Titled:   End of an Affair

The Washington Post has published a report that their coverage of the Plame affair was incorrect.

Samizdata reports that the overlooked result of this is the admitted fact that Saddam was actually shopping for Uranium for an illicit weapons program.

Thus, it turns out that the White House stands vindicated on one of its key arguments for going to war against Saddam: that this thug and his regime were actively pursuing a WMD program. So...where are all the headlines about this? Except for this editorial admission by the Post (which implies that the newspaper had been taken in, rather than played a key roll in disseminating the lies), where are the media mea culpas, retractions, and apologies for many months of false, anti-Bush "conspiracy" stories? Don't hold your breath.

The silence is damning deafening.

 

Titled:   Annan tours devastated south Lebanon

And to think some people blamed the Jews...

Hat-tip Opinion Journal

 

Titled:   The Fertility Gap

Simply put, liberals have a big baby problem: They're not having enough of them, they haven't for a long time, and their pool of potential new voters is suffering as a result. According to the 2004 General Social Survey, if you picked 100 unrelated politically liberal adults at random, you would find that they had, between them, 147 children. If you picked 100 conservatives, you would find 208 kids. That's a "fertility gap" of 41%. Given that about 80% of people with an identifiable party preference grow up to vote the same way as their parents, this gap translates into lots more little Republicans than little Democrats to vote in future elections.

I'm not sure it's fertility either - I would think that Dems and Repubs are about equal in ability to get pregnant and have children - abortion and choice to remain childless seem to be a liberal trait.

Of course the Dems have an opinion on that:

As one liberal columnist in a major paper graphically put it, "Maybe the scales are tipping to the neoconservative, homogenous right in our culture simply because they tend not to give much of a damn for the ramifications of wanton breeding and environmental destruction and pious sanctimony, whereas those on the left actually seem to give a whit for the health of the planet and the dire effects of overpopulation."

Maybe the conservatives just put a greater value in the sanctity of life, the value of families and realise that bringing up intelligent, happy kids is the only hope for the future of mankind?

Reasons aside, this will have a huge effect on future voting patterns:

A state that was split 50-50 between left and right in 2004 will tilt right by 2012, 54% to 46%. By 2020, it will be certifiably right-wing, 59% to 41%. A state that is currently 55-45 in favor of liberals (like California) will be 54-46 in favor of conservatives by 2020--and all for no other reason than babies.

Kising babies may be a little easier for one party in the future...

James Taranto of Opinion Journal even has a name for this - The Roe Effect - a good read from 2004 that looks at this effect in depth.

 

Titled:   Granholm Signs Legislation to Strengthen Self-Defense Rights

Fox News:

Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm signed legislation Thursday that supporters say is aimed at strengthening and clarifying self-defense rights in Michigan. People now will be allowed to use deadly force, with no duty to retreat, if they reasonably think they face imminent death, great bodily harm or sexual assault.

They can use deadly force on their property or anywhere they have a legal right to be. The legislation also protects people from civil lawsuits if they have used force in self-defense.

"Law-abiding citizens will have the right to defend themselves against brutal violence without having to worry about being treated like a criminal," state Sen. Alan Cropsey, R-DeWitt, said in a statement.

The law also creates a "rebuttable presumption" -- a legal advantage that assumes, unless there's strong proof to the contrary, that people honestly and reasonably believe they face death, rape or great bodily harm when someone breaks into their home.

The presumption won't apply in domestic violence situations, disputes involving the police and if people using the force are breaking the law.

WLNS:

Mich. Governor Granholm has signed legislation that supporters say will strengthen and clarify self-defense rights in Michigan.

People now will be allowed to use deadly force -- with no duty to retreat -- if they reasonably think they face imminent death, great bodily harm or sexual assault.The law also protects people from civil lawsuits if they have used force in self-defense.

Critics says the law is NOT only dangerous but also unnecessary because prosecutors already don't charge people who have justifiably used deadly force to protect themselves.

Supporters say the law is needed to protect people from getting sued and partly because Michigan law previously required people to first retreat before using deadly force, putting them at a disadvantage.

 

Titled:   Senate votes to bar emergency gun confiscation

The U.S. Senate on Thursday voted to prohibit the confiscation of legally owned guns during an emergency like last year's Hurricane Katrina, marking another victory for the gun lobby.

By a vote of 84-16, the Senate embraced an amendment by Sen. David Vitter, a Louisiana Republican. He attached his measure to a domestic security spending bill for the fiscal year starting October 1 that the Senate is expected to pass soon.

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed its version of the spending bill and negotiators will have to decide whether to keep the gun provision. The House is usually sympathetic to gun owners.

Citing the constitutional right to bear arms, Vitter said that during an emergency people should be allowed to hold onto "legally possessed firearms to defend your life, your property" at a time when telephone lines and cell phones probably are not operating and victims "can't reach out to law enforcement authorities."

Progress - But it is a pity that we have to put into law what is already there.

"Shall not be infringed"

Of course there is always a hopeful idiot at hand:

Sen. Richard Durbin, an Illinois Democrat, added, "You send the National Guardsmen in ... and then snipers start shooting at them and the police make it known this is going to be a gun-free zone. We don't want any National Guardsmen killed because of this national emergency, this disaster. Is that an unreasonable thing?"

Yup - law abiding people waiting to ambush the National Guard. Happens all the time... such is the mindset of the crazy left. As if the criminals in an emergency are just going to hand them over peacefully...

 

Titled: "What's Hebrew for "mess with the bull, you'll get the horns?"

Envy is a curious thing. Some people simply can't stand to see others get attention, even horribly fatal attention, while they are being snubbed.

That is the only possible explanation I can conceive for Hezbollah's deciding to emulate Hamas recently. Hamas invaded Israel, killed several soldiers, and kidnapped one. In response, Israel is incrementally destroying every shred of Hamas, ignoring offers of trading that single Israeli soldier for a thousand or so Palestinian prisoners (indicating that Hamas agrees with me -- one Israeli is worth about a thousand Palestinians) and instead hitting them harder and harder -- blowing up buildings, capturing or killing leaders, and in general raining chaos on the region that has inflicted so much carnage and death on Israel over the years.

Quite frankly, I don't see just what Hamas is gaining out of this, but somehow Hezbollah must see some sort of upside, because now they've emulated Hamas. They have done their own invasion of Israel and in a "anything dumb you can do, I can do dumber" move, have kidnapped two Israeli soldiers. And, predictably, Israel's is much the same -- no negotiations, just more and more military action.

Read the whole thing at Wizbang

 

Titled:   You Really Need to Stop Using Google

We Swear brings us an interesting angle on Google.

Not content to censor the Chinese population, they also seem to have a bias against right-of-center sites in their main search engine, either in News, Search or both:

As it turns out, the mega search engine Google has been taken over by the left and any key words that someone there deems “hate speech” results in that piece disappearing.
...
Google has become the single largest private corporate underwriter of MoveOn. According to sources in the Democrat National Committee, MoveOn has received more than $1 million from Google and its lobbyists in Washington...

Even the Washington Times has written about the story:

As Newsbusters reports, in March 2005, Rusty Shackleford, who runs the conservative blog the Jawa Report, received an e-mail message from Google informing him that: "Upon recent review, we've found that your site contains hate speech, and we will no longer be including it in Google News." A year later, Jim Sesi, who runs the conservative MichNews.com, received a similar e-mail from Google: "We have received numerous reports about hate content on your site, and after reviewing these reports, decided to remove your site from Google news." Two weeks ago, Frank Salvato, who runs the conservative New Media Journal, also heard from Google that his site was being removed, again because of "hate content."
    Aside from each of these three sites being largely conservative in outlook, the offending material cited by Google were articles criticizing radical Islam and Islamists. Upon review, the articles contain language no more -- in some cases far less -- inflammatory than the numerous Muslim Web sites a user can find when searching Google News. So, at least on the surface, it's reasonable to assume that it is Muslims who are complaining to Google, which then chooses to avoid further criticism by simply expelling the sites.

Michelle Malkin weighs in with an example of clear bias:

Actual headline featured in Google News' top U.S. stories section:

Gonzales confirmed: war criminal to head US Justice Department

Google is happy to allow Uruknet.info, an Iraqi resistance propaganda outlet, to appear at the top of the News section, but won't add respectable sites from the right?

Newsbusters points out the make-up of the staff at Google:

In the case of Google, there is some evidence that its employees lean strongly to the left. According to a February 2005 USA Today article on the subject: “As it claws for greater power, the Democratic Party has found a newly rich ally in one of the fastest-growing U.S. companies: Google.” The article stated that of the over $200,000 Google employees gave to federal candidates in 2004, “98% went to Democrats, the biggest share among top tech donors.” And, with a largely successful public stock offering making “scores of millionaires among [Google’s] 3,000 workers,” “Democrats now have a potentially potent source of cash as they fight to retake the White House and Congress.”

With over 49% of the searches in the US made though Google, maybe it's time to move to another engine.

Fair and balanced indeed!

 

 

Organizing the hijacking of the planes that crashed into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon took significant sums of money. The cost of these plots suggests that putting Osama bin Laden and other international terrorists out of business will require more than diplomatic coalitions and military action. Washington and its allies must also disable the financial networks used by terrorists. The Bush administration is preparing new laws to help track terrorists through their money-laundering activity and is readying an executive order freezing the assets of known terrorists. Much more is needed, including stricter regulations, the recruitment of specialized investigators and greater cooperation with foreign banking authorities.

There must also must be closer coordination among America´s law enforcement, national security and financial regulatory agencies. Osama bin Laden originally rose to prominence because his inherited fortune allowed him to bankroll Arab volunteers fighting Soviet forces in Afghanistan. Since then, he has acquired funds from a panoply of Islamic charities and illegal and legal businesses, including export-import and commodity trading firms, and is estimated to have as much as $300 million at his disposal.Some of these businesses move funds through major commercial banks that lack the procedures to monitor such transactions properly. Locally, terrorists can utilize tiny unregulated storefront financial centers, including what are known as hawala banks, which people in South Asian immigrant communities in the United States and other Western countries use to transfer money abroad. Though some smaller financial transactions are likely to slip through undetected even after new rules are in place, much of the financing needed for major attacks could dry up.

Washington should revive international efforts begun during the Clinton administration to pressure countries with dangerously loose banking regulations to adopt and enforce stricter rules. These need to be accompanied by strong sanctions against doing business with financial institutions based in these nations. The Bush administration initially opposed such measures. But after the events of Sept. 11, it appears ready to embrace them. The Treasury Department also needs new domestic legal weapons to crack down on money laundering by terrorists. The new laws should mandate the identification of all account owners, prohibit transactions with "shell banks" that have no physical premises and require closer monitoring of accounts coming from countries with lax banking laws. Prosecutors, meanwhile, should be able to freeze more easily the assets of suspected terrorists.

The Senate Banking Committee plans to hold hearings this week on a bill providing for such measures. It should be approved and signed into law by President Bush. New regulations requiring money service businesses like the hawala banks to register and imposing criminal penalties on those that do not are scheduled to come into force late next year. The effective date should be moved up to this fall, and rules should be strictly enforced the moment they take effect. If America is going to wage a new kind of war against terrorism, it must act on all fronts, including the financial one.

The New York Times, September 24, 2001

Hat-tip to Free Republic

 

No, not from Iraq. John "I have the hat" Kerry's resolution to cut-and-run from Iraq was soundly defeated 86-13. He did however characterize it as a great victory:

Feingold and Kerry declared the vote a victory, since their bid last week to mandate a pullout by December 31 got six votes.

"It was terrific," Kerry said. "Several votes more than we anticipated."

Which is like Germany claiming it won the Second World War because it involved more people that their first attempt.

The withdrawal mentioned in the title is instead from Germany itself, the US having lost a pitched battle against superpower Ghana in the World Cup.

Yes - Ghana! Noted mainly for colorful cloth:

Perhaps the most visible (and most marketable) cultural contribution from modern Ghana is Kente cloth, which is widely recognized and valued for its colors and symbolism.

And now known for keeping #5 ranked USA out of the World Cup finals.

 

Titled:   Hundreds of WMDs Found in Iraq

The United States has found 500 chemical weapons in Iraq since 2003, and more weapons of mass destruction are likely to be uncovered, two Republican lawmakers said Wednesday.

"We have found weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, chemical weapons," Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., said in a quickly called press conference late Wednesday afternoon.

Reading from a declassified portion of a report by the National Ground Intelligence Center, a Defense Department intelligence unit, Santorum said: "Since 2003, coalition forces have recovered approximately 500 weapons munitions which contain degraded mustard or sarin nerve agent. Despite many efforts to locate and destroy Iraq's pre-Gulf War chemical munitions, filled and unfilled pre-Gulf War chemical munitions are assessed to still exist."

So two possibilities exist: That there are none at all, and this is just a big whopper from the evil empire, or that they do actually exist and the basis for all the arguements from the left is reduced to a smoking wreck.

In the case of the latter, I find it particularly interesting that the left have been allowed to continue for so long, building their case on an erroneous assumption, only to have it collapsed just prior to the November elections.

Maybe the morons in power are indeed a clever bunch after all?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More at Day By Day

 

Titled:     The ABA Goes Wild

From the Powerline:

It's official: the American Bar Association is off the reservation. After several years of relatively good behavior, it has now drawn its knives and enlisted in the Democrats' 2006 campaign. Today, the ABA's judicial qualifications panel opined unanimously that Michael Wallace, nominated to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, is "unqualified" for the post.

This is ridiculous. Wallace's bio is here. He graduated from Harvard and (at the top of his class) the University of Virginia Law School. He clerked for the Mississippi Supreme Court, and for Justice Rehnquist on the U.S. Supreme Court. President Reagan appointed Wallace to head the Legal Services Corporation. For some years, Wallace has had what appears to be a top-notch litigation practice, with an appellate focus, in Jackson, Mississippi.

Based on Wallace's resume, there are two reasons why the Democrats at the ABA consider him "unqualified." The first is that he is a Republican. He is General Counsel of the Mississippi Republican Party, and--no doubt a key fact--he served as Special Impeachment Counsel to then-Majority Leader Trent Lott for the impeachment trial of President Clinton. The second reason is that Wallace is from Mississippi. I doubt whether the ABA would dare to pull the same stunt with a Northerner.

With this nakedly political move, the American Bar Association has once again forfeited any claim to credibility.

 

Titled:   Policy on Iran nukes seems to be off-target

Mark Steyn compares Iran's behaviour to a domestic airline passenger:

You know what's great fun to do if you're on, say, a flight from Chicago to New York and you're getting a little bored? Why not play being President Ahmadinejad? Stand up and yell in a loud voice, "I've got a bomb!" Next thing you know the air marshal will be telling people, "It's OK, folks. Nothing to worry about. He hasn't got a bomb." And then the second marshal would say, "And even if he did have a bomb it's highly unlikely he'd ever use it." And then you threaten to kill the two Jews in row 12 and the stewardess says, "Relax, everyone. That's just a harmless rhetorical flourish." And then a group of passengers in rows 4 to 7 point out, "Yes, but it's entirely reasonable of him to have a bomb given the threatening behavior of the marshals and the cabin crew."

...

All the doom-mongers want to know why we went into Iraq "without a plan." Well, one reason is surely that, for a year before the invasion, the energy of the U.S. government was primarily devoted to the pointless tap-dance through the United Nations, culminating in the absurd situation of Western foreign ministers chasing each other through Africa to bend the ear of the president of Guinea, who happened to be on the Security Council that week but whose witch doctor had advised against supporting Washington. Allowing the Guinean tail to wag the French rectum of the British hindquarters of the American dog was a huge waste of resources. To go through it all again in order to prevent whichever global colossus chances to be on the Security Council this time (Haiti? The South Sandwich Islands?) from siding with the Russo-Chinese obstructionists would show that the United States had learned nothing.

Read the rest here

 

Titled:   Kwame Wallace

The ever-topical Opinion Journal brings us an interesting article on Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick echoing the words of southern segregationists:

In November voters in the Wolverine State will decide whether to approve the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative, a ballot measure banning racial preferences by government agencies, including public educational institutions. Similar measures have won approval in California and Washington, both more liberal-leaning states than Michigan, so one would expect the MCRI would have a pretty good chance of passing.

Not surprisingly, the civil rights establishment opposes the Civil Rights Initiative, as the Associated Press reports:

In blunt and passionate tones, officials at a major NAACP fundraiser that drew 10,000 people blasted a ballot initiative that aims to restrict affirmative action programs in Michigan.

"On behalf of the city of Detroit, I say, 'Bring it on,' " Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick said at the 51st annual Fight for Freedom Fund Dinner on Sunday. "If you want a fight, there is one waiting for you right here." . . .

"There will be affirmative action here today," Kilpatrick said. "There will be affirmative action here tomorrow and there will be affirmative action in our state forever."

This puts Kilpatrick at odds with the U.S. Supreme Court, which, although it approved some of the University of Michigan's affirmative action policies in Grutter v. Bollinger (2003), also stated that "25 years from now, the use of racial preferences will no longer be necessary." That deadline is now only 22 years, one month and three weeks away.

More curious is Kilpatrick's choice of slogans. "Bring it on"? That's how losers talk. The mayor may as well inquire as to the location of the outrage or opine about the riskiness of the scheme.

Even worse is that "affirmative action forever" line, an echo of--of all people--George Wallace. In his 1963 Inaugural Address Alabama's then-governor declared:

In the name of the greatest people that have ever trod this earth, I draw the line in the dust and toss the gauntlet before the feet of tyranny, and I say segregation today, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever.

It didn't quite work out that way. Eighteen months later, the Civil Rights Act was the law of the land. The Wallace-Kilpatrick parallel illustrates a point we made in January:

During the decades between Reconstruction and the Civil Rights Act, white Southerners were extreme political outliers. Much of their political energy was invested in defending a system of racial discrimination that privileged them. They voted Democratic in overwhelming proportions, sometimes approaching 90%, even during periods when Republicans were the dominant party nationwide. . . . The political behavior of white Southerners then is remarkably similar to that of black Americans today.

Still, it seems odd for Kilpatrick to adopt the rhetoric of an avowed segregationist. Why not instead modify Martin Luther King: "I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will be judged by the color of their skin, but not by the content of their character"?

 

Titled:     Greenpeace takes Kennedy to task

But Ted Kennedy? Sure enough, the activist group known for its flair for drama hammers the liberal Bay State senator - and Cape Wind opponent - in new ads being shown in states nationwide in the days leading up to a congressional vote that could doom the Nantucket Sound wind farm.

In the 30-second spot, a cartoon Kennedy looms over the water like a Japanese movie monster, pounding wind turbines as they sprout from the water, and barks, ''I might see them from my mansion on the Cape.''

See the movie here
 

Titled:   44 percent of Americans think that they pay the right amount of income taxes

John Lott brings us news of a surprising new survey that coincides nicely with the end of the tax season.

Apparently 44 percent of people think that they pay the right amount of tax. 48% think it is too high.

At first blush, this seems to say that taxes are about right, if a little high.

When you remember that nearly half of Americans pay no tax at all, you can see who the 44% comprise of.

In his Apr. 1 radio address, U.S. president George W. Bush discussed his fiscal policies, saying, "The debate in Congress over taxes ultimately comes down to this: Who knows best how to use your money—the politicians in Washington or you? I believe the money we spend in Washington is your money, not the government’s money. I trust you to make the best decisions about what to do with your hard-earned dollars, because when you do, your family is better off, our economy grows, and prosperity and opportunity spread throughout our great land."

 

Titled:   Do You Have to Be Crazy to be Mayor of New Orleans

As New Orleans attempts to drag itself back to normality, some old patterns re-emerge. Ms. Butler is running for Mayor of New Orleans and she is asking her constituents to trust her integrity. At the same time as using a photo-shopped Disney photo for her campaign website:

Yes, the Disney-branded garbage can had to go. So, assuming that this picture has been chopped heavily, including her presence itself, why not just use an old photo of New Orleans in its heyday, pre-Katrina? That would be the honest thing to do.

As her website so clearly says:

"The Right Plan is only as good as the Right Leader…
Kimberly has always done “Right” what she says she will do!”

...uncompromising integrity...

Mind, it also contains a large number of misspelled and badly put together sentences.

 

Much as we should applaud anyone willing to throw their hat into the ring of local politics, she really should think about the image she portrays. It makes it too easy to guess which party she aligns herself with.

Hat-tip to Say Anything

 

Titled:    Luck strikes, a world apart

Every now and then there seems to be a sting of good luck stories in the press. Here are tales of two of them, both concerning men that have survived against the odds.

The first is the story of Jim Loney. He, along with three colleagues were in Iraq to protest the American presence when, as seems to the pattern these days, they were kidnapped. It seems that the terrorists insurgents that captured him in November weren't that impressed with their sad plight and threatened to execute them if Iraqi prisoners weren't released.

Tragically, the one US citizen of the group, Tom Fox, met an untimely end at the hands of his captors. He was found dead in Baghdad on March 10th.

The remaining three were rescued by the very multi-national teams they were there to protest. In a well-planned rescue today, US and Iraqi forces moved in and secured their freedom.

There is still no word on whether they are graceful enough to thank their rescuers rather than condemn them. So far the only quote has been from a Toronto-based colleague:

In Toronto, the co-director of Christian Peacemaker Teams expressed delight the three had been released without violence.

Isn't it funny how they forget the violence that is kidnapping, threats and the killing of Tom Fox, and focus only on the potential wrongdoings of the US forces?

In the second case of good luck I noticed today, Matt Suter had a record-breaking escape for almost certain death. This Missouri teen was sucked out of his family's trailer by a tornado and awoke in a field a quarter-mile away.

Suter said he remembered nothing about his flight over the pasture. He landed about 25 feet from a gravel road and a barbed-wire fence. A piece of paper from the trailer lay next to him.

Suter has no idea how he survived.

“The way it tore the walls and roof out of the trailer, I’m sure it sucked me up into the wind,” Suter said. “I’m really glad I was unconscious.”

Tom Grazulis, a Vermont meteorologist who studies tornado behavior, said he knew of no person who traveled as far as Suter and survived.

“It’s a pretty awkward record to have,” the 19-year-old senior at Fordland High School said.

Apart from a minor cut on his head, he was able to run back to his damaged home to help his injured but recovering relatives.

 

Titled:   Portland jail empty, despite rise in crime

The Seattle Times tells us of one part of this story:

The Wapato Facility, in the city's northern outskirts, took $59 million and two years to construct. But in the nearly two years since its completion — as Portland has struggled with a crime surge — not a single inmate has set foot in the building.

And the New York Times brings us the second part:

Especially in the country's inner cities, the studies show, finishing high school is the exception, legal work is scarcer than ever and prison is almost routine, with incarceration rates climbing for blacks even as urban crime rates have declined.

There seems to be a pattern here. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that if you lock up enough criminals, there is a decrease in crime. And if you leave them loose on the street, more crime happens.

Yet both media outlets seem to transfixed with the idea that if the crime rate is dropping, you should start releasing existing offenders and refrain from locking up new ones.

The Progressive Community may believe that "prisons are no cure for crime", but I can guarantee you that a prisoner, while locked in prison, is not committing crimes on the streets.

Hat-tip to Opinion Journal

 

Titled:   Recently Released Pre-Iraq War Documents Tell of bin Laden/Iraq Link

Wizbang blog is following the release of thousands of captured documents from Iraq and Afghanistan. Many are being translated and published, giving new problems for the makers of "No Iraq / Bin Laden Link" protest signs.

Excerpt:

In the Name of God the Merciful

Presidency of the Republic

Intelligence Apparatus

To the respectful Mr. M.A.M.

Subject: Information

Our source in Afghanistan No 11002 (for information about him see attachment 1) provided us with information that that Afghani Consul Ahmad Dahestani (for information about him see attachment 2) told him the following:

1. That Osama Bin Laden and the Taliban in Afghanistan are in contact with Iraq and it that previously a group from Taliban and Osama Bin Laden group visited Iraq.

2. That America has proof that the government of Iraq and Osama Bin Laden group have shown cooperation to hit target within America.

3. That in case it is proven the involvement of Osama Bin Laden group and the Taliban in these destructive operations it is possible that American will conduct strikes in Iraq and Afghanistan.

4. That the Afghani Consul heard about the subject of Iraq relation with Osama Bin Laden group during his stay in Iran.

5. In light of this we suggest to write to the Commission of the above information.

Please view... Yours... With regards

Signature:......, Initials : A.M.M, 15/9/2001

Foot note: Immediately send to the Chairman of Commission

Signature:.............

And so far, none look like they were produced in Word.

 

Titled:   Democratic Underground Quote Of The Day: Christians Shouldn't Be Allowed To Have So Many Children

From RightWingNews:

Odin2005: It's things like this that make me support population control. Theocons have no respect to the enviroment, Gawd told them to multiply like rabbits and that protecting the enviroment isn't needed because they think Jebus is gonna come down a rapture them. These people are dangerous and should not be allowed to have more kids then secular people do.

Probably not representative, but an insight into how some people would welcome a Chinese-type population control policy.

 

Titled:   It's about the Stratergy... Stupid

An excellent round up of information about the Ports kerfuffle, which seeming points towards the democrats shooting themselves in the foot once again.

...the UAE sits astride the Straights of Hormuz, through which flows the world's oil supplies, 50 miles from Iran, hosting the largest American military base outside of the United States...

While the 'ports' they own are right here in America, employing Americans, secured by Americans, and if we want to simply sieze them to punish the UAE it would take about an hour. In fact, for the Marines to take the UAE would take, about an hour.

The unsaid reason we are in Afghanistan and Iraq is because they are alongside Iran and Syria.

The UAE is part of that 'solution'.

Worth the time to read.

 

Hey - a movie about Libertarianism? Maybe not in the way you think:

As SayUncle says:

V for Vendetta’s movie tagline is:

People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people.

Based on that, I’ll go see it.

A more in depth review can be found at Libertas, which puts forward a conservative view of movies:

Make no mistake about it (and question all the authorities who tell you otherwise): this film set in the jolly ol’ England of the not-so-distant future is very much about America here and now. Or more accurately: it is a paranoid, left-wing fever dream of what America is here and now. On that level, it can be amusing at times (unintentionally, because this film is oh-so-very self-important…as I’m sure will be the reviews that call it “brave” and “thought-provoking”). It is also educational in that it serves as a psychological study of left-wing projection and paranoia. Needless to say, this is one misguided, naive film that is everything it accuses the government within the film of being: fear mongering, deceitful, hateful, and propagandistic. This irony, unfortunately, seems to be lost on director James McTeigue and writers Andy and Larry Wachowski (who adapted Alan Moore and David Lloyd’s graphic novel).

It seems that Holywood has again taken a noble aim, and twisted it 180 degrees. The right-wing oppressive government is shown using the tools and methods of the left, leaving it a mish-mash of ideologies and wasting an opportunity to tap into the growing awareness of "small-l" libertarianism.

Probably worth a look for the action and neat comic-style imagery.

 

Titled:    Cheney, in First Intervew, Gets it Exactly Right

WizBang nails the Cheney story right first time too:

If there are 2 stories the media are guaranteed to screw up, it is a story involving a gun or an airplane. (and they're not too good at hurricanes either) There is basically zero institutional knowledge about either guns or planes in the big media. Add the complication that it was a structured hunting trip and the big media had no chance of getting it right in a timely fashion.

And Cheney gets to the bottom of why the media is having such a cow over not being told sooner.

"I had a bit of the feeling that the press corps was upset because, to some extent, it was about them - they didn't like the idea that we called the Corpus Christi Caller-Times instead of The New York Times," he said. "But it strikes me that the Corpus Christi Caller-Times is just as valid a news outlet as The New York Times is, especially for covering a major story in south Texas."

Well worth the time to read.

 

Titled:    I am not being censored by the Chinese government

TriggerFinger notices he is not being censored by the Chinese and publishes a picture to help the cause:

We note that Liberty1st is not censored either 

 

Titled:    Anders Fogh Rasmussen reveals his dhimmi side

Dhimmi Watch notes the irony of the current situation in Denmark. Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the Danish Prime Minister recently had an interview in Der Spiegel, where he describes how his country has spent the past few years sending money to the Palestinians to appease the arabs:

SPIEGEL: Your government launched an ambitious program two years ago to strengthen the dialogue and ties with Arab countries that has now failed. How are you going to revive this program?

Fogh Rasmussen: It is a paradox: we were one of the first countries to start such a partnership program and we are among the largest net contributors to, for example, the Palestinians. And now we have to watch as the Danish flag is burned and violent demonstrations against us are organized. The Arab initiative was supposed to accelerate economic and social reforms in the region so it's now a shock to be so severely criticized. At the time, we felt we were at the forefront of modernization.

SPIEGEL: Now some are calling for a drastic reduction in economic support to, for example, the Palestinian Authority.

Fogh Rasmussen: We won't change our policies. It's now time to calm the waters, not cut funds. In the long-term, it would be in our own best interest to rebuild our good relationship with the Arab world.

They paid the Danegeld, then got attacked anyway. And with all that understood, they have decided to continue to pay.

Fools.

Posted by Dave the hyphenated American

 

Titled:      The War on the Free Press

Michelle Malkin has been making a principled stand against the Cartoon Jihadists. The news though isn't good.

Malaysia:  Gov't shuts down newspaper the published cartoons.

Yemen: Gov't shuts down newspaper the published cartoons. Arrest warrant issued for Editor.

South Africa:  Johannesburg High Court which prevents the publishing of cartoons found offensive by the Muslim community.

Ukraine:  Editor-in-chief of popular Ukrainian newspaper "Today" apologizes before Muslims for publishing cartoons.

Poland:  Editor of Polish newspaper apologizes for reprinting cartoons.

Canada: Student newspaper that reprinted cartoons has issue destroyed.

Sweden:  "Sweden is reportedly shutting down websites that show the dread Mohammed cartoons."

U.N.:  Kofi Annan criticizes reprinting of controversial cartoons.

Europe:  The European Union may try to draw up a media code of conduct to avoid a repeat of the furore.

Denmark:  At the Jyllands-Posten, Flemming Rose, the culture editor who commissioned the Muhammad cartoons, has been put on indefinite leave

France:  Well, maybe the less said, the better.

Yes folks, they're winning. Just the Great Satan left now to defend free speech and liberty.

 

Apparently, a crazy woman in the crowd was dragged away by security just before President Bush began his speech.

More photos at Wizbang. I think that about covers it.

 

Titled:     Shift on the Bench Has Already Begun

The failure of Democrats to appease their base and fillibuster Alito's appointment to the Supreme Court has resulted in a shift to the bench, but not in the way you may expect.

Alito is now on the extreme far right - of the bench, that is:

As the junior associate justice, Alito will occupy the end of the bench farthest to the courtroom audience's right during oral arguments. Justice Stephen G. Breyer, who has sat there since October 1994, will move across to the audience's extreme left.

Alito also now gets to answer the door during the court's closed conferences, and report the justices' votes to the clerk of the court.

Breyer was the court's junior member for 11 years, 181 days, about a month shy of the record set by Joseph Story, who served during the 19th century.

That's a long time to be a noob.

 

Titled:   GOP Libertarians: Rebels with a Cause

Hammer of Truth shows the latest in the trend of articles about GOP-leaning Libertarians or Libertarian-leaning GOP'ers. This one is from Salon, and seems to be an anti-Bush piece, but nonetheless has good things to say about Libertarianism.

Whether Republican Sen. John Sununu, Idaho’s Larry Craig and their small band will actually be able to make a difference in the fight for Liberty remains to be seen.

 

Titled:     Tiananmen

Ever wonder what it is like living under Chinese-style censorship?

As the world sees Tiananmen on Google

As the Chinese see it on Google
 

Titled:  Saddam's Missing WMD

AlphaPatroit points to an interesting and potentially game-changing story about Saddam's WMD involvement. Not only is there now a new solid source that his WMDs were moved to Syria, but also that Iraq was preparing a chemical strike against Israel on the eve of the First Gulf War.

The NY Sun reports:

The man who served as the no. 2 official in Saddam Hussein's air force says Iraq moved weapons of mass destruction into Syria before the war by loading the weapons into civilian aircraft in which the passenger seats were removed.

The flights - 56 in total, Mr. Sada said - attracted little notice because they were thought to be civilian flights providing relief from Iraq to Syria, which had suffered a flood after a dam collapse in June of 2002.

The book also says that on the eve of the first Gulf War, Saddam was planning to use his air force to launch a chemical weapons attack on Israel.

The most interesting thing here for me is what happens if this is proven true and the WMDs are recoverd - the left would have a lot of answering to do.

"Bush lied - people died" becomes "Bush told the Truth - people died because the lunatic left lied about it for political gain".

For the GOP, ideally this will all come to be in mid 2008, just prior to elections, when the dems will be repeating the "lied" mantra as loudly as they can.

The fact that suppport for military action in Iran is as high as 57% already, despite the left's hatred of the action in Iraq, points to further gains if the central plank of their anti-war ideology is removed.

Maybe the GOP already knows the facts but can't prove them yet. Letting the Dems continue to build their party around the WMD issue could by Rove's best move yet.
 

Titled:   Wisconsin Governor Vetoes Concealed Carry Bill

Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle says he will veto a bill that would legalize the carrying of concealed weapons in Wisconsin.

"Violence is not the answer," said Doyle. "If we keep guns illegal, the police will know that whoever has a gun is a criminal."

Asked how victims should protect themselves, Doyle responded that they shouldn't. "We have to stop the cycle of violence," said Doyle. "Allowing victims to return fire only perpetuates the cycle. Victims should 'turn the other cheek' to their attackers."

Doyle asserted that most criminals will not shoot unarmed victims unless it is necessary to eliminate them as witnesses. "If you avert your gaze from your attacker he may see that you will not able to identify him and let you live," observed Doyle. "Even if the criminal does shoot you, we will have just a single casualty. If victims return fire we could have multiple casualties."

Where does one start? Perhaps by trying to understand how Wisconsin allows someone this detached from reality to be Governor.

He is quite clearly saying that if you are being shot at, you should remain passive in case the perpetrator gets injured. If, as a CCW holder, I get shot, then surely I am one person who can no longer stop the criminal from harming others.

As for averting your gaze in the hope that a psychotic killer might decide you didn't see anything and let you live - I think Gov. Doyle is just crazy. You cannot project your mindset onto another human who is already working outside of your own frame of thought. In other words, you can't expect someone acting abnormaly to think the same way you do, and have the same morals, ethics and thoughts as you. If you are not the type that routinely attacks innocents with lethal force, then what makes you think you can understand those that do. That is the major mistake people make when dealing with criminals, terrorists, drug users and downright crazies. You cannot assume they will do as you would do.

I refuse to become that "single casualty" whose life is in the control of someone who is deciding whether or not I'm a potential witness. And that's why I also refuse to visit Wisconsin, live in Wisconsin and invest in Wisconsin while people like Gov. Doyle are in power and its citizens support people like him.

 

Titled:   Legislator apologizes after accidentally firing gun in his office

An Henrico County legislator apologized to the House of Delegates on Thursday for firing his handgun in his legislative office.

Republican Jack Reid said the weapon went off accidentally about 9 a.m. while he was ejecting the clip from his .380-caliber Kel-Tec handgun.

The discharged round was stopped by a bullet-proof vest that was hanging on Reid’s office door. No damage was done to state property, according to a report filed with the Capitol Police.

From an earlier post:

As a public service to folks out there who have trouble with the obvious, here are a few laws to follow:

1. ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.

2. ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.

3. ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.

Keep any ONE of these three and you are likely to be safe. Ideally, follow ALL three. And kids - just keep away and let an adult know.

So he was trying to complete Rule #3, probably broke Rule #2 but at least followed Rule #1, at least by accident. Pointing the gun at a bullet-proof (resistant) vest is likely to have been the safest place to aim it, if you have to shoot it in the office. At least it wasn't pointed at a member of staff or his head.

Proof again that following one of the three laws, even if by accident, will probably keep you safe.

 

Following on from yesterday's voting theme, it appears that the newly-minted democracies have failed to learn one big lesson; that the people get the government they deserve. If they don't educate themselves about the options and just blindly vote, usually the result is far from optimal.

Take the recent polls in Palestine. Hamas wins 76 of the 132 seats and gets invited to form a new government.

The world's reaction: So far almost uniformly negative.

Israeli interim Prime Minister Ehud Olmert ruled out any talks with "an armed terror organisation that calls for Israel's destruction".

In Washington, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice warned that the US would not give any direct aid to a Palestinian government under Hamas, which it brands a terrorist organisation.

So already the decision is likely to lead to not only a huge step backward on the road to peace in the Middle East (assuming such a thing is even possible), but also a huge reduction in income for the country which wasn't exactly in the rich league to start with.

Already, news comes of clashes between Fatah and Hamas, showing that internally the country is anything but agreeable.

Sure, Hamas removed talk of eliminating Israel from its political campaign, and the process of democracy has the outside chance that it will civilize the group now they have some politcal power. But given the long term campaign of terror, the bus bombings, carnage and death, peace still seems a very long way off.

Of course the Palis aren't alone:

Islamist candidates were embraced in municipal elections in Saudi Arabia; Hezbollah, another US-declared terrorist organisation, was handsomely endorsed as the parliamentary voice of Shiites in Lebanon; the Muslim Brotherhood won 88 of the 150 seats it contested in Egypt; and Iran's newly elected president is a radical who seems to be thoroughly enjoying Western anxiety over Tehran's nuclear program.

Democracy is a double edged sword, increasingly a curved one.

 

Titled: Vote early, and often!

What a great country. They let you vote even when you're dead! It seems that in the fine State of Washington, 11,500 dead voters are still registered, and 36,000 are registered in two counties.

What the article didn't say was which party they usually vote for. I guess its a question of getting help to get to the polls.
 

Titled:   New Federal Police

UrbanSurvival.com brings us news of a new uniformed federal police force, as laid out in Section 605 of the USA PATRIOT IMPROVEMENT AND REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2005.

This new development doesn't seem to be initially for general nation-wide use, but mainly for anywhere the President, VP or other home and foreign dignitaries may be stationed or visiting. The US SS Uniformed Division will be armed, carry police powers and will be at the command of the Director, United States Secret Service.

It also provides protection for former Presidents and their spouses. Look for pictures of Hillary flanked by the new secret police uniformed police soon.

 

Titled:   Poll finds surprising optimists

Iraqis and Afghans are among the most optimistic people in the world when it comes to their economic future, a new survey for the BBC suggests.

In Afghanistan, 70% say their own circumstances are improving, and 57% believe that the country overall is on the way up.

In Iraq, 65% believe their personal life is getting better, and 56% are upbeat about the country's economy.

Oh, how it must have hurt to write that. Of course the report was not without a dig too:

The experts at polling firm Globescan, who conducted the survey, venture the guess that war may have created a "year zero" experience of collectively starting again.

Yes - Afghans and Iraqis can't remember anything from before the war - it erased their memories. So they must all be deluded, the poor simple idiots, probably brainwashed by Carl Rove and mind control waves.

Zimbabwe and France appear to be at the bottom of the table with over 80% pessimism about the future.

The detailed findings also report a drop in the ratings for the UN, an average of ten points.

The US MSM takes a hard hit too:

No country was more negative about the news media than the United States. Sixty-four percent of Americans felt the media was a negative influence; only 28 percent saw it as positive.

On the self delusion front, Iran had the strongest majority positive about world public opinion with 68%. Yes - Iranians think that the world loves them.

By a substantial margin Americans have the largest percentage giving a negative rating of world public opinion—39 percent. This may be a reaction to polls revealing negative attitudes toward the US over the last few years.

Thank you MSM! We think everyone hates us. And thanks to some of the stories publishes in the last few years, they probably do.

 

Titled:    Hitlery Hillary, The Germans and the Mad Mullahs

Quite clearly this is a week for forgetting where you are going. Hillary Clinton, Carpet-bagger-in-chief, has finally forgotten all the well-meaning advice that her party gave to the administration over Iraq. Namely, pre-emption and unilateral = BAD, multilateral = GOOD.

"I believe we lost critical time in dealing with Iran because the White House chose to downplay the threats and to outsource the negotiations,"Clinton said. "I don't believe you face threats like Iran or North Korea by outsourcing it to others and standing on the sidelines."

Then suddenly, in an effort to pander to her Jewish constituents, Hillary becomes an honary Jew and accepts a degree from Yeshiva University. How quickly they forgot about her kissing Arafat's wife in 1999 in the West Bank.

And the Germans? Mark Steyn points to Donald Rumsfeld's metting with Speigel to discuss Iran and other matters. This amusing conversation shows that the Germans have clearly lost the plot with Iran too:

SPIEGEL: How concerned are you about Iran?

Rumsfeld: All of us have to be concerned when a country that important, large and wealthy is disconnected from the normal interactions with the rest of the world. They obviously have certain ambitions, powers and military capabilities ...

SPIEGEL: ...and nuclear ambitions...

Rumsfeld: That's apparently what France, Germany, the UK and the International Atomic Energy Agency have concluded. Everyone wants to have the Iranians as part of the world community, but they aren't yet. Therefore there's less predictability and more danger.

SPIEGEL: The US is trying to make the case in the United Nations Security Council.

Rumsfeld: I would not say that. I thought France, Germany and the UK were working on that problem.

SPIEGEL: What kind of sanctions are we talking about?

Rumsfeld: I'm not talking about sanctions. I thought you, and the U.K. and France were.

SPIEGEL: You aren't?

Rumsfeld: I'm not talking about sanctions. You've got the lead. Well, lead!

SPIEGEL: You mean the Europeans.

Rumsfeld: Sure. My Goodness, Iran is your neighbour. We don't have to do everything!

SPIEGEL: We are in the middle of regime change in Germany...

Rumsfeld: ... that's hardly the phrase I would have selected.

Meanwhile the Mullahs continue their evil plots against us:

‘Iran will resume uranium enrichment if the European Union does not recognise its right to do so, two Iranian nuclear negotiators said in an interview published Tuesday.’

So they will if we don't let them. And if we let them, they will. Hmm.

 

Titled:     Gun Rights Group Criticizes Illinois Gov's 'Boondoggle'

Blagojevich urged the Illinois General Assembly to pass House Bill 2414, which would ban the manufacture, possession, and delivery of semi-automatic firearms, certain attachments, and the .50 caliber rifle. He is working closely with Chicago Mayor Richard Daley on the bill.

"These weapons fire bullets rapidly and can fire at multiple targets. In addition, the military-style features make these guns even more dangerous," according to Blagojevich.

It is becoming so obvious that gun-grabbers aren't even thinking about what they are saying - they're too busy concentrating on the regurgitation of lies and stale sound-bites.

Look at this: "These weapons fire bullets rapidly and can fire at multiple targets."

I've yet to find a reasonable weapon that fires bullets slowly. Or a weapon that fires bullets on its own, without someone firing it. It's hard to even conceive of a weapon that can only fire at one target. Maybe a one-use Stinger-type missile might just fit that description. Hardly common street weaponry.

As to the old "Military-style features" argument - I would love to hear them explain how a bayonet lug, on its own, can make any weapon more dangerous. Why not just ban the bayonet itself if they fear a rise in drive-by bayonetting? All the lug does is make the barrel a little heavier, making it incrementally more difficult to carry and maneuver.

Hopefully he won't get enough votes to pass these new restrictions, but it is Chicago.

 

Titled:    Ted K's secret love child a secret no more

The National Enquirer splashes this week with a shocking story about Sen. Ted Kennedy’s secret love child with a Cape Cod woman whom the mag says he dated during his days as a swinging single.

According to the tabloid’s source, the boy, named Christopher, just celebrated his 21st birthday and is “mature enough to make his own choices about his background and biological father.”

A Kennedy family confidante told the Enquirer, “This is one of the biggest secrets in the Kennedy family and known to only a few people including Ted’s ex-wife, Joan.”

Allegedly, the split between Kennedy and Caroline Bilodeau, Christopher's mother, occured after an arguement over names for the unborn child. Caroline was outraged at Kennedy's suggestions, namely Bob, for a boy, or Bridgit, for a girl.

Miss Kopechne is still unavailable for comment.
 

Titled:   Oh, what a dilemma...

Wizbang brings us an example of the nature of taxes and government. They're a little like hydrogen and water - when added togther you just get a lot of noise and steam. And once they're together, they're very hard to get apart:

Massachusetts finds itself on the horns of a rather tricky dilemma. Last September, the legislature voted to earmark $25 million to help house, feed, and take care of Hurricane Katrina refugees. It was a great gesture, showing that the Commonwealth can, occasionally, do the right thing.

But now they've found themselves in a slightly embarassing position. The refugees are pretty much all gone (I suspect that New Orleaners weren't capable of handling a New England winter on top of everything else), and the state finds itself having only spent about $6 million on their care. What should they do with the remaining $19 million?

Read the rest and lay your bets.

 

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

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

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

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

Signed,

N.Z. Bear, The Truth Laid Bear
Hugh Hewitt, HughHewitt.com
Glenn Reynolds, Instapundit.com
Kevin Aylward, Wizbang!
La Shawn Barber, La Shawn Barber's Corner
Lorie Byrd / DJ Drummond , Polipundit
Beth Cleaver, MY Vast Right Wing Conspiracy
Jeff Goldstein, Protein Wisdom
Stephen Green, Vodkapundit
John Hawkins, Right Wing News
John Hinderaker, Power Line
Jon Henke / McQ / Dale Franks, QandO
James Joyner, Outside The Beltway
Mike Krempasky, Redstate.org
Michelle Malkin, MichelleMalkin.com
Ed Morrissey, Captain's Quarters
Scott Ott, Scrappleface
The Anchoress, The Anchoress
John Donovan / Bill Tuttle, Castle Argghhh!!!

Yes, this looks like something that makes sense to me. Time for reform - Real Reform.

Count me in.

 

Titled:   Sen. Kennedy to Publish Children's Book

The rolling train wreck of comedy that is Swimmer Senator Kennedy continues his journey into the annals of comedic irony this week with the launch of his new childrens book "My Senator and Me: A Dogs-Eye View of Washington, D.C."

And what do we learn from Ol' Flipper this time? That he has a dog named "Splash".

This is the same Senator quoted in the aftemath of hurricane Katrina:

"What the American people have seen is this incredible disparity in which those people who had cars and money got out and those people who were impoverished died."

Does he actually know what he is doing?

 

Titled: New Disclosure Rules Expose NEA's Millions to 'Left-Wing' Causes

A union watchdog group says a new disclosure report confirms that the nation's largest teachers union, the National Education Association (NEA), is heavily involved in the wider liberal political movement and the Democratic Party.

Earlier this week, the Wall Street Journal reported that the NEA gave $65 million last year to liberal groups such as People for the American Way, the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), and the Human Rights Campaign, which is the largest pro-homosexual lobby in the U.S.

In the past, unions with at least one private sector member have had to report their costs and expenses, but they have been able to lump them into large categories such as contributions, gifts, and grants. But now, under new federal rules, the NEA must detail where all its grants have gone, down to $5,000.

Just in case you thought the public education system was well balanced.

 

Titled: When Being Pro-America Makes You Anti-Democrat!

Every now and then you come across a well-reasoned and well-crafted piece that just seems to fit the way you think. You read through it, nodding as you go, excitedly waiting for the conclusion and for the words to sink in. Then, having digested the message, you sit back and a profound sense of sadness comes over you. Why didn't I write that? It says what I think. It captures how I feel right now. But then I realize that I don't need to write it. All I need to do is find it, and help it find its way to a larger audience, to ensure that it isn't lost among the flotsam of the blog world.

Here is an excerpt:

Free unfettered self-determination, through personal (including economic) liberty, a free market capitalist economy, freedom OF religion, freedom OF speech, freedom OF thought and expression, the right to fail or succeed at one’s own hand, the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, the right to one’s own earnings, the right to a safe secure nation, to raise our children as we see fit and the right to self-governance accordingly, these are the fundamental principles America was founded and built upon.

 

The simple fact is, most Americans are not anti-religion or religious speech, not anti-capitalism or free market society, not anti-military or national security, not federal dependents and not interested in relying upon any commune to raise their young or determine their place or worth in society. Today, this also means that they are not Democrats…

 

Though Democrats bristle at any suggestion that they are in any way anti-American, the fact is, their agenda is at odds with nearly every American principle today and average people able to see that, just can’t get over it, no matter how bad the alternatives might appear.

 

Read the rest here, then come back and leave a comment or two.

 

Ripped off from Cowboy Blob's Saloon, Smokehouse, and Shootin Gallery.

 

Titled: What is Neolibertarianism?

What is Neolibertarianism? Frankly, it's a question we've been asking at the QandO weblog since we began popularizing it last year. Often, the idea of Libertarianism has reminded me of Justice Potter Stewart's thoughts about obscenity. "I can't define it, but I know it when I see it," he declared.

That was good enough for Justice Stewart perhaps, but he was only interpreting the Constitution. We, on the other hand, are beginning publication of a journal that we hope will begin defining the fundamental intellectual and philosophical underpinnings of Neolibertarianism. If you're going to do that, then you should probably have a clear understanding of what Neolibertarianism is.

Much of what follows will be a comparison between Neolibertarianism and the more traditional sort of libertarianism, which we call Paleolibertarianism. In the interest of brevity, I'll refer to adherents to the former as Neos and the latter as Paleos.

In a nutshell the philosophy of the Neos breaks down like this:

1. When given a public policy problem, the solution that maximizes personal liberty is the best choice.
2. The policy choice that offers the least amount of necessary government intervention or regulation is the best choice.
3. The policy choice that provides rational, market-based incentives is the best choice.

And Foreign Policy:

1. A policy of diplomacy that promotes consensual government and human rights and opposes dictatorship.
2. A policy of using US military force solely at the discretion of the US, but only in circumstances where American interests are directly affected.

The strategy is similar to that of the Republican Liberty Caucus, which is if you can't beat them, then join them and reform them. I like it. I also tend to agree with their take on the futility of the Libertarian Party's chances of success on the national stage. Read more about that here.

 

Titled: Election 2008: Liberal Dem 40% Conservative GOP 39%

Election 2008 will be a toss-up if Democrats nominate a liberal candidate and Republicans nominate a conservative. A Rasmussen Reports survey finds that 40% of Americans say they would vote for a liberal Democrat and 39% for a Conservative Republican.

The survey also found that if both parties nominate a moderate candidate, the Democrats have a 42% to 38% advantage. Obviously, events over the next three years could change these figures in either direction, but the survey generally shows an electorate that remains evenly split between the two parties.

I can only hope that this is how the election plays out but I, for one, am not holding my breath that the Republicans will actually nominate a real conservative. When was the last time that happened? Oh yea it was Ronald Reagan, who by the way, was only one of the most popular presidents in modern time. Why would Republicans want to repeat such success? It is so much safer to run with quasi conservatives like Bush, McCain and so many other RINOs that seem to populate the Republican party.

As a side note it would be interesting to see which way the moderate vote goes. I suppose it would have a lot to do with the individual candidates but I would love to see an election based solely on conservative vs liberal where the personalities are equally matched and the only thing that separates them is politics.

 

Titled: Proposed ban on affirmative action incites fiesty debate

The proposed constitutional amendment would ban the use of race and gender in university admissions, government hiring and contracting. But the panel and an audience generally supportive of affirmative action failed to reach consensus about what has happened in other states where similar plans have been enacted, or what specific Michigan programs would be affected under MCRI.

Enough said. Oh I wish it were so.

But Frank Wu, dean of the Wayne State University Law School, said consideration of race in university admissions is necessary to compensate for lingering discrimination. Everyone wants our major institutions to reflect the diversity of our society, Wu said, but "it doesn't happen automatically."

How do you compensate lingering discrimination without additional discrimination?

 

On April 15th I saved someone. No not on their taxes. I turned the author of this Blog onto the Republican Liberty Caucus. I did so in response to this post.

 

Citizens Against Government Waste has released this years winners of the "Oinkers" Awards. They are all pretty bad but the two that stuck out for me were these two:

• The Sapping the Taxpayers Award for $6.3 million for wood utilization research.
• The Don’t Step in It Award for $1.7 million for the International Fertilizer Development Association.

 

Michelle Malkin reports that the TSA is, for the most part, going to be dismantled. Well partially anyway.

 

Titled: Gore Group to Start Cable Channel as Youth Forum

A cable channel recently acquired by an investment group led by Al Gore is to relaunch Aug. 1 under the name Current, hoping to generate much of its content from viewers.

The former vice president and his partners, including entrepreneur Joel Hyatt, are taking an unconventional approach to TV programming in hopes of attracting viewers aged 18 to 34. That demographic, heavily sought by advertisers, has become difficult for TV networks and newspapers to reach.

Messrs. Gore and Hyatt say they hope young people will use the channel as a forum to express their opinions on news and current events. Viewers will be invited to submit short films, documentaries and home videos to be aired on the channel.

Isn't that what the Internet is for?

In an interview Friday, Mr. Gore said the goal of Current is to connect "the Internet generation with television in a brand new way." Its Web site will be a key part of its service, listing topics on which it wants material, such as reviews of movies, CDs or videogames; items on social trends; and advocacy journalism. Current will pay $250 for videos it airs.

Oh. They thought of that already.

Current will provide a fair amount of its own programming, at least initially, said programming chief David Neuman, a veteran television executive who most recently was a consultant for Time Warner Inc.'s CNN. Mr. Neuman said the channel has hired hosts for different segments. While Current primarily will be a news and information channel, he described it as closer to MTV and VH1 than Fox News and MSNBC.

You know that is what I was thinking. It sounds like an MTV rip off. It will be interesting to see where this goes but I have a feeling that they are going to be preaching to the choir (also) the way MTV does and there will not be much appeal outside of those who are already converts for leftist ideologies. My guess is that it will be nothing more then the cable version of Air America and just as successful.

 

Titled: Primitive party animals

Since the 1976 presidential election, the Democrats have not received more than 50 percent of the popular vote. Most organisms, except for very primitive ones, usually modify their behavior after repeated failure in order to survive.

Much has been written about why the Democrats continue to fail in the polls. But as an economist, I have been particularly struck by how they have failed to learn sound economics, despite all the empirical economic and political evidence of what works and what doesn't.

Let's start with taxes. There is overwhelming evidence our present maximum tax rates on both labor and capital are so high they reduce economic growth, job creation and the general level of wellbeing for Americans.

Despite this, Democrat candidates from Walter Mondale to John Kerry keep proposing higher marginal tax rates on labor and capital. (Note: President Clinton was the exception. He said he would reduce tax rates but then turned around and increased them.) Higher tax rates are not only an economic loser but are also a political loser.

This article is meant to explain why Democrats keep losing elections. It's pretty interesting and I believe the lesson applies to both parties. I have never understood how politicians can have so little knowledge of free market economics. I have no formal education at all but I do understand the basic concepts of supply and demand. I have never seen proof of any politician Republican or Democrat having this basic understanding. I guess Ronald Reagan came pretty close with "trickle down" economics but I was pretty young at the time and don't really remember the specifics.

 

Titled: The Leave-Me-Alone Coalition Grows... in Surprising Ways

Republicans have sometimes been the party of federalism, railing in the 1990s about "unfunded mandates" from the federal government making it impossible for states to run their own affairs and complaining that federal involvement in education was ruining local schools.

Unfortunately, the party has been willing to abandon this principle whenever it's convenient -- with President Bush's No Child Left Behind law recently, and for years over the issue of states wanting to legalize medical marijuana.

But now a large number of disenfranchised Democrats seem willing to form a leave-me-alone coalition. They don't want Bush and his theologians deciding whether or not to fund stem-cell research, they want California to step in if the federal government won't. They don't want a federal constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, they want their individual states to decide.

I hope this is the beginning of the end for our two party system. I would love to see the libertarian leaning people in both partys break off and create a viable third party. Maybe the Laissez Faire Party.

Laissez faire: leave the people alone, let them be, in their economic activities, in their religious affairs, in thought and culture, in the pursuit of fulfillment in their own lives.