Saturday, January 5, 2008

The Race is On

For those George Jones fans out there:


Now the race is on and here comes Obama up the back stretch
Huckabee is goin' to the inside
Romeny is holdin' back and tryin' not to fall
Biden is out of the running
Tancredo's scratched for another's sake
The race is on and it looks like Clinton
And the winner loses all

President Seabiscuit

Americans are about to make history. Not in electing the first female President, or even the first hyphenated-American. No, we are about to put a horse in the White House. Seabiscuit to be precise, at least according to Mike Huckabee and John Edwards, both of whom compared themselves to the legendary racehorse the day after the Iowa caucuses. They are Seabiscuit, hear them roar!

The fact is that the candidates and the American people can be excused for their confusion. Anyone paying attention to election coverage would think they were watching a Kentucky Derby pre-race show. The electorate now has the opportunity to look at the Vegas odds on the candidates and get a bet down. They can then watch as Keith Olberman (formerly of ESPN) handicaps the field and calls the race from the press box.

Seriously, have you really listened to the political discourse going on in the media and at your local sports bar? Dick Morris, Susan Estrich, Frank Luntz, and a cast of countless cookie cutter Republican and Democratic “strategists” flood the airwaves every night to bring you MSM ElectionCenter.

First today's scores and results. In the Democratic League today Obama edged Clinton in overtime after a hard fought contest, with Obama pulling out the upset in the last seconds. At the post-game press conference Obama told fans, “I'm taking it one primary at a time. I'm just happy to be here, and I hope I can help the party. I'm gonna give it my best shot, and Good Lord willing, things'll work out.”

In other league news, Edwards and Richardson are in a fierce race for the wild card spot with Edwards holding a 2 point lead in the polls.

In the Republican League things have really tightened up. Romney blew a huge lead today over Huckabee, and it looks like Huckabee will finish the season in first place. But as you know, anything can happen in the playoffs, and McCain has proven himself a serious contender for that wild card spot with Paul still in the hunt.

Now back to Keith, Chris, Sean and Alan in the ElectionCenter for more post-game analysis and a preview of strategy for next week's contests. Take it away guys.

Is this what the Founders envisioned? Is this what We the People deserve? Is this the “pursuit” of happiness – were we supposed to take it so literally?

We are in the process of electing the next President of the United States. Our country is at war in Iraq and Afghanistan. A war I contend has made us more unsafe than we have ever been. Our standing and credibility internationally are at an all time low. At home, we are facing a recession that the Federal Reserve won't be able to print us out of. Our dollar is falling as the debt skyrockets. Oil has hit $100/barrel and there's no end in sight. Our government is spending money like a gambler on crack. We are allowing our representatives to chip away at our Constitutional rights.

But if you watch 24 hour cable channels, they will give you:
First Thoughts – Debate Double-Header, Handicapping Tonight's Debate (MSNBC)
Big Time Obama Bounce (Fox)
Ballot Bowl Makes a Return Appearance (CNN)
Playing Catch-up May be Harder This Time (CBS)
Edwards Touts Underdog Status (ABC)

It may shock the media and it may shock you, but there is more going on here than a contest, more than PR, image, polls, and who has the best hair. THE FUTURE OF OUR COUNTRY IS AT STAKE! I believe that the media has a responsibility to help the Americans make an informed choice at the polls, and that they should do this by reporting on ISSUES not IMAGE. Frank Luntz cannot focus group the country out of debt. Chris Matthews and his power rankings will not lower your taxes.

And lest you think that none of this really effects voters, think again. Go down to you local watering hole, and do a little talking to Average Joe at the bar (if you can tear his eyes away from the TV that's blaring a college basketball game). I've done it and I'll tell you what I've found. Joe at the bar doesn't know who all the candidates are, but he has a hazy idea of who's winning. Joe doesn't know what Mitt Romney stands for but he knows he's good looking. He knows that Obama really gets his fans fired up when he speaks. And a lot of the Joes I've spoken to think ELECTABILITY is one of the biggest issues in the campaign.

In other words, a lot of voters really do see the election as a contest with two teams. And they want to put forward the player that has the best chance to beat the other team's player, and the media keeps them updated on who that is at the moment. They don't care about issues and principles, they care about winning. Oh sure, they say that issues matter. But they qualify it with, “I agree with him, but I don't think he can win.” They are willing to compromise their values if only they can win.

They don't seem to consider that if everyone thinks that way, what they will get is a compromise candidate who doesn't stand for anything. If we really want change, if we really want a fiscally and morally sound America, if we really care what happens to our next generation - then we have to make decisions based on those principles we claim to espouse.

And you have to understand it's up to you. Every voter has a right and a responsibility when they cast a ballot. Part of that responsibility is doing the right thing for the right reasons. Every voter must do the research and reading, every voter must vote according to conscience, not compromise. A lot of people say they want a candidate who tells the truth and will stand up for what they believe in. Until the voters are willing to do the same, they will continue to get plastic, made-for-media Ken and Barbie dolls.

Stop letting media tell you who looks good, who's running well and who's got the best shot to beat the other team. Stop worrying about winning the game and start worrying about winning the future. Drop the word “frontrunner” from your vocabulary. Because if you don't vote your conscience in 2008, you may very well find yourself whistling Hail to the Chief for President Seabiscuit.

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

The Reasons Why Ron Paul is a Moonbat


A Dispassionate Reasoned Argument From a Real Conservative

Debt & Taxes – Ron Paul wants to lower taxes by abolishing the income tax and cutting spending. He also wants to lower the debt, stop inflation by ending irresponsible printing of money, and he thinks it's a bad thing that our debt is financed largely by China and Saudi Arabia. He feels we should balance the budget and eliminate wasteful spending of all kinds. He's concerned about the falling dollar, and he thinks we are in the midst of an expanding economic crisis.

Clearly, all of this is insane. Only a maniac could possibly believe that lower taxes are a good thing. First of all, if average Americans had more money to spend, they would probably waste it on lottery tickets and pay-per-view wrestling. It's government's job to protect us from that kind of wasteful spending.

As for the debt, it's a good thing. Let's face it, debt is normal, it's correct, it's as much an American institution as apple pie and baseball. If we didn't have debt, we couldn't have plasma TVs and X Boxes. If the government didn't have debt we couldn't have any more bridges to nowhere or wars in countries that dis us. Is that what he wants? And as for selling the debt to foreign countries, could the Paulistenians please explain why that's bad? What are they gonna do, foreclose? The worst that could happen is that we have to learn to speak Mandarin and after all, everyone should know a foreign language.

And why not print more money? Look at it this way, at home when you run low on ramen noodles, you go get more. Money is like ramen noodles. When we run low we print more. That's just common sense. There is no relationship between printing more money and money being worth less. That's silly, it says right on the dollar that it's worth a dollar. What more do you need than that? And if the dollar falls too much against the Euro we can always nuke the European Union. They're commies anyway.

Border Security & Immigration Reform - Ron Paul has a six point immigration plan. He wants to: physically secure the borders, enforce visa rules, oppose amnesty, end welfare for illegal immigrants, end birthright citizenship and pass real immigration reform with rules and waiting periods without amnesty.

Madness! If we physically secure the borders and don't have an amnesty program, there won't be anyone to mow lawns. And then grass will grow out of control, and pretty soon the whole country will look like the Amazon rainforest. Is that what he wants? Besides that, chickens will go unplucked. No more fried chicken! THAT'S UN-AMERICAN! And if terrorists can't get in, we might not have another 9/11 and then we might have to declare victory in the War on Terror. Is this guy on crack? And if we enforce the visa rules, we'll run short on Pakistani doctors who work in the emergency rooms where illegal Mexicans go for free medical care when they get stabbed in gang fights. Is he trying to create a health care crisis? As for anchor babies, how does this traitor think illegal immigrants will be able to apply for welfare if they don't have kids to go with them and interpret at the Department of Social Services? And if we cut off welfare for illegals what would we spend the money on? Services for citizens? Then you end up with a nanny state. Isn't it better to turn the illegals into blood-sucking, dependent, shiftless parasites sucking on the government teat? Besides, the illegals take the money they save by using government hand-outs and wire it back to home to their countless unemployed relatives. If they didn't do that, we would have to increase foreign aid to Latin America. Think of all the money that would cost!

War & Foreign Policy – Ron Paul believes the war in Iraq to be illegal, costly in blood and treasure, entered into under false pretenses and detrimental to our national security. Further, he believes that foreign policy should be conducted through negotiation, trade and communication, not through the use of military force.

OK, now if this doesn't prove that Ron Paul is one Christmas light short of a strand, I don't know what will. First of all if we weren't fighting Iraqis in Iraq, we would be fighting them in Duluth. Saddam Hussein had clearly expressed a desire to put troops ashore in Nantucket and he would have if we hadn't acted immediately. If George W. Bush had not heroically stood up to the Constitution, and unilaterally declared war on Iraq, our children would even now be learning Arabic in madrassa, schools and your wife would be wearing a burkha. Furthermore, what do you think would happen to the prosthetic limb industry in this country if we quit creating amputees?

And does Ron Paul really think the founders meant that only Congress has the power to declare war just because it's in the Constitution? We can't be bound by that! The founders never envisaged a situation in which the President would need to pre-emptively invade any country that threatens to kill his father. Duh!

As for conducting a foreign policy not based on the threat of invasion, how else does this nutball expect us to deal with people we don't like? Look at it this way, if you don't constantly threaten everyone you meet on the street with a gun, you might get mugged. Therefore, it only makes sense to shoot everyone you meet and ask questions later. Or to put it another way, talk is cheap and war is expensive. Since war is more expensive; and more expensive things are intrinsically better than cheaper things; then war is better than diplomacy. And if we run out of money to pay for war we can print more. If we run out of troops, we can draft the illegal aliens we let in through the open borders. THAT is a coherent foreign policy. Peace is for pussies.

Smaller Government – And finally Dr. No believes in smaller government and personal freedoms as defined in the Constitution.

This is so ridiculous as to not merit a response. But for those of you in the tin foil hats, I will attempt to explain how stupid this is. If government were smaller who would pay for: the K-12 Fishing Mortality Education Program in Orange City, CA, Beaver Management and Control in Mississippi, Mormon Cricket Research in Nevada or Citrus Waste Utilization in Winter Park, FL? And these are just a few of the necessities provided via the 696 pages of earmarks in the recently passed omnibus spending bill. Is Ron Paul trying to tell us we could get along without Chronic Wasting Disease Surveillance programs? Puh-leeze! Besides, everyone knows that government is the most efficient manager of everything from health care to Asian Horned Beetles. Just look at how efficiently they've managed Iraq. If you don't believe me, just ask the Presidents of Halliburton and Blackwater or the prisoners at Abu Gharib.

As for personal freedoms, who needs 'em? I mean, does he want the terrorists to win? And make no mistake, the minute we allow the terrorists to make us stop giving up our civil liberties they've won. They hate us for our freedoms, and if we start exercising our freedoms they will hate us even more! Wiretapping, waterboarding and war are the three Ws that make America great!

So in closing, a vote for Ron Paul is a vote for bin Laden. That should be starkly clear. He is supported by liberal fascists, Islamo-fascists and neo-Nazi fascists. No one but a fascist would support peace, lower taxes, sound money, strong borders and smaller government.

Friday, December 14, 2007

Freedom From Speech (Sarc.)

Just out of curiosity I checked the Constitution the other day. You know, that document Conservatives claim to revere, and want to export to Middle East in return for cheap oil.

Anyway, attached to that quaint document is a little thing called the Bill of Rights. And right there on the first page is a paragraph guaranteeing freedom of speech. (Of course, I read an online version of the first amendment, so instead of actual text I got a message saying that "comment number one was removed by moderator". But, I do seem to remember from junior high that there had been something there about freedom of speech.)

Having just come from reading a (neo) conservative site that shall remain nameless, (Hint: It begins with FREE and ends with Republic.) I experienced a great deal of cognitive dissonance. I tried to resolve the problem with logic:
  • If the Constitution guarantees freedom of speech,
  • and conservatives believe in the Constitution,
  • then conservatives believe in free speech.

(This is called a syllogism for those of you who were left behind as children.)

Unfortunately, logic in this case didn't square with reality, bringing me back to the original conundrum - why are conservatives so scared of the Constitution?

I thought about it, I researched it, I read the Federalist Papers, and then I had an epiphany - the moonbats who wrote the Constitution were not prepared for global Jihad.

The War on Terror has changed everything, and now what we really need to fear is the Constitution itself. Only consider how wrong-headed our founding document really is:

  • All legislative powers shall be vested in a Congress - WRONG! The President needs the power to use signing statements and executive orders to bypass Congress so the terrorists don't get an edge.
  • The Congress shall have the power to declare war - WRONG! The President should have the power to initiate pre-emptive wars against terrorists whenever the hell he feels like it so we won't have to fight them here. And Congress should just get the hell outta the way, or better still, pass ambiguous "use of force" resolutions without reading them.
  • The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it. - WRONG! Freakin' moonbats forgot to add an exception for whenever the President feels like it - provided he's a Republican.
  • Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech. - WRONG! Clearly, any speech tending to disagree with neo-conservative principles should be snipped, banned, removed, reproved, deleted and responded to with rigorous name-calling. This includes (but is not limited to) any mention of fairness in Middle East policy, criticism of un-declared wars, praise of Ron Paul or soul-searching of Republican foreign policies. (Of course, any whiff of agreement with liberals or Democrats on any issue is clearly treason and punishable by death.)
  • The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. - WRONG! Damn trolls forgot about the need for warrantless wiretapping of citizens.
  • In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense. - WRONG! Clearly the founders were newbies at drafting legal documents, as they forgot the need for illegal prisons where people can be incarcerated without trial indefinitely.
  • ...nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted. - WRONG! Waterboarding Rocks!

I could go into the Amendments, but I think you see where we're headed. It became obvious to me (as I'm sure it is to you) that the only thing for a real conservative to do is to abolish the Constitution and start over.

What we really need is a document that reflects current conservative thought. And clearly, the way to win the War on Terror is fight fire with fire. The one thing conservatives have proven they can do is to use religion as a weapon of mass destruction.

In my next post I will offer constructive neo-conservative advice on a re-write that will take into account the new post-9/11 reality. I have some terrific thoughts on the incorporation of The Ten Commandments. Stay tuned...