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Saturday, June 17, 2006
A Grim Thought
Posted by on 6.17.06 @ 12:02PM
The blog Dvorak Uncensored tells the story of how the Chinese have started using a mobile execution van here. No, they don't have a soldier with a rifle inside; they've started using lethal injection. Presuming the Chinese are still selling organs from executed prisoners, this means they have found a brew of lethal chemicals that, unlike what is used in the U.S., do not ruin organs for transplant.
Friday, June 16, 2006
Competition for McCain and Schumer
Posted by on 6.16.06 @ 7:04PM
Back in February the folks over at MediaBistro demonstrated their powerful command of the obvious by reporting Little Miss Gun Control's fondness for the camera in a piece entitled, "Chuck Schumer, Media Whore." It's long been known in Washington that one can be injured by standing between Schumer and any open mike or uncovered lens. John McCain ain't much better.
Now that Karl Rove has been declared outside of Patrick Fitzgerald's inquisition, Mr. Schumer may have competition for the title of worst media whore in Washington from Joe Wilson.
Ms. Plame's hubby, clearly terrified at the approach of the irrelevance he so richly deserves, is now proclaiming his expertise in dealing with the terrorists in Iraq. In one report, Wilson said -- at the same conference Vichy John Kerry called for a firm date to withdraw from Iraq -- that we should be negotiating with the terrorists directly. Here's the money quote from the report:
During a panel discussion at the liberal Take Back America conference in Washington, D.C., Wilson said diplomatic efforts to establish Iraq as a democratic power in the region should also include "the Egyptians, the Jordanians, the Saudis, the Iranians ... the Turks, probably some leading powers from Europe and Russia, all of whom have interests at stake."
Wilson - to his credit - speaks with at least as much credibility and with as much expertise as anyone else from his party. Wilson for Prez in '08? A Kerry-Wilson ticket? If so, what will the Breck Girl do?
An Inconvenient Lack of Disaster
Posted by on 6.16.06 @ 5:26PM
Over at Reason Ronald Bailey offers a sober, fact-based critique of Al Gore's prequel to The Day After Tomorrow.
We Don't Teach Economics in Our Schools
Posted by on 6.16.06 @ 5:20PM
The School Board in Stoneham, Massachusetts decided to pay for health insurance of school cafeteria workers by raising the price of school lunches from $2.00 to $2.75. The result:
In an apparent backlash against a 75-cent price increase on the cost of lunch, student participation in the program dropped 22 percent in the 2005-06 school year, Connelly reported.You see, if you raise the price of something, people will demand less of it. It would be a good lesson to teach the kids. Which is probably why they won't.A $160,000 anticipated deficit can be covered with funds from other accounts, Connelly said, but the board needs to go back to the drawing board to address the problem for next year.
The committee had agreed to raise the cost of a school lunch from $2 to $2.75 last year, in the hope that it would raise $150,000 to offset employee health insurance costs. Instead, the mass student defection from the program wiped out any benefit from the increase.
One Can Hope, But…
Posted by on 6.16.06 @ 1:43PM
Over at Opinion Journal, Michael Barone wraps up his analysis of the Plame affair with:
The pursuit of Karl Rove by the left and the press has been just the latest episode in the attempted criminalization of political differences. Is there any hope that it might turn out to be the last?
Answer: Fat chance. The left has succeeded in dirtying up the White House (as evidenced in Bush's low poll numbers) by criminalizing political differences. A similar strategy helped oust the effective Tom DeLay.
As long as criminalizing political differences is an effective tactic for the left they will continue to use it, no matter how morally bereft it is.
What Else Do You Need to Know?
Posted by on 6.16.06 @ 1:40PM
Dems Fight About Joe
Posted by on 6.16.06 @ 1:05PM
Great report from the Hotline's Marc Ambinder about how top Dems are fighting about Joe Lieberman.
Re: Specter Unvarnished
Posted by on 6.16.06 @ 12:34PM
What is this, John? An invitation to ridicule, from a colleague? Not very polite. I am not "with" Oliver Stone. And I seem to remember the Discovery Channel doing a special on the hidden Kennedy assassin, too. Interesting show.
Jeez, Tiger
Posted by on 6.16.06 @ 11:59AM
Put the driver in the trunk and a 1- or 2-iron in the bag, would you?
TAS Alum Greg Gutfield
Posted by on 6.16.06 @ 11:58AM
Linked in The Corner, check him out here. Hilarious.
Re: Specter Unvarnished
Posted by on 6.16.06 @ 11:02AM
Good Lord, who knew: Lawrence Henry is with Oliver Stone on the Kennedy Assassination!
The single bullet theory is absolutely correct. The Discovery Channel's Unsolved History re-enactment proved its technical plausibility, and the alternate theory simply beggars belief: How could a multi-shooter conspiracy be kept secret for forty years (even after the fall of Communism and the accompanying opening of Soviet intelligence files) with no one coming forward with hard evidence? Imagine the money to be made!
New Mass Translation Approved
Posted by on 6.16.06 @ 10:19AM
The bishops took the plunge into a new translation of the Mass yesterday. Good news for those who have long lamented the current English translation's clumsiness.
However, the New York Times article notes, the bishops also rejected over 60 of the changes recommended by the International Committee on English in the Liturgy. The Vatican may still have a few things to say about that, Fr. Z points out, calling the bishops' move "a game of chicken." (Hat tip: Amy Welborn)
If Arlen Specter Is a Reaganite...
Posted by on 6.16.06 @ 9:41AM
... then so is Teddy Kennedy. Seriously. The man celebrated larger spending bills as a victory this year. He Borked Bork. And he supports abortion.
The KosCaucus
Posted by on 6.16.06 @ 8:41AM
The ever-clever and insightful Hugh Hewitt has dubbed the fringe Democrats in Congress the KosCaucus. Brilliant. Their core membership was on display yesterday in both Houses, where the likes of Boxer, Byrd, Feingold, Harkin, Kerry and Kennedy in the Senate and Harmon, Murtha and Waters were undercutting our finest and bravest's efforts overseas. We're hearing that despite the embarrassing defeats yesterday in votes and in the media, Kerry in the Senate and Pelosi in the House both felt things went well. Heh. If there is something to be said for Pelosi's efforts, it's that she appears to solidified her position as House leader of the Democrats. This was something many of us weren't seeing even six months ago. What we're hearing now is that Pelosi is now in a stronger position politically within her own conference than she has been in the past 18 months. That says more about the state of Democrats than it does her mediocre political and strategic skills.
Wilson's Cabal
Posted by on 6.16.06 @ 8:20AM
Former CIA analyst and charter member of the "Amb. Joe Wilson Deception Brigade" has a "classy" post on his website about President Bush adviser Karl Rove.
Johnson has been a critic of the Bush Administration from the beginning. Our guess is that the former CIA employee's bitterness stems from the lack of national publicity he got years ago when he was starting up his private security and intelligence firm. We remember him -- with little success -- trying to ride Osama bin Laden's cloak tails after the African bombings in the late '90s with appearances on local Washington, D.C. morning shows. He was small time then, and he's small time now, as evidenced by his attempts at putting a couple of sentences together.
But he does get national attention today, after riding Wilson to national prominence as an anti-Bush, anti-Operation Iraqi Freedom drone. Like his partner, Wilson, Johnson has no class and no scruples. Truly disgusting stuff, and yet another example of why the Nutroots that Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi have hung their futures on, will doom the Dems to another disappointing election season.
Re: Specter Unvarnished
Posted by on 6.16.06 @ 6:40AM
Quin:
Of course I wasn't there, but color me unimpressed. Specter is awfully good at saying what specific audiences want to hear. The man has no scruples at all.
And the single bullet theory is still preposterous.
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Specter Unvarnished
Posted by on 6.15.06 @ 11:38PM
Split the Ninth Circuit -- Kerry's record as "vacuous" -- Santorum will win.....Read more about it!
Tonight The American Spectator hosted one of our occasional dinners with an interesting newsmaker, most of which such occasions are off the record. But our guest tonight, Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, specifically asked that the free-flowing discussion be mostly on the record. And what a discussion it was! Specter was engaging, remarkably candid, and decidedly interesting throughout. Among his comments, mostly in chronological order:
* Yes, he said, the U.S. judicial Ninth Circuit (known for its extremely liberal judges) is too big, and he intends to do something about it fairly soon. "We will split the circuit." "I believe we will split the court.... I believe it is something we will do early next year."
* He has some questions about the ongoing Valerie Plame investigation and about dragging certain unnamed persons (read: Karl Rove) before the grand jury five different times. "Down the line, when that case is finished, I hope to have some oversight on it."
* On Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals nominee Jim Haynes, top counsel at the Defense Department and apparent victim of stalling tactics or other opposition by GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina: "We're wrestling with Haynes.... Haynes may get another hearing. There's a lot to be said for giving him a chance to state his case."
* On the seemingly uphill re-election campaign of his fellow Pennsylvania GOP Sen. Rick Santorum, whom Specter praised highly and called "indispensable to my re-election" two years ago: "His re-election is my number one priority.... We have a very close personal relationship as well as political and professional."
"He will win unless there is an avalanche.... He's a very forceful senator."
* On the FBI search of Rep. William Jefferson's office, Specter said the FBI should have consulted with the speaker first, but as to whether it was a violation of constitutional separation of powers, he said: "No, because there was such conclusive evidence..." (that there was probable cause to do the search)
* On the Democrats' conduct during hearings for judicial nominees, Specter was close to scathing. "Schumer was absolutely rude to Alito." Filibusters "lost them Daschle and lost them a fair number of seats."
* On various Democrats: Minority Leader Reid, in various comments discussed at the dinner, "is not a deep thinker, to put it gently." Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry "didn't have any substance or any backbone." In 20 years, Kerry has "a remarkably vacuous record." Kerry at the podium is dullsville: "He's like a high school orator."
And former HHS Secretary Donna Shalala "was a colossal failure... a good bluffer, but she was a lousy administrator." Under her watch, scientists sometimes couldn't even keep deadly strains of diseases "under lock and key."
* On the need for an asbestos trust fund: We must "take asbestos out of the trial lawyers' hands" and "get corporate America out from the litigation mess."
* On his own record as a Reaganite: He campaigned with Reagan frequently in his first successful Senate race in 1980. As a prosecutor, he fought hard for the death penalty and other law-and-order measures. He has supported the flat tax. He has always been strong on national defense issues, and was a strong supporter of SDI. And he has worked very hard as chairman to get Bush's judicial nominees out of committee...and rather successfully, too; the hold-up has NOT been in committee these past 18 months.
* FINALLY, THE ONE we've all been waiting for... on the "single bullet theory"of the first bullet in the JFK assassination: "Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. It has stood the test of time" and of numerous re-examinations and documentaries.
Good stuff all around. The senator was quite impressive, in front of what might have begun as at least a semi-skeptical audience, conservative as the audience was. I think he made some conservative political friends tonight.
Re: Thoughts on the World Cup
Posted by on 6.15.06 @ 5:11PM
Paul: Just saw your insult to the World Cup. No wonder American popularity in the world is plummeting. I've first got hooked on WC soccer in 1974, when Poland eliminated England at Wembley Stadium in famous tie game to qualify for that year's tournament, in which it finished third, barely losing to Brazil in the semifinals. The only thing Poland enjoyed more during the Communist darkness was having one of its own elected Pope.
Anyway, played the right way it's a great sport; a huge field, the ball covering wide spans of space, players of great individuality making their mark, continuous flow, intelligent use of boundary lines. It's too bad the U.S.'s coach was such a jerk after his charges lost to a sterling Czech team. Poland regained some of its honor against Germany yesterday after a pathetic opening game loss to deserving Ecuador. Right now I'd say Germany, Brazil, Argentina, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and maybe England are in the driver's seat. But what do I know? We in the U.S. think of soccer as a nonviolent, flower-power alternative to real football, when in fact the real thing is every bit as tough and mean and demanding. And don't forget what made Steve Nash a two-time NBA MVP -- as someone noticed, he plays basketball like a soccer player.
Re: U.S. Open Begins
Posted by on 6.15.06 @ 4:08PM
Five holes on, my man David Howell is one over. And, as always, the first day exposes something that the prognosticators forgot: The grass. Winged Foot has poa annua greens. Poa is a wild, bumpy grass, which used to be common. It gets bumpier later in the day as it buds, although it can be very fast. Old-time golfers saw a lot of it. Modern, younger golfers seldom play on it. Tiger is having a heck of a time with it, bogeying four out of the first five holes.
RE: MoveOn.dork
Posted by on 6.15.06 @ 3:52PM
Jed, here's the box office numbers. After two weeks, An Incovenient Truth has taken in $3.9 million. I think even a certain Bennifer film did better than that.
Makes you wonder what record MoveOn.dork is talking about. Perhaps "highest gross for a documentary by a dull ex-Vice President who can't get over his loss in Florida and is prone to un-scientific alarmism"?
Bet The Media Will Ignore This
Posted by on 6.15.06 @ 3:39PM
From columnist Tom Harris in the Canada Free Press:
"Scientists have an independent obligation to respect and present the truth as they see it," Al Gore sensibly asserts in his film "An Inconvenient Truth", showing at Cumberland 4 Cinemas in Toronto since Jun 2. With that outlook in mind, what do world climate experts actually think about the science of his movie?Professor Bob Carter of the Marine Geophysical Laboratory at James Cook University, in Australia gives what, for many Canadians, is a surprising assessment: "Gore's circumstantial arguments are so weak that they are pathetic. It is simply incredible that they, and his film, are commanding public attention."
Read the whole thing.
Hat tip: Robert Bidinotto.
Vote on New Mass Today
Posted by on 6.15.06 @ 1:50PM
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops votes on the new English Mass today. Hopefully it passes. The current translation is very clumsy and untrue to the original Latin. For example, how does, "And with thy spirit," become, "And also with you."
Some bishops think like Fr. Thomas Reese, the former editor of America, who whines that the changes will cause chaos. It is remarkable, though typical, that liberals are really the most conservative group around. Once they secure they change they like, they're absolutely unwilling to imagine an improvement. Reese and those who oppose changes value continuity over truth.
Fortunately, Cardinal Arinze has already informed the bishops that this faulty reasoning is insufficient justification for rejecting the new translation.
"Nancy Pelosi With Medals"
Posted by on 6.15.06 @ 9:57AM
That is Peggy Noonan's assessment of Jim Webb. Like me, she isn't impressed with the Democratic Party's latest, greatest not-so-fresh face.
Re: US Open Begins
Posted by on 6.15.06 @ 6:54AM
Quin, I've got my eye on England's David Howell, who is about the hottest golfer in the world right now -- he has won twice in the last month, if I'm not mistaken. He is currently ranked #10 in the world.
Some thoughts: Tiger may play a lot less after the death of his father. Maybe not as little as Hogan after the car accident, but no more than, say, 15 times a year, PGA minimum requirements be damned.
Mickelson displayed an awesome amount of confidence last week at Westchester, obviously playing for the practice, as though he were somewhere else, experimenting, not really caring what he scored.
A nightmare TV Sunday: Retief Goosen and Jeff Maggert, the world's two dullest golfers, in the final group.
Mickelson remarked in an interview that the course was set up to play in hot, calm weather, but that, if the wind blew, "This place is going to get unplayable."
If Tiger really wants the title, and I've got to believe he wants it as much or more as he's ever wanted any title, and he has all his powers together, nobody's going to touch him.
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Trust Your Leader, The Saucer Will Arrive Soon!
Posted by on 6.14.06 @ 5:14PM
Tying in with my column today, another Daily Kos diarist laments being forced to disagree with Maureen Dowd, who was apparently unable to trust the Kossacks more than her own eyes:
Let me just say that I am a big fan of Maureen Dowd, maybe even a groupie. And I was more than a little chuffed to see her sitting at the table next to me when I attended the 'pundit training' workshop she also mentioned in her article. But as I read Dowd's description of YearlyKos, I wondered how two people could be sitting just a few feet away from each other and, yet, be so far apart.
Maureen Dowd's description of 'the mood' being 'like a masquerade' is not mean-spirited or hurtful or in anyway worthy of condemnation. It is just not an accurate description of the 'mood' in the room. The attendees at YearlyKos were not just happy to put names with faces, but were deeply moved to be for the first time standing in a new community built entirely on trust.
Two thoughts: First, perhaps being so quick to trust so fully those who are, at best, electronic acquaintances is not such a great idea. With online dating it opens the door for potential mad stalkers. With online politics it makes you susceptible to intemperate policies.
And second, there is a reason why psychologists rely on their own observations when studying a cult rather than the narrative of a cult leader or his true believers: Things often look very different from the outside the bubble. I'm no fan of Maureen Dowd, but in this case, I'd suggest taking your hero at least as seriously when she tells you uncomfortable things about your left-branch treehouse gang as when she's elucidating the various treacheries and horrors of BUSHWORLD.
U.S. Open Starts
Posted by on 6.14.06 @ 5:02PM
I know this will interest at least Lawrence Henry, and I hope others: The U.S. Open in golf starts tomorrow, and promises to be a humdinger. Phil goes for his third major in a row, Tiger returns for the first time since his father's death, Vijay finally has his game back (he won this past week), Davis Love III tries to win a second major at the same place (Winged Foot) where he won his only other major (the PGA in 1997, under the blessing of a rainbow), and young guns like Adam Scott and Trevor Immelman try to finally get on the majors map. One dark horse to watch: Jeff Maggert, the journeyman with a habit of barely qualifying for Ryder Cup teams and then playing well, who has seriously contended in several US Opens and two Masters. He won just the third tourney of his career just a few weeks back (he's been one of those guys who always finishes second), in convincing fashion, and in the aforementioned 1997 PGA at Winged Foot he finished third behind Love and Justin Leonard. He likes the Open, he likes the course, and he's playing well. The TV networks might hate it if he ruins their Tiger vs. Phil storyline, and he probably won't do so. But if he does, you heard it here first.
MoveOn.dork
Posted by on 6.14.06 @ 4:37PM
The MoveOn.dork crowd is claiming that Algore's PowerPoint movie, Inconvenient Truths, is breaking box office records. Huh? I'm sure it's taken in at least $9.95 in ticket sales. What else do they have in mind?
On the Off Record
Posted by on 6.14.06 @ 2:43PM
Someone invited The Hollywood Liberal to an off the record briefing John Kerry held for bloggers, the contents of which said blogger has promptly made very much on the record. How accurate someone who chooses The Hollywood Liberal as a moniker may or may not be is, of course, open to debate, but here for your perusal are a few relevant passages:
The first question went straight to the point, about how pissed off so many Democratic voters, are about what happened with the election, and also that it seemed like most Democrats in Congress had no idea how bad the situation was. Kerry responded by dropping the whole political routine and speaking like he was off the record to a bunch of people that already know what's going on anyway. "Look I know how bad things are, I know that people are pissed off, I know we screwed up."
He talked about some of the mistakes that were made on his
campaign such as having the convention five weeks before the
Republicans and about how, with a 13 week campaign schedule instead
the eight week schedule of the Republicans, he was unable to spend
money in August because they needed it for the stretch run. It was
during that time that he got attacked by the swift boaters. He said
that they tried to attack him twice before, and he was able to
rebut them with the truth immediately and slap them down, but the
third time they got a $5 million check from T. Boone Pickens, and
another $3 million from someone else, and they were able to get
their message across by spending the $8 million.
Kerry agreed completely with someone's assessment that everything that Bush does is solely for the purpose of looting the country. He basically said that Bush and his cohorts are criminals and that history will judge them so. He said that he believes that the pendulum will swing back and that is why after 35 years in politics he is still involved, otherwise he wouldn't waste his time. He also said that he never stopped fighting after the election, and that he still hasn't, but I didn't get to ask why he conceded the next morning, though I wish I had. At some other point he referred to Supreme Court Justices Alito, Scalia, and Roberts as Idiots.
Here's the whole shebang.
Allen Funky
Posted by on 6.14.06 @ 12:29PM
No, not the genius gossipmonger and writer, this refers to the junior Senator from Virginia who is acting, well, funky.
For a guy who is facing off against a well-financed Democrat candidate beloved by the mainstream media, Allen isn't acting like a conservative Republican.
This weekend, he'll be out in Iowa, attempting to woo conservative Christians, but Allen should be focusing on his position on legislation and policy back here at home. Republican colleagues on the Hill are rumbling that Allen appears to be running to the middle of the road on issues across the board. "My boss doesn't know where he stands with Allen any more," says a senior Republican staffer with a western Senator.
What is becoming increasingly apparent is that the "Allen for President" boomlet is over. He's now in a fight for his current job, and he should focus on that and come back from whatever moderate world he thinks he should be living in.
Google Hates the Flag
Posted by on 6.14.06 @ 12:15PM
Okay, Google says it has a problem coming up with an interesting way to highlight Memorial Day on its site. So why can't they do something on Flag Day? Is that so hard? We think not. We hear that several Washington-based Google lobbying consultants suggested that Google do something for today, but that it was poo-pooed by corporate higher-ups out in California. Is it any surprise that they give the bulk of their dollars to Democrats?
FEMA & Katrina
Posted by on 6.14.06 @ 11:46AM
Today, the House Homeland Security subcommittee will hear testimony about the use and abuse of FEMA funds for "supposed" Hurricane Katrina and Rita "victims." These "victims" as it turns out (according to ongoing investigations by the General Accountability Office) were so overwrought by the tragedies that one needed 70 days of R&R in Hawai'i, another sought respite in the Dominican Republic, and yet another found comfort in the New Orleans Saints by purchasing season tickets.
In question at today's hearings, a mere $1.4 BILLION.
Just to reiterate, giving out government debit cards: bad idea. Read more about the abuse of taxpayer funds here.
House Overspends
Posted by on 6.14.06 @ 11:39AM
Yet more frustrating evidence that the House just doesn't "get it" when it comes to spending our children's and grandchildren's tax dollars. First came passage of an "emergency" supplemental bill yesterday that Rep. Mike Pence noted was full of some $5 billion of spending that had nothing to do with Iraq, Katrina, or other disasters or emergencies. Ugh. Now comes today's article in the Wall Street Journal by one of the best pure, straight reporters in the history of the world, David Rogers, who never misses a trick on Capitol Hill.
Rogers reports that the House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday approved a Pentagon spending bill that includes some $4 billion LESS than the president requested for "core military accounts." Never mind that perhaps we might need that money for actual national security. Then the committee approved $4 billion MORE for domestic discretionary spending for Labor, Education and Health and Human Services -- this, even though such accounts since 1998 have grown at well over twice the inflation rate (that last stat is mine from memory, unchecked today but, I feel confident, still accurate). Included int hat $4 billion was $1 billion for local pork. Yes, that's right, even after all the public complaining about purely local incumbent-protection boondoggles, the House is still approving them right and left.
Even worse, Rogers reports the real reason why House members feel so free to shortchange the military in these regular Appropriations bills: It's all a shell game. Writes Rogers: "One reason Republicans enjoy some flexibility is that so much of the military's total operations are treated as emergencies -- outside the budget caps -- because of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan."
In other words, everything they claim they are doing to keep spending in check is one big lie. First they overspend on domestic stuff by cutting the military and say, "Hey, we're being fiscally responsible; we're within the president's total spending requests," and then they stick all sorts of non-emergency (but necessary) military stuff back into play by putting it into "emergency" bills (even though it is NOT emergency stuff) that don't get "counted" in the ordinary reckoning of annual Appropriations. Of course, that dishonest counting system doesn't mean that the emergency money isn't actually spent, which means it either comes from today's taxpayers or tomorrow's regardless of how the dishonest solons choose to tally it up on their score sheets.
In short, they claim to be living within budget caps while knowing full well all the time that they are NOT doing so. A pox on all their Houses, and trichinosis in all their pork.
These People Are Sick
Posted by on 6.14.06 @ 9:38AM
Julie Banderas of Fox News had an excellent take-down of the Westboro Baptist "Church" wackos. It is a yell fest, if you can stand those.
Sensible people need to speak out against them, but I wish they wouldn't give them a platform on live TV.
Happy Birthday, U.S. Army
Posted by on 6.14.06 @ 9:20AM
John W. Schneider III of Bristow, Virginia sends in an excellent tribute to our Army on its birthday:
June 14, 1775, the 2nd Continental Congress having determined that the events of April and May of 1775 represented more than a local rebellion of the Colony of Massachusetts, authorized the formation and provisioning of an official Continental Army.The Congress, in doing so, actually established itself as the first government of the United States of America. The first commanding general was to the consternation of John Hancock and Charles Lee... Colonel George Washington of Virginia.
The US Army has been tiny and neglected more times in the history of this nation, than should have ever been allowed to happen. It has been outnumbered, out-skilled, out-equipped, and out-muscled until it gained its footing; however it has never been outsmarted, out maneuvered, or out lasted, by any army, save itself during the American Civil War.
Its only enemies have been the apathy of the American people that it so devotedly serves, and the American politicians who so often abuse and abandon it.
It has no peer in the history of the world. It is simply the best, ever in the history of mankind.
Period.
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Narrow Victory for Webb
Posted by on 6.13.06 @ 10:39PM
Those who call elections are calling tonight's Virginia Democratic Senate primary for Jim Webb.
What to make of Webb's showing? In spite of the national party throwing everything behind Webb, he is still a horrible campaigner (earning the moniker from many Virginia blogs "The Worst Campaign Ever") -- he only eked out a 6-point victory.
In the end, Virginia Democrats aren't sold on the anti-war veteran candidate, and show a strong sympathy to the tried and true liberal party stalwart. The media and the national party will pump up Jim Webb as much as they can, but this is great news for George Allen. He will just need to be himself -- smiling, positive, amiable -- and Webb will sink himself.
The Whacko Left
Posted by on 6.13.06 @ 7:35PM
On a day when the president flew to Baghdad to visit the newly-formed government and celebrated Zarqawi's death with our troops, Hillary and Vichy John Kerry went to the hyperlib "Take Back America" meeting to continue the shadowboxing match for 08.
Hillary is running to the right of any Dem, even Joe Lieberman. (Will the Kossack nutroots go after her like they're going after Lieberman? Doubtful, as they're as craven as she is. But if so, it'll be hilarious) She said that scheduling withdrawal from Iraq would be a mistake for us and for Iraq. Kerry went all the way in the other direction.
Kerry not only disavowed his vote for the war -- saying, natch, he was misled by the Bush administration -- and said that we need a hard and fast date to bring all our troops out of Iraq. There are no reports of whether he spoke to Mr. Chirac before or afterward.
There you have it: the solid, defined Democratic position thanks to its leaders. And just where are Howlin' Howie Dean and Jack Murtha when Kerry needed them? And how will this affect Hillary's status among the whacko left? Stay tuned.
Marshalling Arguments on Iraq
Posted by on 6.13.06 @ 6:32PM
I'll have much more of my own on the subject of Iraq in a full column in the online issue we post at midnight, but for now let me report on some thoughtful and on-target comments that Democratic Rep. Jim Marshall of Georgia offered to me just now, in advance of a debate on Iraq scheduled for Thursday in the House.
Marshall: "It would be a bad mistake for the United States to leave the perception that it withdrew under pressure, or failed in its mission, or left Iraq in chaos. Those and other bad endings would be touted as victory for al-Qaida. The result would be a radical increase in the political strength of radical Islamic jihadists throughout the Arab/Muslim world. That would dramatically increase the security problems for Israel, Europe, and ultimately the United States."
In short, Marshall said he would agree with putting the House on record in opposition to an arbitrary date of withdrawal of American troops from Iraq.
Marshall, whose father was a military officer and who himself was a sergeant on the ground in Vietnam, serves on the Armed Services Committee, has co-chaired a special panel on militant jihadists, has studied the phenomenon of terrorism (including, if I understand correctly, while he was at Princeton), and has visited Iraq an impressive NINE times since Saddam Hussein was toppled, including twice in April. His views merit great weight. One hopes they will be afforded such weight by his fellow House members of both parties.
Another Winner
Posted by on 6.13.06 @ 4:46PM
Lost in taking down the MSM / Nutroot sycophants like Schuster and Olberman, was perhaps the biggest winner in the clearance of Karl Rove's good name: Scooter Libby.
Given the witnesses on which independent prosecutor Pat Fitzgerald has pegged his prosecution of Libby, namely Judith Miller and more imporantly Time's Matt Cooper, the Rove decision looms large. Cooper's story is slowly losing air, with it becoming increasingly apparent that at least two of the five charges pending against Libby have little to stand on. The New York Times has done a good job of devouring its own and discrediting Miller beyond repair.
So the question is: where does Fitzgerald go with Libby? Clearly, the case will go forward, but in speaking with Libby supporters there is a growing sense that they believe Libby will prevail.
Ask Armitage
Posted by on 6.13.06 @ 4:40PM
Richard Armitage appears tonight on "Charlie Rose." Visitors to Rose's website can post questions to his guests. Since Rose wouldn't think to ask the tough questions, perhaps our readers can submit the one question everyone wants Armitage asked: "When will you admit that you were a source for reporters in the Joe Wilson scandal?"
You can submit the question here.
Enemies List
Posted by on 6.13.06 @ 2:03PM
Given that Joe Wilson may very well have been a source for Leopold, I'm sure he's disappointed.
Given that he appears to be the only person who has been proven to be a liar in this whole mess, I'm sure he was hopeful that he and the netroots he shares the far-left kiddie table with would be able to string this story along for a few more months.
Now it's over, and the looney left must now focus on policy and politics, something they have utterly failed at over the past six years.
Please, Don't Take My Digital Gizmo
Posted by on 6.13.06 @ 1:33PM
President Bush showed up in Baghdad today to meet with Prime Minister al-Maliki. The pool report, as is often the case, has a reporter in-joke:
The pool gathered outside an Arlington, Virginia hotel and was asked to surrender cell phones, blackberries etc. Some found this hard on an emotional level, but complied all the same.I can relate.
Bribes at Saddam's Trial
Posted by on 6.13.06 @ 1:00PM
Bribing people -- as half of France and most of Russia found out during the UN Oil-for-Food-for-bribes-for-Weapons scam -- was Saddam's favorite way to do business. (Iraqis got Mercedes Benzes by the hundreds). So it shouldn't be too much of a surprise to see this LA Times report that witnesses at Saddam's trial are recanting their testimony and alleging they'd been bribed by Saddam's lawyers.
The report doesn't mention involvement by Ramsey Clark in the bribe scheme. We're not lucky enough to have that happen and result in Clark cooling his heels in an Iraqi jail for a coupla years. Pity.
Re: Enemies List
Posted by on 6.13.06 @ 11:59AM
Prowler: Let's not forget Joe Wilson in the catalog of losers. I have a reporter friend who was standing next to Wilson when Jason Leopold's bogus scoop that Rove's indictment was imminent flashed on Wilson's Blackberry. Wilson, goes the hearsay, was enthusiastic and utterly credulous-- when a prominent liberal columnist involved in the conversation (rhymes with Smellanor Swift) wondered if TruthOut.org was a reputable source and the story could be trusted, Wilson declared firmly, "It's true."
How do you suppose he reacted this morning?
Missed It By THAT Much!
Posted by on 6.13.06 @ 11:22AM
I love to use an old Maxwell Smart expression (see headline). Anyway, I missed the Rove exoneration date by six days. See this from my column on May 17: Third, Karl Rove showed Monday in a speech at the American Enterprise Institute that he is both engaged and engaging. Here's predicting that within another two or three weeks he will be formally cleared (by prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald) in the Valerie Plame/leak case. Such a development will re-raise his political clout just when it is needed most....
Keith Olbermann and all the other lefties who for so long reported Rove's supposedly imminent indictment have so much egg on their faces right now that they could whip up an omelet that would span the globe.
In truth, it has been obvious for SEVEN MONTHS that Rove had done nothing to deserve an indictment. From prosecutor Fitzgerald, the announcement is better late than never. But it's so late as to be an abomination that it took so long. And really, perjury is a charge meant to protect against deliberate lying. If it takes so many, many, many, many, many monts to decide if soembody perjured himself, that's a pretty good sign that the supposed "lie" is, at worst, in such a gray area that the truth is more a matter of perception than of absolutely cut-and-dried facts. Again, dragging the case on for so long was a travesty.
Meanwhile, even the case against Scooter Libby looks like a waste of time -- and I, for three weeks, thought it looked pretty solid. But ever since Bob Woodward came out with his info on the case, it has looked more like a prosecutor desperately seeking vindication or ego satisfaction than like a clearcut case of perjury.
All along, the most obvious and demonstrable, deliberate lies were those told by Ambassador Joe Wilson -- not in court, but in public. Too bad that public lies can't be punished the same way ones in court, under oath, can be!
Enemies List
Posted by on 6.13.06 @ 9:48AM
Now that Karl Rove has been cleared, let's consider who the winners and losers are:
Jason Leopold? Hopefully one of his "sources" close to the Joe Wilson investigation will let him in on the news. Loser.
David Schuster of MSNBC? The "reporter" regularly stated that Rove would be indicted. He cited sources close to the investigation and according to our sources, despite speaking with Rove representatives who were forthright with him, knowingly put forward to the public inaccurate information. Loser.
President Bush? Winner.
Republicans? Winners
But perhaps the biggest losers are those inside the White House who spent the last eight months working against Rove and his supporters, thinking they might emerge on top. They were wrong, and they should be made to pay.
So You Had a Bad Week ...
Posted by on 6.13.06 @ 9:44AM
President Bush and Republicans have had just about the best week they could have hoped for. In fact, this may be the best week the President and Republicans have had in two years.
Iraq's most wanted terrorist? Dead.
Karl Rove? Cleared.
Brian Bilbray? Elected.
This is the kind of week where Republicans should take every advantage to do the small things that will ensure another good week. The media has to cover these stories, and that kind of momentum can make Democrats and their nutty left base absolutely, hair pullingly frustrated. And that's another reason we're having a good week.
Lonely Pachyderms
Posted by on 6.13.06 @ 8:27AM
At my voting place this morning, I was the second Republican voter. The poll workers inside celebrated, and even the unkempt Harris Miller kid outside made note of it. I asked if he would support Jim Webb when (if?) he wins. He said he would.
The second voter after the polls have been open for an hour? I thought McLean was more Republican than that. Then again, the Democratic ballot is where the action is, and my Tysons Corner end of McLean in the 8th Congressional District isn't quite the high life that the 10th CD is.
No Rove Indictment
Posted by on 6.13.06 @ 7:59AM
Patrick Fitzgerald has told Karl Rove that he's in the clear. Byron York has the goods.
They're Coming For Your Baby's Bottle!
Posted by on 6.13.06 @ 2:28AM
Two news items:
1) "Arkansas state representative Bob Mathis, author of the state's ban on smoking in cars with children, has proposed the idea of banning smoking by pregnant women."
2) "'Just like it's risky to smoke during pregnancy, it's risky not to breast-feed after,' said Suzanne Haynes, senior scientific adviser to the Office on Women's Health in the Department of Health and Human Services."
Monday, June 12, 2006
The Sioux May Sue
Posted by on 6.12.06 @ 11:16PM
Good for the University of North Dakota, not taking the NCAA's paternalism. Ha.
Really Fat Bird
Posted by on 6.12.06 @ 4:26PM
I first posted this as just a comment to the Prowler's note on Big Bird below, but I think it is worthy of its own post, so...: There's a telling stat in the Prowler's note. Back in 1995, the ENTIRE federal portion of the budget for public broadcasting was right at $100 million. Now they are talking of cutting $115 million, which is of course more than the whole budget was 11 years ago -- and I'll bet, although the Prowler doesn't say it, that even AFTER the $115 million cut, the remaining budget is still well over $100 million. Any info on that, Prowler? Anyway, the point is, such has been the spending orgy on Capitol Hill for the last 8 1/2 years that something the GOP once tried to eliminate now apparently will have MORE money left in its account even after cutting (if successful) a total that is GREATER than its whole account originally was. Even after taking inflation into account, this is an amazingly discouraging statistic.
Waiving the Flag for Judges
Posted by on 6.12.06 @ 3:31PM
Yes, that is supposed to be "waiving," not "waving."
Just a little earlier today, a coalition of conservative groups organized by Manny Miranda of the Third Branch Conference held an important press conference to announce an overwhelming agreeement that, if the choice is between passing an amendment banning flag burning, as the Senate is scheduled to consider this week, or spending the time necessary to confirm more judicial nominees, the groups strongly prefer the confirmation of judges. (In other words, they would waive the flag issue in favor of the judges.) Not that they don't approve of the flag amendment but, in the words of the American Conservative Union's David Keene, the flag issue is "more symbolic than substantive," whereas the confirmation battles are of highest substantive AND political importance. The flag issue, Keene said, Is "not very salient" right now.
Of course, a bunch of GOP senators obviously consider both issues to be the equivalent of "boob bait for the Bubbas," in other words just throwaway crumbs every once in a while to keep the natives on the right from getting too restless. IN other words, the senators consider themselves to be sort of slumming with us either way, rather than understanding that judicial confirmations are crucially important not just for right-wing hot-button issues but for the protection of the Constitution itself more broadly -- AND important as well for political reasons, because voters motivated by the issue can mean the difference between victory and defeat. Such is not necessarily the case with an 18-year-old issue like flag burning. (Of course, in the best of all worlds, the Senate would consider both issues, because it wouldn't waste so much time either on other issues or, even worse, out of session. But that's a topic for another day.)
Random notes and quotes from the press conference:
From Keene: "The purpose of our gathering here today is to let members of the Senate know that we do not have a 29-miute attention span." "On the right, people are CONTINUALLY concerned" about judges. "We hope that people in the Senate don't just say, 'oh, we've done some of that' (i.e. confirmed a single judge or two judges) and move on." Also, making judicial confirmations an issue in Senate campaigns "will work to the benefit of Republican candidates."
From Jan LaRue of Concerned Women of America: Senators must understand that is is "their constitutional DUTY...[to perform their jobs] of advice and consent." "Our constituents will not be put off by being told 'we have more pressing business." LaRue also took direct shots at South Carolina Republican U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham and, to a lesser extent, at Sen. John McCain, for obstructing 4th Circuit nominee Jim Haynes, a counsel at the Department of Defense.
William Greene of RightMarch.com said judicial confirmations are one of the two or three biggest issues for conservative activists nationwide, and he echoed LaRue (in effect) when he also said that the senators "better answer to their constituents" and that "they have a duty" to give final floor votes to the nominees.
Lars Liebler, a former law clerk for long-embattled circuit court nominee Terrence Boyle (now a federal district judge), noted that of the 16,000 opinions Boyle has joined, a whopping 99% hvae been either NOT appealed or, if appealed, not overturned -- and that of the ones that have been appealed, 93% have been affirmed by higher courts -- which is higher than the national average.
Jeff Lord, author of "The Borking Rebellion" and sometime contributor to the American Spectator web site, called on the Senate to pass reforms long pushed by Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter that would establish more formal rules and a formal timetable for considering all nominees.
Also speaking were the wonderful Jim Martin of "60-Plus," Tom McClusky of the Family Research Council, and Pat Woodward of the Republican National Lawyers Association, while Sean Rushton of the Committee for Justice also took questions (as did Miranda, who answered them at length, but I wasn't taking notes as extensively during Q&A).
All I have to add is that these speakers were all correct. COnfirming good judicial nominees with dispatch preserves the Constitution, it's good politics...and it's only fair to the nominees themselves to let them know, up or down/yes or no, whether they will become judges, rather than forcing them to put their lives on hold, often at great personal and financial cost, while waiting for senators to preen and play nasty political games.
Die Big Bird, Die
Posted by on 6.12.06 @ 2:56PM
House Republicans cut about $115 million from the budgets of PBS and NPR, and Rep. Ed Markey has pulled out the tired old lines that saved PBS from budget cuts a decade ago. This from the Boston Globe:
"Dick Cheney and the Republicans have decided to go hunting for `Big Bird' and `Clifford the Big Red Dog' once again," said Representative Edward J. Markey , a Malden Democrat who led the successful effort to reverse the cuts last year. "PBS is right at the top of their hit list -- always has been and always will be, until they can destroy it."
Never mind that both "Sesame Street" and shows like "Clifford" make a number of companies pant-loads of money, with never a dime being returned to the federal government. The programming simply isn't as good as what is being aired on 15 commercial children and educational channels that compete against PBS. And most kids aren't watching the mediocre drek that PBS puts on.
We're hearing that the Republicans have no expectations that their cuts will survive final passage of the bill. As one staffer told us this morning, the cuts will end up being used by some Republicans to get something else either returned to the legislation or pulled.
The National Wildlife Federation President....
Posted by on 6.12.06 @ 2:21PM
...Larry J. Schweiger just said, "Polar bears are talking to us. Are we listening?"
Sure, sure, I hear them. They're saying, "Don't hurt Shawn-Shawn the as-yet-unclubbed seal Polar Bear Larry! I swear that's what I heard!" [The man-seal backs out of the room cautiously while comfortingly cooing.]
More: "Unite to solve this planetary crisis." "It's time for an oil change in America." Larry adds, "We can conclude good planets are hard to find."
You bet. Let me know when you visit ours.
VA Primary Not So Open
Posted by on 6.12.06 @ 2:05PM
I was undecided between picking up a Republican or Democratic ballot in tomorrow's Virginia primary, until I came across this. Apparently voters who vote in the Democratic primary will not be eligible to vote in closed party primaries. The Republican Party of Virginia's plan of organization seems to confirm this.
Planet Wage
Posted by on 6.12.06 @ 2:01PM
The emcee here just said, "Don't talk to me about choosing between jobs or the environment. It's jobs for the environment."
Yes, but will the environment be paid a living wage? It's time to organize, methinks. Rocks, dirt and trees, should all start voting for the big Ds.
He's also quoting JFK's famous speech--"We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard"--to press for a new energy independence "Apollo Program." But hard like what? Hard like going to see the new Al Gore movie? Or hard like bringing democracy to a totalitarian society? I think we're starting to recognize our limits.
Time for a Shareholders Meeting?
Posted by on 6.12.06 @ 1:55PM
I just flew in to D.C. from the Yearly Kos convention in Vegas (expecta few columns on that soon) and got to the Washington Hilton just in time to hear "Give 'Em Hell" Harry Reid explain, in the midst of the usual banalities--"incompetence," snore. "corruption," snore--we've grown accustomed to, break out and warn that he planned to, "Take America back from Exxon Mobil. Take America back from those who would hide science." Look out Exxon Mobil! You're about to lose your fifedom! Since Reid labeled the Bush Administration, "the most oil friendly administration in the history of country," it can be presumed they will have to go as well. "We can't drill our way out of our problems," Reid said. Indeed. Now its all oohs and ahhs as the crowd watches the trailer for the Al Gore global warming movie and eats strawberries and whipped cream. Revolution not-so-lite. Very nice. More soon!
Tonight on Kudlow & Co.
Posted by on 6.12.06 @ 1:05PM
I'll be on with Larry Kudlow tonight about 5pm at CNBC, talking about Gitmo suicides and other niceties.
Say That Three Times Fast
Posted by on 6.12.06 @ 12:45PM
Today is King Kamehameha Day in Hawai'i (observed on June 11 some years). So despite last week's defeat for some native Hawai'ians, heritage celebrations are in full swing this week.
And if you know anything about King Kamehameha, you know that Senator Akaka is nothing like the king. Kamehameha is remembered as Hawai'i's uniter, not divider.
WSJ on Voting Wrongs
Posted by on 6.12.06 @ 11:38AM
I've blogged on this before, but the Wall Street Journal today did a better job of it in many respects than I did in my blogs: The Journal said Congress would be dead stinking wrong to renew Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act this year. Read the Journal editorial to see why. Hint: The section itself is racist, and it's an incumbent-protection device.
Jim Moran, Arlington's Class Act
Posted by on 6.12.06 @ 9:57AM
Congressman Jim Moran (D-Va. 10) told Arlington County Democrats Saturday that while he opposes earmarks in theory, if he were chairman of the appropriations committee, he would make sure his district got its cut. "I'm going to earmark the s*** out of it," he said.
What a class act. Doesn't look too different from Republican control, though.
Yes, this man represents me in Congress. (Thanks to Club for Growth.)
Re: Kofi's Successor Revealed
Posted by on 6.12.06 @ 8:11AM
Jed: Here at Roy World Headquarters we're devastated, but have to tip our caps to Red Ken. We will console ourselves by reading some Harold Pinter and perhaps some Eve Ensler.
Sunday, June 11, 2006
Kofi's Successor Revealed
Posted by on 6.11.06 @ 10:29PM
There just wasn’t enough room in tomorrow’s Loose Canons to announce – with proper fanfare -- our nomination for Kofi Annan’s successor. The choices remaining – despite heartfelt campaigning by supporters of William Jefferson, John Bertrand Aristede and Mark Malloch Brown (Kofi’s deputy SecGen) -- has been chosen from among the four finalists. It was, as
Saddam Hussein - dictator, murderer of thousands, and all around bad-guy - would have been a natural choice. But during Kofi’s early years, Saddam was de facto Sec Gen. He was allowed to run the Oil for Food for Bribes for Weapons scam from the privacy of his palaces, to run the Security Council through the time-tested method of bribery. To allow Saddam a second term would be terribly unfair to the others.
Arundhati Roy – hysterical anti-American Indian calumniast – would be a great choice but for her gender. How can
George Galloway was the runaway choice from the beginning. His performance before the Senate Permanent Investigations committee was a classic. But his taking bribes from Saddam was, at last, a disqualifier. His willingness to be bribed – along with so many others including Bad Vlad Putin’s political party and however many French ministers Saddam chose to buy (they do give volume discounts) – made poor
Steve wrote, “If not now, when? Gotta go with Ken. Only one can bring it home. That means Mista Livingstone.” And so it does. From mayor of
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