AN AMERICAN TREASURE
Re: R. Emmett Tyrrell, Jr.’s Rainey
Day Reflections:
A very well thought out reflection. Since Justice Thomas’s first
day on the national scene I have been amazed at the nature and
vituperation of what liberals and the black civil rights
establishment say about him.
My friend and colleague Frank Mankiewicz, a old-fashioned
liberal, who is otherwise a real gentleman, truly believes that
Justice Thomas is one of the most evil men in America!
All of Justice Thomas’ works, whether written or spoken, have
been impressive in their thoughtfulness and humanity. More than
being a superb jurist, his is a voice to be listened to on all
matters affecting our society and the way we live.
I clearly remember, right after being graduated from high
school, the horror of the Mississippi murders. I remember Rainey,
his cheek bulging with chaw, smirking about the murders. Yet he and
The Reverend Jackson and others of his ilk, share, as you point
out, a frightful symmetry in that they both believe that blacks
must know their place.
I enjoy the Prowler. Keep up the good work.
— Jeff Raleigh
I thought the column was well written until the personal attack on
Jesse Jackson. Just as I believe it was wrong for Belafonte to
attack Powell on his politics, I believe it is wrong for you to do
the same to Jackson. I thought that the age of the “politics of
personal destruction” were over?
Read my Poem and be sure to share it with Jesse and Colin, may
help you all:
What is black?
A way of life
Do certain things
Raise children our way?
Which way,
The old way,
The new? …
What is Black?
Is it Jamaican
Is it Haitian
Cuban,
American ,
Italian
Is it African?
Is it Democrat
Republican
Is it separatist
Federalist
Is it communist
Is it everything
Is it nothing
Is it just a skin color?
With Best Regards,
— Garfield Jones
MILITARY HOUSE-CLEANING
Re: Jed Babbin’s Post-Election
SGO:
Once again, Mr. Babbin has penned a spot-on evaluation of the
changes the Administration needs to apply to our military with his
essay, “Post-Election SGO.” His insights and recommendations
reinforce the desires of many of us that our military remains not
only the finest the world has ever seen, but rises to new levels of
greatness. Indeed, let’s not only get rid of the rust, but hone the
point of the spear to even greater sharpness. Faster, please.
— Lee D. Lowrey
Atlanta, GA
Mr. Babbin writes: “The approved war plan apparently takes the best
of the fast air and spec ops-dominated plan many — including yours
truly — have been advocating, and follows those forces with the
massed ground forces that Tommy Franks wants.”
What I find interesting is that this war plan has been not only
developed, but is being carried out as we speak. One doesn’t need
to spend too much time on the Internet to find stories of massive
shipments of equipment and restructuring of personnel.
Or to find stories that Northern Iraq is held by anti-Saddam
forces of Kurds similar to, but more powerful and effective, the
Northern Alliance in Afghanistan. I’ve read reports of
super-double-secret-special-special ops (hmm, who leaked that? LOL)
from the U.S. and Britain playing footsy in Southern Iraq. Our
pilots are not only just patrolling the No Fly Zones, they are
actively training on bombing runs and target acquisition. The
propaganda and psychological war on Iraqi soldiers and officers
continues unabated.
And once it is given the full, publicly acknowledged go ahead, a
new domino theory will come to pass as Iran falls, Syria is shaken,
Jordan expels terrorists, Lebanon runs for cover and the House of
Saud gets their Neiman Marcus credit cards canceled!
Boy, ain’t it great to have a real President again?
— Greg Barnard
Franklin, TN
Thank you, Jed Babbin, for your insight and intelligence. Also, for
your service to our country.
— unsigned
GOP CANNIBALISM
Re: The Washington Prowler’s
Landrieu in Trouble:
With respect to the Louisiana Senate Election, I would suggest
that if the members of the Louisiana GOP politically stop eating
each other, Sen. Mary L. Landrieu will become an “Ex.”
— Ken Wyman
Huntsville, AL
TO OUR HEALTH
Re: Lawrence Henry’s
The Next Old Big Thing:
Did Lawrence Henry read the election returns from Oregon?
Single-payer health care flamed out 79-21 — in woodsy Oregon, of
all places.
There’s no way the Dems will push such a big-tax, big-regulation
loser nationwide. Look for them to try to add bits and pieces to
Medicare and Medicaid. Prescription drugs, anyone?
BTW, I’m a Henry James fan, so I liked the reference in the
story about Edwards.
I don’t think the Master ever made his way to Pakistan and
Afghanistan, though.
— Casey Abell
Mr. Henry offers as good an unifying issue as any for the
DemocRATS, but it is one that Republicans need not fear. Why? You
can’t make a good commercial about it. The ‘RATS can show as many
“other-abled persons” as they want getting turned down for medical
care, but everyone knows that would be patently untrue.
Numerous studies have shown that most people who do not have
health insurance do so out of choice. They play the health lottery
that they won’t get sick so they can spend the money on real
lottery tickets. Here in Texas, the overwhelming majority of
children eligible for CHIP are not enrolled. Why not? Does anyone
seriously think that mom or dad can’t come up with $18 per month?
Of course not. Instead, they choose to not fill out the required
paperwork, make appointments, etc.
Secondly, Medicare/Medicaid/SSI is so pervasive that just about
everyone is eligible.
Thirdly, hospitals are required by federal law to find
appropriate care for everyone who comes within 100 yards of the
facility. (For us, this was quite problematic since a major highway
is about a half a block away. Fortunately the bureaucRATS have not
pressed us on this.) You can’t turn people away.
Fourth, everyone realizes that getting the federal government
involved will only make it worse. Sure, we may be scared, and we
may be looking to the government to protect us, but we’re smart
enough to grasp reality.
Let the ‘RATS choose this issue. 2004 will still be the
Republicans’ to lose.
— Andrew J. Macfadyen, M.D.
San Antonio, TX
I hope the Democrat Party promotes Universal health care once
again. It was proven as an unworkable system 7 or 8 years ago (in
Oregon this year) and the fact that socialism fails every time it
is tried, shows me what the Democrat Party wants to do. Mr. Henry
may be assuming things are different from the last time, but I
would counter that the American electorate is much different now.
Liberals lost huge in ‘94 and they would lose bigger this time.
Socialism doesn’t play well in this country. Freedom and security
are the issues of the day. Nice try by the socialist, Lawrence
Henry.
— Mike Hollaway
GLOBAL ENERGIES
Re: Patrick J. Michaels
A Hotter and Greener Gore:
I agree with Mr. Michaels that the green/global warming issue
will be in the campaign in 2004 for various reasons. (1) The
administration will make significant strides on both the security
and economic fronts. (2) Softer issues will prevail as America
continues to age. Republicans can turn this issue to their
advantage once and for all. Make energy a security/economic issue.
If the Middle Eastern nations see a reduction in their overall
wealth they will become increasingly insignificant to the rest of
the world and their ability to fund terror will decline.
We should make the case to the American public that an overall
plan for homeland security requires abundant and relatively cheap
energy. This plan should have short term and long term goals. In
exchange for opening the Alaska oil fields we will start a “NASA”
type crash development program to develop alternative energy
sources. We will fund this with a national per barrel tax on oil
per that will go toward development of alternative energy sources
and a economic based conservation campaign that strikes on multiple
fronts.
1) Tax credits for economical cars.
2) State grants for renewable energy sources.
3) Legislation to reduce litigation on pebble bed reactors.
4) Tax credits for converting vehicles to electric/gas or natural
gas.
5) Legislation to reduce lawsuits on siting of alternative energy
sources (think of windmills off the coast of California).
6) Tax credits for home fuel cell installation and operation.
7) Tax credits to transportation companies (to spare truckers, air
and rail from the tax burden).
8) Research grants.
This approach gets around the stupid argument that if there is
global warming, man’s activity is the cause of it.
By having a Republican administration co-opt this issue, it will
leave the Al Gores of the world with little to campaign on except
hanging chads.
— Jerry McLaughlin
STILL HUGE
Re: Wlady Pleszczynski’s Hugo
Chavez Is Huge:
Dear Mr. Pleszczynski:
I am a Venezuelan citizen, and I have read with great interest
your posting, last April 19 on The Free Republic, about the
Venezuelan situation.
I am relieved that the misinformation campaign set-up by the
Chavez regime, cannot “fool everybody, all the time,” like Pres.
Abraham Lincoln said.
In fact, the Venezuelan people (especially the poorer slice of
society), is a VICTIM of Chavez’s regime, and NOT Chavez the victim
of obscure-aimed plotters.
The Chavez’s regime is NOT a democracy. The only democratic form
here, is that he was democratically elected, but his actions in
power, are very much arbitrary and un-democratic.
From a hijacked judiciary power (including the Supreme Court),
to tax-funded paramilitary groups (the infamous “Bolivarian
circles”), to widespread corruption, mismanagement and ties to
international terrorist organizations, to threats to journalists
and the media, this regime is going to destroy what is left of
Venezuelan institutions.
And abroad there are still people that think of Chavez as a sort
of Mother Teresa, threatened by military guerrillas, in place of
seeing the truth: “A democratically elected president who is
becoming a tyrant.”
It is very unhappy that the Bush administration is becoming
obsessed with Iraq, and is not paying enough attention to the grave
implications to the national security of the U.S. that is growing
in the “American backyard,” i.e. South America.
Please, Mr. Pleszczynski, help us inform the truth! May you
re-post this to other places?
Best regards:
— A Venezuelan citizen
(Sorry, anonymous for security reasons)
