Major Mike
One Step Forward
The Dixie Chicks pick up a favorable review from Entertainment Weekly, garnering an A for their latest album…sorry showing my age…CD, "Taking the Long Way". David Browne nicely pushes the Chicks in front of the Country Fan bus with...
“Those first songs also demonstrate the Chicks aren't terribly interested in reconciling with red-state country fans. (On ''The Long Way Around,'' Maines cattily sings that her teen friends married their school beaus and now reside ''in the same ZIP codes where their parents live.'' Take that, CMT viewers!) But it's also apparent that the Chicks are thinking outside the Nashville box in more ways than writing defensive lyrics.”
David lavishes praise on the Chicks for breaking out of their previous mold, and crossing a few musical lines with this effort.
Things may be looking up for the DCs.
Two Steps Back
Then the DCs get hit with this…getting slammed for an hour on The View no less, because of this…
“Dixie Chicks lead singer Natalie Maines' "new motto is, 'What would Bruce Springsteen do?' " says Robison. "Not that we're of that caliber, but would Bruce Springsteen do 'The View'?"”
I guess the gals of The View didn’t quite like being labeled as social agenda lightweights by the newest lightweights in the field, and proceeded to dis the Chicks for the next full hour.
"This is obnoxious, obnoxious," said Vieira. "We started these girls — back in 1998, they couldn't get arrested. We were one of the first national shows to give them a platform, because they deserve a platform — they are incredibly talented performers."
“For the next hour, the four hosts of the women's coffee klatch show repeatedly slammed the Dixie Chicks until the show was over — when Vieira made it clear they were joking around and invited the Dixie Chicks to appear anytime.”
Don’t bet on seeing the Chicks on The View anytime soon. Anything short of a Letterman size apology probably won’t get them to within ten blocks of the studio. And, has anyone out there ever met a woman who gets over being dissed to that extent…it doesn’t happen…roses or not.
Good luck with the female demographic.
And finally Reba piles on at the CMA Awards…
“McEntire, hosting the show for an eighth time, also took a shot at the Dixie Chicks. The Chicks, criticized in country circles when Natalie Maines told an audience in 2003, "We're ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas," are striking back at their critics in their new single, "Not Ready to Make Nice."
"I don't know why I was so nervous about hosting this show this year," she said. "If the Dixie Chicks can sing with their foot in their mouths, surely I can host this sucker."”
Ouch, that has to hurt.
What would Bruce Springsteen do?
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Monday, May 22, 2006
Shotgun Friday...Monday Edition
Major Mike
CNN Reads Major Mike
CNN is stealing my material, and passing it off as their own...outrageous, scandalous, untimely. CNN, after months of Major Mike coverage, is finally covering the Dixie Chicks' non-storming of the music charts with their latest single "Not Ready To Make Nice" which apparently has officially peaked at #36. Their follow-on "Everybody Knows" slipped two spots this week to #50. Doesn't look to good for the DCs.
Doesn't sound like their marketing strategy has impressed the business much either.
"After hearing the album, WKIS Miami program director Bob Barnett says he was "excited about the opportunity to introduce some great Chicks music to the listeners." But the group's decision to come with "Not Ready" as the lead single left him "stunned, especially in light of the fact that, when asked, programmers and consultants that listened to the project were virtually unanimous in saying we should put the politics behind us and concentrate on all this other great music we were hearing.""
And...
"Barnett played the song for a week, but pulled it after listeners called to say it sounded like the Chicks were "gloating" or "rubbing our noses in it," he reports. "We didn't need to pick at the scab any longer.""
Marketing miscue...ouch, that can't help.
More bad reminders of the good ole days...
"The two singles have had a striking lack of impact at radio, considering the band's history. Between 1997 and 2003, it notched 14 top 10 country singles, including six No. 1 hits. In addition to eight Grammy Awards, the group has won 10 Country Music Assn. Awards and eight Academy of Country Music Awards. The trio has sold 23.4 million albums in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan."
"Striking lack of impact." That is going to leave a mark.
And more disconnecting with fans...
"At KNCI Sacramento, California, the Chicks' music weathered the 2003 controversy only to be pulled as a result of Maines' new Entertainment Weekly comments, coupled with poor scores in local music tests.
"When an artist says that they don't want to be a part of that industry, it made our decision a no-brainer," program director Mark Evans says. "There are too many talented new artists dying to have a song played on country radio, so I'd rather give one of them a shot.""
For all you Dem pollsters out there, don't get too wrapped around your latest, slanted "poll of the week." This is what middle America thinks about trashing our country.
Murtha Logs Overtime as Judge and Jury
Rep. John Murtha D. PA, was unable to attend several Congressional functions as he was serving as judge and jury on fifteen Marines accused of killing civilians in Iraq. Murtha didn't waste time on formalities, and got right to business. He was able to get a conviction within minutes simply by reading press accounts. Man is he good. Luckily, he only missed one Congressional vote while handling these duties, unfortunately, it was about re-affriming Constitutional guarantees about being innocent until proven guilty.
Murtha has again shown that he is a clown with a war record. His blathering on issues of which he is not fully informed, or in which he is not part of the process, is evidence enough that he is not fit to be a member of Congress. These Marines, and the Iraqi citizens involved, deserve a fair hearing about what occured that day...Murtha's slash and burn in the press will not suffice. It is outrageous in every regard.
"Possible Terrorist" Missing CNN From Dictionaries
CNN is reviewing all of its office dictionaries to see if the word "terrorist," has been removed. An internal review began in April, when several stories were discovered not to have contained the word "terrorist", where it would have likely appeared. Internal sources confirm that many of the dictionaries seem to be missing the word, and they are also investigating the possiblity that the words "Islamofascist" and "Islamist Extremist" may also be missing.
The fast breaking story began back in April when Michigan resident Abdullah Karadsesh decided to drive his his car at high speeds aboard the Selfridge Air National Guard Base near Detroit. The peace-loving Mr. Karadsesh is obviously a big NASCAR fan, who simply got turned around on I-94.
My question is...why does it take the death of a second intruder to the base...a "man with a history of mental illness" before Mr. Karadsesh's story makes it to national prominence? Read the link...Mr. Karadsesh is only barely mentioned in the story, and not with the descriptive adjectives that the now deceased Mr. Whisman enjoys.
Mr. Abdullah's trek around the Guard Base, has to be viewed as a possible terrorist attack...even if he was acting alone. The MSM doesn't get the fact that terrorist activity does not have to be connected to Al-Qaeda to be, in fact, a terrorist act. And, just because Mr. Karadsesh has an Islamic name, doesn't mean you have to avoid the judgemental adjectives you heap upon all of those other lucky souls who get mentioned in your paper.
In plain journalist speak..."Selfridege ANG Base Attacked by Possible Terrorist." It is that simple.
CNN Reads Major Mike
CNN is stealing my material, and passing it off as their own...outrageous, scandalous, untimely. CNN, after months of Major Mike coverage, is finally covering the Dixie Chicks' non-storming of the music charts with their latest single "Not Ready To Make Nice" which apparently has officially peaked at #36. Their follow-on "Everybody Knows" slipped two spots this week to #50. Doesn't look to good for the DCs.
Doesn't sound like their marketing strategy has impressed the business much either.
"After hearing the album, WKIS Miami program director Bob Barnett says he was "excited about the opportunity to introduce some great Chicks music to the listeners." But the group's decision to come with "Not Ready" as the lead single left him "stunned, especially in light of the fact that, when asked, programmers and consultants that listened to the project were virtually unanimous in saying we should put the politics behind us and concentrate on all this other great music we were hearing.""
And...
"Barnett played the song for a week, but pulled it after listeners called to say it sounded like the Chicks were "gloating" or "rubbing our noses in it," he reports. "We didn't need to pick at the scab any longer.""
Marketing miscue...ouch, that can't help.
More bad reminders of the good ole days...
"The two singles have had a striking lack of impact at radio, considering the band's history. Between 1997 and 2003, it notched 14 top 10 country singles, including six No. 1 hits. In addition to eight Grammy Awards, the group has won 10 Country Music Assn. Awards and eight Academy of Country Music Awards. The trio has sold 23.4 million albums in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan."
"Striking lack of impact." That is going to leave a mark.
And more disconnecting with fans...
"At KNCI Sacramento, California, the Chicks' music weathered the 2003 controversy only to be pulled as a result of Maines' new Entertainment Weekly comments, coupled with poor scores in local music tests.
"When an artist says that they don't want to be a part of that industry, it made our decision a no-brainer," program director Mark Evans says. "There are too many talented new artists dying to have a song played on country radio, so I'd rather give one of them a shot.""
For all you Dem pollsters out there, don't get too wrapped around your latest, slanted "poll of the week." This is what middle America thinks about trashing our country.
Murtha Logs Overtime as Judge and Jury
Rep. John Murtha D. PA, was unable to attend several Congressional functions as he was serving as judge and jury on fifteen Marines accused of killing civilians in Iraq. Murtha didn't waste time on formalities, and got right to business. He was able to get a conviction within minutes simply by reading press accounts. Man is he good. Luckily, he only missed one Congressional vote while handling these duties, unfortunately, it was about re-affriming Constitutional guarantees about being innocent until proven guilty.
Murtha has again shown that he is a clown with a war record. His blathering on issues of which he is not fully informed, or in which he is not part of the process, is evidence enough that he is not fit to be a member of Congress. These Marines, and the Iraqi citizens involved, deserve a fair hearing about what occured that day...Murtha's slash and burn in the press will not suffice. It is outrageous in every regard.
"Possible Terrorist" Missing CNN From Dictionaries
CNN is reviewing all of its office dictionaries to see if the word "terrorist," has been removed. An internal review began in April, when several stories were discovered not to have contained the word "terrorist", where it would have likely appeared. Internal sources confirm that many of the dictionaries seem to be missing the word, and they are also investigating the possiblity that the words "Islamofascist" and "Islamist Extremist" may also be missing.
The fast breaking story began back in April when Michigan resident Abdullah Karadsesh decided to drive his his car at high speeds aboard the Selfridge Air National Guard Base near Detroit. The peace-loving Mr. Karadsesh is obviously a big NASCAR fan, who simply got turned around on I-94.
My question is...why does it take the death of a second intruder to the base...a "man with a history of mental illness" before Mr. Karadsesh's story makes it to national prominence? Read the link...Mr. Karadsesh is only barely mentioned in the story, and not with the descriptive adjectives that the now deceased Mr. Whisman enjoys.
Mr. Abdullah's trek around the Guard Base, has to be viewed as a possible terrorist attack...even if he was acting alone. The MSM doesn't get the fact that terrorist activity does not have to be connected to Al-Qaeda to be, in fact, a terrorist act. And, just because Mr. Karadsesh has an Islamic name, doesn't mean you have to avoid the judgemental adjectives you heap upon all of those other lucky souls who get mentioned in your paper.
In plain journalist speak..."Selfridege ANG Base Attacked by Possible Terrorist." It is that simple.
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Blogosphere Blues
Major Mike
Excerpted from an email to dueler and Mr. Atos...
I am beginning to sense a weariness in the blogosphere…Wretchard, the Anchoress, boghie…and I ponder its cause. It comes to me that there are many.
The continual combating of evil is a wearisome task. Those of us with conscience, recognize that wonton murderers, terrorists, and brutal dictators, steal from life many of its joys. The weariness of battle fatigues us deep into our very bones, and we soon forget about the reason for our struggle, the direness of it consequences, and the black hearts of our enemies. We simply surrender to the mundane task of fighting. Soon, our bone weary bodies begin to disconnect from our minds, and we become the roboton soldiers of protracted war. The joys of living have been wrought out of us, and we are unable to remember the beauty contained in a laugh, or the rejuvenating power of a ray of sunshine. It is our physical surrender to our conscience that prevents us from withdrawing from our struggle, even though our mind seeks the beautiful parts of our existence. We fight until we are consumed, or until our minds are broken and we simply quit the fight and walk away.
Even surrendering and walking away does not provide absolute refuge. Our minds then, cannot find the peace that was previously ever present. It is a condition that we would continually seek, but never be able to find, for our conscience would haunt us on two levels…our knowledge of the necessity to combat evil, combined with the guilt we would feel in leaving our tasks to others, would ingrain a restlessness of conscience that would allow few to enjoy the remainder of their lives. I see, as a warrior who understands the weariness of combat, that relief comes not from ignoring or abandoning the fight, but it only comes through victory.
I think another factor is that the blogoshpere is a written medium, and the careful construction of meaningful and clever prose, in and of itself, is enough to drain even the most talented of writers. The condition is compounded when the stakes are so high, and the topics are grave, and the points to made complex and integrated. It seems that the written media then becomes the ultimate consumer of its creators…absorbing ever increasing amounts of energy, until its authors become weary and they are powerless to continue.
I blame the 24/7 media blitz which immediately turns your last masterpiece into yesterday’s fish wrapper. There are thousands of excellent writers in the blogoshpere whose works deserve to be savored, but their works are swallowed much like an oyster…barely tasted, and quickly forgotten. Excellent writing should be enjoyed for longer periods than the time it takes to open a beer. The constant need to publish, in order to remain relevant, is a task few individuals can keep up with.
Lastly, publishing into the vastness of the blogosphere is like crying out into space…at the very time you have mastered the immense power of the written word, you have launched it into a vastness where it may be lost and unheard. Staring alone, into the endless universe, can sap the strength and will of the stoutest of men.
I have no solutions, but I do have a few suggestions…
Sleep is a weapon…it combats weariness.
Write in teams…Few individuals have the strength to shout into the vast wasteland alone, for very long.
Write for your soul, not your sitemeter.
Believe in the goodness of good…and you will not become weary in the good fight.
In the end, being consumed in the fight is preferable to living under the domination of the evil or misguided. Resolve is the antidote of fatigue. Stay the course. Dig deep. You will eventually "run through" the "wall" and find that you are stronger for the effort.
Excerpted from an email to dueler and Mr. Atos...
I am beginning to sense a weariness in the blogosphere…Wretchard, the Anchoress, boghie…and I ponder its cause. It comes to me that there are many.
The continual combating of evil is a wearisome task. Those of us with conscience, recognize that wonton murderers, terrorists, and brutal dictators, steal from life many of its joys. The weariness of battle fatigues us deep into our very bones, and we soon forget about the reason for our struggle, the direness of it consequences, and the black hearts of our enemies. We simply surrender to the mundane task of fighting. Soon, our bone weary bodies begin to disconnect from our minds, and we become the roboton soldiers of protracted war. The joys of living have been wrought out of us, and we are unable to remember the beauty contained in a laugh, or the rejuvenating power of a ray of sunshine. It is our physical surrender to our conscience that prevents us from withdrawing from our struggle, even though our mind seeks the beautiful parts of our existence. We fight until we are consumed, or until our minds are broken and we simply quit the fight and walk away.
Even surrendering and walking away does not provide absolute refuge. Our minds then, cannot find the peace that was previously ever present. It is a condition that we would continually seek, but never be able to find, for our conscience would haunt us on two levels…our knowledge of the necessity to combat evil, combined with the guilt we would feel in leaving our tasks to others, would ingrain a restlessness of conscience that would allow few to enjoy the remainder of their lives. I see, as a warrior who understands the weariness of combat, that relief comes not from ignoring or abandoning the fight, but it only comes through victory.
I think another factor is that the blogoshpere is a written medium, and the careful construction of meaningful and clever prose, in and of itself, is enough to drain even the most talented of writers. The condition is compounded when the stakes are so high, and the topics are grave, and the points to made complex and integrated. It seems that the written media then becomes the ultimate consumer of its creators…absorbing ever increasing amounts of energy, until its authors become weary and they are powerless to continue.
I blame the 24/7 media blitz which immediately turns your last masterpiece into yesterday’s fish wrapper. There are thousands of excellent writers in the blogoshpere whose works deserve to be savored, but their works are swallowed much like an oyster…barely tasted, and quickly forgotten. Excellent writing should be enjoyed for longer periods than the time it takes to open a beer. The constant need to publish, in order to remain relevant, is a task few individuals can keep up with.
Lastly, publishing into the vastness of the blogosphere is like crying out into space…at the very time you have mastered the immense power of the written word, you have launched it into a vastness where it may be lost and unheard. Staring alone, into the endless universe, can sap the strength and will of the stoutest of men.
I have no solutions, but I do have a few suggestions…
Sleep is a weapon…it combats weariness.
Write in teams…Few individuals have the strength to shout into the vast wasteland alone, for very long.
Write for your soul, not your sitemeter.
Believe in the goodness of good…and you will not become weary in the good fight.
In the end, being consumed in the fight is preferable to living under the domination of the evil or misguided. Resolve is the antidote of fatigue. Stay the course. Dig deep. You will eventually "run through" the "wall" and find that you are stronger for the effort.
Friday, May 12, 2006
Shotgun Friday...Late Edition
Major Mike
The Old Tired MSM Is Not Dead…Yet
Institutional and private investors were cheering the recent disclosure of newspaper circulation rates. The venerable New York Times…up 0.5%. The Chicago Tribune…up 0.9%. The Star-Ledger…up 0.9%. Be still my heart.
Credit to CNN they ran these numbers at the bottom of the article…the article actually focuses on the overall six-month decline of 2.6% of the industry. Leading, or better lagging the list were…San Francisco Chronicle…down 15.6%. LA Times…down 5.4%. The Washington Post…down 3.7% Wow…when I get a chance, I think I’ll invest in the left-saturated liberal print media…looks like it would really pay off.
These papers are dying because their biased, liberal, institutionally driven agenda is not selling. Dems…you can translate that directly into lost votes.
Ironically, Susan Estritch, noted lefty strategist, piles on the LA Times for shoddy, biased, and pre-conceived reporting…none of which sells anymore.
Good luck with next year's Pulitzers.
Dixie Chicks…Not Fade Away…Wrong
My favorite group…The Dixie Chicks fell off the charts with week with their highly apologetic “Not Ready To Make Nice.” They evaporated off the charts, having apparently peaked at an astounding #23 last week. Sadly, they are not to be found in the top 100 this week.
Idea for a new song…”Not ready To Make A Hit.” Apologize, get back in touch with the America you used to understand, and maybe you can start having success in the record business again.
Maybe Neil Young has room on his archaic anti-war tour… he's selling out coffee houses throughout the country.
Did I mention their nemesis, Toby Keith, is on about his fifty gad zillionth hit since they sank into oblivion over three years ago?
Good luck with that comeback.
Specter Takes ExLax…Judges Move
Arlen Specter finally began moving judges last week. About time. The RNC needs to corral this yahoo and get all of the judicial nominations moving.
Brett Kavanaugh survived the former KGB torture technique of forcing nominees to listen to the unrelated, incoherent ramblings of idiotic Dem Senators, and will likely be confirmed. The usual, incomprehensible, drooling assisted rants by Schumer and Leahy punctuated the session.
Bulldozing on this issue, leading into the fall elections will cause a great deal of turmoil in the Dem ranks, between the hyper-liberal filibuster types, and the moderates, who seemingly understand the process. A fragmented Dem party going into elections, should be a strategic objective for the GOP.
Letting Specter do his thing, unguided, will have the opposite effect. Not another dime until the GOP gets coherent.
Hugh Hewitt adds some good insight on Judge Luttig’s resignation and move to Boeing.
Dems...good luck with that filibuster strategy.
Sherriff Under Pressure…For Enforcing the Law
Sherriff Joe “Pink Underwear, Tent City” Arpaio is getting slammed by pro-immigration rantists for actually enforcing the law. The unapologetic Arpaio…
"It’s a felony; I am enforcing a new law," Arpaio said. "I’m the elected sheriff and I'm going to do what I feel is right regardless of the controversy."
Arpaio deputizes a posse, and uses sworn citizens to aid in enforcing existing immigration statutes. And nothing about this prevents him from drawing the ire of the ostrich left who refuse to deal with this problem.
“"You need to get federal training to become an immigration officer and they have not done it yet, so they are stepping out of bounds," said Hector Yturralde of "We Are America." He worries that posses like Maricopa's one could target Hispanics who live in the country legally.
"I've got brown hair, I've got brown skin, I've got dark eyes," he said, voicing concern about racial profiling. "You're going to pull me over. What happens if I don't have identification on me? As a U.S. citizen, sometimes it happens. Where am I going to end up?"”
As usual, the likes of Arpaio, only trying to do their sworn jobs, are called racists and bigots, because the simply seek to funnel all immigration through legal channels. Legal-logical. Illegal-Illogical. How hard is that to get?
Stick with it Joe.
lllegals...good luck getting through Maricopa County...looks like you'll need it.
The Old Tired MSM Is Not Dead…Yet
Institutional and private investors were cheering the recent disclosure of newspaper circulation rates. The venerable New York Times…up 0.5%. The Chicago Tribune…up 0.9%. The Star-Ledger…up 0.9%. Be still my heart.
Credit to CNN they ran these numbers at the bottom of the article…the article actually focuses on the overall six-month decline of 2.6% of the industry. Leading, or better lagging the list were…San Francisco Chronicle…down 15.6%. LA Times…down 5.4%. The Washington Post…down 3.7% Wow…when I get a chance, I think I’ll invest in the left-saturated liberal print media…looks like it would really pay off.
These papers are dying because their biased, liberal, institutionally driven agenda is not selling. Dems…you can translate that directly into lost votes.
Ironically, Susan Estritch, noted lefty strategist, piles on the LA Times for shoddy, biased, and pre-conceived reporting…none of which sells anymore.
Good luck with next year's Pulitzers.
Dixie Chicks…Not Fade Away…Wrong
My favorite group…The Dixie Chicks fell off the charts with week with their highly apologetic “Not Ready To Make Nice.” They evaporated off the charts, having apparently peaked at an astounding #23 last week. Sadly, they are not to be found in the top 100 this week.
Idea for a new song…”Not ready To Make A Hit.” Apologize, get back in touch with the America you used to understand, and maybe you can start having success in the record business again.
Maybe Neil Young has room on his archaic anti-war tour… he's selling out coffee houses throughout the country.
Did I mention their nemesis, Toby Keith, is on about his fifty gad zillionth hit since they sank into oblivion over three years ago?
Good luck with that comeback.
Specter Takes ExLax…Judges Move
Arlen Specter finally began moving judges last week. About time. The RNC needs to corral this yahoo and get all of the judicial nominations moving.
Brett Kavanaugh survived the former KGB torture technique of forcing nominees to listen to the unrelated, incoherent ramblings of idiotic Dem Senators, and will likely be confirmed. The usual, incomprehensible, drooling assisted rants by Schumer and Leahy punctuated the session.
Bulldozing on this issue, leading into the fall elections will cause a great deal of turmoil in the Dem ranks, between the hyper-liberal filibuster types, and the moderates, who seemingly understand the process. A fragmented Dem party going into elections, should be a strategic objective for the GOP.
Letting Specter do his thing, unguided, will have the opposite effect. Not another dime until the GOP gets coherent.
Hugh Hewitt adds some good insight on Judge Luttig’s resignation and move to Boeing.
Dems...good luck with that filibuster strategy.
Sherriff Under Pressure…For Enforcing the Law
Sherriff Joe “Pink Underwear, Tent City” Arpaio is getting slammed by pro-immigration rantists for actually enforcing the law. The unapologetic Arpaio…
"It’s a felony; I am enforcing a new law," Arpaio said. "I’m the elected sheriff and I'm going to do what I feel is right regardless of the controversy."
Arpaio deputizes a posse, and uses sworn citizens to aid in enforcing existing immigration statutes. And nothing about this prevents him from drawing the ire of the ostrich left who refuse to deal with this problem.
“"You need to get federal training to become an immigration officer and they have not done it yet, so they are stepping out of bounds," said Hector Yturralde of "We Are America." He worries that posses like Maricopa's one could target Hispanics who live in the country legally.
"I've got brown hair, I've got brown skin, I've got dark eyes," he said, voicing concern about racial profiling. "You're going to pull me over. What happens if I don't have identification on me? As a U.S. citizen, sometimes it happens. Where am I going to end up?"”
As usual, the likes of Arpaio, only trying to do their sworn jobs, are called racists and bigots, because the simply seek to funnel all immigration through legal channels. Legal-logical. Illegal-Illogical. How hard is that to get?
Stick with it Joe.
lllegals...good luck getting through Maricopa County...looks like you'll need it.
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
The Blood Of Tal Afar...
Mr.Atos
AP News,
Western journalists are operating in collusion with Islamofascists butchers; whether they are sly enough to know it, or stupid enough to be oblivious. I prefer the latter is true, but it matters little. The effect is the same. As long as the Al Quaida butchers in Iraq can be certain that Western media will peddle their message in predictable fashion, the massacre of innocence will continue. And that is precisely why the blood of Tal Afar is on the hands of journalists today.
Members of the Associated Press and all other news outlets that peddle a similar projection of this story, have become willing accomplices to the enemies of humanity.
The blood is on their hands...
... as if they were the butchers' themselves.
(edited for clarity, 05.08.06:12:45)
AP News,
In March, President Bush' cited Tal Afar, a mostly Turkomen city 260 miles northwest of Baghdad, as a success story after U.S. troops regained control there last year.And that is exactly what the enemy wanted noted by the Associated Press and the Drive-By Media when reporting on a suicide bombing today at Tal Afar,
A suicide truck bomber hit a crowded public market in the northern city of Tal Afar late Tuesday, killing at least 17 people and wounding 35, police said. U.S. troops rushed to the scene to treat the injured, officials said.
The attack occurred about 8:30 p.m. in the center of Tal Afar, according to Col. Abdul-Karim Mohammed of the Nineveh provincial police, who gave the casualty figures. The director of the city hospital, Saleh Qado, said 20 people were killed and 70 injured.
Western journalists are operating in collusion with Islamofascists butchers; whether they are sly enough to know it, or stupid enough to be oblivious. I prefer the latter is true, but it matters little. The effect is the same. As long as the Al Quaida butchers in Iraq can be certain that Western media will peddle their message in predictable fashion, the massacre of innocence will continue. And that is precisely why the blood of Tal Afar is on the hands of journalists today.
Members of the Associated Press and all other news outlets that peddle a similar projection of this story, have become willing accomplices to the enemies of humanity.
The blood is on their hands...
... as if they were the butchers' themselves.
(edited for clarity, 05.08.06:12:45)
Oregon Politicrats Don't Get It
Major Mike
Beaverton Mayor Bob Drake once again proves how Oregon’s many governmental layers don’t get business, and that they don’t get how to get along with the businesses that provide sustenance to their communities.
Bob Drake would deprive, Nike Co-founder and CEO, Phil Knight of his constitutionally guaranteed right to provide campaign contributions to the candidate of his choice.
“Mayor Rob Drake says Knight's backing of political newcomer Bob Burke -- with $17,500 cash from Knight's own pocket -- amounts to interfering in city business just to get revenge on its leaders.
"I think people should be disgusted that Phil Knight is trying to buy an election," said Drake, who supports incumbent Betty Bode. "They seem to want to reach inside the city and influence an election.""
As a private citizen, Knight is entitled to contribute, without criticism to the political candidates he thinks will represent his interests better…that is what we all do. His Honorable Mr. Mayor seems unaware that this has been part of politics for over 229 years.
Further more, to imply that Knight is out of bounds with his contribution by using the inflammatory words like “disgusting” and “buy an election,” does little to improve the tense relationship these two entities currently enjoy. Knight is rightfully incensed that the City of Beaverton secretly initiated plans to annex the Nike World Headquarters, then lied about these efforts to Nike when asked. The City of Beaverton and Drake have lied to the public on many occasions regarding the details of the annexation, and they have stonewalled Nike’s effort in court, by refusing to be responsive to numerous court orders.
Drake is also completely out of line, by suggesting to Knight where his money could be better spent…the Beaverton School District’s bond campaign. Knight’s personal finances are his own business, and Drake’s cheesy attempt to cast Knight as the bad guy, by implying that Knight is doing a disservice by exercising his rights in the direction of his choosing, and not Drake’s, is beyond the pale. Drake should be reminded that hundreds of Nike employees live within the boundaries of the Beaverton School District, and many are likely volunteering during the campaign. If Drake insists on creating divides, his unintended target may, in the end, be the Beaverton School District.
It seems that Drake is the one who does not completely understand how our political system works. People give their money where they want to, not where Drake or other politicos direct it.
Besides petty issues like this, Oregon continues to foster a business unfriendly climate with its efforts to retain corporate overpayments into the State’s income tax coffers. These excessive payments are now the target of the State pols who are scheming to retain these extra dollars…oh, did I forget to mention…contrary to existing state statutes.
Each and every time Oregon and its similarly trained local governments go beyond their bounds and look for businesses to provide funding, they scare off capital dollars from our existing businesses such as, Nike, Intel, PCC Structurals, Xerox, HP, and the rest. Each of these companies complies with myriad of State regulations and they pay untold sums into the community for health insurance, unemployment insurance, matching FICA payments, salaries, taxes, matching volunteer dollars, corporate charity donations, et al, and in spite of this…Oregon wants more.
These businesses fuel Oregon’s economy by the employees they bring into our communities, the money they spend with other local suppliers, and their taxes. The short-term targeting of their tax refunds, only sends they wrong message, the message that the State and local governmental entities are nothing more than money grubbing, mismanaged, welfare providing, political opportunists who seek nothing more than their own personal re-election.
Knight is right to jump into the game, and he is entitled to be their without inflammatory rhetoric of an ensconced politician. Shame on you Mayor Drake. State of Oregon, stay away from the kicker personal OR corporate. Let’s start figuring out how to keep businesses in Oregon…I like my job.
Beaverton Mayor Bob Drake once again proves how Oregon’s many governmental layers don’t get business, and that they don’t get how to get along with the businesses that provide sustenance to their communities.
Bob Drake would deprive, Nike Co-founder and CEO, Phil Knight of his constitutionally guaranteed right to provide campaign contributions to the candidate of his choice.
“Mayor Rob Drake says Knight's backing of political newcomer Bob Burke -- with $17,500 cash from Knight's own pocket -- amounts to interfering in city business just to get revenge on its leaders.
"I think people should be disgusted that Phil Knight is trying to buy an election," said Drake, who supports incumbent Betty Bode. "They seem to want to reach inside the city and influence an election.""
As a private citizen, Knight is entitled to contribute, without criticism to the political candidates he thinks will represent his interests better…that is what we all do. His Honorable Mr. Mayor seems unaware that this has been part of politics for over 229 years.
Further more, to imply that Knight is out of bounds with his contribution by using the inflammatory words like “disgusting” and “buy an election,” does little to improve the tense relationship these two entities currently enjoy. Knight is rightfully incensed that the City of Beaverton secretly initiated plans to annex the Nike World Headquarters, then lied about these efforts to Nike when asked. The City of Beaverton and Drake have lied to the public on many occasions regarding the details of the annexation, and they have stonewalled Nike’s effort in court, by refusing to be responsive to numerous court orders.
Drake is also completely out of line, by suggesting to Knight where his money could be better spent…the Beaverton School District’s bond campaign. Knight’s personal finances are his own business, and Drake’s cheesy attempt to cast Knight as the bad guy, by implying that Knight is doing a disservice by exercising his rights in the direction of his choosing, and not Drake’s, is beyond the pale. Drake should be reminded that hundreds of Nike employees live within the boundaries of the Beaverton School District, and many are likely volunteering during the campaign. If Drake insists on creating divides, his unintended target may, in the end, be the Beaverton School District.
It seems that Drake is the one who does not completely understand how our political system works. People give their money where they want to, not where Drake or other politicos direct it.
Besides petty issues like this, Oregon continues to foster a business unfriendly climate with its efforts to retain corporate overpayments into the State’s income tax coffers. These excessive payments are now the target of the State pols who are scheming to retain these extra dollars…oh, did I forget to mention…contrary to existing state statutes.
Each and every time Oregon and its similarly trained local governments go beyond their bounds and look for businesses to provide funding, they scare off capital dollars from our existing businesses such as, Nike, Intel, PCC Structurals, Xerox, HP, and the rest. Each of these companies complies with myriad of State regulations and they pay untold sums into the community for health insurance, unemployment insurance, matching FICA payments, salaries, taxes, matching volunteer dollars, corporate charity donations, et al, and in spite of this…Oregon wants more.
These businesses fuel Oregon’s economy by the employees they bring into our communities, the money they spend with other local suppliers, and their taxes. The short-term targeting of their tax refunds, only sends they wrong message, the message that the State and local governmental entities are nothing more than money grubbing, mismanaged, welfare providing, political opportunists who seek nothing more than their own personal re-election.
Knight is right to jump into the game, and he is entitled to be their without inflammatory rhetoric of an ensconced politician. Shame on you Mayor Drake. State of Oregon, stay away from the kicker personal OR corporate. Let’s start figuring out how to keep businesses in Oregon…I like my job.
Sunday, May 07, 2006
Debunking The Leftie Iraq Mantra…Part 2
Major Mike
The next part of the Leftie Iraq mantra that needs to be dealt with, it the one that goes something like this…
“Fighting the war against terrorism is OK in Afghanistan, but it makes no sense to fight it in Iraq.”
This needs to be handled on several levels. Without question, the Taliban gave Al-Qaeda safe haven for years. This allowed, save for a few cruise missiles, for uninterrupted training operations, that in the end, gave Al-Qaeda an opportunity to train their initial wave of frontline troops, and to plan their world wide operations. So it made great sense to take the offense, and disrupt their cozy operation.
But, what about going into Iraq? Why would we go into Iraq, the terrorists were in Afghanistan?
I am prepared for the wave of negative traffic that I will get with my next analogy, so bring it on. I view dealing with the terrorists post eliminating the Taliban enablers, and their deadly guests, much like trying to rid your private property of unwanted skateboarders. Now, quit blowing your gaskets, I am not down on skateboarders, but stick with me.
Your first line of defense against skateboarders is putting up the ineffectual “No Skateboarding” signs. How many times has this been effective in shooing off the unwanted adventurists? Zero? Less than zero? So they continue to do their thing on your property. The problem is not that they are illiterate…they just dig the surroundings…so they aren’t leaving.
Next you hire some cheesy security outfit to “patrol” the area to discourage the unwanted “boarders.” They get used to the highly trained patrols’ routines, and then, simply work around nuisance patrols. Their skating periods, remain largely uninterrupted.
Finally, you take some active “defensive” measures. I have used handrail board “interrupters.” Small pieces of metal welded onto stair handrails. Boarders hate these…makes for a rough ride going down the rail…possibly knocking them off the rail. There are devices available for curbs and planters, other boarder favorites, as well.
Eventually, you have irritated the boarders enough to cause them to leave your, preferred site, and to find somewhere else to board…without the hassles they are now experiencing at your site. Here lies the point…they don’t give up skateboarding or in-lining…they move to another, more hassle free, site.
So, after we liberated Afghanistan from the Taliban, and destroyed large portions of the Al-Qaeda elements that remained in Afghanistan…what did AQ do? Disband? Give up their terror plots…obviously not. They simply scouted out safer venues. Iraq being one.
It is false to assume that Afghanistan, is, was, or could ever be, the only place that AQ would be trying to conduct base operations. The attractive parts about them moving to Iraq are numerous.
1. Iraq is a large country with my difficult to access locations that would provide safe haven for planning and training operations.
2. It offered a chance to develop a cooperative, symbiotic relationship with a head of State that was also a sworn enemy of the United States.
3. It made for easier access to other Mid East countries, that would help them recruit, raise money, and to conduct “local” operations against their other enemies…Saudi Arabia and Israel, to name a couple.
4. It garnered access to international targets via restricted shipping lanes, oil processing facilities, and international military ports.
It was a natural for AQ to move to Iraq, and it could be accomplished with little risk to AQ. Once in Iraq, even the strength of Saddam’s regime would have difficulty dislodging them without a significant effort. AQ certainly viewed Iraq as the “next best” place to set up operations.
I’ll close with one last thought for the overly optimistic left, who feel that all this terror stuff would go away if we just gave in to a few demands, and didn’t inflame the Islamacists by even being in Iraq. What happens in those communities that build their own skate parks? Does the “illegal” boarding cease? Of course not. This is because there is a certain niche within the boarding community that is as committed to the roguish element of boarding by continuing to practice their skills in forbidden locations, vice acquiescing to “the man” and allowing themselves to be corralled in tame environments that don’t allow them to wear the “rebel” tag they value as much as getting air.
America is a country that gives Islam an opportunity to thrive, but there is a radical and unappeasable element of Islam that refuses to accept this milieu, and this radical element insists on dictating the terms, and their terms are random and barbaric…read the MSM, it is all they report. Or, simply remember what happened on 9/11. For those who can’t keep track of time, it was planned and executed well before we ever invaded Iraq.
Debunked.
The next part of the Leftie Iraq mantra that needs to be dealt with, it the one that goes something like this…
“Fighting the war against terrorism is OK in Afghanistan, but it makes no sense to fight it in Iraq.”
This needs to be handled on several levels. Without question, the Taliban gave Al-Qaeda safe haven for years. This allowed, save for a few cruise missiles, for uninterrupted training operations, that in the end, gave Al-Qaeda an opportunity to train their initial wave of frontline troops, and to plan their world wide operations. So it made great sense to take the offense, and disrupt their cozy operation.
But, what about going into Iraq? Why would we go into Iraq, the terrorists were in Afghanistan?
I am prepared for the wave of negative traffic that I will get with my next analogy, so bring it on. I view dealing with the terrorists post eliminating the Taliban enablers, and their deadly guests, much like trying to rid your private property of unwanted skateboarders. Now, quit blowing your gaskets, I am not down on skateboarders, but stick with me.
Your first line of defense against skateboarders is putting up the ineffectual “No Skateboarding” signs. How many times has this been effective in shooing off the unwanted adventurists? Zero? Less than zero? So they continue to do their thing on your property. The problem is not that they are illiterate…they just dig the surroundings…so they aren’t leaving.
Next you hire some cheesy security outfit to “patrol” the area to discourage the unwanted “boarders.” They get used to the highly trained patrols’ routines, and then, simply work around nuisance patrols. Their skating periods, remain largely uninterrupted.
Finally, you take some active “defensive” measures. I have used handrail board “interrupters.” Small pieces of metal welded onto stair handrails. Boarders hate these…makes for a rough ride going down the rail…possibly knocking them off the rail. There are devices available for curbs and planters, other boarder favorites, as well.
Eventually, you have irritated the boarders enough to cause them to leave your, preferred site, and to find somewhere else to board…without the hassles they are now experiencing at your site. Here lies the point…they don’t give up skateboarding or in-lining…they move to another, more hassle free, site.
So, after we liberated Afghanistan from the Taliban, and destroyed large portions of the Al-Qaeda elements that remained in Afghanistan…what did AQ do? Disband? Give up their terror plots…obviously not. They simply scouted out safer venues. Iraq being one.
It is false to assume that Afghanistan, is, was, or could ever be, the only place that AQ would be trying to conduct base operations. The attractive parts about them moving to Iraq are numerous.
1. Iraq is a large country with my difficult to access locations that would provide safe haven for planning and training operations.
2. It offered a chance to develop a cooperative, symbiotic relationship with a head of State that was also a sworn enemy of the United States.
3. It made for easier access to other Mid East countries, that would help them recruit, raise money, and to conduct “local” operations against their other enemies…Saudi Arabia and Israel, to name a couple.
4. It garnered access to international targets via restricted shipping lanes, oil processing facilities, and international military ports.
It was a natural for AQ to move to Iraq, and it could be accomplished with little risk to AQ. Once in Iraq, even the strength of Saddam’s regime would have difficulty dislodging them without a significant effort. AQ certainly viewed Iraq as the “next best” place to set up operations.
I’ll close with one last thought for the overly optimistic left, who feel that all this terror stuff would go away if we just gave in to a few demands, and didn’t inflame the Islamacists by even being in Iraq. What happens in those communities that build their own skate parks? Does the “illegal” boarding cease? Of course not. This is because there is a certain niche within the boarding community that is as committed to the roguish element of boarding by continuing to practice their skills in forbidden locations, vice acquiescing to “the man” and allowing themselves to be corralled in tame environments that don’t allow them to wear the “rebel” tag they value as much as getting air.
America is a country that gives Islam an opportunity to thrive, but there is a radical and unappeasable element of Islam that refuses to accept this milieu, and this radical element insists on dictating the terms, and their terms are random and barbaric…read the MSM, it is all they report. Or, simply remember what happened on 9/11. For those who can’t keep track of time, it was planned and executed well before we ever invaded Iraq.
Debunked.
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Shotgun Friday...Late Thursday Edition
Major Mike
Oooops I Did It Again
It seems Kaavya Viswanathan’s non-excuse excuse from last week didn’t quite hold up…seems that she is now busted for being under the simultaneous hypnosis of other authors…
“The Harvard Crimson student newspaper, alerted by reader e-mails, reported Tuesday on its Web site that "Opal Mehta" contained passages similar to Meg Cabot's 2000 novel, "The Princess Diaries." The New York Times also reported comparable material in Viswanathan's novel and Sophie Kinsella's "Can You Keep a Secret?"
In Cabot's "The Princess Diaries," published by HarperCollins, the following passage appears: "There isn't a single inch of me that hasn't been pinched, cut, filed, painted, sloughed, blown dry, or moisturized. ... Because I don't look a thing like Mia Thermopolis. Mia Thermopolis never had fingernails. Mia Thermopolis never had blond highlights."
In Viswanathan's book, page 59 reads: "Every inch of me had been cut, filed, steamed, exfoliated, polished, painted, or moisturized. I didn't look a thing like Opal Mehta. Opal Mehta didn't own five pairs of shoes so expensive they could have been traded in for a small sailboat."”
Seems she is so mesmerized by what she reads that her synaptic functions cannot sort out the difference between her original thoughts and what she has read…how weird.
A quick scan of the NYC papers, still reveals several MSM news magazine producer roles available, and several positions still open at the NYT and the LAT…she should easily land on her feet. Schumer’s hit teams may also have some openings for fiction writers.
If this doesn’t come back to bite her…
“Meanwhile, The Record of Bergen County said Tuesday that it will review the news articles Visvanathan wrote for the 180,000-circulation daily paper in northern New Jersey while an intern in 2003 and 2004.
Editor Frank Scandale said The Record, which has written several of its own articles about the plagiarism allegations, will hire a service to vet the dozen or so light features she wrote while one of about 18 interns at the paper.”
Good luck with that writing career.
Dixie Chicks Update
The DCs have catapulted up the Billboard Charts five spots to # 23 with their smash hit…”Not Ready To Make Nice”.
I wonder if this meteoric rise is any indication of their potential future success.
They would probably have to count on collective memory failure of much of the US population for them to return to their previous level of success. Maybe they should get ready to make a sincere apology, and better music.
Hey, good luck with that new hit.
The Apple Lands Close to the Tree
Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) was involved in a single car accident in which alcohol was apparently not involved. I guess we’re lucky he was nowhere near water when the combination of drugs he claims to have taken, Phenegram and Ambien, caused him to plow into barricades just blocks from the Capitol. The disoriented and confused Rep. from RI, apparently thought, that at 3 am, he was urgently needed back in the House to vote on a critical House resolution affirming the role of MADD in lowering deaths on the highway. Luckily, he claims, he had not been drinking.
Kennedy claims that he took the Phenegram and Ambien at about midnight, and then, because of the urgent nature of the legislation, awoke to perform his critical role in the House. I usually take a combination of drugs, then get up in the middle of the night and drive my car.
For those in RI who elected him, even if what he says happens to be true,..THIS GUY HAS ALL OF THE JUDGEMENT OF A CHOCOHOLIC IN A GODIVA STORE. Dump him next go around…he’s unfit and dangerous.
OBTW…
"The two officials said officers at the scene reported seeing the car swerve before the crash and said Kennedy appeared intoxicated."
Hmmm. Bars close at what time? He’s driving at what time? Which explanation is closer to the mark?
Did I mention he is the son of Sen. Ted Kennedy…who also has a history of poor driving at night?
Good luck with that story.
Bizzaro
Hungarian boozers are complaining to the Import Minister that they got shorted on a cask of imported rum. After an extensive period of nipping at the keg, they inexplicably ran out. They noted the weight of the “empty” kegger, and were surprised that it still was difficult to tip for the last savory drops of Jamaican rum.
Not deterred, they followed the protocol long established by college students world wide, and broke into it. It was then they discovered the half naked body of a man that had been pickled in the cask. Yummy.
Apparently, this was cheaper than sending the deceased home FedEx when he expired…some 20 years before, in Jamaica. Yummy. The wife had long since checked out, so his discovery was a shock to all.
Those that partook seemed to enjoy the “special taste.” Yummy.
Dueler adds…
"that's one stiff drunk!"
"talk about dead drunk!"
"got a little Captain in you?"
Good luck with that drinking problem. Comments welcome.
Oooops I Did It Again
It seems Kaavya Viswanathan’s non-excuse excuse from last week didn’t quite hold up…seems that she is now busted for being under the simultaneous hypnosis of other authors…
“The Harvard Crimson student newspaper, alerted by reader e-mails, reported Tuesday on its Web site that "Opal Mehta" contained passages similar to Meg Cabot's 2000 novel, "The Princess Diaries." The New York Times also reported comparable material in Viswanathan's novel and Sophie Kinsella's "Can You Keep a Secret?"
In Cabot's "The Princess Diaries," published by HarperCollins, the following passage appears: "There isn't a single inch of me that hasn't been pinched, cut, filed, painted, sloughed, blown dry, or moisturized. ... Because I don't look a thing like Mia Thermopolis. Mia Thermopolis never had fingernails. Mia Thermopolis never had blond highlights."
In Viswanathan's book, page 59 reads: "Every inch of me had been cut, filed, steamed, exfoliated, polished, painted, or moisturized. I didn't look a thing like Opal Mehta. Opal Mehta didn't own five pairs of shoes so expensive they could have been traded in for a small sailboat."”
Seems she is so mesmerized by what she reads that her synaptic functions cannot sort out the difference between her original thoughts and what she has read…how weird.
A quick scan of the NYC papers, still reveals several MSM news magazine producer roles available, and several positions still open at the NYT and the LAT…she should easily land on her feet. Schumer’s hit teams may also have some openings for fiction writers.
If this doesn’t come back to bite her…
“Meanwhile, The Record of Bergen County said Tuesday that it will review the news articles Visvanathan wrote for the 180,000-circulation daily paper in northern New Jersey while an intern in 2003 and 2004.
Editor Frank Scandale said The Record, which has written several of its own articles about the plagiarism allegations, will hire a service to vet the dozen or so light features she wrote while one of about 18 interns at the paper.”
Good luck with that writing career.
Dixie Chicks Update
The DCs have catapulted up the Billboard Charts five spots to # 23 with their smash hit…”Not Ready To Make Nice”.
I wonder if this meteoric rise is any indication of their potential future success.
They would probably have to count on collective memory failure of much of the US population for them to return to their previous level of success. Maybe they should get ready to make a sincere apology, and better music.
Hey, good luck with that new hit.
The Apple Lands Close to the Tree
Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) was involved in a single car accident in which alcohol was apparently not involved. I guess we’re lucky he was nowhere near water when the combination of drugs he claims to have taken, Phenegram and Ambien, caused him to plow into barricades just blocks from the Capitol. The disoriented and confused Rep. from RI, apparently thought, that at 3 am, he was urgently needed back in the House to vote on a critical House resolution affirming the role of MADD in lowering deaths on the highway. Luckily, he claims, he had not been drinking.
Kennedy claims that he took the Phenegram and Ambien at about midnight, and then, because of the urgent nature of the legislation, awoke to perform his critical role in the House. I usually take a combination of drugs, then get up in the middle of the night and drive my car.
For those in RI who elected him, even if what he says happens to be true,..THIS GUY HAS ALL OF THE JUDGEMENT OF A CHOCOHOLIC IN A GODIVA STORE. Dump him next go around…he’s unfit and dangerous.
OBTW…
"The two officials said officers at the scene reported seeing the car swerve before the crash and said Kennedy appeared intoxicated."
Hmmm. Bars close at what time? He’s driving at what time? Which explanation is closer to the mark?
Did I mention he is the son of Sen. Ted Kennedy…who also has a history of poor driving at night?
Good luck with that story.
Bizzaro
Hungarian boozers are complaining to the Import Minister that they got shorted on a cask of imported rum. After an extensive period of nipping at the keg, they inexplicably ran out. They noted the weight of the “empty” kegger, and were surprised that it still was difficult to tip for the last savory drops of Jamaican rum.
Not deterred, they followed the protocol long established by college students world wide, and broke into it. It was then they discovered the half naked body of a man that had been pickled in the cask. Yummy.
Apparently, this was cheaper than sending the deceased home FedEx when he expired…some 20 years before, in Jamaica. Yummy. The wife had long since checked out, so his discovery was a shock to all.
Those that partook seemed to enjoy the “special taste.” Yummy.
Dueler adds…
"that's one stiff drunk!"
"talk about dead drunk!"
"got a little Captain in you?"
Good luck with that drinking problem. Comments welcome.
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
Debunking the Leftie Iraq Mantra…Part 1
Major Mike
Bush went to war for political advantage.
Fallacy of the left. I got caught up in a comment exchange at If I Ran the Zoo about several facets of the war in Iraq. After arguing through several threads on a piece entitled “Brezeniski, Iran, and the Wingnuts” (archive April 26, 2006), one of the hosts, Tom Hilton, came back with an implication that I assumed…
“…1) that military action by this administration would be driven by the demands of national security rather than political expediency,…”
That’s when it hit me…ALL of the Left’s arguments are based on a litany of false premises. Premises, that no one validates, and indeed are truly false. Let’s examine this one, for example.
Which President actually gained a political ADVANTAGE in going to war? Name one that did not suffer politically for their decision. Name me the last President who “chose” to go to war, that was rewarded politically for doing so.
Lincoln(R)? Reviled in many circles for going to war, and he “rewarded” with massive draft riots in NYC in July 1863. It garnered him an 1864 opponent who had been a former General in the Army of the Potomac, and he was “swept” into office with a margin of victory of 55-45%. Obviously, going to war solidified his “political” career.
Lincoln was reviled by both sides for many years for his insistence on going to war, for his execution of the war, and for probably the most striking civil rights decree in our history, the Emancipation Proclamation.
In the end, serious scholars of American history recognize that Lincoln is one of our greatest Presidents…likely our greatest. He went to war reluctantly, but for the just reason of holding our nation together. He freed the slaves, and in doing so did more for civil rights than the Democrats…who eventually controlled congress for dozens of years, ever did. His reward? Assassination, and scorn. Until serious students of history, democracy, and civil rights, calmly assessed his legacy and gave him the ultimate credit he was due.
His immediate political reward…an assassin’s bullet.
Woodrow Wilson (D)? After an extremely brief and highly successful US foray into the Great War, he was “rewarded” politically with the complete rejection of his “Fourteen Points,” a Treaty of Versailles that sowed the seeds for WWII, and a complete rejection of American participation in the League of Nations…his vision for peace in the world.
His political reward? “…he left office broken and defeated,…” His last seventeen months in office spent as an invalid. Nice reward.
FDR (D), perhaps the greatest Dem pol of all time, recognized the implications of going to war, and entered the US into WWII prior to any declaration of war by Congress by approving the Lend/Lease program of giving destroyers to the Brits early in 1941.
“At this point in the war, FDR had moved the U.S. to helping the war effort with all means except sending armed forces.”
FDR recognized, that until attacked, entering a war, even a dire, World War, was politically risky, and he made every effort to support England and the Russians without actively entering the fray, up until the point we were attacked at Pearl Harbor ( OBTW, America attacked…casualties acknowledged to be 2471). Then he guided our “legitimate” entry into WWII.
FDR was legitimately rewarded for his war time leadership in staying the course, even though Hitler owned most of Europe and the Japanese dominated the Pacific. He endured a full year of bad news waiting for US forces to gain traction, and to begin the long road to victory. He recognized that we were engaged in an extended struggle against two dangerous enemies and stayed the course after witnessing Dunkirk, and having American forces swallowed up at Wake Island, Midway Island, Corrigedor. He recognized the righteousness of the struggle, and had the will to guide the nation through tough defeats.
His political reward…he was the last President elected to a third term. His ultimate reward…he died in office, before the war was successfully concluded. What was the ultimate “value” of his “political” reward? Immortality? What?
Truman (D) got Korea and had to deal with the sticky issue of MacAruthur’s insubordination.
Kennedy(D)…Bay of Pigs, and added 2000% to troop strengths in Vietnam.
Johnson(D)…rewarded with a single elected term, and a divided country after he increased the military presence in Vietnam by 3000%+.
Nixon(R)…aggressively pursued the war until Congress cut off funding…rewarded with…a still divided country, and a list of enemies that made Jimmy Hoffa's short by comparison.
Ford(R)…Mayaguez. No re-election.
Carter(D). Desert One. No re-election.
Reagan (R). Beirut.
Bush 41 (R). Desert Storm…perhaps the most successful liberation campaign in history, not re-elected.
Clinton (D). Somalia. Ineffective counter-terror ops and “Wag the Dog.”
Bush 43 (R). Some of the foulest slanders ever bestowed upon a sitting President, and extremely low poll ratings. Seems with the plethora of examples listed above, engaging our military would not be the first choice of any President for political gain.
Now…we either elected the stupidest Presidents possible, Dem and GOP, or those that we do elect attempt to use the military for our good, or the good of the world…for clearly, there is no political gain to be had by using our military. In fact on could argue, that only Dem pols have really been “rewarded” by using our military.
Engaging the best that this nation has to offer is a heavy burden for those that ask for the sacrifice, and it is fraught with peril, and clearly is not worth the political risk.
Debunked.
Bush went to war for political advantage.
Fallacy of the left. I got caught up in a comment exchange at If I Ran the Zoo about several facets of the war in Iraq. After arguing through several threads on a piece entitled “Brezeniski, Iran, and the Wingnuts” (archive April 26, 2006), one of the hosts, Tom Hilton, came back with an implication that I assumed…
“…1) that military action by this administration would be driven by the demands of national security rather than political expediency,…”
That’s when it hit me…ALL of the Left’s arguments are based on a litany of false premises. Premises, that no one validates, and indeed are truly false. Let’s examine this one, for example.
Which President actually gained a political ADVANTAGE in going to war? Name one that did not suffer politically for their decision. Name me the last President who “chose” to go to war, that was rewarded politically for doing so.
Lincoln(R)? Reviled in many circles for going to war, and he “rewarded” with massive draft riots in NYC in July 1863. It garnered him an 1864 opponent who had been a former General in the Army of the Potomac, and he was “swept” into office with a margin of victory of 55-45%. Obviously, going to war solidified his “political” career.
Lincoln was reviled by both sides for many years for his insistence on going to war, for his execution of the war, and for probably the most striking civil rights decree in our history, the Emancipation Proclamation.
In the end, serious scholars of American history recognize that Lincoln is one of our greatest Presidents…likely our greatest. He went to war reluctantly, but for the just reason of holding our nation together. He freed the slaves, and in doing so did more for civil rights than the Democrats…who eventually controlled congress for dozens of years, ever did. His reward? Assassination, and scorn. Until serious students of history, democracy, and civil rights, calmly assessed his legacy and gave him the ultimate credit he was due.
His immediate political reward…an assassin’s bullet.
Woodrow Wilson (D)? After an extremely brief and highly successful US foray into the Great War, he was “rewarded” politically with the complete rejection of his “Fourteen Points,” a Treaty of Versailles that sowed the seeds for WWII, and a complete rejection of American participation in the League of Nations…his vision for peace in the world.
His political reward? “…he left office broken and defeated,…” His last seventeen months in office spent as an invalid. Nice reward.
FDR (D), perhaps the greatest Dem pol of all time, recognized the implications of going to war, and entered the US into WWII prior to any declaration of war by Congress by approving the Lend/Lease program of giving destroyers to the Brits early in 1941.
“At this point in the war, FDR had moved the U.S. to helping the war effort with all means except sending armed forces.”
FDR recognized, that until attacked, entering a war, even a dire, World War, was politically risky, and he made every effort to support England and the Russians without actively entering the fray, up until the point we were attacked at Pearl Harbor ( OBTW, America attacked…casualties acknowledged to be 2471). Then he guided our “legitimate” entry into WWII.
FDR was legitimately rewarded for his war time leadership in staying the course, even though Hitler owned most of Europe and the Japanese dominated the Pacific. He endured a full year of bad news waiting for US forces to gain traction, and to begin the long road to victory. He recognized that we were engaged in an extended struggle against two dangerous enemies and stayed the course after witnessing Dunkirk, and having American forces swallowed up at Wake Island, Midway Island, Corrigedor. He recognized the righteousness of the struggle, and had the will to guide the nation through tough defeats.
His political reward…he was the last President elected to a third term. His ultimate reward…he died in office, before the war was successfully concluded. What was the ultimate “value” of his “political” reward? Immortality? What?
Truman (D) got Korea and had to deal with the sticky issue of MacAruthur’s insubordination.
Kennedy(D)…Bay of Pigs, and added 2000% to troop strengths in Vietnam.
Johnson(D)…rewarded with a single elected term, and a divided country after he increased the military presence in Vietnam by 3000%+.
Nixon(R)…aggressively pursued the war until Congress cut off funding…rewarded with…a still divided country, and a list of enemies that made Jimmy Hoffa's short by comparison.
Ford(R)…Mayaguez. No re-election.
Carter(D). Desert One. No re-election.
Reagan (R). Beirut.
Bush 41 (R). Desert Storm…perhaps the most successful liberation campaign in history, not re-elected.
Clinton (D). Somalia. Ineffective counter-terror ops and “Wag the Dog.”
Bush 43 (R). Some of the foulest slanders ever bestowed upon a sitting President, and extremely low poll ratings. Seems with the plethora of examples listed above, engaging our military would not be the first choice of any President for political gain.
Now…we either elected the stupidest Presidents possible, Dem and GOP, or those that we do elect attempt to use the military for our good, or the good of the world…for clearly, there is no political gain to be had by using our military. In fact on could argue, that only Dem pols have really been “rewarded” by using our military.
Engaging the best that this nation has to offer is a heavy burden for those that ask for the sacrifice, and it is fraught with peril, and clearly is not worth the political risk.
Debunked.
Monday, May 01, 2006
Where Are The Apologies?
Major Mike
I didn’t have time to post on this tidbit last week, but interestingly…the left didn’t miss it.
Tucked in on A-6 or so of last Thursday’s Oregonian (old media, sorry no link), was a quick and dirty, one short column, on the Supreme Court decision Jones v. Flowers. It is not the facts in the case that interested me so much, but the fact that the big O acknowledged that Chief Justice Roberts sided with Jones, the property owner, against the State of Arkansas, who had attempted to seize his property for failure to pay his property taxes.
I was stunned.
Wasn’t Justice Roberts a racist? Sorry, implied to be a racist by demagoguering Dems?
From Sen. Ted Kennedy…
We can all remember Teddy’s tone of voice in the implication that Justice Roberts was truly the latter trying to be the former.
Remember Kennedy piling it on with…
Kennedy tried to box Roberts in, any disagreement, even a rationally based Constitutional objection, would have boxed Roberts into the racist pigeon hole.
From slow Joe Biden…who implies a prejudice against women…
And from Sen. Feingold who implies he is a mindless roboton for government and corporatations…
So, we are left with is this pattern of innuendo, that implies that Justice (then candidate) Roberts is at best not an independent thinker, and at worst…which is what the esteemed Sens. Kennedy, Biden, and Feingold were trying to project, or better, slime onto Roberts, the titles of bigot, woman hater, and stooge for “the man.”
Justice (then nominee) Alito was not immune...from Leahy's opening statement the smear was clear...
So when Roberts rules with the most liberal justices, in a 5-4 split, for Jones in a property retention case, I am awaiting the public apology he deserves. Read the case...it is a close argument about whether Jones was negligent in getting his taxes paid, and Roberts cuts him major slack and is the decisive vote in him retaining his property. I might as well wait for Godot...I have yet to see a Senatorial apology.
I guess I shouldn't be surprised...they could have apologized the day before when both Roberts AND Alito ruled in favor of "the little guy." They favored the government erring on the side of the plantiff in a case that revolved around calendar accounting in regards to time limits on habeus corpus petitions for those convicted under ADEPA legislation. Both Roberts and Alito ruled with, for all you doomsdayer, naysayer, slandering liberals...Ginsberg, Souter, and Kennedy.
I guess it would be too much to recognize that these two gentlemen did exactly what they said they would do...rule with fairness, based on the merits of the case. It is obvious that they did not carry into these proceedings the types of biases they were accused of.
It is a shame the Dem Senators can't say the same.
Sad, but predictable.
I didn’t have time to post on this tidbit last week, but interestingly…the left didn’t miss it.
Tucked in on A-6 or so of last Thursday’s Oregonian (old media, sorry no link), was a quick and dirty, one short column, on the Supreme Court decision Jones v. Flowers. It is not the facts in the case that interested me so much, but the fact that the big O acknowledged that Chief Justice Roberts sided with Jones, the property owner, against the State of Arkansas, who had attempted to seize his property for failure to pay his property taxes.
I was stunned.
Wasn’t Justice Roberts a racist? Sorry, implied to be a racist by demagoguering Dems?
From Sen. Ted Kennedy…
“Do you believe that Congress has the power to pass laws aimed at eliminating discrimination in our society? Or do you believe that our hands are tied, that the elected representatives of the people of the United States are without the power to pass laws aimed at righting wrongs, ending injustice, eliminating the inequalities that we have just witnessed so dramatically and tragically in New Orleans?”
We can all remember Teddy’s tone of voice in the implication that Justice Roberts was truly the latter trying to be the former.
Remember Kennedy piling it on with…
“In Brown, decided in 1954, the year before you were born, the Supreme Court concluded unequivocally that black children have the constitutional right to be educated in the same classrooms as white students. The court rejected the old doctrine of separate but equal, finding that it violated the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment.
In considering the issues raised by Brown, the court took a broad and real-life view of the question before it. It asked, "Does segregation of children in public schools solely on the basis of race, even though physical facilities and other tangible factors may be equal, deprive the children of the minority group of equal educational opportunities?"
So do you agree with the court's conclusion that the segregation of children in public schools solely on the basis of race was unconstitutional?”
Kennedy tried to box Roberts in, any disagreement, even a rationally based Constitutional objection, would have boxed Roberts into the racist pigeon hole.
From slow Joe Biden…who implies a prejudice against women…
“Judge, is gender discrimination, as you've written in a memo, a perceived problem or is it a real problem?”
And from Sen. Feingold who implies he is a mindless roboton for government and corporatations…
“And I'm a little concerned that you seem to consistently argue for making it harder to bring Section 1983 lawsuits. In briefs you have filed, you advanced a series of arguments to effectively reverse decades of Supreme Court decisions and restrict Americans' ability to enforce federal statutory rights under Section 1983.”
So, we are left with is this pattern of innuendo, that implies that Justice (then candidate) Roberts is at best not an independent thinker, and at worst…which is what the esteemed Sens. Kennedy, Biden, and Feingold were trying to project, or better, slime onto Roberts, the titles of bigot, woman hater, and stooge for “the man.”
Justice (then nominee) Alito was not immune...from Leahy's opening statement the smear was clear...
"Supreme Court nominations should not be conducted through a series of winks and nods designed to reassure a small faction of our population, while leaving the American people in the dark."Teddy doesn't disappoint with a nice smear in his opening statement as well...
"In an era where the White House is abusing power, is excusing and authorizing torture and is spying on American citizens, I find Judge Alito's support for an all-powerful executive branch to be genuinely troubling."From the ever brilliant Feinstein...as fair as ever...Alito gets accused of being a racist...
"When you served in the Solicitor General's Office during the Reagan administration, you argued in three cases against the constitutionality of affirmative action programs. Then once on the 3rd Circuit you sided against the individual alleging discrimination in about three-quarters of the cases before you."As we all recall, these kinds of slanders were precipitated upon both of these Justices during their hearings (search here for all the transcripts), and they, and their service, and their potential future service to this country, were slandered by the worst elements of the Democrat Party, who abandoned all truth in favor of hostility and domegoguery in an effort to thwart their nominations to the highest court in the land.
So when Roberts rules with the most liberal justices, in a 5-4 split, for Jones in a property retention case, I am awaiting the public apology he deserves. Read the case...it is a close argument about whether Jones was negligent in getting his taxes paid, and Roberts cuts him major slack and is the decisive vote in him retaining his property. I might as well wait for Godot...I have yet to see a Senatorial apology.
I guess I shouldn't be surprised...they could have apologized the day before when both Roberts AND Alito ruled in favor of "the little guy." They favored the government erring on the side of the plantiff in a case that revolved around calendar accounting in regards to time limits on habeus corpus petitions for those convicted under ADEPA legislation. Both Roberts and Alito ruled with, for all you doomsdayer, naysayer, slandering liberals...Ginsberg, Souter, and Kennedy.
I guess it would be too much to recognize that these two gentlemen did exactly what they said they would do...rule with fairness, based on the merits of the case. It is obvious that they did not carry into these proceedings the types of biases they were accused of.
It is a shame the Dem Senators can't say the same.
Sad, but predictable.
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