is committed to ethical and transparent conduct supports a reform agenda and a reform candidate. And we hope all would-be members of the leadership make themselves available to new media to answer questions now and on a regular basis in the future.

[The Truth Laid Bear]

Posted by Sid at 02:07 PM | Comments (0) | Politics

January 08, 2006

Now that Democrats have gotten rid of Delay will they go after Nancy next

Since the democratic leadership has managed to contribute to the downfall of Tom Delay will they now turn their guns on Nancy Pelosi and make it bookends? With the previous downfall of Trent Lot and Tom Daschle one wonders if party leadership is a suicidal career move. In an odd twist of fate some rank and file democrats seem to be chafing under Pelosi because she is not enough like Tom Delay.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi had just finished a typically discursive floor speech shortly before the year-end adjournment when a very liberal member approached her second-in-command, Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, and whispered in his ear: "Steny, is it not time for a coup?"

Many Democrats inside and outside of Congress see the wrong person elevated as their House leader by accident of geography. It is hard to deny that Hoyer surpasses Pelosi in backroom strategy sessions, in floor debate or in television interviews. The man from southern Maryland seems a better voice for a party trying to expand its base than the woman from San Francisco.

Its got to hurt knowing your leadership is whacked.

Posted by Sid at 05:27 PM | Comments (0) | Politics

January 06, 2006

A bribe is OK if it comes from the other party

The Abramoff money scandal is generating quite a lot of angst and idiocy on the hill. I hope every one of these dirty politicians (most of which are probably republicans) get their due but you have to give honorable mention to Harry Reid.

Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the Democratic leader, is keeping the $30,500 donated to him and his political action committees by tribes represented by Mr. Abramoff. "He feels that Abramoff was a Republican operative and this is a Republican scandal," said Mr. Reid's spokesman, Jim Manley. "He's done nothing improper."

If you are a democrat and you get money through a republican in this manner it is OK, if you are republican and get money through a republican in this manner it is corrupt. It takes real chutzpah to torture logic in this manner.

Posted by Sid at 12:32 AM | Comments (0) | Politics

January 03, 2006

Will democrats run on a platform of impeach Bush in 2006

The 2006 election season has arrived along with no policy ideas at democratic headquarters. Will democrats seriously push impeachment as a election theme in their bid to make headway in the House and Senate?

Could President George W. Bush be impeached _ tried by Congress and possibly removed from office _ for letting an intelligence agency spy in the United States without getting court approval?

That hasn't stopped a handful of Democrats from raising the matter. Sen. Barbara Boxer of California released a letter asking four presidential scholars for their opinion on whether Bush had committed an impeachable offense. Rep. John Conyers of Michigan, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, introduced legislation calling on Congress to determine whether there are grounds for impeachment. Some Americans have written to their local newspapers, demanding impeachment.

The biggest supporters of impeachment seem to be democratic leadership, Hollywood elites and the left wing blogosphere. The vitriol coming from these quarters has a paranoid hysteria bordering on pathological. Michelle Malkin commonly refers to this as BDS or Bush Derangement Syndrome. It's the kind of obsessive hatred that would drive them to have Bush arrested for jay walking if he risked his own life by rushing out into heavy traffic to save their kid who ran out trying to catch a ball they threw into the street by accident.

I hope Americans can recognize the difference between disputes over legal interpretations in an effort to save American lives and the self interest of lying in court (Clinton) or spying on political enemies (Nixon). I hope American don't vote for democrats out of Bush fatigue just to get the dame democrats to shut up already. If they cannot make that responsible analysis get ready for more Americans to die because those democrats are going to get us killed in their demand for power.

Posted by Sid at 12:33 AM | Comments (0) | Politics

December 31, 2005

Talk of victory in Iraq is troubling

Madeleine Albright is troubled by too much talk of victory.

In an interview posted on the Democratic National Committee's web site, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright says she doesn't like the way President Bush "repeatedly" talks about achieving victory in the Iraq war.

"I was very troubled recently, particularly by [Bush's] first speech to the Naval Academy," the former top Clinton diplomat complains in a DNC audio webcast.

"They clearly had some kind of a new pollster in the White House tell them that the word 'victory' had to be repeated endlessly," Albright griped. "Plus, [there was] the backdrop that said 'victory' and then there was 'victory' on the podium. I don't know how many times he used the word 'victory.'"

This is classic democrat pessimism. Anything that could make America or its values, policies or goals look good makes them uncomfortable. They almost seem to think any just outcome requires a certain level of American failure.

Or is it just political sour grapes? Could it be democrats are fully invested in American failure as the only way to return to power? Have they determined that they are incapable of coming up with new and better ideas for the worlds ills and must actively campaign for American failure in order to succeed as a party?

Are they now like the second place runner on a footrace hoping that the leader trips and falls to achieve their win? Victory would be a bitter reward indeed for such a mindset. Knowing in their heart that even though they might win the race they could never be a true winner. Maybe this is why Madeleine is troubled by victory.

Posted by Sid at 02:02 PM | Comments (0) | Politics

December 28, 2005

Bush is spying on terrorists, and your call to order pizza could be next

It turns out that Bush, our clueless commander and chief has all along been authorizing wiretaps on people with links to terrorists’ organizations under a top secret program at the NSA. This is beginning to sound like the Reagan years when critics could never settle on whether Reagan was clueless or brilliant. If these critics could ever get on the same page and quit trying to sell us these opposing assessments we might be able to take them seriously one day.

The press is trying to sell the notion that wiretaps on people here in the US who are making or receiving calls from terrorist organizations and operatives are nothing more then "domestic wiretaps" much like the call your teenager makes when ordering pizza. One could possibly argue the merits of these wiretaps if not for the obvious attempt by the press to characterize this eavesdropping as though it was on mundane domestic phone calls when it so obviously is not. There have not even been any claims of abuse to back up the implied possibility of abuse. The press even goes so far as fishing for fear by raising visions of their favorite boogieman Nixon (why they don’t bring up JFK authorizing wiretaps of MLK we can only guess).

Before 9/11 I would have been a skeptic of allowing our government such powers but this is not a broad license to listen in on administration critics and any abuse of my trust would meet swift condemnation. The possibility of abuse being kept secret when our nations most classified activities can now be read daily in the New York Times seems at best laughable. Who needs legislative and judicial oversight when the bureaucracies leak like sieves.

We can no longer allow terror threats that could cost the lives of millions to be held up by bureaucratic malaise and bickering, action must be swift and sure to eliminate these threats before they reach fruition. So too should punishment for the abuse of this trust be as swift and sure. It is a shame that the secret FISA courts and congressional leaders have seen fit to obstruct administration efforts to pursue terrorist threats to Americans. Their willful support of proper aggressive spying would be a lot more useful then their self-serving partisan fears. The time for partisan gamesmanship is up, our very lives are now in the balance.

It's hard to imagine that the democrats and other administration critics are seriously going to pursue a course trying to vilify President Bush for being overzealous in protecting American lives. Trying to criminalize protecting Americans seems self-destructive, short sighted and politically motivated which cannot cast the democrats in any kind of a good light.

Posted by Sid at 12:05 AM | Comments (0) | Politics

December 24, 2005

Homeless kicked from shelter because Democrat hates Republicans

The skin deep compassion of at least one democrat was unable to overcome his hatred for Republicans. So in a supreme display of hatred over compassion he has insured 30 homeless are turned out on the streets during Christmas.

A liberal lawyer in Los Angeles is threatening to throw nearly three dozen homeless center residents back on the streets because of something he finds indefensible: The center's founder is a Republican and voted for President Bush.

Roughly 30 men, women and children may be forced to leave Dome Village – a 20-year non-profit center for support and housing of the homeless – and will have to try to survive on the streets because of a punitive rent hike imposed by the landlord right before Christmas.

This is not really new behavior from the left. Their politics has always been more important then their constituency as evidenced by their treatment of minority conservatives and women harassed and abused by their icons.

Posted by Sid at 10:30 AM | Comments (1) | Politics

December 19, 2005

Better to reign in hell than serve in heaven.

Today’s version seems to be "better to live under oppression then fight for freedom." We see the American left excuse oppressive dictatorships as long as they keep their atrocities out of our news cycle. We see them brush off the death of Jews in Israel as though it makes no difference because they either deserved it or they need to find a way to commit suicide in an effort to resolve the situation. They tell us something needs to be done that involve more effective wishing away of the worlds ills. When we act they begin wishing for our failure.

We see foreign democracies, particularly in South America, embracing insane despotic leaders whose most noticeable characteristic is a virulent hatred for America and the freedoms it stands for. A hatred of America that is nurtured by our own domestic news organization and amplified by foreign news outlets painting a caricature that has no resemblance to the American truth.

Maybe America is too powerful, rich and free. Maybe this gift makes us an object of resentment so profound it makes those who are unable or unwilling to achieve similar heights nurture resentment into blossoming hate or guilt into pervasive self-loathing. Maybe this is why some would rather reign in hell rather then serve in heaven.

Posted by Sid at 12:51 AM | Comments (1) | Politics

December 17, 2005

Democrats Unify Around A Lack of Unity

Watching Democrats come up with a position on Iraq on Iraq has been like watching a blind man swat at a fly buzzing around his head while another blind man tries to tell him where the fly is located. A great deal of effort is exerted but no progress is made. In a stroke of brilliance and leadership that can only come from a party with no core principles they have decided to surrender to indecision.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said yesterday that Democrats should not seek a unified position on an exit strategy in Iraq, calling the war a matter of individual conscience and saying differing positions within the caucus are a source of strength for the party.

Pelosi said Democrats will produce an issue agenda for the 2006 elections but it will not include a position on Iraq. There is consensus within the party that President Bush has mismanaged the war and that a new course is needed, but House Democrats should be free to take individual positions, she sad.

They have now decided they don't know what should be done but are absolutely certain that what Bush is doing is not what should be done.

Posted by Sid at 12:48 AM | Comments (0) | Politics

December 12, 2005

Shared Chinese and American Government Greed

Posted by Sid at 12:31 PM | Comments (0) | Politics

December 08, 2005

Horror: Disabled and Elderly Held to Their Commitments

I can understand helping the elderly, poor and needy but that does not extend to allowing them to intentionally acquire debt and later claim exemption from payment all in an effort to turn a loan into a welfare grant by playing on our sympathies. That’s a cynical predatory practice that should be slapped down in the strongest of manners.

America's seniors and disabled cannot escape debts from old student loans, the Supreme Court ruled Wednesday, freeing the government to pursue Social Security benefits as part of an effort to collect billions in delinquent loans.

"It means that you can take the Social Security benefits of someone who is 90 years old and living on a small amount of money," said Brian Wolfman, director of the Public Citizen Litigation Group and the lawyer for Lockhart. "The losers are clearly older Social Security beneficiaries."

No Mr. Wolfman, the only possible loser would be tax payers who would have to foot the bill when people on Social Security try to defraud loan agencies by lying when they promise to repay loans. Having to pay a loan back for education received is not loosing, it's living responsibly.

Posted by Sid at 12:52 AM | Comments (0) | Politics

December 05, 2005

Hillary Heckled by Own Base

Make no mistake, Hillary Clinton will be running for president. The real question is, will her base let her have it both ways. Based on this apperance she may not.

2008 presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton was heckled by a crowd of high school and college-age students in her hometown of Chicago yesterday, with ABC News reporting that security guards eventually "dragged some of the protesters out of the auditorium."

The former first lady was onstage only a few seconds when the crowd erupted with shouts of: "Troops out now! Troops out now!"

As anti-war leaflets poured from one balcony, umbrellas were unfurled from another displaying the message, "Out of Iraq."

Notice no mention that these are left wing democrats. As reported a reader might think republicans were heckling her. But also interesting was her comment.

"I disagree with those who believe we should immediately pull out," she told the crowd. "And I disagree with those who say we should stay there forever."

Only democrats are suggesting immediate pullout, no one is suggesting we stay forever. I can only assume she only disagrees with democrats, and maybe some imaginary opponents.

Posted by Sid at 12:35 AM | Comments (0) | Politics

December 03, 2005

Iraq Can Hold an Election but New Orleans Can't

Imagine if a republican and a few of his political buddies sent out a press release claiming they needed to remain in office and postpone elections. Democrats would go ballistic.

New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, the entire City Council and a host of other local elected officials likely will remain in office beyond the four-year terms scheduled to end May 1, after Gov. Kathleen Blanco agreed Friday to postpone the city's Feb. 4 municipal elections.

Fulfilling a pledge she made weeks ago, Blanco accepted a recommendation to delay the elections handed down earlier in the day by Secretary of State Al Ater, the first time a mayoral election has been deferred in the city's modern history. Ater did not recommend a make-up date but said logistical challenges presented by Hurricane Katrina could push back the balloting to Sept. 30.

Louisiana democrats have a problem. Their constituency was driven from the city by democratic incompetence and they are now forced to buy time in hopes their most ignorant voters will move back or work out a way to allow people who may never return to vote in the next election. That or they are just making sure enough cemeteries are left to win the election.

Posted by Sid at 10:15 AM | Comments (2) | Politics

November 27, 2005

Hiding Behind Vets

In its efforts to plumb the depths of cynical bait and switch the Democrats are now trying to sign up disabled and disillusioned vets coming home from the war in Iraq. The new Democratic strategy is an effort to look strong on the war while doing everything in their power to sellout to the terrorists. Even more, these returning vets do not necessarily buy the whole cut and run strategy but usually just complain about how the war is being conducted. This will not likely prevent to Democrats from pretending these vets oppose the war when they use them as human shields to attack the Bush administration policies.

This is not new for them though. They have been doing this to blacks and "the children" for decades, advocating the most destructive short term feel good solutions to issues for political gain. For blacks they push welfare that destroys families, affirmative action which undermines respect and set asides that turn into little more then bribes. For children they try to dump more and more money into a flawed public school system that laps it up with no appreciable improvement. And now for vets they will open their arms and sit by while "tolerable" numbers of Americans are killed yearly.

Next thing you know they will be pushing gun ownership and Life.

Posted by Sid at 11:44 AM | Comments (0) | Politics

November 19, 2005

It Depends on What You Mean by Immediate

The Republican resolution to immediately withdraw US troops from Iraq went down in an almost unanimous vote of 403-3. For weeks now we have had to endure Democrats harping on withdrawal or praising those that advocate such a position. They tell us they made a mistake supporting the war. You would think after all the charges and whining they would jump at a chance to pull troops out immediately. You would be wrong.

The most ridiculous assertion is that pulling the troops out immediately would (and I kid you not) be unsafe for the troops. Another favorite assertion is that forcing the Democrats to vote against the withdrawal is an attempt to smear them.

As the debate developed it was amazing to see Democrats try to make a distinction between pulling out immediately and begin to pull out immediately. While the Murtha resolution used the phrase "At the earliest predictable date" Murtha characterized the resolution as immediate in later statements.

Iraqis "must be put on notice the United States will immediately redeploy," he said. "All of Iraq must know that Iraq is free, free from the United States occupation."(emphasis mine)

How more clear can one be that immediate means ... well ... immediately.

As the day progressed they first tried to block a vote. An effort which failed.

In the end even the Democrats had to do what they either knew was appropriate or knew was the best choice for their political survival. The bickering and calls for retreat have never been more than pandering to their cut and run liberal base and attempts to bleed the administration for political gain.

Posted by Sid at 01:29 AM | Comments (1) | Politics

November 16, 2005

Growing Republican Cowardice

I am getting tired of Republican cowardice. Getting this group to tow the line these days is like herding ducks in a hurricane. The most recent example is the passing of the resolution yesterday hinting at the need for a timetable for withdrawal in Iraq rather then success in Iraq. Was this just a token fig leaf for political cover in the upcoming 2006 elections or was it a crack in the American will to see this through? Regardless it is bound to give comfort to the terrorists and put fear in the heart of those we promised we would help. Imagine the dilemma of a poor Iraqi now trying to decide whom to support in an effort to protect his family.

But it's not just that. We have the on again off again proposal to drill for oil in ANWR. Our failure to reduce dependence on foreign oil imports by utilizing domestic supplies is ridiculous. Instead we wait on pie in the sky new technologies while sending our money to terrorist hotbeds.

We have the torture bill that uses such broad language it would completely tie the hands of those trying to extract information to save American lives. How effective could we be by making sure the terrorists know we would never harm them in any way.

Don't even get me started on spending. This is so out of control now as to be obscene. When pork projects in Alaska get dubbed "a bridge to no where" you know it has gotten ridiculous.

Maybe it really is time to see Senate Republicans thrown out of office. Maybe it has to get bad again before it can get better. They are pandering to a constituency on the left that will never support or respect them and ignoring a constituency that is getting more discouraged every day by those they put in office.

Posted by Sid at 12:16 AM | Comments (0) | Politics

November 15, 2005

Boo Hoo, Convicted Felons Still Denied Vote

A core constituency of the Democratic party had their case seeking the right to vote (which the gave up in harming other Americans) rejected by the Supreme Court which allows the lower court ruling denying them the vote to stand.

"The court not only missed an opportunity to right a great historic injustice, it has shut the courthouse door in the face of hundreds of thousands of disenfranchised citizens," Catherine Weiss, the Brennan Center for Justice lawyer for the Florida ex-felons, said Monday.

Boo hoo.

I always find it odd when some would want to provide voting rights to those that prey on society. But then I didn't think we got what we deserved on 9/11 either. Silly me.

Posted by Sid at 12:27 AM | Comments (11) | Politics

November 11, 2005

ANWR and the Spineless Republicans

Posted by Sid at 12:01 AM | Comments (1) | Politics

November 10, 2005

Trust Me Senator, The Breasts are Different

I have always been confused by the demand by some women to be allowed to bare their breasts in public as though it was no different than a man doing so. If these same women were ordered or paid to remove their shirts in public it would be a major media circus about sexual harassment, rape and the demeaning of women as sex objects.

Angered that Glaser and Love could be listed on the sex offender registry if convicted of lewd acts, state Sen. Gloria Romero (D-Los Angeles) joined the protesters before their arrests to announce that she would introduce legislation to decriminalize the baring of breasts in public. "While it is legal for men to go shirtless in public in California," she said, "women risk being classified as sex offenders for baring the same body parts."

I for one can see the difference between public exposure of male and female breasts. One causes traffic accidents and crowds, the other does not. Maybe one day in the far, far future after lust has been outlawed the porn industry will be defunct because no one will consider naked female breasts to be of interest. Not.

Posted by Sid at 12:09 AM | Comments (1) | Politics

November 02, 2005

Hillary Denounces Others for Copying Her and Bill

Politics is probably the most blatantly hypocritical vocation on the planet. How Hillary can denounce lying to a grand jury after her and Bills participation in just such offenses or be outraged by an administration that takes out retribution on others for partisan reasons is one for the ages.

Taking such action for political purposes is simply reprehensible and should never be tolerated," Clinton complains in a statement posted to her web site.

The former first lady, who had her own truth-telling problems in the Travelgate scandal, said Libby's attempts to "interfere with the investigation" by deceiving investigators "raises serious national security concerns."

Next thing you know Bill will be chastising people for their infidelity to their wives.

Posted by Sid at 12:48 AM | Comments (0) | Politics

November 01, 2005

The Senate as a Sideshow

Through most of my life I always considered the U.S. Senate to be a more thoughtful and measured institution. A place of reasoned debate where a certain genteel respect was afforded members one to another for the most part. That was supposedly what the gang of 14 was trying to preserve or so we were told. Those days are long gone.

Now every Senate rule is subject to exploitation for partisan showboating. More recently it was the filibuster which was being used to block votes on judicial nominees and is rearing its ugly head again over Sam Alitos nomination. Now house democrats are forcing closed session debates on the war solely to irritate republicans and generate headlines. Much like the child that drops to the floor in a supermarket and wails until mommy gives him the candy he wants.

It will be sad watching the Democratic Party spend the next few years pulling rules stunts to obstruct senate business to the cheers of their left wing whacked constituency. All the time thinking this makes them look credible. They have obviously forgotten the lessens of Newt Gingrich.

Posted by Sid at 04:54 PM | Comments (0) | Politics

October 29, 2005

Please Tell me the Plame Outting is Bigger then this

Scooter Libby gets indicted for making false (or possibly confused) statements to a grand jury about what he knew and when for something that was evidently not a crime as no one has yet to be charged in the initial investigation. Even worse no sex or blue dresses were involved to make it even marginally interesting.

One day people will just refuse to participate in grand jury investigations on the grounds that saying anything is the only way a prosecutor can get a conviction for anything.

If Scooter did lie he deserves what he will get just like Bill Clinton should have. On a side note, notice that the Bush Administration and most of Bushes supporters are not trying to make Fitzgerald out to be Satan himself like Clinton and democrats did to Ken Star. Also note that most republicans still consider perjury before a grand jury a crime while democrats have only now come to that belief after years of giving Clinton a pass.

Everyone must understand that if you don't want to get in trouble, just take the 5th but don't you dare try to use a grand jury for cover. If you do that and get caught there will be hell to pay and justly so.

Posted by Sid at 12:59 AM | Comments (0) | Politics

October 24, 2005

Dean Tired of the Ayatollahs of the Right Wing

I have gotten used to the disdain the Democratic Party shows for religion. I get it. You don't want someone else telling you what is and is not proper in today’s society. But when you make statements like this in the same interview where you demand a code of ethics for politicians I get lost

"The first thing we're going to do is we're going to have ethics come back to Washington again," said Dean, the keynote speaker at Saturday night's annual fundraising dinner for the Maine Democratic Party at the Lewiston Armory.

"We have to stand up and say who we are and why we believe what we believe," he said.

"I'm tired of the ayatollahs of the right wing," Dean said. "We're fighting for freedom in Iraq. We're going to fight for freedom in America."

Deans calls for the return of ethics and rejection of religion with standards of decency, drive away believers who stand up for their beliefs while calling for people to stand up for what they believe in. I get it alright. Dean is cracked.

Posted by Sid at 12:59 AM | Comments (0) | Politics

October 23, 2005

Exterminate White People

Recently there was a huge outrage over Bill Bennett's comments about a theoretical premise in Freakonomics where it was speculated that aborting blacks would reduce crime. The argument was immediately rejected by Bill in the same discussion as an example of preposterous thinking. Bill spent weeks afterwards trying to set the record straight as liberal critics used the discussion to paint him as wanting to kill black babies.

Now the shoe is on the other foot but not as a theoretical discussion but as a desire.

A visiting professor at North Carolina State University says the solution to the problems faced by many blacks is the extermination of "white people off the face of the planet."

I am waiting for the outrage on the left. . . . . still here and waiting . . . . . . any time now . . . . . . . . . yawn . . . . ?

Posted by Sid at 12:23 AM | Comments (0) | Politics

October 20, 2005

Delay Booking Photo

Gotta give Delay credit for making sure it looks like a family photo shot.

The left is mad that he doesn't look beaten and depressed.

Posted by Sid at 05:45 PM | Comments (0) | Politics

Hannitization of Houston

Last night I went to the Hannitization of Houston tour and had a blast. On tap for this show was Sean Hannity, Oliver North, Tony Snow, Pat Gray and Chris Baker. Initially I did not know what to expect because generally I consider Sean, Oliver and Tony to be somewhat serious individuals, particularly Oliver North. What I didn’t realize is that when it comes to comedy every one of these guys can hold their own, not so much because of their comedic skill but rather the subject matter. When discussing the liberal opposition they provide so many examples of absurdity it is practically impossible to discuss them with a straight face.

The styles of all three were very different as well but they had a synergy that made the show really work. Sean provided spirit, Oliver provided heart and Tony provided insight. While Oliver North had much humor in his words, his love and respect for what our military is doing is plainly obvious. I would consider him the most eloquent of the night. Tony Snow took a different approach and asked himself and the audience a few questions then worked through them out loud so as to show conclusions and how they were reached. Hannity was a bundle of energy bouncing all over the place pointing out the comedy surrounded by absurdity of the left.

Pat Gray MC’ed the event and Chris Backer did a comedy bit for warm up. Both these guys can be really funny to listen to. All in all the entire time was fun, funny and inspiring. It was such a joy to be surrounded by so many like minded fellow conservatives all having a good time. You had to feel for Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton and Alan Colmes though, they suffered the brunt of many a barb and I think Tony does a better Bill Clinton imitation then Sean does. One thing that stands out about all these guys is the modesty and self-deprecating humor. None of these guys takes themselves seriously.

Oliver North was doing a book signing before and after the event. Sean Hannity and Tony Snow stayed a bit after and signed as many autographs as possible before having to catch flights out. How these guys manage their schedules is amazing in my opinion. I will be reviewing both Sean (Let Freedom Ring) and Oliver’s (The Assassins) book eventually (yes I got both of mine signed by the authors) but bare in mind that profits from books sold by Oliver North go to a charity to put the children of servicemen through college. A cause Sean helps with as well.

I did get to talk a few moments with Tony. He is now cancer free after surgery and chemo which was good to hear though I have to say the ordeal has caused weight loss and aged him some.

All in all I thoroughly enjoyed myself. If you ever have an opportunity to hear these guys I would definitely suggest attending.

Posted by Sid at 12:17 AM | Comments (0) | Politics

October 19, 2005

Tom Delay to get mugshot, fingerprint and bail

If this turns out to be the political witch-hunt I suspect it is, Ronnie Earl has much to answer for. As political persecution this is getting way out of hand. What is amazing is the glee emanating from those champions of the innocent till proven guilty from the left.

An arrest warrant was issued on Wednesday and bail set at $10,000 for former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay ahead of his scheduled court appearance this week in Austin, Texas for money laundering and conspiracy charges, a Texas court clerk said.

At least they are showing proper concern that Saddam Hussein is treated properly in court so not all is lost.

Posted by Sid at 05:40 PM | Comments (0) | Politics

Condi Rice as Vice President?

Rumor mill is going wild over Plame outing affair.

Sparked by today's Washington Post story that suggests Vice President Cheney's office is involved in the Plame-CIA spy link investigation, government officials and advisers passed around rumors that the vice president might step aside and that President Bush would elevate Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

While I like Cheney and personally believe the Plame deal is nonsense if worse come to worse I gotta say this would be kinda cool.

Posted by Sid at 12:59 AM | Comments (0) | Politics

October 18, 2005

Does the American Left Even Believe in Democracy?

I have begun to wonder if the left even believes in democracy anymore. Never has this been more evident then in their reaction to our ongoing efforts in Iraq. No success goes without being mocked or denigrated. When the governing body was selected to draft the Iraqi constitution, the elections were ridiculed because a large portion of a minority representing 20% of the population stayed away from the polls even though the vast majority of the Iraqi people participated on threat of death. Now we have another election in which literally every segment of Iraqi society voted (including those that boycotted last time) and the election is denigrated because this same small minority did not get its way. This is like complaining that an election in America was invalid because the results lacked the majority approval of the Libertarian party.

Later I hear a guy on the radio asking Rush if he would be willing to live under the Iraqi constitution. Rush handled the call poorly but the answer is simple. I can honestly say yes if the alternative was Sadam or any of the other repressive Arab options available. It is not the search for a democratic path or elections causing the current strife, it’s murderers with no plan but death. I suppose he thinks choosing chaos and civil war is preferable. Iraqi democracy may not be perfect but its better then the past or other regional options. Expecting perfection before acting is a conscious decision to do nothing. He later went on to call democracy mob rule and further to rant about mob rule in America. The callers contempt for democratically elected government whether in Iraq or here in the US was obvious.

As a rule I do not always like the results of elections but I firmly believe in the process and am more then willing to accept the results until I get a new opportunity to change them. You will never hear me denigrate free elections which are obviously going on in Iraq and here in America. I can understand the left not supporting the mission there. What I cannot understand is their disdain for Iraqi efforts at establishing a democratically elected government. Do they really hate democracy so much?

Carnival of the Trackbacks XXXIV

Posted by Sid at 12:41 AM | Comments (3) | Politics

October 13, 2005

Dan Patrick for Texas Senate

One of my favorite Radio personalities is running for Texas state senate in the upcoming primaries. I have listened to him on the radio for about 8 years now and can safely say he will never be in the pocket of special interests. Having him in Austin would be a lot like turning on the light in a dark room and watching the cockroaches scatter. He would love nothing better then to broadcast live an attempt by a lobbyist to influence his vote.

I don't really give his candidacy much hope in winning though. The good old boy politico network really, really, really hates his guts and that includes many Republicans. The only ones that hate him more are Democrats and special interest money.

I wish him luck and am actually considering volunteering for his campaign. For more info on Dan Patrick’s campaign go here.

I wonder where he got that picture; makes him look like he's wearing a rug and false teeth.

Posted by Sid at 12:36 AM | Comments (3) | Politics

Routine Torture

I am constantly amazed at Al Gores ability to show passion bordering on dementia since he lost the presidential election. I can only surmise that something in him snapped when he lost.

"We would not be trying to control and intimidate the news media. We would not be routinely torturing people," Gore said. "We would be a different country."

If what we see these days is government control of the media I hate to think what media chaos would look like. He is correct that his administration would not have ever been accused of torture though. He would have used the catch and release program for child killers popular among Democrats.

With foreign relations efforts like these from the Democratic leadership who needs terrorists.

Posted by Sid at 12:08 AM | Comments (5) | Politics

October 12, 2005

Jesse Jackson has New Orleans Bus Problems Too

Jesse Jackson has been running around criticizing the Bush administrations failure to get New Orleanians back home and decided to take matters into his own hands.

Reverend Jesse Jackson and the Rainbow Coalition brought about 200 people to town Tuesday to find jobs reconstructing New Orleans, but most of those talked to by Eyewitness News were not displaced residents.

Can you say Oops.....

Reuters missed the fraud.

Posted by Sid at 12:44 AM | Comments (0) | Politics

October 11, 2005

Laura Bush Sexist

I have always been fascinated how someone can push for a female nominee to the supreme court and then turn around and accuse critics of being sexist when they disagree on a specific nominee particularly when those critics would have been thrilled with at least three other more qualified female options.

First lady Laura Bush joined her husband in defending his nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday and said it was possible some critics were being sexist in their opposition to Harriet Miers.

I suppose support for Janice Rogers-Brown, Priscilla Owen, and Karen Williams who were far superior choices doesn't count and this makes Michelle Malkin, Laura Ingraham and Ann Coulter sexist. Personally I despise the fact that loyal outspoken conservative judges keep getting passed over for stealth nominees who eventually flip and betray their supporters.

The concerns about this nominee are justified and claming that this was the best possible choice is laughable. Resorting to coy hints of sexism is beneath the First Lady. This administration that goes out of its way to avoid insulting its democratic opponents sure seem to find it easy to use crass knee-jerk tactics against their supporters.

I will give the president the benefit of the doubt on this mediocre nominee but I don't have to put up with this kind of garbage.

Posted by Sid at 11:01 AM | Comments (4) | Politics

Freedom of Speech for "Journalist" Only

A law protecting only "journalist" speech.

"I think, very frankly, you can make a case that this is a special boon for reporters, and certainly for their role in freedom of the press," he said. "At the end of the day what we will come out with says there is something privileged about being a reporter, and being able to report on something without being thrown into jail."

Lugar admits that bloggers are not covered and this would amount to a special "right" for "recognized journalists". Yes I know Lugar is a republican but this is just plain faced fascist state controlled media. He better wise up before he makes a total fool of himself. When the government is in the job of defining who is and is not a journalist we are at the brink.

Posted by Sid at 12:25 AM | Comments (0) | Politics

October 04, 2005

Charge Fishing for Delay

It looks like Ronnie Earl botched his initial indictment and today issued a new indictment to provide cover. In less then a week Earl managed to prove this was all a political witch-hunt.

A Texas grand jury on Monday re-indicted Rep. Tom DeLay on charges of conspiring to launder money and money laundering after the former majority leader attacked last week's indictment on technical grounds.

Defense lawyers asked a judge Monday to throw out the first indictment, arguing that the charge of conspiring to violate campaign finance laws was based on a statute that did not take effect until 2003 — a year after the alleged acts.

What this means in normal speak is that the actions taken at the time were not illegal. A fact which is difficult for the MSM to express when discussing Republicans. So now a new indictment has been obtained for money laundering. This is basically the same charge in different underwear.

Earle's office did not