--- by Ed Naile
Now we have a new “ultra conservative” potential victim of the Supreme Court nomination process.
With Bush on the ropes will this be the chance for McCain to hold “court” with is band of 14 and begin his presidential campaign by scuttling an “extremist” nominee ?
We just might be back in fillibusterville.
10.31.2005
10.29.2005
Rons Ruminations
…By Ron Dupuis
I was walking through the park the other day and thought about the old saying “Sometimes you’re the pigeon, and sometimes you’re the statue.” Today I’m the pigeon.
I was looking at the stock market and the national debt the other day and wondered if anyone knew what comes after a TRILLION? If your answer is 100,000,000,001 then you’re an addle minded dolt who is just trying to spoil my day.
If school officials believe that children under the age of 18 are not responsible enough to make their own choices when it comes to snacks in a vending machine, how can they be responsible enough to make their own choices when it comes to an abortion?
If you were accused of a crime that you were innocent of but could not remember where you were, would you lie? Could you be prosecuted for not remembering?
If Congress wants to keep God out of the workplace, why do they begin each session with a prayer?
Now that we have done away with Santa Clause in most schools, shouldn’t we do away with Christmas vacation?
When school children are given a winter vacation in February is it to give them a break or to meet the demands of the teacher’s contract?
If we leave Iraq tomorrow will Osama bin Laden promise not to finance another World Trade Center attack?
After reviewing some past decisions, do we really need another Ivy League pinhead on the Supreme Court?
Is Ruth Bader Ginsburg one of the ugliest people in the world?
Are the people who support abortion the same ones who want to delete the word “GOD” from the English language?
Are John Kerry and “Ted” Kennedy good Catholics?
Did I just stop being the pigeon and now become the statue?
I was walking through the park the other day and thought about the old saying “Sometimes you’re the pigeon, and sometimes you’re the statue.” Today I’m the pigeon.
I was looking at the stock market and the national debt the other day and wondered if anyone knew what comes after a TRILLION? If your answer is 100,000,000,001 then you’re an addle minded dolt who is just trying to spoil my day.
If school officials believe that children under the age of 18 are not responsible enough to make their own choices when it comes to snacks in a vending machine, how can they be responsible enough to make their own choices when it comes to an abortion?
If you were accused of a crime that you were innocent of but could not remember where you were, would you lie? Could you be prosecuted for not remembering?
If Congress wants to keep God out of the workplace, why do they begin each session with a prayer?
Now that we have done away with Santa Clause in most schools, shouldn’t we do away with Christmas vacation?
When school children are given a winter vacation in February is it to give them a break or to meet the demands of the teacher’s contract?
If we leave Iraq tomorrow will Osama bin Laden promise not to finance another World Trade Center attack?
After reviewing some past decisions, do we really need another Ivy League pinhead on the Supreme Court?
Is Ruth Bader Ginsburg one of the ugliest people in the world?
Are the people who support abortion the same ones who want to delete the word “GOD” from the English language?
Are John Kerry and “Ted” Kennedy good Catholics?
Did I just stop being the pigeon and now become the statue?
10.27.2005
Out of Her Ivy League!
--- by Ed Naile
Sorry readers. I missed Part II Article II of the US Constitution during my first read but upon further review, and I apologize again, as it clearly states in part as follows:
The president shall have the power to appoint members to the Supreme Court with the advice and consent of any interest group able to force a nominee to withdraw before a hearing can be held on said nominee......
So the check and balance in this case is the threat of having your name dragged through the mud, family ridiculed, credit and loan records revealed and video rental history made public – before the nominee can respond at a Senate hearing - just as the founders intended.
The follow-up check on the Executive branch is the added protection of the nominee absolutely having to have an Ivy League education so that “conservative” commentators and Senators have cover to support a liberal when the time comes, as it more often than not does.
Ed Naile, Chair CNHT
http://www.nhtaxpayerradio.com/
Sorry readers. I missed Part II Article II of the US Constitution during my first read but upon further review, and I apologize again, as it clearly states in part as follows:
The president shall have the power to appoint members to the Supreme Court with the advice and consent of any interest group able to force a nominee to withdraw before a hearing can be held on said nominee......
So the check and balance in this case is the threat of having your name dragged through the mud, family ridiculed, credit and loan records revealed and video rental history made public – before the nominee can respond at a Senate hearing - just as the founders intended.
The follow-up check on the Executive branch is the added protection of the nominee absolutely having to have an Ivy League education so that “conservative” commentators and Senators have cover to support a liberal when the time comes, as it more often than not does.
Ed Naile, Chair CNHT
http://www.nhtaxpayerradio.com/
10.25.2005
Halloween Innocence Lost
---by Micheal
Time marches on. The innocence of childhood becomes irretrievably lost. Take Halloween as an example. It is, today, barely a ghost of its former self. Before the day had been co-opted by cultists and whacko types and marketing hucksters, it had been a fairly innocent kid day.
As school kids, we would cut out pumpkin shapes from orange construction paper, or bats or spiders from black paper. We weren't worshipping any deviant demon or dwelling on death and decay. We were celebrating simple childhood fear. Bats were scary. Spiders were scary. As a kid, even just a dark room was really really scary. Halloween was a day to face the fact that some things in life were scary. Without all the psycho-babble, it was a chance to face those fears (in construction paper form) and not be afraid.
Trick or Treat was not a destructive descent into barbarism or worship Satan. It was a chance to dress up (like actors) in a costume. A pirate, a princess, a bear or in my little brother's case: Tweety Bird. No occult undertones or hidden agenda.
We traveled from house to house in little knots, clustered close together for mutual moral support. No parents chaperoned us. They were home answering the door for the other kids. Being outdoors after dark without our parents was part of the facing-our-fears ritual. We knew every corner of our neighborhood, since we played in it every day. But after dark? It was transformed. The familiar old cowboys-and-indians junipers became mysterious and shadowy. That narrow space between the Wilson's garage and the Biedermeyer's house was a spooky black canyon. Monsters could dwell in there.
Candy was our primary motivator, of course. A bag full of candy was unimaginable wealth back then. So much so, that we'd brave the dark and scary bushes to get it. None of us were worshipping any old Celtic gods, or death or whatever. It was just candy and we were conquering our childish fears to get it. We felt brave.
The neighborhood too, was a community. Most houses had a porch light on, and a jack-o-lantern on the steps to invite trick or treaters. Even the old couple in the dark green house at the end of the street participated. We were always a little afraid of them. They pretended to be scared of us when they answered their door. It was a subtle ritual way of assuring each other that we and they weren't not so bad after all. On that night, the whole neighborhood played the same costumes and candy game. It was great.
Now? New Age variants have seized the day as a soap-box opportunity to flip off Christianity. Blood n'gore-fixated people openly revel in the disgusting, like a dog rolls in road-kill. Young anarchists take it as a night of license to destroy. The truly bad side of humanity oozes to the surface. Adults are frightened.
Towns react to all this real human badness by organizing safe days and safe zones, thoroughly managing all the variables to make sure halloween is "safe". Worried moms take their pirates and princesses to these cordoned off bubbles of safety to trick or treat indoors, in full daylight, or illuminated by the headlights of multiple minivans. No scary bushes. No monster canyons. It's not a construction paper and Tweety Bird halloween anymore.
Instead of bats and spiders, we have abductors, molesters and satanists. We have marketing hype and gore. Instead of an innocent day for kids to face being afraid of spiders or bats, halloween has become just another day to live in real fear -- fear of the world we've made for ourselves.
Time marches on. The old innocence of halloween is lost.
Time marches on. The innocence of childhood becomes irretrievably lost. Take Halloween as an example. It is, today, barely a ghost of its former self. Before the day had been co-opted by cultists and whacko types and marketing hucksters, it had been a fairly innocent kid day.
As school kids, we would cut out pumpkin shapes from orange construction paper, or bats or spiders from black paper. We weren't worshipping any deviant demon or dwelling on death and decay. We were celebrating simple childhood fear. Bats were scary. Spiders were scary. As a kid, even just a dark room was really really scary. Halloween was a day to face the fact that some things in life were scary. Without all the psycho-babble, it was a chance to face those fears (in construction paper form) and not be afraid.
Trick or Treat was not a destructive descent into barbarism or worship Satan. It was a chance to dress up (like actors) in a costume. A pirate, a princess, a bear or in my little brother's case: Tweety Bird. No occult undertones or hidden agenda.
We traveled from house to house in little knots, clustered close together for mutual moral support. No parents chaperoned us. They were home answering the door for the other kids. Being outdoors after dark without our parents was part of the facing-our-fears ritual. We knew every corner of our neighborhood, since we played in it every day. But after dark? It was transformed. The familiar old cowboys-and-indians junipers became mysterious and shadowy. That narrow space between the Wilson's garage and the Biedermeyer's house was a spooky black canyon. Monsters could dwell in there.
Candy was our primary motivator, of course. A bag full of candy was unimaginable wealth back then. So much so, that we'd brave the dark and scary bushes to get it. None of us were worshipping any old Celtic gods, or death or whatever. It was just candy and we were conquering our childish fears to get it. We felt brave.
The neighborhood too, was a community. Most houses had a porch light on, and a jack-o-lantern on the steps to invite trick or treaters. Even the old couple in the dark green house at the end of the street participated. We were always a little afraid of them. They pretended to be scared of us when they answered their door. It was a subtle ritual way of assuring each other that we and they weren't not so bad after all. On that night, the whole neighborhood played the same costumes and candy game. It was great.
Now? New Age variants have seized the day as a soap-box opportunity to flip off Christianity. Blood n'gore-fixated people openly revel in the disgusting, like a dog rolls in road-kill. Young anarchists take it as a night of license to destroy. The truly bad side of humanity oozes to the surface. Adults are frightened.
Towns react to all this real human badness by organizing safe days and safe zones, thoroughly managing all the variables to make sure halloween is "safe". Worried moms take their pirates and princesses to these cordoned off bubbles of safety to trick or treat indoors, in full daylight, or illuminated by the headlights of multiple minivans. No scary bushes. No monster canyons. It's not a construction paper and Tweety Bird halloween anymore.
Instead of bats and spiders, we have abductors, molesters and satanists. We have marketing hype and gore. Instead of an innocent day for kids to face being afraid of spiders or bats, halloween has become just another day to live in real fear -- fear of the world we've made for ourselves.
Time marches on. The old innocence of halloween is lost.
10.23.2005
Hello, I'm Jerry Curran, and I'm a Republican
--- by Ed Naile
If there is one gimmick that is really getting tired it is the “I'm a Republican who hates everything about Republicans” scam.
Lefties pretending to be Republicans is fast becoming an overused, boring, infantile, and weak exercise that is easily exposed!
Take the publicity stunt at the Congressman Bass office last week performed by Moveon.org, ACT (Americans Coming Together), The Sierra Club, NHPR, and a few other questionable groups I blogged about recently.
Not only were about three of the seven “protesters” posing as NH media, two claimed to be Republican constituents of Congressman Bass.
So excuse me Jerry Curran. I know Republicans – and you're no Republican.
But here is what the obliging press wrote - remember they are in campaign mode.
From the Manchester paper:
“Jerry Curran, a Republican from Amherst, said he has voted for Bass in the past but won't again unless Bass returns the money. He urged Bass to reject the "scandal, corruption and abuse of power" exhibited by leading Republicans.
"This is part of a culture of corruption in the Republican Party leadership," he said. "We are calling on Congressman Bass to demonstrate that he works for the voters of New Hampshire, not DeLay's corporate cronies."
So what was Republican Jerry Curran doing on election day November 2, 2004 you might ask.
Our sweet, thoughtful Republican Jerry Curran was the Sierra Club contact for the ACT “Get Out The Vote” bus tour. (Stay tuned this gets better.)
Here is some of ACT's description of itself – its long, tentacled, invasive, money-burning self:
America Coming Together (ACT) is dedicated to energizing the electorate to achieve crucial changes – the mobilization of millions of people to register and vote around the critical issues facing our country, the defeat of George W. Bush and his Republican allies, and the election of progressives in vitally important state, local, and federal contests. We are outraged at the policies and abuses of the past four years: the jobs lost, lives wasted, health care denied, air and water fouled, and rights abridged.
Our Founders
Grassroots and political leaders who share a vision of a progressive (SOCIALIST ed.) America and are committed to help defeat George W. Bush, elect progressives (MORE SOCIALISTS ed.) up and down the ticket, and mobilize millions of people to register and vote around the critical issues facing our country started America Coming Together (ACT).
(ACT's list of distinguished fellows/founders/fellow-travelers)
Ellen R. Malcolm, President of ACT, is the founder and president of EMILY’s List – a political action committee that supports pro-choice Democratic women candidates.
Steve Rosenthal , Chief Executive Officer of ACT, was Political Director of the AFL-CIO from 1996-2002,...
Minyon Moore heads Dewey Square’s state and local practice. She was formerly Chief Operations Officer of the Democratic National Committee and before that Assistant to the President of the United States and Director of White House Political Affairs.
Gina Glantz has a distinguished 30-year career in campaigns and grassroots organizing. She was National Campaign Manager for the Bill Bradley for President campaign.
Carl Pope, Treasurer, is Executive Director of the Sierra Club, an organization of 700,000 environmental activists.
Cecile Richards is President of America Votes, a coalition of almost 30 national organizations working together to educate and mobilize voters in the 2004 elections on a broad range of issues including the environment, civil and human rights, women’s rights, choice, education and labor.
There's a crop of Jerry Curran Republicans for ya!
Jerry's favorite group was formed in 2003 with the goal of electing liberal congressional candidates and a liberal president in 2004. Financiers George Soros and Peter Lewis kicked in more than $38 million to get ACT, along with its sister group the Media Fund, up and running. ACT managed to blow through about $200 million during its brief existence. The cash ran out in August of 2004 that is why Jerry and his troupe of thespians were taking up congressman Bass's staffers time with street theater designed to highlight dirty money in politics. (And relieve a little of that loser stress)
The Moveon.org/ACT motto now is: After you piss away the 20 million Soros gave you “Move on and ACT like a Republican.” It is an old NH tradition anyway!!
There is more! ACT, MoveOn.org, and The Sierra Club are aligned with: America Votes!
America Votes is a coalition of many of the largest membership-based groups in the country, who have come together to increase voter registration, education and participation in electoral politics. With more than thirty organizations representing a wide range of issues including worker’s rights, choice, the environment, education, civil rights and social justice, the America Votes Coalition includes the largest and most trusted leaders in the progressive movement.
America Votes participating groups include:
ACORN _ AFL-CIO _ AFSCME _ Alliance for Retired Americans _ America Coming Together (ACT) _ American Federation of Teachers _ Association of Trial Lawyers of America _ Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence United with the Million Mom March _ Clean Water Action _ Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund _ Democracy for America _ EMILY's List _ The Human Rights Campaign _ League of Conservation Voters _ The Media Fund _ MoveOn.org PAC _ Music for America _ NAACP National Voter Fund _ NARAL Pro-Choice America _ NDN _ National Education Association _ National Jewish Democratic Council _ National Treasury Employees Union _ Partnership for America’s Families _ Planned Parenthood Action Fund _ SEIU _ Sierra Club _ USAction _ Voices for Working Families _ Young Democrats of America _ 21st Century Democrats _
So not only is our buddy Jerry Curran a self-proclaimed registered Republican, he has a lot of other “friends” we see. But there is some bad news besides the loss of all that pristine Soros cash according to some news clips listed below.
June 23, 2004
More Bad Press for Americans Coming Together
A.P. offers Felons Paid in Voter Registration Drive. The lead: "A Democratic group crucial to John Kerry's presidential campaign has paid felons - some convicted of sex offenses, assault and burglary - to conduct door-to-door voter registration drives in at least three election swing states." A key sentence: "Felons on probation or parole are ineligible to vote in many states. Doug Lewis, executive director of the Election Center, which represents election officials, said he is unaware of any laws against felons registering other people to vote."
Lets imagine together...
“Hi! I'm Rocko and I'm from Americans Coming Together collecting information about your family when I'm not out doing street theater on behalf of MoveOn.org. Say, how old is that daughter of yours?”
Remember the incident involving allegations of Democratic operatives caught slashing the tires of Republican get-out-the-vote vans in Milwaukee? Here are the actual indictments in the case:
The following is a list of the individuals charged with slashing tires on the morning of November 2, 2004, and their connections to the Democrat campaign in 2004:
Michael J. Pratt
* Paid $7,965.53 by the Democratic Party of Wisconsin in 2004
* Pratt’s father is former Acting Mayor Marvin Pratt, who chaired the Kerry-Edwards campaign in Milwaukee
Sowande Ajumoke Omodunde (a.k.a “Supreme Solar Allah”)
* Paid $6,059.83 by Gwen Moore for Congress and the Democratic Party of Wisconsin in 2004
* Son of U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI)
Lewis Gibson Caldwell, III
* Paid $4,639.09 by Gwen Moore for Congress and the Democratic Party of Wisconsin in 2004
Lavelle Mohammad
* Paid $8,858.50 by the Democratic Party of Wisconsin and America Coming Together ($966 for canvassing work in June and July) in 2004
Justin J. Howell
Paid $2,550.29 in 2004 by the Democratic Party of Wisconsin (62)
More MoveOn.org shenanigans gleaned from court documents and the press:
* Court Orders MoveOn.org To Cease Voter Intimidation And Harassment In Ohio
On Election Day, individuals in Franklin County, Ohio, were threatened and harassed at their polling places by agents of MoveOn.org after being asked about their voting preference and revealing their intention to vote Republican. Similar situations are alleged to have occurred elsewhere around the state and prompted a lawsuit filed in the Franklin County Common Pleas Court. Voters were intimidated by MoveOn.org in an attempt to dissuade them from voting for George W. Bush or in an attempt to harass them after they voted. (84) (Exhibit K)
Ohio voters who had identified themselves as Republicans received telephone calls telling them that the election was to be held a day later than Election Day, that their polling locations had been changed and that they could only vote if they brought four separate pieces of identification to the poll. This information was intentionally deceptive and intended to direct voters to a polling place where they would not be able to cast a ballot.
The Marion County Common Pleas Court issued a temporary restraining order against the Marion and Greene County Democratic Parties, the Ohio Democratic Party and America Coming Together (ACT) enjoining them from making inaccurate and deceptive phone calls to targeted voters. The judge originally assigned to the case recused himself because he had “personally received a phone call” like the one described by the plaintiff in which incorrect information about date of the election and polling place was given, a point he noted in the Judgment Entry he signed effectuating his recusal. The Ohio Supreme Court appointed a visiting judge to hear the case who then issued a temporary restraining order against the county and state Democrat parties and against ACT.
Bought and paid for in part by billionaire George Soros; threats, fraud, tire slashing, and my personal favorite – illegal phone calls to deceive potential voters.
My advice to Congressman Bass's office staff: The next time this bunch elbows their way into your office tell them the Starbucks at Shaw’s Plaza is giving away tofu lattes. Then when they dive out the door - lock it behind them.
If there is one gimmick that is really getting tired it is the “I'm a Republican who hates everything about Republicans” scam.
Lefties pretending to be Republicans is fast becoming an overused, boring, infantile, and weak exercise that is easily exposed!
Take the publicity stunt at the Congressman Bass office last week performed by Moveon.org, ACT (Americans Coming Together), The Sierra Club, NHPR, and a few other questionable groups I blogged about recently.
Not only were about three of the seven “protesters” posing as NH media, two claimed to be Republican constituents of Congressman Bass.
So excuse me Jerry Curran. I know Republicans – and you're no Republican.
But here is what the obliging press wrote - remember they are in campaign mode.
From the Manchester paper:
“Jerry Curran, a Republican from Amherst, said he has voted for Bass in the past but won't again unless Bass returns the money. He urged Bass to reject the "scandal, corruption and abuse of power" exhibited by leading Republicans.
"This is part of a culture of corruption in the Republican Party leadership," he said. "We are calling on Congressman Bass to demonstrate that he works for the voters of New Hampshire, not DeLay's corporate cronies."
So what was Republican Jerry Curran doing on election day November 2, 2004 you might ask.
Our sweet, thoughtful Republican Jerry Curran was the Sierra Club contact for the ACT “Get Out The Vote” bus tour. (Stay tuned this gets better.)
Here is some of ACT's description of itself – its long, tentacled, invasive, money-burning self:
America Coming Together (ACT) is dedicated to energizing the electorate to achieve crucial changes – the mobilization of millions of people to register and vote around the critical issues facing our country, the defeat of George W. Bush and his Republican allies, and the election of progressives in vitally important state, local, and federal contests. We are outraged at the policies and abuses of the past four years: the jobs lost, lives wasted, health care denied, air and water fouled, and rights abridged.
Our Founders
Grassroots and political leaders who share a vision of a progressive (SOCIALIST ed.) America and are committed to help defeat George W. Bush, elect progressives (MORE SOCIALISTS ed.) up and down the ticket, and mobilize millions of people to register and vote around the critical issues facing our country started America Coming Together (ACT).
(ACT's list of distinguished fellows/founders/fellow-travelers)
Ellen R. Malcolm, President of ACT, is the founder and president of EMILY’s List – a political action committee that supports pro-choice Democratic women candidates.
Steve Rosenthal , Chief Executive Officer of ACT, was Political Director of the AFL-CIO from 1996-2002,...
Minyon Moore heads Dewey Square’s state and local practice. She was formerly Chief Operations Officer of the Democratic National Committee and before that Assistant to the President of the United States and Director of White House Political Affairs.
Gina Glantz has a distinguished 30-year career in campaigns and grassroots organizing. She was National Campaign Manager for the Bill Bradley for President campaign.
Carl Pope, Treasurer, is Executive Director of the Sierra Club, an organization of 700,000 environmental activists.
Cecile Richards is President of America Votes, a coalition of almost 30 national organizations working together to educate and mobilize voters in the 2004 elections on a broad range of issues including the environment, civil and human rights, women’s rights, choice, education and labor.
There's a crop of Jerry Curran Republicans for ya!
Jerry's favorite group was formed in 2003 with the goal of electing liberal congressional candidates and a liberal president in 2004. Financiers George Soros and Peter Lewis kicked in more than $38 million to get ACT, along with its sister group the Media Fund, up and running. ACT managed to blow through about $200 million during its brief existence. The cash ran out in August of 2004 that is why Jerry and his troupe of thespians were taking up congressman Bass's staffers time with street theater designed to highlight dirty money in politics. (And relieve a little of that loser stress)
The Moveon.org/ACT motto now is: After you piss away the 20 million Soros gave you “Move on and ACT like a Republican.” It is an old NH tradition anyway!!
There is more! ACT, MoveOn.org, and The Sierra Club are aligned with: America Votes!
America Votes is a coalition of many of the largest membership-based groups in the country, who have come together to increase voter registration, education and participation in electoral politics. With more than thirty organizations representing a wide range of issues including worker’s rights, choice, the environment, education, civil rights and social justice, the America Votes Coalition includes the largest and most trusted leaders in the progressive movement.
America Votes participating groups include:
ACORN _ AFL-CIO _ AFSCME _ Alliance for Retired Americans _ America Coming Together (ACT) _ American Federation of Teachers _ Association of Trial Lawyers of America _ Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence United with the Million Mom March _ Clean Water Action _ Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund _ Democracy for America _ EMILY's List _ The Human Rights Campaign _ League of Conservation Voters _ The Media Fund _ MoveOn.org PAC _ Music for America _ NAACP National Voter Fund _ NARAL Pro-Choice America _ NDN _ National Education Association _ National Jewish Democratic Council _ National Treasury Employees Union _ Partnership for America’s Families _ Planned Parenthood Action Fund _ SEIU _ Sierra Club _ USAction _ Voices for Working Families _ Young Democrats of America _ 21st Century Democrats _
So not only is our buddy Jerry Curran a self-proclaimed registered Republican, he has a lot of other “friends” we see. But there is some bad news besides the loss of all that pristine Soros cash according to some news clips listed below.
June 23, 2004
More Bad Press for Americans Coming Together
A.P. offers Felons Paid in Voter Registration Drive. The lead: "A Democratic group crucial to John Kerry's presidential campaign has paid felons - some convicted of sex offenses, assault and burglary - to conduct door-to-door voter registration drives in at least three election swing states." A key sentence: "Felons on probation or parole are ineligible to vote in many states. Doug Lewis, executive director of the Election Center, which represents election officials, said he is unaware of any laws against felons registering other people to vote."
Lets imagine together...
“Hi! I'm Rocko and I'm from Americans Coming Together collecting information about your family when I'm not out doing street theater on behalf of MoveOn.org. Say, how old is that daughter of yours?”
Remember the incident involving allegations of Democratic operatives caught slashing the tires of Republican get-out-the-vote vans in Milwaukee? Here are the actual indictments in the case:
The following is a list of the individuals charged with slashing tires on the morning of November 2, 2004, and their connections to the Democrat campaign in 2004:
Michael J. Pratt
* Paid $7,965.53 by the Democratic Party of Wisconsin in 2004
* Pratt’s father is former Acting Mayor Marvin Pratt, who chaired the Kerry-Edwards campaign in Milwaukee
Sowande Ajumoke Omodunde (a.k.a “Supreme Solar Allah”)
* Paid $6,059.83 by Gwen Moore for Congress and the Democratic Party of Wisconsin in 2004
* Son of U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI)
Lewis Gibson Caldwell, III
* Paid $4,639.09 by Gwen Moore for Congress and the Democratic Party of Wisconsin in 2004
Lavelle Mohammad
* Paid $8,858.50 by the Democratic Party of Wisconsin and America Coming Together ($966 for canvassing work in June and July) in 2004
Justin J. Howell
Paid $2,550.29 in 2004 by the Democratic Party of Wisconsin (62)
More MoveOn.org shenanigans gleaned from court documents and the press:
* Court Orders MoveOn.org To Cease Voter Intimidation And Harassment In Ohio
On Election Day, individuals in Franklin County, Ohio, were threatened and harassed at their polling places by agents of MoveOn.org after being asked about their voting preference and revealing their intention to vote Republican. Similar situations are alleged to have occurred elsewhere around the state and prompted a lawsuit filed in the Franklin County Common Pleas Court. Voters were intimidated by MoveOn.org in an attempt to dissuade them from voting for George W. Bush or in an attempt to harass them after they voted. (84) (Exhibit K)
Ohio voters who had identified themselves as Republicans received telephone calls telling them that the election was to be held a day later than Election Day, that their polling locations had been changed and that they could only vote if they brought four separate pieces of identification to the poll. This information was intentionally deceptive and intended to direct voters to a polling place where they would not be able to cast a ballot.
The Marion County Common Pleas Court issued a temporary restraining order against the Marion and Greene County Democratic Parties, the Ohio Democratic Party and America Coming Together (ACT) enjoining them from making inaccurate and deceptive phone calls to targeted voters. The judge originally assigned to the case recused himself because he had “personally received a phone call” like the one described by the plaintiff in which incorrect information about date of the election and polling place was given, a point he noted in the Judgment Entry he signed effectuating his recusal. The Ohio Supreme Court appointed a visiting judge to hear the case who then issued a temporary restraining order against the county and state Democrat parties and against ACT.
Bought and paid for in part by billionaire George Soros; threats, fraud, tire slashing, and my personal favorite – illegal phone calls to deceive potential voters.
My advice to Congressman Bass's office staff: The next time this bunch elbows their way into your office tell them the Starbucks at Shaw’s Plaza is giving away tofu lattes. Then when they dive out the door - lock it behind them.
10.22.2005
Health vs. Life
---By Ron Dupuis
A fifteen year old girl is injured while playing soccer. She is taken to the emergency room. She is told that her injury is not life threatening, however she may need some minor surgery to correct a problem that could plague her sports activity for the rest of her life. Both parents are out of town and unavailable. Sports being important to the young lady, she tells the doctor to go ahead with the procedure.
The question: is there any state in the union that would allow the physician to continue treatment with any kind of “minor surgical” procedure?
The answer: of course there isn’t. Not without some sort of parental consent.
The same girl, with the same unavailable parents is taken to the same doctor, only this time the injury is a little different. Several small blood clots have formed around the injury and could possibly threaten her life by moving to the heart and causing a fatal attack
The question this time is whether the doctor has the right to continue treatment in order to save the life of the child without parental consent.
The answer is of course he does have every right to continue treatment. With or without parental consent, the life of his patient is primary.
****************************
Pro abortion advocates are screaming to high heaven (oxymoron?) that New Hampshire’s Parental Notification Law is un-constitutional because it does not make an exception for the “health” of the Mother. On this point they are right. Legislators who helped draft the law tell me that if the word “health” where used it would simply be too ambiguous and allow abortion providers to bypass its intent. Instead of using the word “health”, Parental Notification supporters added the following exception:
I. No notice shall be required under RSA 132:25 if:
(a) The attending abortion provider certifies in the pregnant minor's medical record that the abortion is necessary to prevent the minor's death and there is insufficient time to provide the required notice.
In My Humble Opinion New Hampshire’s Parental Notification law is good legislation, passed by clear thinking people who do not want some unknown Physician usurping our rights as a parent. The word “health” would simply allow abortionist to bypass any parental notification and continue to influence our minor children into making catastrophic decisions which possibly could impact their emotional well being for the rest of their lives. All without the parents knowing.
A fifteen year old girl is injured while playing soccer. She is taken to the emergency room. She is told that her injury is not life threatening, however she may need some minor surgery to correct a problem that could plague her sports activity for the rest of her life. Both parents are out of town and unavailable. Sports being important to the young lady, she tells the doctor to go ahead with the procedure.
The question: is there any state in the union that would allow the physician to continue treatment with any kind of “minor surgical” procedure?
The answer: of course there isn’t. Not without some sort of parental consent.
The same girl, with the same unavailable parents is taken to the same doctor, only this time the injury is a little different. Several small blood clots have formed around the injury and could possibly threaten her life by moving to the heart and causing a fatal attack
The question this time is whether the doctor has the right to continue treatment in order to save the life of the child without parental consent.
The answer is of course he does have every right to continue treatment. With or without parental consent, the life of his patient is primary.
Pro abortion advocates are screaming to high heaven (oxymoron?) that New Hampshire’s Parental Notification Law is un-constitutional because it does not make an exception for the “health” of the Mother. On this point they are right. Legislators who helped draft the law tell me that if the word “health” where used it would simply be too ambiguous and allow abortion providers to bypass its intent. Instead of using the word “health”, Parental Notification supporters added the following exception:
I. No notice shall be required under RSA 132:25 if:
(a) The attending abortion provider certifies in the pregnant minor's medical record that the abortion is necessary to prevent the minor's death and there is insufficient time to provide the required notice.
In My Humble Opinion New Hampshire’s Parental Notification law is good legislation, passed by clear thinking people who do not want some unknown Physician usurping our rights as a parent. The word “health” would simply allow abortionist to bypass any parental notification and continue to influence our minor children into making catastrophic decisions which possibly could impact their emotional well being for the rest of their lives. All without the parents knowing.
10.19.2005
Hope you get better and don't die
---By Rep. Matt Quandt
One of the strangest bills to come before us on the Commerce Committee is House Bill 37. It deals with dependant children who are full time college students and on a family plan for health insurance. This issue arose last year when a sweet, kind and super young woman was diagnosed with terminal cancer. She was a student at Plymouth State College while her mother is a schoolteacher in Pembroke, NH. The mother’s family insurance is self funded and administered to by a HMO insurance company. Keep in mind that self-funded insurance programs do not fall under the NH Insurance Department for regulation they fall under the department of labor.
When Michelle was diagnosed with cancer the insurance administrator made a decision that since Michelle was having such medical problems she could not continue with school because of the extensive medical treatment required and would have to drop out. The plan administrator contacted the mother and told her that they were going to drop Michelle because she could no longer be a student. Michelle was still in school then, fighting not only to keep up with her academics but also her life in her valiant fight to live. The mother contacted the New Hampshire Insurance Department who could not help and told her to contact the NH Legislature since we make the laws.
The battle began. To my surprise our own leadership was not supportive of this legislation. They seemed to have the votes to kill this bill in committee. One opposing member argued that insurance companies cover collage students on a voluntary basis and if we mandated any coverage they could refuse to accept college-age people.
From two seats down came the response, “That is a red herring and bogus argument, I have two college age kids, both on my family plan for $600 per month and neither kid has used a $100 worth of health care a year since they have been on the plan. That means in 4 years I have paid about $30,000 for about $400 in health care delivery, economics dictates that the insurance companies will continue to insure their healthiest population and their biggest moneymaker. I have had relatives die of cancer, I have been around people who were dying, and they all wanted to live. Part of a successful cancer treatment program is to have hope. If you are young, maybe to finish college, get married, and have kids. If you are older to watch your grandchildren grow up. I am not going to look into this girl’s eyes and tell her I will not give her hope."
You might have guessed that two seats down to my left is where my father sits.
After this, the committee did not have the votes to ITL the bill and the bill was retained for further study and review. I am on the sub-committee studying this and we are still working to get a ”clean” bill out, that is one without any amendments. As best as we could figure the administrator for the mother’s insurance program wanted to get Michelle off the program because of the added expense that would be generated by her extensive treatment. There is no way to prove that was their motivation; but that is the way the issue appears to have come up, since this bill only affects about six students statewide.
On a very sad note after recently talking to the mother, Michelle is in rapid regression and is back in the hospital. There is doubt that Michelle will be with us at Christmas but if that is God's will it is God’s will. We will do everything we can to see that “Michelle’s Bill”, making sure college students can stay on health insurance coverage when situations like this happen, will live on.
Matt Quandt
State Representative
Exeter-Stratham-North Hampton.
One of the strangest bills to come before us on the Commerce Committee is House Bill 37. It deals with dependant children who are full time college students and on a family plan for health insurance. This issue arose last year when a sweet, kind and super young woman was diagnosed with terminal cancer. She was a student at Plymouth State College while her mother is a schoolteacher in Pembroke, NH. The mother’s family insurance is self funded and administered to by a HMO insurance company. Keep in mind that self-funded insurance programs do not fall under the NH Insurance Department for regulation they fall under the department of labor.
When Michelle was diagnosed with cancer the insurance administrator made a decision that since Michelle was having such medical problems she could not continue with school because of the extensive medical treatment required and would have to drop out. The plan administrator contacted the mother and told her that they were going to drop Michelle because she could no longer be a student. Michelle was still in school then, fighting not only to keep up with her academics but also her life in her valiant fight to live. The mother contacted the New Hampshire Insurance Department who could not help and told her to contact the NH Legislature since we make the laws.
The battle began. To my surprise our own leadership was not supportive of this legislation. They seemed to have the votes to kill this bill in committee. One opposing member argued that insurance companies cover collage students on a voluntary basis and if we mandated any coverage they could refuse to accept college-age people.
From two seats down came the response, “That is a red herring and bogus argument, I have two college age kids, both on my family plan for $600 per month and neither kid has used a $100 worth of health care a year since they have been on the plan. That means in 4 years I have paid about $30,000 for about $400 in health care delivery, economics dictates that the insurance companies will continue to insure their healthiest population and their biggest moneymaker. I have had relatives die of cancer, I have been around people who were dying, and they all wanted to live. Part of a successful cancer treatment program is to have hope. If you are young, maybe to finish college, get married, and have kids. If you are older to watch your grandchildren grow up. I am not going to look into this girl’s eyes and tell her I will not give her hope."
You might have guessed that two seats down to my left is where my father sits.
After this, the committee did not have the votes to ITL the bill and the bill was retained for further study and review. I am on the sub-committee studying this and we are still working to get a ”clean” bill out, that is one without any amendments. As best as we could figure the administrator for the mother’s insurance program wanted to get Michelle off the program because of the added expense that would be generated by her extensive treatment. There is no way to prove that was their motivation; but that is the way the issue appears to have come up, since this bill only affects about six students statewide.
On a very sad note after recently talking to the mother, Michelle is in rapid regression and is back in the hospital. There is doubt that Michelle will be with us at Christmas but if that is God's will it is God’s will. We will do everything we can to see that “Michelle’s Bill”, making sure college students can stay on health insurance coverage when situations like this happen, will live on.
Matt Quandt
State Representative
Exeter-Stratham-North Hampton.
10.18.2005
Scott Gets The Backhand
--- by Ed Naile
Former State Rep. David Scott of Dover had to go to Superior court to win public documents from the city. Judge Peter Fauver ruled the city must turn over the material. As of today from speaking to parties in Dover the town is still mulling its options.
Dave Scott was asking under, RSA 91-A The Right to Know Law, for the names and salaries of public employees making $60,000 or more. This same information about public employees salaries is published in town reports all over NH and has been for as long as town reports have been printed.
Now for some insider information as to what the real story is.
The Dover officials who denied the documents are doing so in hopes the court will rule in their favor. Because our NH court system is so bad they had good reason to believe they may prevail. That says something about our courts. Want proof?
Why did it take six weeks for the court to rule in Scott’s favor? A Superior Court judge has a responsibility to keep courts from spending time on frivolous cases. This should have been over with before it even had a hearing. It doesn't take a jury to hear a simple equity case involving citizens long held rights.
Dover officials know, as all officials in NH, do that RSA 91-A is one of the most powerful tools the public has to control their spending and behavior.
So how does NH press fit in? Here is a Nashua Telegraph editorial take on Scott:
“Scott, a former state representative, may be a gadfly, even a pest, to some in city government who are at the receiving end of his requests for information. But trying to finesse the Right-To-Know Law to make it tough to get information isn’t the way to go.”
Here is the Union Leader editorial description of Scott:
“IN DOVER, former Rep. David Scott surely is not popular in certain circles — namely those that operate the city. Scott is something of a gadfly, constantly pestering the government. And we are glad he is. In his latest venture he has defeated the city in its attempt to keep some important information from becoming public.”
And the Union Leader reason for this happening:
“It is a shame that citizens have to resort to lawsuits to access information that is rightfully theirs. But alas, that is the nature of government.”
It’s the nature of New Hampshire government alright!
The Portsmouth Herald boldly editorialized that people should consider changing the guard at City Hall. Impressive!
At least The Portsmouth Herald did not refer to Mr. Scott as a “gadfly.” Big of them.
No, the overall tone of the media has been, “Wow, too bad the gadfly has come up against the powerful city council. Lucky our system works and we have justice after all.”
Mr. Scott has not received the cost of bringing the case to court, something that should be guaranteed in the law along with misdemeanor charges for repeat violations and an automatic injunction against further violations by officials.
Dave Scott is a friend of mine and the best friend taxpayers in Dover could have. The resistance these officials have shown is part of the overall arrogance of many public officials these days as is theft of public funds by public employees.
Let's hope the people in Dover remember who, by withholding documents, the city council was protecting when they vote next time. And they should call their local papers and ask why the whole story isn't in the news before they take out an ad or buy another paper.
Just as you have a right to public documents you have a right to all the news.
Former State Rep. David Scott of Dover had to go to Superior court to win public documents from the city. Judge Peter Fauver ruled the city must turn over the material. As of today from speaking to parties in Dover the town is still mulling its options.
Dave Scott was asking under, RSA 91-A The Right to Know Law, for the names and salaries of public employees making $60,000 or more. This same information about public employees salaries is published in town reports all over NH and has been for as long as town reports have been printed.
Now for some insider information as to what the real story is.
The Dover officials who denied the documents are doing so in hopes the court will rule in their favor. Because our NH court system is so bad they had good reason to believe they may prevail. That says something about our courts. Want proof?
Why did it take six weeks for the court to rule in Scott’s favor? A Superior Court judge has a responsibility to keep courts from spending time on frivolous cases. This should have been over with before it even had a hearing. It doesn't take a jury to hear a simple equity case involving citizens long held rights.
Dover officials know, as all officials in NH, do that RSA 91-A is one of the most powerful tools the public has to control their spending and behavior.
So how does NH press fit in? Here is a Nashua Telegraph editorial take on Scott:
“Scott, a former state representative, may be a gadfly, even a pest, to some in city government who are at the receiving end of his requests for information. But trying to finesse the Right-To-Know Law to make it tough to get information isn’t the way to go.”
Here is the Union Leader editorial description of Scott:
“IN DOVER, former Rep. David Scott surely is not popular in certain circles — namely those that operate the city. Scott is something of a gadfly, constantly pestering the government. And we are glad he is. In his latest venture he has defeated the city in its attempt to keep some important information from becoming public.”
And the Union Leader reason for this happening:
“It is a shame that citizens have to resort to lawsuits to access information that is rightfully theirs. But alas, that is the nature of government.”
It’s the nature of New Hampshire government alright!
The Portsmouth Herald boldly editorialized that people should consider changing the guard at City Hall. Impressive!
At least The Portsmouth Herald did not refer to Mr. Scott as a “gadfly.” Big of them.
No, the overall tone of the media has been, “Wow, too bad the gadfly has come up against the powerful city council. Lucky our system works and we have justice after all.”
Mr. Scott has not received the cost of bringing the case to court, something that should be guaranteed in the law along with misdemeanor charges for repeat violations and an automatic injunction against further violations by officials.
Dave Scott is a friend of mine and the best friend taxpayers in Dover could have. The resistance these officials have shown is part of the overall arrogance of many public officials these days as is theft of public funds by public employees.
Let's hope the people in Dover remember who, by withholding documents, the city council was protecting when they vote next time. And they should call their local papers and ask why the whole story isn't in the news before they take out an ad or buy another paper.
Just as you have a right to public documents you have a right to all the news.
10.14.2005
Brief Friend
---by Ron Dupuis
Last week New Hampshire House Speaker Doug Scamman stated his intent to sign an Amicus Brief to be filed by pro-abortionist with the Supreme Court of the United States concerning “Parental Notification.” This law passed by the New Hampshire legislature in 2003 required un-emancipated minor girls to notify a parent before getting an abortion. The lack of exemption to protect the life of the Mother was Speaker Scamman’s reason for throwing the weight of his office behind the “Friend of the Court” opinion.
“I’ve always been pro choice so there is no reason to beat me up on this” the Speaker stated.
We’ll see Mr. Speaker. Fast forward a few days.
Speaker Scamman announced he will NOT lend his name to the brief opposing the Parental Notification law. He said he had not seen the brief and now it was too late to analyze it.
“I’m going to have people on two sides upset with me” was the Speakers statement.
You’ve got that right Mr. Speaker.
In My Humble Opinion, Doug Scamman, as an individual, and as a Representative, has every right to his position as a “pro choice” advocate, or as I prefer to call it, a “pro abortion” advocate. (I have my right to call it what ever I want). The problem is that SPEAKER Scamman has no right to throw the power and prestige of his office behind a move to undermine a law that was approved by the proper House committee and passed by a vote in both the House and Senate. Approved, I might add, during a period when the Speaker was neither Speaker nor even a Representative.
I seem to remember when Representative Scamman was running for the Speakers position he promised to allow the committees to “do their job” and the House to “do its job” without interference from the Speakers office. For him to even consider interfering with legislation passed by the New Hampshire over two years ago is an embarrassment. So much for campaign promises.
Last week New Hampshire House Speaker Doug Scamman stated his intent to sign an Amicus Brief to be filed by pro-abortionist with the Supreme Court of the United States concerning “Parental Notification.” This law passed by the New Hampshire legislature in 2003 required un-emancipated minor girls to notify a parent before getting an abortion. The lack of exemption to protect the life of the Mother was Speaker Scamman’s reason for throwing the weight of his office behind the “Friend of the Court” opinion.
“I’ve always been pro choice so there is no reason to beat me up on this” the Speaker stated.
We’ll see Mr. Speaker. Fast forward a few days.
Speaker Scamman announced he will NOT lend his name to the brief opposing the Parental Notification law. He said he had not seen the brief and now it was too late to analyze it.
“I’m going to have people on two sides upset with me” was the Speakers statement.
You’ve got that right Mr. Speaker.
In My Humble Opinion, Doug Scamman, as an individual, and as a Representative, has every right to his position as a “pro choice” advocate, or as I prefer to call it, a “pro abortion” advocate. (I have my right to call it what ever I want). The problem is that SPEAKER Scamman has no right to throw the power and prestige of his office behind a move to undermine a law that was approved by the proper House committee and passed by a vote in both the House and Senate. Approved, I might add, during a period when the Speaker was neither Speaker nor even a Representative.
I seem to remember when Representative Scamman was running for the Speakers position he promised to allow the committees to “do their job” and the House to “do its job” without interference from the Speakers office. For him to even consider interfering with legislation passed by the New Hampshire over two years ago is an embarrassment. So much for campaign promises.
MoveOver.loser
--- by Ed Naile
Today I was provided by chance the privilege to be involved in a little bitter street theater at the Congressman Bass HQ in Concord.
The players:
1 - Lefty MoveOn.soros actors pretending to be Republicans, presenting a torn up wad of poster material to Bass staffers.
2 - NHPR “investigative reporter” Josh Rodgers, who is by the way not afraid to carry a man-purse and wear sneakers while plying his trade. For the uninitiated, this is what is known in the industry as “protest by wardrobe.” Josh telegraphs his desire to let you know he is not kow-towing to “the Man” by wearing anything other than his “funky” wardrobe.
Mommy may have given Josh his inside info from the NH Insurance Commission but she certainly doesn't dress him. He does that himself - politically.
The Play:
When I entered the Bass office the soft-socialists mouthing the Soros line were admonishing Bass staffers about some conspiracy theory they have regarding The Evil Tom Delay being involved with dirty campaign contributions to Bass.
They must have had some sort of temper tantrum on the way to the office with young Josh and some other “reporters” in tow because the over sized poster-check they made up was crumpled beyond repair. The Bass people couldn't read it, let alone cash it at the “giant” bank.
Now I know any liberal worth his tofu can cook up a 10 foot papier mache head for a street protest in a wink of an eye so I wonder about the abilities of this NH contingent of Sorosites.
Could it be that the lack of funding since the withdraw of the Soros millions a few months ago has affected the ability of our angry thespians to express themselves with anything other than crepe paper, paste, and glitter?
I mentioned my dismay about the loss of the Soros troubadour money to the young lady with the Annie Hall hat as I left the office. She agreed. (I'm an actor as well!)
For more about MoveOn.loser check out their web site where they get angry, mind-numb liberals to send Letters to the Editor to local papers. You may have noticed the shift in decency lately in such letters - Bush is a war criminal type stuff. This is part of the MoveOn.loser's plan to “take back” NH and America.
That and the help of Josh Rodgers from NHPR.
Today I was provided by chance the privilege to be involved in a little bitter street theater at the Congressman Bass HQ in Concord.
The players:
1 - Lefty MoveOn.soros actors pretending to be Republicans, presenting a torn up wad of poster material to Bass staffers.
2 - NHPR “investigative reporter” Josh Rodgers, who is by the way not afraid to carry a man-purse and wear sneakers while plying his trade. For the uninitiated, this is what is known in the industry as “protest by wardrobe.” Josh telegraphs his desire to let you know he is not kow-towing to “the Man” by wearing anything other than his “funky” wardrobe.
Mommy may have given Josh his inside info from the NH Insurance Commission but she certainly doesn't dress him. He does that himself - politically.
The Play:
When I entered the Bass office the soft-socialists mouthing the Soros line were admonishing Bass staffers about some conspiracy theory they have regarding The Evil Tom Delay being involved with dirty campaign contributions to Bass.
They must have had some sort of temper tantrum on the way to the office with young Josh and some other “reporters” in tow because the over sized poster-check they made up was crumpled beyond repair. The Bass people couldn't read it, let alone cash it at the “giant” bank.
Now I know any liberal worth his tofu can cook up a 10 foot papier mache head for a street protest in a wink of an eye so I wonder about the abilities of this NH contingent of Sorosites.
Could it be that the lack of funding since the withdraw of the Soros millions a few months ago has affected the ability of our angry thespians to express themselves with anything other than crepe paper, paste, and glitter?
I mentioned my dismay about the loss of the Soros troubadour money to the young lady with the Annie Hall hat as I left the office. She agreed. (I'm an actor as well!)
For more about MoveOn.loser check out their web site where they get angry, mind-numb liberals to send Letters to the Editor to local papers. You may have noticed the shift in decency lately in such letters - Bush is a war criminal type stuff. This is part of the MoveOn.loser's plan to “take back” NH and America.
That and the help of Josh Rodgers from NHPR.
10.13.2005
The Seductive Short War Myth
---by Micheal
Middle East insurgents boast openly that they plan to win by simply outlasting western forces (i.e. America). It's not that they have deeper pockets or larger stockpiles of goods. What they're openly banking on, is America's lack of resolve. They're banking on Afghanistan and Iraq becoming "another Vietnam" in which America loses heart and bails out.
FoxNews just released a story about a letter from Aymen al-Zawahiri to his top deputy in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi (FoxNews story) "The aftermath of the collapse of American power in Vietnam — and how they ran and left their agents — is noteworthy. ... We must be ready starting now."
The insurgents are counting on American culture not having the fortitude to stay and finish what they started. America has developed a taste for short, flashy "wars" with gizmo bombs and few casualties. The seductive myth of the short war isn't new, nor does America alone suffer from it. Europe is equally seduced.
The Short War Myth arose in the late 1800s, shortly after Prussia kicked France's backside (Franco-Prussian War) in a matter of weeks. This, the pundits imagined, was how wars will be from now on: Short, hot, not-too-disruptive. The destructive power of (then) new techno-weapons, like the machine gun, airplane and submarine were thought to frighten nations into only fighting short wars, low-destruction, wars.
World War One proved the Short War Myth to be very wrong. Nations did employ their techno-killing-machines on each other and they did it for four long years, killing millions. World War Two was no smaller, nor shorter. But did anyone learn from them?
Apparently not. Some "peace activists" are clamoring that America should pull out of Iraq -- primarily because it's going on too long. The seductive lie of the Short War Myth is very much alive and well.
Did Bush lie to get us in? Maybe. Is the world better without Saddam? Seems so. We can argue about many aspects of the war, but to argue for its end on the grounds that it's gone on too long, is the Myth talking.
Middle East insurgents boast openly that they plan to win by simply outlasting western forces (i.e. America). It's not that they have deeper pockets or larger stockpiles of goods. What they're openly banking on, is America's lack of resolve. They're banking on Afghanistan and Iraq becoming "another Vietnam" in which America loses heart and bails out.
FoxNews just released a story about a letter from Aymen al-Zawahiri to his top deputy in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi (FoxNews story) "The aftermath of the collapse of American power in Vietnam — and how they ran and left their agents — is noteworthy. ... We must be ready starting now."
The insurgents are counting on American culture not having the fortitude to stay and finish what they started. America has developed a taste for short, flashy "wars" with gizmo bombs and few casualties. The seductive myth of the short war isn't new, nor does America alone suffer from it. Europe is equally seduced.
The Short War Myth arose in the late 1800s, shortly after Prussia kicked France's backside (Franco-Prussian War) in a matter of weeks. This, the pundits imagined, was how wars will be from now on: Short, hot, not-too-disruptive. The destructive power of (then) new techno-weapons, like the machine gun, airplane and submarine were thought to frighten nations into only fighting short wars, low-destruction, wars.
World War One proved the Short War Myth to be very wrong. Nations did employ their techno-killing-machines on each other and they did it for four long years, killing millions. World War Two was no smaller, nor shorter. But did anyone learn from them?
Apparently not. Some "peace activists" are clamoring that America should pull out of Iraq -- primarily because it's going on too long. The seductive lie of the Short War Myth is very much alive and well.
Did Bush lie to get us in? Maybe. Is the world better without Saddam? Seems so. We can argue about many aspects of the war, but to argue for its end on the grounds that it's gone on too long, is the Myth talking.
Schafly on Immigration
--- imho-nh
No one has a better understanding of the immigration problem facing this country then syndicated columnist Phyllis Schafly. Please read her thoughts on the 14th amendment and encourage your congressman to take the appropriate action.
Click here to review “American Citizenship is Precious.”
No one has a better understanding of the immigration problem facing this country then syndicated columnist Phyllis Schafly. Please read her thoughts on the 14th amendment and encourage your congressman to take the appropriate action.
Click here to review “American Citizenship is Precious.”
10.03.2005
Katrina chaos: Seeing what you want to
--- by Micheal Shackelford:
Shortly after Katrina hit New Orleans, reports and TV footage painted a nightmare picture of lawlessness. Rapes, murders, and looting were rampant, they said. Stories spread like wildfire of shots being fired at rescue boats and helicopters. New Orleans after Katrina, seemed to reveal a disturbingly dark side of America.
Later on, things were not turning out as savage as they said. (Fear Exceeded Crime's Reality in New Orleans, Jim Dwyer, NYT Sept. 29: Up for Grabs, Christopher Shea, Boston Globe, Sept. 11)
State officials later report that 10 peopled died at the Superdome. 4 died inside the Convention Center, with 20 dying nearby. New Orleans' police superintendent (who has since resigned) said, "We don't have any substantiated rapes." The police were also backpedaling on the murders, saying that no victims of foul play were found either. Many died, but not all of foul play. Looting for food and water is different than stealing TVs. But in the media melee, it all looked the same.
Therein lies the danger. People tended to see what they expected to see in the images of post-Katrina. Elitists see a proof that the lower classes are dregs little better than animals. Those who inwardly fear the poor see a proof of what will happen when (their) civilization breaks down.
Those who favor large centralized government see a proof that government should do more. Those who favor government-sponsored abolishment of poverty use the images to further their agenda. Republicans see proof of local Democratic failures. Democrats see a proof of federal Republican failures.
Even the recent cover of news magazine read: "Who Screwed Up?" which presumes that it is someone's job to making sure our everyday lives are never disrupted. Whose job is it to see that huge natural forces are rendered powerless? (and once you find the guy with that much power, why do you think he should listen to you ?)
The big trouble in post-Katrina, is seeing what you expected, or what you want to see. If you find yourself thinking that Katrina proves that you were right all along, you may be falling victim to your own expectations and not seeing what's really there. We can't fix the real problems if we're really focused on old agendas.
Shortly after Katrina hit New Orleans, reports and TV footage painted a nightmare picture of lawlessness. Rapes, murders, and looting were rampant, they said. Stories spread like wildfire of shots being fired at rescue boats and helicopters. New Orleans after Katrina, seemed to reveal a disturbingly dark side of America.
Later on, things were not turning out as savage as they said. (Fear Exceeded Crime's Reality in New Orleans, Jim Dwyer, NYT Sept. 29: Up for Grabs, Christopher Shea, Boston Globe, Sept. 11)
State officials later report that 10 peopled died at the Superdome. 4 died inside the Convention Center, with 20 dying nearby. New Orleans' police superintendent (who has since resigned) said, "We don't have any substantiated rapes." The police were also backpedaling on the murders, saying that no victims of foul play were found either. Many died, but not all of foul play. Looting for food and water is different than stealing TVs. But in the media melee, it all looked the same.
Therein lies the danger. People tended to see what they expected to see in the images of post-Katrina. Elitists see a proof that the lower classes are dregs little better than animals. Those who inwardly fear the poor see a proof of what will happen when (their) civilization breaks down.
Those who favor large centralized government see a proof that government should do more. Those who favor government-sponsored abolishment of poverty use the images to further their agenda. Republicans see proof of local Democratic failures. Democrats see a proof of federal Republican failures.
Even the recent cover of news magazine read: "Who Screwed Up?" which presumes that it is someone's job to making sure our everyday lives are never disrupted. Whose job is it to see that huge natural forces are rendered powerless? (and once you find the guy with that much power, why do you think he should listen to you ?)
The big trouble in post-Katrina, is seeing what you expected, or what you want to see. If you find yourself thinking that Katrina proves that you were right all along, you may be falling victim to your own expectations and not seeing what's really there. We can't fix the real problems if we're really focused on old agendas.
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