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January 31, 2004
Can You Say "Soft"?
Jay Bryant doesn't think the Kerry vs. Bush polls matter much:
In mid-July of 1988, I remember attending a small Capitol Hill dinner party with some Republican members of Congress and a few of my fellow consultants. As we sat around the table, we were all required to predict the winner in November. At the time, Dukakis had a double-digit lead over Bush...As it happened, I was next-to-last to give my prediction. Up to that point, everyone had predicted that Dukakis would win. I said Bush.
Why? the group wanted to know.
I answered that while I hadn't seen any research, it was my belief that no one could rise to the top in Massachusetts Democratic politics without having done things that – in the hands of Roger Ailes – would disqualify them for election to high office in the rest of the country...
Like Dukakis, Kerry has risen to the top in Massachusetts Democratic politics.
Posted by bubba138 at 11:43 PM | Comments (0) |
That'll Teach Them
83 of the politicians barred from running for office in Iran are already eserving as incumbent MPs. When they appealled being barred from the upcoming elections the Gardian Council listened intently, and then barred some more:
"The number has gone from 83 to 87," Abdolvahed Mussavi-Lari was quoted as saying by the student news agency ISNA, which itself gave a figure of only 86. [...]On the initial blacklist for the crucial parliament elections were 83 sitting MPs, virtually all of them reformists and some of them some of the movement's most prominent figures.
According to ISNA, the Guardians Council reinstated four MPs -- Abolfazal Shakuri, Nasser Khaleqi, Abdolzahra Alemi and Ali Yari -- none of whom can be classed as top reformist figures.
But it also added seven new names to the blacklist: Hossein Roozbehi, Javad Eta'at, Sohrab Bohloli Ghashaye, Mohammad Abbaspour, Ali Hassani, Bahman Akhavan and Mohammad Shahi Arablu, bringing ISNA's figure of barred incumbent MPs to 86.
It sure looks like the GC is trying to teach the reformers a lesson.
Posted by bubba138 at 01:28 PM | Comments (0) |
Did He Or Didn't He Say It?
The office of Iran's embattled President Mohammad Khatami Saturday ordered media to retract his comment that his government had reached a "deadlock" with powerful conservatives in a crisis over forthcoming elections.
I wonder if the retraction came after he was put in the hospital?
Posted by bubba138 at 01:20 PM | Comments (0) |
Religion Of Peace
From Islamic Republic News Agency
Iranian pilgrims hold "disavowal of pagans" rituals ...Iranian pilgrims chanted slogans in Arafat while flags bearing "God is the greatest", "There is no god but Allah", "Death to the US" and "Death to Israel" have been put up at the site. The ritual started with recitation of verses from the Holy Quran and then the participating Muslims expressed their disavowal of the world hegemony and the Zionist regime of Israel in their slogans.
Posted by bubba138 at 01:16 PM | Comments (0) |
The Religion of Peace
The cleric delivering yesterday's sermon to Muslim pilgrims assembled for the annual haj had but one request of God: Grant victory to Muslims fighting around the world.The prayer offered by Sheik Saleh al-Taleb for 500,000 people in Mecca's Grand Mosque and nearby streets came as the haj to nearby Mecca, neared its climax.
"Oh God, give victory to the mujahideen (holy warriors) everywhere," the sheik said.
"Give them victory in Palestine. Oh God, make the Muslims triumphant and destroy their enemies, and make this country and other Muslim countries safe. Oh God, inflict your wrath on the criminal Zionists."
Posted by bubba138 at 04:23 AM | Comments (0) |
You Say You Want a Revolution
Iranian blogger Hossein Derakhshan is calling for nothing less than a revolution in Iran:
There is a big conflict of interest here at the ongoing sit-in and requesting people to join it; because their own fate, as a political faction, is in danger in the near future; as well as it is a threat to people's right to elect. [...]Should the reformists really want massive support, as Alireza Alavi-Tabar suggests, they have to radicalize their platform and to define a new framework beyond the constitution. They all know where the problem lies (the unlimited power of the uncontrolled Leader) and they eventually have to do something about it [...]
I don't think Iranian youth would engage in the current political row unless they see a real change in reformists platform, which could translate to a collective call for changing the constitution or something as politically significant.
Posted by bubba138 at 02:14 AM | Comments (0) |
Too Little...
Well, the Mullahs are bending a little in hopes that they don't get broken...
The hard-line Guardian Council reinstated on Friday about a third of the candidates disqualified from next month’s legislative elections, but a leading liberal said the polls would still be a sham and predicted a mass boycott by reformist politicians."More than 1,160 prospective candidates were reinstated," the Guardian Council said in a statement read out on state television on Friday. The council had used its supervisory power to disqualify more than 3,600 of the 8,200 candidates who filed papers to stand in the February 20 elections.
Meanwhile, Interior Minister Abdolvahed Mousavi Lari's call for a postponement of the parlimentary elections has been soundly rejected by the Gardian Council.
The reinstatement of less than a third of the disqualified candidates hasn't mollified Lari in the least bit:
"We do not consider this election to be legitimate," official news agency Irna quoted him as saying.
The hardliners of Iran are in a pickle. The pressure on the outside is only less than the pressure inside. If you don't think they're feeling pressure, how do you explain the fact that the U.S. will be making an official visit there in February?
Clinton couldn't do it. Bush Sr. couldn't do it. Reagan didn't even try. Carter definitely couldn't pull it off. Only in the environment created by the current leadership is this possible.
When we set off for Afghanistan and then to Iraq the U.S. was warned that our actions would surely destablize the Middle East. Such aggression, we were told, threatened to reshape the entire region. What the detractors did not, and still do not understand is that was exactly the goal of this administration because the region as it stood did little more than breed hate and death for the rest of the world.
Now, because this administration had the courage, strength, and determination to tackle this monumental task we are beginning to see things unimaginable a short four years ago.
But then again, maybe a change in leadership would be a good thing.
But how about maybe not.
Update: Iranian President Khatami is making some noise of his own:
"We have reached a deadlock with the Guardians Council," Mohammad Khatami said, as the bitter crisis overshadowed celebrations marking the 25th anniversary of the Islamic revolution."This government will only organise free and competitive elections," he was quoted as saying
It sounds as if he thinks he's in control here. If this does come down to a head to head, the question is going to be who, ultimately, has the sympathy of the military, the reformers or the hardliners?
Posted by bubba138 at 01:08 AM | Comments (0) |
January 30, 2004
Terrorism Threat Exaggerated
JF Kerry says the terrorism threat is exaggerated. Bill Hobbs response says all that needs to be said.
Posted by bubba138 at 07:02 PM | Comments (0) |
The Headline Writer Must Be a Democrat
Mitch notices a little headline chicanery:
Economic Growth Slows Down to 4 Percent
Yes, this is slower than the blistering 8.2% last quarter, but a VERY healthy number for GDP growth . The fact of the matter is that the first three words is what catches the eye.
I'll call you, Mitch, and raise you one:
U.S. Economy Downshifts
The economy grew at a 4 percent annual rate in the final three months of 2003 — a slowdown from the red-hot performance of the prior quarter
The problem for the Democrats is that people are starting to read between the (head)lines. Even CBSNews is now directly giving credit where credit is due for the economic recovery:
the economy grew at a sizzling 8.2 percent rate in the third quarter. That had been the strongest performance in nearly two decades.Analysts were predicting a slowdown in economic growth in the fourth quarter as the stimulative impact of tax cuts and a refinancing frenzy — which propelled the economy during the summer — faded with the onset of winter.
The one and only thing the Democrats can credibly keep harping on is the jobs issue. The problem with that is that the economy isn't driven by jobs, jobs are driven by the economy. Rest assured jobs data will be picking up in the next couple of months. Unfortunately, there are plenty of doom-sayers out there who will say that still won't be enough.
Black is white and white is black. That's what the Democrats want us to believe in 2004. Short of that, they have no issues.
Posted by bubba138 at 07:00 PM | Comments (0) |
Cats and Dogs Living Together! Mass Hysteria!
Mary Beth at Random thoughts brings us this interesting account of abuse of the civil legal system:
The suit of Richard "Rik" Espinosa, a former radio and newspaper journalist, seeks $1.5 million in damages.The cat, named L.C. for Library Cat, was adopted by employees of the facility.
But it attacked Espinosa's assistance dog Kimba when they entered the building Nov. 16, 2000, scratching the canine. Espinosa claims he hurt his back trying to pull the dog away from the cat. [...]
The sum of lost wages, veterinary and chiropractor bills following the incident amounted to $335, Nelson said.
Let's get this straight: Rik's out $335.00 and is suing for $1.5 million? His suit is based on his assertion that his dog Kimba is a specially trained assistance dog. But who trained it? According to Rik, Kimba trained herself:
My dog Kimba was my pet when I realized she was telling me I was ramping up to a panic attack. Her first behavor I recognized as an "alert" was her dropping a ball in my lap. Other alert behaviors include "mad dogging" me -- that is staring at me intently; pushing her muzzle on my let relentlessly to get my attention; and waking me up at night prior to panic attacks. (I wake up in an anxiety-heightened state but I can now stave off the panic attack.)
Awwww...isn't that sweet? Lovely little Kimba noticed her master doesn't always have a firm grasp on reality, which I'm sure doesn't fill her with a lot of confidence. So she came up with ways on her own to keep the world looking just right for the person who fills her feed dish. For this she's classified as an assistance animal.
I hope the jury laughs this guy out of court and makes him pay the legal costs for the city of Escondido.
Posted by bubba138 at 05:42 PM | Comments (0) |
Why Change a Good Thing?
The Denver Post shares some tid-bits from Dean's early adulthood. This comment from Dean's former boss during his ski-bum days is particularly interesting:
"He was a very mediocre person when he worked for us," Erhard said from her home in Stowe, Vt. "I remember him well. He was just a loser. He was a totally lost kid. But lots of kids in Aspen in the late '60s and early '70s were totally lost."
A loser then and fast becoming a loser now.
Plus ça change. Plus c'est la meme change.
Posted by bubba138 at 05:18 PM | Comments (0) |
He Reports, You Decipher
"I have always believed in Howard Dean's candidacy," said Mr. Rove, "I think I stand with the majority of Republicans in saying that his nomination, more than anything else, is the key to guaranteeing that America is in good hands for the next four years."
Sometimes satire is truer than truth.
Posted by bubba138 at 04:55 PM | Comments (0) |
New Campaign Material
What do Howard Dean and Fidel Castro have in common? Neither have any qualms about tossing out unfounded and unbacked-up accusations at Persident Bush:
''We know that Mr. Bush has committed himself to the mafia ... to assassinate me,'' the Cuban president said, using the term commonly employed here to describe anti-Castro Cuban Americans.Castro's comments came at the end of a 5 ½ hour speech that began Thursday night and continued into early Friday at the closing of a conference bringing together activists across the region who oppose the Free Trade Area of the Americas.
The Cuban leader didn't back up his accusations with specific details.
I can't imaging listening to that windbag's verbal vomit for five and a half hours. It's amazing no one was shot for falling asleep during his remarks.
Posted by bubba138 at 04:47 PM | Comments (0) |
Welcome to California
Back in November I spent a week in Indiana for some impacted schooling. While there I noticed the convenience stores sold nice little snack packs they endearingly called the California Mix -- it was a trail mix made up of fruits, nuts, and flakes.
It's no wonder our state has such a reputation when we constantly see things like this:
Proposition 215, the state's pioneering initiative that made it legal for doctors to recommend pot to patients, has gained significant support across all segments of California's population since voters approved it in 1996, according to a Field poll released today.The survey of 500 registered voters in the state found that 74 percent now favor legal protections for patients who use marijuana to cope with illnesses, compared with 56 percent who approved it on the ballot.
But that's not all! We can all get high in our state mandated, eastern-spiritually approved environments:
State Assemblyman Leland Y. Yee, Democrat of San Francisco, has introduced a resolution that urges the California Building Standards Commission to adopt standards that would aid feng shui, the ancient Chinese practice of promoting health, harmony and prosperity through the environment.The resolution...is meant to encourage planning agencies, building departments and design review boards to provide for the use of feng shui principles, which often touch on the placement of doors and staircases, the position of buildings and the alignment of objects in rooms. It aims to help people live in harmony with nature by promoting the flow of chi, or positive energy, and neutralizing or avoiding negative energy.
With a $14 billion deficit this is what our legislators think is important. Perhaps if we stop paying them the deficit would disappear?
Posted by bubba138 at 04:19 PM | Comments (0) |
Hindsight Is Twenty-Twenty
Steve Tefft is right on:
The best lesson an observer can draw from the early stages of this campaign is: don't listen to the media. The next time a media political expert proclaims a candidate/issue/election "over," bet the house on it not being over. The media have been wrong at every turn during the election cycle. First, Joe Lieberman had tons of "good will" from his stint as Al Gore's running mate in 2000, and was the frontrunner for the Democrat nomination until he wasn't. Then Kerry was the frontrunner until he wasn't. Howard Dean next became the front-runner, with all that money, all that internet-generated support, all that passion of the anti-war left until he wasn't the frontrunner. Then Wesley Clark was "coming on strong" and posed a major threat to everyone in New Hampshire until he didn't. John Edwards was "surging" all the way from second in Iowato fourth in New Hampshire. The political media are one, gigantic echo chamber, repeating everything each member says until it gets stale (or is proven wrong). Listen to what they say with amusement, but don't attach any meaning to it.
I must admit, I got hoodwinked. by the media. I was convinced the Democratic nomination was all but sown up by Dean. He had the support, he had the money, he had the press, he had the uproar. Look at him now: his people are leaving or getting fired, he spent $40 million on two all but insignificant states and doesn't have enough cash to advertise in the Super Tuesday states, the press has turned against him, and his flame has been squelched.
So much for informed prognostication. From this point on, I'm taking a wait and see approach.
Posted by bubba138 at 03:55 PM | Comments (0) |
Tim Goes to Town
I may be behind the curve here, but make sure to check out Tim Berglund's new digs.
C'est clean.
Posted by bubba138 at 01:12 PM | Comments (0) |
January 29, 2004
One Intern Wasn't Enough?
Headline: Clinton girls fall in Okaw tourney
Posted by bubba138 at 10:09 PM | Comments (0) |
Worried Wall Street
Wall Street thinks Kerry would be bad for the economy:
On the other hand, for those who believe the tax cuts are directly linked to the 2003 stock market rally and the surging economy, Kerry's talk is worrisome."I think it would be difficult for Kerry to prove that the tax cuts were not effective," said Ned Riley, chief investment strategist at State Street Global Advisors.
"This administration is seen as being very pro-investment, whereas Kerry is seen as wanting to rewrite the rules -- on capital gains, tax cuts on the wealthy, certain business regulations," Riley added. "I think, for market psychology, that would be damaging."
When voting in 2004, remember, "It's the economy, stupid."
Posted by bubba138 at 10:57 AM | Comments (0) |
I'm Not There
I returned home from Israel on Monday. Looks like it was just in time, too:
At least 10 people were killed and 45 wounded Thursday morning when a suicide bomber carried out a terror attack aboard a bus near Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's residence in Jerusalem, Israeli police and medical sources said.
Of course the fact that Israel just released 400 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for one Israeli prisoner and three dead bodies is just a coincidence.
Once again the Palestinians prove the old adage: "No good deed shall go unpunished."
Posted by bubba138 at 07:33 AM | Comments (0) |
January 28, 2004
More Unreported Kay
Here's one more Kay item you aren't hearing the Democrats talk about:
Kay said in what was billed as an exclusive interview with the newspaper that part of Saddam's secret weapons program had been transferred from Iraq to Syria, and its status had yet to be resolved.
Posted by bubba138 at 08:59 PM | Comments (0) |
Elections In Iran
I said a couple of weeks ago that the elections in Iran should be interesting to watch. Well, that has certainly come to pass, with the Guardian Council disqualifying more than a third of the 8200 candidates, including more than 80 sitting lawmakers -- all of them, of course reform candidates.
Well it looks as if rebellion may be waiting in the wings. Iran's provincial governors are now saying they'll prevent elections from even happening unless the Council backs off:
"All provincial governors have announced unanimously that, under present circumstances, there will be no possibility of holding elections," Interior Ministry spokesman Jahanbakhsh Khanjani told The Associated Press on Wednesday.While Iran's supreme leader, Ayat Allah Ali Khamenei, has the authority to overrule the governors, their declaration suggests that if the conservatives responsible for the disqualifications do not back down, they will have to resort to extraordinary measures to hold the legislative elections on 20 February.
Add to this a student boycott of the elections and you've got one tasty stew in the Middle East.
Someone please again remind me about how Bush's Foreign Policy is a miserable failure.
Update: How out of touch are the Gardian Council members? This statement from their mouthpiece pretty much sums it up:
Majlis Speaker Mehdi Karroubi here on Wednesday declared that there were no crises and confirmed that the seventh Majlis elections will be held as scheduled on February 20. Karroubi told IRNA that there is no cause for concern and rejected the existence of any crisis.
No crisis? Does "clueless" capture it?
Posted by bubba138 at 08:48 PM | Comments (0) |
Saddam's Buddies
From the Iraqi Daily newspaper Al-Mada we learn who benefitted from Saddam being in power. The largest recipient of Saddam's generosity? Russia, of course:
The Russian state itself received 1,366,000,000 barrels. The list also included the following:Companies belonging to the Liberal Democratic Party received 79.8 million barrels - the list notes the name of party president Vladimir Zhirinovsky. The Russian Communist Party received 1 million barrels. The Lukoil company received 63 million barrels. The Russneft company received 35.5 million barrels. Vladimir Putin's Peace and Unity Party received 34 million barrels - the list notes the name of party chairwoman Saji Umalatova. The Gazprom company received 26 million barrels. The Soyuzneftgaz company received 25.5 million barrels - the list notes the name Shafrannik. The Moscow Oil Company received 25.1 million barrels. The Onako company received 22.2 million barrels. The Sidanco company received 21.2 million barrels. The Russian Association for Solidarity with Iraq received 12.5 million barrels. The Ural Invest company received 8.5 million barrels. Russneft Gazexport received 12.5 million barrels. The Transneft company received 9 million barrels. The Sibneft company received 8.1 million barrels. The Stroyneftgaz company received 6 million barrels. The Russian Committee for Solidarity with the People of Iraq received 6.5 million barrels - the list notes the name of committee chairman Rudasev. The Russian Orthodox Church received 5 million barrels. The Moscow Science Academy received 3.5 million barrels. The Chechnya Administration received 2 million barrels. The National Democratic Party received 2 million barrels. The Nordwest group received 2 million barrels. The Yukos company received 2 million barrels. One Russian company which phonetically reads as Zarabsneft received 174.5 million barrels. Vouchers were also granted to the Russian foreign ministry, one under the name of Al-Fayko for 1 million barrels, and one to Yetumin for 30.1 million barrels. The Mashinoimport Company received 1 million barrels. The Slavneft Company received 1 million barrels. The Caspian Invest Company (Kalika) received 1 million barrels. The Tatneft Tatarstan company received 1 million barrels. The Surgutneft company received 1 million barrels. Siberia's oil and gas company received 1 million barrels.
In addition, the son of the former Russian Ambassador to Iraq received 19.7 million barrels. Nikolay Ryjkov, a former prime minister of the USSR, received 13 million barrels. The Russian President's office director received 5 million barrels.
Who else?
The Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) received 4 million barrels. The PLO Political Bureau received 5 million barrels. [Former PLFP front man] Abu Al-Abbas received 11.5 million barrels. Abdallah Al-Horani [who denies the holocaust] received 8 million barrels. The PFLP received 5 million barrels. Wafa Tawfiq Al-Sayegh received 4 million barrels.
Not surprisingly, Britian's former MP and Saddam apologist George Galloway received 1 million barrels. As for U.S. contributions, Samir Vincent, friend of PLO lover and Nobel peace prize winner Jimmy Carter, benefitted from 10.5 million barrels.
Is it any wonder these all were against the war in Iraq?
Posted by bubba138 at 05:11 PM | Comments (0) |
Is Kay's Report Good for the Dems?
The Democrats are loving the latest report from David Kay because it asserts that Iraq did not have the WMD's our intelligence thought it did. But they, and the press, are conveniently leaving out important details of the report. Luckily, not everyone's missed these points:
Little noticed in weapons inspector David Kay's recent remarks was his observation that Iraq was not less dangerous than assumed but more dangerous: "I actually think what we learned during the inspection made Iraq a more dangerous place, potentially, than, in fact, we thought it was even before the war."What Kay means is that terrorists were traveling through a country where free-lancing scientists had nuclear, biological, and chemical programs underway -- erratic weapons programs even Hussein wasn't aware of that these terrorists could have easily exploited: "We know that terrorists were passing through Iraq. And now we know that there was little control over Iraq's weapons capabilities. I think it shows that Iraq was a very dangerous place. The country had the technology, the ability to produce, and there were terrorist groups passing through the country -- and no central control." Up until the war started Iraqi scientists were "actively working to produce a biological weapon using the poison ricin," says Kay.
Update: The ladies at Right We Are have noticed something else.
Posted by bubba138 at 04:39 PM | Comments (0) |
Something I Didn't Know
Did you know Kerry was a Vietnam vet? It was news to me. Perhaps this is why:
It's especially amazing that a campaign that is rewriting the book on how to make biography a character reference found its best chapter by accident. Like most men who served in Vietnam, Kerry is reluctant to talk about his combat experiences.
Well, that must explain it: His complete avoidance of his Vietnam service has all but kept his Vietnam service out of the voter's minds and the press from reporting about his Vietnam service.
Posted by bubba138 at 04:34 PM | Comments (0) |
Three for the Price of One!
Taranto observes (second item):
It's hard to see why anyone would vote for Wesley Clark after his dismal showing. If you want a war hero, there's Kerry. If you want a Southerner, there's Edwards. If you want a crackpot, there's Dean (though we'll grant that Clark is more of a crackpot).
What if I want a Southern crackpot war hero? This is America, after all, where it is OK, nay expected, to want it all.
Posted by bubba138 at 04:21 PM | Comments (0) |
January 24, 2004
The Olive Branch from the House of Saud
Peace in the Middle East? The fact that the Saudis have introduced a peace plan with Israel isn't neccesarily news. What is news is that this plan has a solution for the Plestinian refugees:
According to the plan, some two million Palestinian refugees would be allowed to return to the new Palestinian state that would be established. More than two million others would be absorbed by other Arab states, and will be compensated for the suffering they had endured.The Arab countries would open their gates to the refugees on the condition that their number won't exceed 10 percent of the existing population.
Under the deal, Iraq will also accept Palestinian refugees. Israel will not be required to absorb any Palestinian refugees.
In trade for the Golan Heights and the West Bank all Arab countries would maintain "nomalized" relations with Israel.
It still leaves in question the ownership of Jerusalem so I don't have much faith in the plan, but one can hope.
Posted by bubba138 at 07:54 PM | Comments (0) |
Dr. Dean Needs a Prescription
Howard Dean had all but sown up the nomination before the primaries had even started. Only one thing could stand in his way: himself.
Unfortunately, Dr. Dean is proving himself to be his own bad medicine. As further evidence for this he's now critisizing the Iowa cacuses:
EW CASTLE, N.H., Jan. 24 — Five days after his damaging third-place finish in the Iowa caucuses, Howard Dean said Saturday that the state should regulate discussion inside caucus rooms or lose its premier status in the presidential nomination process."I like the Iowa caucuses a lot and I think they should be first, but they have to have a process that is good for democracy," Dr. Dean said on his campaign bus...
How lame is that? "I didn't get the majority in Iowa and that's not good for Democracy." It is especially lame when you take into account that a few weeks ago he was under fire for deriding the Iowa caucuses on a Canadian news show. Of course he took it back:
Maybe that's why, years ago, long before his presidential bid, Howard Dean appeared on a public-affairs show in Canada to denounce the Iowa caucuses for their party politics and ultimate inconsequence. "They are dominated by special interests in both parties. They represent the extremes." After the tape surfaced a few weeks ago, an uproar ensued, and Dean was forced to repudiate his comments, apologize to Iowans and pledge full faith in the caucuses.
First he says Iowa caucuses are dominated by special interest, then (while campaigning for Iowa votes, of course) he says they're OK, now he says they're not.
If Dean wants to get elected, he'd better watch his temper tantrums.
Posted by bubba138 at 07:28 PM | Comments (0) |
January 22, 2004
Camping Out In Jerusalem
I am in now in Jerusalem and at the first hotel in this trip so far that has internet access. We've has a very busy couple of days, and there's still much, much more to see.
I have no idea what's going on in the world. I still don't even know who won the Iowa caucuses!
There is WI-FI in this hotel's lobby, so there should be a little more tomorrow.
Be well.
Posted by bubba138 at 02:30 PM | Comments (0) |
January 19, 2004
It Is As It Was
"It is as it was."
That is the quote that is being highly attributed to the pope after his viewing of Mel Gibson's new movie, The Passion. The Vatican is now denying he made that statement.
But what I find more interesting is this part of the denial:
"I said the Holy Father saw the film privately in his apartment, but gave no declaration to anyone," he said. "He does not make judgments on art of this kind; he leaves that to others, to experts."
Um, if the pope isn't considered an expert on Christ, who is?
Posted by bubba138 at 11:31 AM | Comments (0) |
Imminent Threat
"Really -- how hard is this to understand?", asks the professor.
Not hard at all. The Deanites understand it and so does Ted Kennedy. They also understand that everyone's intellegence, the U.S., Germany, France, Russia, Clinton's, GHW. Bush, and the Camp Fire Girls said that Saddam had WMD's. They also understand that the nine months of national bickering [but wait, why didn't we have a national dialogue about this?] over whether or not to go to war gave Saddam plenty of time to ship those weapons to far-off (ok, how about nieghboring) lands [like, ummmm, Syria?].
The American public understands these facts as well. They also understand that the Deanites and Kerry-ites and Kucinich-ites and the Democratic party en-masse are using such misleading statements (in addition to the "Bush was "selected, not elected" canard) for political advantage. And, because the American public understands this, the Democrats will take a sound beating in November.
Posted by bubba138 at 09:15 AM | Comments (0) |
Equal Opportunity
Hamas is doing all it can to elicit the support of N.O.W.
Senior Hamas figures who have consulted about the subject recently are inclined to support only the use of women who have desecrated rules of "family honor."What kind of "stains" can a Palestinian woman atone for? How about being raped by a family member? Such a woman would be a prime candidate as a suicide bomber. At least blowing one's self up beats getting murdered by one's own family.Hamas' view on women and terror strikes has taken shape in past months, top Israeli intelligence officers explained to Haaretz yesterday. In the past, Hamas leaders avoided taking a clear stand on the use of women in terror strikes. In some cases, Hamas leaders rejected requests of women to take part in such attacks; Hamas referred a few such women to other organizations, particularly Islamic Jihad and Tanzim.
Hamas has now revised this position, and some of the organization's leaders condone the use of women in terror strikes, particularly in situations where a woman can carry out the assignment more easily (since she is likely to cause less suspicion at crossing points), and when the woman has transgressed moral norms. In such cases, a woman's "sacrifice" atones for the "stain" she has caused to her family for violating moral codes.
Posted by bubba138 at 08:55 AM | Comments (0) |
On My Way
I am currently blogging on Boingo Wi-Fi at LAX. My plane leaves in about six hours. I am here quiite early because the rest of the group is traveling on a different flight and they left at 8am. I'll be checking in as often as possible this week so stay tuned...
Posted by bubba138 at 08:32 AM | Comments (0) |
Who is the Internet Candidate?
It has been classicially reported that Digital Dean's advantage has been the grassroots support and organization he's received on the internet. But one poll says someone else is the real internet kingpin:
A new Des Moines Register poll, taken last week, shows 39 percent of those planning to take part in tonight's Democratic presidential caucuses have used the Internet to seek out or receive information from candidates or political organizations.Kerry, a U.S. senator from Massachusetts, leads among those Internet users, receiving the support of 29 percent. Dean, a former Vermont governor, ties North Carolina Sen. John Edwards for second with 21 percent each.
Posted by bubba138 at 08:25 AM | Comments (0) |
January 18, 2004
We're Finally Going!
It was October 2001 and I was in Split, Croatia on a short-term missions trip. The plan was to finish up there, meet the family in Frankfurt and all fly together to Israel.
The day of the flight rolled around and, lo and behold, we started bombing Afghanistan. Everyone expected that Americans wouldn't be quite welcome in the Middle East, so the trip was called off (postponed, really) at the very last minute.
We rescheduled the trip for May of 2002. As luck would have it Sharon had to march into the Dome of the Rock a mere weeks before that trip was supposed to go, and the intifada broke out.
It was again rescheduled (this time for March of 2003) and again postponed (this time because of Iraq).
So, here I am in January of 2004, and it looks like we're going to go. Our plane leaves on Monday and we'll be in Israel for eight days. I cannot tell you how excited we are.
I plan to continue posting here -- but not very heavily. I don't expect to be spending much time keeping up on current events at all next week. Instead, the majority of my blogging will be done on Intrepid in Israel, through which I'll be keeping everyone up to date on what we're doing and seeing in Israel.
I'm looking forward to a great time over there.
Posted by bubba138 at 11:59 PM | Comments (0) |
January 16, 2004
I'm Proud of Them Too!
As for the political leaders themselves, President Bush and Tony Blair should be proud of their resolve in the face of so much doubt. And especially Mr Blair, who skillfully managed tough internal politics, an incredibly powerful and sometimes almost irrationally resolute ally, and concerns within Europe. Their opponents, those who questioned the necessity or wisdom of the operation, are temporarily silent, but probably unconvinced. And more tough questions remain to be answered.
Our esteemed anti-war moderate Fired-General Wesley Clark published these words (and much more hurah-ing) as an editorial in the London Times
Posted by bubba138 at 09:38 PM | Comments (0) |
OK, Then, Who's Book is It?
Contrary to what the press is reporting, Paul O'Niell hasn't recently released a book that attacks Bush:
"This is Ron Suskind's book," Mr. O'Neill told Katie Couric Tuesday morning. "This is not my book." Not his book? I'm not sure I follow that. Mr. O'Neill gave Ron Suskind CD-ROMs containing 19,000 documents for the book. Mr. Suskind then turned over these 19,000 documents to a 23-year-old former college newspaper editor who he says "dove into the documents . . . and then began the process of assessing the worth of each." Mr. Suskind wrote what he calls "a work of narrative nonfiction" that "relies on the power of story." The primary source for this "story" is Paul O'Neill, whose picture is on the cover with the blind president, but who is now at pains to put distance between himself and the product.
Is it any wonder the administration let this guy go?
Posted by bubba138 at 03:25 PM | Comments (0) |
Why Bush Will Win in 2004
Liberals are blinded by partisan ideology. They care about only one thing: making Bush look bad. Americans aren't concerned with ideology, they're concerned with 1) putting food on their tables and 2) making sure fanatics don't blow them up. Point in case:
Anyway, Pollack tells Slate, "If I had to write 'The Threatening Storm' over again I certainly would not have been so unequivocal that war was going to be a necessity."In response, George Packer, a prominent liberal hawk, says, "Ken Pollack should be congratulated: How many leading voices on this issue have subjected themselves to such honest criticism? What he got wrong he got wrong because the intelligence was mistaken. What the administration got wrong it got wrong because it didn't care about the intelligence."
This encapsulates pretty much everything that's wrong with even the White House's most respected critics: a nearly total inability to consider the possibility that this administration operated in good faith.
When the Democrats in general and the liberal-left specifically begin to put America and Americans first in their politics, they'll once again be placed in office. Unfortunately for them, right now America and Americans are the least of their concerns.
Posted by bubba138 at 02:11 PM | Comments (0) |
The 'Strong' Anti-War President
What is the Democrat's best alternative to the ultra-left anti-war Dean? Wesley Clark, of course -- a moderate anti-war candidate. But is he really anti-war, or is he using the war for political purposes? Let's see what he said about the war before he was transformed into a Democrat:
“[T]here’s no requirement to have any doctrine here. I mean this is simply a longstanding right of the United States and other nations to take the actions they deem necessary in their self defense. Every president has deployed forces as necessary to take action. He’s done so without multilateral support if necessary. He’s done so in advance of conflict if necessary. In my experience, I was the commander of the European forces in NATO. When we took action in Kosovo, we did not have United Nations approval to do this and we did so in a way that was designed to preempt Serb ethnic cleansing and regional destabilization there. There were some people who didn’t agree with that decision. The United Nations was not able to agree to support it with a resolution.” http://media1.streamtoyou.com/rnc/Clark1-Doctrine-11026.mp3“Yes, he has chemical and biological weapons. He’s had those for a long time. But the United States right now is on a very much different defensive posture than we were before September 11th of 2001, so people are alert here. Our homeland security is certainly not perfect but we’ve, I think, taken some very significant steps. We’re much more observant than we have been before.” http://media1.streamtoyou.com/rnc/Clark2-ChemBio-13200.mp3
“There’s no question that Saddam Hussein is a threat.” http://media1.streamtoyou.com/rnc/Clark3-threat-1811.mp3
“Saddam Hussein is not only malevolent and violent but he is also to some large degree unpredictable at least to us. I’m sure he has a rationale for what he’s doing, but we don’t always know it. He does retain his chemical and biological capabilities to some extend and he is, as far as we know, actively pursuing nuclear capabilities, though he doesn’t have nuclear warheads yet. If he were to acquire nuclear weapons, I think our friends in the region would face greatly increased risks as would we.” http://media1.streamtoyou.com/rnc/Clark4-Malevolent-1912.mp3
“The problem of Iraq is not a problem that can be postponed indefinitely, and of course Saddam’s current efforts themselves are violations of international law as expressed in the U.N. resolutions. Our President has emphasized the urgency of eliminating these weapons and weapons programs. I strongly support his efforts to encourage the United Nations to act on this problem and in taking this to the United Nations, the president’s clear determination to act if the United States can't -- excuse me, if the United Nations can’t provides strong leverage for under girding ongoing diplomatic efforts.” http://media1.streamtoyou.com/rnc/Clark5-Postponed-2130.mp3
“And, I want to underscore that I think the United States should not categorize this action as preemptive. Preemptive and that doctrine has nothing whatsoever to do with this problem. As Richard Perle so eloquently pointed out, this is a problem that’s longstanding. It’s been a decade in the making. It needs to be dealt with and the clock is ticking on this.” http://media1.streamtoyou.com/rnc/Clark6-Preemptive-2802.mp3
“I think you have to have an echelon series of inspections. I think you start small and I think you expand the intrusiveness, the scope and the scale of the inspections, and I think you do that until you are either satisfied and the nation which brings the complaint to the United Nations, i.e. the United States, is satisfied, or you cross and trip a red line in which Saddam says no and you move to the next stage.” http://media1.streamtoyou.com/rnc/Clark7-Echelon-3443.mp3
“I think there’s no question that, even though we may not have the evidence as Richard [Perle] says, that there have been such contacts [between Iraq and al Qaeda]. It’s normal. It’s natural. These are a lot of bad actors in the same region together. They are going to bump into each other. They are going to exchange information. They’re going to feel each other out and see whether there are opportunities to cooperate. That’s inevitable in this region, and I think it’s clear that regardless of whether or not such evidence is produced of these connections that Saddam Hussein is a threat.” http://media1.streamtoyou.com/rnc/Clark8-BadActors-5422.mp3
“I’d like to offer the following observations by way of how we could proceed. First of all, I do believe that the United States diplomacy in the United Nations will be strengthened if the Congress can adopt a resolution expressing U.S. determination to act if the United Nations cannot act. The use of force must remain a U.S. option under active consideration.” http://media1.streamtoyou.com/rnc/Clark9-Observations-2409.mp3
“I think it’s not time yet to use force against Iraq but it is certainly time to put that card on the table, to turn it face up and to wave it and the president is doing that and I think that the United States Congress has to indicate after due consideration and consulting our people and building our resolve that yes, this is a significant security problem for the United States of America and all options are on the table including the use of force as necessary to solve this problem because I think that’s what’s required to leverage any hope of solving this problem short of war.” http://media1.streamtoyou.com/rnc/Clark10-CardTable-12847.mp3
“I agree that there’s a risk that the inspections would fail to provide evidence of the weapons program. They might fail, but I think we can deal with this problem as we move along, and I think the difficulties of dealing with this outcome are more than offset by the opportunities to gain allies, support, and legitimacy in the campaign against Saddam Hussein.” http://media1.streamtoyou.com/rnc/Clark11-InspRisk-2604.mp3
“If the efforts to resolve the problem by using the United Nations fail, either initially or ultimately, then we need to form the broadest possible coalition including our NATO allies and the North Atlantic Council if we’re going to have to bring forces to bear.” http://media1.streamtoyou.com/rnc/Clark12-UNFail-2630.mp3
Posted by bubba138 at 05:29 AM | Comments (0) |
January 15, 2004
Kucinich Gets a Boost
Help comes from the most unexpected places:
Nader recently said he may run as an independent candidate. That leaves David Cobb, who transplanted to the North Coast a year ago from Houston, and who calls himself the front-runner in the race for the Green Party nomination. [...]Not surprisingly, Cobb's platform carries some strong anti-Bush sentiments. He's opposed to the war on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan, and calls the war in Iraq "an illegal war, a war of empire and war of oil fought on behalf of transnational corporations." [...]
Cobb, however, said he would bow out of the race if Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich gets the Democratic nomination.
Isn't that sweet? I think Cobb's making a risky statement because it looks like Kucinich has pretty much got the Democratic nomination locked up.
NOT!
A more plausible scenario is that when Kucinich finally figures out he's got absolutely no chance at becoming the Democrat's main man he'll try to capture the Green party's nomination.
Posted by bubba138 at 09:01 AM | Comments (0) |
Adding a Little Braun to the Dean Campaign
CNN:
Sources told CNN that Moseley Braun and Dean will hold an event at 2 p.m. ET on Thursday in Carroll, Iowa, where she will announce she is dropping out of the race and will throw her support to the former Vermont governor.
Well, so much for Sharpton's race baiting the other night. The last time I checked, Braun is a minority in both race and gender. The fact that Dean had no racial minorities in his cabinet in a state that's 98% anglo doesn't seem to matter much to her.
Still, it's not as if this endorsement will aid Dean that much. No one has really ever considered Braun a powerful politcal presence, let alone a serious presidential candidate.
What this does signal, however, is the begining of the end for most of the candidates. After Iowa and New Hampshire, start looking for Kucinich and Lieberman (who's not running in Iowa) to drop out. If Edwards doesn't finish in the top three in either race, he'll not be long for this race either.
Sharpton will hang on as long as the money allows. His goal is obviously not to be elected, but to have a platform to spout his racist poison, and the inclusive Democrats are all to happy to provide it.
The wild card in the bunch is Wesley Clark. He's probably not hurting himself too much by skipping Iowa, and he does look like the more sedate alter-ego of Dean. But my feeling so far is that he suffers from Lieberman's desease: just too plain and boring to inspire people to vote for him.
The races are tightening up, but my money is still on Dean. He's got the fire, he's got the following, and he's a true alternative to the current administration.
Go Dean!
Posted by bubba138 at 08:43 AM | Comments (0) |
Dreams Envisioned
I'm convinced I'm not the only one who wishes he could write like Lileks. My attempt is hamhanded at best when compared to his heart hitting piece:
If you’d asked me on 9/12/01 what headline I thought I’d see on 01/14/03, I would have said something depressing like “Seattle relies on Israeli experts for help in nuke damage” or some such apocalyptic concept. Back then it all seemed ready to tumble into the deep black pit. I would have been cheered to learn that attacks on our troops in Iraq were down 22 percent. I would have been gobsmacked to learn we had decided to return to the moon as well. That's the sort of news that transcends today and defines tomorrow.And makes people blurt out silly rhetorical curlicues like the one above. Okay, let's have some more:I have a dream. I believe that this nation should put a man on the moon by the end of this decade and keep him there. Not because it is easy, but because it is hard and expensive and boring and lethal and just might – might – give people something to watch that’s more important than Paris Hilton pitching a fit because she chipped a nail.
Exactly.
Posted by bubba138 at 08:18 AM | Comments (0) |
Surprising Evidence of Life On Mars
Severely under reported from the Mars explorer mission are the multiple photos of "unmistakable" machine parts surrounding the landing area.
Really! It's true!
Oh, and Mars isn't really red.
Posted by bubba138 at 07:17 AM | Comments (0) |
January 14, 2004
Kennedy: King of the Blowhards
How do you know when Kennedy is exaggerating? When his lips are moving:
In a speech to the liberal Center for American Progress, Kennedy said the war has increased hatred for the United States abroad, diverted attention from the broader war against terrorism and put the country more "at risk" than it was before.
Let's just check the current world situation against Kennedy's assertion that we are at more risk than before:
Tell me again, how is this bad?
Posted by bubba138 at 09:31 PM | Comments (0) |
Culture of Death Watch
Roger Simon points out the hypocrisy of Hamas:
Not coincidentally, this was the first day of a new program, which the Israelis had established to give more Palestinians jobs. Hamas doesn't like to see its people working. They look them poor, angry, religious and psychotic--not necessarily in that order. And above all they don't want them to think they have anything to gain by cooperation with the Jews. Fatah, working with Hamas on this one (are they ever really separate?), even announced publicly that the intention of the act was stop the job program.
The Palestinian terrorist organizations like to think of themselves as 'freedom fighters' but incidents such as this prove, once again, they are nothing more than blood-thirsty killers bent on nothing else but hate and death. They are sick as a rabid dog and intent on spreading their desease.
It boggles my mind that to the leaders of Hamas blowing up this woman was more important than the care and well being of her children. Of course, now Hamas will ensure that her spawn will grow up hating Israel for killing their mommy.
Sharon builds a fence and the whole world is up in arms. Hamas destroys multiple families and hardly anyone says a thing. Go figure.
Posted by bubba138 at 08:28 PM | Comments (0) |
The Woman Who Would Be Governor
Arianna Huffington weighs in on her new hero, Paul O'Neill:
According to O'Neill, invading Iraq was a Bush goal before he had even learned where the Oval office supply closet was. It came up just ten days after the inauguration, at the new president's first National Security Council meeting. "It was all about finding a way to do it," O'Neill says. "That was the tone of it. The president saying 'Go find me a way to do this.'"
Too bad Arianna spends more time writting than reading. Even O'Niell has pointed out that people are blowing his statements way out of proportion.
Of course, according to Arriana, the White House's response to O'Niell is flacid at best:
before I go any further, one word of advice to the White House attack dogs now unleashed on O'Neill: If you want to belittle his bona fides, you've got to come up with something better than saying "We didn't listen to him when he was here. Why should we now?"
Perhaps the White House didn't want to put too much effort into refuting O'Niell because they knew it wasn't worth the trouble? But even such a limp response is too much for the Huffster:
Now, of course, they're painting him out to be a cross between Jerry Garcia, Karl Marx and the disgruntled former employee who just shot up your local post office.
Puh-leeze, one wishes Arriana would just make up her mind. Was the response weak or were they coming on like jack-booted thugs? It probably took all her strength not to type the four lettered "n"-word.
The most alarming thing that emerges from O'Neill's revelations is the total lack of leadership on Bush's part. Just as the president was finally outgrowing the long-standing rumors that he was a cheerful pawn in a game he was too dumb to understand, O‚Neill applies the paddles to the "Bush as clown" image, turns on the juice, and yells, "Clear!"
And then all the real clowns stand up and cheer! Only to be laughed at like all clowns are. Just as O'Niell is laughed at. Just as we still laugh at Arriana.
Posted by bubba138 at 03:43 PM | Comments (0) |
The Electoral College
I wrote this last year, but with the elections coming closer and the very real possibility that Bush will take California, it seemed appropriate to post it again.
One aspect of the upcoming Presidential race that should soon be of great interest is the roll that will be played by electoral college. In 2000, the electoral college set the stage for the dramatic Florida counts and recounts. Without the electoral college, the entire nation would have been embroiled in a recount -- what a mess that would have been.
The number of electoral college votes is determined by the number of seats in the House of Representatives (this is a loosely stated but practical way of putting it). The number of seats in congress is determined by the population in each state.
As a result of the 2000 census, the 2004 electoral college picture has changed. In 2000, there were 537 seats in Congress, there are now 538. But more interesting, the census reflects a population shift that changed the map of both the House of Representatives and the electoral college. More specifically, the number of seats (and electoral votes) that each state gets has changed -- to the benefit of the Republicans and detriment of the Democrats. This table sums up the differences:
| States that voted for... | Electoral Votes | ||
| Bush in 2000 | 2000 | 2004 | Gain / Loss |
| INDIANA | 12 | 11 | -1 |
| MISSISSIPPI | 7 | 6 | -1 |
| OHIO | 21 | 20 | -1 |
| COLORADO | 8 | 9 | +1 |
| NEVADA | 4 | 5 | +1 |
| NORTH CAROLINA | 14 | 15 | +1 |
| ARIZONA | 8 | 10 | +2 |
| FLORIDA | 25 | 27 | +2 |
| GEORGIA | 13 | 15 | +2 |
| TEXAS | 32 | 34 | +2 |
| Net Gain / Loss | +8 | ||
| Gore in 2000 | 2000 | 2004 | Gain / Loss |
| NEW YORK | 33 | 31 | -2 |
| PENNSYLVANIA | 23 | 21 | -2 |
| CONNECTICUT | 8 | 7 | -1 |
| ILLINOIS | 22 | 21 | -1 |
| MICHIGAN | 18 | 17 | -1 |
| WISCONSIN | 11 | 10 | -1 |
| CALIFORNIA | 54 | 55 | +1 |
| DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA | 2 | 3 | +1 |
| Net Gain / Loss | -6 | ||
So what we see here is a net swing of 14 electoral votes for the Republicans. Not quite enough to make up for the 25 (or now 27) votes that Bush and Gore fought over in Florida, but still substantial. Knowing they must make up 14 electoral votes before campaigning even begins puts pressure squarely on the Democrat's shoulders.
Sources: Project Vote Smart: U.S. Electoral College 2004
Federal Election Commission: 2000 Official Presidential General Election Results
Update: D.C. actually had three electoral votes in 2000, but one abstained. I am assuming all three will vote in 2004, hence the pickup of one vote for the Democrats. The final tally remains +14 votes on the Republican side.
Posted by bubba138 at 10:27 AM | Comments (0) |
Amnesty for Illegal Immigrants
It doesn't look as if the temporary worker amnesty program is going to have much life this year:
One GOP aide working on immigration was pessimistic that Congress could act. “To be very honest, not much is going to happen this year,” said the aide. “It’s an election year. It’s a very difficult topic for members on all sides of the political spectrum. It’s really divisive in the parties.”The odds look particularly long in the House, where extending benefits to illegal immigrants would face outright opposition. A spokesman for House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) said provisions that “seem to reward illegal behaviors” are “not going to generate much enthusiasm on the House side.” But he praised the bill’s basic premise and its enforcement provisions.
If the chances of passing an amnesty bill are slim because it is an election year, why did Bush bring it up now? Why did he not wait until after the election?
I must say the fact that Daschle is working on an alternative plan doesn't comfort me at all. Bush's proposal is already to loose -- I shudder to imagine what Daschle will propose.
FYI: Here's what our Border Patrol officers think about Bush's plan.
Posted by bubba138 at 07:54 AM | Comments (0) |
January 13, 2004
I Like the Cool Curly Straw
Matthew Stinson makes an interesting, and accurate, observation:
As of now, Iraq seems to have produced two sets of straw-graspers: pro-war partisans who grasp at every minor WMD story as justification for the war, and anti-war partisans who gin up fake scandals to somehow prove the war was a fraud.Yep.
Posted by bubba138 at 11:28 PM | Comments (0) |
Franken on the AM
I give it about six months.
Franken said he planned to use a mix of interviews, calls from listeners and scripted comedy. He said he planned to have a co-host with long experience in radio, but he said that role had not been finalized.
There are plenty of good candidates for the job of co-host. Franken and crew just missed getting this one, though.
Posted by bubba138 at 11:04 PM | Comments (0) |
Liberal Eliteism
Martin Sheen was interviewed reegarding his support of Dean on CNN this evening:
Aaron Brown: Do you consider yourself in the mainstream of public opinion?Sheen: I hope not.
Aaron Brown: Do you donsider Dean in the mainstream?
Sheen: He's better than the mainstream.
No surprises here.
Posted by bubba138 at 10:58 PM | Comments (0) |
A Voice of Reason
Believe it or not, there are occasional bright spots in the Middle East. Here's at least one Arab journalist who seems to have retained possession of his sanity:
As a journalist who has reported the terrorist attacks in our country, I have always believed that our war against terror is really a war against an ideology. Yes, we have accomplished much in finding the terrorist cells in major cities and rounding up hundreds of suspects, but if we do not attack the root of the problem, it is only a matter of time before other terrorist attacks take place.The root, however, cannot be attacked given our continuing state of denial that we are beyond error and shortcoming. In fact, the very denial that we have a major extremist problem in the country has only helped the problem to grow...
He's even got the answer to the problem figured out:
The first step, as many Saudis who debated fiercely in the National Forum for Dialogue held in Makkah, is to change our school textbooks. Not only are the books breeding a sectarian culture but they fail to encourage diversity, dialogue, tolerance and harmony among different groups of Saudi society. The second step should be a change in the methods of teaching. And the third — this may be the most important — is to teach that those who differ with our opinions, even when it comes to religious matters, are not our enemies. Differences of opinion are signs of a healthy society, not a backward one. Early Muslim societies were models of tolerance and we would do well to emulate them.
The more Saudis there are like this one the better.
Posted by bubba138 at 09:49 PM | Comments (0) |
O'Neill Outed
Former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill (search), who was forced out of the Bush administration in 2002, has criticized the president on everything from his demeanor in Cabinet meetings to the war in Iraq this week. But these recent attacks contradict statements O'Neill made in a television interview just after his ouster. O'Neill told KDKA Television in Pittsburgh last January -- "I'm a supporter of the institution of the presidency, and I'm determined not to say any negative things about the president and the Bush administration. They have enough to do without having me as a sharpshooter"
Posted by bubba138 at 08:49 AM | Comments (0) |
January 12, 2004
Racial Discrimination Is Alive and Well
Denise Moore is the Indiana caseworker who recommended taking 4-year-old Anthony Bars away from a loving foster mother and placed him, instead, with a couple who starved and beat him to death over a 10-month period.
Florence Hurst...wanted to adopt Anthony and his sister before Moore recommended their removal.
Why [was Anthony removed]? Again that word.
Race may have been a factor. Hurst was white. Anthony was black.
Isn't it a good thing we have racially sensitive CPS caseworkers?
Posted by bubba138 at 03:45 PM | Comments (0) |
What's To Fear?
According to one Harvard student, there's no reason for conservatives to fear the current crop of Democratic presidential hopefuls:
The Democrats aren't doing much to keep our radical spirit alive. When Matthews asked John Kerry what his favorite movie was at one of the "Hardball" tapings, the Massachusetts senator seemed stumped. When he spoke in an undergraduate dorm, Wesley Clark kept finding awkward silence where he expected applause. And when Matthews asked Dean to name his favorite book, the front runner boldly plugged his own campaign biography.So even as the country faces grave issues of war and peace, Harvard students are more worked up about what's on the dining-hall menu than they are about the White House race.
Posted by bubba138 at 02:24 PM | Comments (0) |
Another Republican Seat
It looks as if the Republicans may pick up another Republican Congressional seat in Texas. Becky Whetstone, ex-wife of Democrat Congressman Charlie Gonzalez has decided to run for her ex-husband's seat:
After divorcing Texas congressman Charlie Gonzalez last year, Becky Whetstone said, she felt out-maneuvered, out-financed and out of luck. Angry and frustrated, Whetstone -- a writer and family counselor -- considered her options and decided to go public.First, she began writing a book about life as a congressional wife. Then she created a Web site, congressmanswife .com, where she aired her grievances and invited others to share their own stories of love and loss. Her latest move came just after New Year's, when she announced her intent to run for her ex-husband's congressional seat.
Becky's running as an independent which means she could very well steal votes from her husband without affecting the Republican vote. If the Republicans are smart, they'll quietly pour as many resources into the Whetstone campaign as they can.
Posted by bubba138 at 12:51 PM | Comments (0) |
We Are Safer
For those who think we the capture of Saddam hasn't made the United States safer, there's this little tidbit:
Attacks against coalition forces in Iraq have dropped 22% in the four weeks since Saddam Hussein's capture, military records show.The average number of daily attacks fell to 18 in the four weeks since Dec. 14, when the coalition announced that Saddam had been captured the day before. In the four weeks before Saddam was found, attacks averaged 23 a day.
Although fewer in number, recent attacks have been more effective, with 31 killed in the last four weeks compared to 22 in the four before Saddam was in custody.
Regardless, al-Qaeda is definitely feeling the effects of the U.S. led war on terror. Stratfor says that bin Laden's recently released tape was...
different in tone and focus than prior tapes. The focus was less on the United States, Israel or Kashmir than on the Arab world in general and the Arabian Peninsula in particular. The tone was bleak and filled with anger at betrayal by Arab rulers. It represents an honest assessment of the war from al Qaeda's view, and it reveals the war is not going well for them.
Strafor's analysis is very interesting and informative, go read it now.
Posted by bubba138 at 12:37 PM | Comments (0) |
I Are a Politician!
Phil Angelides has got to be the dumbest state politician. He's anti-Arnold and he makes no bones about it. That in and of iself isn't so bad, but he's so far over the edge with it it's laughable:
Few California Democrats could top state Treasurer Phil Angelides in crafting a nasty description for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's first budget: He called it "morally and economically bankrupt." [...]Let's face it, Angelides is doing this for one reason alone: political opportunism. He knows every time he spouts off in this way he gets his name in print -- and name recognition is half the battle. It is an interesting strategy, but I think it is a foolish one."He is a voice of the people who think that everything that Arnold Schwarzenegger says and does is terrible," Sragow said. [...]
But by using a harsh tone with Schwarzenegger to raise his own profile, Angelides runs the risk that voters could see him as thwarting a popular governor's agenda that other, more pragmatic Democrats embrace. [...]
Angelides, explaining his more pointed approach, said he would not be "part of a fraternity where we've got to go along to get along."
So far, Schwarzenegger has done everything he said he'd do on the campaign trail. He said he was going to repeal the auto-registration tax increase, and he did. When the current staff didn't want to cooperate to Arnold's satisfaction on that project, he got new staff. Arnold is a governor that gets it done. Californians like that. It is something they haven't seen in a long time and they've been starving for it. And Angelides is against it.
Democratic strategist Darry Sragow says "He [Angelides] is a voice of the people who think that everything that Arnold Schwarzenegger says and does is terrible," Sragow said.
And exactly how many people is that, two? [Three if you count Sharon Davis -- but that's still out for debate]
Posted by bubba138 at 10:36 AM | Comments (0) |
Local Woes
Local cities and counties are complaining that the Govahnator's budget proposal is stealing $1.3 billion from them:
Lassen County Administrative Officer Andy Whiteman said the loss of those funds will be "devastating" and Lassen County Chairman of the Board of Supervisors Jim Chapman said it was the state doing "business as usual." Link
"With the Governor's proposal to shift $1.3 billion of local property tax to the State, Yolo County residents will be losing even more of their local property tax to the State than any other California county except Orange," Singh said in a released statement on Friday. LinkBut let's not stop there, the governor's budget is also going to kill upper education:
The news next year doesn't appear to be any brighter for college students and families. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Friday unveiled a proposed budget for next fiscal year that calls for 10 percent increases in undergraduate fees at CSU and UC, and 40 percent at the graduate level.Community college fees would increase 44 percent.
This is a real problem.
Or is it? I question whether these programs and institutions really do need the money they say they do. I know several people who work in government financed programs and listening stories of how things are run at every level of government screams out inefficiency and waste. In San Diego, we are learning the details of excess in on particular situation:
Executives of the city-owned San Diego Data Processing Corp. have been drinking, partying, traveling and dining at taxpayer expense, according to a report by the city auditor.The auditor's report, completed Friday, said executives spent corporation money on alcoholic beverages, dining club memberships, holiday parties, executive retreats, charitable donations, a spouse's travel and other expenses not clearly related to Data Processing's function of providing computer services to the city.
The report also found insufficient control on the use of corporate credit cards.
I believe this is going on everywhere in city, county and local governments. Is it because everyone in government are crooks? No. It is because the money is there for the spending so they spend it.
Here's how the budget process works. First, each program submits their budget to the government for approval. The budget is examined, tweaked and eventually approved. Listen, this is key: A good part of the decision making on how much cash a program gets is based upon how much they spent the year before.
Then, come April or May (a couple of months before fiscal year end) the programs look at the actual vs. budget numbers. If they find out that they are under budget they go on a spending spree -- whether they need to or not. They know that if they do not use all their budget this year, the following year's budget will be reduced.
So they spend and spend and spend even though they have no need.
The only way to fix this is to reduce the amount of money available to the programs. And that's just what Arnold's budget does.
Posted by bubba138 at 09:36 AM | Comments (0) |
January 11, 2004
Adequate Commentary
Prometheus 6 comments on the Green Bay/Philly game:
I just watched Donovan McNabb shake off two guys, out-run the other pursuers, and drop a TD pass into Pinkston. He rushed for 36 yards personally during the drive.If he doesn't, he should. Those two Packers ought to feel pretty stupid as well.I couldn't help but wonder if Rush Limbaugh just feels stupid or what.
Posted by bubba138 at 08:27 PM | Comments (0) |
Where are the WMD's?
Fox news is now reporting on air that there is mounting evidence that many of the weapons were moved into Syria. If this is true I'll find it surprising that Saddam could move all those WMDs during our "rush to war" (you know, the rush that took several months and repeated visits to the U.N.).
They are also reporting that two Russian generals aided Iraq directly before and during the conflict.
I am waiting for companion articles on the FoxNews web site. More to come...
Update: Here is one report on the Syrian hiding spots:
Nijar Nijjof, who is based in Paris, told Britain's independent Channel Five News that he had been told about the weapons by a senior source inside Syrian military intelligence.The unnamed source revealed the weapons were smuggled across the Iraq border in ambulances before the US-led war which toppled Saddam was launched in March, Nijjof said.
Posted by bubba138 at 08:24 AM | Comments (0) |
January 10, 2004
SSSSHHHH!
The volume level of Republicans against Dean has risen over the past few weeks and has now reached a fevered pitch:
Matthew Hoy has this to say:
Howard Dean disgusts me, like no other Democrat has in my lifetime. I didn't feel this disgusted by Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Tom Daschle, etc.
James Taranto's Best of the Web shoots almost daily jabs at Dean.
World Net Daily is all over Dean.
Every day there is another example of a conservative commentator, blogger, or professional opinion maker bashing Dean. To this I have only one thing to say...
SHUT UP!
We could look high, we could look low, we could look under the couch, but conservatives could never find a better person to win the Democratic nomination than Dr. Dean. Although Dean has a nice lead, Clark is showing some power in the polls. Each time a conservative attacks Dean he or she helps Clark and makes the Democratic race, well, a race.
Am I afraid Clark can beat Bush? Not even slightly. But I am (believe it or not) afraid for the Democratic party. I like the Democratic party. America needs the Democratic party. Desperately. The two party system is part of what makes America the only super power in the world today. There must be a Hardy for Laurel. Abbot must have a Costello. Republicans must have Democrats. [odd analogy...I know, but work with me here.]
But the Democrats have lost their way, lost their purpose, lost their vision [lost their minds? -- quiet, I'm making a point! -- sorry, please continue]. In 2002 when the Democrats suffered strategic loses in the House and Senate, the radical left blamed it upon the candidates not being left enough. What they could not -- and still refuse -- to fathom is that the political shift in the country has got more to do with the fact that the Democrats are concerned more with the past ("we wuz robbed in 2000!") and the present ("Bush must go!") than they are the future.
No matter who wins the Democratic nomination, Bush will win this election. If Wesley Clark is the Democratic nominee when they take this loss, the left will feel vindicated. "We can't win being Bush lite," they'll whine. The result will be the Democrats will shift even more to the left, and the "Bush is Hitler" crowd will be empowered to exert even more unreasonable control over the party. If Dean takes the nomination, however, the angry, radical left will be discredited, the guns of the sensible elements [yes, those elements do exist]of the Democratic party will be fully loaded, and they will be able to right the sinking Democratic ship.
So stop attacking Dean. I know he's an easy target. I know Dean's rhetoric grates against the nerves of conservatives everywhere. I know conservatives have an innate need to call Dean out. Don't do it. Wait. At least until after Boston.
Posted by bubba138 at 09:02 PM | Comments (0) |
Great Minds...
They all think alike. Hence Patterico's move to 1&1 hosting:
King of Fools explains here that January 21st is the last day for Blogspot sufferers to get off that unreliable service, and onto a free Movable Type hosting service. I did it, with the help of Xrlq, and I couldn't be happier. 1&1 doesn't go down all the time like Blogspot did, and my page can be pulled up much more quickly. Trackback is automatic, which gets me more traffic. Comments are more reliable, and I can see which ones were posted most recently. I have my own domain, and it cost me 6 bucks. The list of advantages goes on and on.
Amen brother. It's early still but so far I am completely impressed with 1&1.
Posted by bubba138 at 07:07 PM | Comments (0) |
To Infinity and Beyond!
There has been a low buzz in the media this last week about the possibility that G.W. Bush will speak out in support of the U.S. planning and executing a manned mission to Mars. Already, even before the President makes his public remarks, voices are chiming in telling us why it cannot or should not be done. We don't have the technology. It will be too expensive. The human body cannot handle it. I have a dentist appointment that week.
I'm convinced, however, not only that placing a man on Mars isn't only a worthy goal, but a necessary one.
Human beings are interesting animals. We are capable of so much more than we have yet achieved. As a matter of fact, we are driven to achieve - so much so that if we haven't a positive, constructive vision for achievement we will expend our limitless energies on negative, destructive goals. Sometimes, as in the case of the war on terror, destructive goals are necessary. But neither our country nor the world can long endure the pain involved in mere survival. We need a vision that is beyond ourselves, an ideal for which to reach, a monument for which to strive. In short, we need a collective, purpose filled vision cast by vision filled leaders. Going to Mars is just such a vision.
As is the case with any lofty pursuit, this going to Mars will not be inexpensive. As a matter of fact, the costs will be staggering. Given all the problems in our country and the world, is it wise to shift priorities to a space program?
Yes. Without reservation.
Why? Because the benefit to humanity from of this mission will be immeasurable.
When I woke up this morning I brushed my teeth with an electric toothbrush. I went downstairs and cooked some of my breakfast in the microwave. I drove my car - complete with electronic ignition and computer controlled timing - to a function at my church. I called a friend on my digital cell phone. I came home and booted up my personal computer ported this communiqué on the Internet.
All these things were envisioned, made possible, or enhanced because of discoveries made during the space program of the sixties and seventies. Grand goals stimulate creative thinking. But it does even more than that. Grand goals transform inspiration into new technologies that benefit us all and improve our lives in every way.
Who knows what new technologies the Mars mission will inspire. But of this I am convinced: humankind will benefit far beyond our expectations.
Finally we cannot discount the power of competition. John Sheplar captures this in his account of Kennedy's inspiration to land a man on the moon:
On May 25, 1961, President Kennedy stood before a joint session of Congress to declare it "time for a great new American enterprise -- time for this nation to take a clearly leading role in space achievement, which in many ways may hold the key to our future on earth." Timing, as they say, is everything. Americans were rattled on October 4, 1957 when they heard the beeping of the Russian Sputnik on television and then rushed outside to see it moving through the stars above their own homes. That just couldn't be. We won the war. We built the bomb. We were the best, the brightest, the most deserving. Weren't we? Our national ego had been bruised, even crushed. Collectively we yearned to prove again that we could do anything we put our minds to.
Americans achieve the most when others challenge us. And the mission to Mars won't be achieved by our efforts alone, but in the spirit of competition with our overseas brothers. True, our European friends have suffered some setbacks. But part of the beauty of competition is that our successes will motivate them to continue when they fail, and their successes will motivate us to excel even more.
Human beings need a vision. We need new ideas. We need to achieve. Getting to Mars gets us there. Let's go.
Posted by bubba138 at 12:38 PM | Comments (0) |
January 09, 2004
French Fusion
I wonder if France had been just the slightest bit more supportive over Iraq if the results to this would have been different:
The United States on Friday for the first time publicly backed Japan, instead of France, to host an experimental nuclear fusion reactor, saying that Japan offered a superior site.
First the boycott on French wine and now this. Will the French economy ever recover?
Posted by bubba138 at 11:16 PM | Comments (0) |
Wesley Clark Is God
Clark's megalomaniacal tendencies are beginning to show through:
Wesley Clark said yesterday the two greatest lies of the last three years are that the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks couldn't have been prevented and that another attack is inevitable.He said a Clark administration would protect America in the future.
"If I'm president of the United States, I'm going to take care of the American people," Clark said in a meeting with the Monitor editorial board. "We are not going to have one of these incidents."
Not only is Clark (in his own mind) the best man for the job of President, but now he's the lord of all human will. He can also see into the future and into the hearts and minds every person on God's, oops I mean Clark's, green Earth.
Seriously, this shows exactly how unqualified Clark is as a Presidential candidate. After spending years in the military, prosecuting countless campaigns Clark of all people should know it is impossible to keep control over everything.
Posted by bubba138 at 06:29 PM | Comments (0) |
One Very Good Question
All of these folks were liberal Democrats before 9/11. Some still consider themselves to be (at least the liberal part). Now they find themselves supporting Bush -- to some extent or another-- and seriously doubting whether they could vote for Howard Dean.Have you heard of anyone who says, "Well, I was a pretty conservative Republican. Then 9/11 came along and changed everything" ???
Posted by bubba138 at 04:15 PM | Comments (0) |
Democrats: The Inclusive Party
The Dems look at their inclusivity as a strength, but this year it just might be the dog that bites them in their posterior region. Case in point: the Nazgul.
Having nine candidates running gives primary Democrats plenty of choice. But that choice comes with the danger of having to nominate a person with whom the Democratic leadership not at all comfortable:
It seems the state’s Democratic establishment has decided a Dean victory will spell disaster for the party and it’s time to stop the Mad Doctor and rally around the unDean.The trouble is the unDean is different everywhere you look. In the Granite State, Laura and co. reckon the unDean is Kerry. In Iowa, it’s Dick Gephardt, the soporific 1970s union throwback. In Arizona, it’s General Wesley Clark, the pantomime stalking-horse entered by the Clintons. In South Carolina, it seems to be the Revd Al Sharpton, the distinguished race-baiter. And all these states are voting in the next month, which means, no matter how well he does, each unDean could be undone by some other unDean a couple of days later.
Posted by bubba138 at 04:07 PM | Comments (0) |
Death of the Two Party System
Is the two party system an endangered species in the U.S.? Everett Ehrlich thinks so:
For all Dean's talk about wanting to represent the truly "Democratic wing of the Democratic Party," the paradox is that he is essentially a third-party candidate using modern technology to achieve a takeover of the Democratic Party. Other candidates -- John Kerry, John Edwards, Wesley Clark -- are competing to take control of the party's fundraising, organizational and media operations. But Dean is not interested in taking control of those depreciating assets. He is creating his own party, his own lists, his own money, his own organization. What he wants are the Democratic brand name and legacy, the party's last remaining assets of value, as part of his marketing strategy.
And this is exactly why he'll win the primary in a landslide and lose the general election just as dramatically. Dean's internet candidacy and electric personality has given him nigh unstoppable momentum in a party that currently doesn't know it's head from it's feet. But Dean's presence is based upon a very vocal majority of the minority. The aformentioned USA Today/CNN poll illustrates that less than one out of five people (18%) believe Bush "stole" the 2000 election. Betting that they are all Deanites wouldn't even get Pete Rose in trouble.
While 18% of the total population does not a majority make, it does make up a significant block of the Democratic party. Let's be generous and assume that half those polled at least lean Democrat. That being the case, the 18% translates into 36% of Democrats -- and a very energized, cohesive, and motivated 36%. In a field of nine candiates, that is an overcomable block of votes.
But when the general election comes, the "Bush stole the election" crowd becomes once again less than one in five. Compare that to the one out of two that believe he won it fair and square (and thereby don't think of Bush in visceral terms) and the Deanites have an altogether different game.
Update: Along the same reasoning Mort Kondrake also sees Bush winning:
But this doesn't account for the blind hatred many Democrats feel toward Bush. A lot of it is visceral and cultural. Openly religious and anti-abortion, the signer of a concealed-carry gun law in Texas and regular executioner of convicted killers, Bush is anathema to secular, pro-abortion, anti-gun, anti-death penalty liberals. [...]Yep.Instead of looking in the mirror and trying to figure out what is wrong with them, Democrats vent at Bush. It's a disastrous strategy.
Update: Real Clear Politics has a real clear debunking of the "Bush stole the election" meme
Posted by bubba138 at 03:07 PM | Comments (0) |
Best of the Web Today
Best of the Web Today has dissected the most recent USA Today/CNN poll and come up with this:
The following table shows the proportion of "Republicans/Republican leaners" and "Democrats/Democratic leaners" who said they'd "never heard of" each of the Democratic presidential candidates:
Candidate Reps Dems Clark Dean Edwards Gephardt Kerry Lieberman For the most part these differences aren't huge, but it's nonetheless striking that in every case, Republicans were more likely than Democrats to have heard of the Democratic candidates--especially since Dems are in a position to vote on these guys in the next few months. It's hard to avoid the conclusion that people who are more informed about politics tend to be Republicans.
I guess Republicans aren't as stupid as some people think.
Posted by bubba138 at 02:36 PM | Comments (0) |
Friends Indeed?
Doug Bandow isn't impressed with the support (or lack of it) that the U.S. has received from our Asian friends:
Both countries are entitled to respond that deploying forces in Iraq isn't in their interest. They can argue that America is engaged in a fool's errand trying to reshape Iraq. They can even say the commitment of even several thousand troops wouldn't make a difference.All those arguments may be true but they are, by now, irrelevant. Instead of bemoaning the lack of shared interests, and badgering Tokyo and Seoul to ante up small detachments for Iraq, the U.S. should simply begin removing forces from those countries for duty in Iraq. "We could send the troops if circumstances permit," said Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukudo at one point. And America could bring its forces out of Japan and South Korea if circumstances permit. As they do.
Posted by bubba138 at 02:11 PM | Comments (0) |
Getting Things Done
Here's yet another difference between the former and current governors. This one actually looks ahead to solve problems before they get unwieldy. At the tail end of this impressive account of a Republican governor who is able to get the Democratically controlled, and very powerful, teachers union on his side, there is this telling statement:
"Both sides were smart in trying to negotiate something early instead of waiting until June or July, when things get really bad," said Senate budget committee Vice Chairman Dick Ackerman (R-Irvine). "All sides looked at the economic reality and tried to contribute to a solution."
Somehow I think it is possible that had Schwarzenegger been governor several years ago the energy crisis would not have grown into a crisis.
Posted by bubba138 at 12:33 PM | Comments (0) |
Dean: The Man to Beat
This is HUGE for Dean:
Senator Tom Harkin will endorse Howard Dean for president today, handing the former Vermont governor coveted backing from the most politically influential Democratic lawmaker in Iowa as the state's crucial nominating caucuses near.
Iowa is now all but summed up for Howard.
Update: Time has a run-down of the Nazgul that's worth checking out. In it is this important observation:
the caucus process is complicated, and polls don’t always measure who will actually show up that night and support a candidate.
Posted by bubba138 at 12:06 PM | Comments (0) |
Let the Whining Commence
The Governator released his budget today. He's done exactly what he said he'd do -- crafted a budget that closes the deficit gap without raising taxes. The sensible among us realize that mathematically the only way to do this is to make cuts. But, when the cuts affect your own special interest there's whining to be done:
"My immediate reaction is, what?" said Geoff Davey, Sacramento County's chief financial officer. "It would be a tremendous shell game if the vehicle license fees were restored but property taxes taken away
Waaa. Deal with it.
No matter where the cuts are made the press will be able to easily find someone to whine about how neccessary the money is for his or her pet concern.
We all need to remember that Schwarzenegger was right when he said we don't have a revenue problem in this state but a spending problem. Are funds being cut? You bet. But that's because the budgets over the last five years have grown too much. Increases in state spending has far outstripped increases in state revenue. When that happens in the household, the family unit buckles down, gets control of their spending and moves on from there. If that means we eat Top Ramen three times a week, so be it.
It is high time for California to go on a diet. Arnold's just the guy to keep us on it.
Posted by bubba138 at 08:19 AM | Comments (0) |
Shook Me All Night Long...
Thousands of Iranians spent the night outdoors in the rain after 31 tremors jolted the oil-rich province of Khuzestan sparking fears of an earthquake like that which razed the city of Bam, state television said on Wednesday.
Posted by bubba138 at 07:57 AM | Comments (0) |
January 08, 2004
Immigration
Citizen Smash outdoes us all. Instead of just complaining he's actually got a decent proposal.
Those military guys...solution oriented.
Posted by bubba138 at 10:58 PM | Comments (0) |
Welcome
Welcome to the new digs!
Posted by bubba138 at 10:23 PM | Comments (0) |
No Mysteries Here
There is no wonder at all that Elecia Battle would try to claim a $162 million jackpot that wasn't hers. After all, fraud was a part of her past behavior and there were no consequences to prevent her from doing it again:
While working at a Richmond Heights pharmacy in 1999, Battle used a customer's credit card number to make purchases, police said. She paid a $450 fine for misuse of a credit card, and a 10-day jail sentence was suspended. Battle was convicted in 2000 in Cleveland Heights of assault for grabbing a drug store clerk's hair and scratching her, according to police records. Battle got a six-month suspended sentence.
She was convicted of criminal trespassing in 2002 and paid restitution of about $1,250, according to South Euclid court records. Fines were suspended because she was indigent.
10 days -- suspended. Six months -- suspended. Fines -- suspended.
Go figure.
How much do you want to bet this little episode has no consequences either.Posted by bubba138 at 11:50 AM | Comments (0) |
Election Season
Ahhh...the sweet smell of election season.
People will be making their voice heard on important issues and offices in the next couple of months. But make sure to not be so enamored by the Presidential Primary race that you lose sight of other important races world wide.
Iran, for instance, goes to the polls in February. Already the government is warning its citizens that no matter how they vote things won't change:
This ought to be an interesting election. Apparently the bloom has come off the reformist's rose, but it isn't clear if that's because they've pushed too hard (unlikely) or if it is because they've proved ineffectual in gaining real change.
The government spokesman Dr Ramezanzadeh promised on Monday that the government would make sure that the Feb 20, 2004 parliamentary elections in Iran are free and fair.... He furthermore insisted that the government will not be bound to the extra-judicial and illegal decisions made by certain bodies within the system. The Iranian constitution is the yardstick that should be followed to the letter.
President Khatami's press adviser also hinted that a confrontation with the oversight Guardian Council (GC) is not out of the realm of possibility.
However, analysts point out that in light of the Khatami Administration's track record since 1997 in avoiding political showdowns with the other faction - and particularly in challenging the powerful GC - it is highly unlikely that the government would be successful in taking decisive actions against the GC if difficulties arise.
Posted by bubba138 at 10:26 AM | Comments (0) |
Yet Some Parts Don't Get It
Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khameini, said Thursday that US humanitarian aid for the victims of a massive earthquake here has not improved relations... In a speech broadcast on television, Khamenei said Iran's leaders "had to accept (the US aid) because it was destined for the people.
"But what does that have to do with political questions and the profound, constant and fundamental hostility of the American policy of oppression of the Iranian people, our country and the interests of a well-loved regime," he asked.
American policy of oppression? Well loved regime?
PUH-LEEZE.Posted by bubba138 at 10:17 AM | Comments (0) |
Some Parts of the World Are Getting It
Sometimes there are bright flashes of true enlightenment the normally darkened Olde Europe:
Here's to hoping that Europe someday figures out that it didn't happen overnight -- and that it wasn't without cost.
The Swiss newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung reflected on the move by Pyongyang to follow in the footsteps of its fellow countries in the so-called axis of evil as a possible reaction to the way Iraq has been rid of a dictator. "It’s almost as if overnight it’s no longer desirable to be caught in possession of weapons of mass destruction," the paper wrote.
Posted by bubba138 at 09:51 AM | Comments (0) |
Are We Doing It?
ElectronicIraq is reporting that the U.S. military may be torturing Iraqis with electric shock.
On the outset I am disinclined to believe such reports, but I sure would like to have some hard evidence to refute it.Posted by bubba138 at 09:45 AM | Comments (0) |
Lies and the Lying Liar Who Tells Them
More 'on the mark' comments on Pete Rose:
Ouch.
Peter Gammons, ESPN.com: "Pete Rose is perhaps the lowest figure in baseball in my 32 years of covering the sport . . . And until Pete Rose proves to me that he cares about something other than Pete Rose, he does not have my vote (for the Hall of Fame)." George Will, Washington Post: "Pete Rose's coming clean is the most soiled conversion of convenience since . . . well, Aug. 17, 1998, when DNA evidence caused Bill Clinton to undergo a memory clarification."
Posted by bubba138 at 08:18 AM | Comments (0) |
Changes Are Coming
Posted by bubba138 at 07:17 AM | Comments (0) |
January 07, 2004
Pete Rose
Cobb says all that needs to be said.
Posted by bubba138 at 09:12 AM | Comments (0) |
Why We Went to War
Bill Quik adequately debunks a Washington Post article that says Saddam was no threat:
Yep.The worry about WMD in Saddam's hands was not that he had huge stores of same, but that he had some, and that he might supply al-Qaeda or another terror organization with the means to wreak havoc in the US or elsewhere. Absolutely nothing in this rambling, badly sourced pile of slanted speculations does anything to shake the strong probability that Saddam did, indeed, retain such capability. We weren't worried about Saddam having ten tons of anthrax. We were worried about him giving one pound of anthrax to an al-Qaeda cell operating in New York City or Washington, D.C. We weren't worried about Saddam having ten thousand gallons of VX nerve gas. We were worried about him giving a gallon of VX to an al-Qaeda suicide cell operating in the NYC subway system
Posted by bubba138 at 08:51 AM | Comments (0) |
MoveOn's BusHitler
Tim Berglund thinks MoveOn.org's Bush = Hitler ads are good for the country.
Posted by bubba138 at 08:25 AM | Comments (0) |
Bush Plays By Davis' Rules
What do Bush and Davis have in common? They both have no problem pandering to the Hispanic vote at the expense of national security.
Perhaps that's a harsh statement -- but it is hard to come to any other conclusion. Davis showed his colors when he signed into law legislation that gave driver's licensees to illegal immigrants. Bush is monkeying Davis tactics with his 'Immigration Reform' package -- more accurately called an amnesty program.
Chilean immigrant Mauro E. Mujica makes some good points:
Such efforts would be an insult to the millions of Americans who have gone through the legal immigration process and make a mockery of our border laws. [...] ...I must question why the government is interested in legalizing millions of non-citizens, even as our citizens are subject to orange alerts and other anti- terror procedures. For a nation grappling with budget deficits and service cutbacks, efforts to grant amnesty to lawbreakers appears misplaced. One must wonder whether this belated Christmas gift is designed to secure votes in November.
Our two-faced method of dealing with visitors to our nation -- fingerprints and procedures for those who announce their arrival, amnesty for those who dash across the border -- will only exacerbate our economic and security problems.
Bush's team is quick to remind us that this is not amnesty, but...
"We are talking about a temporary worker program," one official said. "Therein lies the basic difference. We are talking about someone who can be here on a temporary status and ultimately find themselves back in their home country after working in the United States."
Bull.
Temporary workers would be given several privileges including the right to own property. Can we really trust those who are already here illegally to turn around after three to six years of "legal" residency and leave the country voluntarily? I think not. Further, merely the rumor of such a plan is sure to ignite a stampede of "workers" from the south in expectation of obtaining "legal worker" status.
George Bush has often said -- and accurately -- that he is a uniter, not a divider. But on some issues unity is less important than taking a stand. Illegal means illegal. The government should never enact a policy that rewards illegal behavior -- especially at the expense of national security. This proposal would do just that.Posted by bubba138 at 07:41 AM | Comments (0) |
January 06, 2004
The "S" Factor
All I can say is, "Wow."
Posted by bubba138 at 01:22 PM | Comments (0) |
Anti-Semitism In the EU? Say It Ain't So!
Sequence of events:
Posted by bubba138 at 10:54 AM | Comments (0) |
No War For Oil
Speaking of war for oil, why aren't the peace-babies protesting this?
Posted by bubba138 at 10:17 AM | Comments (0) |
Ah, Pari
William Drozdiak says that Chirac is being pressured to reconcile with the U.S.. Who's doing the pressuring? None other than the French themselves. Their motivation? Money, what else?
Mostly top business executives and trusted friends, they drop by the Elysee Palace after hours to offer discreet advice to Jacques Chirac. These days, their nocturnal appeals deliver a single message with growing urgency: heal the breach with the United States. [...] In particular, the French oil company TotalElfFina hopes to exercise concessions to exploit Iraq’s rich southern oilfields.
No war for oil! To the French that meant "let's have no war so we can have the oil." Now that the war has been executed with great success, they still want to get their grubby hands on the cash.
Now that Saddam has been captured and the country is all but under control the French just might offer to help out in Iraq:
No war for oil, says Chirac, unless of course the French get the oil.
The country’s military commanders are also dismayed by the current spat with the United States and are pushing for a truce. Senior government officials tell Newsweek that Chirac may in fact be willing to explore once again France’s eventual integration into Nato’s military command, starting with the dispatch of French peacekeeping troops to Iraq next summer under Nato auspices.
Posted by bubba138 at 07:33 AM | Comments (0) |
How to Look Stupid
By now everyone knows Bill Bradley has endorsed Howard Dean. But has anyone else noticed the stupidity in the the reactions of the other Nazgûl?
On Monday, Dean's rivals downplayed the impact of the Bradley endorsement, as they had with Gore's. "The people in New Hampshire pick presidents," Wesley Clark said while campaigning in Nashua, N.H. "They don't need people to tell them what to do."
Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry said he wasn't surprised by the endorsement from his former Senate colleague. "I think endorsements are dubious. Look, Gore endorsed him and the race isn't over," Kerry said.
Puh-leeze, Wesley. If Bill "I'll do you" Clinton stepped up to the plate to endorse Clark, I'm convinced he'd not turn it down. Can you imagine him saying, "No, Bill, please don't endorse me. The people need to pick the president themselves, they don't need you telling them what to do." I think not.
And Kerry? He's still sore that Gore endorsed Dean before the race is over. Well, what good is an endorsement after the race is finished? I tried something like that at Del Mar a couple of years ago and they laughed at me.Posted by bubba138 at 07:24 AM | Comments (0) |
January 05, 2004
Are You Surprised?
Terrorism is wrong says the Arab League. A smart bunch they are, but they still didn't get it right:
Would that be like the occupation of "Palestine" by Egypt and Trans-Jordan? Or does it only apply when the "occupiers" are Jews?
Resisting foreign occupation can't be considered terrorism, interior ministers from Arab nations agreed Monday, wrapping up a security conference in Tunisia. In a final declaration, the group of 19 ministers from the Arab League said they strongly condemned terrorism in any form. However, they stressed "the need to make a distinction between terrorism and peoples' right to fight occupation and foreign aggression."
Posted by bubba138 at 02:38 PM | Comments (0) |
Evil Marginalized
Drudge reports that MoveOn.org is featuring not one, but two ads that compare G.W. Bush to Hitler. When these ludicrous comparisons first began appearing during the pre-war pro-Saddam rallies and marches, most level headed observers shook them off as the baseless spouting of those who are reality-challenged. Yet in the twelve or so months since these nonsensical ravings began, the rants have not subsided.
Off hand, one would assume that anyone who belches such nonsense, as well as any organization (such as MoveOn.org) that endorses them, do little but marginalize themselves. But I fear something else might also occur.
The motivation of MoveOn.org's members, of course, is to point out to the unsuspecting American public how genuinely evil G.W. Bush really is. He has duped the entire public after all, elsewise we would all be as enraged as the enlightened. In their comparisons to Hitler, they are attempting to make a good man appear evil. But is that really the effect that they are having?
This thinking isn't reserved only to the tin-foil hat crowd, either. Presidential hopeful and MoveOn.org favorite Howard Dean says that our greatest enemy is George Bush. With such villains as Osama Bin Laden and, until a couple of weeks ago, Saddam Hussein, as well as some interesting up-and-comers in the mix that's a pretty harsh statement. Is G.W. really that evil?
Perhaps it's not a question of G.W. being so evil as much as it is a question if Hitler not being so bad. After all, when we've got senators lauding Osama's part in building day care centers, is it so much a stretch to admire Hitler's work with the younger generations of his day?
Can you see the danger here? Instead of MoveOn.org and other similar groups being marginalized, the very concept of evil is being marginalized. When Bush is evil and Saddam is "hardly a threat" we have a problem with clear moral thinking in our society.Posted by bubba138 at 01:14 PM | Comments (0) |