Crime and Civil War

One person takes up arms against the state, it's a crime. Thousands of people who take up arms against the state is a civil war. We don't want either.

Fatally confident of his powers of persuasion

Fatally confident of his powers of persuasion, he's bewildered that he hasn't been able to convince the Iranians (or the Palestinians, Russians, Venezuelans, Chinese, etc.) to do what he wants them to do.
Ralph Peters in the NYP

Ralph, I think you're being nice. For America's sake I hope you're correct. That means he might learn that talk goes only so far and may yet turn into a competent president.

Comments on a Comment

The following comes from a comment following a Wall Street Journal article.

The Republicans are dead meat.

They reject government involvement in the private market place but accept religous involvement in government.

They reject govt. monopolies, but endorse, accept, and defend private monopolies that strip consumers of their wealth, and impose massive taxes and efficiency losses on this nation.

They impose massive costs on the electorate in terms of a war on terror yet defend the ownership of nearly automatic weapons.

They impose massive costs on taxpayers for their war on drugs, and yet they allow doctors the freedom to write fraudulent scrip for addictive drugs.

They talk about the evil nature of government, but not one of them will give up their job, reduce their benefits, or cut their retirement, in order to shrink the size of government.

The Republican Party is a walking, talking, contradiction.

Wow! I suppose this makes sense to some people.

Dear Leader

Patriotism is the love of one's country, not the person sitting in the Oval Office. I know a lot of people who are creeped out by patriotism; even had issue with people putting up American flags after 9/11.

Well I'm creeped out by this: a school teacher taking a children's religious song (Jesus Loves the Little Children" and substituting Barack Obama for Jesus.

“He said red, yellow, black or white/All are equal in his sight. Barack Hussein Obama.”

SONG 1:
Mm, mmm, mm!
Barack Hussein Obama

He said that all must lend a hand
To make this country strong again
Mmm, mmm, mm!
Barack Hussein Obama

He said we must be fair today
Equal work means equal pay
Mmm, mmm, mm!
Barack Hussein Obama

He said that we must take a stand
To make sure everyone gets a chance
Mmm, mmm, mm!
Barack Hussein Obama

He said red, yellow, black or white
All are equal in his sight
Mmm, mmm, mm!
Barack Hussein Obama

Yes!
Mmm, mmm, mm
Barack Hussein Obama

SONG 2:
Hello, Mr. President we honor you today!
For all your great accomplishments, we all doth say "hooray!"

Hooray, Mr. President! You're number one!
The first black American to lead this great nation!

Hooray, Mr. President we honor your great plans
To make this country's economy number one again!

Hooray Mr. President, we're really proud of you!
And we stand for all Americans under the great Red, White, and Blue!

So continue ---- Mr. President we know you'll do the trick
So here's a hearty hip-hooray ----

Hip, hip hooray!
Hip, hip hooray!
Hip, hip hooray!

School children singing praises to "Dear Leader" is something we've never seen in this country before and, frankly, it's a little spooky. Imagine this was a video of children, a captive audience of the school teacher, singing praises to Bush. Wouldn't you be upset then? I sure know I would.

One Term Barry

Why do I say One Term Barry? Because if this keeps up Obama will keep the core Democratic voters and be trounced by the rest of the country. The only way I think that Obama can have a second term is if the Republicans win back the House in 2010 and in 2012 it look as if they will expand on it and take over the Senate as well.

Of course 3 years is an eternity in politics. We can't even be sure who's going to win the Virginia and New Jersey Gubernatorial elections six weeks from now.

Can't Wait For Our First Five Year Plan

The problem I have with Obama is more than his agenda it’s also the imagery which surrounds him.

The artwork during the election which reminds us of Stalinist Propaganda was disturbing but ... whatever; let's not make a federal case out of it. Replacing the seal of the US President with his own seal was bad enough; but hymns being sung to him; addressing school children and asking them to help him with his agenda; the devotionals and pledges made by celebrities -- I'm sorry people but this is very disturbing. Personal loyalty to a political leader is disturbing.

It truly -- no hyperbole here -- reminds me of the Maoist Youth Brigade. I can't wait for our first Five Year Plan.

Favors extended become defined as rights - Saul Alinsky

The Democratic Party playbook, the old patron-client game.

But you know, that incident was interesting, because it was actually my first experience as an organizer -- I learned something else from it, too; after the cafeterias had outflanked us, a bunch of the kids I'd organized came up to me and said, "OK, Saul, what do we do next?" And when I told them I didn't have the slightest idea, they were really pissed off at me. It was then I learned the meaning of the old adage about how 'favors extended become defined as rights.'

If this little blurb interests you the rest is in Playboy's 1972 interview with Alinsky.